CloserStill MediaWins a Hat-trick at the Prestigious Association of Event Organisers Excellence Awards

LONDON, Dec 16, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – The Association of Event Organisers (AEO) the trade body representing trade and consumer events honoured CloserStill Media last week with 3 industry awards of excellence – Best Organiser Team, Best International Show Asia Pacific and Best International Show Americas.

Organiser Team of the Year was earned by CloserStill's Operations Team, the AEO judges praised the impressive team, who delivered a diverse range, and ever-growing portfolio of events. The team pulled out all the stops, overcoming huge challenges, to deliver the 2019 events.

Best International Show – Asia Pacific was won by CloserStill's Singapore Tech event, the judging panel commented that the event showed a clear and measurable growth strategy which enabled it to achieve spectacular results.

Best International Show – Americas was awarded to DevLearn 2019, the judges remarked that the fantastic and highly successful event was led by a passionate team, that clearly demonstrated a key understanding of its audience's needs.

Since CloserStill was founded, it has earnt 8 AEO Excellence Awards, and has won more industry awards than any other company in the exhibition industry.

"Whilst running live events seems a long time ago, we are delighted to win 3 AEO awards and to be reminded by the leading body of just how amazing our teams are. We have achieved so much in our first decade and will continue to do so through having great brands, partners and employees. The pandemic will not stop us!," says Alexia Maycock, Chief Marketing Officer at CloserStill Media.

About CloserStill Media

CloserStill Media run more than 70 events in the UK and international markets including the United States, Germany, France, Spain and Singapore.

CloserStill is of the world's fastest-growing exhibition businesses, running best of class events in the learning, medical & healthcare, technology and veterinary sectors. In the last 10 years, it has won over 50 major industry awards, including the coveted 'Best Business Exhibition' seven times, featured in The Sunday Times 100 Best Places to Work (2018 & 2019), been voted by members of the Association of Exhibition Organisers as the 'Most Respected Company' in the exhibition Industry.

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

SMEStreet Foundation Unleashed Prestigious SMEStreet GameChangers 2020 List

New Delhi, India, Dec 15, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – SMEStreet Foundation is proud to announce the season one of SMEStreet GameChangers Award Listing Series. COVID-19 has emerged as a global challenge, the SMEStreet GameChangers Award Listing initiative is conceptualized to recognize agile and concerned thought leaders who, through their strategies, initiatives and activities, have contributed in restricting pandemic's impact or helped MSMEs in getting back to business growthpath.

The first list of recipients of SMEStreet GameChangers 2020 includes Hon'ble Union Cabinet Minister, Road & Transport and MSME Ministry, Govt of India, Shri Nitin Gadkari, Hon'ble Cabinet Minister-Industries & MSME, Uttar Pradesh Govt, Shri Siddharth Nath Singh, Shri Vinai K Saxena, Chairman of KVIC, Shri Arun Kumar Jha, Director General, National Productivity Council, Shri Abhishek Singh, CEO MyGov, Shri Nikhil Arora, Managing Director & Vice President, GoDaddy India, Shri Tejas Goenka, Managing Director, Tally Solutions, Dr. Hari Eppanapally, Chairman, Lead India Foundation, NJ, USA, Shri Ajay Thakur, Head BSE -SME, BSE India and Shri Khalid Wani, Director of Western Digital India.

"The COVID Pandemic has led to greater global cooperation and collaboration especially in the field of medical supplies and vaccine research. In the fight against COVID, MSMEs hold a key role in restoring economic growth and well being of people. MSMEs have been on the front end of an economic recovery plan by all countries, and hence all efforts are aimed to help MSMEs to come back to normal. Policy initiatives like Aatma Nirbhar Bharat, with a strong focus on restoring liquidity, creating jobs, creating markets for products, and creating a facilitating manufacturing ecosystem all have MSMEs at their focal point. I want to congratulate SMEStreet Foundation for taking this initiative to multiply the goodwill impact of leaders who contributed in the fight against the COVID Pandemic," commented Shri Nitin Gadkari, Hon'ble, Cabinet Minister, MSME Ministry, Govt of India.

Commenting on the recognition and this activity, Shri Siddharth Nath Singh, Cabinet Minister of UP Government for MSMEs commented, "Since the pandemic started, we started our assessments and impacts of this on the economy of the state. Uttar Pradesh has powerful potential from the perspective of small businesses, local artisans and much more. On the other hand, we have also witnessed major reverse migration from other parts of the country. We have worked in ensuring job opportunities for local migrant workers who opted to come back from various places in the country during the lockdown period. We are thankful to the UP Government's leadership through CM Shri Yogi Adityanath ji in taking all possible measures to enable a support ecosystem for MSMEs and local workforce. I would also like to thank SMEStreet Foundation for taking this initiative to highlight such success stories from across backgrounds."

"With Pandemic impact, everything suddenly started getting considered for a restart and business activities. This effect has caused a major halt of financial flow among small entrepreneurs and the local artisans. At KVIC we aimed to break this halt and through our various efforts, we aimed to bring back economic revival for such entrepreneurs and artisans. I wish to thank SMEStreet's team for taking up this venture of GameChangers as this will spread the right message of a strong come-back spirit among Indian job creators," added Shri Vinai K Saxena, Chairman of KVIC.

Working regioursly on ensuring a strong communication flow around COVID-19, Mr. Abhishek Singh, CEO of MyGov, MeitY, Govt of India congratulated SMEStreet by adding: "Technology has been playing a critical role in ensuring continuation of normalcy and MSMEs are key to reviving our growth story post covid-19. During the Pandemic, ensuring availability of authentic information and fighting fake news and busting myths have been the focus of the communications on COVID19 by MyGov. In this endeavor, the role of MSMEs has been very important and many of them have emerged as true champions of Aatma Nirbhar Bharat. SMEStreet Game Changers recognition by SMEStreet Foundation is a welcome step for our collective work towards ensuring a robust communication stream around COVID awareness."

"At SMEStreet Foundation, it is our great pleasure to recognize important game-changers who led our society to come out of this crisis of pandemic, which impacted the economy and the entire economic cycle. Industry leaders, policymakers have made a lot of efforts during the last nine months and ensured a support mechanism for their respective business ecosystem," says Mr. Faiz Askari, Secretary-General and Editor of SMEStreet Foundation & SMEStreet.in. Congratulating all the distinguished listed GameChangers, he mentioned, "I am thankful to all the listed professionals, policymakers and bureaucrats who made their efforts to support their respective business ecosystem in the times when it is needed most."

SMEStreet.in will publish detailed success stories of listed title recipients of SMEStreet GameChanger 2020. However, the campaign of SMEStreet GameChangers is still on. We are open for more success stories from the corporate world and recommendations on policymakers who bought a positive change in their respective ecosystem of MSMEs in response to COVID 19 Pandemic. You can click here to nominate your recommendation for SMEStreet GameChnagers 2020 Season 1.

Shri S Ravi Founder and Managing Partner of Ravi Ranjan & Co and Ex-Chairman of BSE India commented, "Whatever we witnesses was a lifetime-first experience, and we never wished to see such conditions again. We realized the importance of motivating such motivated leaders as Game Changers who paved this phase with their dedication and professional acumen in emerging as a winner for their organization and society."

Shri Arun Kumar Jha, Director General of National Productivity Council also expressed his views by saying, "Well we are committed to working towards ensuring the best level ecosystem for professional productivity. Initiatives like SMEStreet GameChangers will create a strong impact on those who are working hard in ensuring the best for their ecosystem, which got impacted during the pandemic. It is like motivating the motivators, which is a noble cause."

Representing world's leading digital company which is committed towards taking businesses online, Mr. Nikhil Arora, MD & VP of GoDaddy India congratulated other recipients of this listing and commented, "Today, as the world is experiencing the unprecedented impact of COVID-19, we at GoDaddy stand committed to support India's dynamic MSME ecosystem. Digital technology has emerged as a key survival mechanism for businesses and we aim to continue providing MSMEs with all the help and tools they need to successfully run their ventures online. In line with the government's vision to promote local businesses in the country, we have introduced a slew of initiatives throughout the year, like the GoDaddy Academy, product and pricing incentives and even some philanthropic efforts, to help them get back at pace with their business goals. Motivation can often be in short supply, especially during a global pandemic, and we are extremely honoured and humbled to be receiving this award. We also commend the SMEStreet Foundation for their effort in recognizing all the incredible work being done in these challenging times."

Congratulating the team of SMEStreet Foundation, Mr. Ajay Thakur, Head of BSE-SME, BSE India stated, "Pandemic has created huge challenge for business operations specially for the MSME entrepreneurs, but as we move ahead, we found that MSME Entrepreneurs require more proactive efforts which can help them to avail the stock market listing. Hence we made necessary steps to ease out the pressure of getting into stock market listing during the pandemic days. We are delighted to be part of the SMEStreet GameChangers listing by SMEStreet Foundation."

Acknowledging SMEStreet GameChangers as a needed initiative, Mr. Khalid Wani, Director- Sales for Western Digital have shared his perspective on Indian SMEs and their potential for bringing back the economy into the growth path, he said, "SMEs play a pivotal role towards shaping the economic progress of a nation and I would like to congratulate SMEStreet for their role towards creation of a robust platform that helps to create a strong engagement and collaborations across various segments and become a catalyst for growth for SMEs."

"The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us how fragile, yet how resilient we are as a society, and within that we have seen the tremendous spirit of the entrepreneurs in India and across the world to push through to serve and survive. We are blessed to play whatever small part we can to help them in their journey and are thankful to SMEStreet for the role they have played and for this recognition," says Mr. Tejas Goenka, Managing Director, Tally Solutions while getting listed into SMEStreet GameChangers 2020.

Dr. Hari Eppanapally, Chairman, Lead India Foundation, NJ, USA stated, "I would like to thank the team of SMEStreet for taking this initiative. Recognizing those who have committed their lives in the last few months in doing everything possible to restrict COVID impact, is a noble work in itself."

SMEStreet GameChangers is an attempt to recognize such individual success stories which have made a significant impact in their respective horizons of business. Success stories of successful COVID Warriors while doing something innovative, something constructive in sustaining business will get showcased here. We can refer to these heroes as COVID warriors of supporting business.

"Only few companies in the pandemic days were able to record miraculous turnarounds by adapting technology, efficient management and quick turnaround time for implementing realtime solutions to problems that dragged many down. At SMEStreet Foundation, we feel obliged and proud to be honouring such GameChangers via this recognition," commented Mr. Deepu Madhavan, Director Operations and Research at SMEStreet Foundation.

While thanking the distinguished stakeholders of SMEStreet GameChangers initiative, Faiz Askari also said, "We are convinced that to come out from the Pandemic impact MSMEs require a long-term strong movement. I am obliged and thankful to all the distinguished leaders and thinkers who are mentioned above. Their participation has made the start of this campaign very positive and gradually, the Indian economy will bounce back and MSMEs will become the heroes of this success story."

However, SMEStreet GameChangers will be a nationwide as well as global movement aimed to highlight those leaders, thinkers and heroes who acted smartly and proactively to curb the economic impact of Pandemic and helped MSME ecosystem at any respective level.

About SMEStreet Foundation
Click here: https://smestreet.in/smestreet-foundation

For More:
Tabinda Hilal
9354645130 /foundation@smestreet.in / smestreet.in@gmail.com

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

Xu Chong, CFO & Executive Director of Babytree: Focusing on M&C and Expanding Horizons for More Opportunities

HONG KONG, Dec 3, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – Joining the maternity and child (M&C)-focused Babytree Group (1761.HK) was the right thing to do for Xu Chong, CFO and Executive Director of the company.

Xu Chong, CFO and Executive Director of Babytree Group

"I tried to find the right business from an investor perspective. And Babytree, a top-ranking company in the 600 billion dollar M&C industry with an unrivalled reputation and high user traffic, is exactly what I've been looking for," said Mr. Xu in an interview with a reporter from takungpao.com.

In fact, as one of the largest and most active M&C-focused community platforms in China, Babytree has achieved impressive results in the past year in content upgradation and product innovation through relentless efforts. Data show that as of 30 June 2020, the monthly active users (MAUs) of Babytree reached 103 million, among which the MAUs of the Babytree Parenting mobile app amounted to 20.4 million, up 7.9% from the end of 2019, with the retention rate (the percentage of active users on the app in a specific month that remained active users in the next month) increasing to 65.2%. Thanks to refinements and upgrades in products, services and experience, Babytree remained a user traffic leader in the industry during the first half of the year and has ushered in a new stage of "value creation-driven growth".

In terms of products, the company continued to launch innovative products to boost sales, in addition to constantly building the content-, tools- and community-focused competitiveness of its products. Centering around "M&C User Lifestyle Showcase", a string of upgrades were rolled out for the Babytree Parenting app, the flagship product of the company. Meanwhile, Babytree is set to see the second curve of growth through building content for various scenarios and cultivating its IP portfolio. For example, the Douyin account, "Babytree Experts", has attracted nearly 700,000 subscribers, with over 6,500,000 views for one of the videos released.

"As the CFO, it is my duty to protect cash flow and keep the company going at this difficult time."

Looking back at the COVID-19 pandemic early this year, which is surely a Black Swan event for Babytree Group and the M&C market, Xu Chong said that in spite of the impacts of the pandemic, M&C demand remains strong and the recession-resistant nature of the industry will serve as the underpinning for its market size and investment value. Meanwhile, the M&C industry is faced with the new challenge of advancing digitalization.

"As the CFO, my definition of safety is that the company can survive at least two of such crisis as the pandemic.
And that's how I design our asset structure. By doing so, we will have sufficient cash flow to keep the company going in an unexpected crisis like the pandemic. Meanwhile, be friends with time and note that chance favours the prepared mind. We must be able to anticipate what's ahead, a peak or a trough or a crisis. When a crisis occurs, I have to do what needs to be done as a CFO, including cost actions or urging the business team to make innovative breakthroughs. More importantly, have forward-looking strategies," said Xu Chong. He also added that as a top-ranking M&C-focused online platform that has been providing diverse services including knowledge, tools and shopping for Chinese families, Babytree has advantageous accumulations of data and insights to help offer effective, differentiated products and services during the pandemic and relieve consumer anxiety in respect of supply. By continuing to provide solutions, create value for and offer companionship to users, the company is poised to grow sustainably.

"Only a company with a vision and blueprint to draw future lifestyles for users and investors can be trusted with higher value expectations."

As the CFO of a Mainland China company listed in Hong Kong, Mr. Xu shared with takungpao.com his insights about the Hong Kong capital market and what it takes to be a good listed company. According to him, reforms of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong's systems have resulted in more inclusiveness and openness and have removed barriers to new economy or already overseas-listed companies that are looking to go public in the Hong Kong market. Now these companies can get access to diversified financing from home and abroad, while investors have more choices as to where to put their money. It is a win-win for everyone involved. In 2020, despite new uncertainties to the capital market brought by Black Swan events such as the pandemic, an increasing number of already overseas-listed and new economy companies became listed in Hong Kong. With the thriving Chinese economy, more budding industries and companies in the country start to be noticed by global investors. In the future, the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong, a shining star in the global capital market, is expected to gather more quality assets to create higher value for investors.

As to what it takes to be a good listed company, Mr. Xu mentioned three elements, namely a promising industry outlook, sound corporate fundamentals, and excellent corporate governance. Firstly, the company must be in an industry with great potentials, fast growth and strong resistance to recessions. Secondly, the company must do good in position in the industry, quality of products and services, reputation among consumers, profit model, core values, competition, financial indicators and so on. Finally, excellent corporate governance delivers a more solid performance of the company. "Capital value is above all reflected in value created for users. A company that puts value creation for users first should incorporate technologies and services into daily life, solve problems for users, promote convenient access to information and resources, eliminate pain points or empower the industry. A company with a vision and blueprint to draw future lifestyles for users and investors will be trusted by investors with higher value expectations in that it can generate strong, consistent returns for its shareholders," said Xu.

"A good CFO should also be an expert of business, not just an expert of numbers."

Years of professional experience in accounting and financial management have made Xu Chong the right person for the job as CFO & Executive Director of Babytree Group. He believed that to be a good CFO, one needs to be a finance professional first, with excellent skills in data analysis, leadership, project management, finance techniques, etc. Meanwhile, a good CFO should also be an expert of business, not just an expert of numbers. He must dive deep into the industry and the business operations to get insights about changes and trends, as part of his efforts to make better planning for the company, whether for the short, medium or long haul, as well as to contribute to the healthy, sustainable development of the company. "Looking ahead, we all need to keep learning, upgrading our skills, and expanding our horizons in pursuit of more opportunities," said Mr. Xu.

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

POWER WEEK ASIA 2021: Lifelike Virtual Conference for Power & Energy Experts

SINGAPORE, Nov 13, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – The 6th annual POWER WEEK ASIA Virtual Conference (15 – 18 March 2021) is now open for registration. Across 4 days, we will be broadcasting live interactive presentations, in-depth panel discussions, and networking sessions from leading experts across the world.

POWER WEEK ASIA attracts the industry leaders from national power companies, government regulators, policy makers, renewable & IPPs, investors and suppliers from around the globe. With C-level speakers and attendees all under one roof, it offers the chance to learn the success strategies and pitfalls of notable power projects.

The conference features 20+ engaging sessions covering government regulation & policy, market liberalisation, energy mix & integration, fossil fuels in power market, demand & supply, renewable energy outlook, energy transition, utility-scale solar development, wind energy, tariffs, energy storage, smart grid technologies, mini-grid & microgrid, digitalisation, electric vehicles, power trading, project finance, project development, energy efficiency and many more.

Join in from wherever you are online either live or watch the sessions on-demand – POWER WEEK ASIA is the most anticipated power & electricity show, not to be missed!

Global energy leaders who have confirmed to speak:
– Simon Li, President, Asia Pacific Project Business Unit, Trina Solar, China
– Toh Seong Wah, CEO, Energy Market Company, Singapore
– Torbjorn Kirkeby-Garstad, EVP Asia, SN Power, Philippines
– Alice Jawan, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Utilities, Malaysia
– Akihiko Taniguchi, Executive Officer, Global Partnership, JERA, Japan
– Pongsakorn Yuthagovit, Assistant Governor of Planning and Power System Development, Provincial Electricity Authority, Thailand
– Arun Kumar Mishra, Director, National Smart Grid Mission (NSGM), India
– Zainal Arifin, VP, Technology Development & Standardization, Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN), Indonesia
– Ingo Birnkraut, CEO and Managing Director, RWE Technology International, Germany
– Alejandro Hernandez, Head of Renewable Integration and Secure Electricity Unit, International Energy Agency, France
– Narsingh Chaudhary, EVP & Managing Director, Power- Asia, Black & Veatch, Thailand
– Shinichi Yasuda, SVP, Structured and Corporate Finance, Development Bank of Japan
– Martin Angelov, SVP, Asia Pacific Project Finance, Korea Development Bank
– Ram Natarajan, CEO, APAC, Mainstream Renewable Power, Singapore
– Gu-Yoon Chung, Managing Director, ENEL Green Power, Singapore
– Mohd Yusrizal Mohd Yusof, Managing Director, TNB Renewables, Malaysia
– Shalabh Singhania, Director & Head of Portfolio Management, InfraCo Asia, Singapore
– Jitendra Nalwaya, Vice President, BSES Yamuna Power Limited, India
– Bert Deprest, Head of C&I and Renewables, ENGIE South East Asia, Singapore
– Virgil Beaston, CTO, Powin Energy, United States of America
– James Colbert, Regional Director – East Asia & Pacific, Digital Grid Solutions, Schneider Electric, Australia
– Philip Napier-Moore, Programme Leader, Renewable Power, East Asia, Mott MacDonald, Thailand
– Aman Modi, Partner, Boston Consulting Group, Singapore
– Marko Lackovic, Principal, Boston Consulting Group, Singapore
– Refi Kunaefi, Managing Director, Akuo Energy, Indonesia
– Achal Sondhi, APAC Market Director, Fluence, Singapore
– Francois Espinassous, Head of Advisory, Asia Pacific Project Finance, Korea Development Bank
– David Platt, Partner, Pinsent Masons, Singapore
– Robert de Groot, Energy Storage Specialist, Mott MacDonald, Singapore
– Rahul Gupta, Solution Leader and Associate Partner, McKinsey & Company, Singapore
– Stephen Woodhouse, Director, AFRY, United Kingdom
– Johanna Heckmann, Head of Charging Infrastructure, P3 Group, Germany
– and many more

The POWER WEEK ASIA will feature 3 supplementary workshops addressing cutting edge topics with Real Examples and Case Studies, including Energy Storage, Renewable Power Purchase Agreement and Renewable Energy.

POWER WEEK ASIA is the most anticipated event, not to be missed!
Email Weslyn Lee to register your attendance now. For more information, please log onto www.power-week.com/asia .

About Infocus International Group

The organiser of POWER WEEK Conferences. Infocus International is a global business intelligence provider of strategic information and professional services for diverse business communities, designed to provide insights and to assist our clients on the global stage. The major knowledge-management companies strategically based in Singapore, independently researching and producing market-driven programmes across the region mainly in Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa.

Infocus International recognises clients' needs and responds with innovative and result oriented programmes. All products are founded on high value content in diverse subject areas, and the highest level of quality is ensured through intensive and in-depth market research from local and international insights.

Any queries, please contact:
Weslyn Lee
Tel: +65 6325 0352 | Email: weslyn@power-week.com

To join the discussion:
LinkedIn Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/6985809
Twitter: @powerweeksummit
Official Website: www.power-week.com/asia

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

TEC presents Welcome Back to The Office! Good to leave, even better to come back?

HONG KONG, Oct 21, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – The COVID-19 work-at-home has pushed businesses and employees globally to re-evaluate the workplace. The Executive Centre (TEC), the leading premium flexible workspace provider in Asia Pacific and the Middle East, is also re-evaluating – with a 'Welcome Back to The Office' video campaign, and characters that find new ways of adapting to the new normal working environment.

The 'Welcome Back' video campaign is a take on the work-at-home phenomenon, and while the characters in the videos are fictional, their triumphs and struggles are drawn from real experiences of TEC's 1000+ global team.

Don't miss: "Welcome Back to the Office!"
Episode 1: "Good to leave, even better to come back"
Watch the premiere [3'40] :: https://youtu.be/cGzLjfneslE

Synopsis: "They were told that as a precautionary measure and in-line with their global head office's pandemic response, that they would be 'WFH'. Some were excited. Some unphased. And some were really not enthused in the slightest. Find out how the typical workday has, and is continuing to change. Follow four co-workers on their first day back to work: Welcome Back To The Office addresses the full spectrum of what an office really is."

It's clear work-from-home arrangements are becoming the new normal, people are commuting less, less dressing to impress and more time with the family. However, on the flip side, there are also irreplaceable benefits of the office such as proper coffee in a proper coffee cup, chatting to colleagues and collaborating on projects, IT that works, comfortable ergonomic furniture, admin support, and a highly-productive environment that boosts concentration and minimises distraction.

"After an extended period of time working from home, we were inspired to explore how the typical workday has changed, and is continuing to change," said Paul Salnikow, TEC Founder and CEO. "We believe the future of the workplace hinges on its relationship with the people who truly make it work.

"The pandemic has accelerated the shift to flexible workspaces. We are certain that the office, rather than becoming obsolete, will become an increasingly valuable asset, facilitating collaboration and driving business growth. Our clients are saying their offices of the future will need solutions that are tailored to their success, limit current challenges, give their staff maximum flexibility and provide the best office environment that they can find."

Please join the 'Welcome Back" campaign at https://www.backtotheoffice.executivecentre.com.

About The Executive Centre
The Executive Centre (TEC) opened its doors in Hong Kong in 1994 and today manages 135+ Centres in 32 cities and 14 countries. The Executive Centre caters to ambitious professionals and industry leaders looking for more than just an office space – they are looking for a place for their organisation to thrive.

TEC has cultivated an environment designed for success with a global network spanning Greater China, Southeast Asia, North Asia, India, Sri Lanka, the Middle East, and Australia, with sights to go further and grow faster. Each Executive Centre offers a prestigious address with the advanced infrastructure to pre-empt, meet, and exceed the needs of its Members. Walking with Members through every milestone and achievement, The Executive Centre empowers ambitious professionals and organisations to succeed.

Privately owned and headquartered in Hong Kong, TEC provides first class Private and Shared Workspaces, Business Concierge Services, and Meeting & Conference facilities to suit any business' needs. Learn more at www.executivecentre.com.

Press Enquiries:
Finsbury
Sheena Shah / Crystal Chow
Sheena.Shah@Finsbury.com / +852 3166 9855
Crystal.Chow@Finsbury.com / +852 3166 9838

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

Indosat Ooredoo, Smart Axiata, PLDT Global, and over 50 mobile operators from across the region to gather to shape the future of intelligent connectivity in Asia

SINGAPORE, Oct 16, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – Asia's fastest-growing telco event, Telecoms World Asia, will take place virtually on 27-29 October with a focus on intelligent connectivity in Asia. Look forward to 6 channels of targeted content covering 5G, Network Virtualisation, Telco 4.0, Intelligent Connectivity and Carriers World Asia, with presentations addressing the key topics disrupting and re- shaping the telecoms industry in the region.

On Day 1 of the virtual conference, Rahul Atri, Managing Director, Rakuten Mobile Singapore and Head of Product and Engineering, Rakuten Mobile will open the morning plenary with his keynote on "The world's first end to end cloud native networks." Following that, leaders from EVOS Esports, Garena, ONE Esports, Singtel International Group, United States Esports Federations, and Thailand Esports Federation will debate "The growth of digital content: Esports case study." Donald Tan, CEO, China Telecom Global will also be delivering a presentation followed by a fireside chat.

On Day 2, The focus then shifts towards 5G and Intelligent Connectivity with Su Ann Lim, Industry Head Telco & Technology, Google addressing "New technologies, new opportunities of going digital". Vikram Sinha, COO, Director of Indosat Ooredoo, Katrina Luna-Abelarde, CEO of PLDT Global and Thomas Hundt, CEO of Smart Axiata will then take the LIVE stage to evaluate Asia's 5G future in the Boardroom session moderated by Ajay Sunder of SC-NEX. Tom Varghese, Head of Connectivity & Access Policy, APAC of Facebook and Dhanant Subhadrabandhu, PhD., Senior Executive Vice President, Marketing and Service of CAT Telecom will then continue the discussions on "Digital Platform Transformation: Bringing more people online to a faster internet" and "The Next Steps of Thailand's Digital Outlook."

Rounding up the Day 3 keynotes, Tanapong Ittisakulchai, Chief Enterprise Business Officer, Advanced Info Service Public Company Limited (AIS) will explore 5G & Digital Ecosystems for Businesses in Thailand while Richard Fung, CEO, China Broadband Communications shares his perspectives on "The telco transformation for everything cloud".

Telecoms World Asia will bring together over 50 senior decision-maker speakers and over 1500 leaders and professionals from mobile operators, government regulators, development banks, consultants, global suppliers, and solution providers, who are leading the future of intelligent connectivity in Asia. Some confirmed speakers include:

– Sandra De Zoysa, Group Chief Customer Officer, Axiata
– Yaw Yeo, General Manager, International Product & Business, Alibaba Group
– Anik Dhar, Head of Digital, Banglalink
– Praveen Agarwal, VP & Business Head, APAC, China, India & SAARC, Bharti Airtel
– Natasak Rodjanapiches, Vice Chairman, Creative Digital Economy, Board of Trade Thailand
– Myo Ohn, CEO, Campana Group
– Ming Yow, Chief Customer Officer, China Broadband Communications
– Mya Han, CEO, Fortune Telecom
– Raden Kurnia Supriadi, VP, Head of Core Planning & Engineering Indosat Ooredoo
– Piyawat Jriyasetapong, Chief Commercial Officer, Lao Telecommunication Company
– Pichet Rerkpreecha, CEO, LINE Corp (Thailand)
– Nathan Bell, Chief Digital Officer, M1
– Idermunkh Tsogbadrakh, CEO, MobiCom Networks
– Binh Vu, CEO, NetNam
– Mel Velarde, CEO, NOW Telecom Corporation
– Satoshi Nagata, Vice Chairman, 3GPP TSG-RAN & Manager, NTT Docomo
– Bharath Rathinam, Head, RCP Uplift & Orchestration, Rakuten Mobile
– Saad Sheikh, Chief Architect, Saudi Telecom Company
– Rangarajan Kalyanasundaram, CEO Enterprise Business, Smartfren Telecom
– Swe Thu Han, Digitization Solution Department, SCSK Myanmar, Sumitomo Corporation
– Edi Siswanto, Vice President, Infrastructure Planning & Development, Telkom Indonesia International
– Maxime Carpentier, VP IoT Operations, True Digital Group
– Mandeshpal Singh Banvet, Head of Cybersecurity & Network Product, Asia, Verizon
– Jaime Diez, CTO, APAC, Vodafone Business

Leading solution partners Advanced Info Services (AIS), CAT Telecom, Servicenow, Metaswitch, MSIG, EnableX, Atmail, CDNetworks, China Mobile International, China Telecom, CSG, IEEE, Netrounds, Marveltec, PCCW Global, R3, SQREAM, Turkcell, Zinier, Vertiv, FNT, Canopus Networks and more will be showcasing their latest solutions via TECH Demos on 26th October and in the virtual exhibition hall.

About Telecoms World Asia 2020
27-29 October 2020
9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. LIVE ONLINE
Website: https://www.terrapinn.com/virtual/telecoms-world-asia/index.stm Mobile operators can attend the full event for free.
Content-only Conference Passes are available free for all to register.

About Terrapinn

Terrapinn is a business media company. Its products are trade exhibitions, conferences, training solutions and electronic and print publications. For more information, please visit www.terrapinn.com.

Note: Press registration for the conference is compulsory and advance scheduling for speaker/ sponsor interviews is recommended. Press passes are strictly reserved for reporters, journalists, editors only. Final issuance of press passes is subjected to Terrapinn's discretion.

For your complimentary press pass, please contact the following:
Emma Riddington-Bates
Terrapinn Pte Ltd
emma.riddingtonbates@terrapinn.com

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

WARC releases Guide to Brand activism in the Black Lives Matter era

LONDON, Oct 13, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – The Black Lives Matter movement has galvanized consumers and employees, demanding brands to identify and double-down on how they respond to racial injustice. Brands now look to move forward effectively in a way that provides empathy, earnestness and empowerment in their engagement with Black communities.

WARC Guide to Brand activism in the Black Lives Matter era

Consumers engagement with brands chart

To help marketers navigate these challenges and lead with purpose, WARC, the global authority on marketing effectiveness, has today released the WARC Guide to Brand activism in the Black Lives Matter era, compiling insights and learnings from prominent Black voices in the marketing community.

Guest editor Kai D. Wright, Columbia University Lecturer, Ogilvy Global Consulting Partner, Author and Founder of blacklist 100, comments: "From the streets to boardrooms, Black Lives Matter has unified consumers and employees in fighting racial inequity, demanding more accountability from CEOs, organizations, and brands themselves.

"In the next 30 years, 90% of the US population growth will come from minority audiences, including Black households. This Guide offers research, inspiration, and advice on how to exercise brand accountability. Ultimately, it is a quick-start foundation for ethically activating Black Lives Matter to be relevant among, and resonate with, diverse communities by creating a new growth imperative based on their empowerment."

Cathy Taylor, US Commissioning Editor, WARC, says: "Research shows consumers are demanding brands respond in ways that go beyond donations. This is not just about changing messaging or momentary gestures, it is about the very core of the business — addressing challenges and taking the right steps to drive long term positive change.

"We are delighted to have worked with guest editor Kai and our many esteemed contributors in our quest to help businesses respond in authentic and meaningful ways to the BLM movement."

Providing guidance for advertisers, agencies and media owners, the report features case studies from brands who've done it well – including, Procter & Gamble, Ford and Netflix – data on changing attitudes around Black Lives Matter, what consumers want brands to do, the internal work that brands have to do towards diversity, equity and inclusion, and how that affects marketing outcomes.

The eight key takeaways highlighted in WARC's Guide to Brand activism in the Black Lives Matter era are:

1. The US is moving toward a majority-minority culture
According to US Census data, in 2014 minorities made up 38% of the country, but by 2060 they will be in the majority at 56%. Marketers should no longer default to white culture. Non-US marketers should note the call for better representation is present in many markets, and lessons from the next wave of brand activism will be relevant globally.

2. Black Lives Matter is bigger than messaging, affecting how brands operate internally and externally
It is not just a multicultural issue; it's a human rights issue. And it's not just about posting a black square in protest on Instagram. For some brands, confronting racial injustice is new territory, but other brands came prepared. What they share is a strong brand purpose and often a history of addressing social issues.

3. Addressing racial injustice is a business imperative
More than a third of consumers have taken action based on a brand's approach to combating racial injustice – and they influence others to act in the same way. Especially in younger demographics, people say they will vote with their wallets and voices in terms of what brands they purchase.

4. Brands need to accept discomfort and be prepared for polarization in addressing racial inequities
Consumers firmly want brands to show solidarity but are torn as to what pace or scale. According to PSB Insights, there is clear polarization around how brands are seen as "responding to the current conversations and protests around racial injustice".

5. Ads that reflect diversity work
A global analysis of over 11,000 ads on Kantar's Link platform showed ads are more likely to get viewers' attention and be remembered if they feature people from diverse backgrounds. They're more enjoyable and involving, and show sales benefits.

6. A brand purpose, alone, is not enough
It only works when brands show true commitment and willingness to change. Visa, Levi's and P&G are committing to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Visa is reviewing progress every quarter.

7. Media budgeting is overwhelmingly skewed toward the general population
Only 6% of all US media spend of the total $480bn per year is geared toward minority groups. Brands need to act on bringing more equity to media investment.

8. Consumers prefer concrete action
Consumers prefer community investments and internal diversity, over donations. Research by WARC and Wunderman Thompson shows that of 1,006 adults surveyed in the US from Sept 3-9, 47% of Black/African American versus 32% of the general population want brands to change current internal practices and policies.

A sample of the WARC Guide to Brand activism in the Black Lives Matter era is available to download from content.warc.com/brand-activism-in-the-black-lives-matter-era-sample-report.html. The full report is available to WARC subscribers.

To complement the Guide, WARC will host two webinars: October 27 with Monique Nelson, Chair and CEO at UWG and Kai D. Wright entitled Marketing to Multicultural Consumers Now and in the Coming Majority-Minority; October 28 with Kantar entitled A Global look at Racial Representation in Advertising.

Paul Coxhill, Managing Director, WARC & Lions Intelligence, added: "WARC is committed to help advance diversity and inclusion in our industry. This Guide, together with our other BLM initiatives, will help brands, agencies, as well as the next generation of marketers, address the challenges and take the right steps to drive long term positive change."

In response to the Black Lives Matter movement, WARC has joined forces with Cannes Lions (www.lovethework.com/) and industry bodies to partner with the HBCU Business Deans Roundtable (www.hbcubusinessdeans.org/) in the US to support future Black marketers, as well as partnering with the Black Cultural Archives (blackculturalarchives.org/) in the UK to produce the video series Hidden Figures: A look at Black British Marketing & Design (released from Oct 15). More information on www.warc.com/reports/BlackLivesMatter

About WARC

– a global authority on marketing effectiveness

WARC is part of Ascential: the path-to-purchase company that combines intelligence, data and insights to drive growth in the digital economy. We do this by delivering an integrated set of business-critical products in the key areas of product design, marketing and sales.

For over 30 years WARC has been powering the marketing segment by providing rigorous and unbiased evidence, expertise and guidance to make marketers more effective. WARC services include 18,000+ case studies, 90,000+ best practice guides, research papers, special reports and advertising trend data, webinars, awards, events and advisory services; has 1,200+ client companies, 21,500+ active users in 100+ markets; collaborates with 50+ industry partners; has offices in the UK, US, China and Singapore.

Contact:
Amanda Benfell
Head of PR & Press
+44 20 7467 8125
amanda.benfell@warc.com

Joy Spreader’s 2020 Interim Net Profit Surges 123.3%

HONG KONG, Oct 8, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – Joy Spreader Interactive Technology. Ltd ("Joy Spreader" or the "Company", together with its subsidiaries, the "Group", stock code: 6988), a performance-based we-media marketing service provider in China, announced its unaudited interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2020 (the "Period").

During the first half of 2020, the Group strengthened its core business and continued enhancing its services resulting in outstanding financial performance for the period. Revenue for the first half of 2020 increased 66.2% to RMB348.2 million fuelled by increased sales from online products, 3C product e-commerce marketing, and the promotion business. The Group's gross profit was RMB94.5 million, for a year-on-year increase of 87.3% with gross margin doubling to 24.1% from 12.4% from the same period a year ago. The increase in gross margin was due to a greater portion of sales generated from higher margin e-commerce combined with an increase in players of higher-margin game products. The Group's net profit soared 123.3% to RMB61.4 million with net profit margin increasing to 17.6% from 13.1% in the same period last year.

Higher demand for we-media performance-based marketing business and improved results from live streamers drove strong revenue growth

During the Period, the Group generated approximately RMB316.6 million in revenue from its performance-based we-media marketing service of online products, representing a year-on-year increase of 60.8%. The increase in revenue was mainly generated from apps (game, arts and literature, finance, apps, and education) as more people turned to online entertainment during the COVID-19 outbreak. The Group recorded approximately RMB30.4 million in revenue for a triple digit year-on-year increase of 147.8% in its performance-based we-media marketing service of consumer goods. The increase in revenue was due to an increase in sales of 3C digital accessories which continues to experience high demand.

The sharp increase in revenue from online product promotion activities and apps was due to the significant increase in customers in the first half of 2020 which boosted demand for the we-media performance-based marketing business, as compared with the same period in 2019. Contributing to the significant increase in overall revenue was an increase in the average unit price and newly established marketing points recorded as a result of the Group's improved data algorithm and optimization efficiency combined with an increase in demand for higher-average unit price gaming and reading items during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Launched in October 2018, the 3C product e-commerce marketing and promotion business went from its initial business development in the first half of 2019 to a fast-growing period in the second half of the year. Revenue increased as a result of a combination of invigorating live streaming and more consumers choosing to shop from home due to the COVID-19 outbreak during the period. Live streaming offers a more dynamic and interactive experience for consumers thus driving increased sales. The Group continues to look for new products to offer as it expands its live streaming e-commerce, broadens the company's portfolio, and enhances the Group's overall profitability.

Diversified product structure and tailored product portfolios

The Group's online product providers mainly include marketing agents, app developers, online literature providers, Html 5 game providers, and mini-program developers. As of June 30, 2020, the Group cooperated with more than 161 marketers. The Group has an app portfolio covering more than ten categories that include games, videos, and utility apps; online literature products that include over 779 online books across 69 literary genres; and Html 5 game products that include more than 175 Html 5 games with genres covering role-playing games, strategy, action, and adventure.

Using its proprietary business intelligence technologies, Joy Spreader is able to offer a tailored product portfolio to target audiences through we-media publishers. The Group is able to accurately simulate the actual performance of marketing campaigns thus enabling them to recommend consumer products, and, in turn, ensure its continued profitability. As of June 30, 2020, the Group cumulatively provided services to a total of approximately 23,362 WeChat Official Accounts and approximately 233,620 user traffic entry points. The Group served a total of 4,127 WeChat Official Accounts, which enabled them to reach more than 737.0 million followers.

Developing short-form video we-media technology platforms and high value-added businesses

Joy Spreader is the first mover in the short-form video we-media monetization market, which is rapidly growing due to its effective monetization capabilities. Specifically, we-media publishers' strong demand for the service has made it a high-growth segment in the overall we-media monetization services market. The Group's in-depth experience in text-based we-media gives it an advantage over competitors in developing algorithms and technology platforms for short-form video we-media publishers. Leveraging this experience, the Group is developing Beauty Connector, a technology platform to serve marketers and we-media publishers on short-form video platforms. The Group has enhanced the platform's overall response speed and optimized interface visual interaction which improves its core matching recommendation algorithms.

The Group is further developing its high value-added businesses, such as short-form video and e-commerce. In recent years, the rapid development of short-form video has made it one of the largest internet traffic entry points. The Group is among the first batch of companies investing in this sector and is already experiencing the initial benefits. In the second half of the year, the Group will improve its information service capability for the short-form video business and provide comprehensive consolidation services to short-form video owners and advertisers in all aspects.

Mr. Zhu Zinan, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Joy Spreader Interactive Technology., Ltd commented, "We are committed to building an industry-leading quantitative information system and technology platform, pursuing system optimization and technology development. We have created high entry barriers through our significant data collection, efficient data analysis capabilities and advance proprietary technology platforms which enables us to create tailored product portfolios to attract target audiences. Additionally, the Group is enhancing its core competitive edges as it systematically improves its marketing service capabilities, and enhances its intelligent information optimization as it grows its business and expands its market share. The Group is also establishing a global we-media marketing services system to expand its performance-based we-media marketing service into overseas platforms of both international and domestic marketers who seek to promote products on overseas short-form video platforms. This will strengthen the Group's foundation for rapid development as it seizes new opportunities created amid current market conditions as well as continues to devote its efforts to create sustainable value and deliver better returns to its shareholders."

About Joy Spreader Interactive Technology. Ltd

Joy Spreader Interactive Technology. Ltd., established in 2008, is an algorithm-based and technology-driven company. It is one of the leading performance-based we-media marketing service providers in China as well. The Company focuses on leveraging business intelligence technologies to serve marketers and we-media publishers. Meanwhile, the Company provides performance and tailored product portfolio to marketers by distributing their products on a diverse we-media network.

This press release is issued by Porda Havas International Finance Communications Group for and on behalf of Joy Spreader Interactive Technology. Ltd.

For further information, please contact:
Porda Havas International Finance Communications Group
Terence Wong +852 3150 6786 terence.wong@pordahavas.com
Phoenix Fung +852 3150 6773 phoenix.fung@pordahavas.com
Renee Zheng +852 3150 6755 r.zheng@pordahavas.com
Suey Liu +852 3150 6753 suey.liu@pordahavas.com

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

Triller to Offer Live Streaming Starting on October 12th

LOS ANGELES, CA., Oct 8, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – Beginning on October 12th, 2020, Triller users will have the ability to livestream content, further expanding Triller's capabilities as the social platform's user-base grows. This new feature will offer creators a new way to monetize their content.

With a paywall feature and donate now, creators will be able to go live at any time opening up additional monetization routes.

"We always want to put our artists first. Go live was one of the first things our influencers wanted. In response, we designed a program that is the best and most sophisticated go live technology there is. This will be game-changing for influencers," said Bobby Sarnevesht, Chief Triller Officer and Executive Chair. "We find it disturbing that TikTok takes such a big share of the artists work," he continued.

While other social platforms do give creators the opportunity to monetize their live-streams, a majority of the money raised often goes to the platform itself. Triller, however, continues to be an artist-first application. With the well-being of creators being at the core of its business model, Triller will make sure that 70% of all money raised during live streams goes directly to the artist. Triller has also designated $5 million in 'go live' backlog that has been pre-purchased for influencers on a first-come, first-serve basis. The first 10 influencers who hit 100,000 concurrent viewers will each get 50K donations directly from the company. This is the first of many up and coming monetization programs for influencers. "We have already done internal tests, and if influencers use their IG and other social to encourage their followers to join their go live, this is a relatively easy metric for them to hit," said Mike Lu, CEO of Triller.

"This generation has a huge appetite for live-streamed content, as we see how live-streamed events across social platforms have accumulated millions of viewers simultaneously. We want our users to know that we continue to update our app and add new features based on what we know will improve the experience for them based on their feedback," continued Bobby Sarnevesht.

This latest development is the final integration of Halogen Networks into the platform, which Triller acquired this June with the intention of giving Triller users the opportunity to watch live events, including sports, musical acts, and more.

ABOUT TRILLER

Triller is an AI-powered music video app that allows users to create professional-looking videos in a matter of seconds. Pick a song, select the portion of the song you want to use, snap a few takes, and with the tap of a button, you have a celebrity-quality music video starring you and your friends. Triller relies solely on organic growth and has more than 250 million downloads, with celebrities like Alicia Keys, Cardi B, Marshmello, Roddy Ricch, and Eminem regularly using the app to create their own music videos. Triller recently was acquired by Proxima Media. For more information, visit www.triller.co and follow @trillervids on Instagram.

CONTACT:
press@triller.co

SOURCE: Triller

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

Roundup of Clavent’s Emerge Martech Virtual Summit

Clavent hosted Emerge Martech Virtual Summit powered by Clevertap on the 5th & 6th of September 2020. Emerge Martech Summit covered disruptive topics and latest technological factors that are set to transform the future of marketing under 4 large themes namely – AdTech, Content & SEO, User Analytics & Retention, Affiliates/Media Buying.

Clavent secured an outstanding lineup of talented influencers and thought leaders from companies like Swiggy, BurgerKing, Schneider Electric, SBI,Red Chillies Entertainment, Flipkart, Zee5, and more. Emerge covered new tools, tactics, technologies, and applications for Marketing and advertising which will be needed in entering the digital arena in this post COVID world. The conference was attended by more than 400+ attendees from more than 10 countries from organizations like Times of India, ALT Balaji, Blue Star Limited, EarlySalary, Lenskart, Max life Insurance, Ogilvy, Raymond, SBI, VFS global, Wipro, Zomato, Ola, Walmart, Philips, Schneider Electric, Udaan, Paytm, Vedantu, etc.

The conference discussed the trending topics such as micro-influencers, why conversational media, communication personalization, ideal marketing tech stack, Retention, online communities, and more:

Few Interesting Talks:

Retention – The New Lever to Growth by Francisco Vieira Mendes from Clevertap

Francisco focused on why retention has turned out to be one of the most important factors in the growth of a company. It reduces the cost and efforts invested for customer acquisition, improves customer experience, and also helps in spreading good word-of-mouth towards a brand.

Leveraging Micro-influencer by Nishant Bharadwaj from SBI

Micro-influencers have become an important method of marketing in recent times as it engages with the audience and focuses on customers throughout their customer journey. Nishant Bharadwaj puts more light on how he leveraged micro-influencers for SBI YONO.

Speaking to the Subconscious of Customers to Enhance Brand Affinity by Penny Soo
Penny Soo talked about enhancing brand affinity in a way that it hits the soft-spot of the customer for conversion, hence improving ROI.

Conversation Media – Next Big Opportunity in Brand Marketing by Anika Tanwar from Bobble AI Anika Tanwar discussed how conversation media is emerging as the next big opportunity in brand marketing.

Demand Generation through Content Experiences by Kapil Thukral from Tally Solutions

Kapil Thukral speaks about amplifying the need for enhanced and deeper content experiences in order to
generate value-driven demand.

Leveraging technology for Influencer Marketing Campaigns by Rahul Singh from Winkl
Rahul covered how brands can ideate and execute large influencer campaigns with ease by using technology. He touched upon the important aspects of influencer marketing and other unknown nuances which can be missed when managing influencers.

Thrilling Panel Discussion on OTTs:

The panel discussion on Day 2 on ”How OTT is changing the world of content” stole the show with amazing panel members like Neel Pandya, Head of Media at L’Oreal (Moderator), Binda Dey, Head of Marketing at Red Chillies Entertainment, Vani Dixit, Head CLM at Zee5, Prithvi Raj, Strategic Media Client Leader at Nielsen Media, Hemant Joshi, Brand Communications Enthusiast. Also, because OTTs have been everyone’s best friend but during the lockdown attendees’ love for it was just evident and relatable.

Closing Note:

The event not only made sure to cover the definitive aspects of emerging Marketing technology but also the key trends that define the emergence of Martech in the coming years. It also touched the base of several inside tips and tricks about enhancing your existing marketing practices and methodologies.