MING REVISITING DIVE WATCH WITH 37.09 BLUEFIN

KUALA LUMPUR, May 24 (Bernama) -- Horologer MING, an independent Malaysian-Swiss watch brand, has released the new 37.09 Bluefin, featuring its third-generation design language.

It is the brand’s first watch with a unidirectionally-rotating, luminous sapphire timing dial that replaces a conventional dive bezel, in which it rides on bearings and is set by a dedicated crown, according to a statement.

The Bluefin’s steel case is water resistant to 600 metre (m), but comfortably sized at 38x12.8 millimetre (mm), and it is powered by a customised Sellita SW300-1 with 50 hours of power reserve and bidirectional automatic winding.

The 37.09 Bluefin continues the MING design tradition of graphically minimalist scales that are easy to read and index. A new metallisation process creates a deep blue hue on the sapphire dial, which along with the hands, is extensively treated with Super-LumiNova X1 for optimal legibility under all conditions.

Additionally, watches will be delivered on a new moulded Fluorine Kautschuk Material (FKM) rubber strap that is also compatible with all of MING’s previous 20mm lug watches.

Meanwhile, the natural shape of the strap matches the curvature of the average wrist, and it is also keeperless and tapered in thickness to further enhance comfort, which will be available as a standalone accessory as well.

The MING 37.09 Bluefin is priced at 4,950 Swiss Franc, with 500 watches produced for 2024, with deliveries expected to begin October this year. (1 Swiss Franc = RM 5.15)

Horologer MING aims to revive a sense of excitement and discovery among watch enthusiasts, dedicating to refined aesthetics paired with innovative  materials, mechanics and engineering. MING is a registered trademark in Switzerland and Malaysia and represented by Horologer MING SA, Switzerland.

-- BERNAMA

VERDANTIS NAMES KUMAR GAURAV GUPTA AS CEO

KUALA LUMPUR, May 20 (Bernama) -- Verdantis, a pioneering leader in artificial intelligence (AI)-powered data solutions, has announced the appointment of its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Kumar Gaurav Gupta.

Taking on the role of the company’s CEO, he shoulders the responsibility of propelling growth, with a sharp focus on ensuring global customer success, according to a statement.

“It is a great honour to lead this data platform & services company at such an exciting time. Given the growing importance of data and the emergence of AI, I am confident Verdantis is poised to empower our customers in making data-driven ROI decisions,” said Gupta.

He will be instrumental in shaping Verdantis' strategic direction, fostering innovation, and driving the company's continued success in delivering cutting-edge data management solutions to clients worldwide.

Before Verdantis, Gupta held various roles including Vice President & Country Manager for the Indian subcontinent at SAP Concur and served as a business consultant advising customers on strategic priorities.

He holds a bachelor's degree from Delhi College of Engineering and a master's degree from the Indian Institute of Management, Indore.

Verdantis, stands at the forefront of data-driven solutions, empowering organisations across diverse industries to harness the potential of consistent and accessible data.

-- BERNAMA

XSOLLA’S QUARTERLY REPORT OFFERS DETAILED SNAPSHOTS INTO EMERGING TRENDS ACROSS GAMING INDUSTRY

KUALA LUMPUR, May 15 (Bernama) -- Xsolla, a global video game commerce company, has published the Spring 2024 edition of "The Xsolla Report: The State of Play”.

Launched on the heels of the Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2024, this extensive report provides invaluable insights into the emerging trends and pivotal shifts impacting the gaming industry in the short and long term.

It sets the stage to significantly shape the future of mobile gaming, deepen academic connections within the gaming ecosystem, and redefine investment patterns, according to a statement.

“Our focus is on providing platforms and tools that foster creative opportunities, international exposure, and the development of unique projects, ensuring that the future of gaming is accessible to all.

“We aim to empower every player and developer worldwide, ensuring the gaming landscape is as diverse and dynamic as its community,” said Xsolla Chief Marketing and Growth Officer, Berkley Egenes.

The report navigates through the advancements in global compliance and regulation, including the Digital Markets Act in Europe's new player engagement strategies, offering a glimpse into the potential future of mobile gaming monetisation and distribution as well as discusses the impact of cross-platform play and the importance of innovative monetisation models, providing actionable insights for developers and industry stakeholders.

Emphasising the importance of academia in the growth and diversification of the gaming industry, "The State of Play" explores how educational programmes and initiatives develop talent in addition to promoting diversity and inclusivity within the gaming community.

This edition underlines the symbiotic relationship between the gaming industry and academic institutions, highlighting programmes that significantly impact students and the industry.

The report also offers an in-depth analysis of the gaming industry's current investment climate, including funding trends, mergers and acquisitions, outlining the shifts in investment patterns, from the heights of the pandemic-induced boom to a more measured approach in 2024.

-- BERNAMA

CURIA AND CARTERRA PARTNER ON BIOLOGICS SYMPOSIUM TO FURTHER BIOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST

ALBANY, N.Y. and SALT LAKE CITY, May 10 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Curia, a leading contract research, development and manufacturing organization and Carterra Inc., the world leader in label-free high throughput antibody and small molecule drug discovery, today announced their partnership in hosting a high-throughput biologics symposium slated for May 31 at the Residence Inn at Marriott in Seattle, Washington.

The purpose of the collaboration is to promote the rising biotech focus within the Pacific Northwest region of the U.S and Canada. The symposium will bring together all levels of scientific leadership from the biotech and pharma communities.

"We are thrilled to be partnering with Carterra to organize this antibody discovery symposium, bringing the Pacific Northwest biotech community together and sharing the latest advances in antibody discovery," said Steve Lavezoli, Vice President of Biologics at Curia. "We are also looking forward to sharing our optimal, high-quality and accelerated antibody discovery workflows to first-to-human antibody discovery, development and clinical manufacturing. Antibodies discovered and/or engineered with Curia’s platform technology are in the clinic and we have over 230 successful antibody discovery campaigns performed for the biotech community."

Speed, scientific expertise and efficiency can surmount the high attrition rates of early antibody discovery and achieve first-to-market delivery of new therapeutics. The symposium will highlight Curia’s technology platform and integrated services with a focus on the development of enhanced mouse systems for antibody generation and high-throughput single B cell screening. The combination of next generation sequencing (NGS) and rapid recombinant production of milligram to gram quantities of purified monoclonal antibody (mAb) significantly accelerates identification of development candidate leads.

Since 2017, Carterra has been selling its powerful LSA^® high-throughput biosensor to analyze and characterize antibodies using Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR). With the launch of its LSA^XT platform last year, Carterra now offers products that can perform small molecule analysis as well as antibody discovery. The LSA platform has been profiled in several peer-reviewed papers in Science, Nature and Cell, detailing the path of multiple therapeutics entering clinical trials. At the symposium, several leading scientists in biopharma will be sharing their insights into their specific areas of drug discovery and will highlight the transformative impact of integrating HT-SPR technology, AI/ML and other new technologies.

“We are excited to be partnering with Curia on our symposium. Carterra symposia are scientific events that we host each year throughout the U.S. and Europe,” stated Chris M. Silva, Vice President of Marketing and Product at Carterra. “These symposia help us to share the latest technology advancements and important data generated from the workflows of scientists using Carterra’s label-free platforms. Coming to the Pacific Northwest is an opportunity to create a deeper understanding of the technology in pharma and biotechs in this region.”

Click here to RSVP for the event. Registration is required as seating is limited.

About Curia:
Curia is a Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) with over 30 years of experience, an integrated network of 27 global sites and over 3,500 employees partnering with Biopharmaceutical customers to bring life-changing therapies to market. Our biologics and small molecules offerings span discovery through commercialization, with integrated regulatory and analytical capabilities. Our scientific and process experts and state-of-the-art facilities deliver best-in-class experience across drug substance and drug product manufacturing. From curiosity to cure, we deliver every step to improve patients’ lives. Visit us at curiaglobal.com.

About Carterra, Inc.:
Carterra, Inc. is a privately held company. Its HT-SPR technology provides large-molecule and small-molecule drug discovery customers with screening and characterization throughput and functionality that scales with omics-level applications, condensing months of work down to days. Our solutions have enabled multiple therapeutics and breakthrough research and helped academic and translational researchers and biopharmaceutical companies in oncology, immunology, neuroscience, and more.  Carterra is based in Salt Lake City, Utah, and has Customer Experience Centers in San Francisco, Salt Lake City, Boston, Manchester, England, and Munich, Germany. Carterra products are available in Asia-Pacific and Oceania through our exclusive distributor, Revvity. To learn more, visit www.carterra-bio.com or connect with us on LinkedIn or X (Twitter).

Curia Contact Information:
Viana Bhagan
+1 518 512 2111
corporatecommunications@CuriaGlobal.com

Carterra Media Contact:
Cheri Salazar
(408) 594-9400
csalazar@carterra-bio.com 

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/020a0a28-86f0-4f6c-96f2-0eaa01c82784 


SOURCE : Curia Global, Inc.

GUY HARRISON TO LEAD TRUSTQUAY VIEWPOINT’S GROWTH, INNOVATION AS CEO

KUALA LUMPUR, May 9 (Bernama) -- TrustQuay Viewpoint (TQVP), a Software as a Service (SaaS) technology provider dedicated to the global trust and corporate services market has appointed Guy Harrison as Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

This key leadership appointment is aimed at driving the company’s global growth and supporting the digital transformation in the Trust and Corporate Service Provider (TCSP) industry, according to a statement.

Chairman of the Board, Heath Davies said Harrison’s extensive background in driving technological and operational improvements at major firms makes him exceptionally suited to lead TrustQuay Viewpoint through its next phase of growth and innovation.

“We are confident that Guy's expertise will significantly enhance our market presence, accelerate our strategic initiatives and support our customers and prospects on their digital transformation journey,” said Davies.

Meanwhile, Harrison stated he is excited to join the leadership team, harness his experience and lead the company’s dedicated global teams.

“With over 600 clients globally we are already recognised as the industry champion and our SaaS solutions are setting the pace for digital transformation,” he added.

Harrison comes to TrustQuay Viewpoint with a distinguished career, having led significant innovations and growth in anti-money laundering (AML) and know your customer (KYC) compliance across several prestigious firms.

His previous roles include SmartSearch CEO, Dow Jones Risk and Compliance General Manager, and IHS Markit Managing Director, in which he has driven substantial advancements in regulatory compliance solutions and operational excellence at each of these organisations.

-- BERNAMA

YAMATO HOLDINGS FREIGHT SERVICE BETWEEN SOUTHEAST ASIA, EUROPE TO REDUCE TRANSIT TIME

KUALA LUMPUR, May 2 (Bernama) -- Tokyo-headquartered Yamato Holdings Co Ltd has launched an international multimodal transport service by truck and rail connecting Southeast Asia and Europe on May 1.

The service was introduced to build a resilient global supply chain between Southeast Asia and Europe, in which the new transportation option offers seamless connectivity for the customers.

According to a statement, Yamato Holdings has helped customers build their global supply chains across 24 countries and regions.

In addition, its group company, Overland Total Logistic Services (M) Sdn Bhd in Malaysia has been providing cross-border truck transport services utilising container trailers between Southeast Asian countries and China since 2001.

Moving forward, the company will continue to propose solutions that optimise the customers' entire global supply chains, aiming for total logistics cost reduction, production efficiency improvement, and environmental impact reduction.

By utilising Overland Total Logistic Services' truck transport network for the Southeast Asia-China segment and partnering with rail service providers for the China-Europe segment, Yamato Holdings will provide seamless transportation through the delivery destinations.

This solution has shorter transit times than maritime transport via the Cape of Good Hope, and lower cost and less greenhouse gas emissions than air transport.

-- BERNAMA

NX GROUP ACQUIRES STAKE IN COMPREHENSIVE MICROBIOME CARE SERVICE PROVIDER KINS

KUALA LUMPUR, May 2 (Bernama) -- Nippon Express Holdings Inc has acquired a stake in KINS Co Ltd (KINS), which provides comprehensive microbiome care services, as an NX Global Innovation Fund project.

A startup company, KINS proposes to care for the resident microbiota on and within the human body, as well as conduct research, development, and sales in an integrated manner.

According to a statement, the company also has its own laboratory where it accumulates and analyses data provided by users on resident skin, scalp, and intestinal microbiota to aid in the development of various products.

With this investment, the Nippon Express (NX) Group will consider utilising the cell and specimen storage service offered by NX Wanbishi Archives Co Ltd, in the microbiome bank operated by KINS, and providing end-to-end transport of specimens from overseas clinics to laboratories and storage facilities in Japan.

The NX Group's comprehensive capabilities will be leveraged to support KINS' business expansion from a logistics perspective and create new business opportunities by expanding awareness of KINS within the healthcare industry, identified by the group as a priority industry.

It will continue addressing social issues through business co-creation with startup companies in Japan and overseas and helping put in place sustainable societies where all people can lead affluent and fulfilling lives.

The NX Group is working to enhance its corporate value and solve social issues to realise its long-term vision of becoming a “logistics company with a strong presence in the global marketplace”.

-- BERNAMA

AM BEST AFFIRMS CREDIT RATINGS OF PINNACLE LIFE LIMITED

SINGAPORE, May 2 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- AM Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of B+ (Good) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of “bbb-” (Good) of Pinnacle life Limited (Pinnacle Life) (New Zealand). The outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) is stable.

The ratings reflect Pinnacle Life’s balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as adequate, as well as its adequate operating performance, limited business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management (ERM). The ratings also factor in a neutral impact from the company’s ultimate parent, Greenstone Holdco Pty Limited (Greenstone).

Pinnacle Life’s balance sheet strength is underpinned by its risk-adjusted capitalisation, which was at the strongest level at fiscal year-end 2023, as measured by Best’s Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR), and is expected to remain at that level. The company’s balance sheet strength assessment also reflects its robust regulatory solvency and the financial flexibility supported by its parent, Greenstone. The balance sheet strength assessment also has factored in the company’s high reliance on third-party reinsurance and small capital base, which increase the sensitivity of capital adequacy to new business growth, changes in the interest rate environment, and shock events.

AM Best assesses Pinnacle Life’s operating performance as adequate, with a five-year average return-on-equity ratio of 5.3% (fiscal years 2019-2023). The company’s operating result has been driven by the adequate underwriting performance of its in-force life business, coupled with investment returns. Overall earnings over the past five years have exhibited moderate volatility, mainly due to interest rate movements. Prospectively, operating performance is expected to remain adequate while the company executes its growth plan, supported by robust underwriting growth and an appropriate pricing strategy over the medium term, while leveraging the expertise of Greenstone to manage the associated underwriting risks.

AM Best assesses Pinnacle Life’s business profile as limited, largely reflecting the company’s small scale of operations and its low product and geographic diversification in New Zealand. Key product offering focused on mortality products, including yearly renewable term life and funeral insurance. Greenstone has become a key distribution partner and growth driver of Pinnacle Life. The remaining business was written by Pinnacle Life’s direct channel, in which 90% was sold through online channels in fiscal year 2023.

AM Best assesses Pinnacle Life’s ERM as appropriate given the size and complexity of the company’s current operations. The significant business growth is expected to introduce additional risks to the company’s operations, though this will be mitigated partially by leveraging Greenstone’s expertise in product development and underwriting. While AM Best considers Pinnacle Life’s risk management capabilities as appropriate for its key risks, continual development is expected as the company expands its scope of operations.

Ratings are communicated to rated entities prior to publication. Unless stated otherwise, the ratings were not amended subsequent to that communication.

This press release relates to Credit Ratings that have been published on AM Best’s website. For all rating information relating to the release and pertinent disclosures, including details of the office responsible for issuing each of the individual ratings referenced in this release, please see AM Best’s Recent Rating Activity web page. For additional information regarding the use and limitations of Credit Rating opinions, please view Guide to Best’s Credit Ratings. For information on the proper use of Best’s Credit Ratings, Best’s Performance Assessments, Best’s Preliminary Credit Assessments and AM Best press releases, please view Guide to Proper Use of Best’s Ratings & Assessments.

AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specialising in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.

Copyright © 2024 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

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Contact

Ken Lau
Senior Financial Analyst
+65 6303 5025
ken.lau@ambest.com

Christopher Sharkey
Associate Director, Public Relations
+1 908 882 2310
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+65 6303 5020
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Source : AM Best