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Management Change in AB Electrolux
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John Hardy Takes Its Global Expansion Back To Its Roots
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Discover the Joyful Delights of the Festive Season at LANDMARK
Special shopping offers and fabulous food, drinks and dining optionsHONG KONG, Dec. 12, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- This December at LANDMARK, celebrate the festive season with a host of joyful treats, feasts, treasured moments and delightful purchases to put everyone in a holiday mood. Mr Raymond Chow, Executive Director of Hongkong Land, joined with the villagers from Santa Paws Village to enjoy Santa Paws’ magical market in celebrating all the festive sentiments of the holiday period. Mr Raymond Chow, Executive Director of Hongkong Land, joined with the villagers from Santa Paws Village to enjoy Santa Paws’ magical market in celebrating all the festive sentiments of the holiday period. Share in the spirit of good wishes and find the joy of giving at the Santa Paws Store, with a selection of carefully crafted gifting merchandise, including ‘Discover The Christmas Spirit with Santa Paws’ storybook by Pedro Serapicos; adorable ‘Pedro edition’ plush toys; village character ornaments; and personalised Christmas stockings and badges, all sourced by Santa Paws from around the world as the perfect presents for loved ones, with all proceeds going to Make-a-Wish(R) Hong Kong. CAFE LANDMARK will delight their customers with the Santa Paws Village Afternoon Tea Set till 31 December. As guests enjoy a quaint festive-themed tea they can also enjoy a view of the Christmas installation in LANDMARK ATRIUM. At Santa Paws Village, a host of colourful characters in a traditionally-inspired village are the inspiration behind many of the special festive shopping offers and delicious food and beverage experiences to be savoured during the holiday period across LANDMARK's four buildings. Discover exciting Santa Paws inspired gifts and festive items along with tantalisingly sweet and savoury treats as well as traditional festive menus across its award-winning restaurants, delicatessens and eateries to make for a truly delicious season of celebration. Festive Rewards From 1st December until 24th December, LANDMARK's fabulous collection of tenants will be offering over 1,000 gifts and exclusive offers. Every day of the festive period, LANDMARK's BESPOKE members will receive an exciting offer or gift through the LANDMARK HONGKONG app from stores while celebrating the countdown. From 1st to 26th December, BESPOKE members can choose to apply up to 3X bonus reward points on three personally-selected shopping days and use their points to redeem unlimited LANDMARK gift certificates or share in the seasonal joy by making donations to Make-a-Wish® Hong Kong[1] for every 1,000 points (equivalent to HK$ 20). In addition, customers will be further rewarded with additional LANDMARK bonus rewards of HK$ 100 Home & Kids gift certificates with minimum same-day accumulated spending of HK$ 5,000. BESPOKE members also have the opportunity to 'Take Santa Paws Home' and bid on a wide range of cute special edition LANDMARK Santa Paws characters, including several specially created in collaboration with Ralph Lauren Childrenswear, HBX and Nicholas & Bears, in an online auction that runs from now until 22nd December on LANDMARK HONGKONG app, with all proceeds donated to Make-a-Wish® Hong Kong. BESPOKE is a regional loyalty programme with unparalleled privileges, extended personalised services and superior recognition at pre-eminent destination worldwide, including Macau, Hong Kong, Beijing and esteemed global partners. Reward points can be earned and used in LANDMARK in Hong Kong, WF CENTRAL in Beijing, and ONE CENTRAL in Macau. Santa Paws Inspired Offerings LANDMARK's tenants have collaborated to offer something truly unique this festive season. Swedish sportswear specialist J.Lindeberg will have limited edition Santa Paws and Robo-themed polo shirts to mark the occasion, while beauty lifestyle specialty shop The Artistry has an exclusive Santa Paws packaging of their Rose Quartz Undereye Vibration Massager, enabling customers to sparkle this season. CAFE LANDMARK will delight their customers with the Santa Paws Village Afternoon Tea Set. As guests relax with a quaint festive-themed tea they can also enjoy a view of the installation in LANDMARK ATRIUM. For those with a sweet tooth, Santa Paws has specially asked the friends from Cookie DPT to prepare the Red Velvet Matcha Ganache Filled Cookie and Special Edition Christmas Tree Rice Crispy Treats, only available at the Santa Paws Store. For an organic option, The Cakery has prepared Santa Paws Organic Sugar Cookie for the sweetest treat for all at HK$ 55. For chocolate lovers, do not miss the hot chocolate served by Robo Cocoa (a donation of HK$ 30) or follow @landmarkhk on Instagram or Facebook and post a photo of our Santa Paws Village with designated hashtags for a complimentary drink. For something a little cheering, Dr. Fern's Gin Parlour has a Limited Edition Christmas Nordés Gin Box. Connoisseurs will have a happy festive thanks to a 450ml bottle of Nordes Gin, a 180ml bottle of Indian or Classic Tonic, garnishes and a Nordes Gin Candle (HK$ 680). At La Maison Du Chocolat, the Polar Circle serves as inspiration for the brand's delicious range of chocolate gifts and hampers. From a Christmas Polar Gesture gift box to a Limited Edition handmade chocolate snowflake, there is something for everyone with a sweet tooth to savour. We all need a little pick me up during the festive period, and Le Jus's Christmas Wonderland Wellness Drink offers rejuvenation. Drink in its vibrant pink flavours made with pineapple, red dragon fruit, banana and coconut water - that will power you through the holidays (HK$ 49) For apparel and accessories, SHEER is offering a complimentary Eberjey Gisele eye mask upon any purchase; Athleisure lifestyle store Caelum Greene is offering 15% off for last minute shoppers. British retailer mothercare is giving out one-year My Mothercare VIP club membership to all; and purchase made in Jaeger-LeCoultre will be offered a complimentary snowball as a token for the winter wonderland. Carrie Bradshaw's favourite Manolo Blahnik, one of the world's most influential footwear designer brand, is offering a minimum of HK$ 500 off gift certificates for purchases of HK$ 8,000 or above. Luxury fashion brand Jimmy Choo is giving out branded water bottles with a single purchase of HK$ 10,000. Men's footwear will also receive expert tender, love and care with TASSELS, which is offering 6-month pre-VIP privileges, complimentary shoeshine experience and TASSELS cedar wood shoe tree upon any footwear purchase. The beauty comes from within is certainly true when it comes with BEYORG No. 8 Organic Spa, where they are offering multiple offerings, including a complimentary organic shampoo & conditioner set, free 10-minute mini eye treatment or make up service. For something a little different, head to Drivepro for a complimentary ART-DE-MOORE iPhone case on 21st December. French luxury brand Yves Delorme is also offering complimentary items, including tea towel giveaway and a gift upon any purchase. At the meantime, Bed & Bath is offering multiple discounts, including 20% off for all Christmas items. Eat, Drink and Be Merry with your family During the festive period, LANDMARK's selection of prestigious restaurants, eateries and bars have created festive delicacies, bringing the tastiest treats to suit all tastes. At Dot Cod, diners can enjoy a buffet starting with a freshly shucked oyster station and Aylesbury duck pate before selecting a traditional festive roast turkey platter for their main course, just one of their special holiday menus available over the festive period. Don't miss the epicure cheese plate with onion chutney, biscuits and figs. Mak Mak's Festive brunch promises a memorable holiday meal. The acclaimed Thai restaurant offers a fun alternative to traditional Christmas dining on Christmas Day and Boxing Day with free-flow Aperol spritzes and a selection of flavour-packed Thai favourites. Thai food fans can also toast the arrival of a new year with a sharing feast which includes a glass of Veuve Clicquot champagne. For those looking for a taste of tradition, Landmark Mandarin Oriental is adding some sparkle at MO Bar with their festive brunch, filled with familiar festive classics and free flow drinks and cocktails. At Amber, the two-Michelin starred restaurant from Richard Ekkebus, a special Christmas eve eight-course feast will kick off the festivities in style. Priced at HK$ 3,288 per person, there is a special early bird offer of HK$ 2,988 if you make your reservations soon. Amber with its festive ambiance will be open throughout the Christmas and New Year period. An Italian extravaganza await diners at 8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana on Christmas Eve. In what promises to be an exclusive gourmet evening, taste buds will be delighted with Oyster Gillardeau and roasted Turbot and King Crab before enjoying divine delights such as Chestnut Gnocchi and Poularde from Bresse. L'Atelier de Joel Rouchon is offering two complimentary cocktails along with two dinner sets ordered, while Kakure and Zuma are offering complimentary bottle of sake (720ml) for two and glass of champagne or sake bottle upon order the Festive Daikoku Tasting for two and more guests respectively. China Tang is also offering a complimentary bottle of Ruggeri Argeo Prosecco Di Trevino for those who enjoy a glass of bubbles. The espresso bar concept NODI is bringing free 8 oz handcraft coffee on 14th December for the first 50 BESPOKE members, and complimentary pack of toasted caramel coco crunch from Cocoparadise for purchasing three cups of coffee. Tiffany & Co., the world-renowned jewellery brand, is inviting customers with spending over HK$ 20,000 on or before 31st December to have a relaxing afternoon with their tea set for two at the Tiffany Blue Box Café. To discover more about LANDMARK and to receive our latest news and register for upcoming events, sign up for the LANDMARK e-newsletter at www.landmark.hk. Follow LANDMARK on Facebook at www.facebook.com/landmark.hk; Instagram www.instagram.com/landmarkhk or search 'landmarkhk' and use the hashtags #celebratexmasspirit #santapawsvillage #landmarkchristmas #landmarkhk. Download LANDMARK HONGKONG app at http://bit.ly/lmapp_pr. Celebrate the festive Spirit at LANDMARK. [1] Make-A-Wish Hong Kong grants one special wish to children aged between three and 17 with critical illnesses, in Hong Kong and Macau, to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. To date, they have granted nearly 2,000 life-changing wishes. They are dedicated to making every eligible child's wish come true. Please download the high-resolution images at:https://www.dropbox.com/sh/axsuh7l7giejk4u/AAB5VSifHE_Bep75suHuoXUYa?dl=0 About LANDMARK LANDMARK represents the epitome of top-tier luxury shopping and lifestyle experiences. Drawing from a rich heritage which began in 1904 -- LANDMARK today is the luxury shopping destination of Hongkong Land's Central portfolio including 4 iconic connected buildings, LANDMARK ATRIUM, LANDMARK ALEXANDRA, LANDMARK CHATER and LANDMARK PRINCE'S. LANDMARK offers approximately 208 of the finest stores and restaurants, all seamlessly linked by pedestrian bridges. From high fashion and accessories to watches and jewellery, from luxury living to beauty and grooming, from international cuisine to authentic gourmet dining, LANDMARK brings the ultimate shopping experience to the discerning customer. About Hongkong Land Hongkong Land is a major listed property investment, management and development group. Founded in 1889, Hongkong Land's business is built on excellence, integrity and partnership. The Group owns and manages more than 850,000 sq. m. of prime office and luxury retail property in key Asian cities, principally in Hong Kong, Singapore, Beijing and Jakarta. Its properties attract the world's foremost companies and luxury brands. The Group's Central Hong Kong portfolio represents some 450,000 sq. m. of prime property. It has a further 165,000 sq. m. of prestigious office space in Singapore mainly held through joint ventures, a luxury retail centre at Wangfujing in Beijing, and a 50% interest in a leading office complex in Central Jakarta. The Group also has a number of high quality residential, commercial and mixed-use projects under development in cities across Greater China and Southeast Asia. In Singapore, its subsidiary, MCL Land, is a well-established residential developer. Hongkong Land Holdings Limited is incorporated in Bermuda and has a standard listing on the London Stock Exchange, with secondary listings in Bermuda and Singapore. The Group's assets and investments are managed from Hong Kong by Hongkong Land Limited. Hongkong Land is a member of the Jardine Matheson Group. Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20191212/2668886-1-a?lang=0Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20191212/2668886-1-b?lang=0Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20191212/2668886-1-c?lang=0Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20191212/2668886-1-d?lang=0Related Links :http://www.landmark.hk
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Weidai Ltd. Works on Applying for Online Microcredit Company License
HANGZHOU, China, Dec. 12, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Weidai Ltd. ("Weidai" or the "Company") (NYSE: WEI), a leading auto-backed financing solution provider in China, today announced that it is working on applying for an online microcredit company license in China, in an effort to further diversify its business. Chinese regulators are encouraging marketplace lending platforms to transform into online microcredit companies. In late November 2019, the Head Office for Special Rectification of Online Finance Risk and the Head Office for Special Rectification of Peer-to-Peer Online Lending jointly issued Circular 83, which provides detailed guidelines for the transformation of marketplace lending platforms into online microcredit companies. "Weidai has been implementing various initiatives to meet the government's compliance and transformation requirements," said Mr. Hong Yao, Weidai's founder, chairman and chief executive officer. "We will closely monitor the market fluctuations and continue to execute our strategies to diversify our business to meet evolving market demand." About Weidai Ltd. Weidai Ltd. is a pioneer and leading auto-backed financing solution provider in China supported by sophisticated and effective risk management system and technology. The Company transforms used automobiles, a type of "non-standard" collateral, into investable assets, to provide accessible credit for China's small and micro enterprises, and connects the borrowers with both online investors and institutional funding partners through its platform. For more information, please visit http://weidai.investorroom.com/. Safe Harbor Statement This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements constitute "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," "target," "confident" and similar statements. Weidai may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the SEC, in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about Weidai's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Such statements are based upon management's current expectations and current market and operating conditions, and relate to events that involve known or unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, all of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond the Company's control. Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any such statements. Potential risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited the following: Weidai's goal and strategies; Weidai's expansion plans; Weidai's future business development, financial condition and results of operations; Weidai's expectations regarding demand for, and market acceptance of, its solutions and services; Weidai's expectations regarding keeping and strengthening its relationships with borrowers, investors and financial institutions and other platform participants; general economic and business conditions; Weidai's assumptions underlying or related to any of the foregoing regulations and governmental policies relating to the online consumer finance industry in China; and Weidai's ability to meet the standards necessary to maintain listing of its ADSs on the NYSE, including its ability to cure any non-compliance with the NYSE's continued listing criteria. Further information regarding these and other risks, uncertainties or factors is included in the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and Weidai does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required under applicable law. For investor and media inquiries, please contact: In China: Christensen Mr. Christian Arnell Tel: +86-10-5900-1548 E-mail: carnell@christensenir.com In US:Christensen Ms. Linda Bergkamp Tel: +1-480-614-3004E-mail: lbergkamp@christensenir.com View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/weidai-ltd-works-on-applying-for-online-microcredit-company-license-300973871.htmlRelated Links :www.weidai.com.cn
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China Renaissance and Aozora Bank Sign Long-Term Strategic Cooperation Agreement
BEIJING, Dec. 12, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- China Renaissance Holdings Limited Group ("China Renaissance" or the "Group", stock code: 1911. HK) today announced that the Company and Aozora Bank Ltd. ("Aozora Bank"; TSE: 8304) have entered into a Strategic Cooperation Framework Agreement. Mr. Bao Fan, Chairman and CEO of China Renaissance, Mr. Shinsuke Baba, CEO of Aozora Bank, and relevant business leaders from both companies attended the signing ceremony held on 11 December in Beijing. Under the terms of the agreement, China Renaissance and Aozora Bank will develop an in-depth partnership by integrating strategic resources and exchanging industry experience in a series of mutually beneficial business areas. Through the mutual connection of professional teams and referral resources, both companies will jointly explore cross border business opportunities such as M&A and investment between China and Japan under the newly formed alliance. China Renaissance is a leading financial institution dedicated to China's new economy sectors. The Group offers a full range of financial services and solutions to its clients, including private placement, M&A, ECM, Equity Research, Sales & Trading, Private Equity Investment, and Asset Management. With operations and offices in mainland China, Hong Kong and the United States, China Renaissance operates a competitive and unique international network that connects China's capital markets with the rest of the world, serving new economy entrepreneurs and investors globally. The Group has been listed on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong since September 2018. Aozora Bank is a banking group firmly established in the Japanese financial system. It provides its clients with a wide range of financial services, including banking, financial products sales & trading, trust services, asset management, investment advisory, M&A advisory, and venture capital. About China Renaissance Holdings Limited China Renaissance Holdings Limited (stock code: 1911.HK) is a leading financial institution that combines private placement advisory, M&A advisory, direct investment, equity underwriting, sales, trading and brokerage, research, structured products, asset management, wealth management and other financial services. Providing one-stop financial services across mainland China, Hong Kong and the United States, CR operates a competitive and unique international network that connects China's capital markets with the rest of the world, serving new economy entrepreneurs and investors globally. The Company has offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong and New York, with approximately 600 employees. As of June 30, 2019, we had advised on approximately 990 transactions worth over US$146 billion since our inception, and they had AUM of approximately US$4.7 billion in new economy investments. CR's subsidiary Huajing Securities is one of the first securities firms set up in accordance with 10th Supplementary Agreement of "Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA)". Since its establishment, Huajing Securities has assembled strong investment banking, fixed income, asset management, wealth management, securities brokerage, and research teams to serve existing and new clients. Visit the company website for more information http://www.huaxing.com/ Related Links :http://www.huaxing.com/
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The Hong Kong Institute of Chartered Secretaries elects new President and Council for 2020
HONG KONG, Dec. 12, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Hong Kong Institute of Chartered Secretaries held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Wednesday 11 December 2019. At the Council meeting following the AGM, the Honorary Officers for 2020 were elected (see list below) with Ms Gillian E Meller FCIS FCS being elected as President. Ms Meller is currently the Legal and European Business Director of MTR Corporation Limited. Mr David YH Fu FCIS FCS(PE), who will retire from the presidency after two years on 31 December 2019 will continue to serve as a Council member in the capacity of Immediate Past President. The Hong Kong Institute of Chartered Secretaries Council 2020: Honorary Officers: Ms Gillian E Meller FCIS FCS President (re-elected to Council) Dr Gao Wei FCIS FCS(PE) Vice-President Mr David J Simmonds FCIS FCS Vice-President Dr Eva YW Chan FCIS FCS(PE) Vice-President Mr Ernest CH Lee FCIS FCS(PE) Treasurer Council Members: Ms Loretta WM Chan FCIS FCS Mr Edmond MK Chiu FCIS FCS(PE) (newly elected) Mr Daniel WS Chow FCIS FCS(PE) (newly elected) Ms Wendy WT Ho FCIS FCS(PE) (newly elected) Mr Arthur K Lee FCIS FCS(PE) Ms Stella SM Lo FCIS FCS(PE) (re-elected to Council) Prof CK Low FCIS FCS Mrs Natalia KM Seng FCIS FCS(PE) Mr Xie Bing FCIS FCS Ms Wendy WY Yung FCIS FCS Ex-officio: Mr David YH Fu FCIS FCS(PE) Immediate Past President Mr Ivan KW Tam FCIS FCS Past President To download the images, please click HERE. About The Hong Kong Institute of Chartered Secretaries (Incorporated in Hong Kong with limited liability by guarantee) The Hong Kong Institute of Chartered Secretaries (HKICS) is an independent professional body dedicated to the promotion of its members' role in the formulation and effective implementation of good governance policies as well as the development of the profession of Chartered Secretary and Chartered Governance Professional in Hong Kong and throughout the Mainland. HKICS was first established in 1949 as an association of Hong Kong members of The Chartered Governance Institute, formerly known as The Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA) of London. It was a branch of The Chartered Governance Institute in 1990 before gaining local status in 1994 and has also been The Chartered Governance Institute's China Division since 2005. HKICS is a founder member of Corporate Secretaries International Association Limited (CSIA), which was established in March 2010 in Geneva, Switzerland. In 2017, CSIA was relocated to Hong Kong where it operates as a company limited by guarantee. CSIA aims to give a global voice to corporate secretaries and governance professionals. HKICS has over 6,000 members and 3,200 students. For more information, please visit www.hkics.org.hk Related Links :http://www.hkics.org.hk
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Gold Token Created By Crypto And Precious Metals Giants Opens Trading To The Public
DGLD token, secured by the bitcoin network, released exclusively for purchase and trading on Blockchain.com's crypto exchange LONDON, Dec. 12, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- DGLD, a network with more than $20M in investment grade gold allocated in Swiss vaults and secured using Bitcoin, has launched and is now available for purchase exclusively on The PIT, Blockchain.com's cryptocurrency exchange. DGLD is a digital asset (token) created by CoinShares, Europe's Largest Digital Asset Manager, Blockchain.com, the most trusted platform for cryptocurrency products, and MKS (Switzerland) SA, part of the world's most trusted gold group. At creation, each DGLD token represents 1/10th of a troy ounce of physical gold stored in Swiss vaults for which token holders can swap or physically redeem. The launch comes at a time when gold purchasing habits around the world are undergoing a major shift. Consumers are slowly, but steadily switching from traditional physical-ownership of gold to digital formats of gold ownership that improve liquidity, are accessible 24/7, lower storage costs, and enhance security. "Too often gold has been pitted against bitcoin as rivals," says Charles McGarraugh, Head of Markets at Blockchain.com. "With DGLD we've thrown that question out of the window to say that the world's two hardest assets are ideal complements for investors across the world. Market conditions are likely to increasingly favor hard assets in coming years, and I see this mutually beneficial interplay only increasing over time." "If there was going to be a gold standard 2.0, DGLD is what it would look like: supranational, secure ownership of physical gold which is digitally spendable," says Daniel Masters, Chairman of CoinShares. "That's exactly what DGLD is - the world's most enduring physical asset, Gold, combined with the world's most resilient network, Bitcoin, to make gold digitally usable. After two plus years of work, we could not be more excited to see trading of digitized gold begin on the PIT." "As Switzerland's premier gold storage and fabrication facility we are proud to provide the physical infrastructure to support DGLD," says Marwan Shakarchi, Chairman of MKS (Switzerland) SA. "Our worldwide network of gold clients welcome this digital innovation to a much loved asset class." Beginning today, DGLD is available for purchase and trading exclusively on The PIT, Blockchain.com's cryptocurrency exchange. The PIT was built by the team behind over 44M Blockchain Wallets, and is the most trusted place to trade and buy crypto. It supports deposits and withdrawals in Dollars and Euros, and is available in 190 countries. DGLD is not available to users in the US or Canada. Please visit DGLD.ch for more information. ABOUT BLOCKCHAIN.COMBlockchain.com is connecting the world to the future of finance. We are one of the most trusted and fastest growing digital assets companies, helping millions across the globe – from individuals to the largest institutions – get easy and safe access to cryptocurrencies. Blockchain.com has raised over $70 million in funding from leading investors including Lightspeed Venture Partners and Google Ventures. Board members include former Barclays CEO Antony Jenkins, Lightspeed Ventures Partner Jeremy Liew, and former Skype COO Michael Jackson. (www.blockchain.com/press). ABOUT MKS (SWITZERLAND) SAMKS (Switzerland) SA, located in Geneva, is part of the MKS PAMP GROUP and has forged a reputation as one of the world's most trusted gold dealers. The refiner and vault operator PAMP SA, located in Castel San Pietro, Switzerland, is also part of the group. The MKS PAMP GROUP specializes in all aspects of the precious metals business, covering areas spanning refining, producing and trading. Established in the early 1980s, the group prides itself on the highest quality standards based on solid foundations of honesty, integrity and trust. The relationships built in the early days of the group has seen MKS PAMP GROUP expand globally - with 700 employees spanning 15 offices in 12 countries, covering the world's major bullion markets. For more information, please visit: MKS.ch ABOUT COINSHARESThe CoinShares Group is the global authority on digital asset management with offices in London, Jersey, and New York. The group creates, issues, and manages investment products that serve thousands of investors, including institutional and accredited investors. Our goal is to provide regulated, risk-managed investment products and services by which investors can participate in the growth of a new asset class, and a new technology paradigm. CoinShares has a history of pioneering new approaches to digital asset investing, and collectively, the Group enjoys the world's longest track record of regulated investment management in digital assets. From our beginnings in 2013 to present, we have collaborated with lawmakers, financial institutions, and innovators to pioneer new offerings while also serving as a trusted partner and advisor to our clients. With a proven track record, CoinShares has the breadth, depth, and scale needed to provide investment products and services to the world's most sophisticated investors. For more information, please visit: coinshares.co.uk CONTACT: Megan Carey, mcarey@mgroupsc.com Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1010521/DGLD_Logo.jpg Related Links :https://dgld.ch/
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Suning Plaza to Open 22 Plus Smart Commercial Complexes, Improving Full-Scenario Smart Retail System
NANJING, China, Dec. 12, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2019 China International Fashion Retail Industry Summit took place from December 3rd to 4th at Bellagio Shanghai, the celebrated 5-star international hotel under the ownership of Suning Real Estate. This top-notch retail event was attended by over 300 world-renowned retail brands such as Sephora, Sisley and Belle International. In the presence of these international brands, Suning Plaza rolled out its Three-Year Plan 2020-2023 to open 22 plus smart commercial complexes, which are expected to total almost 4 million sqms across China's first- and second-tier cities, showcasing the leapfrog development Suning Real Estate has made in smart estate operation over the past ten or more years. Suning Plaza, as the platform and carrier of Suning's smart retail, integrates almost all Suning's business formats and state-of-the-art technologies such as big data and digital operation. Each plaza is located in the CBDs of a city. The layout of the 22 plus smart commercial complexes exhibits Suning's burning ambition to improve offline channels and build up more gateways to its smart retail. Piggybacking on Suning's cutting-edge smart retail technologies and three core excellences of scenario-based Internet, smart supply chain and digital operation, Suning Real Estate has built a brand-new retail model featuring omni-channel consumption scenarios, as evidenced by the 73 smart retail plazas it is running. The 73 smart retail plazas realize omni-scenario smart consumption by diverse retail formats including Suning's self-operated Suning Jiwu, Suning Red Baby and SuFresh as well as other partnership businesses of art, recreation and sports. During the summit Suning struck partnerships with multiple prestigious brands to pool efforts to beef up the ongoing quality consumption upgrade in China. The theme of the summit 'Integrating Fashion Retail Industry, Innovating Fashion Retail Ecosystem' is in sync with the value that Suning champions. In recent years, Suning has released the core advantages of "Scenario Internet + Smart Supply Chain", "Two Complexes, Two Stores and Multiple Specialties" smart retail format has outbroken across the board. With the acquisition of Wanda Department Store and Carrefour China this year, Suning smart retail's full-scenario layout, full category expansion, global logistics construction, and international industrial chain layout have been further improved. Suning has now formed a comprehensive and open smart retail system over the past decades and is willing to join with more businesses and brands, share digital solutions for smart retail and co-build a leading scenario-based Internet platform to promote the development of China's retail industry. About Suning Holdings Group Founded in 1990, Suning is one of the leading commercial enterprises in China with two public companies in China and Japan. In 2019, Suning Holdings Group ranked as the top three brands among the top 500 non-state-owned enterprises in China with annual revenues of RMB 602.5 billion (approximately EURO 77.24 billion) and continued to top the list of Internet retailing category. Adhering to the enterprise mission of "Leading the Ecosystem across Industries by Creating Elite Quality of Life for All", Suning has strengthened and expanded its core business as retail through a corporate ecosystem comprised by multiple vertical industries, including commercial real estate, financial services and sports. Suning.com, the main subsidiary pioneering in online and offline retailing, has been listed in the Fortune Global 500 for three successive years from 2017 to 2019. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/suning-plaza-to-open-22-plus-smart-commercial-complexes-improving-full-scenario-smart-retail-system-300973856.html
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OneConnect wins prestigious award at the 2019 Kotler Future Marketing Summit for its outstanding global marketing efforts
SINGAPORE and BEIJING, Dec. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- OneConnect Financial Technology Co., Ltd (OneConnect), an associate company of Ping An Group, won the "Kotler New Marketing Year Successful Overseas Marketing Award" at the prestigious "2019 Kotler Future Marketing Summit" held in Beijing on 12 October. OneConnect's win is an affirmation of its outstanding global marketing efforts that successfully export Ping An's technologies to leading financial institutions outside of China within a short span of one year or so. Philip Kotler, known as the "father of modern marketing", graced the event at the Wangjing Hyatt Hotel in Beijing. OneConnect wins prestigious award at the 2019 Kotler Future Marketing Summit for its outstanding global marketing efforts The yearly Kotler New Marketing Awards aim to establish industry benchmarks and recognize successful experiences, further inspiring enterprises to carry out marketing innovations and pave the future of marketing. The summit focused on two main themes: cutting-edge marketing and growth marketing. OneConnect celebrated the opening of its Singapore Office in November 2018 to spearhead regional expansion, and in February 2019, celebrated the launch of its Indonesia Office. Within a short span, OneConnect made remarkable progress inking maiden deals with leading financial institutions in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia, the Philippines, Japan and Abu Dhabi. Ms Tan Bin Ru, CEO of OneConnect Financial Technology, said: "Over the past one year or so, OneConnect has built an impressive footprint with customers in about 10 countries outside of China. More Asian banks are looking to strengthen their technological capabilities to serve the millennials and the unbanked and underserved segments. We are making an impact in enabling banks and insurers in their transformation journey." OneConnect has served more than 600 banks and over 80 insurance companies, and is expanding its operations. In August, OneConnect announced a strategic joint venture partnership with SBI Holdings, Inc. to enter Japan market. SBI OneConnect Japan will fully leverage SBI Neo Financial Services and other SBI companies to introduce OneConnect's fintech services to financial institutions and businesses across Japan. In June, OneConnect and UBX Philippines Corporation, the wholly-owned fintech subsidiary of Union Bank of the Philippines, entered a partnership to build SeekCap – the country's first lending platform to meet the banking needs of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). SeekCap was launched by UBX within four months in November, demonstrating OneConnect's strong tech capabilities. Today, SeekCap is a true loan marketplace with multiple lenders showcasing their loan products for borrowers to choose what best suits their business needs, and apply for loans digitally and seamlessly on a single end-to-end platform. Loans can be approved on the same day, and disbursed within three working days. This drastically shortens turnaround time as compared with traditional loan applications in the Philippines. In Indonesia, OneConnect is the choice tech partner of Sinar Mas Financial Services Group, the financial arm of conglomerate Sinar Mas. As a key strategic partner, OneConnect is partnering with Bank Sinarmas, PT. Kredit Biro Indonesia Jaya, the country's first private credit bureau to provide banks and micro-finance organizations with better lending decisions, and ASPARINDO, an association for retailers in Indonesia, to build a smart lending ecosystem. OneConnect is also partnering with Asuransi Sinarmas to build a smart auto claims solution, as well as Sinar Mas Multi-finance to build a smart retail lending platform for Indonesians to gain easy access to loans. In Malaysia, OneConnect is partnering with one of the country's top banks to build an SME lending platform. In Thailand, OneConnect counts three of the top 10 banks as its customers. In Abu Dhabi, it is building a financial ecosystem with the Abu Dhabi Global Market to spur fintech innovations, collaborations and market opportunities. The first initiative was the launch of an innovation lab at the Fintech Abu Dhabi in October. The lab will use OneConnect's technology to connect legacy systems of financial institutions to fintech applications through enabling the creation of APIs, System Virtual Machines, data and applications in a cost-effective and scalable manner. It will enable financial institutions to transform digitally, accelerate product development, drive innovation, as well as embrace interoperability, partnerships and collaboration within a truly inclusive financial ecosystem. Beyond Asia, OneConnect is partnering finleap connect to offer its fintech software-as-a-service (SaaS) technology to the European market. finleap connect is a business unit of finleap, Europe's leading fintech ecosystem, which is based in Berlin and has offices in Milan, Paris and Madrid. These achievements underscore OneConnect's mission of using technology to make finance easier, and its vision of becoming a technology partner that financial institutions trust to ride the wave of digital transformation. About OneConnect Financial Technology Co., Ltd OneConnect, a leading technology-as-a-service platform for financial institutions, is an associate company of Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China, Ltd. The Company integrates extensive financial services industry expertise with market-leading technology to provide technology applications and technology-enabled business services to financial institutions. These solutions enable its customers' digital transformations, which help them increase revenue, manage risks, improve efficiency, enhance service quality and reduce costs. OneConnect provides technology applications and technology-enabled business services to multiple verticals in the financial services industry, including banking, insurance and asset management. The Company now has 12 technology solutions across the full scope of their businesses—from sales and marketing and risk management to customer services and operations, as well as technology infrastructures such as data management, program development, and cloud services. For more information, please visit www.oneconnectft.com.sg About Ping An Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China, Ltd. ("Ping An") is a world-leading technology-powered personal financial services group. With 182 million customers and 513 million Internet users, Ping An is one of the largest financial services companies in the world. Ping An has two over-arching strategies "pan financial assets" and "pan healthcare," which focus on the provision of financial and healthcare services through our integrated financial services platform and our five ecosystems in financial services, healthcare, auto services, real estate services and Smart City services. Its aim is to provide customers and internet users with innovative and simple products and services. As China's first joint stock insurance company, Ping An Group is committed to upholding the highest standards of corporate reporting and corporate governance. Ping An is listed on the stock exchanges in Hong Kong and Shanghai. Ping An ranked 7th in Forbes' 2019 Global 2000, and it ranked 29th in Fortune Magazine's 2018 Global 500 Leading Companies. Ping An also ranked 40th in 2019 WPP Milward Brown's BrandZTM Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands. For more information, please visit www.pingan.cn View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/oneconnect-wins-prestigious-award-at-the-2019-kotler-future-marketing-summit-for-its-outstanding-global-marketing-efforts-300973848.htmlRelated Links :http://www.oneconnectft.com
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Tencent's insurance platform WeSure celebrates its 2nd anniversary; 55 million users within WeChat ecosystem
SHENZHEN, China, Dec. 12, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- WeSure, Tencent's insurance platform celebrated its second anniversary with an event themed Tech for Social Good, Insurance for Everyone in Beijing on November 28. WeSure released its operational results for the last two years. WeSure now boasts a user base of more than 55 million, and has insured over 25 million users. Average premium per person exceeds 1,000 yuan, with a 40% renewal rate. Tencent's insurance platform WeSure celebrates its 2nd anniversary; 55 million users within WeChat ecosystem WeSure also announced its anti-cancer total solution including cancer prevention early screening, insurance plan, international secondary diagnosis opinion, and cancer patient payment scheme. WeSure's solution is a first in China's insurance industry, through a partnership with insurance firms and healthcare providers, covering a wide range of target users through health people and diagnosed cancer patients. WeSure CEO Alan Lau said: "As the insurance platform of Tencent, WeSure is committed to provide universal, affordable and user-friendly insurance services to more than 1 billion WeChat users. Our approach is rooted from Tencent's core value of Tech for Social Good. WeSure's vision is to become the reliable insurance platform for hundreds of millions of families in China, providing reliable insurance coverage throughout the different stages of their lives." Providing policyholders with insurance coverage for the duration of their lives via universal, affordable and user-friendly insurance products modeled on Tencent's customer-first approach. Since its inception in Nov 2017, WeSure has witnessed the great contribution that the Internet has made to the growth of the insurance industry. The popular online insurance scheme, one million yuan healthcare program, is gaining popularity across the country. Its penetration rate has reached 8% over the last three years (2016-2019), while the user base of has grew to nearly 100 million during the same period. Despite the rapid growth of the online insurance sector, there are still many pain points among the general Chinese population, including low penetration rate, insufficient coverage and a distrust of insurance services. Providing affordable schemes to the public via universal insurance coverage Based on the principle of universal insurance coverage, WeSure has been dedicated to providing affordable insurance schemes to everyone. WeSure is the first company to launch the Anti-Cancer Specialty Drug Protection Plan in China, named Yaoshenbao, through a tie-up with partners in the insurance, healthcare and financial sectors. WeSure worked with partners to integrate comprehensive insurance and healthcare benefits in this program, including payment in installments, donations, discounts, and guaranteed coverage for treatment, giving both healthy people and cancer patients the help they value most. In addition, WeSure has partnered with WeChat Pay and PICC to launch dozens of insurance plans for the country's tens of millions of small merchants who are linked up to WeChat Pay. Based on the real-world operational scenarios of small merchants and low number of merchants who have coverage, WeSure now provides the merchant with a plan that includes a cyber safeguard around the collection and processing of payments, fire insurance, business insurance as well as protection against physical damage to their place of business. The firm has provided over 3 million small and medium-sized merchants with protection in terms of financial, asset and personal security. WeSure has also expanded its coverage to include scenarios such as Tencent Mobile Top Up, Medical Payment and Bus Barcode. WeSure is now accessed by 400 million monthly active scenario-based WeChat service users, and plans to expand the concept of insurance into more WeChat scenarios, including electronic toll collection (ETC) and Tencent Health, giving WeChat users protection across all aspects of their lives and lifestyles. Creating user-friendly products and experiences with outstanding services and a high level of trust Rather than leaving the policyholder to figure out everything on their own, in March 2019, WeSure's "butler-style" service went online, offering one-on-one communications with a real human being throughout the entire service process, from insurance purchase to claims settlement. WeSure's service people will proactively assist an user to file a claim through every step of the process. The approach has enabled policyholders to truly enjoy complete, convenient and transparent services after signing an insurance contract. According to official data, such butler-style service has assisted 65% of policyholders in handling claims, helping them collect compensation worth millions of yuan. As of November 2019, WeSure had dealt with 280,000 claims worth 680 million yuan. As for product experiences, WeSure has continued to enrich features for policyholders including AI-powered recommendations, one-click termination of insurance contracts and a well thought-out process to minimize anxiety during the shopping process based on the needs of different user groups, enabling users to buy products that best fit their needs. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/tencents-insurance-platform-wesure-celebrates-its-2nd-anniversary-55-million-users-within-wechat-ecosystem-300973842.htmlRelated Links :www.wesure.cn
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UnionPay International Partners uab bank to Enable UnionPay Contactless Payment Acceptance in Myanmar
YANGON, Myanmar, Dec. 12, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Global payment network UnionPay has partnered with uab bank to enable acceptance of UnionPay Contactless payment at a variety of retail, food & beverage, telecommunication, homeware and other merchants in Myanmar. Beginning with enabling UnionPay Contactless card acceptance at over 500 merchants including Black Canyon Coffee, Yoogane Korean Restaurant, Bench Myanmar, Ananda and Living Square among others. The partnership will pave the way for more merchants in Myanmar to accept UnionPay Contactless payment, and enable local UnionPay Cardholders to enjoy greater ease of payment within the country and around the world. In recent years, UnionPay International (UPI) has been expanding its footprint rapidly in Myanmar. To accelerate the development of e-payment infrastructure and drive e-payment usage in the country, UPI has partnered with Myanmar Payment Union to adopt the UnionPay chip card standard as Myanmar's technical standard for card acceptance and issuance in the country, and collaborated with eight Myanmar banks, including uab bank, to issue UnionPay cards. Today, UnionPay is the leading global payment network in Myanmar with the largest number of cards issued in the country. UnionPay Cardholders holding locally issued cards can already make Contactless payment at 20 million UnionPay Contactless merchants in 42 countries and regions. By making UnionPay Contactless payment available in Myanmar, local UnionPay Cardholders will also be able to make purchases with a simple tap of their UnionPay card at participating local merchants, while UnionPay Cardholders from overseas can enjoy greater convenience with the new Contactless payment option when they visit the country. "UnionPay International is proud to partner with uab bank to enable UnionPay Contactless payment at leading merchants across Myanmar. With a fast-growing economy and most transactions still in cash today in the country, there is ample room for electronic payments to grow rapidly, to make payments and exchanges more efficient and secure. The UnionPay Contactless payment marks yet another step forward in our strategy to accelerate the development of e-payments in the country, bringing about greater convenience of payment for local consumers and businesses, and fostering a future whereby most transactions would go cashless," said Wenhui Yang, General Manager, UnionPay International Southeast Asia. Commenting on the strategic collaboration with UnionPay, MD & CEO of uab bank, Christopher Loh said, "We are delighted to be the first bank in Myanmar to enable the UnionPay Contactless payment for our merchants. This follows our recent successful launch of the EMV certification of our ATM machines for UnionPay that allows UnionPay Cardholders to safely withdraw cash from our uab bank ATMs. We believe the introduction of UnionPay Contactless in Myanmar will benefit both local UnionPay Cardholders and overseas visitors through greater convenience and ease of payment. The launch of UnionPay Contactless payment and this strategic collaboration signifies the joint efforts made by UnionPay and uab bank to innovate and offer mobile payment services that are safe and convenient, coupled with UnionPay leading technology in payment security to safeguard our customers' funds and information. UnionPay Cardholders regardless of issuing bank can now use their UnionPay cards to make Contactless payments at uab bank merchants." In addition to enjoying an enhanced payment experience from UnionPay Contactless payment, local UnionPay Cardholders will be able to participate in the Go-for-Gold campaign for a chance to win a 12-gram gold coin worth 10 Lakhs each week, when they spend at least 30,000 Kyats in a single receipt with their locally-issued UnionPay card. For every 30,000 Kyats spent overseas, UnionPay Cardholders will be entitled to 10 lucky draw chances to win a 12-gram gold coin. Additionally, all participants will be automatically entered into the grand draw for a chance to win a 57-gram gold coin worth 50 Lakhs. UnionPay's Go-for-Gold campaigns runs from now until 1st March 2020. To participate, entries should be submitted at www.unionpaygoforgold.com. Winners will be chosen weekly at random and announced on the UnionPay Myanmar Facebook Page. About UnionPay International UnionPay International (UPI) focuses on the international business of UnionPay, a global payment network that serves the world's largest Cardholder base. With over 8 billion UnionPay Cards issued in 58 countries and regions, over 56 million merchants and 2.8 million ATMs accepting our Cards in 177 countries and regions, UnionPay is one of the fastest-growing payment networks in the world. As a company with a global acceptance network and a wide range of world-class payment services, UnionPay is committed to providing access to value and secure payment solutions that are tailored to the needs of the local market, to enable choice and ease of payment for consumers and businesses alike. In Southeast Asia, UPI has enabled ATM, POS acceptance and Card issuance across all 10 countries. In Myanmar, UnionPay is the market leader with the most number of international payment brand cards issued by the largest banks in Myanmar including AGD Bank, AYA Bank, CB Bank, GTB, KBZ Bank, MAB, MOB and uab bank. For more information, visit: UnionPay Myanmar website: http://www.unionpayintl.com/mm/ UnionPay Go-for-Gold website: www.unionpaygoforgold.com UnionPay Myanmar Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UnionPayInternationalMM/ About uab bank uab bank is a leading bank in Myanmar. Established in 2010, we are now serving our customers from a growing network of over 78 branches in 47 townships across Myanmar. uab provides a wide range of financial services including consumer banking, premier banking, SME banking, corporate banking, trade finance and treasury services. Through our subsidiary, uab securities, we also provide brokerage services, corporate and financial advisory, investment banking and capital market activities. Recognised for its successful transformation and leadership in the Myanmar banking sector amidst the regulatory changes and governance requirements, uab bank was named 'Myanmar's Best Bank' by Euromoney, 'Mid-sized Domestic Retail Bank of the Year' by Asian Banking & Finance, and was ranked No.1 in Corporate Governance Disclosure by TiME Pwint Thit Sa Report published by the Myanmar Centre for Responsible Business. At uab bank, we believe in leading the way towards a better Myanmar, humanising banking, connecting people, creating opportunities and changing lives. In December 2017, uab launched "Be The Change Myanmar" initiative that represents our commitment to driving change for a better Myanmar, specifically focusing on empowering women and children. We believe uab must operate responsibly and be committed to the community we are in. For more information, please visit our website: https://www.uab.com.mm Related Links :www.unionpayintl.com
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Forrester Continues To Expand Its Certification Portfolio; Introduces New SiriusDecisions B2B Marketing Certification Program
SINGAPORE, Dec. 12, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Forrester announced the launch of its new SiriusDecisions B2B Marketing Certification program. The program is an eight-week, facilitated online course for B2B marketers that will elevate their proficiency in marketing best practices and lay the foundation for best-in-class marketing strategies that are aligned to the organization's goals. The new certification expands on Forrester's suite of training and certification offerings that include CX Certification and Zero Trust Certification programs. Forrester's SiriusDecisions certification solutions are the only research-informed training offerings made by marketing experts for B2B professionals in marketing, sales, and product functions. The solutions are built on years of industry research, case studies, and a state-of-the-art design specific to how adults learn best. The B2B Marketing Certification program is based on SiriusDecisions research that has been evaluated through a rigorous methodology built on fact-based insights from the field and comprehensive, collaborative analysis from analysts. "Customers and the business expect more from B2B marketers than ever before," according to Erin Streeter, VP of training and certification at Forrester. "This certification program is built to quickly align teams around proven methodologies and frameworks for execution. The SiriusDecisions B2B Marketing Certification program will help not only individual practitioners who want to strengthen their core marketing skills but also entire teams who will be able to establish a common language and knowledge base." Delivered via a modern digital learning platform and customized to align learning content to companies' strategic vision and desired outcomes, the SiriusDecisions B2B Marketing Certification program is designed to help marketing teams and their individual members develop the requisite skills to drive growth and be successful in their role. By collaborating to complete hands-on application exercises and projects in teams, participants surface important questions and engage in meaningful work that advances their B2B knowledge as they progress through the course. Resources Learn more about research enabled B2B learning solutions. Register for the B2B Marketing Certification program. Learn more about Forrester Certification. About Forrester Forrester is one of the most influential research and advisory firms in the world. We work with business and technology leaders to develop customer-obsessed strategies that drive growth. Forrester's unique insights are grounded in annual surveys of more than 675,000 consumers and business leaders worldwide, rigorous and objective methodologies, and the shared wisdom of our most innovative clients. Through proprietary research, analytics, custom consulting, exclusive executive peer groups, certification offerings, and events, the Forrester experience is about a singular and powerful purpose: to challenge the thinking of our clients to help them lead change in their organizations. For more information, visit forrester.com. Logo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20191120/2648771-1LOGO?lang=0Related Links :http://forrester.com
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KPMG announces strong FY19 global revenue growth
Global revenues increase by 6.2% to reach record of US$29.75bn as multi-year collective strategy implementation continues at pace. LONDON, Dec. 12, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- KPMG today announced record revenues of $29.75 billion for the fiscal year ending 30 September 2019 (FY19), representing a 6.2% increase in local currency terms on FY18. KPMG International Revenue growth driven by solid FY19 performance across all KPMG regions, with Asia Pacific delivering the fastest growth of 9.3% driven by 14.1% growth in Advisory. Americas region growing at 6.6% and in Europe, Middle East and Africa, including India (EMA) by 4.7%. Advisory growing at 7.9% contributed the largest proportion of the increase in total revenues, supported by double-digit growth in deal related services and digital transformation solutions. Audit grew by 3.7% while Tax & Legal Services grew by 7.8%. Consistently positive growth across each of KPMG's five industry sectors, Financial Services 3.9%, Industrial Markets 4.5%, Consumer Markets 4.5%, with Technology Media & Telecoms 8.1% and Infrastructure Government & Healthcare 10.8% being particular highlights. Our position as a leading employer of choice reinforced with total headcount increasing to more than 219,000 people across 147 countries and territories. KPMG is focused on building an inclusive and diverse culture, and has increased female diversity among our leadership ranks to 25% of Partners and Directors, while over 30% of new partners promoted and recruited in our largest practices were female. KPMG people volunteered approximately 550,000 hours of time in the past twelve months, including 100,000 hours of pro-bono professional services. "We are pleased to have achieved strong growth during an important transitional year for KPMG as we focus on making significant investments as part of our multi-year collective strategy implementation," said Bill Thomas, Global Chairman and CEO, KPMG International. "In addition to our enduring focus on quality and trust we're also enhancing our leadership position in the digital transformation of professional services through an expected investment of $5 billion in innovation, people and technology over the coming five years. This will accelerate the digital transformation of KPMG and enable us to better serve clients as they continue to address their own transformations." Audit, Tax and Advisory Audit Audit revenues for the year grew globally by 3.7% to $11.18 billion. KPMG is committed to improving quality and consistency by investing in game-changing methodologies and technology innovations. During 2019 KPMG continued the roll out of Clara, KPMG's smart audit platform which brings KPMG's powerful data and analytics capabilities into one interface, allowing our professionals to work smarter while interacting with clients online in real time as they conduct the audit. KPMG Clara has been deployed in more than 100 countries and territories to date. As part of the network's collective strategy all KPMG firms are committed to driving tangible and sustainable advances in quality and consistency. As a global organization, KPMG is driving the use of centralization to achieve the consistency regulators and stakeholders expect and deserve. "As an organization we are making unprecedented investments to advance audit quality in a hyper-competitive global audit marketplace our priority continues to be on aligning top talent with next generation technology to deliver stakeholder value and build trust," said Bill O'Mara, Global Head of Audit, KPMG International. Tax & Legal Services Tax & Legal Services revenues grew 7.8% in FY19 to $6.62 billion up from 6.3% growth in FY18, driven by strong demand for KPMG's multi-disciplinary tax services, including Corporate and Business Tax compliance which continued to be enhanced by ongoing collective investments. Strong growth in Legal Services has been supported by the continuing expansion of coverage of the offering across KPMG. With the introduction of new technologies and enhanced service offerings, KPMG has been able to help tax and legal leaders not only meet compliance obligations but also transform their departments and establish new ways of working through such initiatives as Tax Reimagined, KPMG's unique framework that combines the strengths of our technology, transformation and compliance capabilities. "As organizations face unprecedented regulatory change and challenging geopolitical shifts, as well as the impacts of digitalization and heightened public attention on tax and legal activities, our collective investments in the depth, breadth and connectivity of our multidisciplinary tax and legal services paved the way for growth in these areas through FY19," said Jane McCormick, Global Head of Tax & Legal Services, KPMG International. Advisory Advisory grew by 7.9% in FY19 to $11.95 billion, driven in part by high client demand for strategy, deal related services and digital transformation solutions. "As our clients shape, transform and protect their businesses to maintain a competitive edge in an increasingly digital world, they are looking to KPMG's capabilities and globally minded practitioners to help them address these critical challenges and opportunities. KPMG's deep industry expertise, a future focused view of sectors and business models and our strong tools, methods and technologies help clients hone their strategies, align their operations across the enterprise, and become more customer centric. These demands have set the stage for our strong overall growth," said Mark A. Goodburn, Global Head of Advisory, KPMG International. KPMG's Advisory capabilities continue to be recognized by the analyst community. In 2019, KPMG was ranked as a Leader in 25 major evaluations in areas central to our client's transformation agendas including cybersecurity and artificial intelligence, digital change management, and corporate services as well as our Powered Enterprise and Connected Enterprise solutions. Notes to editors: KPMG FY19 member firm revenues (US$ billions) Regions Current Prior Local Growth (%) US$ Growth (%) Americas 11.72 11.10 6.6% 5.6% Asia Pacific 5.14 4.88 9.3% 5.3% EMA 12.89 12.98 4.7% (0.7%) Total 29.75 28.96 6.2% 2.7% Functions Current Prior Local Growth (%) US$ Growth (%) Audit 11.18 11.15 3.7% 0.3% Tax 6.62 6.34 7.8% 4.4% Advisory 11.95 11.47 7.9% 4.2% Total 29.75 28.96 6.2% 2.7% All figures throughout this press release are in US dollars. All growth figures are in local currency except where noted. FY19 and FY18 revenues, reported in USD billions, are translated at the average exchange rates prevailing in each respective financial year. The industry analysis excludes revenues reported outside of KPMG's standard sector taxonomy. Prior year figures have been restated to reflect FY18 sector reclassifications. Local growth percentages are based on maintaining consistent FY19 exchange rates across both FY19 and FY18. Legal services may not be offered to SEC registrant audit clients or where otherwise prohibited by law. The following global reports have also been issued by KPMG International today: KPMG's 2019 Global Review reflects on our record of achievement over the past year, demonstrating the insights and expertise of KPMG professionals and the unrelenting focus on acting with integrity and quality in everything we do. KPMG's 2019 International Transparency Report provides insights and details on how we continually strive to enhance audit quality, which is a direct reflection of the KPMG network's unwavering commitment to audit quality, an integral element of our business and culture. About KPMG International KPMG is a global network of professional services firms providing Audit, Tax and Advisory services. We operate in 147 countries and territories and have 219,000 people working in member firms around the world. The independent member firms of the KPMG network are affiliated with KPMG International Cooperative ("KPMG International"), a Swiss entity. Each KPMG firm is a legally distinct and separate entity and describes itself as such. The financial information set forth represents combined information of the separate KPMG member firms that perform professional services for clients. The information is combined here solely for presentation purposes. KPMG International performs no services for clients nor, concomitantly, generates any client revenue. Headcount figures are expressed as FTE (full-time equivalent) and are based on average headcount for the financial year. Disclaimer Throughout this press release, "we", "KPMG", "us" and "our" refer to the network of independent member firms operating under the KPMG name and affiliated with KPMG International or to one or more of these firms or to KPMG International. KPMG International provides no client services. No member firm has any authority to obligate or bind KPMG International or any other member firm vis-à-vis third parties, nor does KPMG International have any such authority to obligate or bind any member firm. Throughout this document, references to "Firm", "KPMG firm", "member firm" and "KPMG member firm" refer to firms which are either: members of KPMG International as a matter of Swiss law; sublicensee firms of KPMG International; or entities that are owned, managed and controlled by an entity that is a member or a sublicensee. The overall governance structure of KPMG International is provided in the 'Governance and leadership' section of the KPMG International Transparency Report. For further information: Mark Walters, Global Head of Communications, Global Corporate Affairs, KPMG International, +1 212 872 7679, mgwalters@KPMG.com Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1043685/KPMG_International_KPMG_announces_strong_FY19_global_revenue_gro.jpg
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eLichens to unveil new gas leak detector at CES® 2020
San Francisco, CA USA – December 10, 2019 – eLichens will exhibit its latest residential gas leak detector at CES 2020 in Las Vegas, NV USA. Other innovations on display, all based on eLichens’ state-of-the-art sensing technology, will include miniature Air Quality sensors, outdoor pollution monitors and a real-time street-level pollution map. FoxBerry Sensors by eLichens at CES 2020: Booth #51033, Sands Expo, Tech West, January 8-11, 2019.
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SECOO and Ultrain to build the Global Luxury Consumption Alliance
BEIJING, Dec. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- SECOO Group (NASDAQ: SECO) and Ultrain successfully held "The Global Luxury Consumption Alliance" Launch Press Conference jointly today. It is a critical strategic cooperation between the two organizations to seriously bring the luxury goods authentication and transaction model to the next level, adopting AI and blockchain as the innovative technology infrastructure. The "Global Luxury Consumption Alliance Chain" is an alliance to welcome all important luxury industry stakeholders, including brands, designers, online and offline retail channels, regulators and customs, and all the way to the end users together to best operate the logistics and authenticity issues, to lower the cost of trust among all parties and to bring the highest efficiency of transaction and satisfaction for the end consumer. This major initiative shows how much SECOO cares about high-tech enabled innovation to push the boundaries of business models and to not only serve its own businesses, but also to bring benefits to the entire luxury consumption industry globally. Rixue Li, founder and CEO of Secoo Group & Juan Cao, Chinese Academy of Sciences According to McKinsey's "2019 China Luxury Consumption Report", in 2018, Chinese luxury consumption at home and abroad reached close to 120 billion USD, which is one-third of global luxury consumption. Online sales are projected to increase by two to three times from the current scale by 2025. Nonetheless, anti-counterfeiting traceability is still a major pain point of the global luxury industry when it comes to endless "cheap copy" and "high imitation". Public Blockchain technology with its truly decentralized, tamper-proof traceability with extremely customizable application logic on the chain has provided a solution. The characteristics of its technology offer a new dimension to luxury identification and quality guarantee. In June 2018, SECOO already launched its first version and the industry's first luxury blockchain application for commercial use. Every product on the chain has a unique ID attached to the physical good. By using the SECOO App, users can scan the code to query the anti-counterfeit traceability information of the products. In April 2019, SECOO continued to increase the authenticity R&D effort and jointly established the "SECOO AI Laboratory" with the Academy of Sciences Computing Institute. As Secoo already owns the largest identification center with high quality big data in Asia, the AI-Model-Driven identification of products can be realized and users are provided with a faster, safer and more reliable identification method that brings reliable results. The cooperation between Secoo and Ultrain is an example of the long term dedication of Secoo into R&D and innovation. Led by SECOO and many other crucial partners from the industry, the "Global Luxury Consumption Alliance" currently provides traceability information on chain with privacy protections built-in. Through today's partnership with Ultrain, SECOO Blockchain will obtain three major core tech competencies which excel globally to achieve its goals, they are "VDF-based R-PoS consensus algorithm", "random dynamic sharing technology", and "programmable zero-knowledge proof on chain". With these core know-hows, the GLCA will completely solve the core pain points of low TPS, high cost, and lack of privacy protection in the commercial implementation of blockchain technology. A high-performance, low-cost, high-security blockchain service platform is formed today for the luxury industry. The GLCA will continue to invite more upstream and downstream players to join, to contribute to a better identification alliance and transaction efficiencies to all luxury goods consumers. Experts have pointed out that, in the future, blockchain alliance competition will not only be based on the improvement of the underlying technology, but also the benefits of the distribution mechanism of the alliance and long-term fairness issues. Referring to Libra, launched by Facebook, its alliance association-like governance and public-oriented architecture have shown the embryonic characteristics of the public alliance chain. Ultrain co-founder & CEO Ray Guo commented, "based on Ultrain's block-chain technology, the "Global Luxury Consumption Alliance" has massive decentralized nodes capabilities, on-chain data privacy protection capabilities, and high concurrency and tamper-resistant computing capabilities, which provides a solid foundation for the construction of this alliances". Emma Liao, Co-founder of Ultrain mentioned: "blockchain/trust computing technology has great value in the luxury industry. Transparency and synchronized operation can optimize the industry's value chain in many ways, new way of engagement and incentive methods are implemented, which result with utmost convenience and benefits to all end users. I hope our cooperation with SECOO will make a significant impact and valuable contribution to the global luxury consumption field. " Zhonghui Lei, Vice President of SECOO stated, "The strategic cooperation with Ultrain is a crucial step of our innovation upgrade." "SECOO will also invite more partners to build this alliance with multiple professional services for the luxury industry. We believe that on boarding C2C second-hand trading platforms empowered by it has a great merit and high-end consumer communication, customer loyalty programs among all other services." Ultrain is a world-leading public blockchain optimized for commercial use. It aims to build a general purpose blockchain offering general purposed public blockchain services to all industries. As one of the most innovative projects in the field, Ultrain holds 12 patents in blockchain technology. Leveraging its powerful R&D capabilities and global business network, it commits to construct a robust blockchain ecosystem that empowers a wide range of industries. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/secoo-and-ultrain-to-build-the-global-luxury-consumption-alliance-300973189.html
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Boostcom Group Celebrates 1000th Shopping Centre Customer Milestone, Continuing Global Expansion
As digital transformation opens new opportunities, more shopping centre operators look to Boostcom for digital solutions. NEW YORK, Dec. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Ipswich Riverlink, a sub-regional shopping centre in South East Queensland, Australia is the 1000th shopping centre to sign on with the Boostcom Group. Ipswich Riverlink will use Boostcom's proprietary data management platform, the Mall Performance Cloud (MPC). Built specifically for the global shopping centre industry, MPC consolidates insight & analysis of shopper data, personalization, marketing automation, and delivery of loyalty programs. MPC is designed to meet the common goals of today's shopping centre professionals in leasing, marketing, operations, and asset management to increase centre revenue and elevate the consumer shopping experience. "Reaching 1000 shopping centres is important for Boostcom. We're now doing business on four continents, and count among our over 200 clients, some of the most successful shopping centre operators in the world. The satisfaction comes from what the numbers affirm, that what we've built is valuable and vital to the future of shopping centres, not just for a few forward thinkers but for a growing number of centres all over the world," said Peter Tonstad CEO, Boostcom Group. Karen Karageozis, Senior Marketing Manager, LEDA Holdings, owner of Ipswich Riverlink said, "Boostcom's Mall Performance Cloud helps us use digital services to create a better experience for our customers and build a valuable digital asset to support our properties and tenants." Boostcom, through its US operating company, PlaceWise Digital, will officially introduce Mall Performance Cloud to the US shopping centre industry during the International Council of Shopping Centres Annual New York Deal Making Conference, December 10th -12th. About Boostcom GroupBoostcom Group, a world-leading proptech company serves more than 1000 shopping centres globally from offices in Europe, the USA, and Asia. Backed by both venture and PE funds, Boostcom Group is the only company that integrates all digital touchpoints for shopping centres into a single data layer – The Mall Performance Cloud. Boostcom is headquartered in Trondheim, Norway. boostcom.com Contact: Stephanie ShriverStephanie.shriver@boostcom.com +1 703-795-0958 Peter Tonstad Peter.tonstad@boostcom.com +47 4817 6102Related Links :https://boostcom.com
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Acorn International Reports Financial Results for the Third Quarter of 2019, Declares Quarterly Dividend
Net Revenues Increased 49.4% Year-Over-Year to US$11.3 MillionSHANGHAI, Dec. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Acorn International, Inc. (NYSE: ATV) ("Acorn" or the "Company"), a leading marketing and branding company in China, today announced its preliminary unaudited financial results for the quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2019. Third Quarter 2019 Financial Highlights Net revenues increased 49.4% year-over-year in Q3 2019 to US$11.3 million. Gross profit rose 47.0% year-over-year in Q3 2019 to US$8.4 million. Gross margin was 73.9% in Q3 2019, compared to 75.1% in Q3 2018. Income from continuing operations was US$1.4 million in Q3 2019, compared to US$1.5 million in Q3 2018. Net income was US$1.2 million in Q3 2019 as compared to net income of US$3.8 million in Q3 2018. The year-ago period includes a US$2.4 million capital gain from the sale of the Company's Bright Rainbow Investments Limited ("Bright Rainbow") subsidiary. The board of directors declared a cash dividend for the third quarter of 2019 of US$0.0125 per ordinary share, or approximately US$0.25 per ADS, each of which represents twenty ordinary shares. "In the third quarter of 2019, Acorn continued its sales momentum, with revenues up 49.4% while maintaining gross margins over 70%," said Mr. Jacob A. Fisch, CEO and President of Acorn International. "Our Babaka branded posture correction products posted another solid quarter and sales of Acorn Fresh continued to ramp up as it continued to expand its product portfolio by adding beef to its core seafood offerings. Acorn Digital Services, our social media and digital services division, executed on both our own and our clients' brand-building efforts in China." "In keeping with our core focus on direct-to-consumer e-commerce and digital media marketing in China, we recently reached an agreement to sell our oxygen-generating products business, which sold products via an offline network of distributors in China. As we move forward, we will continue to focus on our core business of selling our own and third party branded products through e-commerce to consumers in China," Mr. Fisch concluded. Dividend On November 22nd, 2019, the Company's board of directors declared a cash dividend for the third quarter of 2019 of US$0.0125 per ordinary share, or approximately US$0.25 per ADS, each of which represents twenty ordinary shares. Record holders of the Company's ordinary shares at the close of business US Eastern Time on December 13th, 2019 (the "Record Date") will be entitled to receive the cash dividend for the third quarter of 2019. The Company expects Citibank N.A., the depositary bank for Acorn's ADS program, to distribute dividends to ADS holders as of the Record Date on or about December 20th, 2019. Dividends to be paid to the Company's ADS holders through the ADS Depositary will be subject to the terms of the deposit agreement by and among the Company, the ADS Depositary, and the holders and beneficial owners of ADS issued thereunder, including the fees and expenses payable thereunder. Preliminary Financial Results for the Third Quarter of 2019: Total net revenues were US$11.3 million in the third quarter of 2019, up 49.4% from US$7.6 million in the third quarter of 2018, primarily due to an increase in e-commerce sales of Babaka branded products and other products. Cost of sales in the third quarter of 2019 was US$3.0 million, up 56.8% from US$1.9 million in the third quarter of 2018. The increase was attributable to increased sales volume and net revenues. Gross profit in the third quarter of 2019 was US$8.4 million, up 47.0% from US$5.7 million in the third quarter of 2018. Gross margin was 73.9% in the third quarter of 2019, compared with 75.1% in the third quarter of 2018. The slight decrease in gross margin was due to changes in the product and platform mix of Babaka and a higher proportion of Acorn Fresh products, which have a slightly lower margin than Babaka branded products, in the product mix. Total operating expenses in the third quarter of 2019 were US$7.0 million, up 67.5% from US$4.2 million in the third quarter of 2018. The increase in operating expenses was due primarily to an increase in selling and marketing expenses to support e-commerce sales as well as higher general and administrative expenses associated with higher staff expenses due to the expansion of Acorn Digital Services. These were partially offset by an increase in other operating income due to increased revenues from Acorn Digital Services and interest from the long-term loan to Cachet Hotels & Resorts. Income from continuing operations was US$1.4 million in the third quarter of 2019, as compared to income from continuing operations of US$1.5 million in the third quarter of 2018. Other income was US$0.7 million in the third quarter of 2019, compared to other income of US$2.4 million in the third quarter of 2018. The year-ago period includes a US$2.4 million capital gain associated with the sale of the Company's Bright Rainbow subsidiary. Net income from continuing operations was US$2.0 million in the third quarter of 2019. This compares to net income from continuing operations of US$3.6 million in the third quarter of 2018. Net loss from discontinued operations, which reflects the sale of a majority stake in the Company's HJX electronic learning products business to a third-party investor and operator in 2017 as well as the Company's call center operations which were discontinued in the third quarter of 2019 (Refer to "Discontinued Operations" discussion below), was US$0.8 million in the third quarter of 2019, compared to net income from discontinued operations of US$0.2 million in the third quarter of 2018. Net income attributable to Acorn was US$1.2 million in the third quarter of 2019. This compares to net income attributable to Acorn of US$3.8 million in the third quarter of 2018. In the fourth quarter of 2019, the Company reached an agreement to sell its oxygen-generating products business, which is described in further detail below. Preliminary Nine Months of 2019 Financial Results Total net revenues were US$28.3 million in the first nine months of 2019, up 61.2% from US$17.6 million in the first nine months of 2018, primarily due to an increase in e-commerce sales of Babaka branded products as well as other products. Cost of sales in the first nine months of 2019 was US$7.6 million, up 68.9% from US$4.5 million in the first nine months of 2018. The increase was attributable to increased sales volume and net revenues. Gross profit in the first nine months of 2019 was US$20.7 million, up 58.6% from US$13.1 million in the first nine months of 2018. Gross margin was 73.1% in the first nine months of 2019, compared with 74.3% in the first nine months of 2018. The slight decrease in gross margin was due to changes in the product and platform mix of Babaka and a higher proportion of Acorn Fresh products, which have a slightly lower margin than Babaka branded products, in the product mix. Total operating expenses in the first nine months of 2019 were US$19.3 million, up 58.6% from US$12.2 million in the first nine months of 2018. The increase in operating expenses was due primarily to an increase in selling and marketing expenses to support e-commerce sales as well as higher general and administrative expenses associated with higher staff expenses due to the expansion of Acorn Digital Services. These were partially offset by an increase in other operating income due to increased revenues from Acorn Digital Services and interest from the long-term loan to Cachet Hotels & Resorts. Income from continuing operations was US$1.4 million in the first nine months of 2019, as compared to income from continuing operations of US$0.9 million in the first nine months of 2018. Other income was US$5.5 million in the first nine months of 2019, primarily associated with a gain on the sale of the Company's former principal office in Shanghai to a third party. This compared to other income of US$30.1 million in the first nine months of 2018, which was primarily due to a gain on the sale of the Company's Bright Rainbow subsidiary. Net income from continuing operations was US$7.0 million in the first nine months of 2019. This compares to net income from continuing operations of US$28.6 million in the first nine months of 2018, which was primarily due to the previously mentioned capital gain from the sale of Bright Rainbow. Net loss from discontinued operations, which reflects the sale of a majority stake in the Company's HJX electronic learning products business to a third-party investor and operator in 2017 as well as the Company's call center operations which were discontinued in the third quarter of 2019 (Refer to "Discontinued Operations" discussion below), was US$0.9 million in the first nine months of 2019, compared to a net loss from discontinued operations of US$1.3 million in the first nine months of 2018. Net income attributable to Acorn was US$6.2 million in the first nine months of 2019. This compares to net income attributable to Acorn of US$27.3 million in the first nine months of 2018. As of September 30, 2019, Acorn's cash and cash equivalents, with restricted cash, totaled US$13.3 million. The cash balance at the end of the first nine months of 2019 reflects the payment of cash dividends totaling approximately US$3.9 million in 2019 and a drawdown of approximately US$4.9 million under the long-term loan to Cachet Hotels & Resorts after the increase of loan capacity from US$10 million to US$15 million. This compares to cash and equivalents, with restricted cash, of US$20.2 million as of December 31, 2018. In the fourth quarter of 2019, the Company reached an agreement to sell its oxygen-generating products business, which is described in further detail below. Discontinued Operations In 2017, Acorn reached an agreement to sell a majority stake in its HJX electronic learning products business ("HJX Business") to a third-party investor and operator, allowing the Company to focus on its core business. Acorn maintains a 37.5% stake in a joint venture established with this third party. As a result of this transaction, the Company is required by applicable accounting rules to treat the historical operations of the wholly-owned HJX Business as discontinued operations and the minority stake in the HJX Business as equity in losses of affiliates in the consolidated statements of operations for all periods presented, subject to the consolidation of the HJX Business into the joint venture entity. In the third quarter of 2019, the Company completed shutting down operations at its call center in Wuxi, China. As a result, the Company is required by applicable accounting rules to treat the historical operations of the call center as discontinued operations for all periods presented. Sale of Oxygen-Generating Products Business In the fourth quarter of 2019, the Company's wholly-owned subsidiary, China DRTV, Inc. entered into an equity transfer agreement to sell 100% of the equity interests in its wholly-owned subsidiary, Zhuhai Acorn Electronic Technology Co., Ltd. ("Zhuhai Acorn"), to an unrelated third-party for a purchase price of US$1,450,000 in cash. The transaction is subject to certain specific closing conditions, includes a working capital adjustment and other adjustments, and is expected to close by early 2020. This sale, along with the shutdown of the call center, allows the Company to focus on its core business of selling its own and third party branded products through e-commerce to consumers in China. Receipt of Non-binding Proposal to Acquire the Company On November 4th, 2019 the board of directors of the Company (the "Board") received a preliminary non-binding proposal letter (the "Proposal") from Mr. Robert W. Roche, Chairman of the Company, to acquire all of the outstanding shares of the Company not already owned by the Buyer Vehicle (as defined below) at US$19.50 per ADS or US$0.975 per ordinary share in cash, subject to certain conditions. According to the Proposal, it is anticipated that the Buyer Vehicle or its shareholders will control approximately 75% of the outstanding shares of ordinary shares of the Company. According to the Proposal, Mr. Robert W. Roche will form a transaction vehicle (the "Buyer Vehicle") for the purpose of pursuing the proposed transaction and will finance the proposed transaction with Buyer Vehicle's internal resources, or funds from affiliated entities, possibly supplemented by equity funding and/or debt financing. According to the Proposal, there is no definite arrangement in place for such equity or debt financing at this time. The Board held a special meeting to consider next steps with respect to the Proposal, at which meeting the Board authorized formation of a Special Committee consisting solely of independent directors to consider the Proposal. The Special Committee has conducted several meetings, retained counsel, interviewed financial advisor candidates, and continues to analyze the Proposal; however, no decisions have been made with respect to the Company's response to the proposed transaction. There can be no assurance that any definitive offer will be made, that any agreement will be reached or executed, or that this or any other transaction will be approved or consummated. Conference Call Due to its receipt of the Proposal, the Company will not host a conference call. Please reach out to our Investor Contacts listed below if you have any questions. About Acorn International, Inc. Acorn International is a leading marketing and branding company in China, leveraging a twenty-year direct marketing history to monetize brand IP, content creation and distribution, and product sales, through digital media in China. For more information visit www.acorninternationalgroup.com. Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements constitute "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "strives," "expects," "future," "going forward," "intends," "outlook," "plans," "target," "will," and similar statements and include statements with respect to the Company's continued focus on promoting its core products through digital media in China as well as on third-party e-commerce B2C platforms; its plan for continued development of Acorn Digital Services; its expected third quarter of 2019 payment of a cash dividend of US$0.0125 per ordinary share, or US$0.25 per ADS; the closing of the sale of the Company's oxygen-generating products business, expected by early 2020; and with respect to the preliminary non-binding proposal from Mr. Robert W. Roche, Chairman of the Company, to acquire all of the outstanding shares of the Company not already owned by the Buyer Vehicle at US$19.50 per ADS or US$0.975 per ordinary share in cash, subject to certain conditions, whether any definitive offer will be made, any agreement will be reached or executed, or this or any other transaction will be approved or consummated. Such statements are based on management's current expectations and current market and operating conditions, and relate to events that involve known or unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, all of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond the Company's control, which may cause the Company's actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from those in these preliminary financial results and the forward-looking statements. Further information regarding these and other risks, uncertainties, or factors is included in the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by law. Other factors that could cause forward-looking statements to differ materially from actual future events or results include risks and uncertainties related to: the Company's ability to successfully improve or introduce new products and services, including to offset declines in sales of existing products and services; the Company's ability to stay abreast of consumer market trends and maintain the Company's reputation and consumer confidence; the Company's ability to execute and maintain a successful market strategy; potential unauthorized use of the Company's intellectual property; potential disruption of the Company's manufacturing processes; increasing competition in China's consumer market; the Company's U.S. tax status as a passive foreign investment company; and general economic and business conditions in China, as well as potential friction between the U.S. and China associated with their current trade dispute and related factors, which could potentially impact Acorn. The financial information contained in this release should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company's 2018 annual report on Form 20-F filed with SEC on April 30, 2019. For a discussion of other important factors that could adversely affect the Company's business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects, see "Risk Factors" beginning on page 9 of the Company's Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018. The Company's actual results of operations for the second quarter and first nine months of 2019 are not necessarily indicative of its operating results for any future periods. Any projections in this release are based on limited information currently available to the Company, which is subject to change. Although such projections and the factors influencing them will likely change, the Company will not necessarily update the information. Such information speaks only as of the date of this release. Statement Regarding Unaudited Financial Information The unaudited financial information set forth above is preliminary and subject to potential adjustments. Adjustments to the consolidated financial statements may be identified when audit work has been performed for the Company's year-end audit, which could result in significant differences from this preliminary unaudited condensed financial information. Contact: Acorn International, Inc. Compass Investor Relations Mr. Martin Key Ms. Elaine Ketchmere, CFA Phone +86-21-5151-8888 Phone: +1-310-528-3031 Email: ir@chinadrtv.com Email: Eketchmere@compass-ir.com www.chinadrtv.com www.compassinvestorrelations.com - Financial Tables Follow - ACORN INTERNATIONAL, INC. UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (In US dollars) For the three monthsended For the nine monthsended 2018 2019 2018 2019 (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited) Net revenues Direct sales $ 6,219,453 $ 9,589,314 $ 14,405,700 $ 23,873,718 Distribution sales 1,346,782 1,717,452 3,177,431 4,472,297 Total net revenues 7,566,235 11,306,766 17,583,131 28,346,015 Cost of revenues Direct sales -1,470,324 -2,405,281 -3,449,561 -6,160,021 Distribution sales -411,572 -546,308 -1,063,758 -1,463,158 Total cost of revenues -1,881,896 -2,951,589 -4,513,319 -7,623,179 Gross profit Direct sales 4,749,129 7,184,032 10,956,139 17,713,697 Distribution sales 935,210 1,171,144 2,113,673 3,009,139 Total gross profit 5,684,339 8,355,176 13,069,812 20,722,836 75.1% 73.9% 74.3% 73.1% Operating (expenses) income Other selling and marketing expenses -2,913,914 -5,279,234 -7,381,934 -13,580,188 General and administrative expenses -1,514,118 -2,263,355 -6,314,892 -7,301,107 Other operating income, net 250,153 544,919 1,532,500 1,587,700 Total operating (expenses) income -4,177,879 -6,997,669 -12,164,326 -19,293,594 Income (loss) from continuingoperations 1,506,460 1,357,507 905,486 1,429,241 Interest expense - - - - Interest income 232,614 114,381 509,237 267,606 Other income (expenses), net 2,355,392 659,927 30,057,693 5,522,463 Income (loss) from continuingoperations before income taxes andequity in losses of affiliates 4,094,466 2,131,815 31,472,416 7,219,310 Income tax - current -489,436 -139,365 -2,860,087 -190,872 Income tax - deferred - - -6,751 - Income (loss) from continuingoperations before equity in losses of affiliates 3,605,030 1,992,450 28,605,578 7,028,438 Discontinued operations : Income (loss) from discontinued operations 204,656 -755,830 -1,276,154 -865,670 Income (loss) from discontinuedoperations before equity in losses of affiliates 204,656 -755,830 -1,276,154 -865,670 Equity in losses of affiliates - - - - Net income (loss) 3,809,686 1,236,620 27,329,424 6,162,768 Net income (loss) attributable to non-controlling interests -1,196 -1,010 -3,554 -4,038 Net income (loss) attributable to Acorn International, Inc. 3,810,882 $1,237,630 $27,332,978 $6,166,806 ACORN INTERNATIONAL, INC. CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (In US dollars) 2018/12/31 2019/09/30 Cash and cash equivalents $20,143,783 $13,222,471 Restricted cash 76,243 74,511 Accounts receivable, net 3,520,440 4,370,771 Inventory, net 1,590,319 1,983,663 Other prepaid expenses and current assets 7,936,100 7,281,957 Loan receivable 3,597,392 3,689,093 Held-for-sale assets 2,881,370 466,626 Assets to be abandoned 579,644 20,172 Current assets 40,325,291 31,109,264 Property and equipment, net 660,157 586,800 Available-for-sale securities 38,858,216 37,706,133 Loan to related party 10,050,054 14,710,207 Right of use assets - 1,619,030 Other long-term assets 243,236 276,657 Total assets $90,136,954 $86,008,090 Accounts payable 2,057,539 2,716,432 Dividend payable 174,658 126,219 Accrued expenses and other current liabilities 12,726,641 7,027,550 Lease Liability - 767,394 Income taxes payable 2,096,987 1,265,102 Deferred revenue 174,826 93,304 Liabilities to be abandoned 272,428 336,340 Current liabilities 17,503,079 12,332,341 Lease Liability - 945,706 Deferred tax liability, net 630,574 611,879 Total liabilities 18,133,653 13,889,925 Ordinary shares 918,844 918,844 Additional paid-in capital 121,962,650 118,091,209 Statutory reserve 8,350,141 8,350,141 Retained earnings (87,749,530) (81,582,725) Beginning balance (118,876,713) (82,820,355) Net income (loss) attributable to Acorn 31,127,183 1,237,630 Appropriation of statutory reserve fund - - Accumulated other comprehensive income 56,507,394 54,340,699 Treasury stock, at cost (28,320,324) (28,320,325) Total Acorn International, Inc. shareholders'equity
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Jason Lau, CISO at Crypto.com Accepted into Forbes Technology Council
Forbes Technology Council Is an Invitation-Only Community for World-Class CIOs, CTOs, and Technology Executives HONG KONG, Dec. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Crypto.com, the pioneering payments and cryptocurrency platform, today announced that the company's Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) Jason Lau has been accepted into Forbes Technology Council, an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs, and technology executives. Jason Lau, CISO at Crypto.com Accepted into Forbes Technology Council Jason was vetted and selected by a review committee based on the depth and diversity of his experience. He has over 18 years in consulting experience for Fortune 500 companies in the fields of management consulting, cybersecurity, IT governance, privacy and risk management, and holds multiple certifications. Jason has won multiple awards including the "Cybersecurity Professional Award", and "Outstanding Financial Technologist of the Year (Data Privacy)", and voted a "Top 50 global thought leader and influencer on cybersecurity." He sits on industry advisory groups and participates on various global security and privacy think tanks, including the Centre for Information Policy Leadership (CIPL). Jason is also an Adjunct Professor of cybersecurity and data privacy at one of Asia's leading business schools, and the regional lead, co-chair and faculty member of the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP). Criteria for acceptance into the Forbes Technology Council include a track record of successfully impacting business growth metrics, as well as personal and professional achievements and honors. "We are honored to welcome Jason into the community," said Scott Gerber, founder of Forbes Councils, the collective that includes Forbes Technology Council. "Our mission with Forbes Councils is to bring together proven leaders from every industry, creating a curated, social capital-driven network that helps every member grow professionally and make an even greater impact on the business world." Jason Lau, CISO of Crypto.com, said: "I am extremely honored and excited to be invited into the Forbes Technology Council community, which is full of some of the most inspiring and accomplished technology minds today. The supportive network and vast readership of Forbes provides a unique platform on which I'm able to share insights gained over my almost two decades of experience in cybersecurity and information privacy. With a global shortage of cybersecurity professionals today, I will leverage the visibility of the Forbes Technology Council to provide some insights into current and future cyber threats, and how we can work together to tackle these emerging challenges. I would like to thank Forbes Councils for recognizing my leadership and commitment in these fields." As an accepted member of the Council, Jason's membership includes: Access to a variety of exclusive opportunities designed to help reach peak professional influence. The ability to connect and collaborate with other respected local leaders in a private forum. Invitation to work with a professional editorial team to share his expert insights in original business articles on Forbes.com, and to contribute to published Q&A panels alongside other experts. Exclusive access to vetted business service partners, membership-branded marketing collateral, and the high-touch support of the Forbes Councils member concierge team. ABOUT FORBES COUNCILS Forbes Councils is a collective of invitation-only communities created in partnership with Forbes and the expert community builders who founded Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC). In Forbes Councils, exceptional business owners and leaders come together with the people and resources that can help them thrive. For more information about Forbes Technology Council, visit forbestechcouncil.com. To learn more about Forbes Councils, visit forbescouncils.com. About Crypto.com Crypto.com was founded in 2016 on a simple belief: it's a basic human right for everyone to control their money, data and identity. With over 1 million users on its platform today, Crypto.com provides a powerful alternative to traditional financial services, turning its vision of "cryptocurrency in every wallet" into reality, one customer at a time. Crypto.com is built on a solid foundation of security, privacy and compliance and is the first cryptocurrency company in the world to have CCSS Level 3, ISO27001:2013 and PCI:DSS 3.2.1, Level 1 compliance. Crypto.com is headquartered in Hong Kong with a 200+ strong team. For more information, please visit www.crypto.com. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1043452/Jason_Lau_Forbes_Technology_Council.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/888271/Crypto_Logo.jpg
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Crypto Earn: Now Earn 8% p.a. on EOS Deposits
HONG KONG, Dec. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Crypto.com, the pioneering payments and cryptocurrency platform, announced today that it has added EOS to Crypto Earn, allowing users to enjoy up to 8% p.a. on their deposits. In addition to having EOS available in Crypto Earn, deposit and withdrawal of EOS is also enabled on the Crypto.com App. Crypto Earn: Now Earn 8% p.a. on EOS deposits EOS.IO is a free, open-source blockchain software protocol that provides developers and entrepreneurs with a platform on which to build, deploy and run high-performing blockchain applications. It is currently supporting over 260 projects. Crypto Earn now supports 16 coins including BTC, ETH, LTC, XRP, BNB, TUSD, PAX, USDC, MCO, BAT, LINK, CRO, MKR, DAI, PAXG with the addition of EOS. Interest is paid out weekly in the coin deposited with flexible, 1-month or 3-month terms available. Users earn more by staking at least 500 MCO. Note: For the U.S. users, both deposit and withdrawal of EOS and Crypto Earn deposit in EOS are initially available in 38 states: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. About EOS.IO EOS.IO is a blockchain protocol powered by the native cryptocurrency EOS. The protocol emulates most of the attributes of a real computer including hardware (CPU(s) & GPU(s) for processing, local/RAM memory, hard-disk storage) with the computing resources distributed equally among EOS cryptocurrency holders. EOS.IO operates as a smart contract platform and decentralized operating system intended for the deployment of industrial-scale decentralized applications through a decentralized autonomous corporation model. The smart contract platform claims to eliminate transaction fees and also conduct millions of transactions per second. EOS (EOS) is software that introduces a blockchain architecture designed to enable vertical and horizontal scaling of decentralized applications. The EOS software provides accounts, authentication, databases, asynchronous communication and the scheduling of applications across multiple CPU cores and/or clusters. About Crypto.com Crypto.com was founded in 2016 on a simple belief: it's a basic human right for everyone to control their money, data and identity. With over 1 million users on its platform today, Crypto.com provides a powerful alternative to traditional financial services, turning its vision of "cryptocurrency in every wallet" into reality, one customer at a time. Crypto.com is built on a solid foundation of security, privacy and compliance and is the first cryptocurrency company in the world to have CCSS Level 3, ISO27001:2013 and PCI:DSS 3.2.1, Level 1 compliance. Crypto.com is headquartered in Hong Kong with a 200+ strong team. For more information, please visit www.crypto.com. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1043450/Crypto_EOS_deposits.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/888271/Crypto_Logo.jpg