Synergy House Launches IPO Prospectus

SHAH ALAM, Malaysia, May 12, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – Synergy House Berhad, a cross-border e-commerce seller and furniture exporter of ready-to-assemble (RTA) home furniture, launched the prospectus for its initial public offering (IPO) today in conjunction with its upcoming listing on the ACE Market of Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad.

Mr. Alvin Ooi Yet Ming, Acting Head of Corporate Finance, Kenanga Investment Bank Berhad;
Datuk Roslan Hj Tik, Executive Director, Head Group Investment Banking & Islamic Banking,
Kenanga Investment Bank Berhad; Mr. Mok Juan Chek, Independent Non-Executive Chairman,
Synergy House Berhad; Mr. Tan Eu Tah, Non-Independet Executive Director, Synergy House Berhad;
and Mr. Teh Yee Luen, Non-Independent Executive Director, Synergy House Berhad [L-R]

The IPO will raise RM34.4 million via the issuance of 130.0 million new shares at an IPO price of RM0.43 per share which is expected to support the Group's future growth and expansion plans. The IPO proceeds raised will be used by the Group in the following manner:

– RM10.0 million or 29.07% for purchasing of inventories for the Group's proposed e-commerce fulfilment centre in Muar, Johor and e-commerce fulfilment centres in overseas countries;
– RM1.5 million or 4.36% to purchase racking system and forklifts for the Group's proposed e-commerce fulfilment centre in Muar, Johor;
– RM1.0 million or 2.91% for e-commerce advertisement and promotions;
– RM10.0 million or 29.07% to repay borrowings;
– RM7.7 million or 22.38% for working capital purposes; and
– RM4.2 million or 12.21% for listing expenses.

Executive Director of Synergy House, Mr. Tan Eu Tah said, "Given that global demand for furniture e-commerce is expected to continue to grow, our IPO will enable us to fuel our future growth and expansion plans by tapping into the equity capital market for future fund raising. Our IPO will also provide us with the financial flexibility to pursue growth opportunities as and when they arise. The recognition gained through our listing status will also enhance our reputation in the marketing of our products and services, retention of employees, expansion of customer base as well as attract new employees."

Executive Director of Synergy House, Mr. Teh Yee Luen said, "Leveraging on e-commerce has been another transforming experience for our Group as it has enabled us to have direct contact with end-consumers and thus enabling us to gather first-hand information and insights on consumer preferences that are valuable for product development. We intend to continue to grow our business-to-consumer (B2C) segment by utilising a portion of the IPO proceeds to purchase inventories for our B2C segment and by carrying out advertising and promotion initiatives on third-party e-commerce platforms. We also plan to grow our B2C sales through expanding to more e-commerce platforms in new markets."

For the financial years ended 31 December (FY) 2019, FY 2020, FY 2021 and FY 2022, the Group registered revenue of RM111.5 million, RM122.9 million, RM184.3 million and RM194.1 million respectively. In particular, the Group have seen encouraging growth from its B2C segment whereby its B2C sales have increased from RM1.99 million in the FY 2019 to RM49.63 million in FY 2022 at a compound annual growth rate of 192.17%.

Kenanga Investment Bank Berhad is the Principal Adviser, Sponsor, Underwriter and Placement Agent for the IPO exercise.

Synergy House Berhad will list on the ACE Market of Bursa Malaysia on 1st of June 2023.

Synergy House Bhd: https://www.synergyhouseberhad.com/

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

Doubleview Releases Further Analyses from Lisle Zone Drill Holes

Vancouver, BC, May 8, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – Doubleview Gold Corp. (TSXV: DBG) (OTCQB: DBLVF) (FSE: A1W038) (the "Company or "Doubleview") is pleased to announce assay results of Hat Project drill holes H038 to H 043. The Hat Project is a large alkalic copper-gold porphyry-type deposit located in northwestern British Columbia that since 2011 has been explored by Doubleview utilizing technical surveys and diamond drilling operations.

Figure 1. Drill PLAN MAP

Figure 2. Section A – A'

Figure 3. Section B – B'

Figure 4: Section C – C'

Hat Property surveys and drilling have largely been focused to the Lisle copper-gold-cobalt-scandium mineral zone. Principal minerals are chalcopyrite, pyrite and magnetite hosted in volcaniclastic and gabbroic formations. The Lisle Zone has indicated dimensions of approximately 2.7 km by 1.7 km and is still being delimited laterally and at depth.

Drill holes H038, H039 and H040 explored north extensions of the Lisle Zone. Hole H041 explored the far east extension of the Lisle Zone. Holes H042 and H043 explored west extensions. Assays are summarized as follows:

North side of the Lisle Zone:
– Drill hole H038 intercepted 440.3 meters* with 0.82% Cu Equivalent** from surface, including 186.0 meters with 0.89% CuEq.
– Drill hole H039 intercepted 549.2 meters with 0.76% Cu Eq from near surface, including 146.7 meters with 0.87% CuEq.
– Drill hole H040 intercepted 561.2 meters with 0.78% Cu Eq from near surface, including 277.3 meters with 0.79% CuEq.

East side of the Lisle Zone:
– Drill hole H041: intercepted 485.0 meters with 0.81% Cu Eq from 66m depth, including 125.0 meters with 0.96% Cu Eq.

West side of the Lisle Zone:
– Drill hole H042: intercepted 179.0 meters with 0.76% Cu Eq from surface, including 49.0 meters with 0.92% Cu Eq.
– Drill hole H043: intercepted 280.2 meters with 0.79% Cu Eq from near surface, including 149.0 meters with 0.98% Cu Eq.

Note: (*) Drill hole intercepts are presented as drilled. The company does not have sufficient information to provide true deposit dimensions.

Drill hole locations are shown in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 and coordinates and other location details are presented in Table 1. Significant intercepts are presented in Table 2 and discussed below.

Farshad Shirvani, Doubleview's president and CEO, comments that "Certain metals, including copper, cobalt, silver, PGMs and scandium, have been identified as strategically important in the development of non-fossil fuel technology related to mitigation of climate change. Doubleview's polymetallic Hat property may become a significant source of strategically important metals. Assay results have shown many long intervals of elevated values of copper, cobalt, scandium and other critical metals, potentially making it a unique and valuable domestic resource to supply scarce metals required by advanced technologies. The Company currently is conducting metallurgical research into several innovative cost effective and environmentally friendly low temperature extraction processes that we believe will make Doubleview's Hat project an important source of critical metals that are vital to the growth and evolution of Canada's climate-related initiatives".

TABLE 1. Drill Hole Data
https://www.acnnewswire.com/docs/Multimedia/20230508.Doubleview1.jpg

TABLE 2. Assay results
https://www.acnnewswire.com/docs/Multimedia/20230508.Doubleview2.jpg

Quality Assurance and Quality Control:

Given the importance of accurate assay results, extra measures are taken to ensure the quality of Hat Project assay data. As part of our QA/QC protocol, fresh sample pulps of 5% of the samples were re-assayed when results were deemed unsatisfactory. Replicate assays were conducted by a second accredited laboratory and showed possibly material variances, especially for critical metals in the Hat deposit. Confirmation work is ongoing and may result in further re-sampling and re-analysis.

The following map and sections show the location of the reported drill holes.

Figure 1. Drill PLAN MAP
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8003/165172_01b4dbbd542f4abc_001full.jpg

Figure 2. Section A – A'
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8003/165172_01b4dbbd542f4abc_002full.jpg

Figure 3. Section B – B'
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8003/165172_01b4dbbd542f4abc_003full.jpg

Figure 4: Section C – C'
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8003/165172_01b4dbbd542f4abc_004full.jpg

Doubleview maintains a website at www.doubleview.ca.

Qualified Persons:

Erik Ostensoe, P. Geo., a consulting geologist, and Doubleview's Qualified Person with respect to the Hat Project as defined by National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, has reviewed, and approved the technical contents of this news release. He is not independent of Doubleview as he is a shareholder in the company.

Cautionary Note: Although a mineral resource estimation is currently being prepared by an independent engineering firm, no mineral resources have been estimated at the Hat Property and there is no assurance that further work will result in the Lisle Zone, or other zones if present, being classified as mineral resources.

About Doubleview Gold Corp

Doubleview Gold Corp., a mineral resource exploration and development company, is based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and is publicly traded on the TSX-Venture Exchange [TSXV: DBG], [OTCQB: DBLVF], [FSE: A1W038], [Frankfurt: 1D4]. Doubleview identifies, acquires and finances precious and base metal exploration projects in North America, particularly in British Columbia. Doubleview increases shareholder value through acquisition and exploration of quality gold, copper and silver properties and the application of advanced state-of-the-art exploration methods. The Company's portfolio of strategic properties provides diversification and mitigates investment risks.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,
Farshad Shirvani, President & Chief Executive Officer

For further information please contact:
Doubleview Gold Corp
Vancouver, BC Farshad Shirvani
President & CEO
T: (604) 678-9587
E: corporate@doubleview.ca

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.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/165172

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

HKTDC: 60% of Japanese companies expand RCEP business via Hong Kong

HONG KONG, May 8, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – About 90% of Japan-affiliated companies based in Hong Kong manage or handle business in at least one Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) market other than Japan, according to a recent survey conducted by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC).

HKTDC Director of Research Ms Irina Fan (L) and HKTDC Economist Mr Corey To (R) announced
the survey findings of Japanese companies in Hong Kong expanding their business in the RCEP market.

More than 60% of respondents plan to expand their RCEP operations through their Hong Kong office in the next three years, with the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) (40.4%) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) (39.4%) the most popular destinations.

The respondents are making use of Hong Kong's well-developed logistics and commercial networks, as well as its world-class business services to manage and expand their global business, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region.

Further integration into regional supply chains

RCEP came into effect last year, the world's largest free trade bloc made up of 15 member countries, including China, Japan, Korea, Australia, New Zealand and the 10 ASEAN economies. It accounts for about 30% of global GDP, trade and population, injecting impetus into regional economic development.

Last year, RCEP economies accounted for 71% of Hong Kong's total merchandise trade. "Hong Kong has applied for accession to RCEP and once approved, the city will become the first new member of the bloc, enjoying a wide range of benefits, such as tariff concessions. It will also help Hong Kong further integrate into regional supply chains and strengthen trade and investment with other members in the bloc, especially Japan and Korea, which have yet to sign free trade agreements with the city," HKTDC Director of Research Ms Irina Fan said.

Hong Kong: Premier platform for RCEP

About 1,400 Japanese companies have set up regional headquarters or offices in Hong Kong. With the support of the Hong Kong Japanese Chamber of Commerce & Industry (HKJCCI), the HKTDC has surveyed more than 100 Japanese companies via a questionnaire to better understand their business development in the first year of RCEP, advantages of the Hong Kong platform and services, and the city's role in helping them expand into the RCEP market.

Most of the survey respondents operate in the import and export trade sector, followed by wholesale and retail, finance and logistics. More than 20% said their Hong Kong office serves as the company's overseas headquarters or main regional office that manage operations outside of Japan. Other functions include marketing and sales (73.5%), logistics and supply chain management (36.3%) and sourcing and procurement (25.5%).

HKTDC Economist Mr Corey To said while Hong Kong is currently playing an important role in facilitating RCEP related business (close to 90% of the respondents manage or handle RCEP business via Hong Kong), over 60% of the respondents see Hong Kong as "important" or "very important" in helping them capture arising business opportunities in the RCEP region.

Respondents also revealed that strong regional connectivity makes Hong Kong the premier platform for RCEP. Core strengths include business networks with Mainland China (88.8%), freedom of capital flows and currency exchange (79.7%), efficiency as a transshipment and distribution hub (72%) and more.

More benefits from Hong Kong's RCEP accession

The survey also found that more than half of the Hong Kong-based Japanese trading companies have already enjoyed RCEP benefits, such as unified rules of origin, lower tariffs and streamlined customs procedures. Close to 80% anticipate more benefits, should the city join the bloc. This reflects Hong Kong's role as a major logistics hub in the region as well as its deep trade ties with many RCEP economies.

Mr To said among the non-trade sector, 60% expected to benefit from Hong Kong's RCEP accession, largely because of the anticipated increase in economic activity and investment flows across Mainland China, Hong Kong and Japan, and due to improved access for service sectors and enhanced intellectual property rights protection, which will create new opportunities for different sectors, such as e-commerce.

Overall, more than half of the respondents suggested that Hong Kong's accession to RCEP would improve their company's ability to capture RCEP business opportunities. Providing marketing information about RCEP economies and encouraging co-ordination among public bodies and regulators were also seen as helpful.

Hong Kong as a base for regional business

The survey results echo the statements made in HKTDC Research's in-depth interviews conducted with Japan-affiliated companies in Hong Kong. These case studies show Hong Kong's competitive edges in a number of areas, which is beneficial to Japanese companies that aim to leverage Hong Kong as a base for business expansion in the region: solid financial infrastructure, well-established hub for international trade and logistics, quality professional services and a pool of diversified talents, prime location adjacent to GBA and among key economies in the Asia-Pacific.

Please read Japanese Business Perspectives series published by HKTDC Research for more details:

Interviewee: Takeshi Iida, President and Managing Director, Mitsubishi Corporation (Hong Kong)
Research article: Harnessing the Power of Hong Kong as a Commercial Hub
https://research.hktdc.com/en/article/MTEwNjgwMzA0MA

Interviewee: Atsushi (Ash) Kato, Head of Corporate Office, NTT DATA Hong Kong Limited
Research article: Integrating Regional Payment Solutions via the Hong Kong Hub
https://research.hktdc.com/en/article/MTEzMzgwMjM0Nw

Interviewee: Min Zhu, CEO, BYFIN (SBI Group)
Research article: Hong Kong-Facilitated GBA Fintech Opportunities
https://research.hktdc.com/en/article/MTA4OTc3MDI5Nw

Interviewee: Yoshinori Nakamura, Managing Director, Tachibana Sales (Hong Kong) Ltd
Research article: Hong Kong Powers Regional Electronics Trade
https://research.hktdc.com/en/article/MTE1NDU3ODg1Mg

Interviewee: Susumu Muguruma, Chief Operating Officer, Valuence Holdings
Research article: Taking the Pre-owned Luxury Goods Trade Global via Hong Kong
https://research.hktdc.com/en/article/MTEyNjA3MDkzOQ

References
– HKTDC Research website: http://research.hktdc.com/
– Japanese companies see Hong Kong as premier business platform to tap RCEP opportunities: https://bit.ly/41ZN80v
– Photo download: https://bit.ly/3AIpppV

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

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

The 13th PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Singapore) programme begins call for entries in resilient market

BUYERS MAINTAIN A POSITIVE VIEW OF THE MARKET’S LONG-TERM OUTLOOK

SINGAPORE, May 8, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – The PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Singapore) programme is now open for entries for its 13th edition in 2023.

Organisers of the 13th annual PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Singapore) now challenge the country’s leading and emerging development companies and design practices to compete for recognitions that showcase and provide an international platform for their exemplary, outstanding achievements.

Entry submissions are accepted online until 1 September 2023 via: asiapropertyawards.com/

The Singapore property market is off to a promising albeit slower start in 2023. The housing market remains resilient despite uncertain geopolitical and macroeconomic conditions, rising inflation, and increasing interest rates, according to the PropertyGuru Singapore Property Market Report Q1 2023.

Defying economic downside pressures, property prices climbed in 2022, partly due to tight supply, amid declining sales volumes across all property types. Despite the increased cost of acquiring homes, many buyers maintain a positive view of the market’s long-term outlook.

Jules Kay, general manager of PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards and Events, said: “Singapore developers continue to lead the way with designs and concepts that are not only deserving of international recognition, but also set a high standard for Southeast Asia. We are confident that this year’s entries will be just as exemplary, displaying Singaporean prowess in creating sustainable built environments and aspirational developments where people can live, work, and thrive.”

Kristin Thorsteins, chairperson of the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Singapore) and head of partnership growth for APAC at IWG PLC (Singapore), said: “In recent years, Singapore developers have demonstrated remarkable resilience and flexibility, responding to changes by creating more sustainable spaces and integrating nature into their projects. As we look ahead, we anticipate witnessing further benchmark-setting innovations among our entries this year, as Singapore continues to adapt to post-pandemic societal changes and prepares to face any challenge with unwavering determination and vigour.

“With a robust infrastructure ecosystem and a commitment to green-building technologies, Singapore is at the forefront of sustainable development, leading the way in reducing energy and water consumption, as well as carbon emissions. We are confident that Singapore’s developers will continue to drive innovation in the real estate industry, creating spaces that are not only resilient, but also sustainable and in harmony with nature.”

The black-tie gala dinner and presentation ceremony of the 13th PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Singapore) will take place at The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore ballroom on Friday, 27 October 2023.

Key dates for the 2023 edition:
1 September 2023 – Entries Close
11-29 September – Site Inspections
3 October 2023 – Final Judging
27 October 2023 – Gala Dinner and Awards Ceremony in Singapore
8 December 2023 – Regional Grand Final Gala Presentation in Bangkok, Thailand

The public are encouraged to submit their nominations before the deadline of entries on 1 September 2023 here: asiapropertyawards.com/nominations

Led by Thorsteins, an independent panel of judges, comprising experts in diverse fields such as real estate consultancy, architecture and interior design, and sustainable development, will participate in a rigorous process selecting the award recipients.

The resulting shortlist of nominees will be able to showcase their companies and projects to a wide network of property seekers, real estate agents, banks and valuers, and other enterprises served by PropertyGuru Group (NYSE: PGRU), Southeast Asia’s leading property technology company.

Supervised by HLB, the global network of independent advisory and accounting firms, the awards programme makes full use of a professionally run and fully transparent judging system, with an established reputation for fairness, credibility, and integrity.

Excellent Asian companies

Main winners from the 2023 edition of the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Singapore) will qualify to compete with other excellent companies across the region for the ‘Best in Asia’ honours at the 18th PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards Grand Final in Bangkok, Thailand on 8 December 2023.

Singapore companies scored several regional wins at the 17th PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards Grand Final 2022. GuocoLand was named Best Luxury Developer (Asia) and Best Sustainable Developer (Asia) while UOL Group Limited was named Best Hospitality Developer (Asia).

UOL Group Limited also won Best Hotel Development (Asia) for Pan Pacific Orchard. Park Nova by Shun Tak Holdings gained the Best Condo Architectural Design (Asia) title while Artyzen Singapore by Artyzen Hospitality Group won Best Hospitality Interior Design (Asia).

Established in 2005, the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards continue to reward high-calibre work within the industry, encompassing property development, construction, architecture, interior design, and sustainable building practices. The series initially covered Southeast Asia and has expanded over the years to include the region’s dynamic property markets, including Australia, China, Greater Niseko in Japan, and India.

The 13th PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Singapore) are supported by official portal partner PropertyGuru.com.sg; official magazine Property Report by PropertyGuru; media partner d+a Magazine; and official supervisor HLB.

For more information, email awards@propertyguru.com or visit the official website: AsiaPropertyAwards.com.

ABOUT PROPERTYGURU ASIA PROPERTY AWARDS:

PropertyGuru’s Asia Property Awards, established in 2005, are the region’s most exclusive and prestigious real estate awards programme. The Asia Property Awards are recognised as the ultimate hallmark of excellence in the Asian property sector. Boasting an independent panel of industry experts and trusted supervisors, the Awards have an unparalleled reputation for being credible, ethical, fair and transparent.

In 2023, the Awards series is open to more than a dozen key property markets around the region. The exciting gala events welcome senior industry leaders and top media, as well as reach property agents and consumers via live streaming. Recognising excellence within each Asian market with a variety of categories, including green and sustainable development, each local awards programme will culminate in the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards Grand Final, which takes place after the PropertyGuru Asia Real Estate Summit during ‘PropertyGuru Week’ in December 2023.

For more information, please visit AsiaPropertyAwards.com

ABOUT PROPERTYGURU GROUP:

PropertyGuru is Southeast Asia’s leading¹ PropTech company, and the preferred destination for over 41 million property seekers² to connect with more than 63,000 agents³ monthly to find their dream home. PropertyGuru empowers property seekers with more than 3.2 million real estate listings⁴, in-depth insights, and solutions that enable them to make confident property decisions across Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam.

PropertyGuru.com.sg was launched in Singapore in 2007 and since then PropertyGuru Group has made the property journey a transparent one for property seekers in Southeast Asia. In the last 15 years, PropertyGuru has grown into a high-growth PropTech company with a robust portfolio of leading property marketplaces across its core markets; award-winning mobile apps; mortgage marketplace, PropertyGuru Finance; and a host of enterprise solutions now under PropertyGuru For Business, including a high-quality developer sales enablement platform, FastKey, DataSense, ValueNet, Awards, events and publications across Asia.  

For more information, please visit: PropertyGuruGroup.com; PropertyGuru Group on LinkedIn.

¹Based on SimilarWeb data between July 2022 and December 2022
²Based on Google Analytics data between July 2022 and December 2022
³Based on data between July 2022 and December 2022
⁴Based on SimilarWeb data between July 2022 and December 2022

PROPERTYGURU CONTACTS:

General Enquiries:
Richard Allan Aquino, Head of Brand & Marketing Services
M: +66 92 954 4154
E: allan@propertyguru.com

Media & Partnerships:
Nate Dacua, Media Relations & Marketing Services Manager
M: +66 92 701 2510
E: nate@propertyguru.com

Sponsorships:
Kanittha Srithongsuk, Regional Manager, Awards Sponsorship
M: +66 93 293 9794
E: kanittha@propertyguru.com

Sales & Nominations:
Alicia Loh, Awards Manager (Singapore)
M: +65 8382 0078
E: alicia@propertyguru.com.sg

NOTE: Use of the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards logo is limited to the publication of this article only.

Malaysian Hospitality Sector Sees a 59% Growth in Hiring: foundit Insights Tracker

KUALA LUMPUR, May 8, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – foundit (formerly Monster APAC & ME) (www.foundit.my), one of the leading talent platforms, today published the foundit Insights Tracker (fit) for Malaysia, formerly published as Monster Employment Index (MEI). According to the tracker, e-recruitment in Malaysia has grown impressively by 13% over the past six months.

Additionally, the tracker recorded a YoY increase of 2.6%, with the index rising to 78 in March 2023 from 76 in March 2022. The tracker showed a 3% rise month over month, with an index of 76 in February. These encouraging figures imply that the labour market is improving gradually but steadily and that demand for online jobs will continue to increase in the upcoming months.

Commenting on Malaysia's job trends for Malaysia, Sekhar Garisa, CEO, foundit, said, "The job market in Malaysia has displayed remarkable resilience, showing consistent growth over the past year, reflecting a gradual but positive shift in the labour market. Despite ongoing concerns surrounding the global economic outlook, many companies are still actively seeking new talent, particularly individuals with specialized, high-demand skill sets. Hence, job seekers must stay up-to-date with industry demands and focus on building skills that give them an edge."

Hospitality and Retail Top the Charts, while IT and Logistic Industries Witness a Drop in Hiring Activity

The fit reveals that the Hospitality industry continued to dominate the job market in March 2023, with a YoY increase of 59%. The industry's increased adoption of sustainable solutions has been key in driving hiring demand. The Retail and BFSI industries saw a YoY increase in hiring demand in March 2023, with a 26% rise in Retail due to increasing sales in the consumer market, while BFSI saw a 17% increase driven by the development of digital banking ecosystems. Among others, the Oil and Gas industry saw an improved hiring demand in March 2023 with a YoY increase of 6%, as the sector was going through its low since November 2021.

However, the IT, Telecom/ISP, and BPO/ITES industries recorded a consecutive drop in hiring activity, with a YoY decrease of 24%. This trend can be attributed to recent retrenchments and hiring freezes by major tech companies. Additionally, the Logistics, Courier/Freight/Transportation, and Shipping/Marine industries experienced a major setback in hiring demand, with a YoY decrease of 21%. Other industries such as Engineering, Construction and Real Estate, Production/Manufacturing, Automotive and Ancillary, and Advertising, Market Research, Public Relations, Media, and Entertainment also saw a decline in hiring. These changes could be due to uncertain global economic conditions.

Hospitality & Travel, Sales & Business Development, and Finance & Accounts Lead the Way in Hiring Trends

In terms of functional roles, Hospitality & Travel saw the most significant demand in March 2023 with a growth of 210% YoY, followed by Sales & Business Development, which registered a consecutive uptick in hiring demand of 15% YoY. The Finance & Accounts function also saw an increase in risk management and compliance roles, with a growth of 13% YoY. The hospitality sector is experiencing a surge due to the rise in domestic tourism. Similarly, the Finance & Accounts function is seeing a rise in compliance roles due to regulatory changes, online sales channels.

On the other hand, the pace of growth moderated further for Customer Service roles, which registered a double-digit decline of 51% YoY. Additionally, Purchase/ Logistics/ Supply chain and Software, Hardware & Telecom job roles exhibited a decline in online recruitment levels vis-a-vis the previous year in March 2023, with a decline of 9% YoY and 3% YoY, respectively. There were fewer opportunities created YoY for Engineering/Production, and Real Estate professionals, with a decline of 2%, while other functions such as Marketing & Communications and HR & Admin saw a positive trend of 8% YoY and 1% YoY, respectively.

The foundit Insights Tracker is a comprehensive monthly analysis of online job posting activity conducted by foundit. Based on a real-time review of millions of employer job opportunities culled from a large, representative selection of online career outlets, the foundit Insights Tracker (FIT) presents a snapshot of employer online recruitment activity nationwide.

Period for the report

The period considered for the foundit Insights Tracker (fit) data is March 2022 to March 2023.

About foundit – APAC & Middle East

foundit, formerly Monster (APAC & ME), is a leading talent platform offering comprehensive employment solutions to recruiters and job seekers across APAC & ME. Since its inception, the company has assisted over 75 million registered users to find jobs, upskill, and connect with the right opportunities across 18 countries. Over the last two decades, the company has been a catalyst in the world of recruitment solutions with advanced technology, seeking to efficiently bridge the talent gap across industry verticals, experience levels, and geographies. Today, foundit is committed to enabling and connecting the right talent with the right opportunities by harnessing the power of deep tech to sharpen hyper-personalized job searches and precision hiring. foundit strongly believes that a job title doesn't define one's potential and leverages technology to dig deeper to curate opportunities central to the needs and aspirations of each user.

To learn more, about foundit in APAC & Gulf,
Visit: www.foundit.my | www.foundit.com.ph | https://www.foundit.in| | https://www.foundit.sg | www.foundit.com.hk | https://www.foundit.idhttps://www.founditgulf.com | https://www.foundit.sg | www.foundit.com.hk | https://www.foundit.id

Contact:
Namrata Sharma
Namrata.sharma@adfactorspr.com
+6581383034

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

International Healthcare Week returns to showcase Hong Kong’s strengths in healthcare innovation and investment

HONG KONG, May 4, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – The second International Healthcare Week (IHW), organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and supported by a wide range of healthcare sector partners, takes place from 16 to 31 May in Hong Kong, leveraging the city's strategic role as an innovation and investment hub for the healthcare industry in Asia.

Ms Margaret Fong, Executive Director of the HKTDC, joined Dr Donald Li, Chairman of the Elderly
Commission (L), and Dr Lydia Leung, Chairman of the Hong Kong Medical and Healthcare Device
Industries Association (R), to announce the details at today's press conference.

Syngular Technology Limited focuses on developing AR-based surgical assistance software solutions.

AusMed Global Limited introduces a breath ketone analyser that helps users monitor their physical
condition for diabetes and weight management.

The two flagship events of IHW are the third Asia Summit on Global Health (ASGH), co-organised by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and the HKTDC, and the 14th edition of the HKTDC Hong Kong International Medical and Healthcare Fair (Medical Fair), organised by the HKTDC.

Ms Margaret Fong, Executive Director of the HKTDC, said: "As an international financial centre, world-class research hub and important connector within the Guangdong-Hong-Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), Hong Kong offers an ideal platform for global healthcare development, with the city playing a pivotal role in the rapidly developing industry in Asia.

She is pleased to see that, with pandemic restrictions lifted and the resumption of normal travel, local and global healthcare industry players are ready to reconnect at full speed.

"The second IHW provides the perfect opportunity to bring together the world's elite in the medical, research and financial fields in Hong Kong," she added.

Ms Fong also welcomes and thanks the healthcare sector partners for joining IHW. "Our partnerships make this event very meaningful and highlights the importance of collaboration to drive forward the healthcare industry. We hope to collaborate with more groups next year."

IHW will also feature the following:
– Hospital Authority Convention 2023
– HKMHDIA Medical Fair Forum – Hong Kong as the International MedTech Hub
– CUHK ENT Conference 2023
– Seminar on Embracing the Era of Genomic Medicine: Research, Training and Clinical Applications
– Seminar on Let's Talk about Eczema
– 35th Anniversary Prostate Health Check and Exhibition
– Scientific Seminar – 2023 AIRP Course in Hong Kong
– Seminar on Prevention of Sarcopenia and Frailty
– CU Allergy Week 2023
– HKVCA 22nd China Private Equity Summit 2023 – Panel Discussion on Healthcare and Biotechnology industries

Building an all-round healthcare platform to boost collaboration

ASGH will take place on 17 and 18 May, with the first day held in-person at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) and the second day taking place virtually.

Under the theme "Reimagining the Future of Healthcare", the Summit will feature more than 80 speakers, including healthcare officials and organisations from around the world, international science and medical experts, university academics and researchers, investors, business leaders and financial specialists. They will discuss the latest developments in public health, medical technology and healthcare investment and explore the future of the healthcare ecosystem and opportunities within it.

Mr John Lee, Chief Executive of the HKSAR, will deliver the opening remarks on the first day, with Ms Yu Yanhong, Member of the Leading Party Members' Group of the National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China and Secretary of the Leading Party Members' Group and Deputy Director of the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, addressing the summit as a guest speaker.

Plenary sessions and plenary talks feature a diversity of healthcare leaders and industry experts highlighting the evolution of healthcare and the importance of closer cross-sector collaboration. These are complemented by thematic sessions that deep dive into various aspects of healthcare, including biotech and medtech, climate change and health, Chinese Western medicine, ageing, wellness and much more.

At ASGH and the Medical Fair, a series of deal-sourcing and deal-making sessions will be held to help enterprises, start-ups, investors and buyers build connections and expand their business.

ASGH Deal-Making on day one of the Summit will connect project owners with potential investors and business partners worldwide. The projects will cover pharmaceuticals, medical devices and diagnostics, AI and digital health, community health and wellness, and more. To facilitate business matchmaking and provide exposure for projects in need of fundraising, live project pitching by more than 30 start-ups will take place in the ASGH exhibition area.

Also on day one, the InnoHealth Showcase and exhibition area at the HKCEC will feature more than 140 healthcare start-ups. The Business of Healthcare Advisory Zone will feature biotechnology and healthcare start-ups. Investors and industry experts will be on hand to offer a range of consulting services for start-ups, including fundraising, R&D cooperation, market access and more.

Exploring medical technology trends and solutions

The Medical Fair, organised by the HKTDC and co-organised by the Hong Kong Medical and Healthcare Device Industries Association (HKMHDIA), runs under the theme "Unleash the Power of Smart Health".

This year's event has attracted more than 300 exhibitors from Hong Kong, Canada, Mainland China, Japan, Taiwan and the United States. Highlighted zones include Biotechnology, Hospital Equipment, Rehabilitation and Elderly Care, World of Health & Wellness, Medical Supplies and Disposables and Laboratory Equipment & Manufacturing Solutions, along with pavilions from the HKMHDIA and Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks (HKSTP). The zones will feature the latest medical technologies and equipment along with medical, healthcare and related services, enabling industry participants to source the latest products and services.

Universities have become major hubs for research and development (R&D) in the medtech field. Six local universities will showcase R&D accomplishments relating to the medical and health industries at the Medical Fair. HKSTP is organising a sizeable pavilion where it will showcase cutting-edge technological developments from 30 corporations including start-up companies it has nurtured.

The Medical Fair will highlight a wide range of the latest top-notch medical equipment, such as a robotic exoskeleton that helps patients relearn how to walk following spinal cord injuries, a stroke or other brain traumas.

Also on display will be a 5G hearing aid that successfully cuts noise by 90% and helps users to hear well in noisy places, and a breath ketone analyser that measures breath ketone instantly to help users monitor their physical condition for diabetes and weight management.

A variety of events will be held throughout the Medical Fair, including the HKMHDIA Medical Fair Forum organised by the HKMHDIA in partnership with the HKTDC on the first day (16 May). Under the theme "Hong Kong as the International MedTech Hub", industry experts will discuss what is needed to set up medical technology enterprises in Hong Kong and other GBA cities and unpack the medtech ecosystems in both places, covering everything from regulations and intellectual property issues to product design, manufacturing and cybersecurity.

The Medical Fair will once again run under the EXHIBITION+ hybrid model. In addition to the physical fair at HKCEC from 16 to 18 May, exhibitors and buyers from around the world can continue conducting business online via the Click2Match smart business matching platform until 25 May.

Websites
– International Healthcare Week: https://internationalhealthcareweek.hktdc.com/en
– Asia Summit On Global Health: https://www.asiasummitglobalhealth.com/conference/asgh/en
– Programme: https://www.asiasummitglobalhealth.com/conference/asgh/en/programme
– Speakers: https://www.asiasummitglobalhealth.com/conference/asgh/en/speaker
– Hong Kong International Medical and Healthcare Fair: https://www.hktdc.com/event/hkmedicalfair/en
– Interesting product list and Activity schedule: https://bit.ly/3V9mv6S
– Media Room: http://mediaroom.hktdc.com
– Photo download: https://bit.ly/3p2DfAB

Members of the media interested in interviewing ASGH speakers can email ayiu@yuantung.com.hk on or before 15 May 2023.

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

For enquiries please contact:

Asia Summit on Global Health
Yuan Tung Financial Relations:
Anson Wong, Tel: +852 3428 3413, Email: awong@yuantung.com.hk
Agnes Yiu, Tel: +852 3428 5690, Email: ayiu@yuantung.com.hk
Hing-Fung Wong, Tel: +852 3428 3122, Email: hfwong@yuantung.com.hk

HKTDC's Communications & Public Affairs Department:
Janet Chan, Tel: +852 2584 4369, Email: janet.ch.chan@hktdc.org
Agnes Wat, Tel: +852 2584 4554, Email: agnes.ky.wat@hktdc.org

Hong Kong International Medical and Healthcare Fair
HKTDC's Communications & Public Affairs Department:
Frankie Leung, Tel: +852 2584 4298, Email: frankie.cy.leung@hktdc.org

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

Palladium One Completes Previously Announced Acquisition of MetalCorp Limited, Expanding its Canadian Footprint

TORONTO, ON, May 4, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – Palladium One Mining Inc. (TSXV: PDM) (FSE: 7N11) (OTCQB: NKORF) ("Palladium One" or "PDM") and MetalCorp Limited (TSXV: MTC) ("MetalCorp" or "MTC") are pleased to announce the successful completion of their previously-announced statutory plan of arrangement under the provisions of the Business Corporations Act (Ontario) (the "Arrangement"). Pursuant to the Arrangement, among other things, Palladium One acquired all of the issued and outstanding shares of MetalCorp. The Arrangement became effective at 12:01 a.m. (Toronto time) on May 2, 2023 (the "Effective Time"), resulting in MetalCorp becoming a wholly-owned subsidiary of Palladium One.

Under the terms of the Arrangement, each former MetalCorp shareholder ("MTC Shareholders") is entitled to receive, in exchange for each common share in the capital of MetalCorp (a "MTC Share") held, 0.30 of a common share in the capital of Palladium One (each whole share, a "PDM Share") (the "Exchange Ratio"). Further, under the Arrangement, all options to acquire MTC Shares outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time are exchanged for stock options to purchase PDM Shares at the Exchange Ratio.

"The deemed value of the MetalCorp acquisition is approximately $3.3 million paid in shares, and for that Palladium One assumes approximately $1.8 million of cash and for the remainder of the purchase price being approximately $1.5 million obtains optionality on both precious metal and critical mineral projects in Ontario, Canada. Importantly, Palladium One assumes a significant pool of assessment credits and therefore has no spending obligations for many years to come," commented Derrick Weyrauch, President and Chief Executive Officer of PDM.

In order to receive the PDM Shares in exchange for their MTC Shares, registered MTC Shareholders are reminded that they must complete, sign and return the letter of transmittal to Computershare Investor Services Inc., in its capacity as depositary under the Arrangement, together with their certificate(s) or DRS statement(s) representing their MTC Shares, in accordance with the tender procedures described in MTC's management information circular dated March 22, 2023 (the "Circular") which is available on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) under MTC's issuer profile. Any MTC Shares held in the CDS system were automatically deposited under the Arrangement and the beneficial shareholders thereof will receive the PDM Shares at the Exchange Ratio in respect of such MTC Shares.

If you have any questions or require more information with regard to the procedures for receiving the PDM Share consideration, please contact Computershare Investor Services Inc., by (i) telephone within North America at 1-800-564-6253 or (ii) email at corporateactions@computershare.com.

Advisors and Counsel

Bennett Jones LLP is acting as Palladium One's legal advisor. Dickinson Wright LLP is acting as MTC's legal advisor.

Grant of Incentive Awards

Palladium One also announces that its board of directors has granted:

(i) 275,000 restricted share units ("RSUs") to certain employees, advisors and consultants of Palladium One, which vest in three years;
(ii) 1,525,000 stock options to certain officers and directors of Palladium One, which are exercisable for five years at a price of $0.11 per PDM Share with 1/3rd vesting immediately and 1/3rd annually thereafter; and
(iii) 550,000 stock options to certain employees, advisors and consultants of Palladium One, which are exercisable for five years at a price of $0.11 per PDM Share with 1/3rd vesting immediately and 1/3rd annually thereafter.

About Palladium One

Palladium One Mining Inc. (TSXV: PDM) is focused on discovering environmentally and socially conscious Metals for Green Transportation. A Canadian mineral exploration and development company, Palladium One is targeting district scale, platinum-group-element (PGE)-copper-nickel deposits in Canada and Finland. The Lantinen Koillismaa (LK) Project in north-central Finland, is a PGE-copper-nickel project that has existing NI43-101 Mineral Resources, while both the Tyko and Canalask high-grade nickel-copper projects are located in Ontario and the Yukon, Canada, respectively. Follow Palladium One on LinkedIn, Twitter, and at www.palladiumoneinc.com.

For further information contact:
Derrick Weyrauch, President & CEO
Email: info@palladiumoneinc.com
Telephone: 647-612-6466

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This press release is not an offer or a solicitation of an offer of securities for sale in the United States of America. The common shares of Palladium One Mining Inc. have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration.

Information set forth in this press release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that relate to future, not past events. In this context, forward-looking statements often address a company's expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect", and "intend", statements that an action or event "may", "might", "could", "should", or "will" be taken or occur, or other similar expressions. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release include, without limitation, statements with respect to: the expected synergies and benefits of the Transaction, the future price of nickel, copper, gold, and cobalt, the estimation of mineral resources, costs and timing of the development of projects and new deposits, success of exploration, currency fluctuations, requirements for additional capital, government regulation of mining operations, and environmental risks. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.

Such factors include, among others, risks associated with the results of regulatory approvals for the Arrangement, the integration of MetalCorp with Palladium One, the quality of the title of MetalCorp to its assets and the extent of any known, unknown or contingent liabilities of MetalCorp, the results of the exploration at Hemlo East or North Rock Copper, the accuracy of the mineral resource estimates at Hemlo East or North Rock Copper; project development; the need for additional financing; operational risks associated with mining and mineral processing; fluctuations in palladium and other commodity prices; title matters; environmental liability claims and insurance; reliance on key personnel; the absence of dividends; competition; dilution; the volatility of our common share price and volume; and tax consequences to Canadian and U.S. shareholders. Forward-looking statements are made based on management's beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date that statements are made and the Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/164673

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

Dato’ Seri Dr Derek Goh Installed as President of Singapore Apex Teochew Association in presence of Deputy Prime Minister Mr Heng Swee Keat

SINGAPORE, May 3, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – Dato' Seri Dr Derek Goh BBM (L), a renowned Singapore business and community leader has been installed as the 47th President of the Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan (TPIHK), the leading clan association of the Teochew community in Singapore. The installation was officiated by the Guest of Honour, Mr Heng Swee Keat, Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies.

George Quek, Adviser and Hon Lifetime President, Chan Kian Kuan, Immediate Past President,
Heng Swee Keat, DPM, Derek Goh, Chua Kee Teang, Lifetime Honorary President and
Woo Chee Chay, Deputy President [L-R]

The installation (for the 2023-2024 term of two years) of the TPIHK President and 54-member Board of Directors at a dinner on 2 May 2023 was attended by over 1,000 Teochew and Chinese business and community leaders from Singapore and the region. Also present were Singapore Government leaders including ministers, mayors, senior parliamentary secretaries and members of parliament. Excellencies from Brunei, Belgium, Chile, Hungary, Jordan, Portugal, Qatar and Timor-Lester also graced the event.

Established in 1929 with 6,500 members, the TPIHK is the apex organisation of various Teochew clan associations in Singapore representing the community whose ancestor originate from the eight districts in Guangdong Province, China. Numbering about 700,000 out of the 3.02 million ethnic Chinese residents in Singapore, Teochews comprise the second largest dialect group after the Hokkiens.

At the new board installation ceremony, DPM Heng said he was pleased to learn that the new leadership is taking a further step forward to support the local Teochew business community in seizing new opportunities across the region, while playing a part to foster an inclusive society.

In his installation speech, Dato' Seri Dr Goh said that as the association prepares to celebrate its centenary in six years, its leadership has been placed with an onerous task facing the community, Singapore, and the world at large.

While emerging from the ravages of the pandemic, new challenges such as geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty have emerged. He urged the Teochews to contribute to the community, society and the country, including to the Forward Singapore social compact – amid these challenges.

"Our forefathers, seeking a better life when they left their hometowns, faced numerous challenges when they arrived here and other parts of Asia. They banded together to identify the problems facing the community. The Teochew spirit has always revolved around trust and contributing to the community, society and country that we live in," he said.

Dato' Seri Dr Goh, the founder of SGX Mainboard-listed Serial System Limited and a past recipient of numerous entrepreneurship and corporate awards, outlined four main initiatives. The TPIHK under his leadership has adopted the theme 'Thriving Together, Excellence Beyond'.

The first is to further strengthen unity among various Teochew clan associations so that they can participate more actively with a single voice with other clan associations and civic organisations of the ethnic Chinese community in Singapore.

Second, TPIHK leaders also need to attract Teochew youths, encourage the latter to appreciate their heritage and to contribute actively to the community and conversations on Forward Singapore.

Third, the association must uphold the spirit of giving back to society by strengthening ties with grassroots organisations to care and support the needy and vulnerable groups regardless of race, language and religion.

Finally, Dato' Seri Goh and his team will seek to forge stronger ties with Teochew organisations overseas to improve networking and business opportunities among the Teochew diaspora in an age of globalisation and digitalisation.

A special recognition was made to TPIHK's past presidents for their contributions to the organisation. Appreciation tokens were also presented to key sponsors and donors of the installation ceremony.

TPIHK President's speech (PDF): https://www.acnnewswire.com/docs/files/20230503_TPIHK.pdf

Media Contact:
Ms Tan Siew Kiang
Chief Executive Secretary, TPIHK
Hp: +65 9199 6320
Email: poitip@teochew.sg

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

Moderna Announces Establishment of an Enterprise Solutions Hub and Commercial Operations in The Philippines

Cambridge, MA, May 3, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – Moderna, Inc. (NASDAQ:MRNA), a biotechnology company pioneering messenger RNA (mRNA) therapeutics and vaccines, today announced plans to establish an Enterprise Solutions Hub in the Philippines. The Moderna Enterprise Solutions Hub will provide business services across the Asia Pacific region, where Moderna currently has operations in six markets. Moderna also plans to establish commercial operations in the Philippines.

"We are pleased to expand our footprint into the Philipines by establishing an Enterprise Solutions Hub and commercial operations. The Philippines has a critical mix of talent and global business service expertise, which makes it an excellent location to scale efficiently and provide regional support," said Stephane Bancel, Chief Executive Officer of Moderna."The Asia Pacific region is integral to Moderna's business, with established subsidiaries in Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan. We look forward to further solidifying our presence. The addition of the Philippines site completes our strategy to provide regional solutions across the business, complementing our existing locations in Atlanta, Georgia, which services the Americas, and Warsaw, Poland, which covers Europe, the Middle East, and Africa."

"We are very pleased that Moderna has selected the Philippines as the location for its third Enterprise Solutions Hub, serving the Asia Pacific market. We are confident that the Philippines has the talent and the capabilities to support Moderna's operations and drive its expansion throughout the region. The Philippines is well-positioned to host global services and facilities that advance health and pharmaceutical technology. Our partnership with Moderna underscores the Philippines' position in promoting healthcare and addressing emerging health threats. It also highlights Moderna's role in delivering life-saving vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic and the ability and promise of their mRNA platform," said Jose Manuel G. Romualdez, Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines to the United States.

Moderna will provide enterprise solutions in the Philippines, similar to its counterparts in Warsaw, Poland, and Atlanta, US, which were established in May 2021 and March 2022, respectively. The Hub will initially house finance, pharmacovigilance, medical, and HR personnel, in addition to commercial-focused roles, to support its direct presence in the market. Moderna will continue to identify opportunities to host additional functions and business services as the Company grows and operations mature. The Company expects to employ approximately 40-50 employees in the Philippines in 2023.

The Moderna Enterprise Solutions Hub Philippines will provide new capabilities, service lines, and capacity to help meet the growth of Moderna's commercial and business operations in the Asia Pacific region. Moderna plans to begin operations in the Philippines in the second/third quarter of 2023.

About Moderna

In over 10 years since its inception, Moderna has transformed from a research-stage company advancing programs in the field of messenger RNA (mRNA), to an enterprise with a diverse clinical portfolio of vaccines and therapeutics across seven modalities, a broad intellectual property portfolio, and integrated manufacturing facilities that allow for rapid clinical and commercial production at scale. Moderna maintains alliances with a broad range of domestic and overseas government and commercial collaborators, which has allowed for the pursuit of both groundbreaking science and rapid scaling of manufacturing. Most recently, Moderna's capabilities have come together to allow the authorized use and approval of one of the earliest and most effective vaccines against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Moderna's mRNA platform builds on continuous advances in basic and applied mRNA science, delivery technology and manufacturing, and has allowed the development of therapeutics and vaccines for infectious diseases, immuno-oncology, rare diseases, cardiovascular diseases and auto-immune diseases. Moderna has been named a top biopharmaceutical employer by Science for the past eight years. To learn more, visit www.modernatx.com.

Moderna Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, including statements regarding: the Company's plans to establish an Enterprise Solutions Hub in the Philippines and anticipated hiring and staffing for the Hub; and the plans to establish commercial operations in the Philippines. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "may," "should," "could," "expects," "intends," "plans," "aims," "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "predicts," "potential," "continue," or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. The forward-looking statements in this press release are neither promises nor guarantees, and you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements because they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond Moderna's control and which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties, and other factors include, among others, those risks and uncertainties described under the heading "Risk Factors" in Moderna's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022 filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and in subsequent filings made by Moderna with the SEC, which are available on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Except as required by law, Moderna disclaims any intention or responsibility for updating or revising any forward-looking statements contained in this press release in the event of new information, future developments or otherwise. These forward-looking statements are based on Moderna's current expectations and speak only as of the date of this press release.

Contacts

Media:
Luke Mircea Willats
Senior Director, Corporate Communications
Luke.Mirceawillats@modernatx.com

Investors:
Lavina Talukdar
Senior Vice President& Head of Investor Relations
Lavina.Talukdar@modernatx.com
617-209-5834

SOURCE: Moderna, Inc.

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

Atlas Lithium Receives US$ 20,000,000 in Non-Dilutive Funding via a Royalty Transaction

Belo Horizonte, Brazil, May 2, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – Atlas Lithium Corporation (NASDAQ: ATLX) ("Atlas Lithium" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that the Company sold a 3.0% Gross Overriding Revenue royalty to Lithium Royalty Corp. ("LRC") (TSX: LIRC) in exchange for an upfront cash consideration of US$ 20,000,000 (the "Transaction") received today. These funds will expedite the development of Atlas Lithium's world-class hard-rock lithium project located in the Lithium Valley, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. LRC is widely considered the premier lithium-focused royalty company and recently completed a highly successful initial public offering. This Transaction is the largest lithium royalty deal in Brazil to date and underscores the quality of Atlas Lithium's mineral assets. The details of the Transaction can be found in the Current Report on Form 8-K which was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission today.

Marc Fogassa, Atlas Lithium's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer commented: "This is a landmark transaction for Atlas Lithium. Mr. Ernie Ortiz, the President and CEO of LRC, is one of the most experienced lithium investors in the world. As part of his due diligence, he met our management and operational teams, visited our Neves Project, and witnessed our drilling campaign first-hand. Mr. Ortiz has been an advocate for clean energy since 2014, and it is a privilege to have him and LRC partner with us and support our growth. Twenty million dollars is our largest raise and will solidly reinforce our continued growth. Importantly, this capital was raised in an entirely non-dilutive manner: not a single share of stock was sold."

Atlas Lithium currently has 10 active drills working towards delineating the lithium resource at the Neves Project, which represents a cluster of four claims out of the Company's total of 64 mineral rights for hard-rock lithium. An initial mineral resource report for the Neves Project under the guidelines of Regulation SK 1300 (the "Resource Report") is expected to be released in mid-2023. The Company will continue its drilling campaign following the publication of the Resource Report and plans on releasing periodic updates to such report as further drilling data is obtained.

Atlas Lithium's drilling campaign is focused on its flagship pegmatite, "Anitta," a 1.1-kilometer formation which has been proven to contain high-quality spodumene, a key lithium-bearing mineral. Anitta remains open along strike and at depth; the current drilling campaign is intended to determine the pegmatite's dimensions. Recently, the Company reported that a drill hole within Anitta identified a spodumene intersect with a high geochemical reading of 4.40% Li2O. The drilling activity within Anitta has yielded multiple instances of fresh, high-grade spodumene intersects located near the surface, a characteristic that is conducive to the development of an open pit mine.

Recently, Atlas Lithium disclosed that it had received the final metallurgical report ("Metallurgical Report") from SGS Canada Inc. ("SGS") for studies performed over several months on a representative ore sample from the Neves Project. The metallurgical results obtained by SGS showed highly effective separation, high recovery rate, and negligible impurities using standard, environmentally friendly Dense Media Separation ("DMS") techniques. The Metallurgical Report will become a chapter in the forthcoming Resource Report. Following the completion of the Metallurgical Report, SGS will begin work on a Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") which is expected to be issued approximately two months after the Resource Report.

About Atlas Lithium Corporation

Atlas Lithium Corporation (NASDAQ: ATLX) is focused on advancing and developing its 100%-owned hard-rock lithium projects which consist of 64 mineral rights spread over approximately 75,040 acres (304 km2) located primarily in the Lithium Valley area of the state of Minas Gerais in Brazil. In total, Atlas Lithium has 100% ownership of mineral rights for almost all battery metals including lithium (304 km2), nickel (222 km2), rare earths (122 km2), titanium (89 km2), and graphite (56 km2), in addition to mining concessions for gold, diamonds, and sand. The Company also owns approximately 45% of Apollo Resources Corp. (private company; iron) and approximately 28% of Jupiter Gold Corp. (OTCQB: JUPGF; gold and quartzite).

About Lithium Royalty Corp.

Lithium Royalty Corp. ("LRC") (TSX: LIRC) is a lithium-focused royalty company with a globally diversified portfolio of 31 high grade, top quartile revenue royalties on mineral properties around the world that supply and are expected to supply raw materials to support the electrification of transportation and decarbonization of the global economy. Our portfolio is focused on high-grade and low-cost mineral projects that are primarily located in top tier jurisdictions predominantly in Australia, Canada, South America and the United States. LRC is a signatory to the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment, and the integration of ESG factors and sustainable mining are important considerations in our investment analysis and royalty acquisitions.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward looking statements are based upon the current plans, estimates and projections of Atlas Lithium Corporation and its subsidiaries (collectively, "Atlas Lithium" or "Company") and are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ from the forward- looking statements. Such statements include, among others, those concerning market and industry segment growth and demand and acceptance of new and existing products; any projections of production, reserves, sales, earnings, revenue, margins or other financial items; any statements of the plans, strategies and objectives of management for future operations; any statements regarding future economic conditions or performance; uncertainties related to conducting business in Brazil, as well as all assumptions, expectations, predictions, intentions or beliefs about future events. Therefore, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements: results from ongoing geotechnical analysis of projects; business conditions in Brazil; general economic conditions, geopolitical events and regulatory changes; availability of capital; Atlas Lithium's ability to maintain its competitive position; and dependence on key management.

Additional risks related to the Company and its subsidiaries are more fully discussed in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 30, 2023. Please also refer to the Company's other filings with the SEC, all of which are available at www.sec.gov. In addition, any forward-looking statements represent the Company's views only as of today and should not be relied upon as representing its views as of any subsequent date. The Company explicitly disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

Investor Relations
Michael Kim or Brooks Hamilton
MZ Group – MZ North America
+1 (949) 546-6326
ATLX@mzgroup.us
https://www.atlas-lithium.com/
@Atlas_Lithium

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/164479

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