Move expands Sun Life’s presence to eight markets in Asia

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 7 August 2020 – Sun Life Financial Inc. (TSX: SLF) (NYSE: SLF), a global life insurer and asset manager, today announced it has opened a branch in Singapore to offer life insurance solutions to High Net Worth Clients. The announcement follows final license approval from the Monetary Authority of Singapore in May 2020.

Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada Singapore Branch (“Sun Life Singapore”) will offer life insurance solutions to help Clients grow, protect and transfer their wealth to the next generation. The move extends Sun Life’s presence to eight markets in Asia: China, the Philippines, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam, and reinforces Sun Life’s leading position in the international High Net Worth life insurance market.

“This represents a significant milestone in Sun Life’s history,” said Léo Grépin, Sun Life Asia President. “For 128 years, we have been helping Clients in Asia to grow, secure and transfer their wealth. We look forward to bringing our trusted expertise, unmatched capacity and tailored solutions to help Singaporeans protect their prosperity for generations to come,” said Grépin.

Singapore is a global financial hub attractive to many High Net Worth individuals due to its sound and well-established regulatory environment, together with a business environment which encourages and cultivates entrepreneurialism. There is significant opportunity for Sun Life Singapore to help affluent, High Net Worth and Ultra High Net Worth Clients protect their wealth. Sun Life is a leader in international High Net Worth life insurance, having pioneered the universal life insurance product in the global High Net Worth market two decades ago.

Belinda Au, previously General Manager of Distribution and Marketing at Sun Life Hong Kong, has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of Sun Life Singapore. Au said, “As a leading international financial centre, Singapore is home to many High Net Worth individuals. I am very excited for this new opportunity and look forward to helping our Clients in Singapore to achieve their wealth goals and create a lasting legacy through their entire lifetime and beyond.” Au reports to Fabien Jeudy, President of Sun Life International HuBS: Sun Life’s businesses in Hong Kong, Bermuda and Singapore, which offer world-class products, underwriting, Client service and relationship management to HNW Clients. 

Fabien Jeudy, President of Sun Life International HuBS, said, “It is my honour to lead Sun Life International HuBS. We can capitalize on our market-leading capabilities across this network to serve our Clients better and capture growth opportunities across the globe.”

Sun Life currently supports more than 23 million Clients in Asia, offering life, health and wealth management solutions through a multi-channel distribution approach. In the past four years, Sun Life’s business in Asia has grown to support 11.5 million new Clients and its underlying net income has grown at a CAGR of 15%.

Au continued, “The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we all live and work. Clients are learning to live with the virus and look for solutions that can help them grow their wealth in the new normal. This is where we step in — we are well-positioned to assist our Clients in securing their wealth with our strong HNW capabilities.”

Facts about Sun Life in Asia:

• 2019 full year underlying earnings of C$550 million, up 5% on 2018
• Wealth and asset management businesses in Asia have C$52 billion in assets under management
• Business Commenced: 1892
• Number of Clients: 23 million+
• Number of advisors: 123,000+
• Employees across Asia: 21,000+

Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada Singapore Branch is a branch of Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada. Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada is Sun Life Financial Inc.’s principal operating life insurance subsidiary.

About Sun Life

Sun Life is a leading international financial services organization providing insurance, wealth and asset management solutions to individual and corporate Clients. Sun Life has operations in a number of markets worldwide, including Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, India, China, Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia and Bermuda. As of March 31, 2020, Sun Life had total assets under management of C$1,023 billion. For more information, please visit www.sunlife.com.

Sun Life Financial Inc. trades on the Toronto (TSX), New York (NYSE) and Philippine (PSE) stock exchanges under the ticker symbol SLF.

Note to editors: All figures in Canadian dollars

HANOI, VIETNAM – Media OutReach – Aug 07, 2020 – T​he potential of Blockchain technology reaches across multiple industries. This 4.0 digital mechanism could be the answer for many stubborn social problems, especially when the world is facing a once-in-a-century health crisis — Covid-19 and is demanding urgent resolutions. This strange, yet promising, Blockchain corporation – Lina Network believes, it’s about time for them to take the next significant step on the development journey right in the middle of chaos and crisis. Perhaps, changes are necessary to adapt to the ‘new normal’ which is slowly seizing the world system. The firm officially transformed their brand identity ​“to become an organization with a global network that provides solutions to real-world problems in societies using technology applications.” The new look is clean, neat and delivers the essence of contemporary technology in the digital age just right.

The face of digital transformation

Lina Network new logo design includes 3 dots, those are connected tightly and presented for 3 elements: ​Human​, ​Technology​, ​Solution​. Via this logo, Lina Network emphasizes the important role of technology in connecting humans (individuals, organizations, partners) to provide the prime solutions for existing obstacles in the economy and society. The new identity illustrates the mission Lina Network is attempting to achieve.

Founded in Switzerland, based in Vietnam, the Blockchain corporation- Lina Network established a new brand identity in the middle of the Covid pandemic and global chaos.

Go further than just agriculture

It was the starting point of Lina Network, founded from the desire to apply 4.0 technology in addressing the supply chain shortcomings in Vietnam’s agriculture. During the first two years of operation, they have constantly educated farmers and firms across the country on new definitions in agrotechnology and prepared them with digital applications for the agribusiness.

Young but experienced, this Swiss-funded ICO corporation decided to sail beyond the horizon, for agriculture is the point of departure and not the limit. The spokesperson strongly affirmed: “The mission that Lina Network yearns to perform will not stop at agriculture. Our projects are executed in many fields, from reviews, healthcare, e-commerce, e-government to digital assets. Since our business orientation and inner values have changed, the brand identity, thereby, transformed correspondingly in order to strengthen the brand image and to ensure consistency in conveying our values message. Lina Network’s ultimate goal is to become a leading technology corporation in Viet Nam. ​The birth of our new identity is a succinct affirmation of the mission we wish to fulfill: ‘​To become an organization with a global network that provides solutions to real-world problems in societies using technology applications.'”

The first corporation​​to ever launch Blockchain-based products and services in 5 different fields

Digital transformation is an inevitable trend of the 4.0 era. The corporation culture is imbued with the breath of modern technology, from the business orientation depicted through the brand identity and content, to the deployment of science and automation in product development to solve economic and social problems. Lina Network is currently offering 5 Blockchain-based products and services across 5 different industries:

●      Lina Review—  a transparent review platform

●      Lina FarmTrust— an agriculture traceability platform

●      Lina MarketTrust— an e-commerce platform for agricultural sectors

●      Lina MediTrust— an electronic health record system

●      Lina eGovernment— a digital identity developer for governments 

Contact Us

Email:​ support@lina.network

Website:​​ https://lina.network/

Social Channel

Twitter:​ https://twitter.com/lina_network

Medium:​​ https://medium.com/@lina.network

LinkedIn:​ https://www.linkedin.com/company/lina-network/

Facebook:​ https://www.facebook.com/linanetwork.Intl

• Represented by MSteam Entertainment, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the associated company of Spackman Entertainment Group, Spackman Media Group, Korean top actress Son Ye-jin to be the face of Smart Signature, the post-paid brand of Philippines ‘ Smart Communications
• After its massive record-breaking viewership success in Korea, CRASH LANDING ON YOU, headlined by Son Ye-jin, achieved #1 on Japan’s Netflix for four months and was consistently one of the top 10 Trending Netflix Shows in the Philippines and one of the top 10 Most Watched Netflix Shows in the United States

About Spackman Entertainment Group Limited

Spackman Entertainment Group Limited (“SEGL” or the “Company“), and together with its subsidiaries, (the “Group“), founded in 2011 by Charles Spackman, is one of Korea’s leading entertainment production groups. SEGL is primarily engaged in the independent development, production, presentation, and financing of theatrical motion pictures in Korea. According to Variety, Korea was the world’s fourth largest box office market in 2019, behind only North America, China and Japan.   

The Group also invests into and produces Korean television dramas. In addition to our content business, we also own equity stakes in entertainment-related companies and film funds that can financially and strategically complement our existing core operations. SEGL is listed on the Catalist of the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited under the ticker 40E.

Production Labels

SEGL’s wholly-owned Zip Cinema Co., Ltd. (“Zip Cinema“) is one of the most recognised film production labels in Korea and has originated and produced some of Korea’s most commercially successful theatrical films, consecutively producing 10 profitable movies since 2009 representing an industry leading track record. Recent theatrical releases of Zip Cinema’s motion pictures include some of Korea’s highest grossing and award-winning films such as CRAZY ROMANCE (2019), DEFAULT (2018), MASTER (2016), THE PRIESTS (2015), COLD EYES (2013), and ALL ABOUT MY WIFE (2012). For more information on Zip Cinema, do visit http://zipcine.com 

SEGL also owns Novus Mediacorp Co., Ltd. (“Novus Mediacorp“), an investor, presenter, and/or post-theatrical distributor for a total of 79 films (58 Korean and 21 foreign) including ROSE OF BETRAYAL, THE OUTLAWS and SECRETLY, GREATLY, which was one of the biggest box office hits of 2013 starring Kim Soo-hyun of MY LOVE FROM THE STARS, as well as FRIEND 2: THE GREAT LEGACY. In 2012, Novus Mediacorp was also the post-theatrical rights distributor of ALL ABOUT MY WIFE, a top-grossing romantic comedy produced by Zip Cinema. In 2018, THE OUTLAWS, co-presented by Novus Mediacorp broke the all-time highest Video On Demand (“VOD“) sales records in Korea. For more information on Novus Mediacorp, do visit  http://novusmediacorp.com 

The Company owns a 100% equity interest in Simplex Films Limited (“Simplex Films“) which is an early stage film production firm. Simplex Films has the following films in the pipeline namely, A BOLT FROM THE BLUE, IRREVOCABLE PROMISE and OUR SUPERSTAR K.

The Company owns a 100% equity interest Take Pictures Pte. Ltd. (“Take Pictures“) which has a line-up of several films including STONE SKIPPING, GUARDIAN (working title) and the co-production with Zip Cinema for THE PRIESTS 2.

The Company owns a 100% equity interest in Greenlight Content Limited which is mainly involved in the business of investing into dramas and movies, as well as providing consulting services for the production of Korean content.

The Company owns a 20% equity interest in The Makers Studio Co. Ltd., which plans to produce and release four upcoming films, the first of which will be THE ISLAND OF THE GHOST’S WAIL, a comedy horror film.

Our films are theatrically distributed and released in Korea and overseas markets, as well as for subsequent post-theatrical worldwide release in other forms of media, including online streaming, cable TV, broadcast TV, IPTV, video-on-demand, and home video/DVD, etc. We release all of our motion pictures into wide-theatrical exhibition initially in Korea, and then in overseas and ancillary markets.

Talent Representation

The Company holds an effective shareholding interest of 43.88% in Spackman Media Group Limited (“SMGL“). SMGL, a company incorporated in Hong Kong, together with its subsidiaries, is collectively one of the largest entertainment talent agencies in Korea in terms of the number of artists under management, including some of the top names in the Korean entertainment industry. SMGL operates its talent management business through renowned agencies such as MSteam Entertainment Co., Ltd. (Son Ye-jin, Lee Min-jung, Ko Sung-hee), UAA&CO Inc. (Song Hye-kyo, Yoo Ah-in, Park Hyung-sik), Fiftyone K Inc. (So Ji Sub, Ok Taec-yeon), SBD Entertainment Inc. (Bae Doo-na, Son Suk-ku), and Kook Entertainment Co., Ltd. (Kim Sang-kyung, Kim Ji-young). Through these full-service talent agencies in Korea, SMGL represents and guides the professional careers of a leading roster of award-winning actors/actresses in the practice areas of motion pictures, television, commercial endorsements, and branded entertainment. SMGL leverages its unparalleled portfolio of artists as a platform to develop, produce, finance and own the highest quality of entertainment content projects, including theatrical motion pictures, variety shows and TV dramas. This platform also creates and derives opportunities for SMGL to make strategic investments in development stage businesses that can collaborate with SMGL artists. SMGL is an associated company of the Company.

The Company owns a 100% equity interest in Constellation Agency Pte. Ltd. (“Constellation Agency“). Constellation Agency, which owns The P Factory Co., Ltd. (“The P Factory“) and Platform Media Group Co., Ltd. (“PMG“), is primarily involved in the business of overseas agency for Korean artists venturing into the overseas market. The P Factory is an innovative marketing solutions provider specializing in event and branded content production. PMG is a talent management agency which represents and manages the careers of major artists in film, television, commercial endorsements and branded entertainment.

Strategic Businesses

The Company owns a 100% equity interest in Frame Pictures Co., Ltd. (“Frame Pictures“). Frame Pictures is a leader in the movie/drama equipment leasing business in Korea. Established in 2014, Frame Pictures has worked with over 25 top directors and provided the camera and lighting equipment for some of Korea’s most notable drama and movie projects including ITAEWON CLASS (2020), HOW TO BUY A FRIEND (2020), KIM JI-YOUNG, BORN 1982 (2019), FOUR MEN (2019) and ASADAL CHRONICLES (2019). 

Previously, Frame Pictures was also involved in GIRL COPS (2018), MALMOI (2018), SUITS (2018), MISTRESS (2018), LIFE (2018), LIVE (2018), MONEY FLOWER (2017), SWEET REVENGE (2017), BAD GUYS 2 (2017), THE LEGEND OF THE BLUE SEA (2016) and VETERAN (2015).

We also operate a café-lounge called Upper West, in the Gangnam district of Seoul and own a professional photography studio, noon pictures Co., Ltd.

For more details, do visit http://www.spackmanentertainmentgroup.com/

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 7 August 2020 – In celebration of National Day, and as a gesture of solidarity to help Singaporeans emerge stronger from the pandemic, NTUC LearningHub (NTUC LHUB) today launched its rebranded online learning platform, LHUB GO, which will offer 100 free courses to the general public and 200 free courses to NTUC Union Members for six months. Launched in partnership with Go1.com, the leading online content hub for on-demand training, this initiative represents an estimated total of over SGD 1 million worth of access to courses.

The initiative comes on the back of the platform’s success since its launch in April 2020, where NTUC LHUB worked with Go1 to launch 100 free courses during the ‘Circuit Breaker’ period. Within four months, the platform has garnered over 88,000 sign-ups and accumulated over 23 million minutes of online learning. Popular courses include Emotional Intelligence, Communication Skills, Digital Marketing, Data Analysis and Python coding.

To further encourage self-directed skills transformation, LHUB GO will continue providing the 100 free online courses offered to the general public for another six months until 7 February 2021 through the online portal ‘Learn100’. An additional 100 free online courses will be offered to NTUC Union Members and new NTUC LHUB trainees through the portal ‘Learn200’.

LHUB GO Learn200 will allow learners to access a library of free courses including Adaptive, Technology and Technical skills in demand, and will feature new features such as curated pathways. These pathways are in line with employer-coveted skill sets such as Leadership and Adaptability, as well as Data Analytics, and will further supplement learning needs of workers who are navigating the New Normal.

“As we celebrate the nation’s 55^th birthday, NTUC LHUB will extend this initiative to help us emerge stronger as one nation. With this spirit of unity and solidarity, we hope LHUB GO will support our workforce through changing times. We were encouraged by the high sign-up and platform engagement rates of the free courses we launched during the ‘Circuit Breaker’ period. I would like to encourage the current learners to learn more and the new learners to join in and seize the opportunity to upskill or get a taste of new subjects through this platform. There is never a better time to take that first step to learn, as we ride through this trying pandemic,” says NTUC LHUB CEO Kwek Kok Kwong.

“We congratulate Singapore on the 55th anniversary of independence and we’re thrilled for the opportunity to strengthen and expand our relationship with NTUC LHUB. Go1 is passionate about helping individuals and organisations with lifelong learning, and we’re proud to partner with NTUC LHUB to equip learners on LHUB GO with the best tools and content for re-skilling. We have no doubt that the free courses on LHUB GO will be a great learning experience and serve to enhance Singaporeans’ career paths,” says Go1 co-founder Vu Tran.

To find out more, visit ntuclearninghub.com/lhub-go/.

About NTUC LearningHub

NTUC LearningHub is the leading Continuing Education and Training provider in Singapore which aims to transform the lifelong employability of working people. Since our corporatisation in 2004, we have been working employers and individual learners to provide learning solutions in areas such as Cybersecurity, Infocomm Technology, Healthcare, Employability & Literacy, Business Excellence, Workplace Safety & Health, Security, Human Resources and Foreign Worker Training.

To date, NTUC LearningHub has helped over 21,000 organisations and achieved over 2.5 million training places across more than 500 courses with a pool of over 400 certified trainers. As a Total Learning Solutions provider to organisations, we also forge partnerships and offer a wide range of relevant end-to-end training solutions and work constantly to improve our training quality and delivery. In 2020, we have accelerated our foray into online learning with our Virtual Live Classes and, through working with best-in-class partners such as IBM, DuPont Sustainable Solutions and GO1, asynchronous online courses.

For more information, visit www.ntuclearninghub.com.

About Go1

Go1 makes it easy for organisations to learn, with the world’s most comprehensive online library of learning resources. Go1 pulls the world’s top online learning providers into one place, delivering all the learning an organisation needs in a single solution. With over 1.5 million learners – and growing – Go1 is the world leader in online learning.

Go1 has raised over US$80 million in total funding from investors including M12 – Microsoft’s venture fund, SEEK, Madrona Venture Group, Salesforce Ventures, Shark Tank investor Steve Baxter and Oxford University. To learn more about Go1, visit www.go1.com.

AskTraders.com sees 40% of its users from KL, attracting more women users

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach – 7 August, 2020 – One-stop trading information platform, AskTraders.com experienced a huge spike in interest in Malaysia following the implementation of the Movement Control Order in mid-March. Volumes on its site recorded an 80% increase in March this year, compared to a month earlier.

“We saw a huge spike in interest at the start of lockdown where trading volumes nearly doubled for a month or so. Levels have been tailing off slowly since but are still above pre-COVID-19 levels and we expect that to continue until the end of this year,” said Steve, Product Owner of AskTraders.com.

Steve also pointed out that there is more interest in forex trading in Malaysia, which constitutes about 10-15% of its total trading activities. He said interest could be comparatively higher in Malaysia, as forex trading is strictly regulated in other countries in the region. 

“It’s early days for us in Malaysia but we are seeing a lot of interest in our content and are very pleased with the increase in users, so far. Based on our data analytics, Malaysians are mostly interested in the content about the stock and forex brokers. In addition to that, around 40% of our Malaysian users are from Kuala Lumpur,” Steve added.

The online trading platform’s Malaysian user mix is unique as almost 40% of its local users are women compared to only 20% percent globally. Its users in Malaysia are mostly between the ages of 25 and 44, which is typical of its global users. This correlates with the data compiled by Bursa Malaysia, which saw a significant increase in retail participation in the equity market, particularly from the youth segment, via online channels.

Steve believes the ongoing shockwaves to the global economy will lead to a surge in interest in trading. The trend of more new traders coming on board to its platform is expected to continue as the economy is in the midst of a slowdown. 

“Layoffs, unemployment, and retrenchment create a situation where more people have time on their hands and are looking for opportunities. Plus, with increased volatility in markets, we expect to see continued interest in our platform,” he explained.

Steve noted that Malaysian traders are open to new opportunities. They are happy to try both different styles of trading and trading instruments. AskTraders.com hosts experienced traders who share their knowledge, techniques, and expertise in an online forum, AskTraders Trading Community. The online forum encompasses a wide range of topics with regards to trading such as stocks, Forex, Crypto, Contract For Differences (CFD), and Exchange Trading Fund (ETF). Thus, by logging on to this active online forum, Malaysian users will benefit and improve their trading skills by making better and informed decisions not only in the local and regional context but also in the global trading scene.

In terms of content, the information provided on websites about trading is generally written by marketeers or Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) experts. In comparison, content on AskTraders.com is written by real-world experts such as traders and those who had run large hedge funds. This serves as an advantage to users.

For those who are keen on getting their feet wet in trading, Steve advised them to start with a demo account. According to him, this will help new traders practice without stress or risk. New traders are encouraged to try different trading strategies until they find a strategy that is suitable for them. They are also encouraged to start small and build their way up. However, if those that are still afraid to take the first step or unsure where to start, they can check out AskTraders.com’s broker review articles such as “Best Forex Broker in Malaysia” to be better prepared prior to starting with a demo account or right into the trading scene.

“Don’t obsess about trying every indicator, there is no magic bullet and simple strategies are fine and you can make money. The difference between success and failure is risk management and managing your emotions, so stay focused. Keep a journal and stick to your trading plan,” said Steve.

Background

AskTraders was originally formed in 2018 to help new traders in the UK and Germany. There was a lack of good quality information available and it was hard to find advice from more experienced traders. There was a huge amount of misleading information available that was published by marketeers rather than by real genuine traders. Hence, AskTraders.com was born with the aim to share the experiences of its experienced team to help new traders learn to profit from the financial markets and avoid wasting time and money learning from bad sources. AskTraders.com’s core team comes with 10 to 30 years of experience in trading. The experiences include running a brokerage and managing a trading desk at Goldman Sachs.