Yang Xiaosong: The Institutional Investor’s Road to Carbon Neutrality

BEIJING, Aug 30, 2021 – (ACN Newswire) – Yang Xiaosong, CEO of China Southern Asset Management Co., Ltd. ("Southern Asset Management"), was asked to deliver the keynote speech at the first ESG Global Leaders Summit on August 26 in Beijing, sponsored by Sina Finance ESG Channel and CITIC Publishing Group. The Summit presented an opportunity to meet with global regulatory, business, investment and academic circles to discuss the future of ESG. The topic Yang chose for his address was The Road to Carbon Neutrality for Institutional Investors.

Faced with the increasingly severe challenges of the climate crisis, China made the solemn promise of "30.60 Carbon Peak and Carbon Neutrality" at the UN Climate Summit last year. As the world's largest developing country, China has actively promoted "carbon peak and carbon neutrality", which not only demonstrates the country's broad mind and responsibility, but also points out the direction for China's economic and social comprehensive green transformation and sustainable development.

"Carbon peak and carbon neutrality" will promote structural changes in the economy and society, including changes in energy structure, industrial structure, and consumption structure. In this process, on the one hand, professional investment institutions will give full play to the function of optimizing resource allocation and provide long-term funding sources for green and low-carbon high-quality enterprises; on the other hand, the carbon neutral industry chain breeds huge investment opportunities. Professional investment institutions can Through the layout of new opportunities for industrial upgrading and technological breakthroughs, it will create returns for investors and create value for society.

As a leading domestic institutional investor, Southern Asset Management attaches great importance to the research and practice of sustainable development finance. As early as 2018, it joined UNPRI (United Nations Responsible Investment Organization) and took the lead in establishing an ESG management structure, an ESG evaluation system and an ESG evaluation system. Investment system, implement active shareholder strategies, and explore the guiding role of investment on the real economy. "Carbon peaking and carbon neutrality" is an important part of ESG investment. Regarding how institutional investors can promote "carbon peaking and carbon neutrality", we have the following thoughts and explorations:

One is to build a "carbon emissions" database with the help of financial technology.

Carbon emission data is an infrastructure for the financial industry to measure the climate change risks faced by enterprises, and it is also an essential part of asset pricing revaluation. Public funds need to conduct a more comprehensive and three-dimensional analysis of investment targets through big data collection, and fully integrate carbon emission databases with active research. However, the actual situation is that the ESG information disclosure data of domestic companies is incomplete. As of May 2021, there are only 1092 and 149 listed companies that actively disclose ESG data and carbon footprint data, accounting for 25% and 3.6% respectively (Data source: "Statistical Research Report on Information Disclosure of A-Share Listed Companies in 2020", "Analysis Report on Information Disclosure of A-Share Listed Companies in Response to Climate Change 2021"). In this regard, Southern Asset Management has completed the carbon emission measurement database of all more than 4,000 listed companies in A-shares through external data collection, financial technology, and algorithms. This forms the basis for our in-depth research and investment.

The second is to optimize the investment framework and reduce the carbon footprint of the asset portfolio.

With the opening of the national carbon trading market, a clear carbon pricing mechanism internalizes the social costs incurred by enterprises, and also provides us with an important reference for repricing the risks and returns of enterprises. It can be expected that with the improvement of the carbon credit allocation mechanism, the impact of carbon trading on asset prices will gradually increase. In the past year, Southern Asset Management has significantly reduced the investment ratio of high-polluting and high-energy-consuming companies, and the weighted average carbon emissions of the stock portfolio have fallen by more than 40%. (Internal data of Southern Asset Management).

The third is to enrich the supply of products and promote the research and development of carbon emission products.

Public equity funds help investors share the growth dividends of the carbon neutral industry through investment strategies and product research and development. For example, we have conducted research on the carbon emissions of the CSI 300 component stocks in the past ten years. The low-emission component stock strategy has gradually produced excess returns in 2016, and the excess returns have increased significantly from 2019. In addition, in the future, new energy may be a long-term investment direction centered on technological progress, technological upgrading and energy efficiency improvement of "carbon neutrality". At the product level, we have deployed Southern ESG theme equity funds, Southern China Securities New Energy ETF and feeder funds, and Southern New Energy Industry Trend Hybrid Fund.

The fourth is to fulfill social responsibilities and improve the carbon emission management system.

Southern Asset Management has established an internal carbon emission management system to account for the company's carbon emissions in accordance with internationally accepted standards. The company headquarters building received LEED Gold Award-Energy Saving and Emission Reduction Building Certification. In addition, through voluntary carbon emission reduction certified emission reductions (VCUs/Verified Carbon Units) and international green certificates (I-REC/International Renewable Energy Certificate), we have completed the full amount of direct and indirect carbon emissions in the company's operations. Offset, achieved carbon neutrality of the company's operating system in July 2021.

The fifth is to establish an ecosystem and continuously enhance the influence of ESG.

We promote the establishment of the ecosystem through the following levels. First, Southern Asset Management is a 100+ member of Climate Action, and is committed to promoting the emission reduction and transformation of 161 major greenhouse gas emitting companies in the world through the implementation of an active shareholder strategy; Southern Asset Management has released the first domestic ESG investment annual report for public funds this year, improving the transparency of ESG investment and promoting industry development by improving information disclosure. At the same time, we are also a signatory member of TCFD (climate-related financial information disclosure) and invest in ESG In the annual report, detailed environmental information is disclosed in accordance with international standards.

"Carbon peaking and carbon neutrality" is a complex, long-term and systematic project. On the way to a "zero carbon future", Southern Asset Management will firmly focus on the goal of "carbon peak and carbon neutrality", based on its origins in the asset management industry, and is committed to providing more efficient and professional financial services for green and low-carbon development. We are willing to work with all partners to create a beautiful future in which "green water and green mountains are golden mountains and silver mountains" and harmonious coexistence of man and nature!

Yang Xiaosong
Chief Executive Officer
China Southern Asset Management Co., Ltd.
August 26, 2021

As a leading mutual fund in China, Southern Asset Management honors its social responsibilities. Apart from taking an active part in environmental protection and public welfare programs, it fully integrates ESG into its operation and investment. Southern Asset Management is a signatory of UN Principles for Responsible Investment and a member of the China ESG Leaders Association and the Climate Action 100+. It was among the first to launch an ESG Equity Fund in China to encourage ESG investment across the country. Its ESG efforts have been widely recognized, as evidenced by the honors it has received over the years, including the China ESG Golden Awards by Sina.com, the Evergreen Award by Caijing and the China Green Finance Award by Asiamoney.

Contact: Zhang Wanyi, Southern Asset Management
E: zhangwanyi@southernfund.com, U: http://www.southernfund.com

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

Omar Choucair, Trintech CFO, Accepted into Forbes Finance Council

DALLAS, TX / ACCESSWIRE, Aug 24, 2021 – (ACN Newswire) – Trintech, a leading global provider of integrated Record to Report software solutions for the Office of Finance, today announced its CFO, Omar Choucair, has been accepted into Forbes Finance Council, an invitation-only community for executives in accounting, financial planning, wealth and asset management, and investment firms.

Choucair was vetted and selected by a review committee based on the depth and diversity of his experience. Criteria for acceptance include a track record of successfully impacting business growth metrics, as well as personal and professional achievements and honors.

"We are honored to welcome Omar into the community," said Scott Gerber, founder of Forbes Councils, the collective that includes Forbes Finance Council. "Our mission with Forbes Councils is to bring together proven leaders from every industry, creating a curated, social capital-driven network that helps every member grow professionally and make an even greater impact on the business world."

As an accepted member of the Council, Omar has access to a variety of exclusive opportunities designed to help him reach peak professional influence. He will connect and collaborate with other respected local leaders in a private forum. Omar will also be invited to work with a professional editorial team to share his expert insights in original business articles on Forbes.com, and to contribute to published Q&A panels alongside other experts.

"This is a critical time for CFOs across the business spectrum – our role is evolving at a breakneck pace, and I can't think of a better community with whom to ideate on what the future can and should look like," Choucair says. "I'm excited to join the Forbes Finance Council and share insights around industry trends I'm involved in firsthand with our clients, like digital transformation in the Office of Finance, challenges and opportunities around a hybrid workplace and emerging cybersecurity best practices."

Omar has over 20 years of experience leading both the financial and administrative organizations for public and private software/services companies. He managed several companies who experienced significant revenue and cash flow growth through both organic and acquired assets. Additionally, he has completed numerous M&A transactions as well as managed public and private equity/debt financings.

Prior to joining Trintech, Omar was the CFO of Multiview, a Warburg Pincus-backed B2B software platform providing marketing services to over 17,000 B2B customers in North America. Omar also served as the CFO of DGFastchannel/Sizmek (NASDAQ: SZMK), a B2B software platform delivering mission-critical media content. Additionally, he served as the VP Finance for AMFM, Inc (NASDAQ:AMFM), one of the largest U.S. radio holding companies which was ultimately acquired by Clear Channel Communications. Omar began his career as a CPA at KPMG, where he managed publicly traded large multi-national services and technology company audits over a period of ten years.

About Forbes Councils

Forbes Councils is a collective of invitation-only communities created in partnership with Forbes and the expert community builders who founded Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC). In Forbes Councils, exceptional business owners and leaders come together with the people and resources that can help them thrive.

For more information about Forbes Finance Council, visit forbesfinancecouncil.com. To learn more about Forbes Councils, visit forbescouncils.com.

About Trintech

Trintech Inc., a pioneer of Financial Corporate Performance Management (FCPM) software, combines unmatched technical and financial expertise to create innovative, cloud-based software solutions that deliver world-class financial operations and insights. From high volume transaction matching and streamlining daily operational reconciliations, to automating and managing balance sheet reconciliations, intercompany accounting, journal entries, disclosure reporting and bank fee analysis, to governance, risk and compliance – Trintech's portfolio of financial solutions, including Cadency(R) Platform, Adra(R) Suite, and targeted tools, ReconNET(TM), T-Recs(R), and UPCS(R), help manage all aspects of the financial close process. Over 3,500 clients worldwide – including the majority of the Fortune 100 – rely on the company's cloud-based software to continuously improve the efficiency, reliability, and strategic insights of their financial operations.

Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, Trintech has offices located across the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Singapore, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands and the Nordics, as well as strategic partners in South Africa, Latin America and the Asia Pacific. To learn more about Trintech, visit www.trintech.com or connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

Media Contact:
Kristina Pereira Tully
Vested
650-464-0080
trintech@fullyvested.com

SOURCE: Trintech, Inc.

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

HKIoD Global Webinar Series Supports More Women on Boards

HONG KONG, Aug 19, 2021 – (ACN Newswire) – The Hong Kong Institute of Directors ("HKIoD"), together with The Institute of Directors South Africa, Institute of Directors New Zealand, Mauritius Institute of Directors, GCC Board Directors Institute and Caribbean Corporate Governance Institute, have jointly organised and concluded a global online conference series that addressed key themes of women in director positions.

The "Women in Governance" series, running through July and August and attracting 500 directors, both men and women registered from around the world, discussed the crucial roles women directors play, their value, and how society can support more women in director positions. The series was divided into three webinars including, "Corporate Governance and Why Gender Matters", "Women on Boards" and "Corporate Governance Policies that Support Women".

The three-event nine-hour conference featured 31 speakers, both men and women, and the hosting chief executive officers of the six organiser institutes, who are all women. As the organiser institutes took turns to present speakers, HKIoD played host to the second-half session of the final event with Ms Ada Chung, Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data, Hong Kong as keynote speaker. The Hong Kong panel was moderated by HKIoD Deputy Chairman Ms Bonnie Chan, and consisted of speakers Ms Katherine Ng, who is Chairman of Hong Kong Securities and Investment Institute and also Chief Operating Officer and Head of Policy and Secretariat Services of the HKEX Listing Division, Mr Andrew Weir, Senior Partner Hong Kong and Vice Chairman of KPMG China, and Ms Clara Chan, CEO of listed company Lee Kee Holdings Limited.

On the objective of the conference series, HKIoD CEO Dr Carlye Tsui remarked, "We are all aware of the benefits of gender diversity. Though there has been progress on gender diversity on boards, many companies are still behind in taking action. Women should also upskill themselves and make the most of opportunities. The 'Women in Governance' series is a great example of the kind of global conversations needed to ensure we see real change at the board level." Referring to HKIoD's long-established community-wide project in the selection of Directors Of The Year, she pointed out that boards are assessed on, inter alia, board diversity, which notably includes gender diversity.

In her keynote address, Ms Ada Chung observed that globally women on boards increased from 10% in 2010 to over 20% in 2020, according to a study by Morgan Stanley. She cited recent research findings by McKinsey that the most gender-diverse companies outperformed the least gender-diverse companies by a substantial 48%. She also noted an encouraging trend of women taking up senior leadership positions in Hong Kong.

On policies to increase women's participation on corporate boards, Ms Chung said, "This can be driven by governments, regulators and companies themselves. One of the most 'straightforward' and arguably highly effective measures, is to set a mandatory gender quota for board composition." She cited the government policy of a gender benchmark for the membership composition of statutory boards and advisory committees, which facilitated the achievement of 34% of appointed non-official members in statutory and advisory bodies being female by the end of 2020.

Ms Chung cited other policies facilitating appointment of women on boards, including transparency in reporting, internal support to develop a pipeline of potential successors to the board, gender diversity targets or gender-balance KPIs in human resources, leadership training and mentorship programmes to prepare women for board membership and support of working mothers.

As for boosting Hong Kong's status, panel moderator Ms Bonnie Chan remarked, "Hong Kong is an international finance centre that has been advocating diversity and inclusiveness. We are fortunate to be able to operate, value and uphold a fair and competitive marketplace in Hong Kong. However, we should not take things for granted as we continue with our long march for diversity and inclusiveness."

Panel speaker Ms Katherine Ng spoke on the evolutionary ESG journey of listed companies under HKEX regulations, specifically covering diversity and inclusiveness. She noted that currently over 800 listed issuers out of the total of 2,500 have single-gender boards. HKEX's recent public consultation puts forth a proposal that includes a timeline to turn around single-gender boards. Ms Ng believes that companies should continuously review their board composition, given the dynamically changing business environment. On gender diversity, she is calling for not just aspirational statements but action. She said, "We are looking for 1,000+ board opportunities in the next three years. It is not an exercise of finding a token woman on boards but a match of skills. We want to have the right woman on the right board."

In his address, Mr Andrew Weir clarified for the global audience that Hong Kong's role as an international finance centre is still going strong, with the major advantages of rule of law, governance and quality directors. He mentioned governance as key to many issues faced by boards. He categorically said, "The diversity perspective needed at the board level has never been greater than now." On gender diversity of boards, he said, "The challenge is to get rid of those residual barriers on inclusion and diversity". He stated that people need to indicate whether they are setting targets and how they are getting to them. He said, "There is no shortage of candidates (for women directors). There is a shortage of agile thinking by the people who make the decisions." He sees that the aligned push of regulators and investors will accelerate the pace of increasing the number of women on boards.

Speaking from the perspective of a non-ferrous metals industry, Ms Clara Chan has witnessed substantial improvement in gender diversity, with the acknowledgement of women's proven ability and contribution. She is convinced that gender diversity at the board helps in better decision-making, taking up opportunities and enhancing creativity and innovation. Moving forward, she recommended enhancing culture building, communication channels and open mindset. On a certain global appeal for boards to comprise 30% women, she said, "The 30% target stimulates boards to think differently about the changing world after the advance of technology, the pandemic, etc. We need more new minds to offer a variety of perspectives. And the target is achievable".

Reiterating Hong Kong's status as an international finance centre, Ms Bonnie Chan said, "Our stakeholders do measure how Hong Kong performs vis-a-vis international benchmarks. If we are lagging behind in diversity, inclusiveness and sustainability, we will lose out in terms of our investment attraction as a financial hub."

Ms Ada Chung gave her final remarks, "There is no question whether we should go with diversity, but it is the question of how to realise it and how to do it better. In Hong Kong, although we haven't been making very good progress in gender diversity on boards over the past 10 years, I believe that we will make substantial progress in the next decade, given our strategic position, economic situation and the efforts of all of us."

Concluding the conference, Dr Carlye Tsui highlighted, "An astounding observation by a speaker in this three-part conference was that at the current pace, it would take over 100 years to catch up in engaging women on boards. With spreading and reinforcement of messages, culture building, policy setting and talent development, we can fast track the process of catching up. This conference series has issued a call for global attention and concrete action, with messages that are clear, vigorous, non-threatening, inspiring and convincing".

About The Hong Kong Institute of Directors
The Hong Kong Institute of Directors ("HKIoD") is Hong Kong's premier body representing directors to foster the long-term success of companies through advocacy and standards-setting in corporate governance and professional development for directors. A non-profit-distributing organisation with membership consisting of directors from listed and non-listed companies, HKIoD is committed to providing directors with educational programmes and information services and establishing an influential voice in representing directors. With international perspectives and a multi-cultural environment, HKIoD conducts business in biliteracy and trilingualism. HKIoD is a member institute of the Global Network of Director Institutes, a worldwide alliance of 22 leading director institutes representing 150,000 directors.

http://www.hkiod.com
Tel: (852) 2889 9986 Fax: (852) 2889 9982

Media Enquiries:
The Hong Kong Institute of Directors
Joanne Yam +852 2889 1414 joanne.yam@hkiod.com
Odessa So +852 2889 4988 Odessa.so@hkiod.com

Strategic Public Relations Group Limited
Brenda Chan +852 2114 4396 brenda.chan@sprg.com.hk
Chak Yau +852 2114 4395 chak.yau@sprg.com.hk

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

Tata Communications IZO Financial Cloud: A purpose-built community cloud for banking, financial and fintech enterprises discussed with tech leaders

INDIA, Jul 22, 2021 – (ACN Newswire) – Today, an established technology such as the cloud is driving global corporate development and expansion. To stay competitive, organisations are investing in both private and numerous public cloud systems.

Speaking at the Big BFSI Future Tech Show – India, Sridhar S, Vice President, Managed Services – Cloud, Hosting & Security, Tata Communications Ltd discussed the current landscape of the Indian BFSI sector and how it has got accentuated in this current pandemic situation. He also spoke about the change in way of doing business in the new normal in the BFSI industry, and technology that the banks should implement to create a robust core for the business. In his insightful session, he introduced the audience to the TATA Communications secured platform to host BFSI workloads known as IZO Financial Cloud.

In his tech talk, he stated, "AI, ML is being very easily used these days, but the impact that it can create with the newer technology utilization in customer management is immense. It is going to make customer understanding a lot better and it is going to enable banking companies to provide far more focused service to customers. A very well-orchestrated open banking platform which is API-driven is an extremely important enabler for the future of banking operations."

Rajesh Awasthi, Global Head of Cloud and MHS at Tata Communications was part of a panel on the topic 'Cloud Banking: Cloud & Data Centers Take Center Stage' where the panellist discussed the best cloud deployment model for BFSI in terms of Public or Hybrid or Multi-Cloud, the challenges faced when moving into the cloud and the future off data centres and cloud and much more.

The panellists who joined him in the session included Shiju Rawther – Chief Information & Technology Officer, CARE Ratings Limited; Kirti Patil – Joint President & CTO, Kotak Mahindra Life Insurance Co. Ltd.; Amit Saxena – Global Dy. CTO, SBI; Dr Suresh A Shan – Head, Innovation & Future Technologies Business Information Technology Solutions (BITS), Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services Limited and Murari Sridharan – CTO, Bankbazaar.

"Tata Communication's ability to implement Hybrid and Multi-cloud solutions, underpinned by their global network infrastructure and guarded by their security solutions, enables them to provide companies with a seamless Cloud transition path," stated Mithun Shetty, CEO, Trescon.

The show was hosted on the virtual events platform Vmeets to help participants network and conduct business in an interactive and immersive virtual environment. Participants could also engage with speakers in Q&A sessions and network with solution providers in virtual exhibition booths, private consultation rooms and private networking rooms.

About IZO Financial Cloud.

IZO Financial Cloud is a secure and scalable managed community cloud. It's purpose-built with BFSI institutions in mind and designed to support the evolution of next-generation banking services – all from a foundation that's absolutely resilient and conformant. Founded on a high-performing, private cloud platform, IZO Financial Cloud ensures business continuity and the smooth transition of legacy workloads, as well as supporting the easy development and fast deployment of new technologies and app modernisation. It offers all-round assurance, embedded security and visibility across your entire estate via integrated and unified controls, making it easy to stay compliant.

About TATA Communications Limited

Tata Communications Limited is a digital ecosystem enabler that powers today's fast-growing digital economy. With its solutions-orientated approach, proven managed service capabilities and cutting-edge infrastructure, Tata Communications Limited drives the next level of intelligence powered by cloud, mobility, Internet of Things (IoT), collaboration, security and network services.

Tata Communications Limited is committed to enabling Industry leaders in this New World of Communications, with our unique promise of delivering secure connected digital experiences.

About Big BFSI Future Tech Show

Big BFSI Future Tech Show is a thought-leadership-driven, business-focused initiative that provides a platform for tech leaders who are looking to explore and adopt new-age future-tech within their organization.

The show is virtually hosting tech leaders from across India, who will meet, network, learn and engage with some of the world's renowned technology thought-leaders, subject matter experts and technology innovators in a constructive, open-dialogue environment to find solutions for issues hindering their operations and services.

For further details, please contact:
Monith M Shetty
Corporate Communication Executive
marketing@tresconglobal.com

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

Mid-Market Organizations Gain Robust Multi-Way Matching Capabilities with Adra(R) by Trintech

DALLAS, TX / ACCESSWIRE, Jul 14, 2021 – (ACN Newswire) – Trintech, a leading global provider of integrated Record to Report software solutions for the Office of Finance, today announced a new automated multi-way transaction matching feature in its Adra Suite to help mid-market organizations save time and reduce risk in the transaction matching process. With this new automated multi-way matching feature, customers can set up match scenarios and deploy intelligent rules to automatically review one-to-one, one-to-many, many-to-one, and many-to-many matches.

"As companies continue to grow, expand and adapt, specifically companies in the eCommerce and restaurant industries, they begin to realize that a manual multi-way matching process cannot effectively scale to handle reconciling new sources and higher volumes of data," said Darren Heffernan, President, Mid-Market at Trintech. "With our robust matching engine that is not typically found in a solution designed and priced for the mid-market, matching can happen daily, so transactions don't accumulate at month-end when you need time for higher-value tasks like analysis and reporting."

With Adra, matching transactions with bank statements, credit card statements, point of sale, merchant, 3rd party delivery services, and other external sources happen in a fraction of the time that manual spreadsheet or paper-based processes take, allowing F&A teams more time to spend on unmatched transaction exceptions – improving the accuracy and reliability of your close.

"The time savings isn't just during the close process, we also see it from a day-to-day perspective," said Shelly Traylor, Sr. Treasury Analyst at Torchy's Tacos. "We are no longer spending time manually matching accounts because we now let Adra do the matching automatically so we can spend our valuable time focused on the exceptions."

Just some of the benefits finance & accounting departments will gain include:

– Focus only on exceptions to start your day
– Utilize automated multi-way matching (3-way, 4-way, etc.) that scales with business growth
– Save time by continuously processing transactions so they don't pile up
– Effortlessly import new data types and sources
– Record all activities in an audit-ready format
– Illuminate potential mismatches and generate exception reports that mitigate risk

For more information on how Adra by Trintech can save you time and reduce risk in your transaction matching process, please click here. https://www.trintech.com/adra/suite/adra-matcher/

About Trintech

Trintech Inc., a pioneer of Financial Corporate Performance Management (FCPM) software, combines unmatched technical and financial expertise to create innovative, cloud-based software solutions that deliver world-class financial operations and insights. From high volume transaction matching and streamlining daily operational reconciliations, to automating and managing balance sheet reconciliations, intercompany accounting, journal entries, disclosure reporting and bank fee analysis, to governance, risk and compliance – Trintech's portfolio of financial solutions, including Cadency(R) Platform, Adra(R) Suite, and targeted tools, ReconNET(TM), T-Recs(R), and UPCS(R), help manage all aspects of the financial close process. Over 3,500 clients worldwide – including the majority of the Fortune 100 – rely on the company's cloud-based software to continuously improve the efficiency, reliability, and strategic insights of their financial operations.

Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, Trintech has offices located across the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Singapore, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands and the Nordics, as well as strategic partners in South Africa, Latin America and the Asia Pacific. To learn more about Trintech, visit www.trintech.com or connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

Media Contact:
Kristina Pereira Tully
Vested
650-464-0080
trintech@fullyvested.com

SOURCE: Trintech, Inc.

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

KGISL Completes Acquisition of AETINS, Expands Expertise in the Insurance Space

Singapore / Malaysia, Jun 29, 2021 – (ACN Newswire) – KG Information Systems Private Limited (KGISL), a global IT services, consulting, and business solution provider, today announced the acquisition of AETINS Sdn. Bhd., (199801000924), through its wholly-owned subsidiary in Malaysia, KG Information Systems Sdn. Bhd. (201301013805). The acquisition is a part of KGISL's growth strategy in the InsurTech space.

Prassadh Shanmugam, Director and Chief Executive Officer, KGISL

AETINS brings aboard an exceptional range of insurance solutions for Life, General and Takaful bundled with an unmatched domain expertise. AETINS' Core Insurance Product and Solutions are well known in the market and are market leading. The company serves a vast clientele of insurance firms in the Asia Pacific, Middle East, and North Africa. The people, products, and solutions from AETINS would be leveraged in expanding KGISL's footprint in the InsurTech space.

KGISL has its market presence in the Malaysia InsurTech space since 2006 and has grown as a market leader with its Point of Sale (PoS) and Claims Management Solution for the Non-Life Insurance segment. The acquisition of AETINS will now bring in Core Insurance Product and Insurance Solution Framework (ISF) into KGISL's product offerings and opens doors to enter the wider Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa markets covering the Life, Non- Life and Takaful Insurance segments.

Mr. Prassadh Shanmugam, Director and Chief Executive Officer, KGISL commenting on the acquisition said, "I am super excited about this acquisition. AETINS' Core Insurance products, Takaful offerings and good presence in the Middle East market are the missing pieces in KGISL's Insurance offerings. It would have taken years for us to build this capability, so the acquisition is a perfect fit for KGISL. The employees of AETINS share the same integrity, culture and value systems of KGISL, so the integration will also be smooth and quick."

Commenting on the acquisition, Dr Ashok Bakthavathsalam, Managing Director, KGISL said, "The acquisition brings together two leading InsurTech players in pursuit of a common mission, centred on providing the best value for customers, organisation and employees. With able leadership and a go-getter team, KGISL has been on a fast growth trajectory, clocking a five-fold growth in the last four years. This acquisition adds momentum, and I am confident that our growth will be even faster in the next 3 years."

About KGISL: www.KGISL.com/gss

KG Information Systems Private Limited (KGISL) is a global IT Services, Consulting and Business Solutions provider in the BFSI space. KGISL offers Software Products, Solutions and Services in Intelligent Automation, ERP (SAP), CRM, Business Intelligence and Analytics, Quality Engineering, IT Infrastructure Management and Application Development. KGISL has offices in India, US, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia and Thailand.

KGISL is part of the $750 million business conglomerate KG Group with interest in Textiles, Engineering, Healthcare, Education, Real Estate, Entertainment, Software and Business Support Services. The Group employs over 25000 people and is known for its philanthropic services to the community for over 8 decades.

About AETINS: www.aetins.com/

AETINS, established in 1998, is a single end-to-end Insurance and Takaful Solution provider that covers all lines of business: Individual Life, Group Life, Investment Linked and General. It spans across functions like illustration, quotation, new business, policy servicing, claims, agency management, commission and benefits, accounting and services. Our business is to help Insurance and Takaful Companies to strategize and operate by leveraging on Information Technology, a key enabler to achieve transformational growth through Operational Excellence and Innovation.

For further information, please contact:

KGISL: Sampathkumar S | sampathkumar.s@KGISL.com | +91 9940069884

Adfactors PR (India):
Bhargav TS | bhargav.ts@adfactorspr.com | 9884883350
Shamitha Hegde | shamitha.hegde@adfactorspr.com | 9003107361

Adfactors PR (Singapore):
Namrata Sharma | namrata.sharma@adfactorspr.com | +65 8138 3034

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

KGISL Completes Acquisition of AETINS, Expands Expertise in the Insurance Space

Singapore / Malaysia, Jun 29, 2021 – (ACN Newswire) – KG Information Systems Private Limited (KGISL), a global IT services, consulting, and business solution provider, today announced the acquisition of AETINS Sdn. Bhd. through its wholly-owned subsidiary in Malaysia, KG Information Systems Sdn. Bhd. The acquisition is a part of KGISL's growth strategy in the InsurTech space.

Prassadh Shanmugam, Director and Chief Executive Officer, KGISL

AETINS brings aboard an exceptional range of insurance solutions for Life, General and Takaful bundled with an unmatched domain expertise. AETINS' Core Insurance Product and Solutions are well known in the market and are market-leading. The company serves a vast clientele of insurance firms in the Asia Pacific, Middle East, and North Africa. The people, products, and solutions from AETINS would be leveraged in expanding KGISL's footprint in the InsurTech space.

KGISL has market presence in the Malaysia InsurTech space since 2006 and has grown as a market leader with its Point of Sale (PoS) and Claims Management Solution for the Non-Life Insurance segment. The acquisition of AETINS will now bring in Core Insurance Product and Insurance Solution Framework (ISF) into KGISL's product offerings and opens doors to enter the wider Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa markets covering the Life, Non- Life and Takaful Insurance segments.

Mr. Prassadh Shanmugam, Director and Chief Executive Officer, KGISL commenting on the acquisition said, "I am super excited about this acquisition. AETINS' Core Insurance products, Takaful offerings and good presence in the Middle East market are the missing pieces in KGISL's Insurance offerings. It would have taken years for us to build this capability, so the acquisition is a perfect fit for KGISL. The employees of AETINS share the same integrity, culture and value systems of KGISL, so the integration will also be smooth and quick."

Commenting on the acquisition, Dr Ashok Bakthavathsalam, Managing Director, KGISL said, "The acquisition brings together two leading InsurTech players in pursuit of a common mission, centred on providing the best value for customers, organisation and employees. With able leadership and a go-getter team, KGISL has been on a fast growth trajectory, clocking a five-fold growth in the last four years. This acquisition adds momentum, and I am confident that our growth will be even faster in the next 3 years."

About KGISL – www.KGISL.com/gss

KG Information Systems Private Limited (KGISL) is a global IT Services, Consulting and Business Solutions provider in the BFSI space. KGISL offers Software Products, Solutions and Services in Intelligent Automation, ERP (SAP), CRM, Business Intelligence and Analytics, Quality Engineering, IT Infrastructure Management and Application Development. KGISL has offices in India, US, Malaysia (201301013805), Singapore, Australia and Thailand.

KGISL is part of the $750 million business conglomerate KG Group with interest in Textiles, Engineering, Healthcare, Education, Real Estate, Entertainment, Software and Business Support Services. The Group employs over 25000 people and is known for its philanthropic services to the community for over 8 decades.

About AETINS (199801000924) – www.aetins.com

AETINS, established in 1998, is a single end-to-end Insurance and Takaful Solution provider that covers all lines of business: Individual Life, Group Life, Investment Linked and General. It spans across functions like illustration, quotation, new business, policy servicing, claims, agency management, commission and benefits, accounting and services. Our business is to help Insurance and Takaful Companies to strategize and operate by leveraging on Information Technology, a key enabler to achieve transformational growth through Operational Excellence and Innovation. See www.aetins.com.

For further information, please contact:

KGISL: Sampathkumar S | sampathkumar.s@KGISL.com | +91 9940069884

Adfactors PR (India):
Bhargav TS | bhargav.ts@adfactorspr.com | 9884883350
Shamitha Hegde | shamitha.hegde@adfactorspr.com | 9003107361

Adfactors PR (Singapore):
Namrata Sharma | namrata.sharma@adfactorspr.com | +65 8138 3034

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

1982 Ventures Invests in Singapore’s First Wealthcare App HUGO

SINGAPORE, Jun 22, 2021 – (ACN Newswire) – 1982 Ventures backs Hugo, a Singapore based digital wealth and savings app that helps Singaporeans develop healthy saving and investing habits. The Hugo app is now available in both Apple iOS and Google Play for iOS.

– Hugo raises $2 million (USD) in Seed round from 1982 Ventures and prominent family offices and angels
– Hugo's Wealthcare App gives customers control over their financial well-being and access to flexible savings and investment products
– Hugo recently launched its Gold Vault which makes investing in gold easy and accessible to all, with increments as small as S$0.01

Hugo has secured funding of $2 million (USD) from 1982 Ventures, prominent global and Singaporean family offices and angels. Hugo helps users develop healthy saving and investing habits that make financial security accessible to everyone in an easy and intuitive way. Founded in late 2019 by David Fergusson (CEO), Ben Davies (COO) and Braham Djidjelli (CPO), Hugo is positioned as the first Wealthcare App in the region.

David Fergusson, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, of Hugo stated "Money is the biggest cause of stress and Covid-19 has only reinforced how financially unprepared most of us are. We are excited to introduce Hugo at a time when financial wellbeing has become so relevant."

Hugo's most unique feature is its Gold Vault and makes investing in gold easy for all. Hugo customers can buy or sell gold for as low as 0.01 SGD. Gold has always been a core investment for the ultra-wealthy and offers safety and wealth preservation in times of inflation and market turmoil. Hugo's Gold Vault is backed by physical gold stored in an accredited LBMA (London Bullion Market Association) vault and insured by Lloyds of London, giving savers the same protections as large hedge funds and private banks.

Herston Powers, Managing Partner, of 1982 Ventures said "Hugo is democratizing access to gold with a low fee product that is extremely thoughtful and approachable. Singapore is a perfect market to launch the next generation of digital banking and wealth solutions."

Hugo is on a mission to help users save more. Hugo customers benefit from Hugo's Gold Vault (gold investing), Roundup (auto savings), Money Pots (setting financial goals) and the Hugo Platinum Visa Debit Card.

Scott Krivokopich, Managing Partner, of 1982 Ventures stated, "Hugo is proving that fintech startups will win the digital banking race in Southeast Asia by launching the first Wealthcare App in Singapore. The founders have a long and deep history in the region with roots that trace back to the 1930s in Singapore. Hugo has the banking and regulatory experience required to protect customers and grow a sustainable business."

Hugo will use the funds to continue to enhance its offering with new customer-driven products and services. Hugo is also exploring market expansion in several Southeast Asian geographies and outside the region with local partners.

About 1982 Ventures
1982 Ventures is a Singapore-based VC firm focused on investing in early-stage fintech start-ups in Southeast Asia, investing in and supporting the best founders in positively impacting the future of financial services in Southeast Asia. 1982 Ventures is the partner of choice for international investors, corporates and fintechs to gain access to Southeast Asia. Feel free to reach out for more info on www.1982.vc, and follow us on LinkedIn.

About Hugo
Hugo is a Singapore-based digital wealth and savings app that helps Singaporeans develop healthy saving and investing habits, ensuring financial wellbeing and providing access to gold to all. For more information visit www.hugosave.com.

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

Singapore’s Commodities Intelligence Centre Signs Investment Agreement to Establish Its Overseas Digital Trade Platform in Chongqing’s Guoyuan Port

SINGAPORE, Jun 17, 2021 – (ACN Newswire) – Singapore-based Commodities Intelligence Centre (CIC) has signed an investment agreement with Chongqing Liangjiang New District Management Committee. The agreement will see an investment commitment of RMB 10 million (S$2.07 million) by CIC to establish its overseas digital trade platform in China's Guoyuan Port in Chongqing Municipality. The agreement was formally inked by Mr Luo Lin, Deputy Secretary of the Party Working Committee and Director of the Management Committee of Chongqing Liangjiang New Area and Mr Peter Yu, Chief Executive Officer of CIC, at the "Chongqing Liangjiang New Area Key Technology Innovation Projects Virtual Signing Ceremony". CIC's parent company, ZALL Smart Commerce Group (2098.HK), also announced its plans to invest in Guoyuan Port for their projects in West China.

The project is expected to contribute towards the China-Singapore (Chongqing) Connectivity Initiative, and will be able to tap on CIC platform capabilities in Singapore to enable data interconnection and interoperability and grow a vibrant commodity trading ecosystem in Guoyuan Port. The move comes as CIC is stepping up efforts to expand its global supply chain network and provide companies with increased access to market opportunities in China and Southeast Asia, helping them uncover new business opportunities, reduce transaction costs and achieve greater trading synergies globally amid the pandemic.

Mr Peter Yu, Chief Executive Officer of CIC, shared, "The need to strengthen the digital connectivity of the world's supply chain ecosystem is more important than ever today. CIC is proud to have inked this strategic agreement to establish our overseas digital trade platform in Chongqing, an important region that connects the Yangtze River Economic Belt and the Belt and Road route. This investment affirms our continued commitment to expand our technology-enabled global B2B trading ecosystem that would enable businesses to reap the benefits of the global digital trade economy on the back of the world's largest trade pact, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and China's dual circulation strategy, with greater digital trade connectivity between China and ASEAN."

Leveraging the strategic connectivity advantages of the China-Singapore (Chongqing) Multimodal Transportation Demonstration Base, the new International Land-Sea Trade Corridor (ILSTC) and other international trade channels of the Chongqing Guoyuan Port National Logistics Hub, CIC's digital trade platform would provide global trading services, such as transaction matching, customs declaration and clearance, supply chain logistics, trade finance, and global trade compliance to facilitate the development of an international commodities trading cluster in Guoyuan Port. The platform could also help accelerate the opening up of China's inland economy and drive global commodity trading and investments into Chongqing, thereby bringing about deeper economic integration with China's Belt and Road Initiative and the country's western provinces and regions.

Located in the core part of Chongqing's Liangjiang New Area, Guoyuan Port is a logistics hub integrating "water, rail, and road transport" of China's inland rivers, and is the only port-type national logistics hub in west China. CIC's project signing comes amid deeper Sino-Singapore cooperation under the China-Singapore (Chongqing) Connectivity Initiative, and increased investments by Singapore enterprises into Chongqing in sectors such as aviation, financial services, logistics and information and communication technology.

About Commodities Intelligence Centre

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$13.4 billion (S$17.6 billion), with over 5,800 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 enquiries, please contact
Email: CIC@preciouscomms.com

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

Nomination Opens for “Directors Of The Year Awards 2021”

HONG KONG, Jun 3, 2021 – (ACN Newswire) – The "Directors Of The Year Awards 2021" championed by The Hong Kong Institute of Directors ("HKIoD") is open for nominations today. "Leading in New Normal" is the theme of the Awards this year, aiming to promote a positive attitude and mindset among directors in navigating the complex global environment in 2021. Outstanding directors and boards capable of dynamic steering in circumstances ever-changing, and leading their organisations towards sustainable development will be acknowledged.

Dr Christopher To, Chairman of HKIoD, said, "According to a global director survey co-organised by HKIoD, two-thirds of the company directors responded said they have committed 50 percent or more time in leading their companies in recalibrating corporate focus and strategy in the Covid-19 crisis. And, among the respondents who gave high marks to themselves and their management teams, many credited prior scenario planning as a good foundation for responding effectively to the tests brought by the pandemic. From their responses, it is clear that being prepared is the key to success of directors in their roles. This year, we look forward to honouring directors who have worked hard and upheld a positive attitude in facing challenges and overcoming adversities. "

Mr Kenneth Wong, Chairman of 2021 Directors Awards Organising Committee, said "This is the 21st year of HKIoD organising Directors Of The Year Awards. Over past years, we have seen the economy going through ups and downs several rounds and what we have learnt is good corporate governance gives a company a solid foundation for defence or advance. We also concluded that to lead a company, directors have to stay abreast of the times and the global trend of corporate governance requirements. This was confirmed by nominees and recipients of the Awards in the past years. "

Dr Carlye Tsui, CEO of HKIoD, said, "The pandemic has changed the way people live and work; in other words, we have a 'new normal' to cope with. For a company to run a sustainable business in the new setting, it needs to devise a new structural policy and that is where directors come in. Whatever industry or whichever layer of the supply chain a company is in, its leaders have to be able to grasp latest market development so as to lead their companies to success, and also to gain the trust of investors and stakeholders. HKIoD offers training courses that relate latest information and knowledge to directors, equipping them for making smart decisions at crucial moments."

Nomination for the Awards will close on 31 July 2021. The Panel of Judges comprises leaders, professionals and regulators in Hong Kong. The Director Of The Year Awards 2021 recognises excellence in the following categories:

Company Categories / Director Categories
1. Listed Companies / 1. Executive Directors
2. Non-Listed Companies / 2. Non-Executive Directors
3. Statutory/Non-Profit-Distributing Organisations* / 3. Boards

Notes: *A non-profit-distributing organisation is defined as an organisation which profits are not distributed to its shareholders, members, directors, employees or any other persons, with objectives including, but not limited to, charitable welfare, social service, health and medical care, education, research, trade and industrial alliance, professional advancement, self-help support, etc.

The selection criteria for winners in the Individual Director Categories include successful pursuit of strategic corporate business/non-profit functions, contribution to board effectiveness in strategic planning and monitoring of performance, implementing compliance, risk control and accountability measures, managing change and succession, and leadership and other attributes and qualities, including keen at continuing professional development, business ethics and other achievements. As for the Collective Board Categories, the judging criteria include board composition, effectiveness in pursuing strategic corporate/non-profit functions, development and execution of strategic plans and monitoring of performance, implementing compliance, risk control and accountability measures, managing change and succession, development of the board, effectiveness of board committees, business ethics and other achievements.

The Awards nomination form and related information are available on The Hong Kong Institute of Directors website at www.hkiod.com.

About Directors Of The Year Awards
First launched in 2001, Directors Of The Year Awards were the first ever such Awards organised in Asia. The project has now become an annual project of impact in the community. The objectives are to recognise directors and board of directors for outstanding director practices and corporate governance, to publicise the significance of good corporate governance and to promote awareness of good corporate governance and director professionalism in Hong Kong. Nominations are open to the public. As good corporate governance is vital to all types of organisations, and professional director practices are encouraged from directors in all board roles, the Awards recognise excellence in categories by company types, including listed companies, private companies and statutory/non-profit-distributing organisations, and categories by roles, including Executive Directors, Non-Executive Directors and Boards. For more details on the previous years' Awards, please visit http://www.hkiod.com/dya-awardees.html.

About The Hong Kong Institute of Directors
The Hong Kong Institute of Directors is Hong Kong's premier body representing directors to foster the long-term success of companies through advocacy and standards-setting in corporate governance and professional development for directors. A non-profit-distributing organisation with membership consisting of directors from listed and non-listed companies, HKIoD is committed to providing directors with educational programmes and information service and establishing an influential voice in representing directors. With international perspectives and a multi-cultural environment, HKIoD conducts business in biliteracy and trilingualism. Website: http://www.hkiod.com.

Media Enquiries:
Strategic Public Relations Group
Brenda Chan +852 2114 4396 brenda.chan@sprg.com.hk
Chak Yau +852 2114 4395 chak.yau@sprg.com.hk
Fax: +852 2114 4948

Directors Of The Year Awards 2021 Enquiries:
The Hong Kong Institute of Directors
Odessa So +852 2889 4988 odessa.so@hkiod.com
Joanne Yam +852 2889 1414 joanne.yam@hkiod.com
Fax: +852 2889 9982

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