RHTLaw Asia strengthens Real Estate Practice with appointment of new partner

SINGAPORE, Apr 5, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – Singapore-headquartered regional law firm RHTLaw Asia has appointed Mr Yeong Wai Cheong as partner in the firm's Real Estate practice.

Mr Yeong Wai Cheong, Partner at RHTLaw Asia and Mr Azman Jaafar, Managing Partner at RHTLaw Asia [L-R]

Wai Cheong brings extensive experience in real estate, banking and finance, representing Singapore-listed companies and banks, purchasers and vendors, developers, landlords and tenants across a range of domestic and cross-border financing and real estate matters.

He has been consistently ranked as a "Recommended Lawyer" for Real Estate in the Legal 500 Asia Pacific for seven consecutive years. Dual-qualified in Singapore and Hong Kong, Wai Cheong has represented parties for the sale and purchase and financing of industrial, commercial and residential properties in Singapore and Hong Kong.

In addition to his prior stint at RHTLaw Asia, Wai Cheong was also previously the General Counsel for Asia for an European bank and the Head of Legal for Singapore for two European banks.

RHTLaw Asia Managing Partner, Mr Azman Jaafar, said, "Real Estate will continue to be an important sector for us given Singapore's position as a global financial centre. We will continue to strengthen our practice with the addition of new talent to support our clients. Mr Yeong is a welcome addition to our team as we roll out our new ONERHT Client UX strategy together with our core multidisciplinary capabilities."

About RHTLaw Asia LLP

RHTLaw Asia LLP is a leading regional law firm headquartered in Singapore with a network of offices in 15 jurisdictions in Asia, Oceania, Middle East and Africa under the ASEAN Plus Group (APG) comprising over 2,000 lawyers. We help clients understand the local challenges, navigate the regional complexity to deliver the competitive advantage for their businesses in Asia. We are also the Singapore member of the Interlex Group, a global network of leading law firms.

RHTLaw Asia collaborates with ONERHT, an integrated network of multidisciplinary professional services, through entities which are not affiliates, branches, or subsidiaries of RHTLaw Asia LLP. For more details, please visit www.rhtlawasia.com

For Mr Yeong Wai Cheong's profile, please visit:
https://www.rhtlawasia.com/people/yeong-wai-cheong/

About ONERHT

ONERHT is an integrated multidisciplinary platform of professional and specialist services. Since 2011, RHTLaw Asia's founding team has developed a second engine of growth through ONERHT, an independent ecosystem of professional and specialist services, and networks, complementing RHTLaw's full service legal offerings. For more details, please visit www.onerht.com

For media queries, please contact:
Elliot Siow / elliot.siow@rhtgoc.com / +65 8375 0417

Copyright 2023 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

BLUETTI EP600 and AC500 Win Red Dot Design Award 2023

SYDNEY, AU, Apr 5, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – BLUETTI, a leading provider of portable power stations, is proud to announce that its products EP600 and AC500 have won the Red Dot Design Award 2023. The award recognizes the outstanding design of the two products and acknowledges the innovation and excellence of BLUETTI's design team.

The Red Dot Design Award is one of the most renowned design competitions in the world, and it attracts thousands of entries from different countries and industries. The award recognizes products that demonstrate exceptional design, quality, and innovation. Winning the award is a significant achievement for BLUETTI, and it demonstrates the company's commitment to creating products that are not only functional but also aesthetically pleasing.

The EP600&B500 is BLUETTI's latest Energy Storage System (ESS), launched in Europe last November. It's designed for on-grid or off-grid use with easy installation and simple operation. With a modular design and cutting-edge technology, it is the perfect solution to reach power independence in a sustainable way.

The AC500&B300S is a modular power station for home backup or off-grid living. It adopts reliable LiFePo4 batteries that contain no harmful heavy metals and advanced technology to enable fast charging, split phase function, and UPS protection. It features a simple yet aesthetic design, and superior performance, a true marriage of functionality and beauty.

"We are thrilled to have won the Red Dot Design Award 2023," said Jame Ray, spokesperson for BLUETTI. "Our design team has worked tirelessly to create products that not only perform well but also look great. Winning this award is a testament to their hard work and dedication, and we are proud of what we have achieved".

BLUETTI has won this award several times for its innovative and eco-friendly energy products. Innovation, sustainability, and excellence are written in its DNA. The EP600 and AC500 are currently available for purchase on BLUETTI's website, and they come respectively with a 10-year and 4-year warranty.

About BLUETTI

From the very beginning, BLUETTI has tried to stay true to a sustainable future through green energy storage solutions for both indoor and outdoor use while delivering an exceptional eco-friendly experience for our homes and our world. That's why BLUETTI makes its presence in 70+ countries and is trusted by millions of customers across the globe.

For more information, please visit BLUETTI website or follow BLUETTI on:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BLUETTIOfficial
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bluetti.au
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bluetti_australia/

Contact Information
Amanda Yan
Integrated Marketing for BLUETTI
pr@bluetti.com
+8615013559696

SOURCE: BLUETTI ENERGY PTY LTD

Copyright 2023 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Coming soon this April: The MarTech Summit Singapore 2023

Come and join us at The MarTech Summit Singapore on 25 & 26 April 2023 at Raffles City Convention Centre to take your marketing game to the next level!

Singapore, Apr 5, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – The MarTech Summit series aims to bring together the best minds in marketing technology from a range of industries through a number of diverse formats and engaging events.

Here come the 2-day flagship event of The MarTech Summit in Singapore! A brand new speakers line-up and agenda filled with panel discussions, keynote presentations, fireside chats, in-summit roundtables & more. We are splitting into tracks to deep-dive into MarTech latest trends, the power of data-driven marketing as well as customer/client digital experience! Come and join us for a learning and networking experience with the likes of CMOs, Heads, Directors, etc. Register now and get ready to take your marketing game to the next level.

This summit is designed for senior level executives in functions such as:

The MarTech Summit Singapore will be taken place following the motto Accelerate Success with Your MarTech Stack: Leaner, Smarter & Richer. The summit will be held in person on 25 & 26 April 2023 at Raffles City Convention Centre (80 Bras Basah Road, Singapore 189560).

Find out more information at: https://themartechsummit.com/singapore

You can contact us at: hello@themartechsummit.com

Maxim: Society Pass (Nasdaq: SOPA) Compelling Valuation; 4Q22 EBITDA Beats Forecast; Positive on Organic Growth & M&A

SINGAPORE, Apr 5, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – Maxim Group LLC ("Maxim") issues research report on Society Pass Inc. (Nasdaq: SOPA) ("SoPa"), Southeast Asia's (SEA) next generation, data-driven, loyalty, fintech and e-commerce ecosystem.

Click Here ( https://tinyurl.com/3cakppp on Maxim research website) or Here ( https://tinyurl.com/5fh5vnyr on Society Pass website) to view the full Maxim research report.

Summary Points:

– 4Q22 results highlight early stages of growth – SoPa's 4Q22 revenue of $2.6M increased significantly from $0.4M in the prior year quarter. Thoughtful Media (TMG) accounted for over 50% of quarterly revenue at $1.4M, followed by Leflair at $0.7M and NusaTrip online ticketing and reservation at $0.5M. SoPa has restructured several of its businesses to improve revenue and profitability and is focusing on the relatively higher margin segments.

– Metrics – SoPa ended '22 with over 3.3M registered customers and 205K merchants and brands. During 2022, there were over 48K lifestyle purchases, 88K F&B deliveries and 178K travel bookings.

– Diversification – 2022 represented a period of significant diversification with SoPa now operating 6 verticals in 5 countries (Singapore, Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia, and Thailand). Maxim believes TMG can market SoPa's other brands and the businesses can be expanded geographically. Maxim has a positive view on the SEA market due to increasing mobile and ecommerce penetration, younger populations, travel coming back, and the opportunity to consolidate smaller companies.

– Outlook – Maxim narrows its EBITDA loss estimate for 2023, primarily due to factoring in better expense control. Maxim expects loyalty points to launch in June '23, and full year contributions from all announced acquisitions. Maxim has not modeled any contributions from any acquisitions that have not yet been announced or closed, however, it is likely that management will continue to opportunistically acquire companies in their verticals of focus.

– Healthy balance sheet – SoPa ended 2022 with unrestricted cash of $18.9M (representing >1/2 of SoPa's market cap), down from $23M at the of end of September '22, and no material amount of debt. In February '23, SoPa authorised a $2M stock repurchase program. With expense reduction plans and newer businesses, along with the launch of the Loyalty program, Maxim expects the cash burn to decline and that current levels of cash are sufficient to fund organic growth over the next two years.

– Society Pass is in the early stages of building an SEA e-commerce company with six verticals:

1) Lifestyle. Leflair provides luxury goods online in Vietnam. Leflair generated ~$2M in revenue in '22, up from $500K in '21. Sales from online ordering was $0.7M in 4Q22, up 73% y/y. Maxim anticipates management will focus on expanding geographically and in other retail categories in 2023. Leflair changed its platform in February 2023 to improve customer experience and drive sales.

2) Digital Advertising. Thoughtful Media Group is a Thailand based social media company acquired in July '22. Business has been expanded to Vietnam, Indonesia, and Thailand. Digital advertising should have relatively higher margins among SOPA's other segments, in part due to lower labour costs. In October '22, TMG signed a partnership with Onlive.site, a live-streaming and digital content channel platform based in Spain. Onlive's technology allows livestreaming, live video shopping, interactive video and online TV channel platform tools. The company announced the acquisition of More Media, an Indonesia based digital design and branding agency. Revenue in this segment was $1.4M for 4Q22 and $2.6M for the full year. Maxim notes that this only includes one half of results as the deal closed in 3Q22.

3) Online Travel. NusaTrip is an Indonesia based online travel platform acquired in August '22. Maxim views Online Travel as one of the areas of key focus for growth both organically and through M&A. In February '23, a partnership was announced with LuxUrban (LUXH – Buy) to drive SE Asian traffic to LuxUrban's US based hotels. NusaTrip signed an MoU with PT Kerata Cepat Indonesia-China to be the preferred online ticket sales partner for Kereta Cepat Jakarta-Bandung, the first fast train service between Jakarta and Bandung. Revenue was $0.5M for the quarter and $0.7M for the year.

4) Telecom. Acquired June '22, Gorilla is a Singapore based blockchain telecom offering local and travel e-SIM services. Although a small revenue contributor, it provides blockchain and Web 3.0 technology that can be expanded to other areas, such as social media interactions on websites.

5) Online Food and beverage delivery. Handycart (Vietnam), Pushkart (Philippines), and Mangan (Philippines). F&B is small contributor today but is strategic in terms of users that can be monetized in other verticals. For '23, Maxim anticipates management will focus on combining their offerings.

6) Loyalty. Loyalty plan was soft launched in June '22 with a hard launch across all verticals targeted for June '23. Stripe, a digital wallet, is a partner for payments. While adoption is not certain, Maxim expect Loyalty to be the higher margin of SOPA's verticals.

– Compelling valuation – reiterate Buy. SOPA trades at an EV/revenue multiple of 0.4x our 2024 revenue estimate with over half of its market cap in cash vs. the peer average of 2.8x. Maxim's price target is $2.75 supported by our 10-year DCF analysis, which utilizes a 22% discount rate (unchanged), 13x terminal multiple (prior 15x), and 3% terminal growth rate (unchanged). This equates to an EV/revenue multiple of 2.0x. A discount to the peer average is warranted, in our view due to SOPA's smaller size and acquisition integration risk. Our positive outlook is supported by the attractive SE Asian markets and opportunities to consolidate smaller companies.

About Society Pass Inc.

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

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

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

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

For more information on Society Pass, please visit:
Website at https://www.thesocietypass.com or
LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/societypass or
Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/thesocietypass or
Twitter at https://twitter.com/society_pass or
Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/societypass/.

Cautionary Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may include "forward-looking statements," within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this press release are forward-looking statements. When used in this press release, words such as "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "intend" and similar expressions, as they relate to us or our management team, identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs of management, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, the Company's management. Actual results could differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors detailed in the Company's filings with the SEC. All subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf are qualified in their entirety by this paragraph. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including those set forth in the Risk Factors section of the Company's registration statement and prospectus relating to the Company's initial public offering filed with the SEC. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release, except as required by law.

Media Contacts:
PRecious Communications
sopa@preciouscomms.com

Copyright 2023 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

analytica Vietnam 2023: The Largest Gathering of Laboratory Technology, Analysis and Biotechnology Professionals in Southeast Asia

The largest ever edition of analytica Vietnam, 10% outstanding increase in exhibition space with over 200 companies and brands with country pavilions from Germany, China and Singapore.
The three-day event will consist of exhibits, world-class conference, forum and tutorials, pre-event laboratory tour, buyer-seller program, networking night and hosted buyer delegations from Laos and Cambodia.
Registration to attend is FREE and open. Learn, network and reconnect with our confirmed exhibitors, international pavilions and key industry leaders.

The 7^th analytica Vietnam 2023 is set to take place from April 19-21, 2023, at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The event is organized by Messe München, a leading international trade fair organizer, and is expected to attract thousands of exhibitors and visitors from around the world.

HANOI, Vietnam, Apr 5, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – analytica Vietnam 2023 is a premier event for laboratory technology, analysis, and biotechnology professionals. The conference program features over 30 conference sessions and panel discussions presented by leading industry experts from across the globe. Attendees can expect to learn about the latest trends, challenges, and advancements in the industry, and gain insights into the future of laboratory technology and analysis.

analytica Vietnam, known as the most important hub in the ASEAN Region, is celebrating its biggest event ever with expected 5,000 diagnostic professionals, industry’s top buyers and investment decision-makers from more than 30 countries in the world. The trade fair will be the first face-to-face meeting since the hit of COVID-19. With sponsorships from Thermo Fisher, BIOVIA and BTG, the upcoming edition of analytica Vietnam 2023 is expected to bring together a spectacular reunion of the science and research sector.

The 2023 trade fair exhibitors include national and international industry giants – Thermo Fisher Scientific, Shimadzu, Merck, Leco, ITS, DKSH, 2H Instruments, Scilab, Eppendorf and Waters. The exhibition show will feature international exhibitors from – Germany, Italy, UK, Japan, Canada, Korea, France, Czech Republic, USA, Singapore, India, Thailand, and China. The German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action and the Association of Small & Medium Enterprises Singapore (ASME) will support the exhibition with a German and Singapore Pavilion.

“We are thrilled to welcome the leading professionals and companies in the laboratory technology, analysis, and biotechnology industries to analytica Vietnam 2023,” said Mr. Michael Wilton, CEO & Managing Director of MMI Asia Pte Ltd, a subsidiary of Messe München GmbH. “This year’s event will provide attendees with unparalleled opportunities to network, learn, and discover the latest products and technologies in the industry.”

The Vietnamese government and Messe München are at the forefront of industry development in Vietnam. With analytica Vietnam, we offer the perfect platform to support the further development of the industry in the country, facilitate know-how transfer and promote investment in laboratory and biotechnology,” says Armin Wittmann, Project Manager at Messe München GmbH.

Apart from the exhibition area, analytica Vietnam 2023 offers valuable first-hand know how. The trade fair includes several side events such as a world-class conference, forum and tutorials, pre-event laboratory tours, buyer-seller program, networking night and hosted buyer program to offer visitors a holistic experience of current technologies and trending developments in the market.

Conference Program from top industry experts

The analytica Vietnam Conference will take place on 19-20 April in parallel to the with the trade fair. The conference program features over 30 conference lectures presented by national and international experts from science and research sector across the globe to report on the latest topics in the areas of biomedical, and forensic analysis, novel analytical methods, food analysis and environment analysis and quality control. It is organized by Prof. Dr. Oliver J. Schmitz (University of Duisburg-Essen, Faculty of Chemistry) and Prof. Dr. Pham Hung Viet (VNU University of Science, KLATEFOS).

Latest laboratory working practices

There will also be two practical tutorials on laboratory working practices on both days of the conference. The two half-day workshops “Compliant Modernization of HPLC Gradient Elution Methods in View of USP 621 Revision” and ” 3-MCPD and MOSH/MOAH Analysis” inform about the details of the automated workflows for routine analysis.” They focus on laboratory staff and students and require advance registration.

The Exhibitor Forum, part of supporting program within the exhibition halls, provides exhibitors with a platform for presenting their products and services live to a professional audience which is interested in the applicability of laboratory technology, analysis, biotechnology and diagnostics related services and products.

Various applications and marketable product innovation are to be demonstrated at the event include:

Comprehensive Testing & QC solutions from Farm to Fork – Thermo Fisher
R&D to Manufacturing – Connected Bio/Pharmaceutical Organization – Digital Continuity using 3DS platform – BIOVIA
Competence Cold Storage & Cell Cultivation Solutions through Innovation – Eppendorf Asia Pacific Sdn Bhd
Go beyond the limitation on environmental analysis using Agilent Technologies solutions – DKSH Vietnam
UV/VIS Spectrophotometer with EMC-Lambda Software and Audit Trail CFR 21 part 11 compliance – EMCLAB Instruments GmbH
A novel technology for DNA/RNA lab – Nippon Genetics Europe GmbH
Nitrogen determination according to Kjeldahl – behr Labor-Technik GmbH
Microplastic pollution: Analyse the problem and seek the solution with Bruker FT-IR spectroscopy – Bruker
Automatic Solution for Sample Preparation and Microbiological Analysis – Hoa Viet Co Ltd
LabWare LIMS – Labware
Amino Acid Analysis of Food – Hitachi High-Tech Scientific Solutions Co Ltd
Optimizing the production of probiotics and fermented products – TSI Hanoi
Participation in both the trade fair and supporting program is free of charge for visitors.

About Messe Muenchen GmbH

Messe Muenchen GmbH is one of the world’s leading trade fair organizers with more than 50 trade fairs for capital goods, consumer goods, and new technologies. Every year, Messe Muenchen organizes more than 200 events in Munich, Germany, and abroad, attracting over 30,000 exhibitors and 2 million visitors. The company’s mission is to create innovative, sustainable, and profitable platforms for its customers to do business and connect with their target markets.

analytica Vietnam

With its exhibition areas of laboratory technology, analysis, biotechnology and diagnostics, analytica Vietnam with the analytica Vietnam conference targets the growing market of Vietnam. 143 exhibitors and 4,144 visitors participated in analytica Vietnam 2019. The trade fair takes place every two years. The upcoming edition will take place from April 19 to 21, 2023 at the SECC – Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center. More details can be found at https://www.analyticavietnam.com/.

analytica worldwide

Messe München is the world’s leading trade fair organizer for laboratory technology, analysis and biotechnology. The international network of exhibitions includes analytica, analytica China, analytica Anacon India & India Lab Expo, analytica Vietnam and analytica Lab Africa. Additional information about these exhibitions and their programs of events is available at http://www.analytica.de.

MMI Asia Pte Ltd

MMI Asia Pte. Ltd. was set up as the regional headquarter and a wholly owned subsidiary of Messe München in 1992. With subsidiaries in China and India, MMI Asia organizes trade fairs in China, India and ASEAN countries; promotes global trade expansion by facilitating participation of Asian exhibitors in Messe München fairs worldwide; it also provides consultancy in professional trade fair and conference management to government bodies, international trade and promotion organizations, and trade associations.

Press contact:
Syafia Naniesya (Nanie)
E: syafia@mmiasia.com.sg
T: +65 62360988
Marketing Executive
MMI Asia Pte Ltd

Vivid Sydney 2023 Serves Up Biggest Program Yet

SYDNEY, AU, Apr 5, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – Vivid Sydney will deliver the biggest and most culturally relevant program in its event history when it returns in 2023 from Friday 26 May to Saturday 17 June.

Lighting of the Sails – Vivid Sydney – Sydney Opera House

Australia's largest event and the pioneer of light-based art and culture festivals in the Asia-Pacific region has assembled some of the world's most innovative artists, talented music makers and thought leaders as part of its 2023 lineup, which also recognises the significant contribution of First Nations peoples and cultures to the creative industries.

Inspired by the master of all creators, Mother Nature, this year's theme, "Vivid Sydney, Naturally," is reflected across all of the 300+ activations and events that make up the 23-day program.

Vivid Sydney Light Walk's signature Sydney Opera House Lighting of the Sails will see the vibrant works of one of Australia's most famed artists, John Olsen, brought to life as a spectacular tribute to his illustrious artistic career of more than 60 years. Life Enlivened (2023) will include Olsen's evocative Salute to Five bells (1971-73) mural commissioned especially for the Northern Foyer of Sydney Opera House's Concert Hall, as well as other artworks spotlighting Olsen's fascination with Australian landscapes and nature.

The Vivid LIVE at Sydney Opera House lineup will feature more than 40 Australian and international artists. Jose Gonzalez, Yaeji, Ella Mai, Cat Power, Devonte Hynes and many more will take to the stages of the world-famous building in a program curated by Sydney Opera House's Head of Contemporary Music Ben Marshall .

The Vivid Music program will spotlight First Nations and Australian voices this year. The late Archie Roach AC will be celebrated with an incredible night of performances with the late artist's longtime friends and collaborators and special appearances by members of Roach's family. There will also be 12 nights of free music at Tumbalong Park, Darling Harbour featuring Yothu Yindi, Dan Sultan, cult Japanese artist Cornelius and many more.

British author and "master of her material" Jeanette Winterson features at Vivid Ideas and will reflect on questions of identity, sexuality, religion and more to unpack the idea of nature in LIFE AND MARS: The Future of Human .

And for the first time, Vivid Sydney's brand-new pillar – Vivid Food – will broaden the creative spotlight from Light, Music and Ideas to include culinary favourites and innovative food events. Work up an appetite for a fusion of street food; a barbecue of epic proportions with legendary pitmasters for Vivid Fire Kitchen at the Cutaway at Barangaroo; fine-dining experiences; and the return of 2022's sell-out Vivid Sydney Dinner at the Ivy Ballroom, a special feast by esteemed Sydney chefs Ben Greeno and Danielle Alvarez.

Vivid Sydney Festival Director Gill Minervini said Vivid Sydney has come of age and has evolved into a progressive and inclusive event that celebrates the best of an expanded definition of the creative industries in 2023.

"Vivid Sydney is the original festival of light, art and culture. 2023 is the 13th time it has been staged and so it has naturally evolved over time to ensure that it stays relevant to the creative industries and what that means to people today," Minervini said.

"We are truly proud of this year's program. We have raised the bar on the size and scale of the events and activated new parts of the city. Our lineup features more diverse talent across more industries.

"There are world-firsts and festival-firsts, and both free and ticketed events to make the festival accessible to everyone. Audiences should be prepared to be blown away by the calibre of talent and a program that has been inspired by the beauty and diversity of nature.

"Vivid Sydney's 2023 program is a celebration of authenticity, an invitation to connect, and a chance to create. You do not want to miss Vivid Sydney 2023."

Destination NSW CEO Steve Cox said Vivid Sydney was the biggest and most loved annual event in the NSW calendar that, in 2023, would once again support the entire ecosystem of the state's visitor economy. "Each year, visitors and Sydneysiders immerse themselves in the program and enjoy the activations of the talented creatives who make the festival so special. Last year we welcomed a record 2.58 million attendees across the festival footprint," Cox said.

"Vivid Sydney 2022 injected $119 million into the NSW visitor economy. It is our expectation that with its expanded program and more international travellers returning to our shores, Vivid Sydney 2023 will drive even greater visitor expenditure into the NSW economy."

Staged across Sydney's city centre, Vivid Sydney festival locations include Circular Quay, the Sydney Opera House, The Rocks, Walsh Bay, Barangaroo, King Street Wharf, Darling Harbour, Darling Quarter, Darling Square, The Goods Line, Central Station, the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, Carriageworks, Taronga Zoo and more.

MEDIA ASSETS

The full 2023 Vivid Sydney media kit, program announcement and high-res imagery, including 2023 Vivid Sydney light renders and broadcast-quality video footage of previous festival highlights, are available to download at www.vividsydney.com/news-room .

MEDIA CONTACTS

Greg Vekiarellis , Ogilvy PR
PH: +61 401 873 217
greg.vekiarellis@ogilvy.com.au

Jenna Whyte, Destination NSW
PH: +61 484 719 536
jenna.whyte@dnsw.com.au

ABOUT VIVID SYDNEY

Vivid Sydney is Australia's largest festival celebrating creativity, innovation and technology, and transforms Sydney into a kaleidoscope of colour and events for 23 nights. Staged for its 13th year in 2023, Vivid Sydney will bring together mesmerising displays from the world's brightest light artists, exhilarating live music performances, deep-dive discussions with thought leaders, and innovative experiences from food creatives. Vivid Sydney is owned, managed and produced by Destination NSW, the NSW Government's tourism and major events agency.

Contact Information
Jenna Whyte
PR Manager
jenna.whyte@dnsw.com.au

Related Files
https://cdn.newswire.com/files/x/5c/41/1458df18fa2ae18629c003972d6b.pdf

Related Video
https://vimeo.com/807364026/acbc4fe650

SOURCE: Vivid Sydney

Copyright 2023 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

airindiaexpress.com witnesses surge in interest and bookings with its new look and unique features

New co-branded website witnesses 125% increase in visits and generates over 25% revenue for Air India Express; Dubai, Bengaluru, Abu Dhabi, Doha emerge top sources of traffic

Singapore, Apr 5, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – airindiaexpress.com, the unified customer interface of Air India Express and AirAsia India – the two subsidiary airlines of Air India, has witnessed a surge of visitors within days of launch with the platform, contributing over 25% of international flight revenue on the first day itself, making it the dominant single source of reservations. Flyers of both airlines are now logging in, booking, and managing reservations for both Air India Express and AirAsia India flights on airindiaexpress.com, the new website launched as a major milestone in the integration of the two airlines. airindiaexpress.com is built on the platform of the award-winning AirAsia India website developed by Tata Consultancy Services with the support of Tata Digital and provides a significantly enhanced booking, support and travel experience for Air India Express customers from its historical platform.

The launch of the new website was enabled by the migration to a common reservations and check-in system, which now unifies the entire commercial ecosystem of the two airlines.

Following the successful launch of the reservations system, the airline entities are now focusing on cutting over to common airport check-in systems in a phased manner at all international terminals in India, followed by the overseas network.

Some of the salient features of airindiaexpress.com include:

Single Sign On (SSO) credentials, integrated with Tata Neu and other participating brands of the Tata NeuPass rewards programme
Personalised account profile with personal details, travel documents, saved family & friends for single click addition of guests to bookings, GST details for SMEs, past and upcoming bookings and personalised offers and vouchers
E-commerce style shopping cart, integrated with single sign-on, enables users to seamlessly continue their booking if they leave midway
A single page vertically stacked accordion-style booking flow, minimising the time between flight search and payments, providing a super-fast and efficient booking experience
An integrated booking widget offering special fares and benefits for different passenger profiles, including senior citizens, students, doctors and nurses and members of the armed forces and their dependants, ensuring personalised offerings for flyers on the same PNR
The option to use gender-neutral honorifics for each passenger when booking
Xpress Check-in – Fastest in the industry 5-second check-in which is already scoring global benchmark level Net Promoter Scores with over 80% of users scoring it a 9 or 10, and stating they would recommend it to their friends and family.

Nearly half the bookings on airindiaexpress.com have been from international markets, with Dubai being the largest source city of traffic and other top international sources of traffic being Abu Dhabi, Doha, Sharjah, and Singapore. Domestic traffic and bookings on the platform have come from metro markets like Bengaluru, Delhi and Mumbai, reflecting the domestic network and hubs of AirAsia India.

As part of the integration, brand communications and support have also moved to common social media handles on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Online reputation management tools indicate that the integrated social media handles have the highest social reputation score amongst all Indian airlines, driven by faster response and resolution times and massive positive sentiment and feedback on the user experience of the new website and support channels. Advanced AI-powered conversational and multilingual chatbot Tia is also providing seamless 24*7 customer support for both airlines on a common WhatsApp number, Facebook Messenger and on the common website.

With a unified sustainability strategy, the website also offers flyers the opportunity to offset their carbon footprint by planting a tree for every booking, with a geo-location tagged URN Certificate.

A travel agent portal, built and accessible from the same platform, for corporate and retail travel agents in the largely disaggregated market is another key offering of the platform. The travel agent portal offers automated fund upload options, eliminating the need for manual intervention. The platform is also fully automated, from fetching fares to negotiations, enabling travel agents to handle individual and group bookings with ease.

Commenting on the warm response to the integrated platform, Mr. Aloke Singh, Managing Director, Air India Express and AirAsia India said, “The initial phase of integration of Air India Express and AirAsia India has been executed in a robust manner in record time. We have successfully migrated to modern day technology from the legacy systems that were dominant. This migration has been built by leveraging the existing strong attributes of AirAsia India with additional deployment of relevant tech solutions. We are very enthused with the initial response to the newly launched airindiaexpress.com. The unified customer experience is an important aspect of our objective of showcasing the larger strength and scale of the Air India network. We are working on adding even more unique features and integrated service which will deliver enhanced experience and strengthen our position in the minds of the customers.”

AirAsia India flies to 19 destinations across the country while Air India Express operates to 14 international destinations from 20 Indian cities.

About Air India Express:

Air India Express, launched in 2005, is India’s first international budget carrier and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Air India. It meets the need for affordable services on short and medium-haul routes connecting smaller Indian towns directly to the Gulf and South East Asia regions. With 20 Indian cities and 14 international destinations in its network, the airline operates more than 600 flights a week. The airline has a fleet of 26 Boeing 737-800 NG aircraft. In January 2022, Air India Express, together with Air India, was successfully privatized, with ownership returning to the Tata group that had initially founded Air India.

About AirAsia India:

AIX Connect Private Limited, formerly known as AirAsia India Private Limited, was launched in 2014 and is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Air India Limited. AirAsia India flies over 50 direct and 100 connecting routes across India, offering plush leather seats, Gourmair hot meals, pioneering in-flight entertainment, and a host of exclusive loyalty benefits for members of the Tata NeuPass rewards program and offers fast bookings, fab deals and fantastic value on its award-winning website and mobile app.

Media Contact:

Air India Express
PG Prageesh /Hari Krishnan
pg.prageesh@airindiaexpress.in
hari.krishnan@airindiaexpress.in

Adfactors PR
Namrata Sharma (Singapore): +65 81383034
Abreshmina Quadri (National): +91-8826721799
Jeevan Chandy (Kochi): +91-9447302033
airindiaexpress@adfactorspr.com

Global ‘Rules of the Road’ Included in Landmark Update to Space Safety Best Practices

EXTON, PA, Apr 4, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – An international coalition of industry and government satellite operators, launch vehicle and spacecraft manufacturers, SSA companies, and other space stakeholders today announced an important update to its landmark set of best practice guidelines and expected norms of behavior in space, establishing a new set of "rules of the road" for coordination of space operations. The Space Safety Coalition (SSC) published an enhanced version of its "Best Practices for the Sustainability of Space Operations" (SSC Best Practices) document to address emerging safety and sustainability concerns more proactively in the space environment. The practices provide a model framework of topics that are critical to address for space safety.

"The SSC's new guidelines are particularly important given today's rapidly increasing risk of collisions," said Dan Oltrogge, SSC founder and administrator. "Best practices spanning all phases of the spacecraft life cycle must keep pace as our use of and reliance upon space ever deepens."

Founded in 2019, the SSC was established to evolve, maintain, and promote a set of best practices for safe space operations. The updated best practices incorporate recent updates to international guidelines and standards from several international governing bodies, including the UN, IADC, ISO, and CCSDS. The revised practices improve specific guidance for launch vehicle and spacecraft disposal upon mission completion and add recommendations for cybersecurity, spacecraft anomaly root cause assessment, and prevention of intentional collision or fragmentation events.

"These best practices clearly set aspirational targets to encourage all space actors to advance towards a safer, more responsible and sustainable use of space," said Charles Law, Sr. Manager of Flight Dynamics at SES. "Importantly, these best practices seek to stop intentional collisions and fragmentations, and it is encouraging to see a framework to coordinate between maneuverable satellites and to exchange orbit information."

To date, 27 industry representatives from the commercial space community have endorsed the updated guidelines, including manufacturers, launch providers, spacecraft operators, consultants, foundations, mission extension, active debris removal service providers, commercial SSA companies, and insurers.

"At Planet Labs, the operator of the largest fleet of Earth observation satellites in orbit, we care deeply about safe and sustainable space operations and are proud to endorse these community-led best practices around data sharing and responsible operations, which will help preserve low earth orbit as a global commons for all operators," said James Mason, SVP of Space Systems at Planet Labs PBC.

"Negotiation to build consensus around norms like these are crucial to safeguard space systems," said Luc Riesbeck, SSC assistant administrator and a policy research analyst at Astroscale U.S. "We welcome interested stakeholders to participate in this unique coalition to improve the state of the art for space operations safety. Responsible space behavior means you never stop setting new benchmarks – but at the same time, you ensure that the result is meaningful, actionable guidance that operators around the globe can begin putting in place right away."

About the SSC

The Space Safety Coalition (SSC) is an international organization of satellite operators, government entities, industry representatives, and other key stakeholders that actively promote responsible space safety through the adoption and development of international standards, guidelines, and practices. Established in 2019, the SSC develops and publishes a set of orbit regime-agnostic best practices for the long-term sustainability of space operations. These best practices are applicable to all spacecraft regardless of constellation or physical size or orbital regime. SSC's international guidelines directly address many aspects of the 21 consensus Long-Term Sustainability (LTS) guidelines approved by the United Nations Committee for the Peaceful Use of Outer Space (UN COPUOS) in June 2019.

Contact Information
Diane Smiroldo
diane@smiroldocommunications.com
703-819-1963

SOURCE: Space Safety Coalition

Copyright 2023 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

U.S. Polo Assn. Launches Spring-Summer 2023 Collection

West Palm Beach, FL, Apr 4, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – U.S. Polo Assn., the official brand of the United States Polo Association (USPA), has launched its iconic, sport-inspired Spring-Summer Collection for 2023. The brand's global photo shoot took place in historic Santa Barbara, Calif., known for its spectacular weather, beautiful vineyards, romantic Mediterranean-inspired backdrops and dramatic central California sunsets.

U.S. Polo Assn.'s Spring-Summer 2023 Collection represents all things fresh and vibrant in the upcoming seasons. In this beautiful Santa Barbara setting, sun-washed pastels are layered with textured linens and shot beside the golden glow of Pacific Coast sunshine. Lush rose gardens, winding pathways and scenic vistas showcase the soft silhouettes of U.S. Polo Assn.'s seasonal dresses topped with soft sweaters. Tonal polo shirts are perfectly paired with classic denim that will never go out of style, along with accessories that shine, such as stylish bags and reversible totes, fashionable footwear, and on-trend eyewear, to complete an entire look that's warm-weather worthy.

"For the U.S. Polo Assn. Spring-Summer 2023 Collection, our Design Team was most excited about the texture of the fabrics of the season, especially linen, and linen-cotton blends, because these natural fabrics keep us cool, comfortable and looking great in these warm weather temperatures," said Brian Kaminer, SVP of Brand and Product for U.S. Polo Assn. "Stunning colors, from pastels to brights, are always a key element of our brand's classic, American style, fitting in perfectly with this season's trends to give that cool, coastal California vibe."

U.S. Polo Assn. is known for its sport-inspired, classic American style and each season the brand takes it to a new level with unique colors, styles, and fabrics. The Spring-Summer 2023 Collection is innovative in its colorful and modern assortments, including global apparel with sustainable aspects.

"The U.S. Polo Assn. Design Team was able to capture this iconic Spring-Summer 2023 Collection in Santa Barbara, inspired by everything that makes us think of coastal California; not to mention the location is home to some of the sport's most historic and prestigious polo clubs," said J. Michael Prince, President and CEO of USPA Global Licensing, which manages the global, multi-billion-dollar U.S. Polo Assn. brand. "Every season, we focus on evolving our core products as well as innovating new ones, while always staying true to our authentic connection to the sport of polo."

About U.S. Polo Assn. and USPA Global Licensing Inc. (USPAGL)

U.S. Polo Assn. is the official brand of the United States Polo Association (USPA), the non-profit governing body for the sport of polo in the United States and one of the oldest sports governing bodies, having been founded in 1890. With a multi-billion-dollar global footprint and worldwide distribution through some 1,100 U.S. Polo Assn. retail stores and thousands of department stores as well as sporting goods channels, independent retailers and e-commerce, U.S. Polo Assn. offers apparel for men, women, and children, as well as accessories and footwear in more than 190 countries worldwide. U.S. Polo Assn. was named as one of the top five sports licensors in 2022, according to License Global. Visit uspoloassnglobal.com and follow @uspoloassn.

USPA Global Licensing Inc. (USPAGL) is the for-profit subsidiary of the USPA and its exclusive worldwide licensor. USPAGL manages the global, multi-billion-dollar U.S. Polo Assn. brand and is the steward of the USPA's intellectual properties, providing the sport with a long-term source of revenue. Through its subsidiary, Global Polo Entertainment (GPE), USPAGL also manages Global Polo TV, which provides polo, sport and lifestyle content. In addition, USPAGL partners with ESPN and beIN Sports globally to share the sport of polo broadcasts on television and on-demand to millions of viewers around the world. A historic, multi-year, global arrangement has been signed by USPAGL and ESPN for the world's leading sports content provider to air seven of the top final polo games in the U.S., allowing millions of sports fans and consumers to enjoy the sport across ESPN's broadcast and streaming platforms. For more sport content, visit globalpolo.com.

Contact Information

Stacey Kovalsky
Senior Director, Global Communications
skovalsky@uspagl.com
+001.561.790.8036

Shannon Stilson
VP, Sports Marketing & Media
sstilson@uspagl.com
+001.561.227.6994

SOURCE: USPA Global Licensing Inc.

Copyright 2023 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Tracxn ranks LawSikho as the Top Legal Edtech Startup in the World

GURUGRAM, India, Apr 4, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – LawSikho, one of India's leading online ed-tech brands, has been ranked as the number one legal ed-tech startup in the world, following latest research by Tracxn, the analytics and market intelligence platform. LawSikho, a pioneer in the legal ed-tech space, is a bootstrapped startup, and was ranked higher than funded legal ed-tech companies in the US and the UK by employee count and number of students, as well as by revenue.

LawSikho catered to over 9500 learners in the 2022 calendar year, and achieved almost US$6 million in revenues, by annualized run rate, as of February 2023. LawSikho employs over 380 full time professionals across 6 countries, and has helped thousands of learners – lawyers, students and homemakers from across India – find internships and work-from-home opportunities in the US, UK, Canada, Dubai, Australia, Switzerland and other countries through its organisation.

Gurugram-based LawSikho was earlier named "Best LegalTech Company of the Year" at the [3rd Edition] Technology Excellence Awards 2023, by Quantic India in New Delhi on March 10. The award recognized LawSikho's contribution to the legal industry through its innovative and effective use of technology in legal education. LawSikho's legal-tech has changed the education landscape, bridging the gaps in online classes, and creating extraordinary lawyers with exceptional legal acumen.

"The growth of LawSikho has been fueled by two trends, 'Learn & Earn', and remote work. However being at the forefront of the legal ed-tech industry comes with responsibilities. We fully believe that technology has the ability to revolutionise legal education, and we will continue in our mission to provide accessible and high-quality legal education and support for individuals and professionals aspiring to access cross-border career opportunities," said Ramanuj Mukherjee, CEO, LawSikho.

About LawSikho
LawSikho is one of India's leading online ed-tech brands, offering both legal and non-legal students and professionals the most advanced courses to help them acquire skills and knowledge that they can bank on to bag the best jobs, crack difficult competitive exams, and serve their clients. LawSikho has featured on well-known platforms like TEDx, The Hindu, The Economic Times, Yahoo! News, The Tribune, and more. Most LawSikho courses are recognised by the National Skill Development Corporation. Learn more at https://lawsikho.com.

About Tracxn
Tracxn Technologies Ltd is a market intelligence platform. It tracks and analyses startup companies, emerging technologies and investment trends, and provides insights on various sectors including ed-tech, FinTech, e-commerce and healthtech, among others. Launched in 2013 by former Sequoia Capital analyst Neha Singh and Accel Partners associate Abhishek Goyal, Tracxn has grown by 400 percent over the last year, while its staff of analysts has increased from 25 to 125. Visit https://tracxn.com.

PR Contact Details:
Shrishty Singh / Prashant Agarwal
Email: marketing@lawsikho.in

Copyright 2023 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com