Adventure Still Awaits: Explore, Relax And Reconnect With VistaJet’s Safe Havens

VistaJet World presents private and safe journeys to keep discovering the world

 

LONDON, UK – EQS Newswire – July 8, 2020 – VistaJet, the first and only global business aviation company, uncovers a portfolio of private and safe journeys as Members seek to experience exclusive-use escapes and health-enhancing adventures around the world.

 

During a challenging time with COVID-19, planning and researching future journeys is high on the agenda, and a vast majority — 80% — of global travelers intend to explore as soon as they are able[1]. With privacy and safety becoming paramount, health is being factored into travel choices more than ever before[2]. The concept of safety is also changing. Historically, travelers associated safety only with what happens outside of the aircraft. Now, the journey to the aircraft, the in-cabin experience[3] and the final destination[4] are the driving factors.

 

As the number of touchpoints significantly decreases when flying private — 20 interactions as opposed to 700 when flying commercial[5] — the travel industry expects to see an increased number of first-time private flyers looking for safer and more reliable alternatives. Research shows that 79% of UHNWIs would be more inclined to travel by private jet than before[6], and this is reflected in VistaJet’s new incoming requests: as of June 2020, 71% are from passengers who have not regularly used business aviation solutions before.

 

Today, partnering with a network of world-leading travel experts and properties including Abercrombie & Kent, Velaa Private Island, Blue Marble Private, ROAR AFRICA, Entourage Travel, Dean Stott and The Eden Club, the VistaJet Private Office can exclusively facilitate safe point-to-point journeys from flight to destination for Members to enjoy a memorable holiday with the maximum peace of mind — introducing the ultimate notion of private travel.

 

VistaJet World Safe Havens presents seven exceptional destinations, all with privacy, health and minimized contact at their core:

 

Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands

with Abercrombie & Kent

VistaJet Members can explore the natural splendor of Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands during a 14-day exclusive trip. Guests will discover spectacular scenery, enjoy epic adventures, learn about the country’s rich heritage and culture, while safely and responsibly immersing themselves in the secluded, natural habitat of aquatic and land creatures.


With the new Cotopaxi Sanctuary Lodge as an exclusive base, spectacular volcanoes and the abundant wildlife of the National Park can be explored. Guests can enjoy a hike in the Andes with world record breaking mountain athlete, Karl Egloff, sharing his own story, mountain climbing anecdotes and the best tips to handle hiking at altitude. From here, a privately chartered seven-night private yacht cruise in the Galapagos Islands awaits, including a private audience with a leading scientist from the Galapagos Science Center, San Cristobal Island.

 

Velaa Private Island, Maldives

Velaa Private Island has been designed and curated with privacy and comfort as its guiding principles, while allowing the Indian Ocean to take center stage. Within 35 minutes of landing, VistaJet Members can sink their toes into the island sand with their personal butler on hand to take care of check in and any individual requirements. All 47 private villas — 18 suspended over water — feature private pools. For those wanting ultimate seclusion, the Romantic Pool Residence can only be reached by boat, allowing for even more privacy. Private island buyouts can also be arranged. 




Guests can contribute to The Velaa Private Island Coral Project — one of the largest coral reef restoration projects in the Maldives — by adopting a coral plantation and following its development with the marine biology team. Private Moments, from deserted island picnics to wine tastings, are tailored to the occasion and guest preferences. There are also unlimited activities for all to enjoy in privacy, from golf at the Velaa Golf Academy designed by Ryder Cup Captain José María Olazábal, to the Maldives’ only snow room in the Velaa Spa. No activity is ever shared. 

 

The Town, Colorado

with Blue Marble Private

Introducing a hidden secret nestled in the mountains of Colorado. For the first time, a unique private western town located on 4,500 acres of unparalleled Colorado land, with mountains, plains, rivers and lakes is opening its doors to a select few to experience the American Western Frontier. The Town is a modern cowboy’s dream with authentic yet luxurious accommodation and an unlimited range of summer and winter activities where history, luxury, nature and adventure interlace.


Just an hour’s drive, or 20 minutes by helicopter, from Aspen, The Town is home to the most astounding historical collection to ever have been assembled in one place; a homage to the vast story of the American Western Frontier and its outlaw years in the country. For exclusive use only, guests can immerse themselves in the life and stories of the Wild West while enjoying modern day luxuries, including a full-service spa, nightly live entertainment and five-star dining. More information will be available upon signing an NDA.

 

South Africa and Antarctica

with ROAR AFRICA

Private air terminals, planes and exclusive use lodges; a dedicated team of pilots, chefs, rangers and guides to service guests’ every need. This journey allows for a low impact, low touch private adventure in Africa and Antarctica, offering absolute isolation in safe, luxurious, and breath-taking surroundings.


In Africa, VistaJet Members will be able to nurture their minds and feed their souls on safari in a 100,000-hectare remote private property, watching elephants as they pass by, and having dinner whilst listening to the roar of lions. Guests will then follow their deep human instinct to explore Whichaway Camp in Antarctica. They can march with the Emperor penguins; hike the Labyrinth of ice tunnels; partake in 4×4 excursions; visit the polar station; and indulge in picnics and drinks at the ice bar, all while taking in the sights and sounds of water, ice and open plains in breath-taking surroundings.

 

Island Outpost, Jamaica

with Entourage Travel

Explore Jamaica, straight from where Chris Blackwell founded Island Records and where Ian Fleming wrote many of the James Bond books at his estate, GoldenEye.


From their base at Strawberry Hill, VistaJet Members can discover the Blue Mountains, passing secluded waterfalls and quaint churches, and have the opportunity to enjoy private coffee tastings. The journey continues in the privacy of the Fleming Villa at GoldenEye, complete with its own private beach where a host of water sports and activities can be enjoyed, before emerging at leisure to enjoy sunset cocktails at playwright Sir Noël Coward’s nearby residence. Rafting down the tranquil Rio Grande, with a visit to the Blue Lagoon, guests will travel onwards to their own private farm, Pantrepant, to enjoy horseback rides and dips in cool, unexplored watering holes before returning for farm-to-table dining. The journey concludes with a visit to candle-lit caves, private snorkeling and boat trips, and dancing to a live Reggae band at The Caves.

 

Chêne Bleu, France

with Dean Stott and Joe Fattorini

Experience a truly unique vineyard tour, cycling through beautiful France, guided by Dean Stott — former special forces operator and holder of two world cycling records. Guests will be hosted in the vineyard by Dean’s friend, Joe Fattorini — one of the world’s leading wine experts and presenter of The Wine Show. This is a unique opportunity to bring together two diverse interests with two leading experts in their fields.


VistaJet Members will be based at La Verrière, a wine estate and ninth century priory specializing in sustainable luxury, restored by Nicole Sierra-Rolet and Xavier Rolet KBE. It is home to the award-winning Chêne Bleu wines, praised by critics as the world’s first Super Rhônes. For the keen cyclists, Dean will challenge guests with the nearby Mont Ventoux and for those preferring to immerse themselves in wine or simply enjoy the estate, a taster of Chêne Bleu’s signature Extreme Wine course and the pool await. Each evening, as Members enjoy farm-to-table fare, prepared by internationally trained chef Victor Guérin, and wines from one of France’s most exciting wine projects, they can listen to stories about Dean’s work in global security and Joe’s experience of wine across more than thirty countries.

 

Pittormie Castle, Scotland

with The Eden Club

VistaJet Members are invited to stay at the baronial Pittormie Castle, Scotland’s most illustrious private gated estate and home of The Eden Club. Upon landing, guests will be transferred directly by car to their own private residence within the Pittormie grounds, where they can relax in ultimate privacy.

Located in the home of golf, there are over 30 courses in the local area, including The Old Course and Kingsbarns, suiting all playing abilities. Members are also invited to enjoy Affinity Membership to The Eden Residence Club, receiving privileged access to a portfolio of private residences and clubs around the world. Membership includes access to world renowned events such as The Masters and Tiger Jam.

 

The Safe Havens collection will expand to more destinations across the globe during the Summer and Autumn months. For more private travel inspirations, follow @vistajetworld on Instagram.

 

To request a VistaJet World Safe Havens adventure, visit vistajet.com/privateoffice.

 

For information on VistaJet’s safety standards and its efforts to help stop the spread of COVID-19, visit vistajet.com/safety.



[1] LUXX Media, Ultra Affluent Consumer Survey

[2] Travel + Leisure, Will Travel Change After Coronavirus? Here’s What Experts Have to Say

[3] Survey conducted within the U.S. by The Harris Poll from May 14-17, 2020

[4] Abercrombie & Kent, Luxury Consumer Travel Trends Post Lockdown Revealed

[5] Private Jet Card Comparisons, COVID-19 Coronavirus risk 30 times lower on private jets, says operator

[6] LUXX Media, Ultra Affluent Consumer Survey


About VistaJet

VistaJet is the first and only global business aviation company. On its fleet of over 70 silver and red business jets, VistaJet has flown corporations, governments and private clients to 187 countries, covering 96% of the world. Founded in 2004, the company pioneered an innovative business model where customers have access to an entire fleet whilst paying only for the hours they fly, free of the responsibilities and asset risks linked to aircraft ownership. VistaJet’s signature Program membership offers customers a bespoke subscription of flight hours on its fleet of mid and long-range jets, to fly them anytime, anywhere.

VistaJet is part of Vista Global Holding — the world’s first private aviation ecosystem, integrating a unique portfolio of companies offering asset-light solutions to cover all key aspects of business aviation.

More VistaJet information and news at vistajet.com

 

 

VistaJet Limited is a European air carrier that operates 9H registered aircraft under its Maltese Air Operator Certificate No. MT-17 and is incorporated in Malta under Company Number C 55231. VistaJet and its subsidiaries are not U.S. direct carriers. VistaJet-owned and U.S. registered aircraft are operated by properly licensed U.S. air carriers, including XOJET Aviation LLC.

 

For informational purposes only. All holiday packages shall be arranged by a third party and are subject to that provider’s terms and conditions. All travel is subject to applicable rules and regulations, including permits and permissions. VistaJet makes no representations or warrants regarding either the safety or feasibility of any offering.

Shop tax- and duty-free alcohol in Singapore with attractive deals on iShopChangi without flying

SINGAPORE – Media
OutReach
 – 8 July 2020 – There is no need to wait for your next
flight to purchase tax and duty-absorbed alcohol from Singapore Changi Airport!
Non-travellers can now browse and buy from over 100 liquor brands, including
exclusive items, on the airport’s e-commerce platform, iShopChangi.

 

On top of the regular tax and duty-free savings, enjoy up to a
stunning 50% off over 600 wines, spirits, craft beers and specialty bottled
cocktails during iShopChangi’s
Wines & Spirits Extravaganza
from
6 July to 2 August 2020.

 

Cheers to weekly bundled deals, exclusive items and free alcohol
delivery in Singapore

 

Stock up on your bar essentials with unbeatable iShopChangi-exclusive
deals that will be released every Wednesday, 12pm. The bundle deals and over
30% discounts across bestselling labels are the perfect buys for intimate at-home
dinner parties with family and friends.

 

From 6 to 12 July, look forward to a range of Stay Home Starter Packs including
the iShopChangi-exclusive Thirsty Surprise Craft Beer Box comprising seven craft
beer labels, including Thatchers, Brother, Coronado and Crabbie’s, and a free
glass mug, and other bundled sets of wines, whiskies, rums and vodkas from
brands like Wolf Blass, Jim Beam, Beaulieu Vineyard, Dewar’s, Brown Brothers, Bacardi
and 42 Below.

 

Prices during the campaign are as attractive as S$11 per wine bottle, S$3.50
per bottle of beer and spirits at only S$31.

 

More deals on popular sakes, wines and craft beers will be revealed in
the following weeks. Keep your eyes peeled for a series of four beautifully
illustrated wanderlust-themed bottled specialty cocktails by GudSht Singapore,
crafted exclusively for iShopChangi customers. Inspired by popular cities in
Asia, the cocktails includes flavours and ingredients that are unique to these
cities, yet with a Singaporean twist. Favourites from the brand includes the
Unicorn Barf, Cheng Tng Gao and Sangria Utama, which will be available on
iShopChangi completely tax-absorbed.

 

From 10 July till 2 August, enjoy an additional 7% discount with the use
of promo code “DOUBLE7“. Shoppers
are also entitled to  a discount of up to
20% off market prices of notable brands
such as Scotland’s Macallan single malt scotch, Australia’s Penfolds, and the
Canadian-originated Inniskillin ice wines not easily found in Singapore.

 

During the campaign period, the first 1,000 Changi Rewards members to
register and make a purchase via the platform will earn 7x the points.

 

iShopChangi has extended the convenience and access to  tax and duty-free liquor to Singapore-based
residents from the comforts of their homes, providing affordable wines and
spirits as well as free alcohol
delivery in Singapore
, with a minimum spend of S$59.

About Changi Airport Group

Changi Airport Group
(Singapore) Pte Ltd (CAG) (www.changiairportgroup.com) was formed on 16 June
2009 and the corporatisation of Singapore Changi Airport (IATA: SIN, ICAO:
WSSS) followed on 1 July 2009. As the company managing Changi Airport, CAG
undertakes key functions focusing on airport operations and management, air hub
development, commercial activities and airport emergency services. CAG also
manages Seletar Airport (IATA: XSP, ICAO: WSSL) and through its subsidiary
Changi Airports International, invests in and manages foreign airports.
 For more information, visit their website here: https://www.changiairport.com/corporate.html


About iShopChangi

ShopChangi was launched in
2013 as an extension of Changi Airport’s promise to deliver greater comfort and
convenience to travellers in its suite of airport retail offerings. Passengers
can browse and purchase tax- and duty-free products across all terminals
between 30 days to 18 hours pre-flight on the e-store — and choose to collect
their items at Collection Centres within departure, at the baggage claim halls
upon arrival or have them delivered free in Singapore. Providing easy access to
a spectrum of over 14,000 products across 600 brands and exclusives such as
Changi First product launches, the site has since received global recognition
with its award for Best Website — Retail Customer Facing at The Moodies: the
Airport and Travel Retail Digital Media Awards 2018. In early 2020, the
e-commerce store started to retail a selection tax- and duty-absorbed products
to Singaporean-based residents without the need to fly.

CIFI publishes its first standalone ESG report, highlighting five key accomplishments

CIFI implements corporate responsibilities in five key aspects, including green buildings, construction with quality, compliance and integrity, staff welfare and philanthropy

 

HONG
KONG, CHINA – Media OutReach –
8 July 2020 – CIFI Holdings (Group) Co. Ltd.
(“CIFI” or the “Group”, HKEx stock code: 884), a leading
real estate developer engaged in the property development and investment
business in the first-, second- and robust third-tier cities in China,
published a standalone ESG report for the first time and early adopted
comprehensive disclosure requirements from HKEx’s ESG reporting guideline,
marking the Group’s leapfrog improvement in the level and richness of
disclosure.

CIFI has
been dedicated to playing a leading role in the practice of corporate social
responsibility and seeking breakthrough in its ESG indicators. In 2019, CIFI
established ESG Management Committee and ESG Work Group to advance the Group’s
sustainable development through committed efforts in environmental protection,
social responsibility and governance capacities. The Group commits the mission
of “building for a better life”, and constantly pursue quality development and
improvement in corporate governance capacity.

Its ESG
report demonstrates the Group’s praiseworthy efforts in implementing corporate
responsibilities in five key aspects, namely green buildings, construction
with quality, compliance and integrity, staff welfare and philanthropy
, and
commitment to long-term sustainable development.

Green buildings have been the focus of CIFI’s ESG investing practice. The
Group brings full play to its expertise and enforces the green concept
throughout its process from product design, construction to supply chain
management. Besides, it actively engaged in the development and application of
the green building system, and has stipulated the standard of greenness and
health for residential and office projects, which offers guidance on delivery
of green and healthy buildings. In 2019, CIFI obtained a total of 15 green
building certifications. Specifically, the Metropolis Mansion project in
Hangzhou was granted with BREEAM four-star rating, and there were two other
projects certified with China Health Building Label.

CIFI has been consistently carrying out the management philosophy of
“quality our top priority”. The Group is certified by the ISO9001 quality
management system and has set up an all-rounded quality management system to
ensure high-quality delivery of its projects. It enforces “lifetime accountability” system to assure
construction quality and has defined five key responsible parties for
“geological survey, design, supervision, construction and contracting”
respectively and refined the management system of construction records. In
2019, CIFI added the indicator of client satisfaction rate into the performance
evaluation of the heads of regional offices. In this way, the staff put quality
management as top priority and seek to assure premium product quality. CIFI’s
all-rounded quality assurance efforts are highly acclaimed within the industry.
Its projects have won multiple prizes, such as the Tien-yow Jeme Civil
Engineering Prize, BALI National Landscape Award and the International Property
Awards etc. In particular, CIFI earned 57 titles at the 15th Kinpan Awards, and
retained the first place in the master tally.

By
combining regulations and corporate culture, CIFI has compiled a series of
audit and supervision regulations, and established a sound anti-fraud system.
Meanwhile, work procedures and accountability are implemented to avert power
vacuum and ensure the Group’s lawful and compliant operation. It launched the
WeChat public account– “CIFI Anti-Corruption” in 2019, the public account
regularly pushes updates about the Group’s integrity campaign and cases of
warning and offers a channel for online reporting, so as to raise its
employees’ awareness of anti-corruption. At the end of 2019, the Group was
named an “Advanced Unit” in the national enterprise anti-fraud campaign for its
outstanding performance in internal audit, supervision and anti-fraud efforts.
The Group also earned recognition from the capital market for its highly
acclaimed corporate governance capacity. Specifically, it won titles such as
China’s Top 50 Boards of Directors by the Fortune China, and the Best
Corporate Governing Body and Best ESG Metrics in Asia by the Institutional
Investor
.

CIFI’s
special attention to employees’ health and safety are embodied in all aspects
of its governance. In addition to strict compliance with national mandatory
regulations regarding production safety, the Group has prepared and implemented
many guidelines on safety management, strict standards about on-site inspection
and management of compliant construction, safety and health, and environmental
protection, as well as each party’s responsibilities and power in safe and
compliant construction. At the same time, the Group endeavors to be named the
“national / provincial / municipal safety and compliance demonstration
construction site”, and includes corresponding mechanism into its project
incentive & penalty system. The ESG report reveals that no major construction
safety or quality accident was reported among CIFI’s projects in 2019. In
addition, 34 projects were named government’s demonstration construction sites,
and 29 projects won provincial or above level honors. It’s worth mentioning
that CIFI has been named the “Best Employer-China” by Aon Hewitt China for
three consecutive years since 2017, the one and only company within the
industry to win the title for three consecutive years.

Abiding
by the philosophy of “altruism through philanthropy”, CIFI has been
consistently committed to philanthropy in areas such as repaying hometown and
subsidizing education for many years, making all-out contribution to pandemic
and disaster relief, and striving for better life. Up to now, CIFI has made
aggregated donations worth over RMB 300 million. When the COVID-19 pandemic
broke out at the beginning of 2020, CIFI granted RMB 20 million as the
containment and relief fund to combat the disease. Meanwhile, the Group’s
leasing apartments, commercial properties and education businesses also has
waived the rent and relevant costs and offered special discounts to medical
workers, through which it joins hands with all parties to weather through the
tough time.

Mr. Lin
Zhong, Chairman of CIFI Holdings’ Board of Directors, said: “We are facing an era that full of
uncertainties and volatilities, a successful enterprise is not only about
improvements on short-term financials, but more about its potential of and
dedication to sustainable development. In response to customers’ needs and
creating values to our employees, CIFI will continue to uphold its
environmental accountability and repay the society with its accomplishments
going forward. Looking ahead, CIFI will continue to fuse the ESG element into
corporate strategies, endeavor to add presence in key EGS indexes, and strive
to develop itself into a sustainable centenary group as a benchmark of an ESG
elites within the real estate industry.”

About CIFI (Group):

Headquartered in Shanghai,
CIFI is one of China’s top real estate developers. CIFI principally focuses on
developing high-quality properties in first-, second- and selective third-tier
cities in China. CIFI develops various types of properties, including
residential, office and commercial complexes.

To learn more about the
Company, please visit CIFI’s website at:
http://www.cifi.com.cn/

Infor Asia Pacific Announces Strong Partner Momentum in Southeast Asia

Expands ASEAN Ecosystem, Recruits Strategic Partners

 

SINGAPORE
– Media OutReach – 8 July 2020 – Infor, a global leader in
business cloud software specialized by industry, today shared its Asia Pacific
(APAC) partner momentum in the region in FY20 with the strategic addition of 35 new channel and alliance partners
across the region. These partners are specially recruited according to their
focused industry-specific expertise and solution areas mapped and aligned to
Infor’s go-to-market strategy.

Of these, nearly
35% of new partners are located in Southeast Asia, including 3MWorks Corp., novaHEALTH,
Phitomas, and KMS Solutions who will bolster Infor’s go-to-market presence in Singapore,
Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines. With these
appointments, the Infor partner network expands to over 200 across the APAC market,
including:

  • 3MWorks
    Corp
    an
    addition to the Philippines network, is a consultant on Infor Warehouse
    Management Systems (WMS)
  • novaHEALTH is an expert in healthcare focusing
    on Infor Cloverleaf, Infor Workforce Management and Infor SunSystems solutions
    with operations in Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines
  • Phitomas is the leading Malaysian
    enterprise software solutions provider across industries, that recently signed
    on Upeca Aerospace and will help their
    customers realize the benefits of Infor CloudSuite Industrial.
  • KMS
    Solutions
    ,
    is a strategic Infor partner focused on helping clients
    modernize two key areas – Financial & Accounting Management and Warehouse
    Management.
  • Zyllem is a strategic Infor technology partner focused on helping clients to
    seamlessly integrate their supply chain, providing total end-to-end visibility
    and control.

The recent
additions to its partner network has contributed to the adoption of Infor
CloudSuite Industrial by Indonesia customer Ismaya Group, a leader in building
lifestyle brands in hospitality and lifestyle industry.

“At Infor we are
committed to continued innovation and providing deep verticals-based functionality
of applications in the cloud. APAC is our fastest-growing region globally and
we are witnessing an increasing appetite for industry-specific SaaS solutions
in Southeast Asia,” said Fabio Tiviti, Vice President of Infor ASEAN. “The
growing momentum of our partner network brings us closer to our customers and
we are confident that we will remain the trusted partner of
choice in this region.”

Partner Quotes

“The Infor — KMS
partnership is a powerful combination. Infor’s world-class, industry-specific solution
suite and understanding of complex digital processes, combined with KMS’
leading management consulting services for next-generation services will
support our clients through successful transformations,” said Duy Le,
General Director, KMS Solutions
. “It is a sheer delight to team up with Infor.  We believe the breadth and depth of Infor’s
innovative solutions portfolio is exactly what our customer base in Vietnam is
looking for.”

“As a
global robotics technology leader specializing in smart logistics solutions, it
is extremely important to Geek+ that we can offer our customers a comprehensive
Warehouse Management System with a broad industry support to meet their
business demands. Together with Infor, we will build a deep product integration
between Infor Warehouse Management System and Geek+ Robot Management System. In
the end, we will take what otherwise to be a custom solution to become a
standardized product supported by both companies. Combining the strength of
Infor and Geek+, we will provide the best-of-breed yet integrated solution to
our customers. It allows users to implement robotics automation and artificial
intelligence solutions with remarkable ease. We are thrilled by the new
potential value that Infor and Geek+ can together bring to our customers,” said
Mo Shen, Vice President — Platform Engineering of Geek+.


Zyllem’s CEO Noam Berda said, “With the fast-changing
distribution and commerce industry, more and more enterprises are doing the
inevitable–digitizing their distribution networks.  Zyllem’s partnership with Infor brings a truly
promising solution for enterprises to not only keep pace,  but be one step ahead of these changes.  Together, we are bringing a fully-integrated
solution beyond warehouse management, encompassing end-to-end supply chain
management at a lower TCO and faster.”

novaHEALTH’s CEO Lai Teik
Kin
said,
“We were on the lookout for robust business solutions to match pace with the
dynamics in the healthcare sector. With next-generation solutions such as Infor
Cloverleaf and Infor SunSystems, Infor became a natural choice. We endeavor to
bring greater value to our clients and to enhance our current portfolio by
partnering with Infor.”

“Infor has a strong suite
of solution and proven capabilities that are aligned to our customers’ needs. With
this partnership, we hope to achieve accelerated business growth in the
market,” said Gemma Garcia, President, 3MWorks Corp.


Media Contact:

Phyllis Tan

Infor Asia Pacific

+65 9799-9133

phyllis.tan@infor.com

About Infor

Infor is a global leader in business cloud software specialized by
industry. With 17,300 employees and over 68,000 customers in more than 170
countries, Infor software is designed for progress. To learn more, please visit
www.infor.com.

Infor customers include:

  • The top
    20 aerospace companies
  • 9 of
    the top 10 high tech companies
  • 14 of
    the 25 largest U.S. healthcare delivery networks
  • 19 of
    the 20 largest U.S. cities
  • 18 of
    the top 20 automotive suppliers
  • 14 of
    the top 20 industrial distributors
  • 13 of
    the top 20 global retailers
  • 4 of
    the top 5 brewers
  • 17 of
    the top 20 global banks
  • 9 of
    the 10 largest global hotel brands
  • 7 of
    the top 10 global luxury brands

 

 

Infor Discusses Digital Transformation in China in Newly-Launched IDC Talk Podcast

Deep insights and rich exchange by industry experts; current environment to pave the way for growth of contactless business

 

BEIJING,
CHINA – Media OutReach – 8 July 2020 – Infor, a global leader in
business cloud software specialized by industry, today announced that it took part
in the pilot episodes of IDC Talk in China, an all-new
podcast of the International Data Corporation (IDC), bringing together the
exchange of deep industry insights and the sharing of successful enterprise
application of ICT technology. A recurring theme is leveraging innovative
technologies and exploring unique business models in a post-pandemic
environment.

 

During the first three episodes
of IDC’s new podcast, which went online on June 22, Infor executives – managing
director of Greater China and Korea region, Boon Khoo; vice president of sales
for Greater China and Korea, Becky Xie and director of business consulting for
Greater China and Korea, Chong Lu shared tips and insights on the state of digital
transformation of Chinese enterprises.

 

The coronavirus pandemic has
stimulated demand for digital transformation among small- and medium-sized
enterprises. This is coupled with a strong desire to turn crisis into
opportunity by leveraging innovation and technology to find new ways to empower
a safer, stronger and more integrated business.

 

Wu Lianfeng, vice president
and chief research analyst of IDC China explained, “This pandemic has caused
people’s work, lives, and consumption habits to go digital, driving the growth
of contactless business. This is on track to becoming a long-term and
far-reaching trend. IT technology is invaluable in response to the pandemic.
What technology transforms is not the power of the present, but the future.”

 

Over the past two decades, Infor
has provided digital transformation solutions to manufacturing enterprises spanning
the logistics, distribution, automotive, healthcare, food and beverage, hi-tech
and electronics fields. In this, Infor has implemented plans of action aimed at
key application scenarios in specific industries.

 

During the podcast, Infor
executives noted that Chinese equipment manufacturing company, Equipment
Company of Dongfeng Motor implemented Infor LN, Infor ERP and CloudSuite EAM systems to standardize its business, processes
and data management. The company was also able to establish a real-time
production system, business and financial integration, full-spectrum quality
control, and comprehensive traceability. During the pandemic, they were able to
quickly transition to producing protective masks.

 

“We feel fortunate to have Infor as our
partner in digital transformation,” said Fang Mingqiang, chief engineer of information systems
planning at Equipment Company of
Dongfeng Motor Co., Ltd. “We sought to streamline our workflows and get rid of
any obstacles that had arisen to enable us to better keep up with the latest
industry trends. With Infor ERP and EAM, now we can manage end-to-end business processes,
standardize all data, as well as ensure real-time visibility of production,
finance, and quality control. As a result, Dongfeng Motors has greatly
increased our performance while lowering costs, and customer satisfaction is up
11.45%.
Now we are able to provide clients with digitalized products and expand our
scope of operations.”

 

By working together with Infor, another pharmaceutical
company was able to integrate its global supply chain and service departments.
It also moved its logistics and customs businesses to a single platform and
deployed a centralized supply chain control hub aligning its manufacturing
network across its technological platforms. In this way it is now able to
flexibly respond to black swan events such as this pandemic, and increase its
market share while boosting sales growth through daily operations.

 

In 2020, China is making a
national effort to develop what has been dubbed “new infrastructure”, which
includes new and emerging technologies such as 5G, the industrial internet and
cloud computing. At the same time, data is becoming a key factor of production
and is being marketized. Given these trends, companies will be focusing more on
the aggregation of their own data resources and strengthening the establishment
of data management capabilities, which will spur business innovation.

 

Infor managing director of
Greater China and Korea region, Boon Khoo, said, “As enterprises work to catch
up to the fast-paced development of new infrastructure, they not only need to
build a multi-level supply chain network, but also to better integrate and
utilize human resources, data and machines, while fortifying their hardware
with the proper software to achieve better flexibility and resilience.”

Media contact:

Phyllis Tan

Infor Asia Pacific

+65 9799 9133

Phyllis.tan@infor.com

About Infor

Infor is a global leader in
business cloud software specialized by industry. With 17,300 employees and over
68,000 customers in more than 170 countries, Infor software is designed for
progress. To learn more, please visit www.infor.com.

Infor customers include:

  • The top 20 aerospace companies
  • 9 of the top 10 high tech companies
  • 14 of the 25 largest U.S. healthcare
    delivery networks
  • 19 of the 20 largest U.S. cities
  • 18 of the top 20 automotive suppliers
  • 14 of the top 20 industrial distributors
  • 13 of the top 20 global retailers
  • 4 of the top 5 brewers
  • 17 of the top 20 global banks
  • 9 of the 10 largest global hotel brands
  • 7 of the top 10 global luxury brands

Lagos to Establish Arts, Crafts Villages in Badagry, Epe (Photos)

The Lagos State Government said that it has identified Badagry and Epe as the proposed locations for the establishment of craft villages designed to provide stakeholders within the creative sector an avenue for ease of doing business and the opportunity to train new talents.
Speaking during a courtesy visit to Nike Art Gallery in Lagos recently, the Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Tourism, Art and Culture, Mr Solomon Bonu said that Governor Sanwo-Olu has mandated the Ministry to create craft villages in both Badagry and Epe in order to boost tourism in the State.
He explained that due to the contributions of both Badagry and Epe to the historical growth of Lagos, the State Government has already commenced consultations and discussions on how to create jobs, showcase talents and train aspiring students in both communities.
While noting that Badagry would serve as the pilot phase for the project, the Special Adviser disclosed that the State government’s aim was to create a platform that would help attract foreign investors, promote its creative market and give operators in the industry opportunities to showcase their works.
He said that the plan of the State government was not just to create craft communities, but build a market where creativity would be valued.
“The creation of craft villages is long overdue for the protection of people in the sector, this informed the approval by Governor Sanwo-Olu for the establishment of a unifying market for the sector in these two strategic locations”, Bonu reiterated.
The Special Adviser expressed the readiness of the State government to put into consideration the interest of all relevant stakeholders in the creative arts business with a promise to seek their buy-in from the inception of the project.
Bonu equally appealed to the Federal Government to pay attention to the dilapidated state of the Okoko-Badagry Expressway as a way of boosting tourism businesses along that corridor.

Moody’s announces completion of a periodic review of ratings of Access Bank Plc

London, 08 July 2020 – Moody’s Investors Service has completed a periodic review of the ratings of Access Bank Plc and other ratings that are associated with the same analytical unit.

The review was conducted through a portfolio review in which Moody’s reassessed the appropriateness of the ratings in the context of the relevant principal methodology(ies), recent developments, and a comparison of the financial and operating profile to similarly rated peers.

The review did not involve a rating committee. Since 1 January 2019, Moody’s practice has been to issue a press release following each periodic review to announce its completion.

This publication does not announce a credit rating action and is not an indication of whether or not a  credit rating action is likely in the near future.

Credit ratings and outlook/review status cannot be changed in a portfolio review and hence are not impacted by this announcement.

For any credit ratings referenced in this publication, please see the rating tab on the issuer/entity page on www.moodys.com for the most updated credit rating action information and the rating history.

Key rating considerations are summarized below.

Access Bank Plc’s B2 long-term local currency deposit rating incorporates one notch of government support from the bank’s b3 baseline credit assessment (BCA).

Access’ b3 BCA reflects the bank’s high asset risks, although improving, and higher leverage than peers in a challenging operating environment that is worsened by the depressed oil prices and ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

These challenges are balanced against Access’ resilient profitability, a deposit-based funding structure and good local currency liquidity buffers.

This document summarizes Moody’s view as of the publication date and will not be updated until the next periodic review announcement, which will incorporate material changes in credit circumstances (if any) during the intervening period.

The principal methodology used for this review was the Banks Methodology published in November 2019.  Please see the Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com for a copy of this methodology.

This announcement applies only to EU rated and EU endorsed ratings. Non-EU rated and non-EU endorsed ratings may be referenced above to the extent necessary if they are part of the same analytical unit.

This publication does not announce a credit rating action. For any credit ratings referenced in this publication, please see the rating tab on the issuer/entity page on www.moodys.com for the most updated credit rating action information and the rating history.

Global Financial Market in H2-2020: Taking a Vshaped recovery?

At the height of the pandemic in Mar-2020, stock markets crashed to the levels not seen since the Global Financial Crisis 2008/9 as investors took a flight to relatively safer U S treasuries or maintained cash positions. Interestingly, while the performance of gold has been deemed to be positive in times of economic downturn, 2020 was different, as gold prices dropped significantly to a year low of $1,477.9/ozt in Mar-2020.

However, we saw a quick rebound through Apr2020 and May-2020, as investors took advantage of the cheap valuation and became optimistic of a gradual economic recovery, especially as monetary and fiscal authorities rolled out varying expansionary policies. In addition, the yields in the U.S. treasuries increased slightly, as investors’ appetite for riskier assets became stronger.

Looking ahead, we believe that the renewed interests in equities and fixed income might be sustained to pre-COVID levels. The expansionary monetary policy, low rates and recovery in commodity prices will see funds flow back into emerging economies as we approach the end of the year. However, the downside risks to our expectation include a possible second wave of infection, as well as potential for liquidity crunches, insolvency, and subdued demand, as unemployment levels take time to be restored to pre-COVID-19 levels.

United Capital Research

Mercedes-Benz Cars & Vans delivers more than a million vehicles worldwide in first half of 2020

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  • Since the beginning of the year, Mercedes-Benz Cars & Vans sold 1,071,136 cars and commercial vans.
  • Mercedes-Benz achieved its best-ever Q2 car sales in China (+21.6%). Mercedes-Benz Vans also increased its Q2 sales of commercially used vans in China by 35%.
  • Britta Seeger: “Mercedes-Benz’s best second quarter to date in China shows the impressive speed at which demand is currently recovering in our largest market.”
  • Mercedes-Benz further intensifies its focus on digitization and electrification.

Mercedes-Benz has further intensified its customer contact in the second quarter using numerous digital services and tools. The high flexibility of its global dealers, the attractive product portfolio and the strength of the Mercedes-Benz brand were reflected in its car sales: in June, global deliveries were again slightly above the previous year’s level (+0.6%).

Since the beginning of the year, Mercedes-Benz achieved a better development than the overall luxury car market in some European markets and in its domestic market in Germany.

In the USA, the company took the leading position among luxury car brands in terms of unit sales in the first half of the year. In the Asia-Pacific region, the Stuttgart-based brand with the three-pointed star achieved a new sales record from April to June.

“Mercedes-Benz’s best second quarter to date in China shows the impressive speed at which demand is currently recovering in our largest market. From April to June, the effects of coronavirus had a strong impact on our deliveries in Europe and North America. By now nearly all of our worldwide dealerships have reopened.

Our customers’ interest in buying is high and we have been receiving very positive feedback on the numerous online activities of our global dealers. That is giving us grounds for optimism with regard to the sales trend in the third quarter,” stated Britta Seeger, Member of the Boards of Management of Daimler AG and Mercedes-Benz AG responsible for Marketing & Sales.

“In Europe, deliveries of our plug-in hybrids have more than quadrupled since the beginning of the year compared with the previous year period. The current number of xEV orders received by Mercedes-Benz Cars is also a positive sign for the second half of the year: in the next six months, we anticipate a significant sales effect from our ongoing electric offensive.”

Mercedes-Benz Cars & Vans unit sales

Mercedes-Benz sold 935,089 cars with the three-pointed star in the first half of the year (-17.6%). With the smart brand, the switch to a purely battery-electric drive had a significant impact on previous year comparison in sales: worldwide, 10,101 two-door and four-door urban microcars were handed over to customers since the beginning of the year (-83.3%).

Mercedes-Benz Cars thus sold a total of 945,190 cars from the Mercedes-Benz and smart brands in the first half of the year (-20.9%). At Mercedes-Benz Vans with regard to vehicles for commercial use, the global COVID-19 pandemic was clearly impacting the first half of 2020.

Especially because of the lockdown measures in April and May, this led to a 25.6% decrease in unit sales in the first half of the year compared with the previous year period. A total of 125,946 units of the Sprinter, Vito, Vito Tourer and Citan were sold in the first half of the year.

“The lockdown was not without impact for us. But we have do have a very strong product portfolio. The Mercedes-Benz vans have been quite noticeable on the road in these challenging times – because of numerous delivery services or as transporters in the health care sector among others.

It is particularly pleasing that the market in China has recovered so quickly and that we were able to increase unit sales of our commercial vans there by 35%,” said Marcus Breitschwerdt, Head of Mercedes-Benz Vans. “We are continuing to push ahead with the electrification of our products.

In the second quarter, the eSprinter and the EQV became available for order and will trigger additional demand. We are thus further strengthening our leading position in this segment. We are also optimistic that our Marco Polo models will win new customers in the motorhome segment.”

Mercedes-Benz car unit sales by region and market

In the Europe region, Mercedes-Benz delivered 313,490 cars in the period from January to June (-31.5%). In Germany, Mercedes-Benz sold 106,167 units in the first half of the year (-27.9%).

In its domestic market, Mercedes-Benz again had the most new-car registrations among the luxury car brands in the first six months of the year. In the Asia-Pacific region, the Stuttgart-based brand with the star had its best second quarter to date with unit sales of 259,404 passenger cars (+8.9%).

This milestone was reached primarily due to the positive development in the biggest market, China: there, sales of 207,107 units were more than 35,000 units above the previous record for a second-quarter (+21.6%). Sales from January to June were in China also above the previous year (+0.4%).

Deliveries in the North America region totalled 146,538 units since the beginning of the year (-16.0%). In the region’s core market, the USAMercedes-Benz delivered 127,207 passenger cars in the first half of 2020 (-13.7%).

Overview of Mercedes-Benz Cars & Vans retail unit sales

Q2 2020 Change in % H1 2020 Change in %
Mercedes-Benz* 457,711 -20.2 935,089 -17.6
Smart 4,238 -87.3 10,101 -83.3
Mercedes-Benz Cars 461,949 -23.9 945,190 -20.9
Mercedes-Benz Vans (commercial models) 61,358 -34.3 125,946 -25.6
Mercedes-Benz Cars & Vans** 523,307 /// 1,071,136 ///
Car unit sales by the Mercedes-Benz brand by region/market
Europe 124,527 -46.5 313,490 -31.5
– thereof Germany 41,835 -45.5 106,167 -27.9
Asia-Pacific 259,404 +8.9 458,253 -4.2
– thereof China 207,107 +21.6 346,067 +0.4
North America 68,037 -24.7 146,538 -16.0
– the thereof USA 59,461 -22.0 127,207 -13.7

* Including the V-Class and the X-Class

**The retail unit sales of the Mercedes-Benz Cars & Vans divisions were presented together for the first time in the press release on unit sales in the first quarter of 2020, so there is no comparative period.

Access Bank Subsidiary seeks to buy Zambian bank

Access Bank Plc announces today that its wholly-owned subsidiary in Zambia, Access Bank Zambia Limited has entered into exclusive discussions with Cavmont Capital Holdings Zambia Plc regarding a potential transaction between Access Bank Zambia and Cavmont Bank Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cavmont Capital.

The potential transaction relates to the sale of 100% of Cavmont Capital’s interest in Cavmont Bank to Access Bank Zambia.

There can be no certainty that a transaction will be agreed, nor as to the terms of any such agreement. The completion of a transaction would be subject to formal regulatory approvals.

Access Bank will update the market as appropriate and in accordance with its’ disclosure obligations.

Accordingly, shareholders are advised to exercise caution when dealing in Access Banks securities until a full announcement is made.