Surayyah Ahmad on Greater Participation for Nigerian Women in Tech

ABUJA, NG, Jan 2, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – Surayyah Ahmad, Ethco Group Ltd co-founder and Executive Secretary of Startup AREWA has discussed the underrepresentation of Nigerian women in the tech industry, and women's effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in the tech ecosystem. She identified several important elements that can raise women's involvement in technology and help the nation achieve a balanced workforce.

Surayyah Ahmad, Ethco co-founder and Executive Secretary, Startup AREWA, discussed underrepresentation of Nigerian women in the tech industry and opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in the tech ecosystem. [Image: Startup AREWA]

"Studies from all across the world are showing that women are underrepresented in the tech industry, despite recent headlines concentrating on tech hiring sprees and the underrepresentation of diverse populations. Although the reasons for this differ, it is known that many people's decision to seek a career in technology dates back to their elementary school years," she says.

Women hold only 18% of undergraduate computer science degrees and 26% of computing occupations, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Since the 1990s, there has been a decrease in the proportion of women working in computer science-related fields, from 35% to 26% between 1990 and 2013. According to the United Nations, only one in five experts in technical disciplines like artificial intelligence are women.

Only 16% of females at the pre-university level have had tech occupations recommended to them, and only 3% of them originally planned to pursue careers in technology, according to a recent report by Price Waterhouse Coppers (PwC) survey on women in technology. This figure is less in conservative regions such as Northern Nigeria, which, according to a World Bank report, could take more than 40 years to catch up with the country's southern region.

Regardless of the disparity in accessing opportunities, women are starting to develop ideas and lead change through technology in their immediate contexts, despite the disparities in access. Things are gradually changing as more young women become interested in technology. Despite the underrepresentation of women in the tech industry globally, women have demonstrated a remarkable capacity to advance society, such as by reviving small and medium-sized businesses in Nigeria.

Surayyah cited two sisters in Nigeria as an example of this achievement of women in technology. The sisters took the initiative to create an app, which would provide technical support to micro, small, and medium-sized businesses. According to the sisters, Kesandu and Dumebi Nwokolo, the app is intended to assist budding entrepreneurs and serve as a stepping stone that will increase visibility and ostensibly display these abilities, goods and services to the world.

Ms. Odunayo Eweniyi, the Co-founder of Piggy Vest, has opined that in Africa, the normative beliefs that put women in subordination to men as a culture while encouraging patriarchy have put women on the sidelines of critical decision-making around the world. She says, "The lack of women in tech can't be explained away by innate biological differences. It is really down to a combination of systemic bias, men funding men, and a working culture that excludes women."

Surayyah states that more women from Northern Nigeria are coming up with programs to help Northern women get into tech. Start-up Kano run by Aisha Tofa, the Brief Academy run by Farida Yahya, and TTlabs are currently some of the female-led institutions driving the inclusion of northern women in technology, mostly by providing mentoring and sponsorship to technology institutions.

Giving girls early access to technology is a good start, but it's never too late to give women the chance to get the experience they need to start a career in technology. Organizations can create valuable technical talent development programs that promote women and help diversity in representation and ideas, which frequently results in even greater innovation.

"Through job shadowing or internships, these programs give women a chance to learn technical skills that they can use in real life. Participants can learn useful information and meet other people who are interested in the same things they are. Even the experience gained can help develop their talents and launch a technological career," Surayyah said.

About Startup AREWA

Startup AREWA was established to organize, empower and promote the Northern Nigeria technology and Startup Ecosystem, with the overarching goal of using technology and startups as a strategy to combat unemployment and poverty across the Northern Nigeria.

From the first Bootcamp at Bello Memorial Foundation Hall in Kaduna to a series of over 20 Bootcamps across Northern Nigeria, engaging over 5000 Startups with support from innovators and public-private leaders, Startup AREWA is implementing its strategic plan of promoting and providing real-time support to Startups.

Official website: https://startuparewa.ng
Facebook: https://facebook.com/startuparewa
Twitter: https://twitter.com/startuparewa
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startuparewa/
Email: hello@startuparewa.ng

For more information, please visit https://startuparewa.ng, write to contact@startuparewa.ng, or call us on +234 90 9685 9999.

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

Dr. Marliyyah Mahmood discusses the Impact of Tech on Women in Northern Nigeria

ABUJA, NG, Jan 2, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – Dr. Marliyyah A. Mahmood, Women In Tech and Project Manager for Startup AREWA, discusses how technology is enabling and enhancing women's empowerment in Northern Nigeria. She emphasizes some of the fundamental advantages of social media technologies, such as giving women access to a virtual environment where they may express themselves.

Dr. Marliyyah A. Mahmood, Women In Tech, Project Manager for Startup AREWA, spoke on how technology is enabling and enhancing women's empowerment in Northern Nigeria. [Image: Startup AREWA]

"It is impossible to overstate the importance of women in the growth of any nation, state, or community. This is to reiterate the critical role that women's education plays in long-term national development, which begins at home. Women are frequently observed to be the children's first teachers at home. A mother's influence on upbringing in any developing country, and the empowerment of women, has a significant impact on key developmental outcomes like health, education, reproductive patterns, income level, and other factors," said Dr Mahmood.

While a report from PWC in April 2020 states that 41% of micro-businesses in Nigeria are owned by women, a report in EFInA stated that 55% of the financially excluded adults in Nigeria are women, and of the 25.1 million financially excluded in the north, 13.1 million are women. Business transactions are largely cash within informal channels, as business funds are kept at home because financial institutions are concentrated in the state capital, while poor record-keeping from transacting through informal channels in turn hampers eligibility for credit.

The previous census, which was performed in 2006, indicated that women made up around 49.7% of the population of Nigeria. Despite this, Nigerian women (particularly those in the northern region) have not been able to change the long-standing status that society accords to women. There are a number of reasons why women in Northern Nigerian society are treated unequally, the majority of which can be linked to the patriarchal system in place and the general lack of gender awareness among the rural population, including women who have been socialized to accept their subordinate position.

However, with better access to information online, women have developed a greater sense of awareness. Online educational content, blogs videos and social media tools have given women access to a virtual world that provides them with opportunities for self-expression. Digital platforms are aiming to be more inclusive than ever before in light of the changing political conscience. It is now essential, not simply an option, to guarantee women's safety, inclusivity, and a voice at all intersections.

Through online workspaces, more women have recently been able to achieve financial independence. There are now more jobs available for women thanks to specific job postings on numerous online portals. Housewives or moms who have taken extended absences from the workforce now have access to special possibilities to re-enter the workforce. Many websites provide part-time and full-time occupations that people can undertake from home.

In Northern Nigeria, Startup AREWA and Financial Service Innovation (FSI) organized a virtual hackathon on financial inclusion amongst female entrepreneurs within the northern region by proffering simple and easy-to-use fintech solutions to increase more of their participation in setting up businesses. The innovative solutions developed from this hackathon were able to tackle the challenges faced by unbanked and underbanked female entrepreneurs in Northern Nigeria.

Dr. Marliyyah reveals how women now have access to a wide range of created opportunities online as a result of technology advancements. "Technology has helped women affirm their freedom of expression and right to the workforce, which they frequently find difficult to accomplish. This is a really great achievement that shows how it can be utilized to empower those with disadvantaged identities.

"However, it must not be overlooked that having internet access is necessary in order to take use of these virtual prospects. How many women and members of underrepresented groups actually have access to such technology is still an open subject. To ensure that intersectional gaps are filled and that technology and the internet are more widely available, intervention is necessary in this context."

About Startup AREWA

Startup AREWA was established to organize, empower and promote the Northern Nigeria technology and Startup Ecosystem, with the overarching goal of using technology and startups as a strategy to combat unemployment and poverty across the Northern Nigeria.

From the first Bootcamp at Bello Memorial Foundation Hall in Kaduna to a series of over 20 Bootcamps across Northern Nigeria, engaging over 5000 Startups with support from innovators and public-private leaders, Startup AREWA is implementing its strategic plan of promoting and providing real-time support to Startups.

Official website: https://startuparewa.ng
Facebook: https://facebook.com/startuparewa
Twitter: https://twitter.com/startuparewa
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startuparewa/
Email: hello@startuparewa.ng

For more information, please visit https://startuparewa.ng, write to contact@startuparewa.ng, or call us on +234 90 9685 9999.

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

Society Pass (Nasdaq: SOPA)/Thoughtful Media Group Acquires More Media, Indonesia-based Digital Design and Branding Agency

SINGAPORE, Dec 28, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – Thoughtful Media Group Inc ("Thoughtful Media" or "TMG"), the Thailand-based social commerce-focused, premium digital advertising network of Society Pass Incorporated ("SoPa") (Nasdaq: SOPA), Southeast Asia's (SEA) next generation, data-driven, loyalty, fintech and e-commerce ecosystem, today announces the acquisition of More Media, a leading Indonesia-based creative design and branding agency. The More Media acquisition extends TMG's social commerce and influencer advertising business reach beyond Thailand and Vietnam and into the booming Indonesia digital advertising sector.

Founded in 2021 as an international caliber design and branding agency serving up-and-coming Indonesian companies in the beauty, F&B, e-commerce and logistics sectors, More Media has grown its client base through quick deployment of value-added services and understanding of the local market tastes. With its focus on storytelling and providing end-to-end branding services, More Media has onboarded a diverse roster of clients such as Langsre, Emilia, Kei Dining, and Allino. Post acquisition, More Media is re-branded as Thoughtful Media Indonesia with its Co-Founder, Eugenia Agnes Gusti, appointed as VP of Business Development for Thoughtful Media to drive sales and onboard Indonesia clients onto the regional TMG digital advertising platform.

Mr. Dennis Nguyen, Society Pass Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer/TMG Chairman, exclaims, "We are so excited to welcome Eugenia Agnes Gusti, Ursula Michelle and the rest of the More Media into our ever-expanding TMG platform. More Media seamlessly blends into our product and geographical growth strategy for TMG as we enter yet another leading SEA market. By combining More Media's market leading design and branding capabilities in Indonesia with TMG's social commerce and influencer advertising focused MPN, we leverage our storytelling capabilities and amplify SoPa's upcoming loyalty offering. And with this acquisition, TMG now operates in Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia. Since SoPa acquired TMG back in July 2022, TMG has grown from strength to strength with headcount growing from a dozen professionals to over 30 staff in just a matter of months. As we enter Singapore, Philippines, and Malaysia markets in 2023, TMG is uniquely positioned to be the premier SEA regional digital advertising agency offering a significant value proposition for advertisers, merchants and influencers in SEA's biggest economy."

According to Influencer Marketing Hub, the influencer advertising market grew to US$16.4 billion in 2022 and the value of social commerce sales growing to US$958 billion in 2022. And according to Strategic Market Research, with Asia representing 70% of the market, the global social commerce market size is expected to reach US$7 trillion by 2030, representing a CAGR of 30% from 2021. Well-positioned to benefit from these growth forecasts, Indonesia's digital advertising revenues are expected to soar this decade as increasingly more consumers make direct purchases on social media platforms, as social media sites are adopting innovative buying criteria and features, and as merchants incorporate shoppable posts and buy buttons on their respective pages. In addition, socially conscious consumers are influencing the evolution of the entire online retail industry. This trend comes as a result of the shifting inclination of brands from traditional celebrities to online influencers to endorse their products. Indeed, influencer marketing is quickly becoming an indispensable part of the mainstream branding strategies across organisations of all types.

"More Media is proud to officially merge with TMG. By joining forces with TMG's broad advertising network and SoPa's extensive ecosystem and large user and merchant bases in SEA, we are thrilled about expanding our business to fully become an end-to-end digital marketing company. According to Grand View Research, the global influencer marketing platform market size was valued at USD 10.39 billion in 2021 and is now expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 33.4% from 2022 to 2030. With this explosion in influencer advertising and social commerce throughout SEA, Thoughtful Media Indonesia is well positioned to generate significant revenues in 2023 and occupies a central position in Indonesia's large and fast-paced growing advertising market, both online and offline," explains Ms. Eugenia Agnes Gusti, Co Founder, More Media.

About Society Pass Inc.

Founded in 2018 as a next generation, data-driven, loyalty, fintech and e-commerce ecosystem in the fast-growing markets of Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, which account for more than 80% of the SEA population, and with offices located in Angeles, Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Jakarta, Manila, and Singapore, Society Pass Incorporated (Nasdaq: SOPA) is an acquisition-focused holding company operating 6 interconnected verticals (loyalty, digital media, travel, telecoms, lifestyle, and F&B), which seamlessly connects millions of registered consumers and hundreds of thousands of registered merchants/brands across multiple product and service categories throughout SEA.

Society Pass completed an initial public offering and began trading on the Nasdaq under the ticker SOPA in November 2021. SOPA shares were added to the Russell 2000 index in December 2021.

SoPa acquires fast growing e-commerce companies and expands its user base across a robust product and service ecosystem. SoPa integrates these complementary businesses through its signature Society Pass fintech platform and circulation of its universal loyalty points or Society Points, which has entered beta testing and is expected to launch broadly at the beginning of 2023. Society Pass loyalty program members earn and redeem Society Points and receive personalised promotions based on SoPa's data capabilities and understanding of consumer shopping behaviour. SoPa has amassed more than 3.3 million registered consumers and over 205,000 registered merchants and brands. It has invested 2+ years building proprietary IT architecture to effectively scale and support its consumers, merchants, and acquisitions.

Society Pass leverages technology to tailor a more personalised experience for customers in the purchase journey and to transform the entire retail value chain in SEA. SoPa operates Thoughtful Media Group, a Thailand-based, a social commerce-focused, premium digital advertising network; NusaTrip, a leading Indonesia-based Online Travel Agency; Gorilla Networks, a Singapore-based, web3-enabled mobile blockchain network operator; Leflair.com, Vietnam's leading lifestyle e-commerce platform; Pushkart.ph, a popular grocery delivery company in Philippines; Handycart.vn, a premier online restaurant delivery service based in Vietnam; and Mangan.ph, a leading local restaurant delivery service in Philippines.

For more information on Society Pass, please review the following online information which is not part of this press release:
Website at https://www.thesocietypass.com or
LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/societypass or
Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/thesocietypass or
Twitter at https://twitter.com/society_pass or
Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/societypass/.

Cautionary Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may include "forward-looking statements," within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this press release are forward-looking statements. When used in this press release, words such as "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "intend" and similar expressions, as they relate to us or our management team, identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs of management, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, the Company's management. Actual results could differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors detailed in the Company's filings with the SEC. All subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf are qualified in their entirety by this paragraph. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including those set forth in the Risk Factors section of the Company's registration statement and prospectus relating to the Company's initial public offering filed with the SEC. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release, except as required by law.

Media Contacts:
PRecious Communications
sopa@preciouscomms.com

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

Future Ready Digital Transformation for Indian MSMEs: Campaign Powered by Staqo and SMEStreet to Empower MSMEs’ Digital Transformation

NEW DELHI, Dec 22, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – SMEStreet in association with Staqo embarks into the journey showcasing the best roadmap for Digital Transformation to Indian MSMEs. The initiative will be called as 'Digital Transformation & Future Readiness Series for MSMEs'. This collaboration will showcase the power of efficient digital transformation and guide Indian MSMEs to make the best use of contemporary digital automation for bringing busines process efficiency.

In this campaign, Staqo will come as the tech knowledge and tech skill partner for educating the MSME sector to become Future Ready through best possible digital technologies. This initiative will also facilitate a fare evaluation of utilizing best in class technologies that can bring positive transformation of business processes like HR, Payroll, Attendance management, Reporting etc.

Commenting on this campaign of 'Digital Transformation & Future Readiness Series for MSMEs' Faiz Askari, Founder Editor of SMEStreet and Secretary General of SMEStreet Foundation commented, "We realise the impoirtance of technollogy for MSMEs. We also know that having correct knowledge towards digital technologies for respective businesses can be a great asset for every entrepreneur. Through this campaign, we aim to educate entrepreneurs and CXOs towards best practices of digital transformation and also try to create hand holding mechanism as well for those who wish to take a stronger and guided route towards digital transformation. I am thankful to Staqo's team and specially Presence 360 for coming forward as a support for such initiative."

"Indian MSMEs are at a threshold of capitalizing great opportunity. Technology have become the most important enabler for business growth. At Staqo we understand that people-management dilemmas and business imperatives acts as challenge and hindrances for contributing towards business growth. Having served a big swathe of small and medium enterprises from various verticals, we understand all the challenges and constraints that a SME organization confronts. This experience is getting utilized in developing some strong and comprehensive solutions which comes as an answer for every business who wish to explore growth," stated spokesperson of Presence360 by Staqo.

Key Components of this campaign will be series of articles, blogs , webinars and podcasts in which various aspects of MSME/SME focused digital transformation will get discussed. The expected outreach of this initiative is to cover almost every industry sector with One Lakh (100 Thousand) MSMEs in next few months.

Staqo is clear and confident, and is a name that customers rely on. We create advantages, while being transparent, cost-savvy and futuristic. Armed with a 200+ team of unparalleled experts, in all domains of Enterprise Technology, we set out on an unstoppable streak of transforming over 5000 entities – in and out of India!

About Staqo

Staqo is an offshoot of a billion-rupee conglomerate – Sheela Foam Limited (SFL). It all began with a question – 'What can we bring here that no one else has?' And, the answer lay in our decades of SFL lineage – the ability to be simple and relevant; and to take responsibility.

About SMEStreet

SMEStreet.in is a dynamic knowledge ecosystem for Indian MSMEs. A beyond media platform- which acts as a trusted knowldge partner for entrepreneurs who wish to expand, grow and evolve from their existing level. The content inflow for this portal not only includes news, analysis, interviews and success stories but it also have a window of opportunity to enhance the profitability of business, personalized networking with subject matter experts and insightful market research data.

About SMEStreet Foundation

After over 6 years of the online presence of SMEStreet.in and after engaging with over One Million CXOs from MSMEs, SMEStreet Foundation comes into reality as a 'Section 8' Company registered from Haryana, India to serve the potential rich Indian MSME segment and it's vast ecosystem.

For more information, contact:
Faiz Askari
Faiz@smestreet.in
9871762630

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

Heavyweights to speak as AFF opens conference year

HONG KONG, Dec 19, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – The 16th Asian Financial Forum (AFF), organised by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), will be held on 11 and 12 January next year in hybrid format.

Ban Ki-Moon, eighth Secretary-General of the United Nations and more policymakers and business leaders will deliver keynote speeches at AFF 2023.

Helen Clark, Former Prime Minister of New Zealand

Christiana Figueres, Co-Founder of Global Optimism and Former Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

Themed "Accelerating Transformation: Impact – Inclusion – Innovation", the Forum will include addresses from more than 100 global business leaders, policymakers, financial and wealth management experts, entrepreneurs, tech giants and economists who will share their views on issues related to global finance, economy, trade and sustainability. The Forum will also provide a platform to connect participants for business and investment opportunities to strengthen Hong Kong's status as an international financial centre.

As the restrictions on arrivals have been relaxed, more international business travellers are expected to visit Hong Kong and participate in international conferences. To promote the vitality of the city, the HKTDC has curated a variety of exclusive benefits for AFF delegates from overseas, enriching their stay beyond the two-day forum.

Speakers include the Former Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN), Former Prime Minister of New Zealand and Former Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change

As the premier financial and business forum and the first large-scale business exchange event kicking off the new year, AFF assembles more than 100 heavyweight thought leaders to examine ways to formulate better business strategies and develop a blueprint for sustainable growth after a turbulent 2022, and explore how global corporates can work together to create a resilient economic landscape through innovation and inclusion. This year's forum draws a number of policymakers and business leaders to share their views, including the following three eminent keynote speakers:

– Ban Ki-moon, eighth Secretary-General of the UN

Ban Ki-moon served as Secretary-General of the UN between 2007 and 2016. During his tenure, he focused on the response to global challenges, from climate change and economic upheaval to pandemics and food and energy crisis. He will deliver his keynote address and share his insights on coping with global challenges and promoting sustainable development with multilateral cooperation on the first day of Forum (11 January).

– Helen Clark, Former Prime Minister of New Zealand

Helen Clark was the Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1999 to 2008. Throughout her tenure, she engaged widely in policy development and advocacy across the international, economic, social and cultural spheres. She will deliver her keynote address under the theme of equality and diversity on the second day of Forum (12 January).

– Christiana Figueres, Co-founder of Global Optimism and Former Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change

Christiana Figueres is an internationally recognised leader fostering climate action. As the Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change from 2010 to 2016, she actively coordinated climate change initiatives to jointly deliver the 2015 Paris Agreement. She will discuss the latest trends in climate action and net-zero policies on the second day of Forum (12 January).

Discussion sessions on hot market topics

The two-day Forum will include more than 40 discussion sessions, featuring heavyweight financial, government and business leaders to shed light on major topics, including global economic outlook, regional trade collaborations such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (RCEP) and Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, asset and wealth management, environment, social and governance (ESG) and green finance, insurance and risk management, family office ecosystem, philanthropy and impact investing, financial inclusion, decentralised finance (DeFi), Web3 and Metaverse, monetary reforms and central bank digital currencies (CBDC) opportunities.

In the main panel discussions, international financial and business leaders including Valerie Baudson, Chief Executive Officer of Amundi; Takeshi Kunibe, Chairman of the Board, Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation; Robert F. Smith, Founder, Chairman & CEO of Vista Equity Partners; Mark Tucker, Group Chairman of HSBC Holdings; Dr Jose Vinals, Group Chairman, Standard Chartered; Dr Ridha Wirakusumah, CEO of Indonesia Investment Authority and James Turner, Group Chief Financial Officer, Prudential will examine macroeconomic trends amid the epidemic recovery and external uncertainties, and key market opportunities.

Tackling environmental challenges, energy and food crises has become top of the agenda on global level. Rapid development of Web3 and other financial technologies have also shaped the future of economy. In light of this, AFF will establish the Global Spectrum series, together with the Fireside Chat, to discuss various disruptive innovations and initiatives in society, covering venture capital and start-up ecosystem, transition to net-zero and ESG standard-setting, food security, health equity, metaverse and non-fungible token (NFT) and more. Speakers include Prof KC Chan, Senior Advisor, WeLab; Luanne Lim, Chief Executive, Hong Kong, HSBC; Benedicte Nolens, Head of the Hong Kong Centre, BIS Innovation Hub; Alfred Chuang, General Partner, Race Capital; Andrew Schwabecher, CEO & Representative Director, Japan Computer Vision Corp. and Adam Litle, Chief Executive Officer, Sound Agriculture. The Dialogues for Tomorrow series will also invite forward-looking industry leaders, including Sebastian Fahey, EVP, Managing Director, EMEA and Executive Lead, Metaverse, Sotheby's; Jeremy Coller, CIO, Managing Partner and Founder of Coller Capital and Charles Li, Founder and Chairman of Micro Connect.

AFF Deal Flow in hybrid mode with extended period

In addition to gathering global financial and business leaders to share insights, the HKTDC and the Hong Kong Venture Capital and Private Equity Association will again co-organise the AFF Deal Flow Matchmaking Session. The first two days of the matchmaking meeting (11 and 12 January) will allow participants to meet at the physical Forum venue, and continue online till 17 January with a digital extension, offering investors and project owners prolonged period to connect and explore collaboration opportunities. The matchmaking projects will cover industries ranging from deep technology, digital technology and media, medical technology, education and infrastructure to real-estate services. A function for identifying ESG-integrated projects debuted last year has also been enhanced to facilitate business matching.

Nearly 100 exhibitors showcase new technologies and investment opportunities

The AFF will also house nearly 100 local and overseas exhibitors, international financial institutions, technology companies, start-ups and investment promotion agencies and sponsors including PwC, Standard Chartered Bank, Bank of China, HSBC, UBS, China International Capital Corporation, Huatai International, Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited and Cyberport to showcase leading financial technologies. Three highlighted zones, including Fintech Showcase, InnoVenture Salon and FintechHK Start-up Salon will allow on-site participants to experience technologies of tomorrow.

Wide array of exclusive discounts and privileges for overseas delegates

As the first large-scale business exchange event in 2023, the HKTDC has curated a variety of exclusive travel, food and hotel discounts and privileges in collaboration with Hong Kong Tourism Board, Klook, LKF Concepts and hotels to encourage AFF delegates from overseas to make the most out of their stay and experience the vitality of Hong Kong outside the Forum.

Participants who register now can enjoy an early bird discount. More activity details, speaker line-up and media registration arrangements will be announced in early January.

Website
– Asian Financial Forum: https://www.asianfinancialforum.com/conference/aff/en
– AFF Programme List: https://www.asianfinancialforum.com/conference/aff/en/info-programme
– AFF Speaker List: https://www.asianfinancialforum.com/conference/aff/en/speaker
– Media Room: http://mediaroom.hktdc.com
– Photo download: https://bit.ly/3FklQrP

Members of the media interested in interviewing AFF 2023 speakers can send an email to tleung@yuantung.com.hk or ayiu@yuantung.com.hk on or before 5 January 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

Yuan Tung Financial Relations:
Tiffany Leung, Tel: +852 3428 2361, Email: tleung@yuantung.com.hk
Agnes Yiu, Tel: +852 3428 5690, Email: ayiu@yuantung.com.hk
Fung Wong, Tel: +852 3428 3122, Email: hfwong@yuantung.com.hk

HKTDC's Communications & Public Affairs Department:
Katy Wong, Tel: +852 2584 4524, Email: katy.ky.wong@hktdc.org
Snowy Chan, Tel: +852 2584 4525, Email: snowy.sn.chan@hktdc.org
Sunny Ng, Tel: +852 2584 4357, Email: sunny.sl.ng@hktdc.org

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

CleverTap appoints Satyadeep Mishra as Chief Human Resources Officer

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. and MUMBAI, India, Dec 19, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – CleverTap, the World's #1 Retention Cloud today announced the appointment of Satyadeep Mishra as their new Chief Human Resources Officer. He joins from the hospitality-technology platform, OYO where he worked as the Chief Human Resources Officer for its technology, product, global functions and international markets teams.

With over two decades of experience working with the likes of Jio, Barclays and Bajaj Finserv among others, Satya brings with him a demonstrable history of leading teams and conceptualizing innovative HR strategies across domains of talent acquisition, training & development, and performance management. He also played a pivotal role in the transformational growth journey of Jio's core telecom and digital initiatives.

"We are excited to have Satya onboard. Having nurtured some of the industry's leading experts, quality talent has always been a top priority for CleverTap. And with Satya's immense experience, I have no doubt that he will lead our People Strategy and continue to build on our culture which puts employees first, as we go from strength to strength in our journey as global MarTech leaders", said Sidharth Malik, Chief Executive Officer, CleverTap.

"It's an absolute pleasure to be part of such a dynamic and exuberant team. The growth of CleverTap over the past few years is a testament to the capabilities and dedication of everybody involved with the team. The roles that HR functions play, not just in people strategy, but even in business, have become significant for more companies especially within the era of work from anywhere. I am elated to be working with like minded individuals that understand the importance of retaining and nurturing bright talent. I am confident that together, we can scale new heights and break conventional barriers while creating value not only for our customers, but also for our employees world over", said Satyadeep Mishra, Chief Human Resource Officer, CleverTap.

About CleverTap

CleverTap is the World's #1 Retention Cloud that helps app-first brands personalize and optimize all consumer touch points to improve user engagement, retention, and life-time value. It's the only solution built to address the needs of retention and growth teams, with audience analytics, deep-segmentation, multi-channel engagement, product recommendations, and automation in one unified product.

The platform is powered by TesseractDB(TM) – world's first purpose-built database for customer engagement, offering both speed and economies of scale.

CleverTap is trusted by 1500 customers, including Gojek, ShopX, Electronic Arts, TED, English Premier League, TD Bank, Carousell, AirAsia, Papa John's, and Tesco.

Backed by leading investors such as Sequoia India, Tiger Global, Accel, and CDPQ the company is headquartered in Mountain View, California, with presence in San Francisco, New York, Sao Paulo, Bogota, London, Amsterdam, Sofia, Dubai, Mumbai, Singapore, and Jakarta. For more information, visit clevertap.com or follow on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Forward-Looking Statements

Some of the statements in this press release may represent CleverTap's belief in connection with future events and may be forward-looking statements, or statements of future expectations based on currently available information. CleverTap cautions that such statements are naturally subject to risks and uncertainties that could result in the actual outcome being absolutely different from the results anticipated by the statements mentioned in the press release.

Factors such as the development of general economic conditions affecting our business, future market conditions, our ability to maintain cost advantages, uncertainty with respect to earnings, corporate actions, client concentration, reduced demand, liability or damages in our service contracts, unusual catastrophic loss events, war, political instability, changes in government policies or laws, legal restrictions impacting our business, impact of pandemic, epidemic, any natural calamity and other factors that are naturally beyond our control, changes in the capital markets and other circumstances may cause the actual events or results to be materially different, from those anticipated by such statements.

CleverTap does not make any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the accuracy, completeness or updated or revised status of such statements. Therefore, in no case whatsoever will CleverTap and its affiliate companies be liable to anyone for any decision made or action taken in conjunction

For more information:
SONY SHETTY
Director, Public Relations, CleverTap
+91 9820900036
sony@clevertap.com

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

Society Pass (Nasdaq: SOPA) Announces 2021 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders to be held on 20 December 2022

SINGAPORE, Dec 19, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – Society Pass Incorporated ("SoPa" or the "Company") (Nasdaq: SOPA), Southeast Asia's (SEA) next generation, data-driven, loyalty, fintech and e-commerce ecosystem, today announces that it will hold its 2021 Annual General Meeting ("AGM") of shareholders at 9:00 A.M. US Eastern time, or at 10:00 P.M. Singapore time, on Tuesday, 20 December 2022 to be held virtually here from Society Pass' headquarters at Grace Global Raffles, #14-01, 137 Market Street, Singapore 048943. The Company's Schedule 14A was filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") on 01 December 2022.

The Company's annual report can be downloaded at here ( https://thesocietypass.com/index.php/investor-relations/ ). The Company's Form 10-K, including its audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2021, has been filed with the SEC and can be accessed on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov.

Shareholders will vote on proposals for the election of board members, the amendment to the Company's equity incentive plan and the ratification of the selection for the independent registered public accounting firm for approval at the AGM. The AGM will also serve as a forum for management to discuss Company affairs with shareholders.

The Board of Directors of the Company has fixed the close of business on 21 October 2022 as the record date (the "Record Date") for determining the shareholders entitled to attend the AGM or any adjournment or postponement thereof.

Holders of record of the Company's common and preferred shares at the close of business on the Record Date are entitled to attend the AGM and any adjournment or postponement thereof virtually. Holders of record of the Company's common and preferred shares planning to attend the AGM in person are required to indicate their interest to attend the AGM by following the procedures indicated in the Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders.

About Society Pass Inc.

Founded in 2018 as a next generation, data-driven, loyalty, fintech and e-commerce ecosystem in the fast-growing markets of Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, which account for more than 80% of the SEA population, and with offices located in Angeles, Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Jakarta, Manila, and Singapore, Society Pass Incorporated (Nasdaq: SOPA) is an acquisition-focused holding company operating 6 interconnected verticals (loyalty, digital media, travel, telecoms, lifestyle, and F&B), which seamlessly connects millions of registered consumers and hundreds of thousands of registered merchants/brands across multiple product and service categories throughout SEA.

Society Pass completed an initial public offering and began trading on the Nasdaq under the ticker SOPA in November 2021. SOPA shares were added to the Russell 2000 index in December 2021.

SoPa acquires fast growing e-commerce companies and expands its user base across a robust product and service ecosystem. SoPa integrates these complementary businesses through its signature Society Pass fintech platform and circulation of its universal loyalty points or Society Points, which has entered beta testing and is expected to launch broadly at the beginning of 2023. Society Pass loyalty program members earn and redeem Society Points and receive personalised promotions based on SoPa's data capabilities and understanding of consumer shopping behaviour. SoPa has amassed more than 3.3 million registered consumers and over 205,000 registered merchants and brands. It has invested 2+ years building proprietary IT architecture to effectively scale and support its consumers, merchants, and acquisitions.

Society Pass leverages technology to tailor a more personalised experience for customers in the purchase journey and to transform the entire retail value chain in SEA. SoPa operates Thoughtful Media Group, a Thailand-based, a social commerce-focused, premium digital advertising network; NusaTrip, a leading Indonesia-based Online Travel Agency; Gorilla Networks, a Singapore-based, web3-enabled mobile blockchain network operator; Leflair.com, Vietnam's leading lifestyle e-commerce platform; Pushkart.ph, a popular grocery delivery company in Philippines; Handycart.vn, a premier online restaurant delivery service based in Vietnam; and Mangan.ph, a leading local restaurant delivery service in Philippines.

For more information on Society Pass, please review the following online information which is not part of this press release:
Website at https://www.thesocietypass.com or
LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/societypass or
Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/thesocietypass or
Twitter at https://twitter.com/society_pass or
Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/societypass/.

Cautionary Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may include "forward-looking statements," within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this press release are forward-looking statements. When used in this press release, words such as "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "intend" and similar expressions, as they relate to us or our management team, identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs of management, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, the Company's management. Actual results could differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors detailed in the Company's filings with the SEC. All subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf are qualified in their entirety by this paragraph. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including those set forth in the Risk Factors section of the Company's registration statement and prospectus relating to the Company's initial public offering filed with the SEC. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release, except as required by law.

Media Contacts:
PRecious Communications
sopa@preciouscomms.com

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

CleverTap Appoints Samer Saad as Regional Sales Director for META Region

Mountain View, Calif., Dubai, UAE and Mumbai, India, Dec 13, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – CleverTap, the World's #1 Retention Cloud today announced the appointment of Samer Saad as the Regional Sales Director for its META Region and will be based out of Dubai.

Samer has over a decade of experience in building and scaling sales teams across the MEA region. He joins from Appsflyer, where he was the Regional Manager for the MEA region and has led partnership sales and agency roles across Criteo and Yahoo!. As CleverTap increases its focus into META Region, it has ensured the local presence of all sub functions that are needed locally to scale the business, and Samer will lead the mandate to scale the growth charter.

"We are all excited to have Samer onboard! With 120+ existing customers in the region, we have a robust foundation to further scale in the region. I am confident that Samer will help us embark on the next phase of our growth journey in the META region," said Vikrant Chowdhary, Chief Growth Officer, CleverTap.

"I am thrilled to join CleverTap as it has emerged as the global leader in the retention cloud category. The SaaS industry is one of the most promising across the world, and I am looking forward to being a part of the CleverTap journey, in becoming the preferred retention cloud partner for all digital native brands in the META region," said Samer Saad, Regional Sales Director, META, CleverTap.

About CleverTap

CleverTap is the World's #1 Retention Cloud that helps app-first brands personalize and optimize all consumer touch points to improve user engagement, retention, and life-time value. It's the only solution built to address the needs of retention and growth teams, with audience analytics, deep-segmentation, multi-channel engagement, product recommendations, and automation in one unified product.

The platform is powered by TesseractDB(TM) – world's first purpose-built database for customer engagement, offering both speed and economies of scale.

CleverTap is trusted by 1500 customers, including Gojek, ShopX, Electronic Arts, TED, English Premier League, TD Bank, Carousell, AirAsia, Papa John's, and Tesco.

Backed by leading investors such as Sequoia India, Tiger Global, Accel, and CDPQ the company is headquartered in Mountain View, California, with presence in San Francisco, New York, Sao Paulo, Bogota, London, Amsterdam, Sofia, Dubai, Mumbai, Singapore, and Jakarta. For more information, visit clevertap.com or follow on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Forward-Looking Statements

Some of the statements in this press release may represent CleverTap's belief in connection with future events and may be forward-looking statements, or statements of future expectations based on currently available information. CleverTap cautions that such statements are naturally subject to risks and uncertainties that could result in the actual outcome being absolutely different from the results anticipated by the statements mentioned in the press release.

Factors such as the development of general economic conditions affecting our business, future market conditions, our ability to maintain cost advantages, uncertainty with respect to earnings, corporate actions, client concentration, reduced demand, liability or damages in our service contracts, unusual catastrophic loss events, war, political instability, changes in government policies or laws, legal restrictions impacting our business, impact of pandemic, epidemic, any natural calamity and other factors that are naturally beyond our control, changes in the capital markets and other circumstances may cause the actual events or results to be materially different, from those anticipated by such statements.

CleverTap does not make any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the accuracy, completeness or updated or revised status of such statements. Therefore, in no case whatsoever will CleverTap and its affiliate companies be liable to anyone for any decision made or action taken in conjunction

For more information:
SONY SHETTY
Director, Public Relations, CleverTap
+91 9820900036
sony@clevertap.com

VISHAAL MUDHOLKAR
Consultant, Archetype
+91 9724309069
vishaal.mudholkar@archetype.co

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

Society Pass (Nasdaq: SOPA) to Present at the #Adapt International Convention 2022 on 13-14 December 2022

SINGAPORE, Dec 12, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – Society Pass Incorporated ("SoPa") (Nasdaq: SOPA), Southeast Asia's (SEA) leading data-driven loyalty, fintech and e-commerce ecosystem, today announces that Company Founder, Chairman, and CEO Dennis Nguyen has been invited to present at the #Adapt International Convention 2022, to be virtually held on Tuesday, 13 December 2022 and Wednesday, 14 December 2022. The title of the conference is "A New Age: Unraveling the Future of Metaverse, AI and Digital Assets".

In Keynote #6 address in Room 2, Mr. Nguyen will present "Digital Assets In The Web3 Economy. Society Points Are Digital Assets" at 2:30 pm on Tuesday, 13 December 2022.

If you would like to listen to the Company's presentation, please click on the following link to register for the conference.

Event: #Adapt International Convention 2022 https://adaptconvention.com/
Date: Tuesday, 13 December 2022
Location: Virtual Conference
https://event.webinarjam.com/register/9/yw171i9?_se=ZGVubmlzQHRoZXNvY2lldHlwYXNzLmNvbQ%3D%3D&utm_campaign=Adapt_2022_Login_instructions-_Participants&utm_medium=email&utm_source=sendinblue

About Society Pass Inc.

Founded in 2018 as a data-driven loyalty, fintech and e-commerce ecosystem in the fast-growing markets of Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, which account for more than 80% of the SEA population, and with offices located in Angeles, Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Jakarta, Manila, and Singapore, Society Pass Incorporated (Nasdaq: SOPA) is an acquisition-focused holding company operating 6 interconnected verticals (loyalty, digital media, travel, telecoms, lifestyle, and F&B), which seamlessly connects millions of registered consumers and hundreds of thousands of registered merchants/brands across multiple product and service categories throughout SEA.

Society Pass completed an initial public offering and began trading on the Nasdaq under the ticker SOPA in November 2021. SOPA shares were added to the Russell 2000 index in December 2021.

SoPa acquires fast growing e-commerce companies and expands its user base across a robust product and service ecosystem. SoPa integrates these complementary businesses through its signature Society Pass fintech platform and circulation of its universal loyalty points or Society Points, which has entered beta testing and is expected to launch broadly at the beginning of 2023. Society Pass loyalty program members earn and redeem Society Points and receive personalised promotions based on SoPa's data capabilities and understanding of consumer shopping behaviour. SoPa has amassed more than 3.3 million registered consumers and over 205,000 registered merchants and brands. It has invested 2+ years building proprietary IT architecture to effectively scale and support its consumers, merchants, and acquisitions.

Society Pass leverages technology to tailor a more personalised experience for customers in the purchase journey and to transform the entire retail value chain in SEA. SoPa operates Thoughtful Media Group, a Thailand-based, a social commerce-focused, premium digital video multi-platform network; NusaTrip, a leading Indonesia-based Online Travel Agency; Gorilla Networks, a Singapore-based, web3-enabled mobile blockchain network operator; Leflair.com, Vietnam's leading lifestyle e-commerce platform; Pushkart.ph, a popular grocery delivery company in Philippines; Handycart.vn, a leading online restaurant delivery service based in Vietnam; and Mangan.ph, a leading local restaurant delivery service in Philippines.

For more information on Society Pass, please check out:
Website at https://www.thesocietypass.com or
LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/societypass or
Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/thesocietypass or
Twitter at https://twitter.com/society_pass or
Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/societypass/.

Cautionary Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may include "forward-looking statements," within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this press release are forward-looking statements. When used in this press release, words such as "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "intend" and similar expressions, as they relate to us or our management team, identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs of management, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, the Company's management. Actual results could differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors detailed in the Company's filings with the SEC. All subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf are qualified in their entirety by this paragraph. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including those set forth in the Risk Factors section of the Company's registration statement and prospectus relating to the Company's initial public offering filed with the SEC. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release, except as required by law.

Media Contacts:
PRecious Communications
sopa@preciouscomms.com

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

Exito DevOps Summit: India

BENGALURU, INDIA, Dec 8, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – Exito DevOps summit is where the greatest minds meet. The summit provides the DevOps community and professionals with an opportunity to dive into the latest innovations and practices. Infrastructure management, cloud security, continuous delivery, compliance automation, and product roadmaps. Whatever your requirement, the Exito DevOps Summit has you covered. DevOps is a culture, movement, or practice that emphasises the collaboration and communication of both software developers and IT professionals while automating the process of software delivery and infrastructure changes. DevOps aims to establish a culture and environment where building, testing and releasing software can happen rapidly, frequently, and more reliably.

The global DevOps market size was valued at $ 6.78 billion in 2020, and is forecast to reach $57.90 billion by 2030. Exito DevOps summit brings together practitioners accelerating the delivery of reliable, secure software applications. To better understand how DevOps brings cross-functional stakeholders together to deliver software at a greater speed with agility without compromising on quality and security demands. We've crafted the best possible DevOps conference for you, so you can witness the future and be prepared before anybody else.

Learn from industry experts how your organization can leverage agile and DevOps concepts to improve deployment frequency and time to market, reduce lead time, and more successfully deliver stable new features.

Speakers like Anil Jain, Director Of Engineering (DevOps), Paytm, Ajmal Fridous, Lead DevOps Engineer, Airbus, Sanjay Singh, Head – DevSecOps, Games24x7, Ankit Giri, Independent Security Researcher, Abhinav Gupta, Vice President – Engineering, Meesho, Laisha Wadhwa, Software Engineer, Goldman Sachs, Sarthak Ahuja, Start- Up advisor, Soumya Ranjan Parida, AVP Engineering, (Head Of DevOps), Incred Financial Services, Rajdeep Bhattacharya, Head Of DevOps, Lenskart.com among many others will be sharing their experiences and expertise at the summit.

Event registration has commenced for Delegates and Sponsors.

– The delegates will be exposed to in-depth, trend-forward sessions &
workshops – practical takeaways and ideas to keep you ahead in the digital economy.
– The sponsors will be able to create an overwhelming branding in the event along
with meeting their prospects and displaying the products.
– Hundreds of seasoned marketers, strategists, designers, and more to network and connect
with. Meet your customers, vendors, expert resources, friends and colleagues on 15th & 16th December 2022.

Register now (https://exito-e.com/devopssummit/register-now.html) to engage at this grand event as the slots are filling up fast.

To know more about the event, you can visit us at: exitodevopssummit/india

About Exito:

We are a global B2B business events company focused on crafting bespoke solutions and contexts by designing platforms that create new business opportunities for our clients across concepts and industries. We cherish the trust over the last 12 years garnered from our partnering organizations globally, and with a growing team of young, vibrant, and creative individuals, Exito aims at success and perfection!

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