Lunar New Year Brings Call from CropLife Asia to “Think of and Thank our Farmer Heroes”

SINGAPORE, Feb 9, 2021 – (ACN Newswire) – With people in Asia and around the world set to celebrate Lunar New Year, CropLife Asia called for greater appreciation of regional growers and their critical contributions to food production – helping ensure food security across Asia and making available many of the ingredients to dishes enjoyed during this festive time of year.

"Lunar New Year is a time when we reflect, spend more time with friends and family, and enjoy the delicious foods of the season," said Dr. Siang Hee Tan, CropLife Asia Executive Director. "In the midst of the ongoing global pandemic, it all takes on greater meaning. The time spent with loved ones and eating the foods we savour will be that much more enjoyable and memorable.

"In the midst of this year's gatherings, I hope we can also take time to think of and thank our farmer heroes. The men and women we depend on for the food we eat during this holiday and throughout the year have been hit hard by COVID-19. They drive food security for Asia in the midst of a growing number of challenges and obstacles. Asia's farmers earn our respect and appreciation every day, and we owe them our gratitude."

Farmers across Asia help make Lunar New Year celebrations more festive, nutritious and delicious by producing the various foods that are served during the holiday season. In China and across Asia, mandarin oranges are a staple that can be found on tables and given as gifts. In Vietnam, xoi (sticky rice) is synonymous with Tet celebrations. Meanwhile, tteokguk (rice cake soup) is a popular dish enjoyed by many in Korea; while tikoy (sticky rice treat) is a delicacy prepared by many of those celebrating in the Philippines.

The past year has been an unprecedented time for everyone; this has been particularly true for farmers in our region. Asia is home to the smallest-sized farms and the largest number of smallholder farmers globally. The pandemic has only exacerbated a challenging landscape for these smallholders – one that includes mitigating the devasting impacts of locusts, the Fall Armyworm invasive pest and climate change. Despite these challenges, regional farmers continue to grow the safe and nutritious foods on which we depend and help ensure food security for a growing Asia and world.

Plant science continues to play a critical role in enabling farmers on this front. Biotech crops have been developed with improved traits such as increased yield, better resistance to pests and/or improved nutrition, among others. These traits are crucial tools that help farmers meet global challenges such as food insecurity. Meanwhile, farmers continue to rely on crop protection products to produce more food on less land and raise productivity per hectare. Without crop protection products, 40 percent of global rice and maize harvests could be lost every year and losses for fruits and vegetables could be as high as 50-90 percent.

About CropLife Asia

CropLife Asia is a non-profit society and the regional organization of CropLife International, the voice of the global plant science industry. We advocate a safe, secure food supply, and our vision is food security enabled by innovative agriculture. CropLife Asia supports the work of 15 member associations across the continent and is led by six member companies at the forefront of crop protection, seeds and/or biotechnology research and development. For more information, visit us at www.croplifeasia.org.

For more information please contact:
Duke Hipp
Director, Public Affairs & Strategic Partnerships
CropLife Asia
Tel: +65 6221 1615
duke.hipp@croplifeasia.org

Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

CropLife Asia Statement: Reaction to New UN Regional Report on State of Food Security and Nutrition in Asia

SINGAPORE, Jan 20, 2021 – (ACN Newswire) – With today's launch of the United Nations' (UN) "Asia and the Pacific Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition", CropLife Asia released a statement urging more partnership and agricultural technology adoption across the region to help ensure an abundant and accessible supply of safe, nutritious food for all.

"Today's report confirms a sadly familiar refrain for Asia: our region is failing to deliver food security for far too many – particularly among mothers, children and the more vulnerable parts of society," said Dr. Siang Hee Tan, CropLife Asia Executive Director.

"The new data shared today is troubling and simply unacceptable. Nearly two billion people in Asia cannot afford a healthy diet. Meanwhile, two-thirds of our region's children suffer from wasting; and 14 countries in Asia have a prevalence of stunting with children exceeding 30%.

"Ensuring a healthy start for our region's children is crucial. We owe it to this generation and those that will follow to put aside differences and work together to address Asia's growing food crisis. From farm to fork, greater cooperation and collaboration across the region's food supply chain is critically important in helping realize positive nutritional outcomes.

"The innovative technologies of the plant science industry have a key role to play, but it's only one part of the solution. Making certain an ample supply of affordable and nutritious food reaches those who need it most is not a government, civil society or private sector responsibility – it's all our responsibility."

About CropLife Asia

CropLife Asia is a non-profit society and the regional organization of CropLife International, the voice of the global plant science industry. We advocate a safe, secure food supply, and our vision is food security enabled by innovative agriculture. CropLife Asia supports the work of 15 member associations across the continent and is led by six member companies at the forefront of crop protection, seeds and/or biotechnology research and development. For more information, visit us at www.croplifeasia.org.

For more information please contact:

Duke Hipp
Director, Public Affairs & Strategic Partnerships
CropLife Asia
Tel: +65 6221 1615
duke.hipp@croplifeasia.org

Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Richard Yuan, Chairman of Australia China Entrepreneurs Club, discusses RCEP and Global Trade

SYDNEY, Jan 14, 2021 – (ACN Newswire) – Richard Yuan, chairman of Australia China Entrepreneurs Club, discussed RCEP and its impact on global trade in a recent interview. The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), probably the largest free trade agreement in history, was signed on 15 November 2020 by 15 countries – members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and five regional partner countries.

RCEP can connect approximately 30% of the world's population and development and generate substantial income in the right political context. And, it can raise world income by US$209 billion and global trade by US$500 billion annually by 2030 according to Richard Yuan, a Chinese national living and working in Australia who is Chairman of the Australia China Entrepreneurs Club and International Ambassador of the SME Association of Australia.

People can estimate that the total losses in the trade war between the US and China are covered, not for China or the United States, by the RCEP and CPTPP together. The new agreements will make north and south-east Asia's economies more efficient by joining the forces in technology, production, agriculture and natural resources, said Yuan.

Although the RCEP is less stringent than the CPTP, its impact is remarkable. It stimulates supply chains across countries but addresses political sensitivities as well. Its treatment of Intellectual Property will create obligations for many members, and it does not mention any of the core CPTP chapters concerning work, the environment or state enterprises. ASEAN-focused trade deals, however, tend over time to strengthen.

The RCEP, dubbed 'led by China' by some, is actually a victory for Asian middle-power diplomacy. The importance of an East-Asian trade agreement has long been recognized, but neither China nor Japan, the largest economies in the region, were politically appropriate as project architects. In 2012, the impasse was overcome by an ASEAN agreement, including the membership of India, Australia and New Zealand, and ASEAN was entrusted with the negotiations.

Yuan believes that because of the deficit balance, domestic pressures and uncompetitive manufacturing in some sectors, India preferred not to join the RCEP, with fears that their participation would lead to mass imports of Chinese manufactured goods and agricultural produce from New Zealand and Australia, causing considerable effects both for its textile, aluminium and electronic industry as in agriculture.

However, one of the fundamental critiques of the RCEP is, considering all those benefits, that unlike the CPTPP, it concentrates on reducing tariffs, regardless of non-tariff obstacles, such as environmental security and labour rights in line with the new generation of commercial agreements, as well as regulatory approval.

Although the negotiating countries to the RCEP undertook to sign the agreement in 2020, with ratification in 2021, this agreement does face several challenges. One of them is Australia's and New Zealand's commitment to improving worker's rights and security and the environment through more robust agreements with standards, states Yuan.

All of this represents Asia's renewed push towards free trade and economic integration, which in turn would contribute to protecting fair trade based on rules and multilateral trade. The negotiation of RCEP is also a reflection of Asian economic integration and the capacity of the negotiating countries, considering the gaps in their political systems and levels of growth, to manage these differences through RCEP negotiations. It is a strong message and a clear example of pragmatism and economic cooperation, and for those in the South China Sea and the Pacific between China and Japan, their territorial disparities.

What RCEP means for Australia?

Yuan's key analysis of the RCEP's economic prospect indicates that Australia might not have been successful in salvaging greater benefit from the ongoing US-China trade war. This is primarily because Australia as a market and economic house is not directly involved in the trail of the economic powerhouses, and the consequences of which mean that while other countries benefit from export surplus, Australia is hit hard.

Two of the 'Five Eyes' countries – the United States and New Zealand – were beneficiaries of the trade war, and the ongoing saga of the worsening Australia-China relationship, at the expenses of Australian barley and lobster farmers.

Keeping in mind that the diplomatic relations between Australia and China still hang loose, New Zealand's foreign minister, Nanaia Mahuta stepped in as a gesture of goodwill, mediating a resolution and between the countries. However, China seems unlikely to step in the direction. Their ongoing boycott and sanctions cause no benefit to either country. RCEP pushed both countries to set aside their poor relations and served as a face-saver to form an indirect partnership.

Real experts like Yuan, who has been appearing only as "Australia-China Connector", are hopeful that RCEP is a positive step in the right direction and can significantly prove in mending the depleting relationship of China and Australia. It may set a new course in both country's political history involving each to finally abandon their opposition and form a mutually beneficial relationship.

Media contact
Australia China Entrepreneurs Club, Kelly Bao, Executive Assistant, E: ea.ceo@abcworld.com.au, Tel: +61-2-92801155, https://www.acecclub.org/

SOURCE: Australia China Entrepreneurs Club

Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Launch of Digital Week 2021: Southeast Asia

SINGAPORE, Jan 7, 2021 – (ACN Newswire) – Calling all Cloud enthusiasts!

W.Media is gathering ASEAN's best and brightest for a 4-day virtual conference to cover everything from datacenter deployment to digital banking. From 23-26 February, network with 7000+ Senior IT Leaders across the Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam, Philippines, and Thailand markets.

Digital Week is the webinar experience: REVAMPED.

Our virtual platform is a community hub for you to access more content and engagement than ever:
– Interactive industry chat rooms
– Live speaker Q&A sessions
– 1-on-1 video calls between attendees
– Conference-wide prizes and competitions

Registration is open. Join the conversation today!

Register here: https://whova.com/portal/registration/digit2_202102/

For more information, please visit https://w.media/digital-week/.

About W.Media

W.Media is a global B2B technology marketing agency specialising in PR, Media, and Events. It is the anchor of the cloud, datacenter and cybersecurity communities in Asia Pacific, combining market knowledge and network to uplift brands via targeted communication. W.Media educates both industry stakeholders and the public on the latest developments in these industries through personalized engagement with the marketplace.

From its founding in 2018, W.Media began organising Cloud & Datacenter Conventions throughout the APAC region, in countries such as Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore and South Korea. In 2020, W.Media complemented its in-person events offerings by launching a series of webinars to connect top industry professionals in the three pillars driving tech today: Cloud, Cybersecurity, and Datacenters.

Beyond events, W.Media works closely with its clients to curate effective content marketing, editorial coverage, and digital advertising campaigns. This expertise and expansive regional network make W.Media a key player in Asia's Cloud and Datacenter market.

About Digital Week (Southeast Asia)

With cloud migration and storage demands at an all-time high, it's essential to stay up to date on the market's latest developments and technologies. So, our W.Media team has created a space for IT professionals to come together and share their insights while reaching an even broader, digitized network: Digital Week.

Our Digital Weeks combine the informational expertise of a leading webinar series with the personal touch of in-person conferences and exhibitions. This four-day virtual event brings together experts from the Cloud, Data Center, and Cybersecurity industries to share both regional overviews and local observations, as well as enables you speak directly to potential clients or future business partners one-on-one.

Our first Digital Week kicks off in February 2021 and caters specifically to key players across South East Asia: Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia. Join thousands of industry peers–from specialists to C-suite–as we explore the future of Cloud in ASEAN. We'll be covering: Datacenter Deployment Trends, Regional Cybersecurity Risk Assessments, The Future of Fintech, Cloud Migration Case Studies, Digital Transformation Developments, Sustainable Infrastructure Innovations, Data Sovereignty Best Practices, 5G and IoT Adoption Analysis, and much, much more.

Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Azelis Acquires Majority Shareholding in MKVN Chemicals and Viet Chemi

SINGAPORE, Jan 6, 2021 – (ACN Newswire) – Azelis, a leading distributor of specialty chemicals and food ingredients, has acquired a majority shareholding of MKVN Chemicals Co Ltd (MKVN) and Viet Chemi Trading and Service Co Ltd (Viet Chemi) through their parent company Bellekimia Singapore Pte. Ltd (Bellekimia). Both companies are active in personal care, industrial chemicals, agro and food segments as well as supply chain solutions. Founded in 2000 and with offices in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh, MKVN Chemicals and Viet Chemi have a strong reputation in Vietnam, serving first-class international principals and 700 customers.

The strong market presence and know-how of the local MKVN Chemicals and Viet Chemi teams will increase Azelis' presence in Vietnam allowing significant portfolio expansion through lateral integration. Being the 15th most populated country in the world, Vietnam's young workforce, increasing purchasing power, and growing access to premium products are expected to benefit MKVN Chemicals' and Viet Chemi' main business activity in personal care.

This transaction is consistent with Azelis' corporate strategy of complementing organic growth with strategic acquisitions.

Mr. Kamal Hezry Kassim, Managing Director of MKVN Chemicals and Viet Chemi, will continue to manage the business and will report to Azelis Asia Pacific CEO & President, Laurent Nataf.

Mr. Laurent Nataf, CEO & President of Azelis Asia Pacific, explains, "Growth in Asia Pacific has been one of the strategic priorities for Azelis. By strengthening our presence in Vietnam, we will gain better coverage in the entire region which is key for us to attract new mandates with our existing principals. Azelis and our new partners MKVN Chemicals and Viet Chemi have highly complementary business models which will help us diversify our product portfolio significantly. MKVN Chemicals and Viet Chemi currently operate best-in-class personal care laboratories in Vietnam. These laboratories will provide important added value to Azelis' existing technical expertise and will bring benefits to the entire region. Last but certainly not least, the Kassim family have an excellent reputation on the market and the entire management team is well known and respected in the country."

Mr. Kamal Hezry Kassim, Managing Director of MKVN Chemicals and Viet Chemi, adds, "We are very excited about this partnership for several reasons. Firstly, becoming part of such a highly regarded, international player will not only provide continuity and security for our company but also additional expertise, infrastructure and growth opportunities. Secondly, we will benefit greatly from Azelis' sustainability reputation and EcoVadis Gold rating, which are both important criteria for customers and corporate principals alike in South East Asia. Thirdly, there is an excellent fit between our strong technical focus on one side and Azelis' ability to offer innovative solutions to the market on the other. In short, joining forces with Azelis will bring great synergies not only for both companies but also will be beneficial for our principals and customers alike."

Azelis has been active in Vietnam since 2015 and employs some of the best industry professionals in the country. Azelis runs application laboratories for Personal Care, Home Care, CASE, and Textiles in Vietnam.

The acquisition of MKVN Chemicals and Viet Chemi illustrates the support provided by EQT since the initial acquisition of Azelis. EQT is confident that the expanded range of services and global reach provided by this acquisition will continue to bring benefits to customers and principals of the combined group.

Contact information
Azelis
Marina Kaptein
Group Communications Director
T: +32 3 613 0125
E: marina.kaptein@azelis.com

LEWIS on behalf of Azelis in APAC
Khalifah Hafiz
Account Coordinator
M +65 9150 3666
E: khalifah.hafiz@teamlewis.com

About Azelis

Azelis is a leading distributor of speciality chemicals and food ingredients present in over 50 countries across the globe with around 2,200 employees. Our knowledgeable teams of industry, market and technical experts are each dedicated to a specific market within Life Sciences and Industrial Chemicals. We offer a lateral value chain of complementary products to about 40,000 customers, creating a turnover of EUR 2.15 billion (2019).

Throughout our extensive network of more than 60 application laboratories, our award-winning technical staff help customers develop formulations. We combine a global reach with a local focus to offer a reliable, integrated service to local customers and attractive business opportunities to principals. And we believe in building and nurturing solid, honest and transparent relationships with our people and partners.

Impact through ideas. Innovation through formulation.

www.azelis.com

Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

SDGs Media Compact Indonesia: Strengthening the Role of Media in Achieving SDGs Goals

JAKARTA, Dec 20, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – The Ministry of National Development Planning/BAPPENAS together with the National Secretariat of SDGs Indonesia have launched the 'SDGs Media Compact Indonesia'. This Media Compact aims to increase the involvement and role of Indonesian mass media in achieving Sustainable Development Goals (TPB / SDGs).

SDGs Media Compact Indonesia: an initiative inviting Indonesian Media to step up public awareness.. and participation.

Host Meliza Gilbert (top left) discusses with key speakers Amalia Adininggar, Indonesian SDGs Secretariat (top right), and Indonesian SDGs ambassadors Alissa Wahid (bottom left) and Billy Mambrasar (bottom right).

"Based on Intelligence Media Management, of 50 media in Indonesia, only four percent consistently report in the spirit of the Sustainable Development Goals. Under these circumstances, where media involvement and public understanding are only developing, we have established the SDGs Media Compact in Indonesia," said Amalia "Winny" Adininggar Widyasanti, Head of the National Secretariat SDGs Indonesia and Advisor to the Minister of National Development Planning. Winny was speaking during "Role of Media in Sustainable Development Goals: Launching SDGs Media Compact Indonesia", a Webinar with Indonesian SDGs Ambassadors Billy Mambrasar and Alissa Wahid.

SDGs, which are mandated in the National Development Plan, has 17 objectives covering various development sectors, development aspects, and various aspects of life. Partnerships between the central government and parliament, to philanthropy, business, academics, experts, community organizations and also the media are very important to accelerate the achievement of sustainable development through SDGs. "The implementation of the TPB/SDGs in Indonesia must be a shared commitment and the media must play a role in harmonizing them because the media are the front mouthpiece to provide information to all parties," said Winny.

The SDGs Media Compact was launched globally by the United Nations in September 2018. Through 2020, 100 media from 160 countries were registered as members, including three media from Indonesia. Apart from encouraging the media to spread the spirit of achieving SDGs in Indonesia, the SDGs Media Compact Indonesia acts as a forum for media activists to collaborate in the SDGs campaign in Indonesia. SDGs Media Compact Indonesia, as the official information channel for SDGs, will distribute monthly information bulletins that can be used as reference by the media in reporting on the achievements and programs of the SDGs.

SDGs Media Compact Indonesia can be accessed through www.media-sdgs.id and will officially launch in 2021. Media institutions in Indonesia are encouraged to increase their editorial commitment and intensity, such that information on SDGs will be understood by the public, and lead to collaborative initiatives and community participation to encourage efforts to achieve the SDGs. "We hope that with a greater role of the media, this will increase public awareness of SDGs and become a means of educating the public on the importance of SDGs to become part of everyday life," said Winny.

Contact Fadlan Muzakki, Tel: +62 813-8005-1990, E-mail: fadlanmuzakki@gmail.com.

Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

SMEStreet Foundation Unleashed Prestigious SMEStreet GameChangers 2020 List

New Delhi, India, Dec 15, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – SMEStreet Foundation is proud to announce the season one of SMEStreet GameChangers Award Listing Series. COVID-19 has emerged as a global challenge, the SMEStreet GameChangers Award Listing initiative is conceptualized to recognize agile and concerned thought leaders who, through their strategies, initiatives and activities, have contributed in restricting pandemic's impact or helped MSMEs in getting back to business growthpath.

The first list of recipients of SMEStreet GameChangers 2020 includes Hon'ble Union Cabinet Minister, Road & Transport and MSME Ministry, Govt of India, Shri Nitin Gadkari, Hon'ble Cabinet Minister-Industries & MSME, Uttar Pradesh Govt, Shri Siddharth Nath Singh, Shri Vinai K Saxena, Chairman of KVIC, Shri Arun Kumar Jha, Director General, National Productivity Council, Shri Abhishek Singh, CEO MyGov, Shri Nikhil Arora, Managing Director & Vice President, GoDaddy India, Shri Tejas Goenka, Managing Director, Tally Solutions, Dr. Hari Eppanapally, Chairman, Lead India Foundation, NJ, USA, Shri Ajay Thakur, Head BSE -SME, BSE India and Shri Khalid Wani, Director of Western Digital India.

"The COVID Pandemic has led to greater global cooperation and collaboration especially in the field of medical supplies and vaccine research. In the fight against COVID, MSMEs hold a key role in restoring economic growth and well being of people. MSMEs have been on the front end of an economic recovery plan by all countries, and hence all efforts are aimed to help MSMEs to come back to normal. Policy initiatives like Aatma Nirbhar Bharat, with a strong focus on restoring liquidity, creating jobs, creating markets for products, and creating a facilitating manufacturing ecosystem all have MSMEs at their focal point. I want to congratulate SMEStreet Foundation for taking this initiative to multiply the goodwill impact of leaders who contributed in the fight against the COVID Pandemic," commented Shri Nitin Gadkari, Hon'ble, Cabinet Minister, MSME Ministry, Govt of India.

Commenting on the recognition and this activity, Shri Siddharth Nath Singh, Cabinet Minister of UP Government for MSMEs commented, "Since the pandemic started, we started our assessments and impacts of this on the economy of the state. Uttar Pradesh has powerful potential from the perspective of small businesses, local artisans and much more. On the other hand, we have also witnessed major reverse migration from other parts of the country. We have worked in ensuring job opportunities for local migrant workers who opted to come back from various places in the country during the lockdown period. We are thankful to the UP Government's leadership through CM Shri Yogi Adityanath ji in taking all possible measures to enable a support ecosystem for MSMEs and local workforce. I would also like to thank SMEStreet Foundation for taking this initiative to highlight such success stories from across backgrounds."

"With Pandemic impact, everything suddenly started getting considered for a restart and business activities. This effect has caused a major halt of financial flow among small entrepreneurs and the local artisans. At KVIC we aimed to break this halt and through our various efforts, we aimed to bring back economic revival for such entrepreneurs and artisans. I wish to thank SMEStreet's team for taking up this venture of GameChangers as this will spread the right message of a strong come-back spirit among Indian job creators," added Shri Vinai K Saxena, Chairman of KVIC.

Working regioursly on ensuring a strong communication flow around COVID-19, Mr. Abhishek Singh, CEO of MyGov, MeitY, Govt of India congratulated SMEStreet by adding: "Technology has been playing a critical role in ensuring continuation of normalcy and MSMEs are key to reviving our growth story post covid-19. During the Pandemic, ensuring availability of authentic information and fighting fake news and busting myths have been the focus of the communications on COVID19 by MyGov. In this endeavor, the role of MSMEs has been very important and many of them have emerged as true champions of Aatma Nirbhar Bharat. SMEStreet Game Changers recognition by SMEStreet Foundation is a welcome step for our collective work towards ensuring a robust communication stream around COVID awareness."

"At SMEStreet Foundation, it is our great pleasure to recognize important game-changers who led our society to come out of this crisis of pandemic, which impacted the economy and the entire economic cycle. Industry leaders, policymakers have made a lot of efforts during the last nine months and ensured a support mechanism for their respective business ecosystem," says Mr. Faiz Askari, Secretary-General and Editor of SMEStreet Foundation & SMEStreet.in. Congratulating all the distinguished listed GameChangers, he mentioned, "I am thankful to all the listed professionals, policymakers and bureaucrats who made their efforts to support their respective business ecosystem in the times when it is needed most."

SMEStreet.in will publish detailed success stories of listed title recipients of SMEStreet GameChanger 2020. However, the campaign of SMEStreet GameChangers is still on. We are open for more success stories from the corporate world and recommendations on policymakers who bought a positive change in their respective ecosystem of MSMEs in response to COVID 19 Pandemic. You can click here to nominate your recommendation for SMEStreet GameChnagers 2020 Season 1.

Shri S Ravi Founder and Managing Partner of Ravi Ranjan & Co and Ex-Chairman of BSE India commented, "Whatever we witnesses was a lifetime-first experience, and we never wished to see such conditions again. We realized the importance of motivating such motivated leaders as Game Changers who paved this phase with their dedication and professional acumen in emerging as a winner for their organization and society."

Shri Arun Kumar Jha, Director General of National Productivity Council also expressed his views by saying, "Well we are committed to working towards ensuring the best level ecosystem for professional productivity. Initiatives like SMEStreet GameChangers will create a strong impact on those who are working hard in ensuring the best for their ecosystem, which got impacted during the pandemic. It is like motivating the motivators, which is a noble cause."

Representing world's leading digital company which is committed towards taking businesses online, Mr. Nikhil Arora, MD & VP of GoDaddy India congratulated other recipients of this listing and commented, "Today, as the world is experiencing the unprecedented impact of COVID-19, we at GoDaddy stand committed to support India's dynamic MSME ecosystem. Digital technology has emerged as a key survival mechanism for businesses and we aim to continue providing MSMEs with all the help and tools they need to successfully run their ventures online. In line with the government's vision to promote local businesses in the country, we have introduced a slew of initiatives throughout the year, like the GoDaddy Academy, product and pricing incentives and even some philanthropic efforts, to help them get back at pace with their business goals. Motivation can often be in short supply, especially during a global pandemic, and we are extremely honoured and humbled to be receiving this award. We also commend the SMEStreet Foundation for their effort in recognizing all the incredible work being done in these challenging times."

Congratulating the team of SMEStreet Foundation, Mr. Ajay Thakur, Head of BSE-SME, BSE India stated, "Pandemic has created huge challenge for business operations specially for the MSME entrepreneurs, but as we move ahead, we found that MSME Entrepreneurs require more proactive efforts which can help them to avail the stock market listing. Hence we made necessary steps to ease out the pressure of getting into stock market listing during the pandemic days. We are delighted to be part of the SMEStreet GameChangers listing by SMEStreet Foundation."

Acknowledging SMEStreet GameChangers as a needed initiative, Mr. Khalid Wani, Director- Sales for Western Digital have shared his perspective on Indian SMEs and their potential for bringing back the economy into the growth path, he said, "SMEs play a pivotal role towards shaping the economic progress of a nation and I would like to congratulate SMEStreet for their role towards creation of a robust platform that helps to create a strong engagement and collaborations across various segments and become a catalyst for growth for SMEs."

"The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us how fragile, yet how resilient we are as a society, and within that we have seen the tremendous spirit of the entrepreneurs in India and across the world to push through to serve and survive. We are blessed to play whatever small part we can to help them in their journey and are thankful to SMEStreet for the role they have played and for this recognition," says Mr. Tejas Goenka, Managing Director, Tally Solutions while getting listed into SMEStreet GameChangers 2020.

Dr. Hari Eppanapally, Chairman, Lead India Foundation, NJ, USA stated, "I would like to thank the team of SMEStreet for taking this initiative. Recognizing those who have committed their lives in the last few months in doing everything possible to restrict COVID impact, is a noble work in itself."

SMEStreet GameChangers is an attempt to recognize such individual success stories which have made a significant impact in their respective horizons of business. Success stories of successful COVID Warriors while doing something innovative, something constructive in sustaining business will get showcased here. We can refer to these heroes as COVID warriors of supporting business.

"Only few companies in the pandemic days were able to record miraculous turnarounds by adapting technology, efficient management and quick turnaround time for implementing realtime solutions to problems that dragged many down. At SMEStreet Foundation, we feel obliged and proud to be honouring such GameChangers via this recognition," commented Mr. Deepu Madhavan, Director Operations and Research at SMEStreet Foundation.

While thanking the distinguished stakeholders of SMEStreet GameChangers initiative, Faiz Askari also said, "We are convinced that to come out from the Pandemic impact MSMEs require a long-term strong movement. I am obliged and thankful to all the distinguished leaders and thinkers who are mentioned above. Their participation has made the start of this campaign very positive and gradually, the Indian economy will bounce back and MSMEs will become the heroes of this success story."

However, SMEStreet GameChangers will be a nationwide as well as global movement aimed to highlight those leaders, thinkers and heroes who acted smartly and proactively to curb the economic impact of Pandemic and helped MSME ecosystem at any respective level.

About SMEStreet Foundation
Click here: https://smestreet.in/smestreet-foundation

For More:
Tabinda Hilal
9354645130 /foundation@smestreet.in / smestreet.in@gmail.com

Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

ZALL Smart Commerce and CIC Launch Digital Silk Road Initiative

SINGAPORE, Dec 15, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – Commodities Intelligence Centre ("CIC") announces a momentous 2020 as it has jointly launched a "Digital Silk Road" initiative led by ZALL Smart Commerce Group ("ZALL"), Asia's leading B2B e-commerce Group, and joined Singapore's Blockchain for Trade & Connectivity (BTC) Network. As Singapore's first global physical commodities B2B e-trade platform powered by blockchain, together with ZALL's latest global digital trading platform, and China's largest online and offline integrated wholesale trading platform "Zallgo", CIC will help Singapore businesses uncover new opportunities and reap the benefits of the global digital trade economy through enhanced digital connectivity, in turn boosting trade across the Asia-Pacific region on the back of the world's largest trade pact, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

Zallgo was officially launched during the "2020 Global Digital Trade Conference" that was held in Wuhan last month. A total of 300 merchants sign 252 agreements on-site through ZALL's digital platform, amounting to a total of S$56.3 billion (US$42.2 billion) of cooperation agreements. The newly formed partnerships underscore the increasingly important strategic role of CIC in facilitating the expansion of regional trade and investment as it aims to develop more than 10 winning commodities that will be popular worldwide over the next three to five years.

Peter Yu, CEO of Commodities Intelligence Centre, shared, "We have withstood the test of the pandemic and have witnessed the impact of the industrial internet economy on global trade and investment. As digital trade becomes the new engine of global economic growth, digital connectivity becomes increasingly important for companies to expand their market footprint quickly in a safe and secure manner. The new partnerships forged with the Digital Silk Road initiative and BTC network strengthens CIC's existing networks in the region that will enable SMEs to uncover new trading opportunities and optimize their supply chains in cross-border trade through our ecosystem in Asia."

CIC is also one of the six commercial partners to be part of the recently formed Blockchain for Trade & Connectivity (BTC) Network, an initiative by the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) and Enterprise Singapore (ESG), supported by the National Research Foundation (NRF) to develop a risk assessment framework for small and medium-sized enterprises to assess how blockchain can support their business needs.

The BTC network was officially launched at the sidelines of the Singapore Week of Innovation and Technology (SWITCH) on 7 December 2020. The BTC network to drive innovation and test bedding of blockchain solutions with multimodal global supply chain companies, digital trading platforms and technologies. Other five commercial partners who will be helping to create, trial and lead the BTC Network's implementation includes Ascent Solutions, Blockchain-based Service Network, GeTS, Trames and VeChain Technology.

"CIC is well-placed to provide the necessary tools and guidance in promoting greater efficiency and transparency across global supply chains to help SMEs embrace the power of digitalisation to explore opportunities, casting their net wider, reaching out to a larger pool of reliable partners and suppliers beyond their usual reach," added Peter.

Since the start of the year, CIC's platform has reported more than 20 per cent increase in customers joining their platform compared to the same period last year. The company also saw a surge in online transactions with over 4,000 customers searching for trading opportunities on the platform on a daily basis. CIC has since achieved a gross merchandise volume of US$13.2 billion (S$17.6 billion), with over 5,200 registered users covering markets, including Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, India and China, among other countries in Asia.

About Commodities Intelligence Centre (CIC)

The Commodities Intelligence Centre (CIC) is a global trading platform for physical commodities including Ferrous & Non-Ferrous Metals, Chemicals & Plastics, Oil & Petroleum, and Agri Commodities. Officially launched in Singapore on 12 Oct 2018, CIC is a Joint Venture between China-based ZALL Smart Commerce Group, Global eTrade Services (GeTS) and Singapore Exchange (SGX) to build trade connectivity through digital marketplaces and to grow a vibrant trading ecosystem in Singapore. CIC aims to revolutionize commodity trading and facilitate cross-border trade through deal matching, trade finance, supply chain logistics, track and trace and global trade compliance. Since its establishment in October 2018, CIC has achieved a GMV (Gross Merchandise Volume) of more than US$12.7 billion (S$17.7 billion), with over 5,000 registered users covering markets including Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, China, among other countries in Asia. For more information, please visit www.cic-tp.com.

For media queries, please contact
PRecious Communications for CIC
cic@preciouscomms.com

Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Verofax Asia and AURI to Launch Sustainable Traceability App Powered by AntChain

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 9, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – Verofax Asia and AURI, a lifestyle brand with headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, announced the signing of an MOU to jointly launch an Asset Digitization and Traceability App for sustainable product passporting, to be adopted by suppliers of fashion and lifestyle products in the industry from Q1 2021.

Verofax and Auri are launching "Sustainable Product Passporting & Asset Tracing" services for Fashion and Lifestyle

Young ASEAN shoppers' preferences are shifting towards brands that adopt values such as sustainability, environmentally friendly and community engagement. Recent surveys show that over 70% of consumers are willing to pay a significant premium for brands that adhere to such standards[1]. AURI and Verofax share these core values and have teamed up to provide consumers with a seamless application to validate brand claims and increase direct engagement.

Through its webstore (weareauri.com), the AURI community is offered a wide selection of ethically sourced products aligned with the brand's sustainable business practices. AURI also empowers the community to become brand ambassadors, offering them attractive rewarding programs in the pipeline. Participating brands and suppliers will stand to benefit from greater trust and confidence when selling on AURI's lifestyle online store and be able to validate claims using the Verofax App, powered by AntChain Traceability as a Service (TaaS).

Verofax App will enable all suppliers, selling on AURI, to serialize each item, upload supporting sustainability and environmental certificates and enable consumers to validate their claims recorded onto Antchain's immutable blockchain ledger. In addition, Verofax App, will allow apparel, garment and lifestyle product suppliers to indulge users with relevant content and empower them to validate claims on ethical sourcing, environmental impact and community support programs.

Suppliers validated on Verofax App can then access global markets and meet compliance regulations such as 'PRC eCommerce Law' and other consumer protection laws.

Capt. Koh Chen Tien, Executive Chairman of Verofax Asia, commented, "We are thrilled to partner with AURI in launching the first lifestyle-focused Traceability platform in ASEAN. Traceability plays a key role in meeting changing shopper needs, advanced product marketing and access to global markets[2]. Fashion and lifestyle brand owners are set to benefit from increase in sales and reduction in negative reviews/returns. Verofax offers enterprises complete privacy and control over sharing their data, automation of operations and reducing operational cost."

Kristy Yong, Executive Director of AURI commented, "We have recently launched AURI, a size inclusive people-powered community with a mission to provide accessible life-enriching experiences for all things from fashion to wellness. The recent pandemic has clearly demonstrated that we are all responsible for each other and the community. As such, we are working towards connecting the industry to deliver stronger impact."

Wassim Merheby, CEO Verofax Limited, added, "Trust in sustainable brands, is top of mind for young shoppers and will transform the way brands succeed. Sustainable asset tracing will accelerate ASEAN suppliers growth and create opportunities through access to global markets[3]."

Please visit AURI at https://www.weareauri.com, or contact hi@weareauri.com for more details.

For technical matters, visit Verofax at https://www.verofax.com, or contact info@verofax.com.

Verofax is an AntChain Alliance Partner: https://antchain.net/.

About AURI
AURI [aw-ree] is a community-powered brand with a mission to provide life-enriching experiences from all things clothing to well-being. Beyond just fashion, AURI provides an eclectic yet relevant array of lifestyle products through its omnichannel retail distribution network.

About Verofax
Verofax is a blockchain-enabled traceability and Asset Digitization service provider with presence in Asia, Middle East and Europe. Follow on https://www.linkedin.com/company/verofax1/

[1] IBV research, changing consumer preferences, 2020
[2] Lux research, 2020
[3] PWC report, Time for Trust, Oct 2020

Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

ATF Online+ Caps Off its First Week with Fresh Insights for 2021

SINGAPORE, Dec 8, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – The 21st Asia TV Forum & Market (ATF), Asia's leading entertainment content and conference, capped off the first week of its digital edition – ATF Online+, with 2,320 unique attendees from 60 countries and regions as of 4 December 2020. The platform is available on-demand until 28 February 2021.

Mr. Yeh Chien Ee, President, Asia Pacific, Reed Exhibitions

ATF Online+ kicked off with an Opening Ceremony at the new state-of-the-art Hybrid Broadcast Studio located in Marina Bay Sands, Singapore on 1 December 2020. Mr S Iswaran, Minister for Communications and Information, Singapore officiated the launch in front of a physical audience of key industry players. The event was concurrently streamed live to a global audience watching via ATF Online+ and on Facebook. The ceremony was followed by a fireside chat between the Minister and Mr. Steven Chia, Presenter/Senior Editor of Channel News Asia, on the future of the media and entertainment industry, where he mentioned how companies need to create a wider variety of content, and the opportunities the Asian media market presents.

Business as usual at ATF Online+, with new connections made and deals announced

ATF Online+ 2020 saw 1,215 companies and 15 official pavilions participating, with 4,156 programmes presented on the platform. The first official four-days also saw more than 15,500 meetings arranged, underpinning ATF's importance as a platform to facilitate business dealings. The meetings will continue until 28 February 2021.

ATF also continues to be a key year-end market where deals are sealed, with a host of partnerships and deals announced during the ATF week. Some of the announcements made during the week came from 7 Steps Production, iQiyi, ITV Studios, Mediacorp, Nippon TV, TechStorm and WarnerMedia.

141 industry experts delivered insights at ATF Online+ sessions

This year's conference saw a refreshed programme schedule, specifically tailored for the global online audience. Segmented into five broad areas that cut across 1 to 4 December, each component focused on bite-sized discussions specific to the various pillars within the industry.

Mornings with Industry Leaders – Decision makers from the media, telecoms and entertainment industry took centre stage in the morning, sharing insights and thought-leadership on navigating the tides ahead and staying relevant amidst the changes. Top executives who participated in the fireside chats included Archana Anand, Chief Business Officer, ZEE5 Global, Priya Dogra, President, WarnerMedia EMEA & Asia (excl. China), Dr Michael Gryseels, President, True Digital Group and Jacques du Puy, CEO, CANAL+ International.

Lunchtime Buying – Key buyers took over the lunch hour sessions to give an insiders' viewpoints and perspective on today's buying strategies. Some of the panellists included Daphne Yang, CEO, CatchPlay, Maarten Meijs, President Global Entertainment, ITV Studios, Chao Gan, Vice President, Youku, Alibaba Media & Entertainment Group and Agustinus Bagus Abimanyu, Head of International Acquisition 3 TV, MNC Media, sharing strategies in the dramas, formats, kids and docs spaces.

Coffee Hour Content Showcase – This segment saw top sellers from China, Japan, Russia, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan and Turkey showcasing the latest entertainment content and industry updates, together with a spread of scripted and unscripted formats opened for contracts for the industry.

Production Afternoons – Format experts, creative leaders and decision makers took the afternoon to address issues and present user cases to advance production capabilities in the industry. Some of the speaker that took the virtual stage include Seo Hye-jin, Executive Director, TV Chosun, Yi Seung-jun, Founder, Director & Producer, Bluebird Pictures and Evelina Lye, Head of Regional Marketing, Media Partnerships APAC Entertainment, News & Sports, Facebook.

Southeast Asian Film Financing Forum (SAFF Forum) – The annual film-focused forum rounded off the four-day event with discussions on Southeast Asian partnership in media – cutting across content, connectivity, and capability. Among those who took part were as Abhi Rastogi, CEO & Founder, 108 Media, Elliot Renton, Senior Director & Head of APAC, Grabyo and Rashid Karim, CEO, Iskandar Malaysia Studios.

Active Engagements and Feedback from the Industry

Attendees were actively involved in the digital journey, and generous in communicating feedback of the platform, which included the following:

– Francesca Ibanez, CEO, CESCA Films: The organization has been really good, the cost was not high and the online platform worked. Was very easy to use. Easy to make contacts, that for a seller is of utmost importance.

– Carl D-Broughton, Producer, Manque: After crippling lockdowns and the global industry coming to a standstill, the online ATF was quite the godsend! The pricing was fair, the matching system worked well and the chat/messaging function made communicating easy. I confess to missing most of the conferences, but there's the 'catch-up' option and, with the system available until the end of February, I'm still able to make new connections. In fact, given how these events usually end when everyone goes home, this ability to reach out for several weeks afterwards may yet prove to be crucial.

– Harry Kyoungwon, Manager, Gyeonggi Content Agency: Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, ATF Online+ has successfully linked content and media professionals with an easy and stable platform. With this platform, exhibitors could easily learn how to communicate with buyers and manage their video meetings. Hope to visit real Singapore next year!

– Shenthil Ranie, Vice President, Inflight Inc Pte Ltd: It was seamless experience to connect with potential companies and especially the My Schedule functionality was very useful.

– Kanji Kazahaya, Seller, Culture Connect Co., Ltd.: ATF is always one of the most important markets to meet key persons. Although it was challenging during a pandemic, the organiser has successfully created a decent online platform.

– Eugene Venkovsky, Sales Director, Open Alliance Media: ATF+ platform really works. Better than real meetings. So many effective meetings past few days.

– Rachel Wong, Assistant Commissioning Editor, Mediacorp: I really like the interface. It's really easy to navigate.

Yeow Hui Leng, Group Project Director of ATF said, "We invited the industry to join our discussions on 'Prelude to 2021', the theme for ATF Online+ 2020. We are encouraged by the industry's response, which shows the eagerness to engage towards a positive 2021. It also underscores the trust they placed on ATF to partner them to deliver the right leads and platform to continue doing so."

Under the umbrella of Singapore Media Festival, the next edition of ATF and ScreenSingapore is slated to return 1 to 3 December 2021.

About Asia TV Forum & Market (ATF) 2020

Asia TV Forum & Market (ATF) – the region's leading entertainment content event – is the platform of calibre to acquire knowledge, network, buy, sell, finance, distribute and co-produce across all platforms. It is the premier stage in Asia to engage with the entertainment industry's top players from around the world. It's where the best minds meet and the future of Asia's content is shaped.

ATF facilitates opportunities to discover vital trends, crucial statistics and significant foresight particularly in TV's digital, kids and formats arenas. Its business match-making programme open doors to new connections in the region. With over 5,700 international buyers and sellers from more than 60 countries and regions, ATF presents valuable business prospects for top- of-the-line benefits. For more information, please visit www.asiatvforum.com

About ScreenSingapore 2020

ScreenSingapore – Southeast Asia's definitive marketplace for filmmakers, producers, distributors, financiers and film buyers to explore co-production opportunities, seek financing, make deals and learn about the changing film landscape.

In 2020, ScreenSingapore will once again host the Southeast Asian Film Financing (SAFF) Project Market and Conference, in partnership with the Southeast Asian Audio-Visual Association (SAAVA) and Ties That Bind: Asia/Europe Producers Workshop (TTB) to connect promising filmmakers and producers from Southeast Asia and Europe with international co-producing partners, festival programmers, distributors, commissioners, and financiers. For more information, please visit www.screensingapore.com.sg

About Reed Exhibitions (RX)

Reed Exhibitions is a leading global event organiser, with more than 500 events in 30 countries. In 2019, Reed Exhibitions brought together more than 7m event participants from around the world generating billions of dollars in business. Today Reed Exhibitions' events are held throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific and Africa and organised by 38 fully staffed offices. Reed Exhibitions serves 43 industry sectors with trade and consumer events. It is part of RELX, a global provider of information and analytics for professional and business customers across industries. For more information, please visit www.reedexpo.com

About the Singapore Media Festival (SMF)

The Singapore Media Festival, hosted by the Infocomm Media Development Authority, is one of Asia's leading international media events, where the industry meets to discover the latest trends, talents and content in Asia for film, TV and digital media. Taking place from 26 November to 6 December 2020, the Singapore Media Festival brings together the Asian Academy Creative Awards (AAA), Asia TV Forum & Market (ATF) and ScreenSingapore, and Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF). SuperGamerFest will also be held in conjunction with SMF. For more information about the Singapore Media Festival, please visit www.imda.gov.sg/sgmediafest.

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