Monthly Archives: June 2022

PR Newswire

GSMA AND FC BARCELONA FORM THE PERFECT MATCH AT MWC23

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GSMA and FC Barcelona to Co-locate Sports Tomorrow Congress at MWC Barcelona 2023

LONDON, June 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — GSMA and FC Barcelona have signed a collaboration agreement to co-locate Sports Tomorrow Congress at MWC Barcelona 2023. FC Barcelona’s President, Mr Joan Laporta and GSMA Ltd.’s CEO, Mr John Hoffman met today at Camp Nou Stadium, the home of FC Barcelona, to shake hands on the deal.

GSMA and FC Barcelona have signed a collaboration agreement to co-locate Sports Tomorrow Congress at MWC Barcelona 2023. FC Barcelona’s President, Mr Joan Laporta and GSMA Ltd.’s CEO, Mr John Hoffman met today at Camp Nou Stadium, the home of FC Barcelona, to shake hands on the deal.
GSMA and FC Barcelona have signed a collaboration agreement to co-locate Sports Tomorrow Congress at MWC Barcelona 2023. FC Barcelona’s President, Mr Joan Laporta and GSMA Ltd.’s CEO, Mr John Hoffman met today at Camp Nou Stadium, the home of FC Barcelona, to shake hands on the deal.

“We are beyond excited to collaborate with FC Barcelona. Co-locating Sports Tomorrow Congress at MWC Barcelona 2023 brings together two world-leading events and creates space to identify and create new business opportunities across the mobile and sports ecosystems,” said Mr Hoffman.

The GSMA’s collaboration with FC Barcelona unites MWC Barcelona, the largest and most influential mobile technology convening event with Barcelona’s sporting excellence and heritage including football, tennis, sailing and motorcycling. It is a new platform opportunity for businesses and stakeholders in the sports and technology ecosystem to convene, make deals and launch products.

Mr Hoffman continued, “The move shows the strategic importance and power of mobile connectivity and follows the launch of Industry City at MWC22, featuring the fintech, manufacturing, and automotive sectors.” 

As data-powered, innovative sports technology continues to deliver insights with a profound impact on athletes’ performance and fan engagement, the relationship between sports and technology has expanded the sports industry market.

“We are very proud and happy about this agreement with MWC Barcelona, the leading platform in the mobile technology sector; it will convert the Sports Tomorrow Congress, already a leader in the field of sports innovation events, into a global point of reference in the field of linking technology and sport, while also helping project the city of Barcelona as a worldwide capital in this sector,” said FC Barcelona’s President, Mr Joan Laporta.

At Sports Tomorrow Congress, experts and attendees from the sports world have the opportunity to explore in-depth key topics and themes in the sports industry. It is a showcase of the decades of knowledge that FC Barcelona has accumulated on topics such as health, nutrition, high athletic performance, the digital sphere and all topics related to sports and its impact on society. 

FC Barcelona set up Sports Tomorrow Congress and the Barça Innovation Hub to help change the world through athletic excellence using knowledge and innovation. The sports ecosystem promotes a culture of excellence and collaboration with prestige brands, universities, research centres, startups, entrepreneurs, students, athletes, investors and visionaries from all over the world.

Click here to find out more.

Media Contacts
GSMA Press Office
pressoffice@gsma.com

Gaming, News

Blizzard Announces 2023 Release Date for Diablo IV

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In the midst of chaos and controversy, the Diablo franchise is teasing the next instalment. Blizzard used the XBOX and Bethesda Showcase to announce that Diablo IV will be making its official debut in 2023. Of course, in typical Blizzard style, no specific dates were given.

However, Blizzard didn’t just leave us hanging without a morsel to nibble on. With the release year (hopefully), Blizzard also unveiled the final class featured in Diablo IV – the necromancer. The Necromancer is returning to Sanctuary for the fourth time. The class has been a mainstay in the series since Diablo 2. This time the Necromancer will be joining the Druid, Crusader, Monk and Rogue in their battle against Lilith.

D4 Necromancer Campfire 001
Source: Blizzard

The developers also gave a little more insight into what we can expect when we return to Sanctuary this round. A completely open world map is one of the most intriguing changes coming to Sanctuary. Unlike the past Diablo games, players will be able to roam the world of Sanctuary unhindered. You’ll be able to travel from the dunes of Kehjistan to the snowy peaks of Mount Arreat to the sombre remains of Tristram without needing to leave an act. While exploring the vast open world with close to 150 dungeons, you’ll come across Strongholds where the forces of Hell have taken root. You will need to clear these Strongholds to be rewarded with riches or set towns free.

Diablo IV | Developer Gameplay Showcase

You will also face even more terrifying hordes of demons and undead as you venture into Diablo IV. Demons Lords and hordes of all sizes are making a return to the franchise in Diablo IV. You will be encountering towering demons and gigantic ones that will definitely strike terror in your hearts. You don’t need to take them down alone anymore though; your friends will be able to join your adventure. Blizzard has revamped the partying system in the game allowing you to form spontaneous parties during your adventure. You’ll be able to collaborate and party with your friends regardless of the platform they are on – PS4, PS5, PC, XBOX One. Character progression also occurs across all platforms. On console, you’ll even be able to have couch co-op.

  • D4 Necromancer WorldBoss 001
  • D4 TreasureBeast
  • D4 Necromancer Stronghold 006

In addition, Mephisto’s influence has created areas in Sanctuary where players can attack other players. These areas will see the best players duke it out. Be wary, as you reap victories, you’ll also become a target for everyone. Diablo IV is also bringing back an open skill tree which will allow you even deeper customisation of your character. This comes in addition to the extensive aesthetic customisations that you’ll be able to undertake as you adventure in Diablo IV. This continues further as you progess after you complete the main game. As you max out your level, you’ll unlock the Paragon Board which will allow you to unlock hundreds of optional paths for your characters.

With everything that has been revealed to-date, Diablo IV is shaping out to be a return to form after Diablo III’s shortfalls. We’ll be patiently waiting to see what Sanctuary brings us in 2023.

PR Newswire

Globalization Partners Announces Full Suite of Solutions Making It Even Easier to Hire and Manage Remote Talent Globally

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Find, onboard, pay and manage employees and contractors anywhere all in one platform

BOSTON, June 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Globalization Partners (G-P), the leading Global Employment Platform™ that makes it fast, simple, and compliant for companies to hire anyone, anywhere – today announced global availability of G-P Recruit, G-P Contractor, and G-P API. Now it is even easier for companies to find and hire talent efficiently and ethically anywhere as quickly and easily as they would hire talent locally.

“Globalization Partners’ infrastructure comprises a SOC-2 certified full technology stack and in-house HR, tax, and legal resources to support consistent service quality, minimized reliance on third-party ICPs, and data security,” said Jeanine Crane-Thompson, Principal Research Analyst at NelsonHall, HR Technology & Services practice. “The company’s continued commitment to technology-focused R&D, including AI integration and multicurrency payment options, including cryptocurrency, will attract current clients and prospective buyers.”

Built in-house by a team of world-class engineers and industry experts, together the products solve today’s most pressing issues: finding and managing remote talent. As the industry leading Employer of Record provider, G-P helps companies mitigate risk and manage compliance, taxes, benefits, and payroll globally without establishing in-country entities or subsidiaries. This powerful combination within the platform provides everything companies need in one place with features that include:

G-P Recruit

Today, growing companies are facing increasing pressure in a highly constrained labor market to find talent, however, finding the right recruiting partners is complex and time consuming. Using G-P Recruit means one contract, a simple fee structure, and a partner that is working in the best interests of the Customer, rather than needing to find, negotiate and manage multiple unknown recruitment partners. We understand international hiring and employment and G-P Recruit provides a technology enabled one-stop shop that removes complexity. Learn more about G-P Recruit here.

G-P API

HR departments spend close to 60% of their time and resources on transactional and operational tasks and activities. Even with tools and software designed to save time and improve productivity, juggling multiple dispersed platforms is time consuming without the right infrastructure to unify them. G-P’s open API makes it easier for organizations hiring and managing global talent by simplifying and automating tasks across multiple platforms including third party HCM solutions. This makes it possible to maintain a single source of truth for all global talent, thus reducing errors and supporting data governance processes. Read more about the G-P API and sign up to get started here.

G-P Contractor

Every company’s global growth strategy is different, however the key to international success is being able to access global remote talent regardless of the employment type. G-P Contractor enables companies to hire contractors in 187 countries, quickly and easily and pay them in 150 currencies. As a part of our Global Employment Platform™, this offering provides support throughout the entire lifecycle of contractors hired for both short- and long-term projects. Read more about G-P Contractor here. 

“Companies need to act quickly in order to find, hire, and onboard the best talent wherever those individuals are based in the world,” said Nat Natarajan, Chief Product and Strategy Officer, Globalization Partners. “By continually investing in our Global Employment Platform™ and adding capabilities which automate global remote hiring processes, we are enabling companies to solve today’s talent challenges in the global remote employment landscape and achieve their business objectives.”

G-P’s Global Employment Platform™ enables companies of any size to expand internationally in days and provides talent with access to a world of opportunities. Families and even communities can stay intact. Smaller companies can better compete at scale with larger incumbents. And companies can gain access to the best talent no matter where they are in the world while also realizing the benefit of globally distributed teams.

About Globalization Partners

Hire international talent quickly and easily. Use our AI-driven, automated, Global Employment Platform™ supported by our in-house, worldwide HR experts. Trust the named industry leader that consistently attains 98 percent customer satisfaction ratings. Globalization Partners: Succeed Faster.
To learn more, please visit: G-P.com or connect with us via Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, or check out our Blog.

Contact:
Karen Pantinas 
Kpantinas@globalization-partners.com 
617-729-4466

iOS, Mobile, News

[WWDC 2022] iPadOS 16 Can Now Take Advantage of M1’s Power

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Apple’s iPad ecosystem is one of, if not the most successful tablet line-up in the entire world. Even though we have always been fans of the Android ecosystem, even we must admit that the Android tablet experience pales in comparison to the modern iPad, especially when you consider the iPad Pro line-up. Sure, the Android tablet experience have improved tremendously over the years with more choices popping up at the same time. Even then, the basic iPad will still be our tablet of choice, if a decent basic tablet is what you are looking for.

Of course, every story today has a humble beginning. For the iPad, it started out as an oversized iPhone that runs on iOS. The iOS that was on the iPad evolved to become iPadOS though, and it started differentiating itself from the iPhone counterpart pretty much from the get-go. Now with iOS 16, we have iPadOS 16.

To be fair, the iPadOS 16 is not the 16th generation of iPadOS. The iPadOS was an adaptation of the iOS for much larger screen formats, hence its confusing yet dignified naming scheme. Still, the iPadOS 16 is most likely the most significant iPadOS that Apple has ever developed for modern Apple iPad devices.

The whole idea behind the iPadOS 16 is making use of the Apple M1 chips you can now find on the Apple iPad Pro devices from 2021. Since the iPadOS can take advantage of the bigger display of the iPad devices anyway, it is built with more multitasking functions than ever. To make the iPad more of a productivity beast than ever before, there are more collaboration tools and capabilities built into the interface too.

Messaging, but Even Better

Apple WWDC22 iPadOS16 Messages 220606
Source: Apple

Messaging on the iPadOS should be a little more distinctive even compared to the regular messaging app you can find on iOS. On the iPadOS 16’s messaging app, you can edit or recall messages that are recently sent. If you have mistakenly deleted a message, you can even quickly recover them. In case you need to save your messages for later, you can even mark them as unread to remind yourself to come back to it later.

Work And Collaborate, but Smarter than Ever

  • Apple WWDC22 iPadOS16 hero 220606
    Source: Apple
  • Apple WWDC22 iPadOS16 LiveText 220606
    Source: Apple
  • Apple WWDC22 iPadOS16 Safari shared Tab Groups 220606
    Source: Apple

Apple introduces Freeform, a new collaboration tool that gives users the ability to see, share, and collaborate within a single space and with full support for Apple Pencil. You can contribute to the board and edit the contents of the board at any given time, in real-time. You can even create and start a board right from FaceTime and see real-time updates in your messages thread.

Mail is even better too. Like the iOS version of the Mail app, messages can be recalled and cancelled before it reaches the recipient’s inbox. You can even schedule emails to be sent at your desired time. If you so wish to, you can even set your emails in your inbox folder to ‘Remind Later’ just so you can look at it again at a more appropriate time. If you need to pull up older messages, the new search algorithm also ensures that you can easily find your older emails quickly and accurately.

Check the Weather on iPad, Finally

The weather app for the iPad is now here and is much better than before. Well, it is a weather app, there is no running from its basic functions of telling you the current weather and other weather predictions. Instead of a plain image or background though, the weather app tells you weather with interactive animations that changes according to the current weather and weather predictions. Users who live in high-risk areas can even get notified if a severe weather alert is issued for their area. At the same time, users can even check the air quality in a particular area with easy to read, color-coded scale.

Professionally Adapted

  • Apple WWDC22 iPadOS16 Door Detection 220606
    Source: Apple
  • Apple WWDC22 iPadOS16 Reference Mode 220606
    Source: Apple
  • Apple WWDC22 iPadOS16 Mail search 220606
    Source: Apple
  • Apple WWDC22 iPadOS16 Stage Manager 220606
    Source: Apple
  • Apple WWDC22 iPadOS16 external displays 220606
    Source: Apple

The iPad Pro can now become another rather useful tool in a content creator’s arsenal. The 12.9-inch iPad Pro comes with a brilliant Liquid Retina XDR display that is rather wasted if not properly utilized. With iPadOS 16, users can now use the 12.9-inch display of the iPad Pro as a reference display for colour grading purposes and even compositing images.

There is also something called Display Zoom. It allows users to increase the pixel density of their display so that they can see more in their apps. When needed, Virtual Memory Swap can also adapt the iPad’s storage to expand available memory for differing application (up to 16GB) depending on their demands.

Apple also introduced Stage Manager, an iPadOS exclusive feature. It is a unique multitasking interface that automatically organizes apps and windows on top of one another so that users can easily and quickly switch between tasks. Windows can be stacked and overlapped atop one another in a single view too for more versatility in multitasking. Apps can also be grouped together if needed so that they can be quickly accessed when needed. Stage manager can also be used with external displays thanks to the power of Apple’s M1 chip.

More Mac Like that iOS Like

  • Apple WWDC22 iPadOS16 Desktop Class apps 220606
    Source: Apple
  • Apple WWDC22 iPadOS16 Home app 220606
    Source: Apple
  • Apple WWDC22 iPadOS16 Game Center 220606
    Source: Apple

The biggest thing we think that Apple did not elaborate on with the Apple iPadOS16 is the fact that you can now run desktop, Mac class apps on M1 powered iPads. While there has not been too many examples or apps that is meant to run on the iPadOS and iPad devices, the potential of having a full desktop app like Adobe’s suite or even their own Final Cut Pro is a huge deal, considering that many are looking to replacing their current laptops and desktops with an iPad Pro.

Availability

The iPadOS 16 is now available as a developer preview on Apple’s Developer Program website. The public beta should be coming in the coming month at their website too. The full build of Apple’s iPadOS 16 will be available as an OTA update for 5th Generation iPads and later. More information on the Apple iPadOS can be found on the iPadOS microsite.

PR Newswire

Payboy Launches Paybeyond to Help Streamline International Businesses’ Payroll and HR System

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The upgraded HR and payroll system to improve business’s efficiency by providing secure, direct employer-employee access with the integration of leading financial software ecosystem partners.

SINGAPORE, June 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Singapore-based payroll and human resources (HR) management software company Payboy launches Paybeyond, an integrated payroll and remittance system to seamlessly pay out local and overseas-based employees.

To view the Multimedia News Release, please click: https://www.prnasia.com/mnr/Payboy_202206.shtml

Convert the balance at a lower exchange rate than traditional banking remittance
Convert the balance at a lower exchange rate than traditional banking remittance

Make local and global salary payments with one simple process.
Make local and global salary payments with one simple process.

The easiest way to pay anyone, anywhere
The easiest way to pay anyone, anywhere

Reduce data risk associated with unsecured bank documents & file transmission
Reduce data risk associated with unsecured bank documents & file transmission

“At Payboy, we are always looking for ways to improve and simplify our system so that entrepreneurs and businesses can eliminate any operational hassles they may experience.
And now, by rolling out Paybeyond, we aim to help more Singaporean SMEs streamline their payroll and HR processes so they can focus on growing their business. At the same time, they can maintain their most valuable asset, the people,” said Nigel Lim, Chief Executive Officer of Payboy.

With a short and single workflow, Paybeyond provides direct and immediate cross border payouts with a secure transaction technology powered by Rapyd, a watchlist for remittance in various currencies to a dedicated wallet allowing storage of SGD and USD as well as supporting several payment modes, including GIRO, FAST, and SWIFT.

These simplified remittance processes can be applied to any employment arrangement, whether working with freelancers, full-timers, and contract employees, while enabling regulatory compliant cross border payments that are transparent and precise.

Payboy can also be effortlessly integrated with other well-known applications in the ecosystem; for instance, Xero, Quickbooks, and Financio to assist with accounting processes which makes it easier for businesses to hire, pay, manage and support their employees all in a dashboard and app.

In addition, Payboy streamlines HR operations to ensure businesses obtain full visibility on the automated payroll calculation, shift scheduling, attendance, leaves, and submitted claims, within an intuitive experience.

Continuous Automation of HR Processes

Payboy is proud to announce that we have recently partnered with the Ministry of Manpower’s (Singapore) Manpower Research & Statistics Department. We are able to fully automate our customers’ monthly employee data submission. With this feature, employers no longer have to manually generate reports to send to MOM as Payboy’s system offers an automated submission of the Occupational Employment Dataset (OED) and Labour Market Survey (LMS). Employers would have the option to choose between manual or automatic schedules, freeing up their time to focus on their business and employees.

The Ministry of Manpower conducts official national surveys on the labour market involving numerous households and businesses in Singapore. The statistics and insights help shape national manpower policies and programmes that affect many of us.

To celebrate the launch of Paybeyond, Payboy is offering a six-month free payroll subscription for Paybeyond users, in addition to its various support processes, such as Online Support Center and Payboy Helpline.

For more information, visit https://payboy.sg/paybeyond/

About Payboy

Payboy is a Payroll and HR Management Software that automates essential HR processes through a unified ecosystem so that businesses can focus on the HR work that truly matters – bringing out the best in their people. Coming from a SMEs background, Payboy understands the intricacies and problems fellow businesses face. Payboy, therefore, coined the catchphrase “Build for People, Build with People” to reiterate the company’s ethos of creating and improving technology that is simple, nice, and easy to use.

Media Contact
Email: hello@payboy.biz

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PR Newswire

LG Energy Solution Sets Up Special Advisory Council of Global Artificial Intelligence Experts

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  • New council established to drive company’s digital innovation and promote manufacturing intelligence
  • Five global AI experts specializing in various crucial sectors assigned to spearhead key technological tasks

SEOUL, South Korea, June 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — LG Energy Solution (LGES; KRX: 373220) today announced the launch of its Advisory Council on Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Joining forces with leading scholars specializing in AI technology, the Advisory Council is expected to play a major role in LGES’s digital transformation and the establishment of a manufacturing intelligence platform.

The newly formed council will set visions and business directions to enhance the company’s digital transformation, as well as build the technological partnerships required to realize these ambitions. Accordingly, the council comprises five following divisions:

  • Big data / AI
  • AI systems
  • AI algorithms
  • Robot mechanics & Computer Vision
  • Advanced Process Control and Process Optimization

 The company has appointed five AI experts as its committee members: Sungroh Yoon (Ph.D, Electrical Engineering, Stanford University), Byung-Gon Chun (Ph.D, Computer Science, University of California, Berkeley), Jinwoo Shin (Ph.D, Mathematics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology), Frank Chongwoo Park (Ph.D, Applied Mathematics, Harvard University), and Jong Min Lee (Ph.D, Chemical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology).

Each advisory member will be assigned to a different division, and oversee the selection and execution of strategic assignments within their respective area of expertise. The members will also actively participate in determining key technological tasks utilizing AI, particularly in executing AI tasks for establishing smart factories, as well as fostering the next-generation AI professionals.

“LG Energy Solution is consistently executing several projects for digital innovation that maximizes both the efficiency and precision of its manufacturing processes,” said Youngsoo Kwon, CEO of LG Energy Solution. “With the Advisory Council, we will expedite the promotion of manufacturing intelligence, as well as the establishment of smart factories.”

Prior to establishing this forward-thinking council, LG Energy Solution has been working towards digital transformation based on improving the quality of its batteries and maximizing the efficiency of the supply chain.

As part of its efforts, LG Energy Solution welcomed Dr. Peter Kyungsuk Pyun, former Nvidia Corporation data scientist, as Chief Data Officer (CDO). Dr. Pyun is currently executing digital transformation projects across several areas including R&D, production, and marketing.

About LG Energy Solution

LG Energy Solution (KRX: 373220), a split-off from LG Chem, is a leading global manufacturer of lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles, mobility, IT, and energy storage systems. With 30 years of experience in revolutionary battery technology and extensive research and development (R&D), the company is the top battery-related patent holder in the world with over 24,000 patents. Its robust global network, which spans North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia, includes battery manufacturing facilities established through joint ventures with major automakers such as General Motors, Stellantis N.V. and Hyundai Motor Group. At the forefront of green business and sustainability, LG Energy Solution aims to achieve carbon neutral operations by 2050, while embodying the value of shared growth and promoting diverse and inclusive corporate culture. To learn more about LG Energy Solution’s ideas and innovations, visit https://www.lgensol.com.

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PR Newswire

Third HGC “Go Ahead, Performers!” Online Concert Shares Remarkable Virtual Experience for Thousands of Music Lovers

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Candy Lo, KOLOR, and a host of international musical guest stars
encourage youth to dream

HONG KONG, June 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — HGC Broadband and Macroview Telecom, the digital technology solutions arms under HGC Global Communications Group (HGC Group), successfully held the third HGC “Go Ahead, Performers!” Online Concert virtually on 10 June. The star-studded line-up from around the world all delivered stellar performances and memorable moments. The show not only brought audio-visual delights to thousands of music lovers online, but also exemplified HGC Group’s dedication to inspiring local youngsters to pursue their dreams.

As in the previous HGC online concerts, the third HGC "Go Ahead, Performers!" Online Concert featured various talented performers, including local singers Candy Lo.
As in the previous HGC online concerts, the third HGC “Go Ahead, Performers!” Online Concert featured various talented performers, including local singers Candy Lo.

As in the previous HGC online concerts, the third HGC “Go Ahead, Performers!” Online Concert featured various talented performers, including local singers Candy Lo and KOLOR. In addition to singing their own signature songs, the performance by the couple Candy and Sammy, lead vocalist of KOLOR, was among the event’s highlights, pumping up the concert vibe with energetic music. Local groups The Lemon Ones, Whizz, and Goodnight, Lillie, also impressed the audience with their unique style and gave a glimpse of the beauty of music in different genres. Foreign talents Anthony Viet Son from Hanoi, Vietnam, and Music Painters from Singapore also wowed the audience with great performances.

HGC Group strives to support local youngsters in pursuing their dreams, identifying the hidden gems and encouraging them to unleash their potential to the fullest. The Group has organised three rounds of HGC “Go Ahead, Performers!” Online Concert already this year, bringing together Hong Kong and overseas musicians, bands, and performers to share the joy of music with fellow music lovers. These online concerts also granted the musicians an opportunity to shine bright on stage. In the future, HGC Group will continue to organise a variety of special events, giving practical support to youngsters.

As a member of HGC Group, HGC Broadband focuses on making a positive impact on the local community, in parallel to providing various broadband services to satisfy consumers’ needs. As for Macroview Telecom, the digital technology solutions arm under HGC Group, it specialises in cybersecurity and digital transformation solutions, with more than 10 years of experience providing cybersecurity tactics. The company has more than 200 certified cybersecurity specialists to guarantee enterprise customers a comprehensive suite of solutions, securing the most out of digital transformation.

About HGC Global Communications Limited

HGC Global Communications Limited (HGC) is a leading Hong Kong and international telecom operator and ICT solution provider. The company owns an extensive network and infrastructure in Hong Kong and overseas and provides various kinds of services. HGC has 23 overseas offices, with business over 5 continents. It provides telecom infrastructure service to other operators and serves as a service provider to corporate and households. The company provides full-fledged telecom, data centre services, ICT solutions and broadband services for local, overseas, corporate, SME and mass markets. HGC owns and operates an extensive fibre-optic network, five cross-border telecom routes integrated into tier-one telecom operators in mainland China and connects with hundreds of world-class international telecom operators. HGC is one of Hong Kong’s largest Wi-Fi service providers, running over 29,000 Wi-Fi hotspots in Hong Kong. The company is committed to further investing and enriching its current infrastructure and, in parallel, adding on top the latest technologies and developing its infrastructure services and solutions. In 2019, HGC Group completed the acquisition of Macroview Telecom Limited (Macroview), a leading digital technology solution and managed services provider. The addition of Macroview further accelerates HGC Group’s digital transformation path and positioning as a pioneering ICT and digital services leader. HGC is a portfolio company of I Squared Capital, an independent global infrastructure investment manager focusing on energy, utilities and transport in North America, Europe and selected fast-growing economies.

To learn more, please visit HGC’s website at: www.hgc.com.hk

PR Newswire

G7 Connect and E6 Technology Announce Completion of Merger

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The merger combines IoT technology with software services to empower the road freight transport sector

BEIJING, June 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — G7 Connect Inc. (“G7”), a fleet management company backed by Tencent Holdings Ltd., and E6 Technology (“E6”), announced the merger of the two companies. The merger took place in the first quarter of 2022, with the initial stage of their business integration having been completed. G7 co-founder and CEO Zhai Xuehun has been appointed as chairman and CEO of the merged group (hereafter referred to as the “Group”), while E6 chairman and CEO Zhang Jingtao will serve as vice chairman and G7 CFO Zhang Jielong as CFO.

G7 Connect and E6 Technology Announce Completion of Merger
G7 Connect and E6 Technology Announce Completion of Merger

The merger will create the largest and most influential software service provider in the industry, with businesses spanning key vertical markets covering both production and consumer logistics. The Group’s customers include major players in the trillion-yuan road freight transport market. With its product portfolio serving as a one-stop digital service that integrates subscriptions and transactions, the merged entity consolidates the two prior firms’ advantages in technology, making it the only technology company in the sector to provide a comprehensive range of Internet of Things (IoT) software as a service (SaaS) services.

The Group is well positioned to provide customers with more cost-competitive, premium services by optimizing its supply chain and service networks and reducing procurement and operating expenses. It also plans to continue investing in technology and R&D in a move to provide customers with valuable data-driven products, with the aim of facilitating an industry-wide upgrade to a connected supply chain supported by data intelligence.

G7 and E6 were among the few fleet management firms that were capable of providing IoT SaaS solutions due to substantial investments in IoT, data, algorithms and software technologies alongside continued strengthening of their respective advantages in technology as a way to build barriers to competitors. Both firms had also explored and implemented differentiated approaches based on their respective core competencies. Notably, G7 had established a leadership role in the area of IoT technology empowered software subscription, and overall capacity and transactions on transpiration, energy, insurance and equipment, while E6 had been dedicated to providing software subscription services to large cargo owners and logistics providers, becoming a leader within the domain of consumer logistics, including fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), retail, food, and cold chain logistics.

“Although the digital transformation journey of the sector has just begun, freight cooperators are looking forward to changing how they operate and achieving business success through the application of digital solutions,” said the chairman and CEO, Mr. Zhai. “The combination of G7 and E6 enables us to invest more firmly in technology and to further create value for our customers by way of data-driven products.”

“Prior to the merger, both companies believed in the importance of helping customers succeed and bringing changes to the sector by virtue of IoT SaaS services while post-merger, the shared belief has become our common ambition,” stated the vice chairman, Mr. Zhang. “We plan to continue providing premium products and services with the goal of building an outstanding SaaS company with an ongoing commitment to creating value for customers.”

G7, a leading provider of IoT SaaS services for the road freight transport sector, served a wide range of small, medium and large freight manager with IoT-based software subscriptions and transaction services. The firm, by continuing innovations in technology and expanding its portfolio, had been leading the sector in terms of software subscriptions as well as transaction services for transport capacity, energy, insurance and equipment. E6, a pioneer in IoT SaaS services for the sector, had been dedicated to providing customers with IoT-based software subscription services with a focus on large cargo owners and logistics companies. With a continued commitment to tightly-run operations and superior services, the company has earned a reputation as the dark horse in the FMCG, retail, food and cold chain segments.

As two leaders in the IoT technology and software services space, both G7 and E6 had been focusing on providing IoT technologies and software to large cargo owners and logistics providers as well as to tens of thousands of freight managers. Prior to the merger, the two firms together served over 80% of China’s large cargo owners and logistics providers in addition to assisting almost 30,000 small and medium-sized freight managers in improving efficiency and increasing revenue.

The merger received strong support from both firms’ shareholders. AnJie Law Firm, Llinks Law Offices, Global Law Office, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, Deloitte, KPMG and Boston Consulting Group provided professional services for both the transaction and integration efforts. Following the completion of the merger, Global Logistic Properties’ private equity arm Hidden Hill Capital, Tencent, Cainiao Smart Logistics Network and other investors have each appointed representatives to the Group’s board of directors in tandem with carrying out specific tasks with an eye to further deepening their business collaboration.

¹ Freight manager refer to enterprises that manage the operation and trading activities of road freight, including large, medium and small cargo owners, logistics companies, self-owned fleets, outsourced fleets, commerce trading companies , manufacturing enterprises, etc. According to a BCG research report, about 700,000 freight managers carry about 85% of China’s road freight volume and are major players in the road freight market.

For more information, please visit G7.

Media Contact:
Peipei Lin, linpeipei@g7.com.cn
Shuai Zhang, conntect@g7.com.cn

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Source: G7 Connect Inc.

PR Newswire

TALENT, TECH, AND TRADE REVEALED AS THE KEY DRIVERS FOR MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS, NEW RESEARCH FROM EVERSHEDS SUTHERLAND SHOWS

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LONDON, June 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — According to a new M&A report launched today by global law firm Eversheds Sutherland – Putting the pieces into place: The next drivers of strategic M&A – 70%  of global business leaders view the “triarchy” of talent, technology, and trade as core to their future M&A business strategy.

  • Talent: 72% of business leaders see talent retention and acquisition as important in their organizations’ business strategy over the next year. Three in five (62%) also believe the “Great Resignation” is acting as a catalyst for M&A as the battle for talent continues.
  • Technology continues to drive organizations’ business strategies, with almost 80% of business leaders seeking to improve their cyber security and three-quarters seeking digital transformation. M&A is seen as a rapid way to absorb new technology and expertise, with 74% saying M&A was important in bridging technology gaps.
  • Trade: Impacted by supply chain disruption and trade sanctions, 68% of business leaders say that increasing supply chain resilience will be a strategic M&A priority over the next year. 72% of business leaders also see increasing supply chain resilience as important to their organization’s business strategy over the next year.

The global Eversheds Sutherland study is based on opinion research conducted in early 2022 amongst 1,200 business leaders and across 16 markets around the world. Respondants from a wide range of sectors provided both a detailed and expansive global view.  

Eric Knai, Partner and Head of International M&A at Eversheds Sutherland, says: “We are delighted to launch our report Putting the pieces into place: The next drivers of strategic M&A to the market. After a turbulent few years in the wider business landscape , the rapidly changing economy has prompted leaders to reflect on how to best position their organizations for the future. Our research revealed that the majority of business leaders see talent, technology and trade as the main factors impacting the M&A landscape.” 

Robert Copps, Partner and head of US M&A at Eversheds Sutherland, says: “A number of factors are impacting the M&A landscape, inflation and rising energy prices, rising interest rates, stock market turbulence and the ongoing effects of the global pandemic.   Notwithstanding these challenges, the study shows that organizations continue to face the same urgent strategic gaps that need to be bridged in order to grow and that they will continue to seek to bridge those gaps through M&A.”

ENDS

About Eversheds Sutherland

As a global top 10 law practice, Eversheds Sutherland provides legal services to a global client base ranging from small and mid-sized businesses to the largest multinationals, acting for 61 of the FTSE 100, 70 of the Fortune 100 and 128 of the Fortune 200.

With more than 3,000 lawyers, Eversheds Sutherland operates in more than 70 offices in over 30 jurisdictions across Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and the United States. In addition, a network of more than 200 related law firms, including formalized alliances in Latin America, Asia Pacific and Africa, provide support around the globe.

www.eversheds-sutherland.com

PR Newswire

JetSynthesys announces Jetapult, the world’s first I&O gaming startup, coming out of stealth with its first acquisition

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PUNE, India, June 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Gaming startup Jetapult, the first of its kind Invest & Operate (I&O) model for game studios in emerging markets, comes out of stealth with an acquisition of a game studio from India. Jetapult will focus on acquiring and scaling revenue-generating Indie game development studios across emerging markets like India, South-East Asia, Middle East, South America as well as Australia, and New Zealand to fill a dearth of long-term smart capital in the industry. Moreover, the start-up will create and grow an exciting roster of gaming companies commercially from a local market setting to an international perspective for scientific and sustainable scale.

Jetapult will be led by Sharan Tulsiani, whose previous experience includes leading Gaming at Google Play Asia – India and ANZ markets, along with their renowned Indie Games Accelerator (IGA). Apart from Tulsiani, Jetapult’s team also features Yash Baid and Mangesh Anaokar. While Yash was previously Principal and Head of Research at 3one4 Capital and Partner at 256 Network, Mangesh has extensive M&A and investments experience having led investments & portfolio management at Bennett, Coleman and Co. The team is further bolstered by veteran industry experts and advisors like Ryo Shima (ex-COO GREE), James Cho (ex- Blizzard, Bethesda, Zynga) along with Angelo Lobo, (Ex- Director, Zynga), Dennis Sullivan (Ex-Wargaming) and Hyunsu Bang (Ex-GREE).

Speaking about the launch of Jetapult, Mr. Rajan Navani, VC and MD of JetSynthesys said, “Over the years, we have seen the gaming industry pick up steam, and the road ahead looks brighter than ever. There are several talented gaming studios with great ideas who can truly scale themselves with the right mentorship and funding. Recognizing this market need, we decided to launch Jetapult on the back of JetSynthesys’ very successful model of acquiring and rapidly scaling gaming studios using global expertise and world class partnerships. With the three-pronged approach of Acquire, Invest, Accelerate, Jetapult is all ready to come out of stealth now, having already made one crucial acquisition. Built on the Invest and Operate (I&O) model, we believe Jetapult will be a ‘game’-changer in the industry. With an expert team that has a collective experience spanning decades, the start-up will strengthen Indian gaming’s position on the global map further.” 

Sharan Tulsiani, CEO & Co-Founder, Jetapult said, “Building high grossing hits in the gaming industry are often misrepresented to be luck-based, coin-flip endeavours. This cannot be further from the truth. Making games is a passionately creative endeavour, but scaling them intrinsically is a scientific one.

“This was a hypothesis taken on and solved for with tremendous success at the biggest distribution platform for gaming, Google Play Store. The systematic acceleration programs like the Google Global Indie Games Accelerator, and others that I created was a product of this sustainable scale challenge. Our key learning was that supporting genius designers in small studios requires a village of supplemental expertise across domains like game & economy design, product & engineering, user acquisition, etc. Witnessing the multi-fold successes coming out of these programs, I felt very motivated to scale these advisory frameworks that didn’t reach enough in the vast but talented gaming industry. The Jetapult I&O model will democratise gaming expertise and open opportunities at scale by partnering with talented studios in emerging markets. Helping them implement foundational frameworks and scientific-decision making will catalyse the long-term growth of the studios, its teams, and revenues.”

Yash Baid, COO & Co-founder, Jetapult said, “Investment leaders are well aware of the stellar investment returns that game studios offer, which in fact even benefits from economic downturns, as was witnessed during Covid. However, there is a severe dearth of smart capital and meaningful support for these studios in the industry today. Jetapult is a product of years of working closely with game studio developers to identify their requirements and create access to smart & patient capital, scaled by partnering with marquee venture equity & debt investors. We are built to keep small gaming studios at the centre of our operational ethos and aim to grow them into generational companies out of emerging markets like India.”

Jetapult’s key selection criteria for acquiring a gaming studio would be its growth-potential, presence of a strong team and revenue-generation along with a review of the games they make, genre they are following, and capacity of growth for  the team. The startup is in the process of bringing capital and top gaming industry leaders across free-to-play game design, product management, user acquisition, and analytics to its portfolio of gaming studios.

About JetSynthesys:

JetSynthesys is a new age digital entertainment and technology company with a global foray in three key ecosystems – gaming and esports, digital entertainment, wellness and livelihoods. With millions of consumers across 180 countries, JetSynthesys builds world class products, platforms, and services in these three verticals, aiming to touch the lives of billions of consumers. Since its launch in 2014, under the leadership of Rajan Navani (Vice Chairman & Managing Director), JetSynthesys has built a powerful ecosystem of technology, talent, content, and distribution stacks, and is committed to delivering delightful moments to all stakeholders across multiple digital worlds, aptly titled the #Jetverse.

The Pune-headquartered company is backed by industry biggies like Kris Gopalakrishnan, Adar Poonawalla, Sachin Tendulkar, and the multi-billion-dollar family offices of the promoters of Thermax, Triveni Group, Yohan.

Poonawalla Group and DSP Group. With offices in Europe, UK, and US, JetSynthesys is a key player in India’s digital landscape. Built on innovation and new-age culture, representing the new-age economy, JetSynthesys is working towards building a digital ecosystem for consumers, to be the one-stop solution for all their digital needs. It is perfectly poised to create success stories at scale through made in India apps with the best talent available globally, funded through Indian capital.

JetSynthesys is part of the diversified JetLine Group of Companies, the roots of which originated in 1930s in Bangkok, Thailand with a presence in India since 1974. Established by the Late Kishinchand Navani in 1937, the growth in Thailand and South-East Asia over several decades has resulted in large scale manufacturing industries in textiles, packaging, electronics, and real estate development amongst others.