VCREDIT Delivered Rapid Growth in Loan Volume, Registered Users Hit 126.8 million in FY2022

HONG KONG, Mar 24, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – VCREDIT Holdings Limited ("VCREDIT" or the "Group"; stock code: 2003.HK), a leading independent online consumer finance provider in China, announced its financial results for the year ended 31 December 2022 (the "Year").

During the Year, the Group achieved solid performance from operations in line with its expectations despite headwinds such as COVID-19, an evolving macro-economic environment, and policy and regulatory changes. The Group reported a total income of RMB3,119.3 million, and an adjusted Net Profit of RMB537.4 million. The Board has recommended the distribution of a Final Dividend of HK10 cents per share of the company.
Business Review

The COVID-19 pandemic had influence on the Group's business approach as related measures evolved. A zero-COVID policy was in place for most of the Year and lockdowns in cities such as Shanghai were experienced in 1H 2022, eventually pivoting to a major nationwide loosening with most COVID-19 measures being relaxed at the end of the Year. The Group continued adjusting its business strategy and model to cope with changing market situation. It also evolved its risk management model to reflect market developments and behavioral changes to ensure the competitiveness and demand for its products amongst targeted higher quality prime and near-prime borrowers.

As a data intelligence-embraced organization, it constantly refines its operational efficiency and enhances target customer identification and market penetration using dynamic data analytics and by connecting with high-quality customer acquisition channels.

Loan origination volume reached a record high of RMB52.19 billion for the Year, representing increase of 28.2% compared to the year ended 31 December 2021.

Continue to target customer life-time value higher

The Group remains focused on improving the user experience to retain high quality customers by optimizing its products, services, and processes while strengthening technological capabilities. As a result, 84.0% of its loan volume for the Year was contributed by repeat borrowers. There has also been a meaningful increase in new borrowers, especially in 2H 2022, delivered rapid growth in loan volume. The number of registered users had expanded to 126.8 million by the year's end.

To reach and stay connected with more of its target customers, the Group has expanded its network of acquisition channels and industry platforms and improved its customer capture methodologies. Collaborations with channels, such as OPPO, Xiaomi, and China Telecom, are proving mutually beneficial. To improve the customer experience on its digital platform, the Group continued to refine its online APPs along with various loan facilitation and post-loan management services.

Asset quality remains robust over the long term

2022 was a challenging year. To address this, the Group has implemented a new generation of multi-source scorecards and timely adjusted its credit policies to reduce the systemic risks as well as adjusted its customer segmentation to re-balance long-term revenue and risk, with more resilient portfolio.

Among the asset quality indicators, the Group was able to maintain its 2022 first payment delinquency ratio at a low industry-wide level of approximately 0.43%. Its M1-M3 ratio and M3+ ratio declined from 4.01% and 2.39% in the fourth quarter of 2021 to 3.53% and 1.77% in the fourth quarter of 2022, respectively.

Stable financial institutional partners enable the Group to build a sustainable compliant business

By the end of 2022, the Company maintained effective relationships with 92 external funding partners, including 20 nationwide joint-stock commercial banks, consumer finance companies, and trusts, which constituted a diverse and affluent funding pool to support its goals.

With this foundation, allied to third-party guarantee companies and asset management companies capable of providing funding flexibility and protection for its funding partners. The Group emphasized on pure loan facilitation model and achieved triple-digit year-over-year growth in both loan volume and partner numbers. Moreover, to strengthen relationships with funding partners, the Group continued its collaborative work with them to explore potential technology cooperation opportunities to empower their digital capabilities.

Outlook

As an innovation-oriented and technology-driven finance company, the Group will proactively hone its business strategies and upscale its technology. In addition to growing its existing consumer finance operation in China, the Group shall also look to expand and diversity its business strategies by investing or collaborating in or acquiring similar, related or complementary business and industries in other jurisdictions including Hong Kong, South-East Asia and Europe.

Going forward, the Group intends to continue to streamline and extend its credit solutions to better serve customers, thus improving brand recognition, as well as customer loyalty and creditworthiness profile of its customers. The Group will also enhance risk management capability through evolving technology and artificial intelligence; strengthen long-term collaborations with licensed financial institutional partners and other business partners; ensure its business is conducted within applicable regulatory parameters to achieve regulation-centric sustainability; review and assess potential business prospects and invest or collaborate in or acquire similar, related or complementary business and industries in China and other jurisdictions; and cultivate dynamic enterprise value and culture, grow in-house talents.

About VCREDIT Holdings Limited (2003.HK)
VCREDIT Holdings Limited (stock code: 2003.hk) ("VCREDIT") is a leading player in China's consumer finance industry with over 10 years of track record. The Company caters to prime and near-prime borrowers underserved by traditional financial institutions by online consumption products. To match the funding needs for these products, the Company primarily engages institutional funding partners through three types of sustainable and scalable funding structures: trust lending, credit-enhanced loan facilitation and pure loan facilitation. Through such funding structures, VCREDIT provides institutional funding partners with solutions at varying levels of risk discretion and flexible profit-sharing arrangements. Website: https://www.vcredit.com/

For enquiries, please contact Hill+Knowlton Strategies Asia:
Joanne Lam / Jennifer Wong
Tel: (852) 2894 6211 / (852) 2894 6255
Email: vcredit@hkstrategies.com


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

Anglepoint Launches ServiceNow App: IBM Licensing for Software Asset Management

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, Mar 23, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – Anglepoint, the leading Software Asset Management (SAM) services provider to the Fortune 500 and Global 2000, has launched its first app on the ServiceNow app store, IBM Licensing for Software Asset Management. This app, combined with Anglepoint's IBM Managed Service, offers the ability to identify, measure, and track IBM's software natively within ServiceNow. The app is available now in the ServiceNow Store as part of the ServiceNow "Utah" release and is a companion app to ServiceNow's IBM License Compliance for Software Asset Management app.




For customers who are also under IBM's Authorized SAM Provider program (IASP) with an Anglepoint managed service, IBM may accept this solution as a replacement to ILMT for sub-capacity reporting.

Anglepoint Vice President Mari Petersen says, "As a leader in the Gartner Magic Quadrant three years in a row, Anglepoint is the premier organization to provide solutions to our clients that best meet their needs and benefit their ITAM Programs. For organizations who have or are considering investing in the ServiceNow platform and services for IBM software asset management, this app is the obvious solution. Connecting Anglepoint's unparalleled expertise in IBM licensing with the power of the ServiceNow solution provides customers with the opportunity to understand how to optimize their IBM software licensing spend."

Key features and benefits of the IBM Licensing for Software Asset Management app include:
– Measure IBM sub-capacity (under the IASP program only)
– Access IBM licensing expertise
– Simplify license management
– Gain confidence and visibility of IBM assets within ServiceNow SAMP
– Identify opportunities for cost reduction

The launch of the app in partnership with ServiceNow provides IBM customers a solution that leverages the full power of the ServiceNow platform.

To access the free app, customers will need to be using the newest version of ServiceNow "Utah" and engage with Anglepoint for an IBM Managed Service. To learn more about this solution, please contact Anglepoint at servicenow@anglepoint.com.

ABOUT ANGLEPOINT

Anglepoint is the leading provider of Software Asset Management & Technology Asset Management services to the Fortune 500 & Global 2000. Anglepoint's services drive cost optimization, risk mitigation & strategic planning within the cloud, SaaS, enterprise software & hardware estates of complex hybrid IT environments. Anglepoint delivers comprehensive managed services, including SAM strategy, execution, process automation, and technology selection & implementation. Connect with Anglepoint on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Anglepoint.com.

Contact Information
Alison Frederick
Director of Analyst Relations and Client Experience
info@anglepoint.com

SOURCE: Anglepoint

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

Dazz Selected as Finalist for RSA Conference 2023 Innovation Sandbox Contest

PALO ALTO, CA, Mar 23, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – Dazz, the leader in cloud security remediation, has been named one of 10 finalists for the RSA Conference(TM) 2023 Innovation Sandbox contest for its work delivering the Dazz Remediation Cloud SaaS platform. Dazz will present its technology to a panel of renowned industry judges and a live in-person audience on Monday, April 24 at RSA Conference 2023 in San Francisco.


Merav Bahat, Co-Founder and CEO, Dazz (Credit: Netanel Tobias)


Since 2005, the RSAC Innovation Sandbox has served as a platform for the most promising young cybersecurity companies to showcase their groundbreaking technologies and compete for the title of "Most Innovative Startup." The competition is widely recognized as a catapult for success and the top 10 finalists have collectively celebrated 75 acquisitions and received $12.5 billion in investments over the last 18 years. Dazz will have three minutes to pitch to the panel of judges before a question-and-answer round.

"The RSA Conference Innovation Sandbox contest is one of the most exciting highlights of the week as we get to watch 10 of the cybersecurity industry's best and brightest up-and-coming stars shine on stage with provocative and cutting-edge ideas," said Linda Gray Martin, Senior Vice President, RSA Conference. "The demanding challenges and threats we face are only getting more complex in both size and severity, and we need smart, determined and skilled individuals and companies to make an impact and help tackle what lies ahead."

The Dazz Remediation Cloud is a SaaS platform that accelerates cloud-native remediation and risk reduction for security and development teams. The company's patented Root Cause Analysis engine uniquely analyzes data collected from the entire architecture to learn which cloud resource caused the issue seen in the cloud security tool, trace the issue back to the pipeline that was used to deploy it, and discover what triggered its build. Through the Dazz platform, security teams can quickly uncover the commit and developer who applied the change, and then share root cause context for faster, more efficient developer remediation-without any changes to the architecture. As a result, teams are able to quickly uncover blind spots in the CI/CD pipeline, shrink alert backlog, and streamline fixes right in the developer's workflow.

Dazz emerged out of stealth in December 2021, while announcing $60 million in funding. Its investors include some of the world's most prominent venture capital firms, such as Insight Partners, Greylock, Index Ventures, and Cyberstarts. The company already counts 25 of the Fortune 500 as customers.

"We improve the lives of cloud security and development teams by taking the pain and inefficiency out of the manual remediation process," said Merav Bahat, co-founder and CEO of Dazz. "Instead of chasing a never-ending backlog, security teams can now rapidly prioritize the issues that matter most and communicate fixes with context to developers. On average, our customers experience MTTR improvements of 90%, their security and development teams collaborate better together with less friction, and achieve zero criticals within hours."

The RSAC Innovation Sandbox contest kicks off at 12:00 p.m. PT on April 24, and winners will be announced at 3:00 p.m. the same day. The panel of renowned expert judges includes Niloofar Howe, Sr. Operating Partner at Energy Impact Partners; Paul Kocher, Independent Researcher; Shlomo Kramer, Co-founder and CEO, Cato Networks; Barmak Meftah, Co-Founder & General Partner at Ballistic Ventures; and Christopher Young, Executive Vice President of Business Development Strategy and Ventures at Microsoft. Hugh Thompson, Program Committee Chair of RSA Conference, will return to host the contest.

For more information regarding RSA Conference 2023, taking place at the Moscone Center in San Francisco from April 24-27, please visit https://www.rsaconference.com/usa.

About Dazz

Dazz accelerates cloud remediation for security and engineering teams. The Dazz Remediation Cloud maps your code-to-cloud pipelines, reduces your security alerts to their key root causes, and remediates issues right in the developer's workflow. With Dazz, you gain full pipeline visibility, cut through alert noise, increase the value of existing tools, and shrink your risk window by reducing time to remediate. Visit us at dazz.io and follow us on Twitter at @dazz_io and LinkedIn at dazz-io.

About RSA Conference

RSA Conference(TM) is the premier series of global events and year-round learning for the cybersecurity community. RSAC is where the security industry converges to discuss current and future topics and gain access to the experts, unbiased content and ideas that enable individuals and companies to advance their cybersecurity posture and build stronger and smarter teams. Both in-person and online, RSAC brings the cybersecurity industry together and empowers the collective "we" to stand against cyberthreats around the world. RSAC is the ultimate marketplace for the latest technologies and hands-on educational opportunities that help industry professionals discover how to make their companies more secure while showcasing the most enterprising, influential and thought-provoking visionaries and leaders in cybersecurity today. For the most up-to-date news pertaining to the cybersecurity industry, visit www.rsaconference.com. Where the world talks security.

Contact Information
Tamar Harel
Media Consultant
tamar@shalomtelaviv.com
+972508879311

SOURCE: Dazz

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

Emperor W&J Announces 2022 Annual Results

HONG KONG, Mar 23, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – Emperor Watch & Jewellery Limited (the "Group" or "Emperor W&J") (Stock code: 887), a leading retailer of European-made watches and fine jewellery, announced its annual results for the year ended 31 December 2022 (the "Year").

During the Year, the pandemic continued posing an unstable business operating environment for the Group, and the Group's total revenue was HK$3,684.3 million (2021: HK$3,926.6 million). Revenues from Hong Kong and mainland China were HK$1,652.5 million (2021: HK$1,739.3 million) and HK$1,186.3 million (2021: HK$1,227.8 million), respectively, accounting for 44.9% (2021: 44.3%) and 32.2% (2021: 31.3%) of the total revenue, respectively. In terms of revenue by product segment, the sales revenues from the watch and jewellery segments were HK$3,017.6 million (2021: HK$3,268.9 million) and HK$666.7 million (2021: HK$657.7 million), respectively, accounting for 81.9% (2021: 83.3%) and 18.1% (2021: 16.7%) of the total revenue, respectively.

Gross profit was HK$1,177.3 million (2021: HK$1,229.5 million), while the gross profit margin increased slightly to 31.9% (2021: 31.3%). Attributable to the increase in gross profit margin and its effective cost saving measures, the Group's net profit increased by 8.3% to HK$222.1 million (2021: HK$204.7 million) during the Year. Basic earnings per share was HK3.28 cents (2021: HK3.02 cents). The Group has recommended the payment of a final dividend of HK0.62 cent (2021: HK0.35 cent) per share. Together with the interim dividend of HK0.38 cent (2021: HK0.55 cent) per share, the total dividends for the Year are HK1.0 cent (2021: HK0.9 cent) per share.

During the Year, the Group's was in a net cash position, hence its net gearing ratio (calculated on the basis of bank borrowings less cash and cash equivalents over net asset value) was zero (2021: zero).

As at 31 December 2022, the Group had a total of 93 stores in Hong Kong, Macau, mainland China, Singapore and Malaysia. During the Year, the Group opened three jewellery stores in Hong Kong, as well as four jewellery stores and one Rolex store in mainland China. The Group will continue with prudent expansion of its network, and is expected to open jewellery stores in Tai Wai and Kwun Tong, Hong Kong, as well as Chengdu and Hebei, mainland China in 2023.

Ms. Cindy Yeung, Chairperson of Emperor W&J, said, "Subsequent to the Year, the borders between Hong Kong, Macau and mainland China have been fully reopened, and the inbound quarantine measures for all travelers have been lifted. The number of Hong Kong's visitor arrivals is expected to increase, which will accelerate the revival of tourism and the retail industry. In addition, a stabilising property market and a less volatile stock market will provide incentives for luxury consumption. All these factors will serve as a positive influence on the Group's business."

Mr. Ricky Ng, Chief Executive Officer of Emperor W&J, said, "The Group will continue monitoring the market landscape and developments in various regions, and observe customer preferences and spending patterns, in order to devise appropriate business strategies. With the industry gradually recovering from the pandemic, the Group will adopt a prudent approach, and continue exercising stringent control over operating costs, aiming to enhance operating efficiency and improve profitability."

About Emperor Watch & Jewellery Limited
With long establishment history of 80 years in Hong Kong since 1942, Emperor W&J (887.HK) is a leading retailer principally engages in the sale of European-made internationally renowned watches, and fine jewellery products under its own brand, "Emperor Jewellery". Through its comprehensive watch dealership, unique marketing campaigns and extensive retail network at prime locations in Hong Kong, Macau, mainland China, Singapore and Malaysia, Emperor W&J established a strong brand image amongst its target customers ranging from middle to high income groups worldwide. In recognition of its efforts in investor relations communications, Emperor W&J was granted with "Best IR Company" (Small Cap) and "Best Investor Presentation Material" (Small cap) in HKIRA Investor Relations Awards 2022 by the Hong Kong Investor Relations Association. For more information, please visit its website: www.EmperorWatchJewellery.com.

Investor/Media Enquiries
Anna Luk
Group Investor Relations Director
Tel: +852 2835 6783
Email: annaluk@emperorgroup.com

Janice Au
Group Investor Relations Manager
Tel: +852 2835 6799
Email: janiceau@emperorgroup.com


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

Jubilee Industries to unlock remaining shareholding in its Electronics Business Unit for S$21.4M

SINGAPORE, Mar 23, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – Catalist-listed Jubilee Industries Holdings Ltd has entered into a Sales and Purchase Agreement (SPA) with UPC Electronics Pte. Ltd. (the "Purchaser") for the sale of the Company's remaining 86% shareholdings in We Components Pte. Ltd. (WEC), the Group's EBU (the "Proposed Disposal").

The Proposed Disposal follows the successful completion of the Company's sale of 14% shareholding interest in WEC ("First Disposal") as announced on 9 March 2023. The Hong Kong incorporated Purchaser's main business is the promotion and distribution of products and solutions of semiconductor manufacturers in the People's Republic of China and overseas. Upon completion of the Proposed Disposal, WEC shall cease to be a subsidiary of Jubilee.

The aggregate consideration of US$15.9 million (approximately S$21.4 million based on the exchange rate of USD 1: SGD 1.3486) for the Proposed Disposal will be satisfied fully in cash. The Proposed Disposal will enable Jubilee to re-strategise its financial and capital resources.

Jubilee's Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Dato' Terence Tea, said, "The Proposed Disposal reflects the EBU's deep value. To the fullest extent permissible under the laws, Jubilee intends to return the sale proceeds to shareholders in an effective and cost efficient manner."

This press release should be read in conjunction with the full text of the announcement: https://links.sgx.com/FileOpen/Jubilee%20-%20Disposal%20Announcement%20220323.ashx?App=Announcement&FileID=750647

About Jubilee Industries Holdings Ltd [JLJ:SP]

Established in 1993 and listed on SGX-Catalist since 10 July 2009, Jubilee Industries Holdings Limited (Jubilee) is a one-stop service provider with two main business segments:
1. Mechanical Business Unit (MBU), which is engaged primarily in precision plastic injection moulding (PPIM) and mould design and fabrication (MDF) services (Mechanical Segment); and
2. Electronics Business Unit (EBU), which distributes integrated electronic components.

Headquartered in Singapore, Jubilee's production facilities span Malaysia and Indonesia. Jubilee's products are sold to customers in the United States, the People's Republic of China, Singapore, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam and various European countries. For more information, please visit http://www.jihldgs.com

Issued on behalf of Jubilee Industries Holdings Limited
By Waterbrooks Consultants Pte. Ltd.

For media enquiries, please contact:
Wayne Koo
+65 9338 8166
wayne.koo@waterbrooks.com.sg

Elliot Siow
+65 8375 0417
elliot@waterbrooks.com.sg

This Press Release has been reviewed by the Company's sponsor, Evolve Capital Advisory Private Limited ("Sponsor"), for compliance with the relevant rules of the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited ("SGX-ST").

This Press Release has not been examined by the SGX-ST and the SGX-ST assumes no responsibility for the contents of this announcement, including the correctness of any of the statements or opinions made or reports contained in this announcement.

The details of the contact person for the Sponsor are:
Name :Mr Jerry Chua (Registered Professional, Evolve Capital Advisory Private Limited)
Address :138 Robinson Road, Oxley Tower, #13-02, Singapore 068906
Tel: +65 6241 6626

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

Accrelist’s subsidiary, Jubilee, to unlock remaining shareholding in its Electronics Business Unit for S$21.4 million

SINGAPORE, Mar 23, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – Accrelist Ltd.'s 53.31%-owned subsidiary, Jubilee Industries Holdings Ltd, has entered into a Sales and Purchase Agreement (SPA) with UPC Electronics Pte. Ltd. (the "Purchaser") for the sale of the Company's remaining 86% shareholdings in We Components Pte. Ltd. (WEC) (the "Proposed Disposal").

The Proposed Disposal follows the successful completion of Jubilee's sale of 14% shareholding interest in WEC ("First Disposal") as announced on 9 March 2023. The Hong Kong incorporated Purchaser's main business is the promotion and distribution of products and solutions of semiconductor manufacturers in the People's Republic of China and overseas. Upon completion of the Proposed Disposal, WEC shall cease to be a subsidiary of Jubilee.

The aggregate consideration of US$15.9 million (approximately S$21.4 million based on the exchange rate of USD 1: SGD 1.3486) for the Proposed Disposal will be satisfied fully in cash. The Proposed Disposal will enable Jubilee to re-strategise its financial and capital resources. Accrelist's Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Terence Tea, said, "The Proposed Disposal reflects the EBU's deep value. To the fullest extent permissible under the laws, Jubilee intends to return the sale proceeds to its shareholders in an effective and cost efficient manner."

This press release should be read in conjunction with the full text of the announcement: https://links.sgx.com/FileOpen/Accrelist%20-%20Disposal%20Announcement%20220323.ashx?App=Announcement&FileID=750650

About Accrelist Ltd. [ACC:SP]

Accrelist Ltd. ("Accrelist") seeks to create long-term value for our shareholders and business partners by unlocking and adding value to the companies we invest in. The Group continues to actively pursue new opportunities with a growing focus on medical aesthetics.

The Group's wholly owned subsidiary corporations include the Accrelist Medical Aesthetics group of companies, branded as A.M Aesthetics, and A.M Skincare Pte. Ltd. ("A.M Skincare").

A.M Aesthetics operates a chain of registered medical aesthetics clinics in Singapore and Malaysia which use state-of-the-art equipment and clinically proven solutions to deliver a wide range of highly reliable and effective treatments.

A.M Skincare is principally involved in the retail sale of pharmaceutical and medical goods. It develops and distributes its own original design manufacturer clinical skincare products ("ODM") with support from South Korean dermatologists alongside other non-ODM products.

In addition, Accrelist holds a 53.31% controlling stake in Jubilee Industries Holdings Ltd. ("Jubilee"), a one-stop service provider with two main business segments:
1. Mechanical Business Unit (MBU) which is engaged primarily in precision plastic injection moulding and mould design and fabrication services; and
2. Electronics Business Unit (EBU) which distributes integrated electronic components.

Headquartered in Singapore, Jubilee's production facilities span across Malaysia and Indonesia. Jubilee's products are sold to customers in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, India, the People's Republic of China, the United States and various European countries.

For more information, please visit www.accrelist.com.sg

Issued on behalf of Accrelist Limited
By Waterbrooks Consultants Pte. Ltd.

For media enquiries, please contact:
Wayne Koo
+65 9338 8166
wayne.koo@waterbrooks.com.sg

Elliot Siow
+65 8375 0417
elliot@waterbrooks.com.sg

This Press Release has been reviewed by the Company's Sponsor, RHT Capital Pte. Ltd. ("Sponsor"), for compliance with the relevant rules of the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited ("SGX-ST").

This Press Release has not been examined or approved by the SGX-ST and the SGX-ST assumes no responsibility for the contents of this Press Release including the correctness of any of the statements or opinions made or reports contained in this Press Release.

The contact person for the Sponsor is:
Name: Mr Mah How Soon, Registered Professional, RHT Capital Pte. Ltd.
Address: 36 Robinson Road, #10-06, City House, Singapore 068877s
sponsor@rhtgoc.com

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

K2 Partnering Solutions Acquires Openlogix

LONDON, Mar 22, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – K2 Partnering Solutions, a provider of unique end-to-end consultative technology solutions in the enterprise application and software space, today announced its acquisition of Openlogix, a US-based technology consulting firm specializing in digital transformation and software development.

Openlogix, based in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, is a top Salesforce, MuleSoft and IBM business partner with over 16 years of experience in delivering digital transformation solutions such as enterprise application integration, Customer 360, and application modernization. The firm partners with customers in industries such as Utilities, Financial Services, Insurance, Technology and Telecommunications.

The acquisition allows K2 to expand within its current ecosystems and provides a unique opportunity to efficiently scale its delivery capabilities and further expand its footprint in the U.S., India and Latin America. Openlogix's team of experienced consultants and developers will also enhance K2's ability to deliver customized solutions to clients.

The partnership will create synergies and opportunities for Openlogix to gain market share and provide it with a global platform to accelerate expansion in North America and new markets.

The acquisition is K2's 8th since December 2020 and supports the group's ongoing strategy of growing its portfolio through complementary acquisitions in the consultative technology solutions space.

"We are excited to welcome Openlogix to the K2 family," said Antonio Gulino, CEO of K2 Partnering Solutions. "Steve, Ramani and the talented Openlogix team have built a great company. Their expertise and experience in digital transformation will strengthen our ability to provide innovative solutions to our clients around the world."

"Our goal has always been to successfully carry out digital transformations for businesses of all sizes with a core focus on enterprise application integration," said Steve Lokam, Founder and CEO of Openlogix. "Joining forces with K2 will bring about exciting synergies that will strengthen our unwavering commitment to deliver exceptional services to our valued customers." Ramani Lokam, Vice President, Operations of OpenLogix said: "We are excited about the potential opportunities that this will bring to our employees. With K2's widespread presence, it will create new possibilities for our partners and employees worldwide."

K2 Partnering Solutions continues to support leading corporate enterprises seeking highly-skilled human capital and integrated solutions to develop, implement and operate critical technology and business solutions. The business provides an integrated end-to-end offering of Talent Solutions, Managed Solutions, Education and Human-Cloud Communities.

Contact Information:
Dylan Griffiths
Senior Vice President Marketing
dgriffiths@k2partnering.com
0203 893 4433

SOURCE: K2 Partnering Solutions

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

Casa Minerals Inc. Provides Update on the 2023 Congress Gold Mine Exploration and Drilling Program

Vancouver, BC, Mar 22, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – Casa Minerals Inc. (TSXV: CASA) (OTC Pink: CASXF) (FSE: 0CM) (the "Company" or "Casa") is pleased to announce its 2023 exploration plan for its Congress Gold Mine Project. Building on its 2022 program which verified mineral data of the Eastern part of the project, the Company explored additional parts of the historic mine and has developed plans for follow-up and confirmation drilling of the Congress Mine West Zone.


Figure 1: Historic resource as outlined by previous operators/owners.

Casa Minerals Congress Mine, Arizona – Cross Section B-B'

Casa Minerals Congress Mine, Arizona – Cross Section F-F'

Casa Minerals Congress Mine, Arizona – Cross Section H-H'

Casa Minerals Congress Mine, Arizona – Cross Section L-L'

Casa Minerals Congress Mine, Arizona – Cross Section M-M'


Casa Minerals Inc, plans to drill 20 drill holes with average length 250 metres (820 feet), totaling approximately 5000 metres (16,400 feet) to confirm the historic resource as reported by previous operators/owners.

Figure 1: Historic resource as outlined by previous operators/owners.
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1750/159403_20d836fb9436a865_001full.jpg

The objective is to further explore areas of potentially economic gold mineralization and long intervals of strong gold enrichment that were discovered by drilling in 2022 (reference: News Release, February 1, 2023). All work will be conducted in accordance with Arizona mining laws and regulations and will be supervised by qualified registered consulting geologists. Core samples will be processed by mineral exploration QA/QC and NI 43-101 standard procedures and analysed by ISO 9000 registered independent analytical laboratories.

The following 5 sections provide the drill hole sections and plans of historic data collected by the company subject to confirmation by 2023 drilling program.

Casa Minerals Congress Mine, Arizona – Cross Section B-B'
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1750/159403_20d836fb9436a865_002full.jpg

Casa Minerals Congress Mine, Arizona – Cross Section F-F'
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1750/159403_20d836fb9436a865_003full.jpg

Casa Minerals Congress Mine, Arizona – Cross Section H-H'
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1750/159403_20d836fb9436a865_004full.jpg

Casa Minerals Congress Mine, Arizona – Cross Section L-L'
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1750/159403_20d836fb9436a865_005full.jpg

Casa Minerals Congress Mine, Arizona – Cross Section M-M'
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1750/159403_20d836fb9436a865_006full.jpg

Casa, in 2022, commenced drilling to confirm a substantial gold "resource" of 400,000 to 500,000 tons (365,000 to 455,000 tonnes) grading 0.3 opt (9.33 g/t) that were reported in 1989 by Echo Bay Mines, the most recent explorer/operator. Republic Goldfields Inc., dba Malartic Hygrade U.S. Inc., subsequently reported production of 28,500 ounces gold from 125,000 tonnes (i.e. 0.23 opt). Over the course of its history, the Congress gold mine has produced about 400,000 to 500,000 ounces of gold from underground workings and once supported a full ore processing plant, complete with a small frontier-style town. After more than 100 years of intermittent activity, the mine last operated in 1992. The above-quoted numbers cannot be verified and have not been audited by a Qualified Person, and do not conform to current NI 43-101 standards and should not be relied upon in any evaluation of the Congress Gold Mine.

Gold occurs with vein quartz and in strongly silicified granite.

Congress Mine property, located in Yavapai county, central Arizona, comprises 105.2 hectares (260 acres) of patented land and 200.2 hectares (494.8 acres) that were acquired by staking. Casa Minerals Inc. owns a 90% interest in the historic claims from 40 feet depth and beyond and an undivided 100% of the staked ground. A 1.5% Net Smelter Royalty is payable on production from the patented claims and certain surface rights to depth of 12.2 metres (40 feet) are held by a third party.

Other Properties

Casa Minerals Inc. also is preparing exploration programs for its British Columbia properties and updates will announce such as soon as they are available.

Qualified Person:
Mr. Erik Ostensoe P.Geo., a director and chief geologist of the Company, a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical disclosure in this news release.

Cautionary Note: All historic data referenced in this news release were obtained from available archives and have not been confirmed or verified by the Company or a Qualified Person. There is no assurance that work by Casa Minerals will result in identification of economically-viable mineral bodies comparable in size and/or grade to those that supported historic mining operations.

About Casa Minerals Inc.

The Company is engaged in the acquisition, exploration and development of mineral properties located in Canada and the USA. Casa owns ninety percent (90%) interest in the Congress gold mine (Arizona, USA) in the patented claims from 40 feet depth and beyond and in addition the Company owns undivided 100% in 25 claims (494.48 acres) of unpatented ground adjacent to the Congress gold mine. This historic high-grade gold producing mine has not been explored nor been in production since 1992. Additionally, the Company owns a one hundred percent (100%) interest in the polymetallic Pitman and Keaper properties (BC, Canada) and has an option to acquire a seventy-five percent (75%) interest in the Arsenault VMS Property (BC, Canada).

On Behalf of Board of Directors
Farshad Shirvani, M.Sc. Geology
President and CEO

For more information, please contact:
Casa Minerals Inc.
Farshad Shirvani, President & CEO
Phone: (604) 678-9587
Email: contact@casaminerals.com
https://www.casaminerals.com

NEITHER TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

Certain of the statements made and information contained herein may constitute "forward-looking information." In particular references to the private placement and future work programs or expectations on the quality or results of such work programs are subject to risks associated with operations on the property, exploration activity generally, equipment limitations and availability, as well as other risks that we may not be currently aware of. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

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To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/159403

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Accurate Background Acquires Australia’s VerifyNow

IRVINE, CA, Mar 21, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – Accurate Background, the world's largest privately held provider of compliant background checks, drug and health screening, and monitoring solutions, today announced the acquisition of VerifyNow Pty Ltd, an employment screening provider in Australia. The acquisition complements Accurate's global strategy and expands its portfolio of international compliance-driven employment screening solutions. VerifyNow will continue to operate under the leadership of Khai Ngo, who will join Accurate's senior leadership team.


Aaron Hayes

Tim Dowd


"We remain committed to our global employment screening capabilities while continuing to advance our innovative approach to candidate and client experience, screening technology, and compliance expertise," said Tim Dowd, CEO of Accurate Background. Dowd added, "Accurate and VerifyNow have been partners for several years, and we are excited to deepen this relationship as we seek to better serve our clients' background screening needs in Australia and beyond."

The acquisition further expands Accurate's global business footprint and comes on the heels of the successful acquisition of Vero Screening in July 2022. Accurate gains a new office in Australia, where the VerifyNow team will continue to serve its existing client base while offering support to Accurate's roster of multinational clients.

"Our customers and employees will benefit greatly from this acquisition by Accurate as we look to expand our service and capabilities within Australia and New Zealand and provide better screening options for multinational clients with the Accurate platform," said Khai Ngo, the CEO of VerifyNow.

To manage the global expansion, Aaron Hayes has been promoted to General Manager and EVP, International, overseeing Accurate's EMEA and APAC regions.

"The need to tap into a global hiring pool continues to grow, and employment screening on an international level is more important than ever," said Hayes. "Our expanded global footprint helps us serve Accurate customers with an entrepreneurial mindset and helps ensure a seamless, unified candidate experience at scale."

Dowd added, "As we evaluate opportunities to expand our business footprint to better serve our customers, it is vital that we select partners who share our vision, our values and strengthen our overall capabilities for our customers. We look forward to the opportunities that this acquisition will bring."

Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Gilbert + Tobin represented Accurate in the transaction while the sellers of VerifyNow were represented by MV Law.

About Accurate Background

Our vision is to make every hire the start of a success story. As a trusted provider of employment background screening and workforce monitoring services, Accurate Background gives companies of all sizes the confidence to make smarter, unbiased hiring decisions at the speed of demand. Experience a new standard of support with a dedicated team, comprehensive technology and insight, and the most extensive coverage and search options to advance your business while keeping your brand and people safe. To learn more, visit accurate.com.

About VerifyNow

The VerifyNow mission is to help organisations build a trusted workforce. We offer a range of background checks and assessments to support the screening of new hires and the existing workforce. We also offer expertise in psychometric and aptitude testing. To learn more, visit verifynow.com.au.

Media Relations Contacts
Media@accurate.com

VerifyNow Contact
info@verifynow.com.au

SOURCE: Accurate Background LLC

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

HKTDC Export Index 1Q23: Hong Kong Export Index rebounds sharply

HONG KONG, Mar 21, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – The HKTDC Export Index grew 9.3 points to 39.0 in January-March this year, indicating a significant improvement in business sentiment among Hong Kong exporters after borders between Hong Kong and Mainland China reopened in early February. Full benefits are expected to materialise in coming months.


HKTDC Director of Research Ms Irina Fan [R] and Senior Economist (Greater China) Ms Cherry Yeung [L] announced the HKTDC Export Index for the first quarter of 2023 at a press conference today.


The first-quarter export survey by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) showed that almost all respondents (98%) reported positive impacts from the gradual resumption of normal cross-border travel since early January, especially from the more flexible and frequent business travel and cross-border engagements.

More than one-third of the exporters (36.5%) would increase shipments through Hong Kong, after cross-boundary land cargo transport was normalised, driven primarily by end-user requests and a preference for storage, sub-packaging and processing to be done in the city.

Business revives

Releasing the survey today, HKTDC Director of Research Ms Irina Fan said: "As normal travel between Hong Kong and the rest of the world resumes, hundreds of thousands of high-spending mainland and overseas business travellers have been coming back to Hong Kong in recent months, creating impetus for the city's economic recovery."

Ms Fan anticipated that more global buyers would visit trade fairs in Hong Kong during the peak sourcing season to replenish inventory and meet pent-up demand. "All these developments are the pull factors for the city's trade outlook, and we expect a gradual pick-up in the second half of 2023," she said. "Taking into account the external challenges and uncertainties, our export forecast for this year remains unchanged at a 5% growth year-on-year."

Versatility in business strategy

More than half the respondents (55.7%) expected production and operating costs to increase, mainly because of higher raw material, logistics and labour costs.

Against this backdrop, local exporters have adopted a versatile approach. In addition to cash-flow management (39.9%, up 5.3 percentage points), more exporters have focused on e-commerce development (36.3%, up 7.5 percentage points), value-added service provision (31.6%, up 6.6 percentage points) and overseas market expansion (30.5%, up 7.5 percentage points) in the first quarter of 2023.

Clothing sector most optimistic in 12 years

The HKTDC conducts the Export Index survey every quarter, interviewing 500 exporters from six major industries – machinery, electronics, jewellery, watches and clocks, toys and clothing – to gauge business confidence in near-term export prospects. The Index indicates an optimistic or pessimistic outlook, with 50 as the dividing line.

HKTDC Senior Economist (Greater China) Ms Cherry Yeung said all industry sectors saw an upturn in exporter confidence, indicating improving sentiment. "Clothing is the most promising sector, which swings back to the expansionary territory (51.5, up 27.7 points) since the third quarter of 2011, followed by toys (47.9, up 19.0 points) and timepieces (47.5, up 10.7 points)," she said. Ms Yeung attributed the leap to the high penetration of fashion e-commerce during the pandemic and surging demand for new clothes as the world returned to normal.

She added: "Mainland China (47.9) overtook Japan (46.9) as the most upbeat market, followed by ASEAN (44.8). Improving sentiment was also seen towards the United States and European Union markets."

Sub-indexes, including the Trade Value Index (48.0, up 8.8 points), Employment Index (47.6, up 7.3 points) and Offshore Trade Index (28.0, up 8.3 points), also moved up. The Procurement Index remained subdued at 28.4 (down 0.5 point), but momentum varied across sectors – clothing, jewellery and toys improved, while timepieces and electronics slightly declined.

References
– HKTDC Research website: http://research.hktdc.com/
– HKTDC Export Index 1Q23: Sharp rebound in export confidence as China re-opens https://bit.ly/3YZJoKe
– Photo download: https://bit.ly/3Jrhbq4

About HKTDC

The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong's trade. With 50 offices globally, including 13 in Mainland China, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on Twitter @hktdc and LinkedIn

Media enquiries
Please contact the HKTDC's Communication and Public Affairs Department:
Beatrice Lam, Tel: +852 2584 4049, Email: beatrice.hy.lam@hktdc.org

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