Tag: Local Biz

Asia’s fashion showcase CENTRESTAGE concludes

HONG KONG, Sep 13, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – Asia's premier fashion event CENTRESTAGE, organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and sponsored by Create Hong Kong (CreateHK), which is backed by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region*, drew to a successful close on 11 September. The extravaganza brought together more than 240 fashion brands from 15 countries and regions, offering visitors a trip through numerous phygital experiences, including visits to the metaverse. More than 2,700 trade buyers visited the physical fair and joined online business meetings. As of today, the HKTDC has arranged about 740 business meetings, enabling exhibitors to explore business opportunities both online and offline. The three-day fair also attracted more than 22,500 public visitors to shop for fashion items, up 30% from last year.
The seventh edition of CENTRESTAGE ran from 9 to 11 September, bringing together more than 240 fashion brands from 15 countries and regions and attracting 2,700 trade buyers and 22,500 public visitors to participate and shop for fashion items.

Mrs Chanunpat Pisanapipong, Trade Commissioner & Consul, DITP, Ministry of Commerce, Royal Thai Government; Sunny Tan, member of the Legislative Council of HKSAR; Shirley Chan, Council Member, HKTDC; Dr Peter K N Lam, Chairman, HKTDC; Paul Chan, Financial Secretary of HKSAR; Margaret Fong, Executive Director, HKTDC; Katherine Fang, Chairman, HKTDC Garment Advisory Committee; and Derek Chan and Mite Chan, co-founders of DEMO [L-R]

The three-day exhibition featured 30 fashion shows and events, including CENTRESTAGE ELITES and the Fashion Hong Kong Runway Show. Multiple brands showcased their latest collections on stage (Louise Wong – wearing DEMO design outfit)


HKTDC Deputy Executive Director Sophia Chong said: "Technology has become an integral part of our lives. In this digital era, the fashion industry has been at the forefront and is making forays into the area where technology meets fashion, opening up new possibilities for the industry. At the same time, environmental protection remains a topic of global concern and an imminent issue which businesses need to respond. "Inclusion and Diversity", the central theme of this year's CENTRESTAGE, not only emphasises individual uniqueness and aesthetics, but also promotes caring for society and the pursuit of sustainability in fashion to achieve diversity and gain forward momentum in the industry."

Industry cautiously optimistic, nearly 30% expect sales growth

An on-site survey during the show gauged product trends and the fashion industry's outlook. Regarding sales prospects and the market outlook for next year, 28% of respondents expected an overall increase in business in the coming year, while 39% thought it would remain steady, reflecting a cautious optimism among industry players. More than 50% of respondents expected production or sourcing costs to increase, while 44% saw no change. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the industry's operations over the past two years; 66% of respondents indicated that the impact included a decline in sales/profits, 28% reduced the number of brick-and-mortar stores, while 38% expanded e-commerce business.

Focusing on technology to address environment and sustainability issues is the biggest trend in the fashion industry, with 30% of respondents expecting sustainable fashion or functional outfits to be the most popular next year. In addition, 62% agreed or completely agreed that launching sustainable fashion collections will be the key promotional strategy next year. Meanwhile, 42% of respondents agreed that seasonless fashion collections was trending, while 41% believed the see-now, buy-now strategy was also trending.

Riding the tech wave to promote sustainable fashion

This year's CENTRESTAGE attracted 60 local and global sustainable fashion brands among other labels, showcasing cutting-edge designs and trends in sustainable fashion. At the Fashion Hong Kong Runway Show held on the first day of the event (9 September), six local designer brands – namely 112mountainyam, ANGUS TSUI, Bettie Haute Couture, BLIND by JW, SUN=SEN, and V VISSI, showcased their environmentally friendly spring/summer 2023 collections using upcycled fabrics. ITOCHU Textile Prominent (Asia) was one of the local buyers in attendance. Celia Lo, Manager of the company's apparel department, said the event helped promote local designer brands. She found that Hong Kong sustainable fashion label, V VISSI, which uses recycled fabrics in its collections, is very appealing, saying that ITOCHU will explore business collaboration with the label.

Hong Kong exhibitor Match Showroom showcased 14 sustainable fashion and lifestyle brands at CENTRESTAGE this year. The company's Founder and Brand Director Maggie Lui said the fair offered a comprehensive platform to promote brands that embrace sustainability, upcycling and the use of natural fabrics. "We have successfully raised our profile, enhanced the brand awareness and promoted our philosophy on sustainable fashion and lifestyle products through our presence here. Two watch companies exhibiting at the concurrent Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair approached us to explore the possibility of collaboration. This is the perfect place to gain exposure and to promote our brands," Ms Lui said.

Host of runway shows promote local design talents and create business opportunities

The three-day exhibition featured 30 fashion shows and events. The spotlight opening gala show CENTRESTAGE ELITES included the 2023 spring/summer collections from local designers Derek Chan and Mite Chan's renowned brand "DEMO", as well as acclaimed Japanese designer Hideaki Shikama's brand "Children of the discordance". The show attracted scores of industry professionals, celebrities and fashionistas.

In addition to the main runway show, FASHIONALLY Collection #19 featured a number of local brands, including ARTO., CAR|2IE, FromClothingof, KEVIN HO, Lapeewee, REDEMPTIVE and WHY. Lenzing Group, headquartered in Austria, is a leading supplier of textile fibres. The company's Global Head of Digital Brand Marketing, Vincent Leung, said Hong Kong is a hub in Asia and has the edge as a platform for businesses expanding into Mainland China. The fair is a great place to understand the latest market trends and discover local rising fashion talents. "Hong Kong's young fashion designers have strong potential for growth," Mr Leung said. "We have already collaborated with local brand ARTO., and identified two other designer brands – ABI and moonone – we will work together on launching new collections using our sustainable fibres."

Three other FASHIONALLY presentations were held, with three emerging local fashion brands – Wilsonkaki, along with first-time exhibitors Kowloon City Boy and VO-YAGE – showcasing their latest collections. Focusing on supply and trading of high-end yarn from Japan, Sawada Hong Kong is a well-established garment manufacturer with a history spanning 54 years. Vivian Tam, the company's Manager, said CENTRESTAGE helps fashion industry players explore new partnerships and opportunities. The company connected to two local menswear brands, Sred Namal and VO-YAGE during the fair to explore future collaboration.

* Disclaimer: The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region provides funding support to the project only, and does not otherwise take part in the project. Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in these materials/events (or by members of the project team) are those of the project organisers only and do not reflect the views of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, Create Hong Kong, the CreateSmart Initiative Secretariat or the CreateSmart Initiative Vetting Committee.

Websites:
– CENTRESTAGE: www.centrestage.com.hk
– Fashion Hong Kong: www.fashionhongkong.com.hk/en
– Hong Kong Young Fashion Designers' Contest (YDC): www.fashionally.com/en
– CENTRESTAGE in Town: https://centrestage.hktdc.com/home/highlights/centrestage-in-town/
– CENTRESTAGE ELITES: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdyfzVQ93-A
– Photo download: https://bit.ly/3qqtkT4

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 more information, please contact Raconteur:
Molisa Lau, Tel: +852 6187 7786, Email: molisalau@raconteur.hk
Betsy Tse, Tel: +852 9742 7338, Email: betsytse@raconteur.hk

The HKTDC's Communications and Public Affairs Department:
Snowy Chan, Tel: +852 2584 4537, Email: snowy.sn.chan@hktdc.org
Agnes Wat, Tel: +852 2584 4554, Email: agnes.ky.wat@hktdc.org

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

Shareholders of G Neptune Approved its Regularisation Plan

KUALA LUMPUR, Sep 13, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – The non-interested shareholders of G Neptune Berhad have approved its proposed regularisation plan during the extraordinary general meeting (EGM) held today. The shareholders' approval marks a key milestone for G Neptune's proposed regularisation plan which is expected to address the Company's Guidance Note 3 (GN3) status as well as return it to a stronger financial standing as well as profitability.
Peter Ling Sie Wuong, Independent Non-Executive Director; Cheah Hannon, Independent Non-Executive Director; Chai Tham Poh, Executive Director; and Dato' Haji Mohd Amran Bin Wahid, Non Independent Non Executive Chairman from G Neptune Berhad; Tan Sri Datuk Seri Gan Yu Chai, MD; Datuk Sydney Lim Tai Chin, ED; and Gan Yee Hin, ED and CEO from Southern Score Sdn. Bhd. and Alvin Ooi, Acting Head of Corporate Finance of Kenanga Investment Bank Berhad [L-R]

Gan Yee Hin, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Southern Score


An integral part of the approved regularisation plan is the proposed acquisition of the entire equity interest in Southern Score Sdn Bhd from Super Advantage Property Sdn Bhd for a purchase consideration of RM252.0 million to be satisfied through the issuance of 1.68 billion shares.

Southern Score is a construction management services company with a recorded net profit of RM6.51 million, RM19.20 million and RM35.18 million in the financial year ended 31 December 2019, 2020 and 2021 respectively. Super Advantage, being the vendor of Southern Score, has provided cumulative net profit guarantee of RM80.0 million over the three-year period from 2022 to 2024. Super Advantage is held by Tan Sri Datuk Seri Gan Yu Chai, the Managing Director of Southern Score, a veteran in the construction and property development industries with more than 30 years' experience as well as Gan Yee Hin, the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Southern Score.

Shareholders also approved to change the Company's name to "Southern Score Builders Berhad", a move undertaken by the Company to better reflect G Neptune's new corporate identity moving forward.

Commenting on the shareholders' approval, Gan Yee Hin said, "We would like to thank the shareholders for putting their trust and confidence in us. This is a key milestone towards the long-awaited completion of the regularisation plan. With the injection of Southern Score, we believe that G Neptune will be in a stronger financial standing and profitability, thereby benefiting all stakeholders."

Other than the proposed acquisition and proposed change of name, shareholders also approved the following proposals which are part of the proposed regularisation plan:

– proposed consolidation of every 10 existing G Neptune's shares into one share;
– proposed debt settlement amounting to RM3.1 million to Mr. Chai Tham Poh, an Executive Director of G Neptune, via the issuance of 20.67 million shares;
– proposed private placement to raise at least RM108.6 million through the issuance of 543.05 million shares to investors to be identified later and;
– proposed exemption from the obligation to undertake a mandatory takeover offer for the remaining G Neptune shares not already owned by Super Advantage as well as Tan Sri Datuk Seri Gan Yu Chai and Gan Yee Hin.

Gan Yee Hin added, "The shareholders' approval obtained today heralds a new beginning for Southern Score as we gain a step closer towards obtaining a listing status via GNB. We intend to leverage on our listing status to further grow our business for which our shareholders will also be able to partake in. We expect Southern Score's growth to be fuelled from growth in the construction sector where construction activities is expected to increase in tandem with economic growth following the reopening of the economy and country borders."

Kenanga Investment Bank Berhad is the principal adviser and sponsor for the proposed regularisation plan as well as placement agent for the proposed private placement while Malacca Securities Sdn Bhd is the independent adviser for the proposed exemption.

G Neptune Berhad: 0045 [BURSA: GNB], https://www.gneptune.com/
Southern Score: https://southernscore.com.my/

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

Indonesia’s Bio Farma ready to produce ‘IndoVac’ Covid-19 vaccines

BANDUNG, INDONESIA, Sep 12, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – PT Bio Farma, the holding company for state-owned pharmaceutical companies in Indonesia, announced a new milestone in manufacturing IndoVac, its Covid-19 vaccines brand, including primary series vaccines, booster vaccines and vaccines for children, in development since November 2021.
IndoVac Covid-19 vaccine in production at PT Bio Farma's facilities near Bandung, Indonesia (Image: PT Bio Farma)


Honesti Baasyir, President Director of Bio Farma, said the company collaborated with Baylor College of Medicine, a private, independent health sciences centre in Houston, Texas to develop IndoVac, a recombinant protein subunit vaccine produced from yeast.

According to Honesti, "IndoVac uses vaccine technology platforms which are compatible with our equipment and facilities. The technology platforms for protein recombinant vaccines also offer other benefits; they can be adapted to new strains of Covid-19.

"Results from primary series Phase 1 and Phase 2 clinical trials show that IndoVac vaccines offer quality safety and efficacy, no less competitive than other Covid-19 vaccines. Now we are completing documentation to wrap up Phase 3."

Honesti said Bio Farma has had intense communication with the Indonesian Food and Drug Administration (BPOM) since July to provide necessary Phase 3 primary series data, so the BPOM can release an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) permit for the vaccine. The EUA is the permit for medical supplies, including vaccines and medications, used during a public health emergency.

In Indonesia, BPOM plays the key role as a regulatory gatekeeper of medicines and vaccines used in the country. BPOM's head Penny K. Lukito, during a hearing at the Indonesian House of Representatives, said that the regulator expects to release the EUA for IndoVac's primary series vaccines in mid-September.

Shariah Compliance

Bio Farma has also processed the Halal (or Shariah compliant) certification for IndoVac's primary series vaccine. The vaccine has passed an audit by The Indonesian Ulema Council Food and Drug Analysis Agency (LPPOM MUI), which reviews the halal aspect of a product. The certificate from the Halal Certification Agency (BPJPH) of the Religious Affairs Ministry is expected to be released soon after the BPOM EUA for IndoVac.

After securing all the necessary permits, Bio Farma will be ready to move on to the next stage, mass production of the vaccine. Bio Farma plans to produce an initial 20 million doses of primary series vaccine this year, which will be further increased to 40 million doses in 2023, as the company expands its production facilities. In 2024, production may further increase to 100 million doses per year, depending on demand and the market.

Booster Vaccine and Vaccine for Children

Bio Farma also started clinical trials for its booster vaccine on September 1. Bio Farma conducted the trials for its booster vaccine at Hasan Sadikin General Hospital in Bandung (Faculty of Medicine, Padjajaran University) and Dr I.G.N.G Ngoerah General Hospital in Bali (Children's Health Sciences Dept, Udayana University). Trials involved 900 subjects aged 8 and above to test the booster vaccines. Next, the company plans to conduct clinical trials for children, following registration with the BPOM.

All Covid-19 vaccines made by Bio Farma, including the primary series vaccines, booster vaccines and vaccines for children, will be labelled IndoVac. Bio Farma started the process of registering IndoVac as a brand name for Covid-19 vaccines at the Directorate General of Intellectual Property (DGIP) of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights on July 29.

President Joko Widodo gave the IndoVac name to the vaccine. "We are in the process of securing it. Should no-one object at this level, we will proceed to the next stage until we secure an IndoVac trade licence and patent from the ministry, as a product of Bio Farma," Honesti said.

Made-in-Indonesia Vaccines

Honesti said IndoVac is special, as one of the few made-in-Indonesia vaccine products, developed and manufactured for the nation's children. Bio Farma handles the manufacturing process from upstream to downstream. The locally sourced content in the IndoVac vaccines, according to Bio Farma, will be around 80%.

"This is a step closer to achieving independence in the health sector. With such a high proportion of local content, we expect to help reduce the nation's dependency on imported vaccines," Honesti said.

Bio Farma hopes to capture the export market with its IndoVac vaccines. "We will not only produce them to meet domestic needs, but for the supply of global markets," said Honesti. "We registered for EUL with the World Health Organization (WHO), so the vaccine can be used in other countries through Covax Facility multilateral procurement. (The EUL assesses and lists vaccines during emergencies in non-vaccine-producing countries.)

"With our Covid-19 vaccines, we hope to contribute to the health industry, not just in Indonesia, but in the world," said Honesti.

For Bio Farma, it is not the first experience with clinical trials, having conducted more than 30 clinical trials (including Covid-19) in Indonesia. Bio Farma also has experience in conducting clinical trials overseas for Pentabio and Novel Oral Polio Vaccine type 2 (nOPV2).

Bio Farma's Success in Polio Vaccine

Honesti said apart from the Covid-19 primary series vaccines, Bio Farma previously secured EUA from BPOM and EUL from WHO for its novel Oral Polio Vaccine type 2 (nOPV2). As Indonesia hasn't had any polio outbreaks since 2014, it never used nOPV2. However, the Bio Farma-manufactured vaccine was used by countries in Africa, Europe and the Middle East.

Among the countries in Africa that have used Bio Farma's nOPV2's vaccine are Algeria, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, and Uganda. In Europe, the vaccine was used in Ukraine and in the Middle East, it was used in Israel, Egypt, Somalia and Yemen.

In manufacturing the nOPV2 vaccine, Bio Farma collaborated with world-class institutions like Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), PATH and the WHO. Bio Farma has since become the main supplier of polio vaccines in the world, and currently contributes 67 percent to the global supply of polio vaccines. It distributes the vaccines via bilateral or multilateral means (through UNICEF).

Bio Farma's Laboratories have been internationally acknowledged as reference labs to check samples of polio viruses, while Bio Farma's success in producing and exporting nOPV2 vaccines shows the Indonesian state-owned company contributing to the world's health sector, apart from providing the necessary polio vaccine for domestic use at home in Indonesia.

Media Contact:
R. Rifa Herdian
PT Bio Farma (Persero)
Corporate Secretary & Investor Relations
Tel: +62-81-2542-8844
Email: rifaherdian@biofarma.co.id

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

CENTRESTAGE showcases talent of local designers

HONG KONG, Sep 11, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – Asia's leading fashion event CENTRESTAGE draws to a close today. One of the highlight events, the Fashion Hong Kong Runway Show, was held on Friday (9 September), the first day of CENTRESTAGE, adopting "sustainable fashion" as its central theme. Six local designer brands that have all participated in International Fashion Week events, including ANGUS TSUI (by Angus Tsui), 112mountainyam (by Mountain Yam), Blind by JW (by Jessica Lau and Walter Ma), Bettie Haute Couture (by Bettie Jiang), SUN=SEN (by Sun Lam), and V Vissi (by Vickie Au), collaborated with local enterprise Novetex to create environment-friendly spring/summer 2023 collections using upcycled fabrics made by The Billie System, a textile recycling system.
Grace Chan (wearing Bettie Haute Couture and matching mask)


The gala drew an impressive attendance of celebrities and fashionistas including Stephanie Au, Grace Chan, Dickson Yu, Pony Pong, Oscar Lee, Danny Summer, Alfred Hui, Shirley Chan, Kenny Kwan, Naomi Kwong, Derek Wong, Joyce Cheng, Jay Fung and more.

In addition to the main runway show, FASHIONALLY Collection #19 featured a number of local brands, including ARTO., CAR|2IE, FromClothingof, KEVIN HO, Lapeewee, REDEMPTIVE and WHY.

Fair details
Date: 9 to 11 September 2021 (Friday to Sunday)
Venue: Hall 1A-D, HKCEC
Date: 9-10 Sept (Fri-Sat) 10am-7pm; 11 Sept (Sun) 10am-6pm
Free admission for trade and public visitors

Websites
– CENTRESTAGE: https://www.centrestage.com.hk
– Fashion Hong Kong: https://www.fashionhongkong.com.hk/en
– FASHIONALLY.com : https://www.fashionally.com/en/
– CENTRESTAGE in Town: https://centrestage.hktdc.com/home/highlights/centrestage-in-town/
– Photo download: https://bit.ly/3TZ9XxS

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 Raconteur
Molisa Lau, Tel: +852 6187 7786, email: molisalau@raconteur.hk
Betsy Tse, Tel: +852 9742 7338, email: betsytse@raconteur.hk

HKTDC's Communication & Public Affairs Department:
Snowy Chan, Tel: +852 2584 4537, email: snowy.sn.chan@hktdc.org
Agnes Wat, Tel: +852 2584 4554, email: agnes.ky.wat@hktdc.org

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

Asia’s fashion showcase CENTRESTAGE opens today

HONG KONG, Sep 9, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – CENTRESTAGE, Asia's premier fashion event organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and sponsored by Create Hong Kong* of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), opened today at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. A number of renowned and emerging fashion brands from Hong Kong and overseas are presenting their spring/summer 2023 collections during the three-day event, which is open to industry participants and the general public free of charge. Visitors have the opportunity to browse and shop for the latest designs from around the world, with some brands offering exclusive discounts.
CENTRESTAGE opened today at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, with local and international brands presenting their spring/summer 2023 collections during the three-day fashion event

Local brands participating in FASHIONALLY Collection #19 include ARTO., CAR|2IE, FromClothingof, KEVIN HO, Lapeewee, REDEMPTIVE (pictured) and WHY

This year's exhibition venue has incorporated cyber and metaverse elements into its design, featuring a host of interactive experiences for visitors to try out for free


Three thematic areas support brands' business expansion

Entering its seventh year, CENTRESTAGE has adopted "Inclusion and Diversity" as its theme in 2022, highlighting individuality and self-expression. The event is playing host to more than 240 brands from 15 countries and regions, including newly participating brands from Hong Kong such as 30menu, athenaeum(m.), Kowloon City Boy, Louise Castle, Natacha Van, PSY LAU, The Life Etc. and VO-YAGE. Exhibitors from other countries and regions include Koradior (Mainland China), C/W COLLECTIVE (Macao), HARIO Lampwork Factory (Japan), Stevie Crowne (UK), CEANNIS (Sweden), Dal Duca (Italy), Thierry Rabotin (Italy) and more. Three thematic zones feature a broad spectrum of designs and styles: METRO presents the leisure aspects of urban life; ICONIC represents modern, chic and avant-garde design; and ALLURE showcases the elegance and refinement of design excellence and craftsmanship. Visitors are free to explore and shop in this comprehensive one-stop fashion arcade.

The HKTDC has proactively engaged local and overseas fashion buyers to support CENTRESTAGE exhibitors in expanding their businesses. Local buyers such as Lane Crawford, Joyce, Next Sourcing, Palmers and online fashion store Farfetch have a physical presence at the event. In addition, online business meetings have been arranged to match exhibitors with fashion buyers from the mainland and overseas, including industry heavyweights Signe Du Temps from France, A PEBBLE by LABELHOOD from the mainland, Harry & Co from Korea, and NM International from Thailand.

Various fashion brands unveil their latest designs

A series of fashion shows are being held during the fair period, with the spotlight opening gala show, CENTRESTAGE ELITES, taking place this evening. The opening ceremony will be officiated by Paul Chan, Financial Secretary of the HKSAR. Immediately afterwards, DEMO, the Hong Kong label co-founded by Derek Chan and Mite Chan, will be joined by Children of the discordance, established by Japanese designer Hideaki Shikama, to present their spring/summer 2023 collections. The runway show marks the debut fashion presentation in Hong Kong for Mr Shikama, who is renowned for deconstructing and repurposing old fabrics into refined patchwork pieces. Louise Wong, winner of the Hong Kong Film Award for Best New Performer, will be guest model at the event, strutting down the runway in an outfit from DEMO's latest collection.

Following CENTRESTAGE ELITES, the Fashion Hong Kong Runway Show will run on the "Sustainable Fashion" theme, featuring six local designers that have participated in various international fashion weeks, including 112 mountainyam (by Mountain Yam), ANGUS TSUI (by Angus Tsui), Bettie Haute Couture (by Bettie Jiang), BLIND by JW (by Jessica Lau & Walter Kong), SUN=SEN (by Sun Lam), and V VISSI (by Vickie Au). These designers have collaborated with Hong Kong textile enterprise Novetex Textiles Limited to create environmentally-friendly Spring/Summer 2023 collections using upcycled fabrics made from The Billie System, a waterless textile recycling system developed locally. During the fair period, Fashion Hong Kong Studio (Booth number 1C-C07) will collect and upcycle unwanted white 100% cotton T-shirts or polo shirts from visitors. The first 100 donors will receive a limited-edition souvenir made from upcycled materials.

Serving as a platform to promote local design talents, FASHIONALLY Collection #19 features a number of Hong Kong brands, including ARTO., CAR|2IE, FromClothingof, KEVIN HO, Lapeewee, REDEMPTIVE and WHY. The other three FASHIONALLY presentations are being held on 9 and 10 September, giving the opportunity to three emerging local fashion brands – Wilsonkaki and first-time exhibitors Kowloon City Boy and VO-YAGE – to showcase their latest collections.

Another initiative to discover the fashion stars of the future is the Hong Kong Young Fashion Designers' Contest (YDC) 2022, the final will be held on the evening of 11 September. VIP judge Hideaki Shikama will join the judging panel to select the winners of four honours, namely Overall Champion, the Excellence Award, the Best Visual Presentation Award and the "My Favourite Collection Award", out of 10 shortlisted entrants. Members of the public can vote for their favourite designs on the FASHIONALLY website before midnight tomorrow (10 September) to stand the chance of winning one of seven HK$2,000 Lee Gardens Area e-gift coupons sponsored by Hysan Development.

Experience the application of technology in the fashion industry

In addition to numerous fashion shows, this year's CENTRESTAGE is staging various seminars and sharing sessions. Earlier today (9 September), representatives from AiDLab, an artificial intelligence design institute, and Code-Create Limited shared their insights into the application of artificial intelligence in the fashion industry. In another session, representatives from Virtual Touch, a 3D visual effects animation firm, and Mirum, one of the world's largest digital service providers, will look into topics such as the metaverse and sustainability in the fashion industry.

This year's CENTRESTAGE venue has integrated cyber and metaverse elements into its design and features a host of interactive virtual experiences. Visitors can create their own avatar and connect with others in the CENTREVERSE, as well as enjoying an augmented reality fashion try-on. To further enrich the visitor experience, workshops on making eco-friendly scented pouches and the co-creation of large-scale artworks are also on offer, while the CENTRESTAGE X Watch & Clock lucky draw will take place over the weekend (10 and 11 September).

*Disclaimer: The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region provides funding support to the project only, and does not otherwise take part in the project. Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in these materials/events (or by members of the project team) are those of the project organisers only and do not reflect the views of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, Create Hong Kong, the CreateSmart Initiative Secretariat or the CreateSmart Initiative Vetting Committee.

Websites
– CENTRESTAGE : https://www.centrestage.com.hk
– CENTRESTAGE visitor pre-registration: https://bit.ly/3QNzd7M
– Fashion Hong Kong: https://www.fashionhongkong.com.hk/en
– Hong Kong Young Fashion Designers' Contest (YDC): https://www.fashionally.com/en
– CENTRESTAGE in Town: https://centrestage.hktdc.com/home/highlights/centrestage-in-town/
– Photo download: https://bit.ly/3B4RM10

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 more information, please contact Raconteur:
Molisa Lau, Tel: +852 6187 7786, Email: molisalau@raconteur.hk
Betsy Tse, Tel: +852 9742 7338, Email: betsytse@raconteur.hk

The HKTDC's Communications and Public Affairs Department:
Snowy Chan, Tel: +852 2584 4537, Email: snowy.sn.chan@hktdc.org
Agnes Wat, Tel: +852 2584 4554, Email: agnes.ky.wat@hktdc.org

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

Indonesian pharmaceutical Bio Farma ready to produce IndoVac Covid-19 vaccines

Bandung, W Java, Indonesia, Sep 9, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – PT Bio Farma, the holding company for state-owned pharmaceutical companies in Indonesia, announced a new milestone in the manufacturing of IndoVac, a Covid-19 vaccine brand it has developed since November 2021.
IndoVac Covid-19 vaccine in production at PT Bio Farma's facilities near Bandung, Indonesia (Image: PT Bio Farma)


Honesti Baasyir, the President Director of PT Bio Farma, said the company collaborated with Baylor College of Medicine, a private, independent health sciences centre in Houston, Texas to develop IndoVac, a recombinant protein subunit vaccine produced from yeast.

PT Bio Farma has completed Phase 1 and Phase 2 clinical trials and is currently in the Phase 3 stage to produce the primary series vaccines or two vaccine doses for everyone aged 18 years and older.

"IndoVac uses vaccine technology platforms which are compatible with the equipment and facilities within our factories. The technology platforms for protein recombinant vaccines also offer other benefits: they can be adapted to the new strains of Covid-19. Results from Phase 1 and Phase 2 clinical trials showed that IndoVac offers quality safety and efficacy, not less competitive than other Covid-19 vaccines. Now we are completing a report to wrap up Phase 3."

Honesti said, Bio Farma has had intense communication with the Indonesian Food and Drug Administration (BPOM) since July 2022 to provide the necessary data, so that BPOM can release the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) permit for IndoVac's primary series vaccines in the near term.

The EUA, released by a country's regulatory agency, is a permit for medical supplies (including vaccines) and medications during a public health emergency. In Indonesia, BPOM plays the key role as a regulatory gatekeeper of medicines and vaccines used in the country.

BPOM's head Penny K. Lukito, during a hearing with Commission IX at the Indonesian House of Representatives, has said that the regulator expects to release the EUA for IndoVac's primary series vaccines in mid-September 2022.

Shariah Compliance

Bio Farma also has processed the Halal (or Shariah compliant) certification for IndoVac's primary series vaccines to provide comfort to Indonesian Muslim consumers. The vaccines have passed an audit from The Indonesian Ulema Council Food and Drug Analysis Agency (LPPOM MUI), which reviews the halal aspect of a product.

The certificate from the Halal Certification Agency (BPJPH) under the Religious Affairs Ministry is expected to be released in the near term after BPOM release the EUA for IndoVac.

After securing all the necessary permits, Bio Farma is ready to move on to the next stage, which is producing IndoVac's primary series vaccines massively. At the first stage, Bio Farma plans to produce a maximum of 20 million doses of primary series vaccines, before this can be further increased to 40 million doses in 2023, as the company expands its production facilities.

In 2024, the company may further increase the volume to 100 million doses per year, depending on the demands and needs in the markets. Honesti said after the company has secured all the necessary permits, then IndoVac's primary series vaccines "can be massively used by people aged 18 and above."

Booster Vaccine and Vaccine for Children

At the same time, Bio Farma also started clinical trials for its booster vaccine on September 1, 2022. "We have secured approval for a clinical trial (PPUK) from BPOM for IndoVac booster vaccine," Honesti said. Next, Bio Farma plans to conduct clinical trials for children after it secures PPUK from BPOM.

Bio Farma conducted clinical trials for its booster vaccine at Hasan Sadikin General Hospital (Faculty of Medicine of Padjajaran University, Bandung) and Dr. I.G.N.G Ngoerah General Hospital in Bali (Children's Health Sciences Department, Udayana University). Trials involved 900 subjects aged 8 and above to test IndoVac's booster vaccines.

BPOM requires vaccine manufacturers to conduct clinical trials to decide if a vaccine is safe and can boost immunity against Covid-19, and to determine whether the vaccine offers good efficacy to help protect the subjects from heavy symptoms and risks of fatalities due to Covid-19 infection.

All Covid-19 vaccines made by Bio Farma, including the primary series, booster vaccines and vaccines for children, will be labelled IndoVac. Bio Farma started the process of registering IndoVac as a brand name for Covid-19 vaccines at the Directorate General of Intellectual Property (DGIP) of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights on July 29.

President Joko Widodo gave the IndoVac name to the vaccine. "We are in the process of securing it. Should no-one object at this level, we will proceed to the next stage until we secure an IndoVac trade licence and patent from the ministry, as a product of Bio Farma," Honesti said.

For Bio Farma, it is not the first time embarking on clinical trials. The company has conducted more than 30 clinical trials in Indonesia. This includes the Phase 3 clinical trials for the Covid-19 vaccine. Bio Farma also has experience in conducting clinical trials overseas for Pentabio and Novel Oral Polio Vaccine type 2 (nOPV2).

Made-in-Indonesia Vaccines

Honesti Basyir said IndoVac is special as one of the few made-in-Indonesia vaccine products. The vaccines (which include the primary series vaccines, the booster vaccines and vaccines for children) are developed and manufactured for nation's children. Bio Farma handles the manufacturing process from upstream to downstream.

The local contents of IndoVac's primary series vaccines, according to Bio Farma, will be around 80%. "This is a step closer to achieving independence in the health sector. With such a high proportion of local content, we expect to help reduce the nation's dependency on imported vaccines. This will also impact foreign exchange reserves," Honesti said.

In the long term, Bio Farma hopes to capture the export market with IndoVac vaccines. "We will not only produce them (the three types of vaccines) to meet domestic needs but also target the supply of global markets," he said.

"We registered for Emergency Use Listing (EUL) with the World Health Organization (for primary series), so this vaccine can be used in other countries through the Covax Facility (multilateral procurement). Through its Covid-19 vaccines, Bio Farma expects to contribute to the health industry, not just in Indonesia, but also to the world."

Bio Farma's Success in Polio Vaccine

Honesti said apart from manufacturing Covid-19 primary series vaccines, which is currently waiting for the results of Phase 3 clinical trials and the EUA, Bio Farma has previously proven that it can secure the EUA from BPOM and the EUL from the WHO for its novel Oral Polio Vaccine type 2 (nOPV2).

The EUL, which is released by the WHO, is a procedure for assessing and listing vaccines during public health emergencies by non-vaccine-producing countries. As Indonesia hasn't had any polio outbreaks since 2014, it never used nOPV2. The Bio Farma-manufactured vaccine was used by countries in Africa, Europe and the Middle East.

Among the countries that have used Bio Farma's nOPV2's vaccine are Algeria, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, and Uganda. In Europe, the vaccine was used in Ukraine and in the Middle East, it was used in Israel, Egypt, Somalia and Yemen.

In the manufacturing of nOPV2 vaccine, Bio Farma collaborated with world-class research institutions like Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), PATH and the WHO. Bio Farma has become the main supplier for the polio vaccine in the world. The company currently contributes 67 percent to the global supply of polio vaccines. It distributes the vaccines via bilateral or multilateral means (through UNICEF).

Apart from producing polio vaccines, Bio Farma's Laboratories have secured international acknowledgement as the reference labs to check samples of polioviruses. The world was previously waiting for two countries, Afghanistan and Pakistan, to combat polio diseases, before a 'world-free polio' can be declared. However, during the wait, polio outbreaks occurred in Africa and the Middle East.

The nOPV2 vaccine became an important product to prevent further spread of the polio disease. Bio Farma's success in producing and exporting nOPV2 vaccine means that the Indonesian state-owned company has contributed to the world's health sector, apart from providing the necessary polio vaccine for domestic use at home in Indonesia.

Media Contact:
R. Rifa Herdian
PT Bio Farma (Persero)
Corporate Secretary & Investor Relations
Tel: +62-81-2542-8844
Email: rifaherdian@biofarma.co.id

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

Dammam Valley and Arcensus GmbH to establish Saudi-German Genomic Center in Riyadh

DAMMAM, SAUDI ARABIA, Sep 8, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – Dammam Valley, in partnership with other investment partners, and Arcensus GmbH announce the establishment of a high-throughput Saudi-German Genomic Center in Riyadh. The Saudi-German Genomic Center will begin operations immediately, providing comprehensive genomic diagnostic services for the GCC region based on exclusive next-generation sequencing technologies.

Based on the expertise of a cross-functional, international team of geneticists, medical experts, and data scientists, the Riyadh center will reflect one of the world's most innovative genetic biotechnology organizations, provide its knowledge to clinical colleagues, collaborate with all medical decision-makers, and support the further improvement of the Saudi healthcare infrastructure in line with the Saudi Health Vision 2030. In addition, the partners believe that with the global adoption of Whole Genome Sequencing as the first line of genetic testing, the genomic era will begin in full force and conquer the molecular medicine market in a short period of time.

The initiative to establish this state-of-the-art genomic center stems from the Kingdom's goal to accelerate the implementation of genetic testing for the early diagnosis of diseases, particularly cancer and rare genetic disorders, but also address the preventive element in personalized medicine. The financial investment led by Dammam Valley will enable the partners to penetrate regional markets faster with their innovative solutions.

Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Olayan, CEO of Dammam Valley, said, "The establishment and short-term opening of a state-of-the-art genetic center is central part of the Saudi Vision 2030 and a key element to establishing knowledge and expertise in the region. Furthermore, it is a crucial element in the continuous improvement of the regional healthcare systems to the benefit of the entire population. All the knowledge we accumulate here will be used in the next step for the strategic development of a dynamic and vital pharmaceutical and biotech scene. We are pleased to have Arcensus GmbH as an internationally experienced partner at our side. Especially for the Arab world it is a great pleasure to have Dr. Arndt Rolfs, a highly accomplished, experienced and visionary multi-entrepreneur as a partner."

Dr. Arndt Rolfs, Arcensus Founder and CEO, said, "Especially after Dammam Valley's investment in the company I founded in 2020, Arcensus GmbH, it is a logical and purposeful step to go along the path of establishing a regional center for improving genomic diagnostics with such a proven and reliable partner. The Arab countries have the challenge of improving the early and targeted diagnosis of the numerous genetic diseases. But exactly this knowledge, which can be developed here with the local medical partners, can also serve to establish a dynamic and creative regional and, in a further step, international biotech scene. We are extremely pleased to be able to contribute with our knowledge to this success in the coming years."

Under the terms of the agreement, Dammam Valley along with other investors, will make a substantial investment in establishing the Saudi-German Genomic Center. The parties agree that Arcensus will fully operate the center. The integrity of the protected patient data will be maintained, as will the dedicated sales, marketing and life science business activities.

About Dammam Valley

Established in 2021, Dammam Valley is a semi-government Investment company, solely owned by Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University in Damman, Saudi Arabia, with a raised capital of 100,000,000 SAR. It strives to be a source and destination for biotechnology innovation and healthcare in the Middle East and is the Nation's premier hub for evaluating and incubating biotech innovations. It aims to stimulate investment, support projects, and forge quality partnerships in the fields of Health & Biotechnology, in addition to focusing on numerous other sustainable investments in various fields of interest. Please see https://dammamvalley.sa/.

About Arcensus GmbH

Arcensus GmbH is a digital healthcare and diagnostics company that empowers people to take control of their health. The company provides the highest-standard, secure, trusted, and comprehensive diagnostic service based on Whole Genome Sequencing. Arcensus analyses the complete genetic information in human DNA and identifies the predispositions and reasons for unclear symptoms with the help of cutting-edge bioinformatic technology, including artificial intelligence.

The interpretation of the genomic data suggests better treatment options and helps individuals take preventive measures to live a healthier and longer life. From offices in New Jersey, U.S., and Rostock and Berlin, Germany, a cross-functional team of genetic experts, medical doctors, and data scientists works to make the most sophisticated and best genetic interpretation with medical and health prevention applications accessible to everyone. Please visit https://arcensus-diagnostics.com/.

Contact information:
Arcensus GmbH
Ahmad Malik
Communication Manager
Email: Ahmad.malik@arcensus-diagnostics.com

Dammam Valley
Dalal Alsarawi
Communication Manager
Tel: +966 13 333366
Email: dalal.alsarawi@dammamvalley.sa

This press release is issued through EmailWire(TM) (www.emailwire.com) – the global newswire service that provides Press release distribution with guaranteed results.

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

HKTDC Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair and Salon de TE open today

HONG KONG, Sep 7, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – The 41st HKTDC Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair and 10th Salon de TE, organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), Hong Kong Watch Manufacturers Association Ltd and The Federation of Hong Kong Watch Trades & Industries Ltd, opened today with more than 200 exhibitors taking part. Running under the HKTDC's brand-new EXHIBITION+ model, which brings together online and offline editions, the physical fairs take place from 7 to 11 September at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC), while the online exhibition runs until 18 September. The new model offers an effective business platform that overcomes geographical boundaries and time restrictions for global watch and clock traders.
Richard Leung, Co-Chairman, Fair Organising Committee of HKTDC Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair 2022; Gary Lau, President, Hong Kong Watch Manufacturers Association Limited; Margaret Fong, Executive Director, HKTDC; Bernard Chan, Under Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development of the HKSAR Government; Enders Lam, Chairman, HKTDC Watches & Clocks Advisory Committee; and Daniel Tsai, Co-chairman, Fair Organising Committee of the HKTDC Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair 2022 (front R, from L)

Sponsored by Prince Jewellery & Watch for the 12th consecutive year, the World Brand Piazza at Salon de TE presents 12 top-tier international brands

A series of public events such as watch parades are being held during the fairs, with models showcasing a variety of eye-catching timepieces


Open to trade visitors as well as the general public, the five-day physical fairs offer visitors a chance to appreciate the exquisite craftsmanship of watchmaking and enable them to shop for quality timepieces with special offers. Asia's fashion spotlight CENTRESTAGE will be held concurrently at the HKCEC from 9 to 11 September, bringing together collections from a huge range of fashion brands and designers from around the world, creating synergies and enabling cross-industry business opportunities.

Magnificent watch collections showcased at World Brand Piazza

Salon de TE features a series of world-renowned brands and high-end collections at various thematic zones including World Brand Piazza, Craft Treasure, Chic & Trendy and Renaissance Moment. Sponsored by Prince Jewellery & Watch for the 12th consecutive year, World Brand Piazza will present 12 acclaimed international brands, including Blancpain, Breguet, Chopard, Corum, CVSTOS, Franck Muller, Glashutte Original, Hublot, Jacob & Co, Parmigiani Fleurier, Piaget and Sarcar Geneve.

Other top-tier timepieces being showcased at the twin watch fairs include:

The rare and the radiant
– Presented by The Ballerina Watch Company Limited, Fouette Ballerina Watch is a wristwatch recognised by its iconic design that features a 360-degree-turning, three-dimensional handcrafted ballerina dancing on a shiny natural mother of pearl dial. Eighty-eight pieces of cubic zirconia surround the sterling silver ballerina, sparkling beneath a dome-shaped lens. The unique design stands out from the crowd. (Booth: 1D-A02)
– Mira Watch International Limited introduces Swiss-made brand Coinwatch and its women's watch, which features a Swiss quartz movement, coupled with a mother of pearl dial set with 12 diamonds, creating a precious and delicate timepiece. (Booth: 1D-A19)

Classic and timeless masterpieces
– Temporis, as featured by Free Town Watch Products Limited, proudly presents the Nature Collection that has simplicity and a minimalistic design at its core. The slim and slightly curved round case with a Roman index inscription fits the wrist ergonomically and with a great sense of aesthetics. The dial features four Swarovski crystals that highlight the watch's purity and charm. (Booth: 1D-A23)
– Presented by Action Wise International Limited, POPOLO's Retrovoga Aqua, a 40mm stainless steel watch with a Japanese MIYOTA automatic movement, features Super-LumiNova on the watch's face, along with a ruby-hued transparent case back and genuine leather strap, demonstrating easy elegance and style. (Booth: 1E-A25)

Trendy and stylish must-haves
– Introduced by Splendid Star Holdings Limited, the ZTAGE EH Worldtimer wristwatch has a northern hemisphere graphic in the centre as part of a double-layered structure featuring Super-LumiNova. The refined multi-dimensional layer of the northern hemisphere shines brightly at night, highlighting the dazzling creativity of the watchmaker. (Booth: 1E-A14)
– Modern Concept Watch Limited presents the Zorbello T1 series that draws its inspiration from car racing and stands out through its "light up the darkness" theme. The series is an artistic expression of vitality. (Booth: 1D-A16)

When functionality and craftmanship combine
– The Swiss-made Roamer Searock collection by Chung Nam Watch Co Ltd exhibits a minimalist design along with discreet elegance. The combination of steel and scratch-resistant Tungstein gives the Searock a shiny and durable look that is also water-resistant. (Booth: 1E-C28)
– Trendy Power Group Limited presents the M.B.K M1009G-1 series that brings together sapphire crystals with a stainless-steel case and strap, featuring an eye-catching design with a modern twist. (Booth: 1E-C19)

The Watch & Clock Fair also exhibits a broad range of products including complete watches, clocks, parts and components, packaging goods and more, as well as trade services.

Fun events, lucky draws, shopping offers and more

A broad array of public activities is being organised during the fairs ranging from watch parades and the "Fashion X Watch" parade to product launches, with the participation of local celebrities such as So Wa-wai, the track-and-field athlete who won six Paralympic gold medals, Hong Kong fencing athlete Cheung Siu-lun, and celebrity artistes Adam Pak and William Hu. Lucky draws will be held during the fairs with prizes including a wristwatch valued at HK$24,000, fashionable accessories, dining coupons and more.

Visitors can also take part in Smart Bidding to bid for watches starting at 10% of the original price, including bidding for the Alhambra Yellow watch from HK$3,000 (original price: HK$27,200) and for the ANPASSA Duke Tourbillon from HK$2,000 (original price: HK$17,280). Visitors can download electronic coupons to enjoy special offers such as 70% discounts and a reduction of HK$1,000 when shopping for specified products. What's more, in partnership with live shopping platform LoopLive, key opinion leaders (KOLs) are engaged to conduct livestreaming shows to introduce selected watches before and during the fairs, boosting the promotion of exhibitors through an online-to-offline (O2O) model. After placing orders online, visitors can pick up their purchases at the fairs and enjoy free admission.

In addition, a workshop will be co-hosted by Quinn Lai, a post-80s entrepreneur who created his own watch brand Eoniq and the DIY Watch Club, on 10 September, teaching participants how to make their own mechanical watches.

To identify watch design talents and promote creativity, the HKTDC, the Hong Kong Watch Manufacturers Association Ltd and The Federation of Hong Kong Watch Trades & Industries Ltd co-organised the 39th Hong Kong Watch and Clock Design Competition. The creations of all the winners and finalists, both from the Open Group and the Student Group, are on display at the fairs. Visitors can vote for the "Most Popular Award" on the spot.

The two fairs also showcase works created by young designers under the theme of "Future Timepiece", in a bid to promote collaborations between local young designers and watch manufacturers, and to further explore the youth market. This brand-new project has been launched by the Hong Kong Watch Manufacturers Association Ltd, supported by the HKTDC, the Federation of Hong Kong Watch Trades & Industries Ltd and the Hong Kong Design Institute, and is funded by the "Trade and Industrial Organisation Support Fund" of the Trade and Industry Department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government.

Industry insiders reveal insights on market trends and prospects

Industry participants are also invited to join a number of seminars and forums that will bring them up to date on the latest market trends and prospects. The "Cross-Border eCommerce: How to Win in Southeast Asia" talk on 9 September will feature Chois Choi, Strategy Consultant, Source Network Media Group Limited, who will look at how cross-border e-commerce in Southeast Asia has created unprecedented business growth through short video platforms, and how this trend can help the watch industry increase brand popularity and boost sales.

The Hong Kong International Watch Forum was broadcast online on 5 September, featuring sharing by representatives of watch associations from across the globe on the most up-to-date trade data and market trends. Industry participants can watch a replay of the forum through the fair websites. The annual Asian Watch Conference will be held tomorrow (8 September) under the theme "Watches Beyond – Transformation and Reinvention". Experts including Anna Dai, Research Analyst at Euromonitor International, and Ho Zi-yong, Co-head of Sales, International Specialist at Phillips, have been invited to discuss a range of issues, including the latest development trends and prospects in the watch market, and the business opportunities and challenges resulting from transactions of watches in the form of non-fungible tokens (NFTs).

EXHIBITION+ accelerates online business deals

EXHIBITION+ comprises four key exhibition elements, including HKTDC-organised physical fairs, the smart business-matching platform Click2Match, online-to-offline seminars under the Intelligence Hub, and the hktdc.com Sourcing platform, to provide round-the-clock services that boost the flexibility and effectiveness of business promotion for SMEs and offer benefits such as extended fair periods, expanded platforms and enhanced opportunities. EXHIBITION+ extends face-to-face interactions from physical exhibitions to an online smart business-matching platform to help enterprises connect with business partners proactively. The HKTDC's 50 global offices will actively recruit international buyers to meet with exhibitors through video conferences.

Websites
– Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair: https://hkwatchfair.hktdc.com
– Salon de TE: https://hkwatchfair.hktdc.com/te
– HKTDC Media Room: https://mediaroom.hktdc.com/tc
– Electronic coupon download: https://bit.ly/3PPLUOM
– Photo download: https://bit.ly/3REQX5Q

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 Communications & Public Affairs Department:
Kate Chan, Tel: +852 2584 4239, Email: kate.hy.chan@hktdc.org
Clementine Cheung, Tel: +852 2584 4514, Email: clementine.hm.cheung@hktdc.org

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

Society Pass (Nasdaq: SOPA) Founder, Chairman and CEO, Dennis Nguyen, to Speak at the Wild Digital Southeast Asia 2022 Conference on 07 September 2022

SINGAPORE, Sep 5, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – Society Pass Incorporated (Nasdaq: SOPA) ("SoPa"), Southeast Asia's ("SEA") leading data-driven loyalty and e-commerce ecosystem, today announced that Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Dennis Nguyen will speak at the Wild Digital Southeast Asia 2022 Conference at 11:30 AM (GMT +8) on Wednesday, 07 September 2022 at Le Meridien Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He will participate in the panel discussion titled The New Roll-Up Play: Evolution of Ecommerce Aggregators in SEA. Bringing together some of the eCommerce roll-up industry's most influential thought leaders for the panel discussion, Mr Nguyen along with the other speakers will explore the core trends and technologies shaping the future of digital eCommerce aggregators, strategies for maintaining industry dominance in SEA as well as how one can gear up to a successful exit.


Southeast Asia presents huge opportunities given the rapidly increasing mobile and internet penetration in the region, paired with very attractive young demographics. The market opportunity for e-commerce companies is expanding at an ever-increasing rate in SEA, where a surge in digital adoption is driving user and merchant uptake as well as creating new technologies and accompanying business models.

Society Pass's success up to this point has been built through offering unique value for both consumers and merchants, along with a sophisticated software infrastructure supporting that exchange. Society Pass consumers easily search and order anything they want through the Company's various interconnected mobile and web platforms. Society Pass's strategic alliances, delivery arrangements, and payment processing are also done within the platform, reducing the inconvenience of checkout for consumers.

About Society Pass Inc

Founded in 2018 as a digitally-focused loyalty and data marketing 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, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Jakarta, Manila, and Singapore, SoPa is an acquisition-focused e-commerce 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 Society Pass loyalty 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, a leading local restaurant delivery service in Philippines. For more information, please check out: http://thesocietypass.com/.

Media Contacts:
PRecious Communications
sopa@preciouscomms.com

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

Seventh Belt and Road Summit draws to successful close

HONG KONG, Sep 2, 2022 – (ACN Newswire) – The seventh Belt and Road Summit, jointly organised by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), concluded yesterday (1 September). Continuing in the tradition of being a formal, substantial and high-quality event, the summit saw state leaders and senior officials, regional government leaders and business leaders gathered to explore the business potential of the Belt and Road Initiative, and to drive synergies and create a win-win situation through multilateral collaborations such as the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).
The seventh Belt and Road Summit, which ran under the theme "Heralding a New Chapter: Collaborate and Innovate", attracted more than 80 government and business leaders to share their insights.

More than 19,000 participants from over 80 countries and regions attended online or in-person.

The 38th Prime Minister of New Zealand, John Key, Aswin Techajareonvikul, CEO and President of Berli Jucker PCL, Liu Liange, Chairman of the Bank of China, and Rod Eddington, Chairman of Infrastructure Partnerships Australia, JP Morgan's Asia Pacific Advisory Council and Non-Executive Chairman of Lion shared their insights at Business Plenary "Collaborate for a Bright New Era".


As one of the major celebrations to mark the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the HKSAR, the summit saw more than 80 senior government officials and business leaders from the Belt and Road region gathered to share their insights under the theme "Heralding a New Chapter: Collaborate and Innovate". For the first time, the summit was held in a hybrid format, overcoming geographical boundaries by allowing those who were unable to attend in person to participate virtually. More than 19,000 attendees representing over 80 countries and regions participated online or at the physical event.

More than 800 one-to-one matching sessions

The business matching and project pitching sessions at the summit remained popular among project owners and attendees. More than 280 investment projects from the Belt and Road region and beyond were presented at the summit, covering four main areas, namely: (1) energy, natural resources and public utilities; (2) innovation and technology; (3) urban development; and (4) transportation and logistics infrastructure. The projects focused on areas such as smart city development, data centres and e-commerce related investments. More than 800 one-to-one business matching meetings were arranged for project owners, investors and professional service providers to pave the way for collaboration agreements.

Real opportunities in RCEP but some challenges

Multilateral collaboration creates more frequent cross-border trade and investment, and is becoming more important than ever in driving a strong recovery in the Asia-Pacific region following the pandemic. The RCEP, which came into effect this year, stands as the largest free trade agreement in history, accounting for 30% of the world's population and GDP. Combined with the joint effort of more than 180 countries connected through the Belt and Road Initiative, it will further strengthen regional economic integration around the world. In the Business Plenary titled "Collaborate for a Bright New Era", business leaders from economies along the Belt and Road and the RCEP shared their insights and explored how these initiatives and agreements can complement each other to drive strong economic growth and promote cross-border collaboration between businesses of all sizes.

The 38th Prime Minister of New Zealand, John Key, shared his views on the RCEP. "One of the things that are challenged is the supply chains. China is a really a huge market, and we source a lot of goods from China. We can see the impact the breaking down of those supply chains has had on global inflation."

Aswin Techajareonvikul, Chief Executive Officer and President of Berli Jucker Public Company Limited, shared that the Thailand enterprises have well received the potential of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). "It is in tune with our 20-year strategy and Thailand's ongoing projects for economic development under the Thailand 4.0 economic model. We are able to expand trade and investment to our neighbouring countries. We can also better link with the world market, especially for the CLMV countries [Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam]."

Liu Liange, Chairman of the Bank of China, said: "Most of the members in the RCEP are located in important junctions along the Belt and Road. This not only fosters connectivity between value chains and supply chains, but also further expands the 'social circle' of the Belt and Road Initiative, engaging more countries and businesses in the construction of the Belt and Road and in broader collaboration, as well as forming the dual-engine of the Belt and Road Initiative and RCEP within the region."

Belt and Road Initiative drives consumption and Infratech development

Global economies are pushing to achieve post-pandemic economic recovery. At the same time, countries around the world are striving to build stronger global business connections with the help of macro measures such as the BRI, the RCEP and the GBA development.

The demand for high-quality, innovative and sustainable infrastructure around the world has given rise to many new business opportunities. These innovative projects will be led and driven by visionary industry leaders as they usher in a new era of infrastructure development. In the "Faster, Greater Infrastructure" session of the thematic group discussions, business leaders who had turned futuristic concepts into reality and envisioned some of the world's most important infrastructure projects exchanged their views.

Founder and Managing Director of Emaar Properties and Founder and Director of Noon.com, HE Mohamed Ali Rashed Alabbar, said: "I really believe that a link such as the Belt and Road Initiative and its effects on human life, economic progress, quality of life, job creation and exchange of cultures and knowledge and unity to the world – it is going to be incredible."

Chief Marketing Officer of Hyperloop TT Robert Miller addressed the current trends in infrastructure technology (infratech) development. "Infratech is really underfunded and underdeveloped. Hyperloop really falls into the category of infratech where there is a longer time to profitability. So we need patient investors from both public and private sectors. Meanwhile, governments everywhere are looking at reducing carbon emissions. One of the biggest polluters is the transportation industry: 23% of all carbon emissions worldwide come from transportation. Europe, the United States and countries in Asia are all looking how to decarbonise the transportation industry. Hyperloop TT could be a massive driver in that decarbonisation," he said.

The seventh Belt and Road Summit was made possible by its Strategic Partner, China International Capital Corporation (CICC); Regional Banking Partner, Bank of China (Hong Kong); and Platinum Sponsors, China Mobile International and China Unicom.

Image download: https://bit.ly/3edlV6t

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 HKTDC's Communications & Public Affairs Department:
Clayton Lauw, Tel: +852 2584 4472, email: clayton.y.lauw@hktdc.org
Sam Ho, Tel: +852 2584 4569, email: sam.sy.ho@hktdc.org

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

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