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- ASTON MARTIN ACCELERATES JOURNEY TO A WORLD-LEADING SUSTAINABLE ULTRA-LUXURY BUSINESS
April 22, 2022. GAYDON, UK. Announcememt of ambitious Racing.Green.Technology Racing.Green. sustainability strategy to be embedded throughout Aston Martin and overseen by dedicated Board Sustainability Committee Accelerating action on climate change with commitment to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) Net-Zero Standard, targeting net-zero manufacturing facilities by 2030 and across the company’s entire supply chain by 2039 Clear roadmap to electrification with first hybrid electric car commencing deliveries in 2024, first Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) targeted for launch in 2025 and fully electrified Sport/GT and SUV portfolio by 2030 22 April 2022 - Gaydon, UK: Aston Martin has today hit the accelerator pedal on its journey to becoming a world-leading sustainable ultra-luxury automotive business, with the announcement of an ambitious new sustainability strategy, Racing.Green. Launched on Earth Day, Racing.Green. formalises core principles, aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, that reflect Aston Martin’s established approach to sustainability and sets bold new targets across all aspects of the business with a focus on tackling climate change, creating a better environment and building a stronger, more diverse, and more inclusive company. The ultra-luxury British manufacturer has joined a list of ambitious companies committing to act on climate change through membership of the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), the global body enabling businesses to set emissions reduction targets in line with climate science. Within the commitments announced in Racing.Green. Aston Martin is targeting Net-Zero emissions from its manufacturing facilities by 2030, with a 30% reduction in supply chain emissions from a 2020 baseline. The company has outlined an ambition to achieve Net-Zero emissions across its entire supply chain by 2039. The new targets build on Aston Martin’s sustainability progress to date, with a 44% reduction in emissions intensity in its UK operations between 2020 and 2021 and 100% renewable energy used across all its UK manufacturing facilities since 2019. A major project will see Aston Martin install more than 14,000 solar panels at its St Athan site in Wales, capable of delivering 20% of the plant’s annual energy demands. 100% of waste at Aston Martin is already successfully diverted from landfill, with a target to eliminate all plastic packaging waste at Aston Martin within three years. The Racing.Green. strategy also targets the reduction of water consumption by 15%, maximisation of sustainable materials and enhancement of biodiversity across all sites. Renowned for its product longevity, exclusivity and hand-built craftsmanship, Aston Martin has manufactured fewer than 109,000 cars in its 109 year history – with 95% of these highly treasured cars estimated to be still on their journey. Sustainability principles will also be embedded into Aston Martin’s future product strategy, including a clear roadmap to electrification. Aston Martin is developing alternatives to the internal combustion engine, with its first plug-in hybrid - the mid-engine supercar Valhalla – to commence deliveries in early 2024. Aston Martin’s first battery electric vehicle is targeted for launch in 2025, and by 2026, all new Aston Martin product lines will have an electrified powertrain option. Aston Martin plans for its entire core portfolio of GT sports cars and SUVs to be fully electrified by 2030. The use of innovative sustainable materials in Aston Martin cars is also being expanded, including exploring the use of green aluminium alloy - manufactured using 100% renewable energy - and leather-free vegan interior options, to provide greater customer choice and reduce environmental impact. As part of its Diversity, Equality and Inclusion strategy, Aston Martin is targeting 25% of all leadership roles to be filled by women within the next five years. The Racing.Green. strategy, and progress towards its goals, is overseen by a Board Sustainability Committee chaired by Non-Executive Director Dr Anne Stevens. Tobias Moers, Chief Executive Officer of Aston Martin Lagonda, said: “Aston Martin is accelerating. We are transforming our business and believe that now is the time to challenge ourselves to make a bigger difference, to become a world-leading sustainable ultra-luxury business. “Whilst embracing electrification, we believe our sustainability ambitions must be broader than just producing emissions-free vehicles, and want to drive sustainability principles across our entire business, with a team representative of society proudly producing responsible products with a reduced environmental impact and making a positive contribution to the communities where we operate. “Applying our passion for engineering and design innovation to this challenge, we are excited about shaping not just how quickly the world gets from zero to sixty, but how quickly we get to Net-Zero.”
- NOTICE OF RIGHT TO CONVERT
April 1, 2022. BUENOS AIRES. 2.00% Convertible Senior Notes due 2028 CUSIP [58733RAD4] NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, pursuant to Section 14.01(b)(iv) of the Indenture, dated as of August 24, 2018 (the “Indenture”), by and between MercadoLibre, Inc. (the “Company”) and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee, that the above-referenced notes (the “Notes”) have become convertible in accordance with said section, and may be surrendered for conversion at the option of the Holder thereof, through June 30, 2022, as a result of the Last Reported Sale Price of the Company’s Common Stock being more than 130% of the Conversion Price in effect on each applicable Trading Day during at least 20 of the last 30 consecutive Trading Days of the calendar quarter ended March 31, 2022. Capitalized terms used in this Notice and not otherwise defined herein have the meanings given to them in the Indenture. MERCADOLIBRE, INC The CUSIP number is included herein solely for the convenience of the registered owners of the Notes. No representation is made as to the correctness or accuracy of the CUSIP number either as appearing on the Notes or on this notice.
- Indian Public Cloud Services Market to Grow at a CAGR of 24% for 2021-26, According to IDC
May 24, 2022. INDIA. The overall Indian public cloud services market is expected to reach $13.5 billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 24% for 2021-26. The Indian public cloud services (PCS) market, including infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS), platform-as-a-service (PaaS) solutions, and software-as-a-service (SaaS), revenue totaled $4.6 Billion for 2021, according to the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Semi-annual Public Cloud Services Tracker, 2H21 (July-December). The overall Indian public cloud services market is expected to reach $13.5 billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 24% for 2021-26. "With digital innovation leading the top business objectives for Indian organizations, cloud adoption is set to accelerate in 2022. Driven by the need for agility, flexibility, and faster access to digital technologies, cloud continues to gain momentum across segments. Additionally, the need to leverage data intelligently, is supreme and enterprises are able to do so with access to technologies that are built on a cloud foundation," says Rishu Sharma, Associate Research Director, Cloud and Artificial Intelligence, IDC India. SaaS continued to be the largest component of the overall public cloud services market, followed by IaaS and PaaS in 2021. Public cloud spending continued to increase among enterprises, with the top two service providers holding more than 45% of the Indian public cloud services market. India continues to be among the fastest-growing market for public cloud service providers due to the robust demand from large enterprises, digital natives, and also from small and medium businesses in the country. In 2021, enterprises continued to invest in public cloud to ensure business continuity, improve resilience and productivity, and drive digital innovation. There has been an increased demand for cloud-based security applications as organizations expect part of their hybrid workforce to return to offices in 2022. Apart from migrating existing workloads to the public cloud, there is also an increased demand for cloud-native application development after the pandemic, driven by the need to bring ideas faster to the market and address customer demands. "Public cloud adoption continued to surge in 2021 as enterprises invested in public cloud as part of their digital transformation initiatives to improve business resiliency and become a digital-first organization. The increased spend is expected to continue in the upcoming years as enterprises invest in emerging technologies like AI/ML, IoT, blockchain, etc., to automate processes and drive innovation with public cloud as the foundation. The increasing investments in areas like edge computing and IoT will drive the demand for public cloud infrastructure services, especially storage and data management," says Harish Krishnakumar, Senior Market Analyst, IDC India. —Ends— For more information about IDC's tracker products and research services, please contact Shivani Anand, Senior Marketing Specialist at sanand@idc.com . You can also follow IDC India’s Twitter and LinkedIn pages for regular updates. About IDC Trackers IDC Tracker products provide accurate and timely market size, company share, and forecasts for hundreds of technology markets from more than 100 countries around the globe. Using proprietary tools and research processes, IDC's Trackers are updated on a semiannual, quarterly, and monthly basis. Tracker results are delivered to clients in user-friendly excel deliverables and on-line query tools. The IDC Tracker Charts app allows users to view data charts from the most recent IDC Tracker products on their iPhone and iPad. About IDC International Data Corporation (IDC) is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology, telecommunications, and consumer technology markets. With more than 1,200 analysts worldwide, IDC offers global, regional, and local expertise on technology, IT benchmarking and sourcing, and industry opportunities and trends in over 110 countries. IDC’s analysis and insight helps IT professionals, business executives, and the investment community to make fact-based technology decisions and to achieve their key business objectives. Founded in 1964, IDC is a wholly owned subsidiary of International Data Group (IDG), the world’s leading tech media, data, and marketing services company. To learn more about IDC, please visit www.idc.com. Follow IDC on Twitter at @IDC and LinkedIn. Subscribe to the IDC Blog for industry news and insight
- Aman reawakens across Europe
June 15, 2020. AMAN RESORTS, HOTELS & RESIDENCES. New beginnings in Italy, Greece, Turkey, Montenegro and Morocco A new chapter begins as Aman’s European properties re-open, mindful of all that has changed and reinvigorated to move forward, both consciously and responsibly. With their own unique characters, each property remains charged with Aman’s commitment to provide extraordinary experiences that encompass both adventure and a sense of peace in some of the most magnificent parts of the world. Discover our destinations in Europe at: https://www.aman.com/destinations/cou... Connect with Aman across our channels: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aman/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amandestinat... LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aman... Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/Amanresorts/
- Kerry Apex: June 15th GRI
June 1, 2022. HONG KONG Ocean carriers have announced a general rate increase effective June 15. From Asia to all U.S. destinations: $900/20' $1,000/40' $1,125/40'HC $1,266/45' Reminder: Protect Your Vessel Manifest Data An importer or consignee can request confidential treatment of its name and address as well as the shipper's name and address from the vessel manifest data. The importer or exporter can fill out the online application via CBP's website (bit.ly/3M4yYCA), send and email request to vesselmanifestconfidentiality@cbp.dhs.gov, or send a written request to: Vessel Manifest Confidentiality 22001 Loudon County Pkwy Mail Stop #1354 Ashburn, VA 20598-1354
- N° 27–2022: Invitation to media: Inaugural launch of Vega-C, flight VV21
June 7, 2022. PARIS Media representatives are invited to witness the inaugural launch of Vega-C, either from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana or from ESA’s ESRIN facility in Frascati, Italy. The launch is currently planned for 7 July 2022 at 08:13 in French Guiana, 13:13 CEST in Italy. A pre-launch online media briefing is planned for 30 June 2022. At the Spaceport, journalists may view the launch from the media centre at the Jupiter control complex, where there will be interview opportunities with representatives of ESA, Avio, ASI, Arianespace and CNES. Spokespeople will be available at the ESRIN event. Also at the Spaceport, journalists may have the opportunity to visit facilities related to Ariane 5 and Ariane 6. Vega-C is a single body rocket about 35 m high with a mass at liftoff of 210 tonnes. It is able to place about 2200 kg in a reference 700 km-polar orbit. Using a new range of payload carriers, Vega-C will be able to accommodate cargo of different shapes and sizes ranging from multiple small satellites as small as one kilogram up to a single large payload. Ongoing developments will extend Vega-C capabilities to include in-orbit operations, and return missions using ESA's Space Rider reentry vehicle. For VV21, Vega-C’s principal payload will be LARES-2, a scientific mission of the Italian Space Agency (ASI). Six CubeSats built by European universities and research establishments will be orbited as secondary payloads. Spaceport draft programme Tuesday 5 July – Friday 8 July 2022 Visit of facilities: Spaceport, Ariane 5, Ariane 6; details to be confirmed Vega-C VV21 Launch (7 July 2022) ESRIN draft programme Vega-C VV21 Launch (7 July 2022) Online pre-launch press briefing Thursday 30 June 2022 A detailed programme will be available closer to the date. A variety of high-level experts and spokespersons are available for interviews. A detailed programme will be available closer to the date. ESA Web TV The launch will also be transmitted via https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/ESA_Web_TV Media registration Please express interest by FRIDAY 10 JUNE via https://blogs.esa.int/forms/esa-media-briefing-form Please note: all costs and expenses for this launch media trip will have to be borne by the participating media; because the number of places is limited, ESA cannot guarantee all interested media will be able to join this press programme; accreditation formalities to access either Europe’s Spaceport or ESRIN will have to be completed after confirmation of participation. Further information ESA Space Transportation: https://www.esa.int/sts Vega Launch System: https://www.esa.int/vega Further information ESA Space Transportation: https://www.esa.int/sts Vega Launch System: https://www.esa.int/vega Social media Follow ESA on Twitter: @vega_sts @esa @esa_sts Facebook: @EuropeanSpaceAgency Instagram: @europeanspaceagency YouTube: https://youtube.com/ESA LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/european-space-agency Hashtags: #VegaC #VV21 Images ESA's Photo Library for Professionals: https://www.esa-photolibrary.comesa/sharing/1HD26F43yp3fW5hw5L7rfW5iI2jamobgrFBDn8ftyjn5ilWVc1Y98ri8yP0ap0E2 Terms and conditions for using ESA images: www.esa.int/spaceinimages/ESA_Multimedia/Copyright_Notice_Images For questions or more information related to ESA images, please contact directly spaceinimages@esa.int Videos https://www.esa.int/esatv/Videos/2021/12/Vega-C_B-Rolls About the European Space Agency The European Space Agency (ESA) provides Europe’s gateway to space. ESA is an intergovernmental organisation, created in 1975, with the mission to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space delivers benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world. ESA has 22 Member States: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Slovenia, Latvia and Lithuania are Associate Members. ESA has established formal cooperation with five Member States of the EU. Canada takes part in some ESA programmes under a Cooperation Agreement. By coordinating the financial and intellectual resources of its members, ESA can undertake programmes and activities far beyond the scope of any single European country. It is working in particular with the EU on implementing the Galileo and Copernicus programmes as well as with Eumetsat for the development of meteorological missions. Learn more about ESA at www.esa.int For further information: ESA Newsroom and Media Relations Office – Ninja Menning Email: media@esa.int Tel: +31 71 5656409
- Fujitsu, NTT DOCOMO and NTT to start joint trials towards practical applications for 6G
June 6, 2022. TOKYO. Aiming to realize stable, high-speed communication using high sub-terahertz frequency range. Fujitsu today announced that it will start collaboration with NTT DOCOMO, INC. (hereinafter DOCOMO)(1) and Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (hereinafter NTT)(2) to conduct joint trials towards the realization of practical applications for 6G. In the joint trials, the partners will utilize radio waves in the high frequency range (sub-terahertz waves) of 100 GHz and 300 GHz, which represent promising candidates for use in 6G to realize a high-speed communication technology with radio wave propagation that is not affected by obstacles. The companies further aim to develop a high-frequency wireless device that utilizes a compound semiconductor(3). Fujitsu positions network technology as an essential element in its efforts to deliver business transformation through digital innovation and ultimately achieve a more sustainable society. Background and tasks 6G networks are expected to further accelerate the digitization of society and provide essential solutions to complex societal issues. To this end, global R&D activities focus on further advancing the high-speed, large-capacity, low-latency, and simultaneous multi-connection features of current 5G networks and aim to realize communications with low power consumption with an eye towards the full-scale launch of 6G networks and services around 2030. Wider frequency bands play a significant role in realizing high-speed and large-capacity communication exceeding that of current 5G networks. 100GHz and above are promising frequency bands for 6G networks that would enable communication speeds of over 100 Gbps, which is ten times higher than that of current 5G networks. However, radio waves at higher frequencies tend to be more easily affected by obstacles, which makes communication between distant points difficult. Outline of the joint trials To address this issue, Fujitsu, DOCOMO and NTT will conduct joint trials of distributed MIMO(4), a wireless communication technology where multiple sub-terahertz wave antennas are dispersed to simultaneously emit radio waves from multiple directions to a receiving terminal. Through this joint experiment, the three companies aim to develop technology that is resistant to obstruction and realizes stable high-speed wireless communication over 100 Gbps. In order to realize high-speed and large-capacity communications at sub-terahertz waves with small size and low power consumption, Fujitsu aims to develop high-frequency wireless devices utilizing compound semiconductors such as gallium nitride (GaN) and indium phosphorus (InP). Moving forward, Fujitsu will promote the development of technologies for the realization of practical applications for 6G and actively engage in global 6G standardization activities to contribute to solving societal issues through R&D. Naoki Tani, Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at DOCOMO, comments: "DOCOMO has been collaborating with Fujitsu since 2014 to verify wireless technologies towards the realization of 5G, and has leveraged the obtained know-how to provide 5G commercial services since 2020. We are delighted to collaborate with Fujitsu also towards the realization of the 6G concept. DOCOMO and NTT will initiate experimental trials with Fujitsu to establish 6G wireless technologies for sub-THz communication using 100 GHz and 300 GHz band, and make a solid contribution to 6G commercialization with a variety of industry partners." [1] NTT DOCOMO, INC. : Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President & CEO: Motoyuki Ii. [2] Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT) : Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Jun Sawada. [3] Compound semiconductor : A semiconductor consisting of two or more elements such as GaN (gallium nitride) and InP (indium phosphorus). Since the mobility of electrons is higher than that of silicon semiconductors, high-speed operation is possible. [4] Distributed MIMO : A technology that enables high-speed communication by simultaneously transmitting different signals from multiple distributed transmitting antennas and separating the signals received by multiple receiving antennas. Related Links Why "6G" Now? Fujitsu Sets Sights on 2030 Fujitsu’s Commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the United Nations in 2015 represent a set of common goals to be achieved worldwide by 2030. Fujitsu’s purpose — “to make the world more sustainable by building trust in society through innovation” — is a promise to contribute to the vision of a better future empowered by the SDGs. The goals most relevant to this project About Fujitsu Fujitsu’s purpose is to make the world more sustainable by building trust in society through innovation. As the digital transformation partner of choice for customers in over 100 countries, our 124,000 employees work to resolve some of the greatest challenges facing humanity. Our range of services and solutions draw on five key technologies: Computing, Networks, AI, Data & Security, and Converging Technologies, which we bring together to deliver sustainability transformation. Fujitsu Limited (TSE:6702) reported consolidated revenues of 3.6 trillion yen (US$32 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2022 and remains the top digital services company in Japan by market share. Find out more: www.fujitsu.com. Press Contacts Fujitsu Limited Public and Investor Relations Division Inquiries All company or product names mentioned herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. Information provided in this press release is accurate at time of publication and is subject to change without advance notice. Date: 6 June, 2022 City: Tokyo, Japan Company: Fujitsu Limited
- Algorithmic Justice League: Gender Shades
How well do IBM, Microsoft, and Face++ AI services guess the gender of a face? The Gender Shades project evaluates the accuracy of AI powered gender classification products. This evaluation focuses on gender classification as a motivating example to show the need for increased transparency in the performance of any AI products and services that focused on human subjects. Bias in this context is defined as having practical differences in gender classification error rates between groups. 1270 images were chosen to create a benchmark for this gender classification performance test. The subjects were selected from 3 African countries and 3 European countries. The subjects were then grouped by gender, skin type, and the intersection of gender and skin type. Gender Labels Gender was broken into female and male categories since evaluated products provide binary sex labels for the gender classification feature. The evaluation inherits these sex labels and this reduced view of gender which is a more complex construct. The dermatologist approved Fitzpatrick skin type classification system was used to label faces as Fitzpatrick Types I, II, III, IV, V, or VI. Then faces labeled Fitzpatrick Types I, II, and III were grouped in a lighter category and faces labeled Fitzpatrick Types IV, V, and VI were grouped into a darker category. Three companies - IBM, Microsoft, and Face++ - that offer gender classification products were chosen for this evaluation based on geographic location and their use of artificial intelligence for computer vision. While the companies appear to have relatively high accuracy overall,there are notable differences in the error rates between different groups. Let's explore. All companies perform better on males than females with an 8.1% - 20.6% difference in error rates. All companies perform better on lighter subjects as a whole than on darker subjects as a whole with an 11.8% - 19.2% difference in error rates. When we analyze the results by intersectional subgroups - darker males, darker females, lighter males, lighter females - we see that all companies perform worst on darker females.IBM and Microsoft perform best on lighter males. Face++ performs best on darker males. IBM and Microsoft perform best on lighter males. Face++ performs best on darker males. IBM had the largest gap in accuracy, with a difference of 34.4% in error rate between lighter males and darker females. IBM Watson leaders responded within a day after receiving the performance results and are reportedly making changes to the Watson Visual Recognition API. Official Statement. Error analysis reveals 93.6% of faces misgendered by Microsoft were those of darker subjects. An internal evaluation of the Azure Face API is reportedly being conducted by Microsoft. Official Statement. Statement to Lead Researcher. Error analysis reveals 95.9% of the faces misgendered by Face++ were those of female subjects. Face++ has yet to respond to the research results which were sent to all companies on Dec 22 ,2017 At the time of evaluation , none of the companies tested reported how well their computer vision products perform across gender, skin type, ethnicity, age or other attributes. Inclusive product testing and reporting are necessary if the industry is to create systems that work well for all of humanity. However, accuracy is not the only issue. Flawless facial analysis technology can be abused in the hands of authoritarian governments, personal adversaries, and predatory companies. Ongoing oversight and context limitations are needed. While this study focused on gender classification, the machine learning techniques used to determine gender are also broadly applied to many other areas of facial analysis and automation. Face recognition technology that has not been publicly tested for demographic accuracy is increasingly used by law enforcement and at airports. AI fueled automation now helps determine who is fired, hired, promoted, granted a loan or insurance, and even how long someone spends in prison. For interested readers, authors Cathy O'Neil and Virginia Eubanks explore the real-world impact of algorithmic bias. Automated systems are not inherently neutral. They reflect the priorities, preferences, and prejudices - the coded gaze - of those who have the power to mold artificial intelligence. We risk losing the gains made with the civil rights movement and women's movement under the false assumption of machine neutrality. We must demand increased transparency and accountability. Learn more about the coded gaze -algorithmic bias - at www.ajlunited.org Dive Deeper: Gender Shades Academic Paper Test Inclusively: Request external performance test Request Pilot Parliaments Benchmark
- Virgin Atlantic returns to Cape Town with daily services
May 23, 2022. WEST SUSSEX. A firm favourite with customers, the service will operate on a Boeing 787-9 with fares starting from £711 economy return. Virgin Atlantic returns to Cape Town with daily services Virgin Atlantic’s much anticipated service to Cape Town launches on 5th November 2022 The daily service operates on a Boeing 787-9 aircraft Prices start from £711 per person Virgin Atlantic is delighted to return to Cape Town from 5th November 2022 with a new daily service. A firm favourite with customers, the service will operate on a Boeing 787-9 with fares starting from £711 economy return. The aircraft boasts three classes, Upper Class, Premium and Economy offering different experiences for customers as well as the airline’s world-famous social space. The new winter service runs until 24th March 2023 and will complement the existing year-round daily service to Johannesburg. With demand for travel ever-increasing, sunseekers can take full advantage of the beautiful destination with easier access than ever before. Known not only for its natural beauty, but rich culture and heritage too, there is something for everyone to enjoy at this much-loved destination. Home to Robben Island, customers can visit the prison where Nelson Mandela was held, which is now a living museum. Some may wish to challenge their adventurous side by riding the cable cars to Table Mountain’s flat top for sweeping views of the city. Those looking for something more laid-back are at the gateway to the Cape Winelands, the country’s top region for wine tasting tours. Juha Jarvinen, Chief Commercial Officer at Virgin Atlantic commented: “We’re incredibly excited to return to the fabulous city of Cape Town with daily services from November. “Although a little later than we we’d have liked due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the move reflects the fact that travel is recovering and global demand for holidays to sunny, premium destinations is returning at pace. “We’re expecting a high proportion of leisure travellers on this route who will rightly be taking advantage of the winter sun, exploring the world-renowned wine regions and soaking up the rich culture this incredible country has to offer.” Route facts Aircraft type Boeing 787-9 with 31 Upper Class, 35 Premium and 192 Economy Delight Classic and Light seats. Route frequency Daily. Flight timings and flight number LHR – CPT – VS478 16:20 / 06:00 + 1 CPT – LHR – VS479 07:50 / 17:45 Date of restart 5th November 2022. Fares Flights on sale now - return Economy fares start from £711 per person, Premium from £1318 per person and Upper Class from £3454 per person. For further information please contact press.office@fly.virgin.com2 About Virgin Atlantic Virgin Atlantic was founded by entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson in 1984, with innovation and amazing customer service at its core. In 2021, Virgin Atlantic was voted Britain’s only Global Five Star Airline by APEX for the fifth year running in the Official Airline Ratings. Headquartered in London, it employs 6,500 people worldwide, flying customers to 27 destinations across four continents. Alongside shareholder and Joint Venture partner Delta Air Lines, Virgin Atlantic operates a leading transatlantic network, with onward connections to over 200 cities around the world. On 3 February 2020, Air France-KLM, Delta Air Lines and Virgin Atlantic launched an expanded Joint Venture, offering a comprehensive route network, convenient flight schedules, competitive fares and reciprocal frequent flyer benefits, including the ability to earn and redeem miles across all carriers. Sustainability remains central to Virgin Atlantic, having taken an industry leadership position through its long-standing support for SAF commercialisation and fleet transformation programme. Since September 2019, the airline has welcomed eight new Airbus A350-1000 with a further A350-100 and three A339s entering the fleet in 2021. By the end of 2022 the average fleet age will be just over six years, driving a fuel efficiency (CO2 /RTK) improvement of 30% compared to 2007. For more information visit www.virginatlantic.com or via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @virginatlantic.
- IsDBI and Partners Discuss Deepening Collaborations during IsDB Group Annual Meetings
June 1-2, 2022. SHARM EL-SHEIKH. The meetings aimed to discuss the progress of projects under implementation as well potential future collaborations with the various institutions to proactively support the Islamic finance industry with innovative and sustainable development solutions. The Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI) held a series of bilateral meetings with various partner organizations on 1-2 June 2022 on the side lines of the 2022 IsDB Group Annual Meetings in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. The meetings aimed to discuss the progress of projects under implementation as well potential future collaborations with the various institutions to proactively support the Islamic finance industry with nnovative and sustainable development solutions. Dr. Sami Al-Suwailem, Acting Director General of IsDBI and Chief Economist, led the Institute’s team during the meetings, supported by Dr. Rami Abdelkafi, Team Leader for Knowledge Leaders, and Mr. Syed Faiq Najeeb, Senior Islamic Finance Specialist. I n one of the sessions, the IsDBI team hosted H.E. Dr. Khaled Al-Mabrouk Abdullah Al-Mabrouk, Minister of Finance of Libya, where they discussed the implementation of a memorandum of understanding signed recently by the IsDB and Libyan government. The Minister requested IsDBI’s support in enhancing capacity of various development finance institutions in Libya. The IsDBI assured of its full support to Libya and will assign relevant teams to engage in technical discussions in due course. The IsDBI team also held separate meetings with the heads of three Islamic finance infrastructure institutions. These were Dr. Bello Lawal Danbatta, Secretary General of the Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB), Dr. Rami Sulaiman Abudaqqa, Chief Executive Officer of International Islamic Centre for Reconciliation and Arbitration (IICRA), and Dr. Abdelilah Belatik, Secretary General of the General Council for Islamic Banks and Financial Institutions (CIBAFI). In these meetings, discussions centered on the Institute’s technical support to the infrastructure institutions as well as collaboration in various areas including capacity building and knowledge dissemination. IsDBI assured the institutions of its support in working together to provide innovative solutions to the present and near-future challenges of the Islamic finance industry. The IsDBI team also held discussions with Mr. Sahba Sobhani, Director of the UNDP Istanbul International Center for Private Sector Development (IICPSD), Mr. Hassan Moussa Yassin, Executive Director of the Central Bank of Djibouti, and Mr. Gonzalo Rodriguez, Director of the Saudi-Spanish Center for Islamic Economics and Finance (SCIEF). During the sessions, Dr. Sami Al-Suwailem underscored the significance of proactively raising the bar in enhancing value-based solutions and guidance to the industry that not only strengthens Islamic finance industry’s resilience but also solves the development challenges of IsDB member countries. In the meeting with UNDP IICPSD, the discussions took stock of progress in current collaborations as well as plans for future projects to be implemented under the joint IsDB- UNDP Global Islamic Finance and Impact Investing Platform (GIFIIP). In the other meetings, the IsDBI assured of its support to the Central Bank of Djibouti in developing its Islamic finance strategy. The Institute also agreed to explore the possibility of renewing the Islamic Finance Change makers Competition for a second round to be jointly organized with the SCIEF. The bilateral meetings concluded overall on a very positive note with ambitious development plans for the Islamic finance and economic industry, led by IsDBI in collaboration with its various partner institutions.
- mai-listed companies post total sales of THB 48.38 bln in Q1/2022
May 27, 2022. BANGKOK. Q1 combined sales up 20.4 pct y-o-y to THB 48.38 bln - Net profit up 21 pct y-o-y to THB 2.74 bln - Services, Property & Construction, Technology, and Agro & Food Industry industry groups with higher operating profits. Bangkok, May 27, 2022 –Market for Alternative Investment (mai)-listed companies recorded total sales of THB 48.38 billion (approx. USD 1.41 billion) in the first quarter of 2022, or a 20.4 percent rise from the same period last year, while operating profits totaled THB 2.50 billion, or a 7.2 percent drop. The industry groups that delivered the higher operating profits over the same period were Services, Property & Construction, Technology and Agro & Food Industry. mai President Prapan Charoenprawatt said that 179 mai-listed companies or 96 percent of the total 186 companies (excluding those in the non-compliance or NC group and those with different accounting period close) submitted their financial reports for the first quarter ended March 31, 2022. Out of these, 119 listed companies, accounting for 66 percent, recorded net profits. For the first quarter of 2022, mai-listed companies’ cost of goods sold increased by 25.6 percent from the same period a year ago to THB 38.44 billion, lowering gross profit margin to 20.5 percent from 23.8 percent. However, the overall net profit amounted to THB 2.74 billion, a 21 percent rise, due to the fact that a listed company recognized one-off profit worth THB 1.42 billion from a disposal of a power plant. Compared with the final quarter of last year, mai-listed companies’ combined sales rose by 0.6 percent with the lower gross profit margin to 20.5 percent from 21.6 percent, and a 10.9 percent decline in operating profits. “In the first quarter of 2022, the government further relaxed the COVID-19 restrictions, enabling most business organizations to resume the near normal activities. The Russia-Ukraine war impacted mai-listed companies’ costs and started to erode their profitability, however. All in all, four industry groups comprising Services, Property & Construction, Technology and Agro & Food Industry managed to record higher operating,” added Prapan. In terms of financial position, mai-listed firms’ total assets rose by 1.78 percent from the end of 2021 to THB 289.80 billion at the end of March 2022. The overall financial structure was strengthened, with debt-to-equity ratio (D/E ratio) of 0.94 time, a decrease from 1.02 times at end 2021. As of May 25, 2022, there were 186 mai-listed companies and the benchmark Index closed at 641.64 points, with the total market capitalization of THB 524.36 billion and average daily trading value of THB 7.61 billion. “SET…Make it Work for Everyone” Follow us on Twitter @SET_Thailand_EN Attachment of SET Release 40/2022 Q1/2022 mai-listed companies’ performance by industry groups Q1/2022 mai-listed companies’ profit margin by industry groups “SET…Make it Work for Everyone” Follow us on Twitter @SET_Thailand_EN Members of the media please contact the Media Relations Unit, Corporate Communications Dept.: Oranan Paweewun tel: +66 (0) 2009 9489/ Arada Therdthammakun tel: +66 (0) 2009 9483/ Kanokwan Khemmalai tel:+66 (0) 2009 9478
- Bank of Singapore unveils onshore entity to capture growth opportunities in Malaysia
June 1, 2022. SINGAPORE, MALAYSIA. With the opening of BOSWM Malaysia, it further expands Bank of Singapore’s coverage of the Southeast Asia region. The official opening was officiated by the Group CEO of OCBC Bank, Ms Helen Wong (2nd right); Bank of Singapore CEO, Mr Bahren Shaari (2nd left); Bank of Singapore Global Market Head (Singapore, Malaysia & International), Mr Olivier Denis (leftmost); & BOSWM Malaysia CEO Mr Teh Chi-Cheun. Bank of Singapore Bank of Singapore, the private banking arm of Southeast Asia’s second largest financial services group, OCBC Group, today unveiled its onshore entity, BOS Wealth Management Malaysia (BOSWM Malaysia), that further positions Bank of Singapore to capture growth opportunities in Malaysia. By leveraging on Bank of Singapore’s expertise, BOSWM Malaysia will be able to offer a comprehensive range of customised wealth management solutions and investment advisory services to its ultra-high and high net worth clients in Malaysia. The establishment of BOSWM Malaysia makes Malaysia the first market after Singapore to have a comprehensive onshore presence that supports OCBC Group’s core business pillars – banking, wealth management and insurance. Other subsidiaries that have presence in Malaysia include OCBC Bank Malaysia and Great Eastern. This supports the vision of OCBC Group to become the leading wealth management player in Malaysia. The launch of BOSWM Malaysia also comes at an opportune time. According to Knight Frank’s Wealth Report 2022, Malaysia is expected to see a 43% increase in the number of ultra-high net worth individuals between 2021 and 2026 – one of the fastest in Asia. Heading the Malaysian entity is Chief Executive Officer Mr Teh Chi-Cheun, a veteran finance professional with over 25 years of experience in investment and asset management. BOSWM Malaysia presently has close to 60 employees. An official opening ceremony was held today and was attended by the Group Chief Executive Officer of Bank of Singapore’s parent company OCBC Bank, Ms Helen Wong; Bank of Singapore Chief Executive Officer, Mr Bahren Shaari; and OCBC Bank Malaysia Chief Executive, Dato’ Ong Eng Bin; as well as the staff of BOSWM Malaysia. Chief Executive Officer of Bank of Singapore, Mr Bahren Shaari, said, “Establishing an onshore presence in Malaysia through BOSWM Malaysia positions Bank of Singapore well to serve the wealth and investment needs of Malaysia’s ultra-high net worth and high net worth individuals. There is clearly potential for this market to develop and flourish – we can build on the existing synergy in this market given that the OCBC Group is already well represented here through its subsidiaries, OCBC Malaysia and Great Eastern.” For media queries, please contact: Dawn Sin Vice-president Group Brand & Communications OCBC Bank Email: dawnsin@ocbc.com Ow Yong Weng Leong Vice-president Group Brand & Communications OCBC Bank Email: wengleong@ocbc.com












