FinanceAsia Achievement Awards 2024: the winners | FinanceAsia

By:
On:
In: Asia, Finance, South-East Asia

FinanceAsia ‘s&nbsp, annual Achievement Awards recognise excellence across the divers financial markets of Asia Pacific ( Apac ) and the Middle East.

The Achievement Awards, which span five distinct categories, include Deal Honors for Apac and the Middle East, House Awards for Apac and the Middle East, and our Dealmaker Poll, show the achievements of major players in these areas as well as those who have shown commitment to their industry.

We’re pleased to announce that the judging process for this year’s awards has now come to an end after receiving almost 1, 000 submissions from our Advisory Board of external specialists and the help of our editorial staff.

Below are the types and winners’ respective links. &nbsp,

The logic behind success collection will get published in our upcoming&nbsp, FinanceAsia&nbsp, reports. Please call the&nbsp, FinanceAsia staff if you have any concerns. &nbsp,

You see all the winners below: &nbsp,

FinanceAsia Achievement Awards 2024: Apac’s best talks

FinanceAsia Achievement Awards 2024: Middle East’s best offers

FinanceAsia Achievement Awards 2024: Dealmaker Poll finalists

FinanceAsia&nbsp, Achievement Awards 2024: Apac’s best funding homes

FinanceAsia&nbsp, Achievement Awards 2024: Middle East’s best funding houses

¬ Capitol Media Limited. All rights reserved.

Continue Reading

FinanceAsia Achievement Awards 2024: Apac’s best deals revealed | FinanceAsia

By:
On:
In: Asia, Finance, South-East Asia

Excellence in Asia’s financial markets is recognized annually with our Success Awards. Our Achievement Awards, which span two crucial categories– Package Awards and House Awards– emphasize the achievements of key players in the Asia-Pacific and Middle East who have demonstrated dedication to their industry.

We’re pleased to announce that the judging process for this year’s awards has now come to an end after receiving almost 1, 000 submissions from our Advisory Board of external specialists and the help of our editorial staff.

Please consider below a list of this week’s victors of the&nbsp, Deal Awards- Apac&nbsp, type.

The logic behind success collection will get published in our upcoming&nbsp, FinanceAsia reports. It is not a comprehensive list because we have listed the participants who participated based on research and awards entries. Please call the&nbsp, FinanceAsia group if you have any concerns. &nbsp,

North Asia = Japan, South Korea, Taiwan&nbsp,

South Asia = India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka

Southeast Asia = Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam

 

&gt, BEST BOND DEALS &lt,

AUSTRALIA / NEW ZEALAND

CSL Financial’s$ 1.25 billion dual-tranche 144A/Reg S top giving

Members: Citi, Bank of America, JP Morgan, HSBC

Highly commended: AOFM’s invitational$ 7 billion efficient government bond

Members: &nbsp, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Deutsche Bank, National Australia Bank, UBS, Australia Branch, Westpac Banking Corporation

Chinese- Abroad

3-year, responsible dim-sum bond issued by Jingzhou Municipal Urban Development Holding Group

Members: &nbsp, Bank of China, Caitong International, Industrial Securities, CSC Financial, CITIC Securities, CMB Wing Lung Bank, CMBC Capital, CNCB Investment, Guolian Securities, Guoyuan International, Haitong International, ICBC International, Shanghai Pudong Development Bank, Shenwan Hongyuan Securities, SPDB International, TF worldwide, CICC

Chinese- Inland

National Bank of Canada’s Rmb5 billion 2-year tiger relationship release

Members: Standard Chartered, Deutsche Bank, DBS, CITIC Securities, CMB Securities

Highly commended: China Baowu Steel Group’s Rmb10 billion business relationship release

Members: CITIC Securities, Guotai Junan Securities, Shenwan Hongyuan Securities, CICC

&nbsp, HONG KONG Radar / APAC

HKSAR’s USD&amp, EUR&amp, CNH multi-currency natural tie giving

Members: Crédit Agricole, HSBC, Citi, JP Morgan, BNP Paribas, BofA, Morgan Stanley, UBS, Mizuho, Bank of China Hong Kong, ICBC Asia, Bank of Communications, Standard Chartered

Highly commended: ILBS 2 by Bauhinia

Members: Hong Kong Mortgage Corporation, CICC, ING Bank, MUFG, Natixis, Standard Chartered

NORTH ASIA

LG Electronic’s$ 500 million 144A/Reg S 3-year and$ 300 million 5-year two round

Members: BNP Paribas, Citi, HSBC, JP Morgan, Korea Development Bank, Standard Chartered

SINGAPORE

Exams ‘$ 500 million unprotected fixed rate documents due 2029

Members: DBS, BNP Paribas, MUFG, OCBC, HSBC

Highly commended: Yinson Production’s$ 500 million older secured 5-year relationship release

Members: Standard Chartered, Holman Fenwick Willan, Stephenson Harwood, collaboration of 13 loans

SOUTH ASIA

Kashf’s PKR2.5 billion female connection release

Members: Infra Zamin Pakistan, Arif Habib, Pakistan Credit Rating Agency, Vellani &amp, Vellani, Pak Brunei Investment Company, Bank Alfalah, Bank of Pubjab, Standard Chartered Pakistan

SOUTHEAST ASIA

SOUTHEAST ASIA/ PHILIPPINES

Maynilad Water Services PHP15 billion orange ties

Members: BPI Capital, BDO Capital &amp, Investment, First Metro Investment, East West Banking

&nbsp, MALAYSIA / HIGHLY COMMENDED ( SOUTHEAST ASIA)

Asean Green moderate term papers under RM500 million Exio Logistics clean centers

Members: Hong Leong Investment Bank

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED ( SOUTHEAST ASIA) THAILAND

Minor International’s THB billion securities via private location

Members: Standard Chartered, Bangkok Bank, Bank of Ayudhya Public Company, Kasikornbank, Krungthai Bank, Kiatnakin Phatra Securities, The Siam Commercial Bank

INDONESIA

Republic of Indonesia$ 2.05 billion international bond giving

Participants: ANZ, BofA Securities, Deutsche Bank ( Singapore ), Morgan Stanley, UBS ( Singapore ), BRI Danereksa Sekuritas, Trimegah Sekuritas Indonesia, Mayer Brown

VIETNAM

Hai An Transport and Stevedoring JSC’s VND500 billion foldable relationship

Members: SSI Securities

 

&gt, BEST EQUITY DEALS &lt,

AUSTRALIA / NEW ZEALAND

A$ 1.435 billion block trade in Worley

Members: Citi, Goldman Sachs, Allens

Highly commended: Treasury Wine Estate’s A$ 825 million Paitreo to support get DAOU Vineyards

Members: UBS, Macquarie Capital

Chinese- Abroad / APAC

Alibaba’s$ 5 billion convertible bond &nbsp,$ 1.2 billion parallel stock purchase

Members: Citi, JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley, Barclays, HSBC

Highly commended: &nbsp, Lotus Tech’s company mixture with L Catterton, people listing in the US through a De-SPAC design, approximately$ 880 million of personal investment in public equity funding and convertible information

Members: Han Kun Law, Skadden, Kirkland &amp, Ellis, Fangda Partners&nbsp,

Chinese- Inland 

Sinopec’s A-share personal position

Members: CICC, Guangfa Securities, CITIC Securities

HONG KONG Radar

Zhejiang Expressway’s HK$ 6.7 billion &nbsp, right issue

Members: BNP Paribas, DBS, CLSA, CICC, Zheshang International

Alibaba’s$ 5 billion convertible bond $ 1.2 billion parallel share buyback

 

Members: Citi, JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley, Barclays, HSBC

SINGAPORE

Personal position and preferred giving for CapitaLand Integrated Commercial REIT for S$ 1.1 billion

Members: United Overseas Bank, JP Morgan, Venture Law, Allen &amp, Gledhill

Highly commended: Reverse&nbsp, takover of 3Cnergy by DTP Inter Holdings Corporation for a consideration of approximately S$ 443.8 million &nbsp,

Members: PrimePartners Corporation Finance, Allen &amp, Gledhill LLP

SOUTH ASIA

JSW Energy’s$ 600 million qualified administrative position

Members: Jefferies India, Khaitan &amp, Co, Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas &amp, Co

Highly commended: &nbsp, Vodafone Idea’s$ 2.15 billion follow-on open offering of capital stock

Members: Axis Capital, Jefferies, SBI Capital, Sidley Austin, Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas &amp, Co, AZB &amp, Lovers

SOUTHEAST ASIA

Bursa Malaysia Offering for Johor Plantations Group

Members: RHB Investment Bank, AmInvestment Bank, CIMB Investment Bank, CLSA Singapore, CLSA Securities Malaysia, Affin Hwang Investment Bank

Highly commended: &nbsp, San Miguel Corporation’s PHP34 billion preferred shares&nbsp,

Members: &nbsp, SB Capital, Bank of Commerce, BDO Capital &amp, Investment, China Bank Capital, Asia United Bank, Bank of Commerce, BPI Capital, Land Bank of the Philippines, PNB Capital and Investment, RCBC Capital, Union Bank of the Philippines

 

&gt, BEST INFRASTRUCTURE DEALS &lt,

AUSTRALIA / NEW ZEALAND

Blackstone’s merger of Airtrunk

Members: Deutsche Bank, Morgan Stanley, RCBC Capital Markets, Macquarie Capital, Goldman Sachs

Highly commended: Contact Energy’s suggested merger of Manawa Energy

Members: UBS New Zealand, Cameron Partners/Rothschild &amp, Co, Lazard Australia, Bell Gully, Harmos Horton Lusk

Chinese- Inland

CAMC-China Resources TBEA Renewable Energy’s Closed-end Infrastructure Securities Investment Fund

Members: CITIC Securities, China Asset Management, Agricultural Bank of China, Zhong Lun Law Firm

HONG KONG Radar

ILBS 2 by Bauhinia

Members: CICC, ING Bank, MUFG, Natixis, Standard Chartered

SINGAPORE / APAC

Yinson Boronia Movie’s annual project relationship with a$ 1.035 billion Top Secured Notes expected 2042

Members: Santander, Citi, Norton Rose Fulrbright, Cescon Barrieu

Highly commended: Stonepeak’s very structured preferred corporate investment into AGP Sustainable Real Assets

Members: Sidley Austin, Clifford Chance, King &amp, Wood Mallesons, Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas &amp, Co, NautaDutilh, Burness Paull, WongPartnership, Setterwalls Advokatbyra&nbsp,

SOUTH ASIA

AdaniConneX’s$ 1.44 billion Sustainability-Linked Project Finance for an under-construction information centre investment in India

Members: ING Bank, Intesa Sanpaolo, KfW IPEX, MUFG, Natixis, Standard Chartered, Societe Generale, SMBC

SOUTHEAST ASIA

SOUTHEAST ASIA/ INDONESIA

ADIA and APG’s acquisition of a 53.5 % stake in Rafflesia Investasi&nbsp,

Members: Rothschild &amp, Co

&nbsp, PHILIPPINES / HIGHLY COMMENDED ( SOUTHEAST ASIA)

New NAIA Infrastructure Corporation’s PHP80 billion syndicated name loan service

Participants: Bank of Commerce, BDO Capital &amp, Investment, Asia United Bank, China Bank Capital, SB Capital Investment, BDO Unibank, China Banking, Development Bank of the Philippines, Security Bank

MALAYSIA

Worldwide Holdings ‘ RM999 million syndicated clean leasing facility

Members: Maybank Investment Bank

VIETNAM

Petrovietnam Power’s XNhon Trach 3&amp, 4 Energy Flower

Members: Citi, ING

 

&gt, BEST Offering &lt,

Chinese- Abroad

J&amp, T Express ‘$ 500 million identifying on HKEX

Participants: CICC, Morgan Stanley, Bank of America Securities, UBS AG ( HK), CCB International Capital, CMB International Capital, Huatai Financial, BOCI Asia, ABCI Capital

Chinese- Inland 

Grandtop Yongxing’s Rmb2.43 billion Offering

Members: CITIC Securities, Guotai Junan Securities

HONG KONG Radar /APAC

Super Hi’s double list on Nasdaq

Members: Kirkland &amp, Ellis, Skadden, Arendt, Loyens, Freshfields, Linklaters and Fried Frank, White &amp, Event

Highly commended: &nbsp, QuantumPharm’s identifying on HKEX

Members: CLSA, CITIC Securities, CICC, Jefferies, Deutsche Bank, CMB International, Sidley Austin, Fangda Partners, Herbert Smith Freehills, JunHe, PwC

NORTH ASIA

Kokusai Electric ‘s&nbsp, ¥124.5 billion ($ 831.7 million ) &nbsp, listing on Tokyo Stock Exchange

Participants: KKR ( GP), Mitsubishi UFJ Securities

SOUTH ASIA

NRB Bank’s BDT1 billion naming in Bangladesh

Members: UCB Investment, Shahjalal Equity Management

Highly commended: OLA Electronic’s list in India

Members: Kotak Mahindra Capital, Citi, BofA Securities, Goldman Sachs, Axis Capital, ICICI Securities, SBI Capital Markets, BOB Capital Markets

SOUTHEAST ASIA

Speed Mart Retail Holdings RM13.9 billion Investor on Bursa Malaysia

Members: CIMB, Affin Hwang Investment Bank, RHB Investment Bank, Lee Choon Wan &amp, Co

Highlgy commended: Johor Plantations Group’s RM735 million Offering on Bursa Malaysia

Members: RHB Investment Bank, Latham &amp, Watkins, AmInvestment Bank, CIMBC Investment Bank, CLSA Singapore, CLSA Securities Malaysia, Affin Hwang Investment Bank

 

&gt, BEST ISLAMIC FINANCE DEALS &lt,

SINGAPORE

Wealthy Pink’s S$ 2.7 billion normal expression product and Muslim Murabahah features

Members: DBS Bank, Malayan Banking Singapore branch, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation Singapore branch, United Overseas Bank ( UOB), Allen &amp, Gledhill

SOUTH ASIA

Islamic Bank Bangladesh ‘s&nbsp, BDT8 billion Mudaraba convertible, non-convertible, unsecured subordinated bond

Members: UCB Investment

SOUTHEAST ASIA

SOUTHEAST ASIA/ APAC / INDONESIA

Republic of Indonesia’s$ 2.35 billion 144A sukuk offering

Members: MUFG, Citi, Dubai Islamic Bank, HSBC, Mandiri Securities, BRI Danareksa Sekurta, PR Trimegah Sekuritas Indonesia

Extremely RECOMMENDED ( SOUTHEAST ASIA)/ MALAYSIA

Gold Formula ABS’s sukuk, up to RM94.81 million in differenent tranches

Members: New Paradigm Securities, Silver Formula Capital, Public Investment Bank, Adnan Sundra &amp, Low

PHILIPPINES

Republic of Philippines ‘ Sukuk Trust’s$ 1 billion issuing

Members: Citi, Deutsche Bank, Dubai Islamic Bank, HSBC, MUFG, Standard Chartered

 

&gt, BEST M&amp, A DEALS &lt,

AUSTRALIA / NEW ZEALAND / APAC

Obayashi Corporation acquires 50 % of Eastland Generation for a$ 503 million implied business benefit.

Members: Forsyth Barr, Chapman Tripp

Highly commended: PSP Consortium’s A$ 2.5 billion merger of Costa Group

Members: Citi, JP Morgan, Allen &amp, Gledhill, Kirkland &amp, Ellis

Chinese- Abroad

Grifols ‘ Sale of 20 % stake in Shanghai RAAS to Haier for$ 1.8 billion

Members: Nomura Securties, CICC, Osborne Clarke, JunHe, Clifford Chance, King &amp, Wood Mallesons

Highly commended: &nbsp, Royal Golden Eagle’s CNH15 billion syndicated payment for the acquisition of Vinda International Holdings

Participants: Bank of China Macau, BNP Paribas, CICC, Linklaters

Chinese- Inland 

$ 8.3 billion sale of 60 % stake in Zhuhai Wanda to PAG-led consortium

Members: Deutsche Bank

Highly commended: &nbsp, NISCO merger by CITIC Pacific&nbsp,

Members: CITIC Securities

HONG KONG Radar

Asia Pacific Resources International’s HK$ 21.6 billion volunteer public present for Vinda International Holdings

Members: HSBC, Norton Rose Fulbright, Bank of America, BNP Paribas, CICC

Highly commended: &nbsp, HKT price of 40 % stake in its silent community resources to China Merchants Capital

Members: Deutsche Bank, Clifford Chance

NORTH ASIA

Renesas Electronics ‘ 100 % merger of Altium

Members: &nbsp, Deutsche Bank, JP Morgan, King &amp, Wood Mallesons, Reed Smith, DLA Piper, Covington &amp, Burling, Nagashima Ohno &amp, Tsunematsu&nbsp,

Highly commended: &nbsp, WT Microelectronics ‘$ 3.8 billion merger of Future Electronics&nbsp,

Members: &nbsp, Citi, Canaccord Genuity Corp., Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher &amp, Flom, Osler, Hoskin &amp, Harcourt, Tsar &amp, Tsai Law Firm, Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glocsky and Popeo, P. C.

SINGAPORE

Purchase of Eu Yan Sang to a consortium led by Mitsui & Co. and Rohto Pharmaceutical

Members: Deutsche Bank, UBS, Wong Partnership

SOUTH ASIA

MHIL’s consolidation of Sahara Hospital

Members: Standard Chartered

Highly commended: &nbsp, Acquisition by Saudi Aramco Oil Company of a 40 % stake in Gas and Oil Pakistan&nbsp,

Members: Standard Chartered

SOUTHEAST ASIA

SOUTHEAST ASIA/ THAILAND

Acquisition of 65.99 % shares in Esso ( Thailand ) Public Company by Bangchak Corporation Public Company

Members: Kiatnakin Phatra Securities, JP Morgan, DLA Piper

Highly commended: ThaiBev return from home business via promote transfer

Members: DBS, WongPartnership

INDONESIA 

&nbsp, Medco Energi Internasional’s$ 713 million acquisition of a 20 % interest in each of Block 60 and Block 48

Members: Standard Chartered

MALAYSIA 

Purchase of Ramsay Sime Darby Health CA by Columbia Asset Healthcate and Sime Darby Healthcare

Members: Deutsche Bank

PHILIPPINES 

Merger between Robinsons Bank and Bank of the Philippine Islands

Members: BPI Corporation

VIETNAM

Thomson Medical Group’s merger of FV Hospital

Members: Maybank Investment Bank

 

&gt, BEST PRIVATE EQUITY DEALS &lt,

AUSTRALIA / NEW ZEALAND / APAC

Blackstone’s merger of Airtrunk

 Members: Deutsche Bank, Morgan Stanley, RCBC Capital Markets, Macquarie Capital, Goldman Sachs

Chinese- Abroad

Carlyle on sales of curiosity in McDonald’s China to McDonald’s Company

Members: &nbsp, Kirkland &amp, Ellis, JunHe, Jones Day

Highly commended: &nbsp, Advent International’s acquisition of a 29 % interest in Seek Pet Food

Participants: Boyu Capital ( investor )

HONG KONG Radar

PAG’s$ 8.3 billion Joint Investment in Newland Commercial Management

Members: Simpson Thacher &amp, Bartlett, A&amp, O Shearman

NORTH ASIA

Carlyle Group’s merger of KFC Holdings Japan

Members: Kirkland &amp, Ellis, Nishimura &amp, Asahi, Linklaters, Mori Hamada &amp, Matsumoto, Nagashima Ohno &amp, Tsunematsu&nbsp,

Highly commended: &nbsp, Blackstone’s sales of Geo-Young to MBK lovers

Members: &nbsp, Deutsche Bank, Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, Samsung Securities, K&amp, C Cleary Gottlieb, Steen &amp, Hamilton LLP, Ropes &amp, Gray

SOUTH ASIA

ani’s Ispahani’s acquisition of a small interest in Tampaco Sheets

Members: UCB Investment, Farooq & Associates

SOUTHEAST ASIA

Asia Pacific Education Holdings ‘ sale of the APIIT Education Group to TPG’s The Rise Funds ( stake sold by KV Asia Capital )

Members: Rahmat Lim &amp, Partners, &nbsp,

Highly commended: BlackRock’s Climate Finance Partnership’s funding in Ditrolic Energy

Members: Clifford Chance

 

&gt, BEST PROJECT FINANCE DEALS &lt,

AUSTRALIA / NEW ZEALAND

MREH’s A$ 400 million debt funding

Members: &nbsp, Société Générale, Westpac, Standard Chartered, Export Development Canada, White &amp, Case, Ashurst

Chinese- Inland 

CSPC’s$ 5.5 billion term loan and a$ 450 million working capital facility

Members: CNOOC Finance Corporation, Bank of China, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Agricultural Bank of China, China Construction Bank, Bank of Communications, Zhong Lun Law Company

NORTH ASIA

&nbsp, ARE’s 20-year c. TWD8.25 billion job financing

Members: CTBC Bank, MUFG, E. SUN Bank, SMBC, Standard Chartered, KGI

SINGAPORE / APAC

BIC V investment size of approximately$ 508.3 million

Members: Citi, Standard Chartered, MUFG, Natixis, Overseas-Chinese Banking Corporation, &nbsp, Société Générale

SOUTH ASIA

Serentica’s venture funding of 200 MW RTC

Members: Société Générale, Cooperative Rabobank U. A., Export-Import Bank of India, India Infrastructure Finance Company, MUFG, YES Bank, KKR, Twinstar Overseas, Dentons, Luthra &amp, Luthra, Norton Rose Fulbright

SOUTHEAST ASIA

SOUTHEAST ASIA/ INDONESIA

Climmangis Citibung Tollways CDS hospital

Members: Indonesia Infrastructure Fund, BNI, &nbsp, Siahaan Indarmis, Andarumi &amp, Partners

Extremely RECOMMENDED ( SOUTHEAST ASIA)/ MALAYSIA

World Holdings ‘ spare to power project

Participants: Bank

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED ( SOUTHEAST ASIA ) PHILIPPINES

AltEnergy’s PHP8 billion top safe word product

Members: BPI Capital, Security Bank

VIETNAM 

Petrovietnam Power Company’s Nohn Trach 3&amp, 4 Energy Flower

Members: Citi, ING

 

&gt, BEST PROPERTY DEALS &lt,

AUSTRALIA / NEW ZEALAND

Blackstone’s merger of Airtrunk

Members: Deutsche Bank, Morgan Stanley, RCBC Capital Markets, Macquarie Capital, Goldman Sachs

Chinese- Abroad

Bain Capital’s$ 250 million cooperative venture with DNE for China New Economy Network

Participants ( legal advisors ): Kirkland &amp, Ellis, King &amp, Wood Mallesons&nbsp,

Chinese- Inland

Link REIT’s acquisition of China Vanke’s 50 % stake in Link Plaza Qibao

Participants ( legal advisors ): Zhong Lun Law Firm, Cushman &amp, Wakefield

HONG KONG Radar

HK$ 14.438 billion sustainability-linked syndicated term and revolving loan facilities for 16 borrowers, sponsored by Gateway Real Estate Fund V L. P., Gateway V Co-Investment ( Doris ), L. P. (” Gaw” ), Great Wall Pan Asia Holdings Limited (” Great Wall” ) and GLQ Broad Street Holdings Ltd

Members: ANZ, Standard Chartered, UOB

SINGAPORE

Supreme JV Holding Pte Ltd | Lendlease &amp, Warburg Pincus ‘ S$ 1.065 billion top secured term loan and lender ensure features

Members: DBS, HSBC, UOB

Highly commended: &nbsp, Digital Core REIT’s$ 120 million personal location

Members: DBS, Citi, Bank of America, BNP Paribas, OCBC, UOB

SOUTHEAST ASIA

 SOUTHEAST ASIA/ APAC / THAILAND

 ThaiBev’s exit from the property business via a share swap with its parent for majority ownership in F&N

Members: DBS

&nbsp, INDONESIA / HIGHLY COMMENDED ( SOUTHEAST ASIA )

PT Putragaya Wahana has a top secured alternative payment service worth IDR 3.7 trillion and a term loan facility.

Participants: UOB

MALAYSIA

ESIM Capital’s green SRI sukuk

Participants: New Paradigm, UOB ( Malaysia )

PHILIPPINES

Vista Land’s$ 300million 9.375 % senior unsecured fixed rate notes due 2029

Members: DBS, HSBC, Union Bank of the Philippines

 

&gt, BEST STRUCTURED FINANCE DEAL &lt,

Chinese- Abroad

The acquisition of Hollysys Automation Technologies Ltd. by Ascendent Capital Partners&nbsp,

Participants: Industrial Bank HK

Chinese- Inland 

CMB Financial Leasing Co., Ltd’s ( CMBFL ) Rmb1.6 billion Sustainable Development Loan&nbsp,

Participants: MUFG, SMBC, Fubon, Bank of China, Bank of Shanghai

Highly commended: &nbsp, Xinyue’s Rmb600 million Micro Business Loan ABN from Qifu Technology,

Participants: HSBC

HONG KONG Radar / APAC

ILBS 2 by Bauhinia

Members: CICC, ING Bank, MUFG, Natixis, Standard Chartered

Highly commended: The acquisition of Hollysys Automation Technologies Ltd. by Ascendent Capital Partners&nbsp,

Participants: Industrial Bank HK

NORTH ASIA

WT Microelectronics and Morrihan International Corp’s$ 3.8 billion Bridge Facility

Participants: Citi

Highly commended: &nbsp, Korean Airline’s$ 208 million-equivalent Samurai Sustainability-Linked Loan

Participants: MUFG, SMBC

SINGAPORE

CIS ‘ Senior Secured S$ 300 million Bridge S$ 280 million Take Out Term Loan Facility

Members: DBS, Deutsche Bank, UOB KayHian

Highly commended: &nbsp, The government of Singapore’s S$ 2.5 billion green bonds

Members: DBS, Deutsche Bank, UOB KayHian

SOUTH ASIA

Fund raise of Rs4.65 billion ($ 56 million ) for Aliens Developers Private Ltd&nbsp,

Participants: Azalea Capital Partners

SOUTHEAST ASIA&nbsp,

Ayala Land’s PHP6 billion Asean sustainability linked bond

Participants: BDO Capital, BPI Capital, China Bank Capital, Land Bank of the Phiippines, SB Capital, RCBC Capital )

Highly commended: &nbsp, Exsim Capital Resources ‘ tranche 5 Asean green SRI sukuk

Participants: New Paradigm

 

&gt, BEST SUSTAINABLE FINANCE DEALS &lt,

AUSTRALIA / NEW ZEALAND

Cromwell Property Group’s A$ 1.2 billion Green and Sustainability-Linked Loan&nbsp,

Participants: ANZ, Bank of China Sydney, Clean Energy Finance Corporation, CBA, Credit Agricole, ING Bank, NAB, Societe Generale

Highly commended: &nbsp, MCP Wholesale Investment Trust’s A$ 500 million Sustainability-Linked Revolving Credit Facility

Members: Standard Chartered

Chinese- Abroad

Bank of China’s CNH and USD multi-tranche BRI-partner sustainability notes

Participants: HSBC

Highly commended: &nbsp, China Construction Bank Financial Leasing’s$ 150 million Long Term Transition Shipping Finance

Members: Standard Chartered

HONG KONG Radar

West Kowloon Cultural District Authority’s HK$ 5 billion sustainability-linked term and revolving facilities

Members: Standard Chartered

NORTH ASIA

Posco’s$ 500 million 3-year Green 144A/Reg S senior unsecured bond

Participants: HSBC

Highly commended: Far Eastern New Century’s NTD2.5 billion Corporate Sustainable Exchangeable Bond

Participants: KGI Securities, SinoPac Bank, Oriental Securities

SINGAPORE

Impact Investment Exchange’s$ 88 million 4-year Women’s Livelihood Bond

Participants: ANZ, Standard Chartered

Highly commended: EJA’s$ 500 million Revolving Credit Facility

Members: Standard Chartered

SOUTH ASIA

AdaniConneX’s$ 875 million syndicated sustainability-linked loan

Members: ING Bank, Intesa Sanpaolo, KfW IPEX, MUFG, Natixis, Standard Chartered, Societe Generale, SMBC

Highly commended: Kashf’s PKR2.5 billion female connection release

Participants: &nbsp, Infra Zamin Pakistan, Arif Habib, Pakistan Credit Rating Agency, Vellani &amp, Vellani, Pak Brunei Investment Company, Bank Alfalah, Bank of Pubjab, Standard Chartered Pakistan

 SOUTHEAST ASIA/ APAC / MALAYSIA

Exism Capital Resources ‘ special purpose funding vehicle ( RM3 billion )

Participants: NewParadigm Securities, United Overseas Bank ( UOB ) Malaysia, Adnan Sundra &amp, Lo

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED ( SOUTHEAST ASIA ) PHILIPPINES

partnership between Rizal Commercial Banking and Citicore Renewable Energy Corporation ( CREC )

Participants: Rizal Commercial Banking

INDONESIA 

Republic of Indonesia$ 2 billion dual-tranche trust certificates

Participants: CIMB, Citigroup Global Markets, Dubai Islamic Bank, Mandiri Securities, Standard Chartered, White &amp, Case, Trimegah Sekuritas, BRI Danareksa Sekuritas, Thamrin &amp, Rekan

THAILAND 

Thai Union Group’s Thb11.5 billion sustainability-linked loan

Participants: MUFG

 

&gt, BEST SYNDICATED LOAN DEALS &lt,

AUSTRALIA / NEW ZEALAND

Orora’s acquisition of Saverglass SAS

Participants: AFRY Capital, Citi, Macquarie Capital

Highly commended: &nbsp, Viva Energy A$ 1 billion Term Loan Facilities

Members: DBS, ANZ, Mizuho, MUFG, NAB, UOB, WBC, plus consortium of 22 lenders

Chinese- Abroad

Royal Golden Eagle’s CNH15 billion syndicated loan for the acquisition of Vinda International Holdings

Participants: Bank of China Macau Branch, BNP Paribas, CICC, Linklaters

Highly commended: Kuaishou’s 3-year CNH9 billion syndicated term loan facility

Participants: China Merchants Bank, Pudong Development Bank, CITIC Bank, Industrial Bank, Ping An Bank, HSBC China, Minsheng Bank, Bank of Beijing, Hang Seng Bank, Bank of Faba-Pakistan China, Standard Chartered China, Jiangsu Bank

HONG KONG Radar

United Asia Finance’s HK$ 3.9 million syndicated term loan and revolving credit facility

Members: Standard Chartered, China Zheshang Bank, KGI Bank, Bank Singpac, Nanyang Commercial Bank

Highly commended: &nbsp, ICBCIL Finance Company Limited’s$ 1 billion term loan facility

Participants: Industrial and Commercial Bank of China ( Asia ), Agricultural Bank of China Hong Kong, OCBC, Ping An Bank, Nanyang Commercial Bank, China Guangfa Bank, Bank of Communications, China CITIC Bank, Dah Sing Bank, DBS Bank, The Norinchukin Bank, The Korea Development Bank, Bank of China Frankfurt Branch, Chiyu Banking Corporation, Tai Fung Bank, Bank of China Rotterdam Branch, Banque Internationale a Luxembourg

SINGAPORE

Seatrium’s S$ 1.1 billion committed syndicated bank guarantee facility

Participants: Simmons &amp, Simmons, Standard Chartered, &nbsp, DBS Bank, Shanghai Pudong Development Bank, Mizuho Bank, Emirates NBD Bank, First Abu Dhabi Bank, Malayan Banking Berhad, Clifford Capital

Highly commended: &nbsp, Aircastle’s$ 600 million syndicated revolving credit facility

Participants: Bank of China, Caixa, CBA, SMTB, CUB, Taishin, plus lending consortium of 15 banks

SOUTH ASIA

JSW Steel Limited’s$ 900 million syndicated term loan facility

Members: DBS, BNP Paribas, CTBC, FAB, HSBC, Mashreq, Standard Chartered, SMBC, Intesa Sanpaolo, APICORP, CBD, DZ, BOT, CHCB, TIB, TBB, FCB, SBI Shinsei, BOK, LBT, TW Shin Kong, Taichung Commercial, TCB, San-in-Good, Hyakugo Bank

Highly commended: &nbsp, Beacon Pharmaceutical’s BDT3.768.8 billion syndicated term loan facility

Members: UCB Investment, Eastern Bank, Janata Bank, United Commercial Bank, Bank Asia, Jamuna Bank, ONE Bank, Rupali Bank

SOUTHEAST ASIA

SOUTHEAST ASIA/ APAC / INDONESIA 

PT Mineral Industri Indonesia ( Persero )$ 1.5 billion senior unsecured term loan and revolving credit facilities

Members: DBS, Bank of China (Hong Kong), BNP Paribas, BNI, Citi, Maybank, Mizuho, MUFG, OCBC, SCB, SMBC, UOB

 HIGHLY RECOMMENDED ( SOUTHEAST ASIA) THAILAND

Syndicated financing of Thb7.6 billion for Italian-Thai Development Public Company

Participants: Weerawong C&P, Bangkok Bank, Kasikornbank, Siam Commercial Bank, Krung Thai Bank

 MALAYSIA 

LQ Retail and LQ Hotel have secured green term loans worth MR2 billion.

Participants: UOB&nbsp,

PHILIPPINES

San Miguel Corporation’s$ 2 billion five-year syndicated term loan facility

Participants ( according to sources cited by Bloomberg ): Standard Chartered, ANZ, Bank of China ( Hong Kong ), CTBC Bank, ING, Maybank Kim Eng Securities, Mitisubishi Financial Group, Mizuho Bank, Rabobank, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking&nbsp,

VIETNAM 

Techcom Securities ‘$ 175 million syndicated loan facility

Members: Standard Chartered, CTCB Bank, Taipei Fubon Commercial Bank, Taishin International Bank, KGI Bank

 

&gt, BEST VENTURE CAPITAL DEALS &lt,

SINGAPORE

YouTrip’s$ 50 million Series B fundraising

Participants: Lightspeed Ventures ( lead investor ), Allen &amp, Gledhill

SOUTHEAST ASIA/ APAC 

Fano Labs investment by Openspace Ventures

Participants: Openspace Ventures ( lead investor )

 

&gt, MOST INNOVATIVE DEALS &lt,

AUSTRALIA / NEW ZEALAND

&nbsp, Alcoa’s$ 3 billion acquisition of Alumina

Participants: BofA Securities, Flagstaff Partners, JP Morgan, UBS

Highly commended: &nbsp, CRH’s A$ 2.9 billion acquisition of Adbr

Participants: UBS, Macquarie, Barrenjoey, Morgan Stanley, Gilbert &amp, Tobin, HSF

Chinese- Abroad

The acquisition of Hollysys Automation Technologies Ltd. by Ascendent Capital Partners&nbsp,

Participant ( s ): Industrial Bank Hong Kong

Highly commended: Alibaba’s$ 5 billion convertible bond &nbsp,$ 1.2 billion parallel stock purchase

Members: Citi, JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley, Barclays, HSBC

Chinese- Inland

Nanjing Iron and Steel Group’s acquisition by CITIC Pacific&nbsp,

Members: CITIC Securities

Highly commended: State Grid Overseas Investment’s Rmb1 billion panda bond issuance

Members: CITIC Securities, ICBC, Bank of China

HONG KONG Radar / APAC

Privatisation of L’Occitane

Participants ( legal advisors ): Kirkland &amp, Ellis, Skadden, Arendt, Loyens, Freshfields, Linklaters and Fried Frank, White &amp, Case&nbsp,

Highly commended: Super Hi’s double list on Nasdaq

Participants ( legal advisors ): Kirkland &amp, Ellis, Skadden, Arendt, Loyens, Freshfields, Linklaters and Fried Frank, White &amp, Case

Highly commended: HKSAR Government’s$ 750 million equivalent digital green bonds

Participants: Bank of China Hong Kong, Credit Agricole CIB, Goldman Sachs, ICBC Asia, UBS, HSBC

NORTH ASIA

SK Bioscience’s acquisition of 60 % stake in IDT group

Participants: Deutshce Bank, Commerzbank, Norddeutsche Landesbank, Sullivan &amp, Cromwell&nbsp,

SINGAPORE

STT GDC’s issuance of S$ 450 million 5.70 % sustainability-linked perpetual securities

Members: Standard Chartered

SOUTH ASIA

Refinancing for East India’s LNG Regasification Terminal Project in Dhamra, Odisha

Members: Standard Chartered

Highly commended: Kashf’s PKR2.5 billion female connection release

Members: Infra Zamin Pakistan, Arif Habib, Pakistan Credit Rating Agency, Vellani &amp, Vellani, Pak Brunei Investment Company, Bank Alfalah, Bank of Pubjab, Standard Chartered Pakistan

SOUTHEAST ASIA

SOUTHEAST ASIA/ THAILAND

ThaiBev’s property exit and share swap

Members: DBS, WongPartnership

Highly recommended: the Filipino Aquino International Airport’s rehabilitation project, which offers PHP 80 billion syndicated term loans.

Participants: BDO Capital

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED ( SOUTHEAST ASIA ) PHILIPPINES

Ayala Land’s PHP6 billion sustainability-linked bonds

Participants: BDO Capital, BPI Capital, China Bank Capital, Land Bank of the Philippines, RCBC Capital, SB Capital Investment

INDONESIA

PT Charoen’s$ 200 million and IDR7.5 trillion senior revolving credit facilities&nbsp,

Participants: Citi, DBS, plus consortium of other banks

MALAYSIA

Bursa Malaysia Offering for Johor Plantations Group

Participants: CIMB, AM Investment Bank, Affin Hwang Investment Bank, CLSA Singapore, CLSA Securities Malaysia

 

¬ Haymarket Media Limited. All rights reserved.

Continue Reading

Singaporean director Chiang Wei Liang wins best new director at Golden Horse Awards 2024

By:
On:
In: South-East Asia

In the Taiwan mountains, a Thai improper employer takes care of a sick old lady and her child.

The movie was nominated for seven honours: Best leading actor, best novel producer, best supporting actor, best supporting actress, best photography, best skill way, and best good results.

In May, Chiang received a Unique Mention Camera d’Or reward at the 77th Cannes Film Festival. The award recognizes exceptional-quality movies that, despite not winning the main prize, merit praise for their excellent merit as second feature movies.

Continue Reading

CNA wins best News Explainer at AIB Awards in London for video on Israel-Gaza war

By:
On:
In: South-East Asia

SINGAPORE: For its in-depth look at the&nbsp, Israeli occupation of the West Bank, CNA was honoured at this&nbsp, year’s AIBs, an international awards competition organised by the London-based&nbsp, Association for International Broadcasting ( AIB ).

CNA’s” Israel-Hamas War- The Occupation Of West Bank” &nbsp, came out heads in the News Explainer type in the movie section, beating competition from Bloomberg, CNN as well as Al Jazeera, which even submitted its own explanation on the Israel-Hamas battle. &nbsp,

It was one of two prizes picked up by CNA, which is an English language&nbsp, Eastern news channel based in Singapore.

The award ceremony, which took place in London on Friday &nbsp, ( Nov 22 ), was hosted by CNA presenter Otelli Edwards. Entry forms are submitted by well-known news outlets around the world. &nbsp, &nbsp,

CNA’s winning entrance was the&nbsp, next event of an eight-part set on the Israel-Hamas conflict that began on Oct 7, 2023. The first episode of the series was in January of this year. &nbsp,

” Israel-Hamas War- The Occupation Of West Bank” shows the effect of Jewish inhabitants on Palestinians, and looks at the structure of Jewish settlements and the crime between settlers and Palestinians. &nbsp,

The show also examines the impact of the conflict on Palestinians ‘ daily life.

The line looked at many other aspects of the conflict, including tracing the hostilities since the 1917 Balfour Declaration, past attempts at peace, what happened on Oct 7 next year, who is Hamas, whether foreign legislation has been violated and the position of Iran. &nbsp,

In the process of production, the CNA group interviewed 40 people of a few different nationalities comprising academics, former officials, former United Nations rapporteurs, support staff, and persons living in the West Bank. It even examined&nbsp, more than 200 documents from files dating back to the 1900s from different countries.

The eight-part film set on the Israel-Hamas battle, which CNA published on YouTube, is the most significant and difficult news explainer we have ever produced, according to Mediacorp Editor-in-Chief Walter Fernandez.

” It took a group of 10 producers and suffered senior&nbsp, editors more than three months to do the research, cause images, produce graphics as well as modify the scripts and videos.

The historical and political context surrounding the horrifying attack by Hamas and Israel was better understood thanks to this explainer series, CNA’s local, regional, and global audiences.  Explainers like this one, conducted professionally and objectively, demonstrate the continued relevance and worth of public service media like CNA.

The CNA entry did a great job, according to the AIB judges, were pleased with the footage and effective use of maps, and the production thoroughly examined the West Bank situation.

It painted a vivid picture of the people’s lives in the area. They claimed that the episode had a logical flow and was presented in a simple manner, which is what a news explainer should do.

Continue Reading

Jail for nurse aide who cheated elderly colleagues of about S,000 to pay off debts

By:
On:
In: South-East Asia

SINGAPORE: A nurse aide was on Thursday ( Nov 21 ) sentenced to two years in jail for cheating his colleagues of almost S$ 10, 000 ( US$ 7, 500 ) to pay off debts.

Yari Rawi, 50, a former inmate who recently cheated on other people by using a similar tactic to target old acquaintances, is a repeat criminal.

His current crimes occurred while he was still under research and soon after his release from prison for a previous offense.

Because he was being chased by improper lenders and had a lot of debt, Yari claimed in court that he should have reoffended so quickly.

He claimed that his businesses fired him whenever they learned of his criminal history and that repeated attempts to hold onto a task had failed.

Yari claimed that this was because of the media coverage of his previous faith, and he contacted Principal District Judge Toh Han Li to ask him to stop the media from citing this information.

” Sorry, I ca n’t control the issue of publication because these are open court proceedings”, the judge told him.

Yari pleaded guilty to two charges of cheating, with a second taken into consideration for punishment.

He met one of his subjects, a 68-year-old social employer, while both were working at New Horizon Centre.

Yari contacted her to ask for money to pay for funeral costs and an attention function for family members between October 2020 and February 2021.

She lent him S$ 3, 800 in full, but when she asked him to transfer the amount, he made mistakes. Later, he admitted using the money to pay off his debts and that the justifications were false.

Another target was a 64-year-old caretaker whom Yari met while working at another company.

He informed the caretaker that he could purchase branded luggage at a discount from a friend in Japan.

The man lent him more than S$ 4, 400 to get four Maison Goyard carriers. By the end of the month, Yari predicted the bags may appear on January 5, 2021, after the funds had been transferred.

Eventually, he informed the man that he had returned the luggage because they had been delivered incorrectly. He avoided following names from the caretaker.

The older gentleman reported to the police after constantly failing to return his money.

By claiming he could arrange for them to book flights and accommodations in Jakarta, Yari’s next accusation involved cheating on two people for more than S$ 1,500.

Additionally, Yari has been found guilty of fraud and judicial breach of trust.

He was in his last two weeks of a medical assignment to obtain his nursing license, but he informed Judge Toh that he had made an effort to change.

Danny Nah, a defense attorney, claimed that Yari had done nicely and won awards while taking his medical training at the Institute of Technical Education, and that he was determined to change everything.

Santhra Aiyasamy, the deputy public prosecutor, requested three years, three months, and five months in jail, while he requested 22 months ‘ imprisonment.

Judge Toh took issue with the proportion of the attorney’s proposed word, noting that Yari received five times ‘ prison for a similar charge in 2020, but she was today” jumping” to a prison term of more than a year per cost.

The judge noted in his decision that Yari made full restitution to the victims but that he should receive a heavier sentence because his previous sentence did not dissuade him.

The court was then informed that Mr. Nah needed more time to inform the ministry of his conviction because Yari was a member of the Ministry of Health. In order for his client to accomplish this, he requested that the jail sentence be commuted.

Yari’s sentence was set to begin in January 2014, but Judge Toh did not require a$ 15,000 increase in his bail.

Cheating is punishable by a fine and a sentence in prison lasting up to 10 years.

Continue Reading

NewJeans: Are celebrities workers? South Korea says no

By:
On:
In: Asia
Getty Images The five members of the K-pop music group NewJeans pose for the camera while wearing tracksuits and holding banners that say 'nwjns', pictured at the SBS Music Awards Summer at INSPIRE Arena in Jung-gu on July 21, 2024 in Incheon, South Korea.Getty Images

They are probably one of South Korea’s hottest works, sold more albums than any other K-pop female group last year, and have tens of millions of fans all over the world.

What the people of NewJeans are n’t nevertheless, are employees, according to the government.

Artists were never viewed as workers under the government’s labor legislation, according to the country’s Ministry of Employment and Labor, who on Wednesday refuted claims of workplace harassment against a member of the group.

Some people claim that the choice is the most recent development in an economy known for its stringent schedules and fierce rivals, while others claim it is unsurprising.

NewJeans, which has been locked in a common dispute with its record label, Ador, has just recently come under scrutiny for this incident.

With soft music tracks like Super Shy, OMG and Supernatural, NewJeans were the seventh biggest-selling work in the world next month, and were nominated for best party at this year’s MTV Awards.

Formed by brand Ador in 2022, the team has five people- Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin and Hyein- whose age range from 16 to 20.

The incident began after Hanni, age 20, and the band’s various four members made animpromptu YouTube video in which they expressed concerns about Ador’s treatment of them.

In the singer’s YouTube videos, which has since been deleted, they made promises of workplace harassment, among people, which culminated in Hanni saying she would speak in a receiving about bullying in the music business.

The Vietnamese-Australian singer, whose real name is Pham Ngoc Han, told lawmakers that she felt” the company hated us”.

She described how senior members of Hybe ignored her and her bandmates, and gave them cold shoulder. She also alleged that employees of the agency bad-mouthed NewJeans on internal communication app and asked a journalist to downplay the group’s record sales in one article.

Hybe had previously denied the accusations. The CEO of Ador, which is a subsidiary of Hybe, said at the hearing that she would “listen more closely” to her artists.

Fans of her alleged allegations prompted the government to sign a petition against workplace bullying.

Getty Images New Jeans' Hanni walks alongside a man in a suit as she arrives to testify at the National Assembly for hearing on October 15, 2024 in Seoul, South KoreaGetty Images

However, the labor ministry of South Korea refuted these claims on Wednesday, saying that Hanni is not a worker under the country’s Labour Standards Act because of the company’s management contract’s content and nature.

The Labour Standards Act requires that individuals meet the requirements to be classified as workers. Working hours are fixed, and labor is provided for the employer under the employer’s direct control. Celebrities, including singers, are typically classified as independent contractors”, Chunghwan Choi, senior partner of Yulchon law firm in Seoul explained.

The government also cites the nature of Hanni’s income, which is deemed to be “profit sharing, rather than wages”, according to local reports, adding that she pays business income tax rather than employment income tax.

One expert has called the response “utterly unfair and yet unsurprising”.

According to her, K-pop idols work “incredibly long hours, frequently seven days a week for months in a row [without ] any clearly defined periods of rest,” according to CedarBough Saeji, Assistant Professor of Korean and East Asian Studies at Pusan National University in South Korea.

She contends that” the workers ‘ employment is accepted because they are not regular employees and there is no labor union, or clearly there is no government agency” to support their humane employment.

According to Mr. Choi, there are no specific laws in South Korea that protect the rights of celebrities and artists when they work in the industry. This “underlines the urgent need for reforms to address long-standing issues in the entertainment industry.”

Similar to the Hollywood Talent Agency Act, which requires talent agencies to obtain licenses and forbids unfair or exploitative contracts, could be implemented, according to Mr. Choi.

He continues, however, that” no such legislation has been enacted yet” despite discussions about enacting regulations similar to the Talent Agency Act.

” Idols are Workers”

On Wednesday, New Jeans fans rallied under the hashtag” IdolsAreWorkers” in support of the band.

Others called for more industry reforms, arguing that the decision had a legal foundation because celebrities were not technically viewed as workers under the law.

One user on X said,” I understand what they’re saying about the role not qualifying for the legal definition of workplace harrassment. But this just underscores the need for reform in the K-pop industry.”

Hanni has yet to comment on the government’s decision.

Hybe, which represents massive K-pop groups such as BTS and Seventeen, is South Korea’s largest music firm.

South Korea’s entertainment industry is known for its high-pressure environment, where celebrities are held to strict standards over their appearances and behaviour.

Continue Reading

Fox companies Good Foodie Media and Involve Asia are driving the MarTech industry forward

By:
On:
In: Technology
  • MarTech-driven e-commerce projected to reach US$ 7.88B by end-2024
  • Both businesses are driving business growth through MDEC’s Wolf Programme

Rene Menezes, president and co-founder of Involve Asia (1st from right) and Lim Pinn Yang, co-founder and CEO of Good Foodie Media (2nd from left) were panellists at the recent Endeavor Future Forum 2.0. (Picture credit: MDEC)

The evolving integration of technology across a range of industries to stay ahead is what is driving the modern economy’s transformation. With Malaysia’s aim for the digital economy to contribute&nbsp, 25.5 % to the nation’s GDP by the end of 2025, it underscores the crucial role of businesses including marketing technology ( MarTech ) and digital creative content in driving this upward trajectory.

The digital creative content segment alone generated an impressive US$ 1.2 billion ( RM5.6 billion ) in 2021 and the ecommerce sector, driven by MarTech, is expected to reach US$ 7.88 billion ( RM35.2 billion ) by the end of the year.

The Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation ( MDEC )’s national strategic initiative, which offers a myriad of enabling incentives for Malaysian businesses and Rakyat to play a leading role in the global digital revolution and digital economy, is a catalyst for the growth of these crucial digital economy segments.

The Founders Centre of Excellence ( FOX ) program, a bespoke program designed for specific businesses that showcase high-growth growth with the potential to become the next scaleup tech icons, has also been introduced in conjunction with the MD initiative. Important MarTech industry players, such as MD standing companies Good Foodie Media and Involve Asia, have been identified by MDEC as being at the forefront of the digital revolution and using their expertise to form and shape the online landscape.

The electronic economy is inventive

The expansion of information development during the pandemic opened up new opportunities for collaboration with in-demand designers. Through a varied approach that involves both publishers and articles creators, Good Foodie Media, a media company focused on food and cooking online content, has benefited from this synergy to assist brands promote their products. Consumer reliance on digital communication was further increased as a result of the pandemic, increasing Good Foodie Media‘s reputation as a reliable source of high-quality content.

The team behind Good Foodie Media unwinding at their recent company annual dinner after a successful year (Picture Credit: Foodie Media)

” During the epidemic, there were movements power purchases,” according to our advertising section. We changed our websites so that internet marketing could be implemented. In doing so, we were able to increase our profit and survive the challenging time. This has taught us to use our already-available tools in times of difficulty, according to Nicholas Lim Pinn Yang, co-founder and CEO of Good Foodie Media.

By properly integrating native consumer behavior with regional consumer behavior in the food and beverage sector, the system that seamlessly integrates articles with commerce has gained widespread support.

The platform has seen considerable success over the years thanks to the major success it has experienced since Lim’s founding in 2017 and several other co-founders since then. After receiving their first cash from an angel investor, they expanded into Kuala Lumpur, expanding from a 1, 000-strong fan base focused on the Penang cooking field to over 30 million users today.

With the major traction we had, we were able to rapidly rise up the ranks and gain access to Johor. He continues,” We therefore diversified our platforms to different verticals to meet people in different consumer demands, including Malaysia Homie, Bangkok Foodie, ChiHou, and Halal Foodie,” he adds.

” We’re working on creating a software program that seamlessly combines commerce and content with the goal of streamlining local consumer behaviour in the F&amp, B room,” according to our strategic hinge. With our 30 million-strong captive audience, we see this as a key opportunity to create an integrated experience that enhances engagement and drives growth in this sector” ,&nbsp, Lim said.

The second installment of Good Foodie Media’s advertising campaign, which partnered with Funding Societies, was launched in association with Maybank and PayNet in 2024. To time, Good Foodie Media has aided over 15, 000 MSME.

In the same year, MDEC gave Good Foodie Media the distinction of being a significant person in the country’s modern economy.

The online advertising market is on the rise.

The most popular online marketing and partner control program in Southeast Asia through the Squirrel program, Involve Asia, has revolutionized how brands and advertisers collaborate with publishers and influencers to create performance-based advertising campaigns. The platform has empowered over 500 brands to reach millions of consumers through its network of 400, 000 affiliate partners, driving a total transaction value of over US$ 1.5 billion ( RM6.7 billion ) since its establishment a decade ago.

Rene Menezes, president and co-founder, Involve Asia (2nd from right) receiving the Malaysia’s Affiliate Marketing Pioneer Award from Amiruddin Abdul Shukor, head of Corporate Services of MDEC. (Picture credit: MDEC)

” What sets Involve Asia off is its&nbsp, commitment to transparency, performance monitoring, and data-driven insight, making it a trusted partner for organizations looking to expand their digital footprint across the place”, says Rene Menezes, president and co-founder of Involve Asia.

Backed by popular opportunity capital and private equity firms like 500 Startups, OSK Technology Ventures, and Bintang Capital Partners, the company has established a solid presence across Asia, with offices across six countries including Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand.

Last year alone, Involve Asia raised over US$ 10 million ( RM44.6 million ) in funding to fuel its expansion and product development. The company’s remarkable achievement led to a 150 % annualised growth rate from its beginning stages to pre-IPO success.

The potential of MarTech has been successfully used by Involve Asia to spur growth and spur innovation in digital marketing. By integrating sophisticated equipment, Involve Asia optimises strategy management, enabling detailed targeting and real-time efficiency analytics. These abilities have enabled the business to implement effective strategies that have constantly yielded higher ROI for their clients, including data-driven influence marketing campaigns and highly personalized affiliate programs.

Their creative thinking and creative use of technologies have not only provided thousands of SMEs with new opportunities, but they also established new standards for the environment. The MarTech and online innovative industries act as catalysts for a more diverse and robust digital economy in addition to being growth drivers. These companies are maximizing the full potential of these sectors with MDEC’s proper support, ensuring overall financial growth. &nbsp,

These organizations are poised to remain at the forefront of the online business, supporting progress and enabling businesses to grow in an extremely competitive and technologically connected world as they continue to embrace and progress with the most recent developments in MarTech and electronic information.

For Malaysian online standing companies, MDEC offers a variety of programs. Work for this Malaysia Digital Status.

Continue Reading

Singapore films Wonderland and A Year of No Significance win at the 37th Golden Rooster Awards

By:
On:
In: South-East Asia

Established in 1979, A Month of No Impact follows Yu’s figure, Lim Cheng Immediately, a middle-aged architect struggling with personal and professional challenges due to the difficulties he has no speaking&nbsp, English.

In Wonderland, Lee plays Loke, a second father who sells his community property to give his child Eileen, played by Xenia Tan, to the United States. When tragedy strikes, Loke is saved from the agonizing truth by their neighbor Tan ( played by Yu ).

This month, Lee won Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor at the Ho Chi Minh City International Film Festival in April, as well as Best Supporting Actor. The Palm Springs International Film Festival in January of this year even honored the picture with the Native Jury Award.

Continue Reading

St Joseph’s Church stabbing: Man who intervened was retired cop, headed Lee Kuan Yew’s police security team

By:
On:
In: South-East Asia

SINGAPORE: A member of the congregation who intervened during the St Joseph’s Church stabbing was a retired officer who headed the Singapore Police Force ( SPF ) team responsible for the security of Singapore’s founding prime minister&nbsp, Lee Kuan Yew.

In a LinkedIn article, SATS, the current boss of Mr Richard Tan Chai Boon, said that he&nbsp, was originally from the SPF Special Operations Command.

He is also well known for being a former officer in charge of the late Mr. Lee Kuan Yew’s protection group, according to the blog.

Mr Tan is now the head of studies, training and safety at SATS Security Services.

According to inquiries from CNA, SPF confirmed that Mr. Tan was a police commander and that he retired on May 3, 2018. Mr. Tan opted not to speak with CNA.

On his Linkedin report, Mr Tan described himself as a “veteran legal inspector” who served 38 times in the SPF. &nbsp,

According to the Prime Minister’s Office ( PMO ) website, Mr Tan had received National Day Awards- the Efficiency Medal in 2006 and the Long Service Medal the following year.

If not for members of the church community who stepped up to assist, the startling knife attack on a Catholic priest in Singapore on November 9 could have had tragic effects, according to SATS’ Singapore Hub CEO Henry Low.

” On behalf of the SATS staff, I would like to congratulate Richard Tan… for his confidence, noble nature and professional inclination in mitigating a harmful situation. Richard has two years of experience with SATS. We are pleased that Richard and the rest of the Exams team share our values.

The Singapore Police Force’s ( SPF ) Public Spiritedness Award was presented to Mr. Tan and Mr. Damien Liew Khee Rui on Sunday, November 10.

” We saw our pastor being attacked. After that, Mr. Tan told writers,” We had to go and destroy this man.”

” I needed to do something to make sure that no one else gets hurt, &nbsp, or ( that ) &nbsp, nothing bad further happens”, added Mr Liew.

Continue Reading

Terminal named one of world’s best

By:
On:
In: South-East Asia

PUBLISHED: 15 Nov 2024 at 05: 57

A sweeping view of the interior of Suvarnabhumi Airport's Midfield Satellite Terminal 1 (SAT-1). (Photo: Airports of Thailand)
A panoramic view of the interior of the Midfield Satellite Terminal 1 ( SAT-1 ) at Suvarnabhumi Airport. ( Photo: Airports of Thailand )

Suvarnabhumi Airport’s Midfield Satellite Terminal 1 ( SAT-1 ) has been named one of the World’s Most Beautiful Airports for 2024 by Prix Versailles, said Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit.

In a series of structural events that Unesco has announced annually since 2015, six airport projects have been honored for their aesthetic qualities and influence on the traveling experience of users in five countries.

The various five are Zayed International Airport Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Felipe Ángeles International Airport Zumpango, Mexico, Terminal 2 Changi of Changi Airport, Singapore, Logan International Airport Terminal, and Kansas City International Airport, both in the United States.

The Prix Versailles honors showcase the finest modern projects worldwide in the types of airports, schools, customer stations, sports venues, museums, emporiums, hotels, and restaurants.

According to the honoree webpage, the official record is in line with the concepts of brilliant sustainability, taking the projects ‘ biological, social, and social impacts into consideration.

The six flights may be competing for three 2024 World Titles– Prix Versailles, Interior and Exterior. According to Mr. Suriya, the finalists will be revealed at the Unesco office on December 2.

Opened in September last month, the SAT-1 switch occupies a total interior functional area of 251, 400 square feet and an apron place of more than 260, 000 sq feet.

It has two underwater flooring and is four stories high. The connector will raise the airport’s passenger-handling power to 60 million per year, away from 45 million.

Airports of Thailand ( AoT ) incorporated Thai architecture into the terminal’s interior design. Paintings are displayed there that show the country’s four areas ‘ traditional arts.

The third-floor departure terminal’s significant statues of animals and magical Himaphan animals, including Kinnaree, Hemaraj, and Hongsa, and the second-floor display of traditional arts make the interior more obvious.

There are also two Buddha figures placed on budsaboks, or raised websites, at both ends of the switch.

Additionally, it demonstrates how effective and functional airport providers are in terms of protecting the environment.

The switch has programmed toilets that reduce water use, and 28 aircraft parking bays that are connected to contact gates, making it easier for passengers to travel.

Mr Suriya said the tower’s infrastructure exudes a fine blend of practical patterns, Thailand’s cultural identity, and works showing people ‘ experiences.

Continue Reading