HONG KONG, Nov. 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Futu Securities International (Hong Kong) Limited ("Futu") announces the successful completion of the participation in the "Oxfam Trailwalker 2023" event by 13 teams of Futu’s Trailwalkers, formed in collaboration with Futu’s founder, Mr. Li Hua, and Hong Kong citizens. The Futu’s Trailwalkers, representing Futu’s spirit, officially completed their challenging journey on Friday, starting from Pak Tam Chung, Sai Kung, and conquering a total of 23 peaks. As the last participant from Futu crossed the finish line at the Tuen Mun Crossroads Foundation, the moment marked the culmination of their trek, creating a new record of 16 hours and 56 minutes. This outstanding achievement not only refreshed Futu’s trail-walking history but also secured the Futu’s Trailwalkers the top position in the financial category, ranking 17th overall out of the 714 participating teams in this year’s Trailwalker. The total number of participants in this edition of Trailwalker was 714 teams.

Celebrating 11 Years in Hong Kong: Investing and Collaborating to Encourage Hong Kong Citizens to Achieve a Breakthrough

Adhering to the philosophy of "Taking from Society, Giving Back to Society,"Futu has been actively participating in the Trailwalker event since 2014. This year marks Futu’s return to the Trailwalker competition after the pandemic hiatus. Additionally, as it coincided with Futu’s 11th anniversary in Hong Kong, Futu spared no effort in openly recruiting and sponsoring all participating teams’ expenses, contributing a significant amount to Oxfam to support their poverty alleviation and emergency relief projects in Africa and Asia (including Hong Kong and Mainland China). Ultimately, Futu successfully invited 6 teams of Futu employees and 7 teams of friends, colleagues and associates to represent a total of 13 teams in the competition. All participating teams are well-trained in their daily routines, achieving excellent results in the competition. Over half of the Futu representative teams secured positions in the top 20 of the financial category, with one team even claiming the first position in the financial category, earning an overall ranking of 17th place.

Mr. Li Hua, founder of Futu Securities, said, "Since 2014, I have been participating in the Trailwalker event. It started with a group of enthusiastic employees competing together, and now we are delighted to see the Futu Trailwalker team expanding to include 13 teams composed of Futu employees and Hong Kong citizens. Participants not only find like-minded partners but also convey the unwavering spirit of the company to society. The path of corporate growth is akin to a trail walk, requiring continuous perseverance, effort, and long-term training, which aligns perfectly with the spirit of Trailwalker. We aim to spread this spirit, encouraging Hong Kong people to strengthen their willpower and infuse new vitality into Hong Kong’s charitable causes. In the future, Futu will continue to actively support various charitable activities, contributing to the progress and development of society together."

About Futu Securities International (Hong Kong) Limited

Futu Securities International (Hong Kong) Limited is a licensed company recognized by the Securities and Futures Commission. Futu has sustained high growth momentum since its establishment in 2012, securing its market leadership in Hong Kong by the number of clients, with its trading volume from retail business ranked Top 3 in the market. Based in Hong Kong, Futu Securities is a next-generation online brokerage. By combining technology and an on-the-go trading platform, Futu enhances the overall trading experience and is committed to becoming an influential financial services platform globally. For more information on Futu Securities, please visit our official website at https://futuhk.com.

Source : Futu and Hong Kong Citizens Achieve a Trailblazing Victory in the Financial Category of the Oxfam Trailwalker, Championing Corporate Resilience and Tenacity Training

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DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Nov. 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Leaders from the United Nations and Microsoft Corp. on Thursday announced a partnership that will enable the UNFCCC to create a new AI-powered platform and global climate data hub to measure and analyze global progress in reducing emissions. This will dramatically simplify the process to validate and analyze climate data submitted by the 196 Parties to the Paris Agreement.

The partnership comes at a critical time, as the world’s governments come together at COP28, organized by the UNFCCC and the COP28 UAE Presidency, to take stock of the slow progress in meeting the climate goals set by the Paris Agreement.

"The world must move faster to reduce carbon emissions. Simply put, you can’t fix what you can’t measure, and these new AI and data tools will allow nations to measure emissions far better than they can today," said Brad Smith, vice chair and president of Microsoft.

"The Paris Agreement provides the framework for all the world’s nations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees," said Simon Stiell, UNFCCC executive secretary. "Climate change is a global emergency that goes beyond borders. It will require technology for adaptation and mitigation. Progress also requires collaboration from trusted partners to develop the tools that the framework requires to be delivered. We are happy to work with Microsoft in this effort."

Aggregating and analyzing carbon data today is time consuming and often done through manual methods. Under the agreement, Microsoft will build a new platform to provide digital support to the UNFCCC’s Enhanced Transparency Framework. This platform will enable advanced analysis of global climate data through the creation of a new global climate data hub and an AI-powered data analytics platform. This will equip UNFCCC and member states with the tools they need to efficiently report and validate progress toward carbon reduction targets. This includes tracking transportation, agriculture, industrial processes, and other sources of carbon emissions. It will also provide UNFCCC and member states with tools to plan carbon reduction strategies using simulations, benchmarks, and data visualizations to help inform targeted actions, saving time and money.

This work will also include the creation of Global Climate Dashboards for publication on UNFCCC website, increasing transparency, accountability, and ultimately informing meaningful climate action.  

Microsoft has committed $3 million over two years to help enable the implementation of the Enhanced Transparency Framework and the Global Stocktake mechanisms established by the Paris Agreement.

Enacted in 2015, the Paris Agreement commits countries to reducing emissions to slow the impact of climate change, and to strengthen these commitments over time. Implementation of the Paris Agreement is critical to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

Microsoft and the UNFCCC will also partner to host a series of events intended to accelerate climate action in the UNFCCC Pavilion (Blue Zone) at COP28.

About UNFCCC

The UNFCCC secretariat (UN Climate Change) is the United Nations entity tasked with supporting the global response to the threat of climate change. UNFCCC stands for United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

About Microsoft

Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT" @microsoft) enables digital transformation for the era of an intelligent cloud and an intelligent edge. Its mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.

Source : UNFCCC partners with Microsoft to use AI and advanced data technology to track global carbon emissions and assess progress under the Paris Agreement

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Tech Mahindra has further cemented its leading position in the market with its cutting-edge solution field services solution Yantr.ai

SAN ANTONIO, Nov. 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Frost & Sullivan recently researched the cognitive field services management industry and, based on its findings, recognizes Tech Mahindra with the 2023 Global Enabling Technology Leadership Award. Tech Mahindra is a leading provider of digital transformation, consulting and business re-engineering services and solutions.

2023 Global Cognitive Field Service Management Enabling Technology Leadership Award

Organizations grappling with field services operations face challenges such as high operating costs, manual and disparate workflows, fragmented and manual planning, rudimentary dispatch systems, multiple enterprise management systems, and decentralized data. While Tech Mahindra delivers a full spectrum of field service management solutions, it was awarded for Yantr.ai —a groundbreaking cognitive artificial intelligence (AI) solution. Yantr.ai significantly optimizes field services through deep analytical insights, decision-making support, and future-proof strategic planning. This innovative solution helps global businesses identify lags and create a flawless field ecosystem by providing actionable insights and recommendations, leveraging superior digital technology capabilities, including machine learning (ML) and AI.

Tech Mahindra offers Yantr.ai at a flexible price with modular functionality deployment options. It includes multiple license options to select suitable features and capabilities for business needs. For this reason, investing in Yantr.ai dramatically reduces the costs associated with hardware maintenance, upgrades, and administrative tasks needed to manage the physical infrastructure.

"Launched in September 2022, Yantr.ai is a cognitive AI solution that optimizes field services through deep analytical insights, decision-making support, and future-proof strategic planning. The platform combines technology, data, and people to automate, optimize, and improve experiences for field service operations. It helps customers identify lags and create a flawless field ecosystem through actionable insights and recommendations," said Sherrel Sonia Roche, industry principal for ICT Research at Frost & Sullivan.

The organization’s commitment extends beyond the launch, constantly integrating customer feedback for continuous improvements and to ensure that its systems and processes perfectly align with the market’s evolving needs. Furthermore, Tech Mahindra’s relationship with customers continues after implementation as it assists them through consulting and technical assistance, delivering maximum value from its Yantr.ai deployment. This customer-centric approach focuses on understanding customers’ unique operational challenges and desired outcomes, translating to better field service operations and continuous technology innovation.

"Tech Mahindra aims to create differentiated client value through a consultative approach and industry-specific solutions. Yantr.ai has propelled field service operations to the next level by addressing customers’ most pressing challenges. Through a deep understanding of its customers’ operating environment and domain expertise, Tech Mahindra has identified specific pain points in visibility, productivity, and cost optimization," noted Roche.

Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents this award to a company that develops pioneering technology that enhances current products and enables new product and application development. The award recognizes the high market acceptance potential of the recipient’s technology.

Frost & Sullivan Best Practices awards recognize companies in various regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analyses, and extensive secondary research to identify best practices in the industry.

About Frost & Sullivan

For six decades, Frost & Sullivan has been world-renowned for its role in helping investors, corporate leaders, and governments navigate economic changes and identify disruptive technologies, Mega Trends, new business models, and companies to action, resulting in a continuous flow of growth opportunities to drive future success. Contact us: Start the discussion.

Contact:

Tarini Singh
P: +91- 9953764546
E: [email protected] 

About Tech Mahindra

Tech Mahindra offers innovative and customer-centric digital experiences, enabling enterprises, associates, and society to Rise for a more equal world, future readiness, and value creation. It is a USD 6.5+ billion organisation with 148k+ professionals across 90 countries helping 1250+ global customers, including Fortune 500 companies. It is focused on leveraging next-generation technologies including 5G, Metaverse, Blockchain, Quantum Computing, Cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence, and more, to enable end-to-end digital transformation for global customers. It is the only Indian company in the world to receive the HRH The Prince of Wales’ Terra Carta Seal for its commitment to creating a sustainable future. It is the fastest growing brand globally in ‘brand value rank’ and among the top 7 IT brands globally in brand strength with AA+ rating. With its NXT.NOWTM framework, Tech Mahindra aims to enhance ‘Human Centric Experience’ for its ecosystem and drive collaborative disruption with synergies arising from a robust portfolio of companies. It aims at delivering tomorrow’s experiences today and believes that the ‘Future is Now’.

Tech Mahindra is part of the Mahindra Group, founded in 1945, one of the largest and most admired multinational federations of companies with 260,000 employees in over 100 countries. It enjoys a leadership position in farm equipment, utility vehicles, information technology, and financial services in India and is the world’s largest tractor company by volume. It has a strong presence in renewable energy, agriculture, logistics, hospitality, and real estate. The Mahindra Group has a clear focus on leading ESG globally, enabling rural prosperity and enhancing urban living, with a goal to drive positive change in the lives of communities and stakeholders to enable them to Rise.

Connect with us on www.techmahindra.com || Our Social Media Channels
http://www.facebook.com/TechMahindra
http://twitter.com/Tech_Mahindra
http://www.linkedin.com/company/tech-mahindra
http://www.youtube.com/user/techmahindra09

For more information on Tech Mahindra, please contact:

Abhilasha Gupta, Global Corporate Communications and Public Affairs
Email: [email protected]; [email protected]

Source : Tech Mahindra Awarded Frost & Sullivan's 2023 Global Enabling Technology Leadership Award for Its Innovative Cognitive AI Field Service Management Solution

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Only 31 percent of travellers brought cash to their destinations in 2023, down from 79 percent in 2020. Travellers are also spending more, with an average of $2,525 per trip – a significant jump from $1,708 in 2020

SINGAPORE, Nov. 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Asia Pacific travellers prefer using credit, debit and prepaid cards as payment method when travelling, according to the latest findings from Visa’s latest Global Travel Intentions (GTI) study, underlining consumers’ growing reliance on digital payment methods.

The number of travellers bringing cash on their trips has also fallen by 60 percent post-pandemic, with only 31 percent of respondents bringing cash in 2023, as compared to 79 percent in 2020. Respondents cite reasons such as wide acceptance by merchants, travel security and good foreign exchange rates as drivers for overseas card usage.

"We are witnessing a significant shift in travellers’ behaviours and payment preferences post-pandemic, with many opting for safe, digital, and touch-free payment methods, " said Danielle Jin, Head of Marketing, Asia Pacific, Visa. "Our Global Travel Intentions study reaffirms the growing importance of digital payments in enhancing the overall travel experience, and how the travel ecosystem needs to help local businesses provide secure and contactless payment solutions that align with the preferences of today’s travellers."

Understanding evolving travel trends and consumer preferences

According to this year’s study, which surveyed more than 15,000 travellers across Asia Pacific, travellers are displaying several notable trends and behaviours:

Top destinations of choice: Japan secured the top spot among destinations that respondents travelled to the most, with 25 percent of respondents having visited the country this year, followed closely by Australia (18%) and Singapore (12%). Australia (16%), Japan (16%), and Mainland China (9%) topped the list for international business leisure, or ‘bleisure’, trips, where consumers combine leisure with business activities during their span of travel. Rising trip expenses:  Travellers are also spending more in 2023, with an average of $2,525 per trip – a significant jump from $1,708 in 2020. Motivations for travel: In addition, the survey highlighted that the main motivations for travel are relaxation (39%), followed by the desire to explore and learn something new (14%) and visiting family and friends (13%). Other motivators include shopping (8%) and going on an adventure (8%). Sustainability takes centerstage: 63 percent of respondents indicated an interest in sustainable travel, citing choosing sustainable accommodation, utilising energy efficient modes of transport and avoiding use of single-use plastics during their trips as ways to travel sustainably. Inspiration for future trips: When planning future trips, travellers draw inspiration from various sources, with advertising (49%) and word of mouth (48%) leading the way. Promotions (41%), social media (39%), and travel content (37%) are also significant triggers when picking a destination and choosing activities.

Unlocking new opportunities in travel with data

For the travel industry, navigating these shifting consumer trends will be a critical part of success. Visa’s close partnerships with many players in the travel ecosystem – from travel agencies to airlines, merchants, financial institutions, and government bodies – demonstrate that it is the organisations primed with data that can better engage their travelling customers at scale with personalised, high-impact experiences.

"Visa’s data capabilities and insights provide a holistic picture of the how, where, why and who pertaining to Asia Pacific travel trends, helping organisations attract and support travellers right from the moment they decide to travel," Jin continued. "To serve our partners better, we have also recently set up a Centre of Excellence for travel here in Asia Pacific, which is a team wholly dedicated to helping clients leverage data and maximise opportunities in the travel and cross-border payments space."

Visa’s payments data and in-house data science capabilities can help organisations plan ahead so they can maximise opportunities when travel surges. When combined with partners’ data such as airline seat capacity, Visa’s data insights can offer predictions for peaks in travel seasons for travel ecosystem players, which consists of merchants and retailers to banks, fintechs, and government bodies in the travel space. These institutions – big to small – can use Visa’s data insights to better support their customers’ demands and preferences during peak travel periods, and chart out travel deals and rewards for Visa cardholders right when they want it.

The Visa Global Travel Intentions Study 2023 was conducted by 4SIGHT Research & Analytics in April to June 2023 and surveyed 15,467 respondents across Australia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Mainland China, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. Spanning over a decade, the biennial GTI survey sheds light on travel and payment behaviours while capturing emerging trends in the travel landscape.

About Visa

Visa (NYSE: V) is a world leader in digital payments, facilitating transactions between consumers, merchants, financial institutions and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. We believe that economies that include everyone everywhere, uplift everyone everywhere and see access as foundational to the future of money movement. Learn more at Visa.com. 

Source : Visa study: 97% of Asia Pacific travellers opt to go cashless when travelling

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CHENGDU, China, Nov. 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — On September 19th to 20th, a gathering of heavyweight guests took place in Chengdu, featuring a series of exciting events with a rigorous and professional award evaluation. The inaugural Golden Panda Awards, successfully held in Chengdu, presented to the world a grand international communication event with both global standards and distinctive Chinese characteristics, enriched with the charm of Sichuan. From Chengdu, the Golden Panda extends its reach to the world, while the world converges upon the hometown of the panda.

The Golden Panda Awards will continue to embrace inclusivity and openness, providing essential spiritual resources and cultural support for the construction of a shared human destiny. Together, we appreciate the beauty of diverse cultures, collaborate on the exchange and mutual learning of civilizations. In 2025, let’s meet again!

Source : The inaugural Golden Panda Awards concluded successfully! See you again in 2025!

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SINGAPORE, Nov. 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — JOYY Inc. (NASDAQ: YY) ("JOYY" or the "Company"), a global leading technology company, announced its unaudited financial results for the third quarter of 2023.

During the third quarter of 2023, JOYY’s total revenues rose 3.6% sequentially to US$567.1 million. The Company’s core business segment BIGO generated revenues of US$494.1 million, a sequential increase of 4.9% and a year-over-year increase of 2.2%, its first year-over-year top-line growth in six quarters. JOYY recorded net profit and non-GAAP net profit1 of US$72.9 million and US$81.2 million, with GAAP and non-GAAP net margins1 of 12.9% and 14.3%, respectively. The BIGO segment’s operating profit and non-GAAP operating profit1 reached US$68.5 million and US$81.9 million, and it further expanded its GAAP and non-GAAP operating profit margin1 to 13.9% and 16.6%, respectively. JOYY continued to generate positive operating cash flows, reaching US$72.9 million in the third quarter.

In addition, JOYY maintained its commitment to return value to shareholders, as it repurchased an additional US$43.5 million of its shares during the third quarter. In the first three quarters of 2023, JOYY had returned an aggregate amount of US$355.4 million to its shareholders through dividends and share buybacks.

Mr. David Xueling Li, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of JOYY, commented, "Effective execution of our operational strategies to optimize users’ content and social experiences drove BIGO’s enhanced user engagement and monetization. At the group level, our global average mobile MAUs grew by 2.6% year over year to 276.8 million in the third quarter. Notably, Bigo Live’s MAUs maintained its strong growth trajectory, increasing by 14% year over year to 40.3 million. BIGO’s number of paying users experienced a steady increase of 6.6% year over year, with ARPPU (Average Revenue Per Paying User) also improving sequentially during the quarter. Moving forward, we remain committed to our long-term, targeted strategy to pursue high-quality growth. We will continue to explore ways to innovate across our products and operations, and drive the steady recovery of our global business with a continued focus on improving operating cash flows. We will further concentrate our resources on building our core strengths and global businesses that align with our long-term strategies, and effectively pursue growth opportunities."

Third Quarter 2023 Business Highlights

Bigo Live maintained its double-digit user growth momentum in the third quarter, with MAUs increasing by 14% year over year to 40.3 million. Growth was observed across several key regions, with year-over-year increases of 12.9% in Europe, 15.3% in the Middle East, and 14.4% in Southeast Asia and other emerging markets. Bigo Live also recorded sequential revenue growth. The Developed Countries Region, especially Europe and Eastern Pacific countries, outpaced other markets and generated high-single-digit sequential growth in revenue.

Bigo Live introduced a diverse range of high-quality and viral content during the third quarter. In the Middle East, Bigo Live premiered "The Acting Coach", an exclusive show in which Monther Rayahneh, a famous Jordanian actor, shared his personal insights into the art of acting. In Indonesia, Bigo Live debuted "Friends for Live", a collaborative mini-series featuring three Bigo Live streamers and some new local actors. The show was broadcast on a popular Indonesian video platform called Vidio, introducing Bigo Live’s streamers to new audiences. Bigo Live also launched a "Summer Vibe" campaign in the MENA region and teamed up with several local KOLs who have tens of millions of followers, significantly boosting user engagement and inspiring creativity. Bigo Live continued to encourage users to explore and participate in Family activities. The third quarter saw a steady increase in the size of Families, with a 5.1% sequential increase in DAUs and a 17.4% sequential increase in the number of contracted streamers in Families.

Bigo Live further refined its content recommendation algorithms and continued to incentivize BAR creators. It also started to develop a premium content pool on its BAR channel, covering popular genres such as K-pop, pets, and workout. In the third quarter, the number of users sharing videos on BAR surged by 42.8% from the prior quarter, while the average effective views per person for video content rose by 29.3% in the same period. At the same time, Bigo Live fine-tuned features to enhance the appeal and interactivity inside livestreaming rooms. This drove an 8.5% sequential increase in the total number of livestreamers, along with a 3.7% sequential increase in the number of livestreamers in multi-guest rooms. In line with its commitment to fostering social interaction and forging relationships, Bigo Live enhanced its Real Match feature to make it easier to connect with people nearby by simply swiping through profiles. The upgrade fueled a 16.3% sequential increase in the number of people mutually following each other through Real Match, and a 21% sequential increase in direct chat messages.

In the third quarter, Likee’s revenue continued to grow sequentially, and it continued to be profitable at the product level. In September, Likee orchestrated a series of offline community events in celebration of Saudi National Day. These included streamer parties and movie days, accompanied by online discussions designed to deepen connections among users, creators, and the platform. During the quarter, Likee also partnered with a number of popular creators to exhibit at the Asian Culture Festival, an event that captivated fans of anime, K-pop, and more, highlighting the ACG (Anime, Comics, and Games) that is an integral component of Likee’s content ecosystem and community. At the product level, Likee remained dedicated to fostering community interaction, driving a 14.7% overall sequential increase in average user time spent. Overall user engagement, as measured by the ratio of DAUs to MAUs, increased by 1% sequentially, while the IM penetration rate rose by 1.5% over the same period.

During the third quarter, Hago maintained sequential revenue growth, and its operating cash flow remained positive during the quarter. Efficient content distribution remained a priority, along with a refined push notification strategy designed to boost participation in multi-guest interactive rooms across regions. Hago also iterated and enhanced its IM and interactive features, helping to drive increased social activity among users. Notably, the average user time spent in social channels reached nearly 95.8 minutes per day, and the average time spent in multi-guest audio livestreaming rooms grew by 1.2% sequentially. Besides Hago 3D Space, Hago is actively exploring alternative social interactive applications and combining livestreaming and interactive gaming experiences powered by AI.

For details of the non-GAAP measures, including the reconciliations of GAAP measures to non-GAAP measures, please refer to the press release titled "JOYY Reports Third Quarter 2023 Unaudited Financial Results" issued by the Company on November 30, 2023.

Source : JOYY Reports Third Quarter 2023 Results: Profitability Sustains, BIGO Regains Revenue Growth

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This content was prepared by our news partner, Cision PR Newswire. The opinions and the content published on this page are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Siam News Network