Lunar New Year Brings Call from CropLife Asia to “Think of and Thank our Farmer Heroes”

SINGAPORE, Feb 9, 2021 – (ACN Newswire) – With people in Asia and around the world set to celebrate Lunar New Year, CropLife Asia called for greater appreciation of regional growers and their critical contributions to food production – helping ensure food security across Asia and making available many of the ingredients to dishes enjoyed during this festive time of year.

"Lunar New Year is a time when we reflect, spend more time with friends and family, and enjoy the delicious foods of the season," said Dr. Siang Hee Tan, CropLife Asia Executive Director. "In the midst of the ongoing global pandemic, it all takes on greater meaning. The time spent with loved ones and eating the foods we savour will be that much more enjoyable and memorable.

"In the midst of this year's gatherings, I hope we can also take time to think of and thank our farmer heroes. The men and women we depend on for the food we eat during this holiday and throughout the year have been hit hard by COVID-19. They drive food security for Asia in the midst of a growing number of challenges and obstacles. Asia's farmers earn our respect and appreciation every day, and we owe them our gratitude."

Farmers across Asia help make Lunar New Year celebrations more festive, nutritious and delicious by producing the various foods that are served during the holiday season. In China and across Asia, mandarin oranges are a staple that can be found on tables and given as gifts. In Vietnam, xoi (sticky rice) is synonymous with Tet celebrations. Meanwhile, tteokguk (rice cake soup) is a popular dish enjoyed by many in Korea; while tikoy (sticky rice treat) is a delicacy prepared by many of those celebrating in the Philippines.

The past year has been an unprecedented time for everyone; this has been particularly true for farmers in our region. Asia is home to the smallest-sized farms and the largest number of smallholder farmers globally. The pandemic has only exacerbated a challenging landscape for these smallholders – one that includes mitigating the devasting impacts of locusts, the Fall Armyworm invasive pest and climate change. Despite these challenges, regional farmers continue to grow the safe and nutritious foods on which we depend and help ensure food security for a growing Asia and world.

Plant science continues to play a critical role in enabling farmers on this front. Biotech crops have been developed with improved traits such as increased yield, better resistance to pests and/or improved nutrition, among others. These traits are crucial tools that help farmers meet global challenges such as food insecurity. Meanwhile, farmers continue to rely on crop protection products to produce more food on less land and raise productivity per hectare. Without crop protection products, 40 percent of global rice and maize harvests could be lost every year and losses for fruits and vegetables could be as high as 50-90 percent.

About CropLife Asia

CropLife Asia is a non-profit society and the regional organization of CropLife International, the voice of the global plant science industry. We advocate a safe, secure food supply, and our vision is food security enabled by innovative agriculture. CropLife Asia supports the work of 15 member associations across the continent and is led by six member companies at the forefront of crop protection, seeds and/or biotechnology research and development. For more information, visit us at www.croplifeasia.org.

For more information please contact:
Duke Hipp
Director, Public Affairs & Strategic Partnerships
CropLife Asia
Tel: +65 6221 1615
duke.hipp@croplifeasia.org

Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Protect Your Family with the World’s First Intelligent CIO2 Air Purifier

SINGAPORE, Jan 27, 2021 – (ACN Newswire) – Mamoru Marketing, the exclusive distributor of Ecom products in Singapore, is introducing a new product to protect our loved ones in 2021. The big brother of the EA Mask, the Ecom Mask 030 Plus Disinfection Air Purifier has 10 unique features that differentiates itself from the competition. It is the world's first professional-grade intelligent CIO2 air purification machine that will eliminate 99.9% of bacteria, smoke, odors, and more, ensuring you and your family will be breathing the best air of their lives.

With the largest coverage of 1,000 square feet (the size of a 4 room HDB apartment), the Ecom Mask 030 Plus Disinfection Air Purifier uses 4-in-1 filtration technology, as well as displays that will show you the exact number of days to change the filters. The display will even show you immediately in precise PM2.5 recordings how the air quality has improved. It can even be wall-mounted to save space and is whisper-quiet at 25db.

You can bring the Ecom Mask 030 Plus Disinfection Air Purifier home for an introductory price of just $1,280 (usual price $1,800). This also include a free Care Kit from worth $119. Mamoru is implementing a monthly rental scheme so you can enjoy the Ecom Mask 030 Plus Disinfection Air Purifier's benefits at just $70 a month with a minimum 3-month contract.

4-in-1 filtration technology

The Ecom Mask 030 Plus Disinfection Air Purifier's 4-in-1 filtration technology is designed to destroy pollutants through a first-of-its-kind system. The primary filter is an anti-bacterial nano premium filter that absorbs dust, pollen and spores. The next layer is ECOM's revolutionary CIO2 molecule release technology. Without turning on the machine, the CIO2 molecule generation eliminates both pollutants & odor from bacteria, formaldehydes and mold.

The third layer is the 12-meter HEPA filter. The panel-fold fast eliminates allergens, formaldehydes, smoke smell, & chemicals from the home. The fourth filter is the negative ioniser, which can be switched on or off. The front-loaded 8 fan wheels provide the highest Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) at 870 metre cube per hour when operating at maximum fan speed. Lastly, the Ecom Mask 030 Plus Disinfection Air Purifier comes with a humidifier, which is triggered when humidity falls below 45%, giving your skin the moisture it needs to keep it soft and supple. The Ecom Mask 030 Plus Disinfection Air Purifier includes an aroma diffuser so you can enjoy the dual benefits of aromatherapy with fresh clean air.

ALL IN THE DISPLAY

The Ecom Mask 030 Plus Disinfection Air Purifier's technology is not just in its filtration system. Equipped with sensors that scan air quality, the Ecom Mask 030 Plus Disinfection Air Purifier will relay that information to you via the Ecom Mask 030+ Smart App.

The app and the display will share information such as when you need to replace the different filters, as well as displaying in real-time, the air quality of your space.

GLOBAL COMPLIANCE

Ecom Mask 030 Plus Disinfection Air Purifier is FDA (US Food and Drug Administration) registered, CE marked (European Economic Area) and certified by CQC (China), PSE (Japan) & IEC (United Kingdom). Be reassured you and your loved ones will be well taken of.

For high-res images, kindly download them via this link: https://bit.ly/3a5qGto

About Mamoru Marketing

Mamoru is the exclusive distributor of ECOM products in Singapore. Mamoru means 'Protect' in the Japanese language, and that is what Mamoru Marketing sets out to do. Incorporated in September 2019, Mamoru believes in developing, creating, and exclusively representing brands and products that have been proven to improve consumers' quality of life. All our products are validated with international research papers, ensuring all customers are at ease with the Mamoru brands.

About ECOM

At the heart of all ECOM products lies our passion for a better, healthier world – powered by a world-class, eco-friendly cost effective key ingredient. Chlorine Dioxide (CIO2), classified A1 by the world Health Organisation (WHO), is universally known for its powerful effectiveness as an oxidising agent, and potent disinfectant. Perfected by Japanese-patented technology and rigorous manufacturing standards, our range of ECOM products aims to protect you in every phase of your life, wherever, whenever.

For more information on ECOM products, please visit the following:
Website: www.ecomsingapore.sg
Facebook: ecomsingapore
Instagram: ecom_singapore

For media queries, please contact:
Danielle Chow
Fresh Communications
(HP) +65 9727 7766
(Email) danielle@freshcomms.sg

Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

CropLife Asia Statement: Reaction to New UN Regional Report on State of Food Security and Nutrition in Asia

SINGAPORE, Jan 20, 2021 – (ACN Newswire) – With today's launch of the United Nations' (UN) "Asia and the Pacific Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition", CropLife Asia released a statement urging more partnership and agricultural technology adoption across the region to help ensure an abundant and accessible supply of safe, nutritious food for all.

"Today's report confirms a sadly familiar refrain for Asia: our region is failing to deliver food security for far too many – particularly among mothers, children and the more vulnerable parts of society," said Dr. Siang Hee Tan, CropLife Asia Executive Director.

"The new data shared today is troubling and simply unacceptable. Nearly two billion people in Asia cannot afford a healthy diet. Meanwhile, two-thirds of our region's children suffer from wasting; and 14 countries in Asia have a prevalence of stunting with children exceeding 30%.

"Ensuring a healthy start for our region's children is crucial. We owe it to this generation and those that will follow to put aside differences and work together to address Asia's growing food crisis. From farm to fork, greater cooperation and collaboration across the region's food supply chain is critically important in helping realize positive nutritional outcomes.

"The innovative technologies of the plant science industry have a key role to play, but it's only one part of the solution. Making certain an ample supply of affordable and nutritious food reaches those who need it most is not a government, civil society or private sector responsibility – it's all our responsibility."

About CropLife Asia

CropLife Asia is a non-profit society and the regional organization of CropLife International, the voice of the global plant science industry. We advocate a safe, secure food supply, and our vision is food security enabled by innovative agriculture. CropLife Asia supports the work of 15 member associations across the continent and is led by six member companies at the forefront of crop protection, seeds and/or biotechnology research and development. For more information, visit us at www.croplifeasia.org.

For more information please contact:

Duke Hipp
Director, Public Affairs & Strategic Partnerships
CropLife Asia
Tel: +65 6221 1615
duke.hipp@croplifeasia.org

Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Founder Institute (FI) announces Pacer Ventures as Investor in Residence for its African Accelerators

PALO ALTO & LAGOS, Dec 14, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – Founder Institute (FI), the world's largest pre-seed startup accelerator, today announces Pacer Ventures as 'Investor in Residence' for the Founder Institute's African Accelerator program. As part of the program, all startups that graduate the Founder Institute in Africa will be reviewed by Pacer Ventures for potential investment in their seed or pre-seed round of funding.

This development follows the announcement of Founder Institute as a strategic partner of Pacer Ventures for African early-stage start-ups that are solving some of the most critical problems on the continent. Pacer VC's purpose is aligned with FI's mission to empower communities of talented and motivated people to build impactful, technology-enabled companies worldwide.

"FI is quickly becoming the gold standard for pre-seed acceleration in Africa," says Ryan Micheletti, Head of Global Operations for the Founder Institute. "We are excited to strengthen our leadership position by partnering with Pacer Ventures to foster investment in FI Alumni all across the Continent."

FI has an Alumni strength of 100+ companies tackling various challenges across the continent and this is bound to grow with FI's expanded footprint in Africa and Pacer's move to increase access to early-stage funding.

Managing Partner of Pacer Ventures, Gbemi Akande, sees value in formalizing the partnership with the Silicon Valley based program. "Our partnership is in line with what Pacer VC was set up to accomplish. By partnering with Founder Institute, we at Pacer VC will accelerate our mission of supporting early stage companies. It is a win-win and we look forward to a mutually beneficial collaboration with FI."

Pacer Ventures was one of a handful of new funds selected to pitch to a global gathering of limited partners from around the world at the VC Lab Venture Forum, which has also led to increased interest from LPs around the world.

Geoffrey Weli-Wosu, General Partner at Pacer Ventures, said, "Founder Institute stands out as one of the top pre-seed accelerators across the African continent. Pacer Ventures is committed to supporting startups coming out of the program who can support the transformation of the continent."

Pacer Ventures will continue to leverage its strategic partnership with Founder Institute chapters throughout Africa to identify and recommend winning teams with scalable solutions that meet market needs. Similarly, Pacer Ventures has partnered with techbuild.africa to provide marketing and promotional support for FI portfolio companies across Africa.

General Partner at Pacer Ventures and FI Regional Director, Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata stated, "Africa faces many challenges, but within every challenge lies opportunity and young people are leveraging technology to solve these problems across the Continent. It is our duty to inspire and fund the entrepreneurs who are building valuable solutions to our most pressing problems. Africa is the future, and investors and LPs are now becoming aware of this."

About Founder Institute

Founder Institute is the world's largest pre-seed startup accelerator. Since 2009, we have helped over 4,500 entrepreneurs get the focus and support needed to build a business that matters. Based in Silicon Valley with chapters across 90 countries, Founder Institute's mission is to empower communities of talented and motivated people to build impactful technology companies worldwide. To learn more, please visit http://fi.co.

About Pacer Ventures

Pacer Ventures has a strategic relationship with Founder Institute, the world's premier pre-seed startup accelerator, to provide investment thesis support, structure, templates, tools, deal flow, potential seed, and mentorship support across all segments of the funding operation for African startups.

Pacer email: info@pacer.vc
Official website: https://pacer.vc/
Pacer blog: https://pacer.vc/blog/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/pacerventures
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/pacerventures/

Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Verofax Asia and AURI to Launch Sustainable Traceability App Powered by AntChain

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 9, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – Verofax Asia and AURI, a lifestyle brand with headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, announced the signing of an MOU to jointly launch an Asset Digitization and Traceability App for sustainable product passporting, to be adopted by suppliers of fashion and lifestyle products in the industry from Q1 2021.

Verofax and Auri are launching "Sustainable Product Passporting & Asset Tracing" services for Fashion and Lifestyle

Young ASEAN shoppers' preferences are shifting towards brands that adopt values such as sustainability, environmentally friendly and community engagement. Recent surveys show that over 70% of consumers are willing to pay a significant premium for brands that adhere to such standards[1]. AURI and Verofax share these core values and have teamed up to provide consumers with a seamless application to validate brand claims and increase direct engagement.

Through its webstore (weareauri.com), the AURI community is offered a wide selection of ethically sourced products aligned with the brand's sustainable business practices. AURI also empowers the community to become brand ambassadors, offering them attractive rewarding programs in the pipeline. Participating brands and suppliers will stand to benefit from greater trust and confidence when selling on AURI's lifestyle online store and be able to validate claims using the Verofax App, powered by AntChain Traceability as a Service (TaaS).

Verofax App will enable all suppliers, selling on AURI, to serialize each item, upload supporting sustainability and environmental certificates and enable consumers to validate their claims recorded onto Antchain's immutable blockchain ledger. In addition, Verofax App, will allow apparel, garment and lifestyle product suppliers to indulge users with relevant content and empower them to validate claims on ethical sourcing, environmental impact and community support programs.

Suppliers validated on Verofax App can then access global markets and meet compliance regulations such as 'PRC eCommerce Law' and other consumer protection laws.

Capt. Koh Chen Tien, Executive Chairman of Verofax Asia, commented, "We are thrilled to partner with AURI in launching the first lifestyle-focused Traceability platform in ASEAN. Traceability plays a key role in meeting changing shopper needs, advanced product marketing and access to global markets[2]. Fashion and lifestyle brand owners are set to benefit from increase in sales and reduction in negative reviews/returns. Verofax offers enterprises complete privacy and control over sharing their data, automation of operations and reducing operational cost."

Kristy Yong, Executive Director of AURI commented, "We have recently launched AURI, a size inclusive people-powered community with a mission to provide accessible life-enriching experiences for all things from fashion to wellness. The recent pandemic has clearly demonstrated that we are all responsible for each other and the community. As such, we are working towards connecting the industry to deliver stronger impact."

Wassim Merheby, CEO Verofax Limited, added, "Trust in sustainable brands, is top of mind for young shoppers and will transform the way brands succeed. Sustainable asset tracing will accelerate ASEAN suppliers growth and create opportunities through access to global markets[3]."

Please visit AURI at https://www.weareauri.com, or contact hi@weareauri.com for more details.

For technical matters, visit Verofax at https://www.verofax.com, or contact info@verofax.com.

Verofax is an AntChain Alliance Partner: https://antchain.net/.

About AURI
AURI [aw-ree] is a community-powered brand with a mission to provide life-enriching experiences from all things clothing to well-being. Beyond just fashion, AURI provides an eclectic yet relevant array of lifestyle products through its omnichannel retail distribution network.

About Verofax
Verofax is a blockchain-enabled traceability and Asset Digitization service provider with presence in Asia, Middle East and Europe. Follow on https://www.linkedin.com/company/verofax1/

[1] IBV research, changing consumer preferences, 2020
[2] Lux research, 2020
[3] PWC report, Time for Trust, Oct 2020

Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

A New Way of Gifting in the ‘New Normal’: Giftano Launches New 360 Gifting Marketplace

SINGAPORE, Dec 9, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – Giftano, the leading online gifting marketplace in Singapore, has launched a new 360 online gifting e-shop expanding its offering to include the totally new Giftano Gifts, an array of great physical gifts. Giftano Gifts is an expansion alongside the established Giftano Gift Cards selection. With this, Singapore will now have its first and only specialised gifting e-commerce marketplace, providing the full gifting experience for both giftgiver and recipient.

Giftano now offers online personalised service throughout the gifting process. As a buyer, you are recommended great gift ideas by Giftano's newly enhanced search function, regardless of whom the gift is for. Make your purchase with just a click and all items get sent over directly to the recipient speedily, some even on the same day, a true life-saver. All items are beautifully packaged and accompanied with your personal physical greeting card message. The Giftano e-shop ensures the moment of surprise and joy of getting a gift is still there for the recipient, as it should be!

A one-stop place for all your gifting needs

With more than 1000 different gifts from 150+ merchants on the platform, customers can purchase anything from a dining experience at restaurants like NOX – Dine in the Dark or Michelin Star restaurants such as Burnt Ends & Alma by Juan Amador, to terrarium and leather craft workshops, gift cards from TANGS, Mothercare, Nike, Best Denki and many other brands on top of the newly launched Giftano Gifts.

To ensure customers get the best online user experience in time for the Christmas period, Giftano has unveiled a slew of new elements such as the Giftano New Search Function, which has become more intuitive, enabling customers to pick a suitable gift, type out a custom gift card, and picking their mode of delivery. Giftgivers can now select everything from flowers, gift hampers, personalized accessories, jewellery, electronics, and get gifts like a Riedel "Bar" Whisky Gift Set for the whisky connoisseur, or a Travel Edition Scratch Map for friends and family who love to travel, on the Giftano Gifts platform.

Jesper Gustafsson, Founder & CEO of Giftano, says, "The new normal reaffirmed the huge demand for online gifting. Customers were routinely requesting that gifts be purchased online for friends and family, and have it prepared as a proper gift with all the trimmings, and then delivered as such. With this new e-shop, Giftano now provides this entire gifting flow, as a one-stop shop for all gifting needs."

Online Gifting in the "New Normal"

A recent Giftano Gift Card survey found that 67% of the respondents will be buying more physical gifts online for the festive season 2020 compared to 2019. Furthermore, 55% stated when purchasing physical gifts online they will have them shipped directly to the recipients.

The survey reinforced the main reasons why customers would want to shop for gifts online. Gift-givers were looking for a way to give a proper gift even when you are unable to meet the recipient in person, and the convenience that packaging, delivery and greeting cards are all taken care of. With Giftano Gifts, gift-givers can do just that and be reassured that their gifts are in safe hands.

In the "New Normal", the demand for gift cards have also been increasing throughout 2020; 45% said they will buy more gift cards as festive 2020 gifts compared to previous year. The most popular gift cards to receive are Experiences, Fine Dining and Retail, and the appreciation of getting a gift card is at a high 8 out of 10. People just love getting gift cards and freedom of choice is the main motive behind this.

About Giftano.com

Giftano.com is a unique gift card platform that brings hundreds of choices to consumers looking for gift ideas with an intuitive search function, customisable cards as well delivery methods, offering great variety and maintains viable returns for its merchants and partners. Its platform also enables merchants to handle issuing and redemption of gift cards electronically with increased security and productivity as a result. You can visit Giftano at https://giftano.com/.

For more information, please do not hesitate to contact:
Fresh Communications
Danielle Chow
T: +65 97277766
E: danielle@freshcomms.sg

Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Dusit International Singapore debuts with Dusit Thani Laguna Singapore

Bangkok, Thailand, 2 December 2020 – Dusit International, one of Thailand’s leading hotel and property development companies, has officially expanded into Singapore with the opening of Dusit Thani Laguna Singapore in the heart of the renowned Laguna National Golf & Country Club, one of the island nation’s premier golf and country clubs.

Comprising 198 tastefully-decorated contemporary rooms and suites, plus eight pavilions with private pools, and located just 10 minutes by car from Jewel Changi Airport and 15 minutes from Downtown, the resort is the first in Singapore to offer direct access to award-winning golfing facilities.

It is also the first resort in the country to feature Dusit’s unique brand of Thai-inspired gracious hospitality, and it serves as a showcase of the company’s new strategic direction for the new normal, which includes enhancing its brand DNA in four key areas – Personalised Service, Well-being, Local Connections, and Sustainability.

Opening initially to domestic guests on 4 December 2020, the elegant resort has been thoughtfully designed to cater to avid golfers, local families, and business and leisure travellers, and meet their needs from a wellness and destination getaway perspective.

The main building, whose sleek, contemporary design includes a curvilinear roof and impressive facade of floor-to-ceiling glass windows, signals a modern new direction for Dusit’s 50-year-old Dusit Thani brand. High-tech amenities and thoughtfully curated spaces combine to offer understated luxury which subtly references the old-world opulence of Dusit’s more traditional hotel offerings.

Current dining facilities include Greenhouse all-day dining; Tee Deck alfresco pool bar and grill; Legends Bar; and Dusit Gourmet.

In line with Dusit’s focus on well-being and sustainability, the restaurants are supported by an onsite garden planted with a selection of herbs, vegetables and fruits. A series of wellness menus are also offered featuring nutritious and balanced dishes for those seeking to maintain a healthy diet.

Alongside access to Laguna National Golf & Country Club’s renowned Masters and Classic championship golf courses, guests also have access to a 24-hour gym, three tennis courts, three swimming pools, a nine-hole putting green by Nicklaus Design, Laguna Practice powered by Toptracer driving range, and Devarana Wellness.

Alongside providing traditional Thai massage and premium health and beauty therapies, the latter facility also offers a wide range of activities that promote physical and mental well-being, such as meditation, yoga, active stretching, and breath-work exercises. These activities have all been developed as part of Dusit’s new Devarana Wellness programme, which will also be rolled out to other Dusit Hotels and Resorts worldwide.

Positioned to become a leading venue for corporate functions, weddings and private social events, the resort also offers a spacious boardroom, three meeting rooms, three large event lawns, and a luxurious pillarless ballroom with capacity for 520 guests, depending on distancing requirements.

Nearby attractions for business and leisure include Changi Business Park, Singapore Expo, the Tampines business district, Marina Bay, Raffles Place, Orchard Road, and Sentosa Island. All can be reached within 20 minutes by car.

Dusit Thani Laguna Singapore’s concierge is also on hand to ensure guests can connect with the best of the destination with personalised tips on what to see and do.

Alongside showcasing Dusit’s new brand standards for the new normal, the opening of the resort demonstrates the company’s commitment to sustainable expansion by planting flags in strategic locations with strong growth potential. It is Dusit’s fifth resort to open this year, following dusitD2 Salwa Doha, Dusit Beach Resort Guam, ASAI Bangkok Chinatown, and Dusit Thani Wellness Resort Suzhou. It also comes hot on the heels of recent signings to manage upcoming hotels in India and Japan.

Dusit’s portfolio now includes 340 properties operating under six brands across 15 countries.

“Following this year’s signings and openings, the arrival of Dusit Thani Laguna Singapore marks another important milestone in our sustainable expansion, and we are delighted to make our debut in one of the world’s most respected business hubs and showcase our new brand DNA with such an exceptional property,” said Ms Suphajee Suthumpun, Group CEO, Dusit International. “The resort’s stunning design, extensive guest offerings, and prime location on the grounds of the Laguna National Golf & Country Club puts us in a unique position to offer an integrated and full suite of services to meet the needs of a wide range of consumers, from C-suite executives and local staycationers, to soon-to-wed couples and avid golfers alike. This ensures we have plenty of avenues for domestic revenue creation while we wait for the COVID-19 situation to normalise and international travel to resume.

“While this is certainly a challenging time for our industry, Singapore previously recorded four years of consecutive tourism growth, and we remain confident that the market will bounce back strong. Until then, we will do our utmost to aid in its recovery by establishing Dusit Thani Laguna Singapore as a must-visit destination that brings enduring value to all stakeholders.”

Mr Eric Piatti, General Manager, Dusit Thani Laguna Singapore, said, “We are delighted to finally open Dusit Thani Laguna Singapore and bring our personalised service and distinctive guest experiences to the destination for the first time. Opening the resort while the borders are closed may seem challenging, but demand for staycations among the domestic market is high, and we have an amazing and unique product to leverage this. Opening now will also ensure that everything is in place to help the Lion City roar back to life as soon as international travel resumes. We look forward to seeing Dusit Thani Laguna Singapore leading the pack, establishing itself as the new destination for Singaporeans.”

To ensure guest safety at Dusit Thani Laguna Singapore, the resort strictly adheres to Dusit’s group-wide ‘Dusit Care – Stay with Confidence’ programme. Heightened cleaning protocols, contactless registration, anytime breakfast, digital in-room menus, and mobile payment methods are just some of the services and facilities implemented to protect the health and well-being of guests and employees.

For more information about the resort and its opening room rates, please visit dusit.com/dusitthani-laguna-singapore.

Dusit Thani Laguna Singapore

Dusit Thani Laguna Singapore – Lobby

Dusit Thani Laguna Singapore – Suite Room

Dusit Thani Laguna Singapore – Greenhouse Restaurant

Ms Suphajee Suthumpun, Group CEO, Dusit International

About Dusit International

Established in 1948, Dusit International is a leading hospitality group listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand. Building on its two core areas of business – Hotels & Resorts and Hospitality Education – the company has expanded its operations over the past four years to comprise five business units. The additional units include Foods, Property Development, and Hospitality-Related Services. Today, the company’s property portfolio comprises more than 300 distinctive hotels, resorts and luxury villas operating under six brands across 15 countries worldwide, as well as two leading hospitality colleges with campuses in Thailand and the Philippines. Following a three-pronged strategy for sustainable growth, including balance, expansion and diversification, the company has recently expanded into food production, on-demand hospitality services, and property development to reach new markets and add further recurring streams of revenue to the company. For more information, please visit www.dusit-international.com

Official photos of Dusit Hotels & Resorts can be downloaded at medialib.dusit.com

About Dusit Thani Laguna Singapore

Dusit Thani Laguna Singapore is located within the grounds of the acclaimed Laguna National Golf & Country Club, 10 minutes by car from Changi International Airport and 15 minutes from Downtown.

Comprising 198 tastefully-decorated rooms and suites showcasing the best of contemporary Asian design, this resort is equipped for business and leisure with a wealth of experiences for guests to enjoy.

Facilities include Greenhouse, an all-day dining multi-ethnic restaurant with show kitchens; Tee Deck – alfresco bar and grill; Legends Bar & Lounge; Dusit Gourmet; The Nest restaurant; Club Lounge; DFiT – a fully-equipped gym; three swimming pools; three tennis courts; Laguna Putting powered by Nicklaus Design; Laguna Practice powered by Toptracer, and Dusit’s signature Devarana Wellness.

The resort also offers a boardroom, two meeting rooms, three event lawns, eight pavilions, a terrace for private functions, and a large pillarless ballroom (seats up to 520 guests) with a pre-function area overlooking the golf course.

Guests will enjoy privileged access to the driving range and Laguna National’s championship Classic and Masters golf courses. For more information, please visit dusitthanilagunasingapore.com

About Laguna National Golf & Country Club

A prominent club in the local and regional golf scene since its inauguration in 1993, Laguna National is one of Singapore’s premier golf and country clubs. Laguna National boasts two 18-hole championship courses that have won prestigious accolades and hosted international championships, including the European Tour’s Singapore Masters, the Korean LPGA Tour’s ADT Caps Tour Championship, and European and Asian Tour co-sanctioned event, The Championship at Laguna National.

Following a multi-million-dollar facelift, Laguna National has developed a state-of-the-art union of a world-class golf club and a 198-room and suites plus eight pavilions Dusit Thani resort with full facilities including a spa, a learning and practice facility, a fitness centre, as well as Member-exclusive areas with private locker rooms, Golfers’ lounge and country club facilities.

In close proximity to the airport, beach, malls and with a private clubhouse and resort, golfers will find the world at their fingertips at Laguna National Golf & Country Club. For more information, please visit lagunanational.com and facebook.com/lagunagolf

Media Contact:

Sureerat Sudpairak | Director of Marketing Communications – Hotel Business | Dusit International
Tel: +66 (0) 2200 9999 ext. 3321 | Mobile: +66 89 0068 697 | Email: sureerat.sp@dusit.com

Sue Gan | Director of Sales & Marketing | Dusit Thani Laguna Singapore
Tel: +65 6248 1725 | Mobile: +65 9646 4352 | Email: sue.gan@dusit.com

SBI, NPCI and JCB Launch ‘SBI RuPay JCB Platinum Contactless Debit Card’

Mumbai & Tokyo, Dec 1, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – State Bank of India (SBI), National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and JCB International Co., Ltd. (JCB) have announced the launch of 'SBI RuPay JCB Platinum Contactless Debit Card'. This Card has been launched on the RuPay network by SBI in association with JCB. The SBI RuPay JCB Platinum Contactless Debit Card comes with a unique dual interface feature which will enable customers to perform both Contact & Contactless transactions in the domestic market and seamless contact transactions overseas. With this card, consumers would be able to transact on ATMs & POS terminals across the globe under JCB network. They can also shop online from JCB partnered international e-Commerce merchants using this card.

The 'SBI RuPay JCB Platinum Contactless Debit Card' supports RuPay offline wallet based transactions, enabling an additional payment mode within the Card. Consumers will be able to load the offline wallet and utilize it in transit in India (bus and metro) and retail (merchant) payments. This innovative proposition will offer customers uninterrupted shopping experience with an extra layer of convenience. Customers can also enjoy attractive discounts and offers while shopping at top brands, both within India as well as in international markets by using this Card. Additionally, customers will have access to JCB PLAZA Lounge (in-city exclusive lounges for JCB cardmembers) in prominent travel destinations such as Bangkok (Thailand), Orchard Road (Singapore) and Paris (France) which is a one-of-a-kind feature provided by JCB.

Ms. Praveena Rai, COO, National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) said, "We believe our collaboration with SBI and JCB will provide the cardholders compelling benefits and an unparalleled value proposition both in Indian and international markets. SBI RuPay JCB Platinum Contactless Debit Card holders can now use their cards at millions of locations in the world. It is also great to witness RuPay strengthening its foothold in international markets through our networks. We at NPCI constantly strive to offer an evolved and personalised shopping experience to the customers, and augment the existing segment of RuPay card holders."

Ms. Vidya Krishnan, Chief General Manager, State Bank of India said, "We are pleased to launch the 'SBI RuPay JCB Platinum Contactless Debit Card' through our strategic partnership with NPCI for RuPay and JCB. We believe the tap and pay technology on the Card will simplify the everyday purchases of customers with secure and fast contactless payments. With several attractive benefits and offers associated with this contactless Debit Card, we are hopeful that this Card would not only provide a rewarding shopping experience to the cardholders but also make their international travels worthwhile. At SBI, our consistent endeavour is to offer a differentiated and customised experience to our diverse set of customers in terms of their regular spends and transactions."

Mr. Yoshiki Kaneko, President and COO of JCB International Co., Ltd. said: "We are extremely happy and honoured to have the largest bank in India, State Bank of India, as a RuPay JCB Global Debit Card issuing partner. Together with our esteemed network partner, NPCI, we will bring best in class technology, access to the vast JCB global merchant network, and special offers and privileges to SBI customers. As more and more Indian customers adopt digital modes of payment to transact both domestically and internationally, we are sure this product proposition will be enjoyed and appreciated by the cardmembers."

About State Bank of India

State Bank of India (SBI) is India's largest commercial bank in terms of assets, deposits, branches, customers, and employees. It is also the largest mortgage lender in the country. As on June 30, 2020, the Bank has a deposit base of over Rs. 34 lakh crore with CASA ratio of more than 45% and advances of nearly Rs. 24 lakh crore. SBI commands nearly 34% market share in home loans and nearly 33% in the auto loans segment. The Bank has the largest network of over 22,100 Branches in India with an ATM/CDM network of over 58,500 and total BC outlets of more than 62,200. The number of customers using Internet Banking facilities is about 76 million and Mobile Banking services stand a little more than 17 million. The integrated digital and lifestyle platform by SBI – YONO has crossed the landmark of 58 million downloads. YONO which has 26 million registered users, witnesses 5.5 million logins per day along with over 4000 daily disbursals of personal loans, 16,000 YONO Krishi Agri Gold Loans. The Bank recently launched the YONO Global app in the UK and Mauritius and plans to cover 9 more countries by the end of 2020. On social media platforms, SBI has the highest number of followers on Facebook and Twitter amongst all banks worldwide. For more information, visit: https://bank.sbi

State Bank of India is the market leader in Debit Cards segment with a history of offering advanced and tailor-made products to its customers through various Channels. The Bank's latest offering in the form of SBI RuPay JCB Debit Card will also allow customers to pay for transit apart from retail payments – adding an extra layer of convenience for them. This card has all the potential of being the most preferred cards for customers.

The SBI RuPay JCB Contactless Debit Card is designed to enable banks to reduce their customers' effort of cash handling and provide them with the convenience of single tap payment. RuPay Contactless specifications are open standards, interoperable and scalable and can be adopted by all Card schemes. RuPay Contactless specifications have been developed to offer a vendor-agnostic, interoperable, secured and cost-effective ecosystem of low value payments to facilitate the government in building a less-cash economy. The SBI RuPay JCB Platinum Contactless Debit Card has all the elements to offer customers with ultimate choice of customising their payment decisions based on their comfort and needs, thereby creating for them, an ultimate transformative yet gratifying shopping experience.

About NPCI

National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) was incorporated in 2008 as an umbrella organization for operating retail payments and settlement systems in India. NPCI has created a robust payment and settlement infrastructure in the country. It has changed the way payments are made in India through a bouquet of retail payment products such as RuPay Card, Immediate Payment Service (IMPS), Unified Payments Interface (UPI), Bharat Interface for Money (BHIM), BHIM Aadhaar, National Electronic Toll Collection (NETC Fastag) and Bharat BillPay. NPCI also launched UPI 2.0 to offer a more secure and comprehensive services to consumers and merchants.

NPCI is focused on bringing innovations in the retail payment systems through use of technology and is relentlessly working to transform India into a digital economy. It is facilitating secure payments solutions with nationwide accessibility at minimal cost in furtherance of India's aspiration to be a fully digital society. For more information, visit: https://www.npci.org.in/

About JCB

JCB is a major global payment brand and a leading Credit Card issuer and acquirer in Japan. JCB launched its card business in Japan in 1961 and began expanding worldwide in 1981. Backed by its vast global acceptance network, JCB cards are now issued in 24 countries and territories with more than 140 million cardmembers. As part of its international growth strategy, JCB has formed alliances with hundreds of leading banks and financial institutions globally to increase merchant coverage and cardmember base. As a comprehensive payment solution provider, JCB commits to providing responsive and high-quality service and products to all customers worldwide.
For more information, please visit https://www.global.jcb/en/index.html
All information is current as of 4th November 2020

Corporate contacts:
NPCI
Swagata Gupta
98200 88951
swagata.gupta@npci.org.in

SBI
Ritesh Mehta
9930125097
Ritesh.mehta@sbi.co.in

JCB
Kumiko Kida, Ayaka Nakajima
+81-3-5778-8353
jcb-pr@jcb.co.jp

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Women Icons Network, Myanmar Coalition sign pact to enhance social conversations around workplace gender equality

SINGAPORE, Nov 26, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – Singapore headquartered, Women Icons Network (WIN), a platform that captures the value of gender-balanced workplaces by engaging women, corporates and D&I professionals, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Myanmar Business Coalition for Gender Equality (BCGE). Under the terms of the MoU signed on November 5, 2020, WIN and BCGE will work towards increasing commitment and social conversations around gender equality at the workplace.

BCGE is a non-profit association that encourages businesses to initiate gender equality practices in the workplace. The association and its member firms have made considerable progress towards creating gender-equal places of work. WIN is a technologically powered, globally scalable online platform that amplifies the voices of women at the workplace and also enables them to share their experiences.

"We are excited to welcome Women Icons Network (WIN) as our latest partner. The collaboration will not only help us highlight the tremendous work done by our member firms but also roll-out mentorship programs that address the gaps essential to building an inclusive leadership," said Ms Kyawt Kay Thi Win, Country Director, BCGE

Mr Vishwesh Iyer, Co-founder, WIN, believes that all those working towards ensuring gender equal workplaces need to make a collective effort that augments individual strengths if we as a society are serious about SDG 5 Goals.

About Women Icons Network

Women Icons Network (WIN) is an engagement and data aggregation platform that captures the value of gender equal places of work across South and South East Asia. Integrating workplace feedback and published data on companies to create a Diversity Metric that differentiates places of work around gender equality, the platform will amplify the efforts of all stakeholders operating the area of diversity and inclusion.

WIN, headquartered in Singapore, is promoted by two experienced professionals and supported by hundreds of women leaders across South and South East Asia.

About Business Coalition for Gender Equality

The Business Coalition for Gender Equality (BCGE) is a non-profit association and also a coalition of companies that are committed to promoting gender equality in the workplace in Myanmar.

Our association is led and founded by seven leading businesses in Myanmar – City Mart Holding Limited (CMHL), KBZ Bank, KBZ MS, AYA Bank, FMI, Parami Energy Group of Companies, and Shwe Taung Group – that have all committed to achieve organizational growth and global sustainable development goals through workplace gender equality initiatives.

BCGE encourages all companies and organizations in the commercial sector to initiate workplace gender equality practices and serves as a center of excellence to support their journey.

Contact for Media queries

Vishwesh Iyer
vishwesh@womeniconsnetwork.com
+65 – 91018487

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Pacer Ventures partners Founder Institute, launches $3M fund for early-stage African startups

LAGOS, NIGERIA, Nov 25, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – Pacer Ventures has announced a $3M fund for early-stage African startups that are solving some of the most critical problems on the continent. The focus will be on verticals expedient to the African continent including healthcare, financial inclusion, education and agriculture.

The United Nations has projected that Africa will have a population of 1.68 billion people by 2030, while the GSMA Mobile Economy Report states that 84% of Africa's population will have access to a sim connection by 2025. This high mobile penetration will enable the continent to leapfrog technology consumption, as Africa is expected to account for up to 30% of global consumption of technology and technology-driven solutions within the same period.

"We see a huge opportunity to support early-stage founders making meaningful contributions to their local economies and communities," said the Managing General Partner at Pacer Ventures, Gbemi Akande. "We are providing much-needed funds to founders leveraging mobile penetration to solve problems at the 'bottom of the pyramid' across the continent."

Pacer Ventures has already begun to support early-stage founders by participating in seed rounds, including VPD.Money and others. With an average cheque size of $100k, Pacer VC is positioned to add substantial value to its portfolio companies.

According to the Pacer General Partner in charge of Southern Africa, Antoinia Norman, "We won't just write a cheque, we will enable founders to work in and on their business, by supporting them every step of their journey, with technical and financial skills, team building, access to markets, resources, and our networks."

The General Partners of Pacer VC have over 40 years of combined experience in consulting, marketing, entrepreneurship, deal flow sourcing and ecosystem development. Pacer VC's differentiator is the funds focus on sourcing high potential early-stage African startups, while leveraging its strategic partnership with Founder Institute chapters all over Africa to identify and recommend winning teams with solutions that meet market needs.

"Our partnership with Founder Institute gives us an undeniable edge particularly with quality deal-flow at an early stage, which we will leverage to strategically expand Pacer VC's footprint across multiple African Markets," said Chukwuemeka Agbata, Regional Director of Founder Institute in Africa, and Co-founder, techbuild.africa.

Speaking on the Pacer VC Investment thesis, Geoffrey Weli-Wosu, a General Partner at Pacer VC and Co-Founder of VoguePay and Domineum, stated, "We are leveraging our in-depth experience in startups, deal flow sourcing and ecosystem development to take advantage of the early-stage funding gap in Africa. Our target is seed-stage founders and companies who are usually under the radar of a lot of investors. We know the markets, have access to the founders and our investment team is well qualified to execute this thesis."

About Pacer Ventures
Pacer Ventures has a strategic relationship with the Founder Institute, the world's premier pre-seed startup accelerator, providing investment thesis support, structure, templates, tools, deal flow, potential seed, and support across all segments of the funding operation. It has a similar partnership with techbuild.africa, providing media support to portfolio companies.

For more information, please visit https://pacer.vc, email info@pacer.vc, or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com