Q&M Group awards 7 dentists with Performance Shares,12-year Service Agreements, and a Private Placement

SINGAPORE, Sep 30, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – Mainboard-listed Q&M Dental Group (Singapore) Limited [SGX: QC7] announced on 29 September 2022 the award of 2,014,245 shares to 7 promising next-generation dentists as part of the Q&M Performance Share Plan (PSP) 2018, as well as the proposed placement of an additional 4,985,755 treasury shares, totalling S$1.75 million, through placement to the same dentists.

These 7 Key Dentists are the recipients of awards under the PSP 2018 by Q&M in its announcement dated 29 September 2022. These Key Dentists have also expressed their interest to subscribe for further shares as an expression of their confidence in and their commitment to the continued success of the company. They intend to enter into an arrangement similar to that entered into between the founding dentists of the Group in respect of Q&M's controlling shareholder, Quan Min Holdings Pte. Ltd., in order to hold their Shares in Q&M.

The placement of 4,985,755 treasury shares at a price of 35.1 Singapore cents is based on the volume weighted average price (VWAP) for trades done on the shares

of Q&M on the Singapore Exchange for the full market day on 29 September 2022, being the market day on which the Placement Letters were executed. This amounts to a gross consideration of S$1.75 million.

"The Board is heartened by the decision of these Key Dentists to cement their association with the Company in tying their long-term futures with the future success of Q&M Dental Group. These high-performing dentists represent some of the very best of the Company's dentists and the quality of their work is demonstrated on a day-to-day basis. We are very pleased to see them take this next major step. The Company's next generation management could even be among them!" said Dr Ng Chin Siau, CEO, Q&M Dental Group.

The Board is approached from time to time by its dentists who seek opportunities to participate in the growth of Q&M through equity investments. Share-based incentive schemes such as PSP 2018 Plan are somewhat limited in scope and do have a direct impact on Q &M's bottom line.

Q&M's Board is thus of the view that a placement exercise to its own dentists brings greater benefit to the Group in the following ways:

– Allows key dentists to participate in the equity of Q&M by investing their own funds, thereby aligning their interests with those of the Group. This alignment of interest promotes greater dedication, loyalty and higher standards of performance amongst dentists; and

– Strengthens the capital base of Q&M and increases Q&M's public spread, which has the potential to improve the level of trading liquidity of its Shares.

Dr Karan Singh Ubhi (one of the 7 Key Dentists) said, "We are grateful for the opportunity given by the Board to participate in the success of the Company and appreciate also the recognition of the work and effort that we have put in. We are firmly committed to the continued success of Q&M Dental Group and hope to contribute positively to its growth going forward."

The Board believes that the Proposed Placement provides an effective way of motivating the Key Dentists to maximise their performance by investing in the Group's future, which will result in creating better value for Q&M and its shareholders.

Dr Tabitha Foo, another of the 7 dentists said: "Having worked at Q&M, I have witnessed first-hand, the commitment of the management in identifying and grooming the next generation of leaders and am extremely proud to be given the opportunity to participate in this share placement and having a personal stake in the success of Q&M."

Q&M board of directors understands that the Key Dentists are in the process of incorporating a new company, "Quan Min Plus 2 Pte. Ltd." to hold their Shares. The Board further notes that a similar voluntary arrangement was entered into previously by another 9 next-gen dentists on the Group through a company called Quan Min Plus Pte. Ltd., as announced by the Company on 23 October 2020.

Q&M intends to use all of the Net Proceeds of approximately S$1.70 million raised for its general working capital purposes, such as business expansions, acquisitions and/or paying off loans.

The Board and management of Q&M will continue to work hard in identifying the best talent within the Company, with the aim of mentoring their growth, grooming some of them to positions of leadership, while also giving them direct opportunities to participate in the growth of the Company in line with their corporate mission.

About Q&M Dental Group (Singapore) Limited [SGX QC7.SI] [BIC QNM:SP] [RIC QMDT:SI]

Q&M Dental Group (Singapore) Limited (QC7.SI) ("Q&M" or together with its subsidiaries, the "Group") is a leading private dental healthcare group in Asia.

The Group owns the largest network of private dental outlets in Singapore, operating 106 dental outlets across the country. Underpinned by about 270 experienced dentists and over 350 supporting staff, the Group sees an average of 40,000 patient visits a month in Singapore. The Group also operates 5 medical clinics and a dental supplies and equipment distribution company.

Outside of Singapore, the Group has 45 dental clinics and a dental supplies and equipment distribution company in Malaysia, as well as a dental clinic in the People's Republic of China ("PRC"). Q&M is also the substantial shareholder of Aoxin Q&M Dental Group Limited, a dental Group listed on the Catalist board of the Singapore Exchange that operates dental clinics and hospitals primarily in the north- eastern region of the PRC. The Group aims to expand its operations geographically and vertically through the value chain in Malaysia, the PRC and within the ASEAN region.

The Q&M College of Dentistry was established in 2019 to offer postgraduate dental education as part of its commitment to continual education and professional development of dentists. It offers Singapore's first private postgraduate diploma programme in clinical dentistry.

In 2020, the Group expanded into the medical laboratories and research industry with the strategic investment into Acumen Diagnostics Pte. Ltd. ("Acumen"). Acumen currently focuses on the manufacture, sale and distribution of COVID-19 diagnostic test kits, as well as COVID-19 testing. It is also working to roll out a pipeline of new tests, including PCR assays for dengue, sepsis and, identification of bacterial pathogens and their associated antibiotics resistance in pneumonia and bloodstream infections.

EM2AI Pte Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Group that focuses on developing AI-powered solutions to diagnosis and treatment planning has rolled out IDMS, enabling dentists within the Group's network to administer ethical treatment plans for patients.

The Group was listed on the Mainboard of the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited ("SGX- ST") on 26 November 2009. For more information on the Group, please visit www.QandMDental.com.sg

SGX Links Reference:
– Press Release: https://tinyurl.com/sgx-qm-20220930-pr
– Treasury Shares: https://tinyurl.com/sgx-qm-20220930-tres
– Employee Stock Options: https://tinyurl.com/sgx-qm-20220930-eso

For more information, please contact:
Waterbrooks Consultants Pte Ltd
Wayne Koo
Tel: +65 9338-8166
Email: wayne.koo@waterbrooks.com.sg

Derek Yeo
Tel: +65 9791-4707
Email: derek@waterbrooks.com.sg

Proud Investor Relations partner: https://www.waterbrooks.com.sg/ and https://www.shareinvestorholdings.com/

Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

SNS Network Technology Posts 42.4% Rise in Net Profit for 2Q FY2023

IPOH, Malaysia, Sep 27, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – SNS Network Technology Berhad (SNS), an ICT system and solutions provider, today announced that the Group registered a 19.7% rise in revenue to RM296.93 million for the second quarter ended 31 July 2022 (2Q FY2023) compared with RM248.16 million in the immediately preceding quarter (1Q FY2023).

Managing Director of SNS, Ko Yun Hung

For the quarter under review, the Group recorded a 21.8% gain in gross profit (GP) to RM23.43 million compared with GP of RM19.24 million in 1Q FY2023 while profit before tax (PBT) increased 43.0% to RM11.76 million compared with PBT of RM8.23 million. The Group's profit after tax (PAT) for 2Q FY2023 rose by 42.4% to RM8.81 million from PAT of RM6.19 million in 1Q FY2023.

There are no comparative figures on a year-over-year basis as the Group was listed on the ACE Market of Bursa Malaysia on 2 September 2022.

Managing Director of SNS, Ko Yun Hung, said, "The Group's performance for the quarter under review was supported by higher demand for ICT products from local customers under our commercial channel comprising businesses, government agencies and educational institutions following the full resumption of business operations after the reopening of the Malaysian economy."

"We remain positive for the Group's outlook given the continuous growth in demand for ICT products supported by rising economic activities and the strengthening of our existing customer base together with expansion of market share. For the immediate future, we will continue to focus on the plans as announced in our prospectus, namely the expansion of our Device-as-a-Service business, the construction of a regional hub in Petaling Jaya, and the setting up of 10 new stores in the country."

On a geographical basis, Malaysia contributed 86.2% of the Group's revenue of RM958.08 million for the financial year ended 31 January 2022 (FYE2022), with Hong Kong and Singapore contributing 11.7% and 1.4% respectively. The Group posted revenue of RM721.47 million for FYE2021 and RM675.28 million for FYE2020.

SNS Network Technology: 0259 [BURSA: SNS], https://www.sns.com.my/

Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

HKTDC launches GoGBA Day for the International Business Community

HONG KONG, Sept 26, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Development Office co-organised the inaugural GoGBA Day on Thursday (22 Sept). This support event aims to engage members of the international business community in Hong Kong that are currently underserved in terms of up-to-date business information on the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). The physical part of the hybrid on-site/online event was held at the HKTDC SME Centre at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The event featured a series of seminars offering practical business tips and updates on the latest developments in the GBA to prepare international enterprises to “go GBA” via Hong Kong. The event received an overwhelming response with more than 160 participants attending the seminars at the venue while 260 participants joined the online webinar. At the same time, 65 business advisory sessions and one-on-one consultation meetings were arranged for 47 companies at the venue to facilitate business partnerships and opportunities.

The joint seminars welcomed officials from various authorities in the GBA, along with industry leaders and market experts from banking and other sectors, to share their insights and business know-how with international medium-sized enterprises and start-ups, helping them get equipped to set up business and succeed in the GBA via the Hong Kong platform. A wide range of topics was discussed, including the business landscape in the GBA and key incentives and subsidies for start-ups and businesses in the areas of tax, banking and investment.

Welcoming participants to the event, HKTDC Executive Director Margaret Fong said: “The GBA plan attracts attention not only because the GBA has China’s highest GDP at US$1.96 trillion, but it offers basically everything a business needs to grow, from the international financial hub of Hong Kong and the world-class manufacturing centres across Guangdong to the advanced innovation and tech clusters across the region – not to mention a huge market of 86 million people and a stepping stone to the vast Mainland China market.”

Ms Fong continued: “We launched our GoGBA support programme last year to help businesses navigate the GBA through Hong Kong by offering information, advisory support and networking and marketing platforms. The GoGBA Day is a highlight of our programme, bringing together the Hong Kong family of organisations under one roof to introduce their GBA support programmes and services, enabling us to hold a GBA event specifically for the international business community for the first time. We hope to give them not only an overview of the latest GBA developments but also offer practical information to help them make decisions and take action.”

Background to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area

The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) promotes Hong Kong’s integration into Mainland China’s national development by accelerating the socio-economic integration of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao. Hong Kong has been designated as an international financial, shipping, trade and aviation hub, a global offshore renminbi business hub and an international centre for asset management and risk management. As a value-added financial, trading, logistics and professional services centre, supporting technology and innovation, Hong Kong is also a centre for international legal and dispute resolution in Asia-Pacific.

HKTDC’s array of services support enterprises entering the GBA

Over the years, the HKTDC has worked hard to facilitate cooperation between Guangdong and Hong Kong. To support companies in doing business in the GBA, the HKTDC shares useful official information on regulations, procedures and networks through its GoGBA website ( https://www.go-gba.com/en/ ) and WeChat mini-programme, the latter also offering tools such as public health updates, maps, transportation guides and a day counter for individual income tax purposes. As of mid-September 2022, more than 506,700 views of the HKTDC’s GoGBA digital platforms had been recorded.

On the ground, the HKTDC has established the HKTDC GBA Service Centre in Shenzhen to provide local and international enterprises from Hong Kong with consultation services, industry-related updates and business matching. The Service Centre has so far organised more than 70 activities, with about 3,000 Hong Kong enterprises using its services. Working together with mainland partners, the HKTDC has also set up GoGBA Business Support Centres in Qianhai (Shenzhen), Nansha (Guangzhou), Hengqin (Zhuhai), Dongguan and Zhongshan, with Foshan being added later this year, to provide Hong Kong enterprises with policy and market consultation services.

In addition, the HKTDC’s Transformation Sandbox (T-box) programme will extend its services from Hong Kong to Shenzhen and other cities in the GBA. Together with its Digital Academy and E-Tailing Academy, the HKTDC will provide advisory workshops related to e-commerce and digital business as well as marketing solutions and other digital platforms.

Officials explain GBA business landscape, supporting initiatives and keys to success:

Tommy Yuen, Commissioner for the Development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, said: “The GBA is more than a key national development strategy under China’s reform and opening up. It is also marked a further step towards enriching One Country, Two Systems and promoting coordinated economic development that can turn the region into a world-class area for living, working and travelling. New measures are continually being implemented, including steps to encourage the development of private equity and venture capital funds in Qianhai and improving land boundary crossing facilities to enhance talent mobility between Hong Kong and GBA cities. In the coming decade, the GBA is set to become the world’s most vibrant and rapidly growing economic region.”

Jimmy Chiang, Associate Director-General of Investment Promotion (Business Development) of Invest Hong Kong, said: “President Xi Jinping has emphasised the importance of leveraging and strengthening Hong Kong’s unique advantages as an international financial, shipping and trading centre, as well as its convenient links to international markets. The 14th Five-Year Plan also highlighted the country’s support for Hong Kong in traditional industries as well as four emerging areas, including aviation, innovation and technology, intellectual property trading and international cultural exchange. These specific sectors will see more development opportunities in Hong Kong, and the GBA’s growth will create many attractive opportunities for international companies.”

Kenneth Wong, General Manager, MICE & Cruise, Europe, Hong Kong Tourism Board, said: “The Hong Kong Tourism Board has developed a tourism recovery framework to aid in the recovery, reopening and rebranding of Hong Kong’s tourism industry. We devised a number of publicity and promotion campaigns to maintain Hong Kong’s visibility during the pandemic and to facilitate tourism as well as MICE recovery. This includes bringing back large-scale international events and establishing a dedicated team to provide MICE organisers with one-stop support. Hong Kong can connect international visitors to the GBA’s tremendous business opportunities, generate attendance for organisers, facilitate professional visits and excursions to other GBA cities.”

Raymond Yip, Chief Liaison Officer of the Guangzhou Nansha Service Centre in Hong Kong, said: “The Central Government hopes that Nansha, with its strategic location at the heart of 10 GBA cities, will become a cooperation and collaboration hub for the GBA. Nansha has a broad and diverse industry base with advanced manufacturing, as well as a state-level science and technology forum. With no fewer than 20 policy measures for Hong Kong and Macao, including allowing people from Hong Kong, including foreigners, to pay Hong Kong taxes, Nansha is set to open up a larger hinterland for Hong Kong.”

Witman Hung, Principal Liaison Officer for the Hong Kong, Shenzhen Qianhai Authority, said: “Qianhai has always been a pilot zone to help China open up and deepen its reforms. Promoting and facilitating collaboration between Hong Kong and Shenzhen is high on our priority list. For example, we have incubated 335 Hong Kong start-ups and assisted the city’s professionals such as lawyers, engineers and architects in entering the mainland market. Recently, the Qianhai Authority and the Hong Kong government announced 18 new measures aimed at encouraging venture capital and private equity to enter China via Qianhai and Hong Kong. Hong Kong-based companies will be able to use Qianhai as a shopfront to provide professional services to the rest of the GBA and Mainland China.”

Vivian Cheung, Executive Director, Airport Operations, Hong Kong International Airport, said: “We have been expanding the capacity and functionality of Hong Kong International Airport in preparation for the resumption of international travel and business. The SKYCITY development is at the heart of this, featuring a new 3.8 million sq ft complex, with recreational facilities and three new office towers. New hotels will also be built and we are revamping services to provide better travel and transit experiences for passengers. Furthermore, we are transforming AsiaWorld-Expo into a 20,000-seat arena, adding new passenger and cargo handling facilities and constructing new infrastructure to make it easier for Hong Kong to connect with the GBA.”

HKTDC SME Centre
Tel: +852 1830 668
Fax: +852 3693 4938
E-mail: smecentre@hktdc.org

HKTDC GBA Centre
Tel: 0755-82280112
Fax: 0755-82280114
E-mail: shenzhen.office@hktdc.org

GoGBA Day website: https://go-gba.com/en/gogbaday.html
“Greater Bay Area, Great Future” promotional video: https://www.bayarea.gov.hk/en/stories/videos.html
(provided by the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Development Office).
More about the GBA: https://hkmb.hktdc.com/en/guangdong-hongkong-macao-greater-bay-area
Photo download: https://bit.ly/3UyJSpU

Media enquiries:
HKTDC Communications & Public Affairs Department
Kate Chan, Tel: +852 2584 4239, Email: kate.hy.chan@hktdc.org

Innovative fintech company service provider KPay completes US$10 million financing

HONG KONG, Sep 26, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – Fintech start-up KPay Merchant Service Limited ("KPay", or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has recently completed a US$10 million financing round with the support of its founders. KPay has developed rapidly since its establishment in Hong Kong at the end of 2020. With its leading technology and comprehensive one-stop digital payment and business management solutions, KPay has effectively catered to the operational needs of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises ("MSMEs") and has amassed more than 12,000 local merchants within a short period of time – achieving a lead over its peers in customer acquisition. KPay will use the funds raised to support product development and regional expansion, and is actively preparing for institutional round financing.

With its leading technology and comprehensive one-stop digital payment and business management solutions, KPay has amassed over 12,000 local merchants. The Company is set to develop Singapore and Taiwan markets this year.

Davis Chan, Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder of KPay, said, "KPay officially commenced operations in early 2021, adhering to the mission of empowering MSMEs to drive growth and promote digital transformation. We have established three major business engines, namely, payment with KPay, B2B ecosystem with KConnect, and MSME financing with KFund. We are encouraged by the successful completion of this US$10 million round of funding. With an experienced and professional team, the Company will continue to optimise products and services, expand market coverage, and strive to bring efficient and convenient integrated business solutions to MSMEs in various industries in Hong Kong and other Asia Pacific markets."

As a financial technology company focused on developing a full range of business solutions, KPay is committed to empowering MSMEs to enhance market competitiveness with its cutting-edge technologies. Currently, KPay's customers span across a wide variety of sectors such as retail, food & beverage, beauty, healthcare, education and professional services. Last year, the Company launched its first KPay electronic payment service to provide a one-stop transaction payment solution to merchants. Its Smart POS Terminal accepts up to 14 major payment channels including Visa, Mastercard and UnionPay, effectively simplifying the cumbersome payment collection and settlement process. The Company is also planning to launch its online payment gateway in the fourth quarter this year. Pairing with the in-house developed mobile application, merchants can view consolidated data from different payment channels. This allows merchants to easily monitor their business performance and identify sales trends.

Following the success of its electronic payment service, KPay launched the KConnect cloud business management tool platform and the KFund financing service product this year to further expand the scope of its services, bringing more innovative features and comprehensive support to MSMEs. KConnect has built a comprehensive B2B ecosystem with SaaS tools from multiple local service providers for merchants to choose from, covering membership management systems, retail systems, accounting and bookkeeping systems, inventory management, etc. Focusing on the daily operational needs of MSMEs, it provides a simple and convenient one-stop management system to help merchants easily address their operational pain points. The solution will provide an integrated data dashboard which allows merchants to view real-time operational data analyzed across multiple 3rd party SaaS tools. KFund, meanwhile, utilises merchants' transaction data to tailor financing solutions to meet their needs.

Riding on the strong growth momentum, KPay established an office and formed a business development team in Singapore in June this year. In its first step to expand in the country, KPay has launched its payment solutions to the market. The number of customers served by the Company's business in Singapore is gradually picking up and the successful business model and growth trajectory of Hong Kong market are expected to be replicated in Singapore. Meanwhile, KPay is at the final stage of preparation for its expansion into the Taiwan market. The Company envisages launching its services in the market in the fourth quarter of this year, thus taking its presence to another market outside of Hong Kong. Looking ahead, KPay will actively explore the Asia Pacific market, further expand its user base and provide comprehensive business support to more SMEs.

About KPay
Established in July 2020 and headquartered in Hong Kong, KPay Merchant Service Limited ("KPay") is a financial technology (fintech) company focusing on providing integrated business solutions, and offering professional and innovative products to enhance the market competitiveness of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the Asia Pacific region. KPay solutions were launched in early 2021, covering online and offline fintech services including electronic payment platforms and user management products. With the support of a top-notch technology development team, the Company strives to improve the functionality of various products to cater to the needs of merchants and help them maximise business performance. KPay is abreast of market trends in different regions where its highly experienced sales and after-sales teams provide merchants with a range of business logistics support timely, enabling MSMEs from different sectors to operate more smoothly and strategically by enhancing their ability in digital technology application, and for the Company to realise its vision of "building a mutually beneficial and synergistic e-finance ecosystem".

For more information about KPay, please visit the Company's website: http://www.kpay-group.com.

KPay Merchant Service Limited
Katie Lau +852 3706 7836 / 9804 6148 Email: katielau@kpay-group.com

Strategic Financial Relations Limited
Shelly Cheng +852 2864 4857 Email: shelly.cheng@sprg.com.hk
Carol Cheung +852 2114 2200 Email: carol.cheung@sprg.com.hk
Daphne Duan +852 2864 4833 Email: daphne.duan@sprg.com.hk

Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

HKIoD joins Climate Governance Initiative and launches CGI Hong Kong Chapter

HONG KONG, Sep 26, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – The Hong Kong Institute of Directors ("HKIoD") announced at the Directors' Conference 2022 that it has joined the Climate Governance Initiative ("CGI") and launched the CGI Hong Kong Chapter ("CGI HK").

CGI is a global initiative the World Economic Forum started in 2019, with the aim of encouraging boards worldwide to address climate change issues in their businesses. It upholds eight principles: 1. climate accountability on boards, 2. command of the subject, 3. board structure, 4. material risk and opportunity assessment, 5. strategic integration, 6. incentivisation, 7. reporting and disclosure, and 8. exchange.

Dr Moses Cheng, Honorary President and Founding Chairman of HKIoD, GBM, GBS, OBE, JP, said, "Climate risks will seriously affect sustainable development of the human society and corporate environment, and their impacts on the survival and shareholder value of enterprises are even harder to predict. Thus, tackling climate change is a matter of urgency for the human society. At the helm of sustainable development of their corporations, directors are duty-bound and crucial to leading climate governance actions. HKIoD is honoured to join CGI and to launch CGI HK, and work with partners and collaborators to provide directors with an important platform for exchanging climate governance knowledge and opinions. In addition, CGI HK will strive to have boards include 'Responses to Climate Change' in their regular agenda."

Dr Christopher To, Chairman of HKIoD, said, "HKIoD sees promoting corporate social responsibility and sustainable development as an important action plan. Being able to join CGI this year while HKIoD celebrates its 25th anniversary means a lot to us. It is a testament to HKIoD upholding its original intentions, which are to lead the business community in contributing to building a better future, and to earn the recognition of international authoritative organisations for its efforts made over past years. HKIoD will continue to help the Hong Kong business community raise corporate governance standard and together with it build a more brilliant future."

Dr Carlye Tsui, CEO of HKIoD, said, "Climate change and sustainable development have caught eyes in recent years and are key topics many HKIoD training courses cover. In our new role in hosting CGI Hong Kong Chapter, we will help strengthen communication and exchanges with corporate directors and experts from around the world, take reference of their knowledge and experience in enhancing the quality and quantity of our climate governance-related training."

CGI currently has over 20 chapters in its global network with altogether 100,000 members.

CGI HK is a community composing of directors, including non-executive directors ("NEDs") and executive directors ("EDs"), and subject matter experts.

To assist in meeting the challenges arising from climate change, CGI HK's mission is to reach out to directors to advance knowledge, motivate actions and promote best board practice in climate governance. As Chairman of the CGI HK Steering Committee, Dr Carlye Tsui said, "CGI HK acts to empower, enable and engage directors in gaining climate awareness and skills and in embedding climate considerations into board decision-making. Directors should understand and the risks to the success of and opportunities for their organisations that the climate emergency brings. To support directors in climate governance, CGI HK will develop and curate regular forums and training and produce and share relevant published information. These activities will be opportunities for NEDs and EDs to learn, and interact with each other and subject matter experts."

The Founding Partners of CGI HK include the following:
1. Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited
2. The Hong Kong Institute of Directors
3. The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited
4. The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

The CGI HK Advisory Council composition:
1. Dr The Hon Moses CHENG Mo-chi GBM GBS OBE JP
2. Prof Christine LOH SBS JP
3. Ms Bonnie Y CHAN
4. Mr Dennis CHOW
5. Ms May TAN
6. Dr Christopher TO

The CGI HK Steering Committee composition:
1. Dr Carlye TSUI SBS MBE JP, Chairman
2. Prof Veronique LAFON-VINAIS
3. Mr Anthony TSUI
4. Mr Mohit GROVER
5. Ms Victoria SHAPOVALOVA
6. Dr Agnes K Y TAI
7. Mr Anthony CHEUNG
8. Ms Athena NG
9. Ms Alison TSOI, Secretary

Please click [ https://www.hkiod.com/governance-structure/ ] for more details about CGI HK's Governance Structure.

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

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 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

‘Strive and Rise’: Deloitte Foundation Hong Kong uplifts youth for brighter futures

HONG KONG, Sep 23, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – Deloitte Foundation Hong Kong has donated HKD1 million to support the Hong Kong SAR government's Strive and Rise Programme, launched timely to address intergenerational poverty by helping underprivileged children, particularly those living in subdivided accommodation, realize their potential.

In addition to a financial contribution, 50 professionals from Deloitte China will join the program as mentors to boost the confidence of target students, build their life skills, guide them to develop personal goals and explore different development possibilities. The firm will also organize a range of group activities that provide mentees with diversified learning and development opportunities, including firm visit, job-shadowing workshop, and experience sharing by Deloitte's senior management.

Deloitte China CEO Patrick Tsang says, "For Hong Kong to continue to thrive as a global city, now more than ever we need to build a caring, inclusive society, and enhance the upward mobility of our youths by fighting intergenerational poverty in our communities."

"We are committed to playing our part as a socially responsible member of society by contributing our resources, expertise, and network to nurture this next generation. It is a great honor to support such an important initiative, and we call on more companies to join us in this cause."

In line with the Chief Executive John Lee's policy vision to tackle intergenerational poverty and boost youth upward mobility, the year-long Strive and Rise Programme was launched this month to match the first cohort of 2,000 underprivileged junior secondary students with trained mentors from professional backgrounds. These professionals will help mentees set positive life goals and strive for upward mobility through a structured program that comprises training sessions, interactive discussions, eye-opening group visits, and network building events.

Deloitte China Southern Region Managing Partner and Deloitte Foundation Hong Kong Secretary-General Edward Au says, "Youth development is a strategic focus area under our WorldClass initiative to positively impact 15 million people in China by 2030. To realize this ambitious vision, we've been working closely with the Hong Kong community to roll out multiple programs that support our youth in education, skills, and opportunities."

Since 2009, Deloitte's "Pass The Torch" student mentorship program has provided over 300 underprivileged secondary students with mentoring opportunities, helping them build confidence, broaden their worldview and future possibilities. In addition, the firm has collaborated with a youth association to organize "Career Dimensions" workshops since 2019, helping more than 1,900 secondary students identify their education and career aspirations, and develop future proof skills.

"The Strive and Rise Programme aligns with our promise to make an impact that matters by helping young people unleash their full potential. We are proud to support this meaningful initiative, as part of our HKD1 billion investment to further the development of our Hong Kong practice under our INspire HK strategy. As a purpose-led and responsible organization, we will strive to inspire Hong Kong's next generation with compassion, respect, and positivity to guide them toward a brighter future," Au adds.

Details of the program can be found here. https://www.striveandrise.gov.hk/en/programme-overview/

About Deloitte China

Deloitte China provides integrated professional services, with our long-term commitment to be a leading contributor to China's reform, opening-up and economic development. We are a globally connected and deeply locally-rooted firm, owned by its partners in China. With over 20,000 professionals across 30 Chinese cities, we provide our clients with a one-stop shop offering world-leading audit & assurance, consulting, financial advisory, risk advisory, business advisory and tax services.

We serve with integrity, uphold quality and strive to innovate. With our professional excellence, insight across industries, and intelligent technology solutions, we help clients and partners from many sectors seize opportunities, tackle challenges and attain world-class, high-quality development goals.

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Mediwelcome Announced 2022 Interim Results

HONG KONG, Sep 23, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – A China's leading provider of digital medical service solutions – Mediwelcome Healthcare Management & Technology Inc. ("Mediwelcome" or the "Company", and together with its subsidiaries, the "Group") (Stock Code: 2159), announced the unaudited consolidated interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2022 (the "Reporting Period" or the "First half of 2022").

In the first half of 2022, Mediwelcome has narrowed in revenue and other aspects to varying degrees due to the continuous lockdown in many provinces in response to the severe pandemic in the PRC. In the first half of 2022, Mediwelcome's revenue decreased by approximately 49.2% to approximately RMB172.5 million YoY. Gross profit was approximately RMB17.3 million. During the Reporting Period, the Group's primarily generated revenue from medical conference services, marketing strategy and consulting services, and patient education and screening services, etc.

Continuously expanding the medical digital marketing solutions and online healthcare platforms, and striving for digital upgrading

Although the economic environment is facing great challenges under the epidemic situation, Mediwelcome always insists on continuously expanding and consolidating its integrated healthcare marketing solutions and made a concerted effort to develop its online healthcare platforms and fully implemented digital upgrade for the businesses. During the Reporting Period, medical conference services was the main revenue stream and recorded revenue of approximately RMB111.3 million, accounting for 64.5% of the total revenue. To strengthen the Group's conference management capabilities, Mediwelcome has launched the Conference+ App for medical NGOs and pharmaceutical companies to submit onsite conference requests and monitor conference implementation. In terms of marketing strategy and consulting services, through this service, the Group assisted pharmaceutical companies in formulating and implementing effective business strategies in enhancing their brands and product awareness among physicians. During the Reporting Period, marketing strategy and consulting services recorded revenue of approximately RMB41.3 million, accounting for 23.9% of the total revenue. Patient education and screening services and CRO services recorded revenue of approximately RMB14.3 million and RMB3.7million, accounting for 8.3% and 2.1% of the total revenue, respectively.

As of June 2022, the Group has developed and iterated multiple medical digital marketing platforms and products to provide customers with customised medical digital marketing solutions, including the Giraffe Smart Medical Platform, Digital Patient Management Platform, E Conference, Giraffe Live, Deer Class, E Creation, E Insight and other products. As at 30 June 2022, the digital platforms have enrolled 384,965 registered doctor users, held 46,518 online education sessions with doctors and 25,687 online education sessions for patients, livestreamed 4,855 times, with 6,319 videos available and viewed by 1,086,328 visitors.

Meanwhile, Mediwelcome has sustained its effort to develop and expand its online healthcare platforms to cater for the increasing needs of various stakeholders in the medical field, including hospitals, doctors as well as pharmaceutical and medical equipment companies. The Group's online healthcare platform, on top of providing doctors and patients with consistent and quality online medical service solutions, has also actively developed products and services of digital management for patients with chronic illnesses in the out-of-hospital context. As at 30 June 2022, the number of its registered doctor and patient users has reached 45,244 and 200,545, representing an increase of 69.9% and 321.2% YoY, respectively. In addition, due to the increase in the number of active patient users purchasing prescribed medicine through the Group's internet hospital platform, revenue from internet hospital services increased by approximately 5.6% to approximately RMB1.9 YoY.

Continuously upgrading the digital marketing business, seizing the growth opportunities to create greater value

Looking forward, Mediwelcome will continue to enhance the scale of digital marketing business, and utilize its internal and external strengths and resources and focus more on customer development for digital marketing in the healthcare market. At the same time, the Group will sustain its effort to build a digital platform with precise access targeting doctors and patients, providing customers with integrated digital and intelligent marketing solutions using a digital integrated marketing system synergised by both offline and online channels, so as to create a closed loop for the whole process of digital operation. The Group will continue to upgrade its online healthcare platform and explore the application of AI technology to build a closed-loop business model from inside to outside hospitals. In addition, Mediwelcome will also leverage the favorable health policy environment and its own resources to maintain revenue growth of its professional medicine and marketing services in the traditional cardiovascular and cerebrovascular discipline, with a focus on expanding its business in the fields of oncology and chronic renal diseases to increase the coverage of customers from domestic enterprises.

The Group will continue to maintain its business scale in the traditional dominant therapeutic fields, and actively drive innovation in order to seize the opportunities arising from the rapid growth in demand for medical digital marketing and online healthcare for its steady development. While actively generating profits under its efficient operation, the Group persistently expands and develops its business model and scale to create greater value for more customers, doctors and patients.

Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

HKIoD Organises Directors’ Conference 2022 – “From Resilience to Sustainability”

HONG KONG, Sep 22, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – The Hong Kong Institute of Directors ("HKIoD") hosted Directors' Conference 2022 yesterday at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. With the HKSAR and also HKIoD both celebrating their 25th anniversary, the conference this year extended to a full day, featured 11 sessions including power talks and in-depth panel discussions held physically and online with 430 attendees in all.

Directors' Conference 2022 held physically and online with 430 attendees in all.

Opening address by The Honourable
Michael Wong, GBS, JP,
Deputy Financial Secretary

In his closing speech, Mr Christopher Hui, GBS, JP, Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury thanked the HKIoD for organizing this meaningful conference.

Welcoming participants to the event, Dr Christopher To, Chairman of HKIoD, said, "In the last five years, Hong Kong has continued to rank high in competitiveness or as a global financial centre in the world, suggesting that Hong Kong is somewhat resilient amid adversities including the pandemic. However, as there are still many looming uncertainties, we must not be complacent. We should learn the true meaning of resilience and gain skills in implementing sustainability initiatives and engaging stakeholders in developing sustainable business practices in such VUCA times." Citing the HKIoD Corporate Governance Scorecard, Dr To noted that Hong Kong listed companies have been improving in corporate governance over the past 16 years while the demands have been increasing as per global trends.

The conference brought together 21 world-class business and community leaders, scholars and policy makers to share their insights on a spectrum of topics, including (1) Fusion of People, Ideas and Technology; (2) Roadmap of Driving for Excellence; (3) Hong Kong's Role as an IFC in RMB Internationalisation; (4) Non-profits' Business Purpose; (5) Driving a Top-notch Financial Market; (6) The Board to Lead in Climate Governance; (7) Leading to Survive and Thrive in Challenges; and (8) The Rule of Law in Doing Business Going on to 2047.

Dr Carlye Tsui SBS JP, Chief Executive Officer, HKIoD, said: "Crises can make an organisation stronger and more resilient when its leaders have the determination, foresight and wisdom to turn the tide and triumph over turbulence. We should all be seeking proven measures to help our organisations fend off challenges and achieve true sustainability." Learning from COVID-19, Dr Tsui noted the global director perspective that the top items on board agenda are broader risk-set, enhanced ESG and greater stakeholder communication. She also advised that in this digital age, boards should regard technological change with a strategic perspective, continuing learning and assessment of the leadership and culture readiness for it.

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

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

Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Restricted Shares Will be Lifted on 22 September, and the Management and Investors of Arrail Group are “Hoarding”, Release High Growth Signals

HONG KONG, Sep 22, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – The restricted shares of Arrail Group Limited ("Arrail Group" or the "Company", stock code: 06639.HK), a leading dental services group in China, will be officially lifted and listed for circulation on 22 September 2022. In this regard, the Company's management and investors clearly presented the idea of being "hoarding" and their current confidence.

Arrail Group is a leading dental services group and have established a nationwide footprint in China, operating both Arrail Dental, a leading premium dental services brand, and Rytime Dental, a middle-end dental services brand. According to Frost & Sullivan Report, the Company is the largest dental service provider in China's premium private dental service market and the third largest dental service provider in China's entire private dental service market based in terms of total revenue in 2020.

Institutional shareholders' confidence in long-term development is demonstrated by "not to reduce its shareholding"

Based on the confidence in the industry prospect and the future development of Arrail Group, the major investors of the Company said that they would continue to hold shares. Meanwhile, as disclosed in the prospectus of the Company, approximately 31.55% of the shares held by Mr. Zou Qifang, the founder of the Company, and his management team will remain locked for 6 months until the end of March 2023.

It is understood that prior to the public offering, Arrail Group has carried out several rounds of financing from January 2010 to January 2021, with the Pre-IPO Investors including KPCB China Fund, Qiming Venture Partners, OrbiMedAsia, Temasek, Goldman Sachs, Hillhouse Capital, etc. During the listing period, the Company also introduced five cornerstone investors, namely Abax, Harvest, Hudson Bay, OrbiMedAsia OrbiMed and Modern Dental, with subscribed amount of approximately HK$507 million of shares, accounting for approximately 74.66% of the offering shares as per the IPO Price with a lock-up period of 6 months. The "no reducing shareholding" idea of the management of Arrail Group and major investors will not only help stabilise the share price of the Company, but also promote the long-term stable development of the Company and enhance investors' confidence.

The scarcity and uniqueness of national chain are recognised by the market

It is worth mentioning that few institutions can achieve the nationwide coverage with the distinguishing regional characteristics of the dental service market. The Company is the only national chain dental institution listed on the market at present. Its business is distributed in four core regions domestically, namely North China, East China, South China and West China, and 15 cities. The scarcity and uniqueness of Arrail Group are gradually being recognised.

Since entering the Hong Kong Stock Connect on 5 September, both the share price and liquidity have improved significantly. On 9 September, the trading volume reached approximately 7 million shares, with over HK$63 million. The share price has increased by nearly 100% since early September. The Company's business expansion prospects and development potential are promising.

The solid fundamentals and outstanding performance also added confidence for "not to reduce its shareholding". As disclosed in the financial report, affected by the news and the improvement of comprehensive strength, for the financial year ended 31 March 2022, the total number of visits of Arrail Group reached 1.559 million, representing a year-on-year increase of 13.7% from 1.371 million in the financial year 2020/2021; The total revenue was RMB1.624 billion (the same below), representing a year-on-year increase of 7.16% as compared to the financial year 2020/2021; The adjusted net profit for the year amounted to RMB66 million, up 18.0% year on year, with strong profitability.

The next step of the Company's development is also worth the market's expectation. In early July, Arrail Group announced a strategic cooperation with Wuxi Tongshan. The project was completed on 1 September. In addition, the two new hospitals and six clinics in this financial year were also basically completed. It is expected that 268 chairs will be added in this financial year, representing an increase of 20% as compared to the previous financial year. The management of the Company stated that the new chairs will lay a solid foundation for the long-term development of the Company in the future.

In the long run, with the implementation of the centralised purchase policy, the market gradually returns to the rational cognition of the health care service sector. As the only listed national dental chain medical institution in the market, Arrail Group is undoubtedly the first one to enjoy the market bonus. In the future, Arrail Group will continue to improve its operational capabilities and service quality, and enhance its core competitive advantages. It is expected that the results and valuation of Arrail Group will be improved, thus promoting the further development of its dental services.

Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Dah Sing Bank and Friends of the Earth (HK) Jointly Present Retail and E-Commerce ESG Forum for SMEs

HONG KONG, Sep 21, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – The second industry forum (the "Forum") under the SME ESG Best Practices Recognition Programme ("the Programme") took place today under the joint auspices of Dah Sing Bank, Limited ("Dah Sing Bank") and Friends of the Earth (HK) ("FoE HK"). It gathered business and industry leaders to discuss how SMEs in retail and e-commerce sector can meet market needs and expand their businesses while practising sustainable development concepts, promoting diversification and inclusiveness, improving business operations, and working together to enhance environmental, social and governance ("ESG") standards for a better life together.

Mr. Plato Yip, Chairperson, Friends of the Earth (HK) delivering speech

Ms. Phoebe Wong, Deputy Chief Executive, Senior Executive Director, Group Head of Personal Banking, Dah Sing Bank delivering speech

Ms. Phoebe Wong, Deputy Chief Executive, Senior Executive Director, Group Head of Personal Banking, Dah Sing Bank (Right), Mr. Plato Yip, Chairperson, Friends of the Earth (HK) (Left)

The Forum – Topic 1: Dialogue with listed companies: ESG trends for the Retail & e-Commerce Sector – Opportunities and Challenges for SMEs

The Forum – Topic 2: Dialogue with SMEs: The ESG impacts for SMEs – How to get started?

In recent years, the retail industry has to face various environmental and social challenges. The gradual change in seasonal shopping patterns as a result of environmental risks such as climate change command retailers to be more agile in operation to adapt to the changing sales seasons. Issues such as plastic wastes and more complex logistics are also among the challenges the industry is facing. As for social risks, with consumers' spending patterns changing, and the emphasis on healthy products and food safety growing, retailers need better understanding of customers' brand perception and preferences in order to retain and attract customers. In addition, technologies and their applications are changing the retail industry landscape. With fewer manpower needed at physical stores, employees need to be more capable of dealing with customers and managing changes. Practising ESG will help SMEs strengthen their ability to mitigate these potential risks.

In the opening speech, Mr Plato Yip, Chairperson of FoE HK, said, "In recent years, the epidemic has accelerated the pace of digital transformation of businesses, with online shopping becoming the new norm for Hong Kong consumers. To stand out in this highly competitive market, retailers must not only adapt to the new norm, but also interact more closely with consumers and build closer ties with them. The ability of the industry to position itself accurately, keep abreast of the latest trends, and prepare for the challenges ahead is crucial not only for the businesses themselves but also for the Hong Kong retail industry as a whole. As SMEs seek to accelerate their transformation and breakthrough, ESG is one of the most effective ways to help them save costs, win reputation, and improve their competitiveness in an adverse market."

Ms Phoebe Wong, Deputy Chief Executive, Senior Executive Director and Group Head of Personal Banking of Dah Sing Bank, said, "The 'SME ESG Best Practices Recognition Programme' is a partnership between Dah Sing Bank and FoE HK to raise ESG awareness among SMEs in different industries, and our aim is to encourage them to implement ESG practices to save costs and gain customers and word-of-mouth in a competitive market. The retail industry contributes enormously to Hong Kong's economy, and e-commerce has also been growing rapidly in recent years. However, increasing consumer attention on eco-lifestyles and responsible consumption is presenting challenges and opportunities for both traditional retail and e-commerce operators. We hope that today's Forum will inspire and encourage SMEs to take their first step towards sustainable business practices."

The first half of the Forum was moderated by Mr Ryan Fung, ESG Analyst and Media Advisor, and Ms Freda Au, Head of Content at EDigest, NMG. Executives from large retailers and online shopping platforms shared how businesses can optimise resource management, promote social wellbeing, improve corporate governance, and encourage different stakeholders to promote sustainable development through various means like procurement, supplier selection and talent acquisition. Chaired by Ms Serena Mak, Board Governor of FoE HK, the second panel of SME business representatives discussed the problems faced by SMEs in the retail and e-commerce sector when implementing ESG concepts, and provided advice on how to fulfil sustainability commitments while showcasing their products, services and brand image as well as enhancing their competitive advantages and maintaining business growth. The Forum attracted the participation of close to 100 business leaders, executives, and media representatives.

The Programme is the first sector-specific ESG recognition scheme for SMEs to encourage them to adopt ESG best practices to promote sustainable development in their industries. Using the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals as a framework, it evaluates the sustainable development strategies and policies of SMEs and their ability to manage and drive sustainable development. SMEs are recognised for achieving a certain level of improvement within a specific period of time. The Programme is sponsored by Dah Sing Bank and participation is complimentary for SMEs. Additionally, Dah Sing Bank is offering further incentives in the form of fee discounts and cash rebates to all participating and/or recognised SMEs, and an exclusive cash award of HKD1,000 will be given to the recognised participants. SMEs in the retail and e-commerce industries can enrol in the Programme from now until 18 November 2022. Please refer to the attached fact sheet for details.

The team of professionals behind the Programme can be described as "ESG doctors" for enterprise development. Consultancy firms offering such services are plentiful and typically command fees of more than HKD100,000. SMEs taking part in the Programme will have access to similar support free of charge, helping them to identify areas for improvement in their business as early as possible and to plan ahead.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of Dah Sing Bank. A series of celebratory activities has been launched since June to engage local communities, SMEs and customers as well as to promote green lifestyles. Through these activities, the Bank hopes to thank and share its joy with the public and its customers, express its advocacy for sustainable lifestyles, and bring vitality to Hong Kong's communities and economy. For details, please visit the Bank's 75th anniversary webpage on http://www.dahsing.com/75Anniv/en.

About Dah Sing Bank
Dah Sing Bank, Limited ("Dah Sing Bank") is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dah Sing Banking Group Limited (HKG:2356) which is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Founded in Hong Kong 75 years ago, Dah Sing Bank has been providing quality banking products and services to our customers with a vision to be "The Local Bank with a Personal Touch". Over the years, Dah Sing Bank has been rigorous in delivering on our brand promise to grow with our customers in Hong Kong, the Greater Bay Area and beyond – "Together We Progress and Prosper". Building on our experience and solid foundation in the industry, Dah Sing Bank's scope of professional services now spans retail banking, private banking, business and commercial banking. Meanwhile, Dah Sing Bank is also making significant investments in our digital banking capabilities to stay abreast with smart banking developments in Hong Kong and to support financial inclusion at large.

In addition to its Hong Kong banking operations, Dah Sing Bank also has wholly-owned subsidiaries including Dah Sing Bank (China) Limited, Banco Comercial de Macau, S.A., and OK Finance Limited. It is also a strategic shareholder of Bank of Chongqing with a shareholding of about 13%. Dah Sing Bank and its subsidiaries now have around 70 operating locations in Hong Kong, Macau and Mainland China.

About Friends of the Earth (HK)
Friends of the Earth (HK), as a leading environmental advocate, focuses on protecting our local and regional environment, offers equitable solutions to help create environmentally sustainable public policies, business practices and community lifestyles and engages government, business and community to act responsibly. Friends of the Earth (HK) is dedicated to promote green finance and cultivate ESG talents to transition HK and Asia Pacific region into a carbon neutral economy. Friends of the Earth (HK) closely partners with SME associations in Hong Kong (with coverage >3,000 companies), as well as international associations (e.g., World Benchmarking Alliance), with strong access to ESG & green finance talents professionals in Hong Kong, through our CESGA alumni network.

Friends of the Earth (HK) launched the first Green Finance Roadmap of its kind in the APAC region in 2019. One of our key focus would be on building capacity for industry practitioners and general public towards green finance, and hence our events are centered around "Green Finance Connect Education Series". Examples include Sustainability Leadership Seminars, our Green Finance Symposium on ESG integration. We aim to work with all sectors of the community to build a sustainable society and environment.

Media Enquiries

Dah Sing Bank, Limited
Gigi Lee +852 2507 8629 gigiwclee@dahsing.com

Friends of the Earth (HK)
Tiffany Yip +852 3184 1510 tiffanyyip@foe.org.hk

Strategic Financial Relations Limited
Margaret Lam +852 2114 4956 margaret.lam@sprg.com.hk
Cynthia Ng +852 2114 4952 cynthia.ng@sprg.com.hk

Dah Sing Bank and Friends of the Earth (HK) Jointly Present:
The SME ESG Best Practices Recognition Programme

Timetable
Industry #1 Property and Construction / Industry #2 Retail and E-Commerce
Kick-off Ceremony: 8 June 2022
Industry Forums Registration Begins: 8 June 2022 to 24 June 2022 / 23 August 2022 to 18 September 2022
Industry Forums / Programme Application Opens: 27 June 2022 / 21 September 2022
Programme Application Period: 27 June 2022 to 31 August 2022 / 21 September 2022 to 18 November 2022
Programme Application Deadline: 31 August 2022 / 18 November 2022
Online Questionnaire Completion & Supporting Documents Submission: Until 31 December 2022 / Until 28 February 2023
Programme Result Announcement: Q1 2023 / Q2 2023

Programme website
https://bit.ly/3x7tSS4

Dah Sing Bank offers exclusive Programme Incentives
https://bit.ly/3OncS0l

The Roadmap to a Sustainable Retail & e-Commerce Sector – Opportunities and Challenges for SMEs
Guest List

Theme: Dialogue with listed companies: ESG trends for the Retail & e-Commerce Sector – Opportunities and Challenges for SMEs
Moderators
– Mr. Ryan Fung
ESG Analyst and Media Advisor
– Ms. Freda Au
Head of Content, EDigest, NMG

Guest Speakers:
– Ms. Cerin Yip
ESG Director, Alibaba Group
– Mr. Johnny Siu
ESG Finance Manager, DFI
– Ms. June Lam
Chief Executive Officer, HomePlus (Hong Kong) Limited

Theme: Dialogue with SMEs: The ESG impacts for SMEs- How to get started?
Moderator:
– Mr. Anthony Cheung
Vice-chairperson & Green Finance Convenor, Friends of the Earth (HK)

Guest Speakers:
– Ms. Jane Tong
Treasurer, SME Sustainability Society
– Mr. Thomas CC Wong
Executive committee Member, The Chinese Manufacturers' Association of HK
– Ms. Pam Mak
Life Honorary President, HK Small & Medium Enterprises Association
– Mr. Eric Yeung
Vice President, HK General Chamber of Small and Medium Business

Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com