Retail News CRM

Author: Mei Ling Tan

  • Foodpanda opens 150th Pandamart cloud grocery store

    Foodpanda opens 150th Pandamart cloud grocery store

    Foodpanda has launched its 150th Pandamart in Asia and prides itself as Asia’s largest grocery cloud store with a network rolled out across 40 cities.

    Pandamart, an on-demand service primarily to deliver groceries and household essentials, leverage technology, and data intelligence for its accessibility, variety, and speed. From determining its location to the products carried in each store and inventory are arranged within the space for maximum picking efficiency, so groceries and household essentials can be efficiently packed and delivered to consumers within 25 minutes.

    Foodpanda Director of New Verticals, Abhishek Sahay shared,“Launching 150 pandamart across 40 cities in the midst of a pandemic was no easy task, but foodpanda realized the critical importance in bringing our consumers what they really needed quickly and safely, especially during times of movement constraints,” he noted.

    In Malaysia, pandamart became an essential service when the Movement Control Order (MCO) went into effect earlier this year, with grocery orders increasing by almost 70 percent in the single month of January 2021. Recognizing the importance of supporting local food producers, pandamart worked with local partners to source more than 60 percent of products in Malaysia, offering consumers with more locally SMEs produces and a local grocers.

    To meet fast-changing consumer needs and preferences, foodpanda has invested to grow quick commerce offerings. Beyond its core food delivery vertical, foodpanda is accelerating the rollout of pandamart and foodpanda shops in partnership with retailers, to offer consumers greater convenience, speed and variety.

    Currently, Foodpanda covers eight markets in Asia includes Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and the Philippines.

    “Now that we’re operating in eight markets, our goal in 2021 is to take pandamart into more cities within our existing markets, plus launch pandamart in all 12 operating markets by the end of 2021,” Abhishek commented.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Chubb Hires APAC Property Head From AIG

    Chubb Hires APAC Property Head From AIG

    Chubb, the world’s largest publicly traded property and casualty insurer has announced new appointments for its Asia Pacific property and casualty team.

    Commercial property specialist Alex Todd has joined Chubb as its head of property, a role in which he will be responsible for the growth and performance of its commercial property portfolio in Asia, the company announced on Friday.

    Todd brings 18 years of international experience and joins from AIG, where he led a team of 50 and was accountable for a variety of first-party programs and specialty lines across Canada. Based in Chubb’s Singapore regional office, he will report to Grant Cairns, regional head of property and casualty for Asia Pacific.

    The company also appointed Jamie Park, previously Chubb’s chief underwriting officer as well as head of portfolio management, casualty, and financial lines and environmental liability in Korea, as its head of financial lines, based in Singapore.

    In her new role, Park will be responsible for the underwriting, product development, new business opportunities, as well as driving the overall profitability of Chubb’s Financial Lines portfolio in Asia.

    The appointment of the pair supports the continued drive and strategic direction of its growing property portfolio, and position as the market leader in financial lines across Asia, Chubb said in a statement.

    Lees ook:

  • Samsung Electronics appoints new president for Samsung Vina

    Samsung Electronics appoints new president for Samsung Vina

    Kevin Lee, a veteran in the mobile telephony industry with over 30 years’ leadership experience, has been named the new president of Samsung Vina Electronics.

    He was senior vice president, Verizon Account, at Samsung Electronics America and president of Samsung Electronics Benelux and Greece before coming to Vietnam. Under his leadership, Samsung Vina aims to sustain its commercial success in Vietnam, expand its sustainable business practices, build stronger and more impactful strategic partnerships, nurture innovation and become Vietnam’s top-of-mind, premium consumer electronics brand.

    Kevin Lee said: “Vietnam is going to be in the spotlight in 2021. I want to be a part of Vietnam’s success stories by capturing opportunities for growth: recovered economy, IoT technology, open business environment, and a young, captivated generation of new consumers. I envision Samsung to be the brand that places itself into the right opportunities and at the appropriate channels where we provide the most value for consumers. Then and only then can we become the most beloved brand and stand out in a competitive landscape.”

    Samsung’s ultimate goal in the coming years is becoming a brand that has widespread recognition across business units, winning consumers’ hearts and support, and maintaining leadership positions in product categories where the company has a presence.

    To achieve these goals, Samsung’s strategic growth roadmap under Kevin Lee’s leadership will revolve around two main driving forces.

    The first is to focus more on people. For consumers, Samsung Vina will maintain a consistent brand voice which allows consumers to recognize and remember the brand with ease. The company aims to conduct more market research programs to further understand and communicate with consumers.

    It will also strengthen strategic partnerships with business partners and influencers on a “win-win” basis, while reinforcing its workforce with rigorous training programs and competitive, best-in-class benefits.

    In many places, Samsung Vina runs corporate social responsibility programs, including specialized training programs in line with the government’s directive to improve Vietnam’s digital literacy and other initiatives that improve people’s quality of life.

    The second is utilizing impactful innovations with on-demand flexibility. Samsung Vina is committed to delivering meaningful products and at the same time reimagining operations in this new age.

    Samsung Vina will utilize its technology base to drive digital transformation and new innovations with on-demand flexibility.

    Samsung is well-known for transformative ideas and technologies like TVs, smartphones, wearable devices, tablets, digital appliances, network systems, system LSI, foundry, and LED solutions.

  • Phones continue to lead exports

    Phones continue to lead exports

    Exports of phones and phone parts were worth $51.18 billion last year, a whopping 18 percent of Vietnam’s total exports, according to the General Statistics Office.

    The phones were exported to over 50 countries and territories, with China being the largest market, accounting for almost a quarter.

    The second-largest market was the EU with 19 percent, followed by the U.S., South Korea, and the UAE.

    But for the first time in 10 years, phone and component exports fell, by 0.4 percent.

    Samsung was the biggest contributor to the exports. Its smartphone manufacturing factories in the northern provinces of Bac Ninh and Thai Nguyen are its two largest in the world and are also its largest home electronics factory in Southeast Asia.

    About 60 percent of all Samsung smartphones are produced in Vietnam.

  • StanChart Sheds Office Space in Hong Kong

    StanChart Sheds Office Space in Hong Kong

    Standard Chartered will give up several floors in the main offices of the Hong Kong central business district as banks continue to adapt to the post-covid environment.

    Standard Chartered will give up the lease on eight floors of its Standard Chartered Bank Building in the central business district, according to a Hong Kong Economic Times report which cited related marketing materials.

    Landlord Hang Lung Properties is asking for about HK$6 million ($770,000) in rental per month for the 60,000 square feet space. The offices will be available between next month and April 2022.

    The British lender is also renting out three floors it owns from its offices in Kwun Tong, an industrial district in the eastern part of Hong Kong.

    The move falls in line with Standard Chartered’s announced plans to permanently offer flexible work options to around 90 percent of its 85,000 employees around the world. According to the bank, hybrid work arrangements will be made available to around half of its staff in early 2021 and will extend to 75,000 workers in 55 markets by 2023.

    While we have been thinking through the issues around the future workplace for some time, it’s inevitable that recent events provided a catalyst, said Standard Chartered’s human resources head Tanuj Kapilashrami in an internal memo.

    Vacancy rates amongst the district’s Grade A office are reaching the highest levels in December last year since 2004, according to property services firm Jones Lang LaSalle. And foreign firms are a major contributor with multinational companies making up 75 percent of total surrendered Hong Kong office stock in the last quarter, according to Cushman & Wakefield.

    Standard Chartered aside, other global banks that have recently shed office space in the main district include BNP Paribas, Nomura, and Macquarie Group. HSBC also said last year that it was considering ways to digitize more of its operations and is seeking to have more employees work from home in the future.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Ikea teams with Asus to launch furniture for gamers

    Ikea teams with Asus to launch furniture for gamers

    KEA announced a partnership with ASUS Republic of Gamers in September 2020, and the fruits of that team-up are now appearing, right on schedule.

    As expected there is a wave of products releasing for customers in China, ahead of an expected launch for Western markets in around October of this year.

    The range includes everything from gaming chairs and adjustable desks, the sort of furniture you might expect, alongside even more gaming-focused accessories like headset stands, a ring light for streamers, a CPU stand with its own castors, and more.

    It’s an impressive list of options, but the most exciting part of it, as was expected, are the prices, which trend low. The MATCHSPEL gaming chair, for example, is set at ¥999.00, which converts to around £112, a price that beggars belief compared to what some on the market are asking for.

    Best PS5 games 2021: Amazing PlayStation 5 titles to pick up By Max Freeman-Mills: 5 February 2021

    There are desks specifically aimed at gamers that cost even less, and that’s before you get to the likes of the accessories, which are all slapped with low price tags too.

    That makes the line an exciting prospect, given that we know that it’s planned for a more global expansion later this year. You can view the whole range on Ikea’s Chinese website here, for now, to get a sense of what it looks like, although we don’t know which exact products will make the leap, or whether they all will.

  • Ford Says It Will Nearly Double Electric Auto Investment

    Ford Says It Will Nearly Double Electric Auto Investment

    Ford announced Thursday it is accelerating its investment in electric cars, but cautioned that the industry-wide shortage of semiconductors would pinch profits in 2021. The US auto giant, released fourth-quarter and annual results and said it plans $22 billion in electric car investment through 2025, nearly twice the earlier plan. The announcement is the latest big bet on electric autos by a legacy automaker in the wake of upstart Tesla’s growth and in anticipation of Biden administration initiatives to encourage emission-free vehicles.

    Last week, Ford’s rival General Motors set a target of having most of its fleet emissions-free by 2035. But Ford said annual operating profits could be dented by $1 to $2.5 billion due to lost auto sales connected to the semiconductor shortage.

    Earlier Thursday, Ford said it was trimming output of its F-150 because of the supply issue, following on the heels of other automakers, including GM that announced Tuesday it was shutting productions at three plants, and slashing output in half at another due to chip supply.

    Ford said it was trimming the output of its F-150 because of the supply issue, following on the heels of other automakers.

    “The semiconductor situation is changing constantly, so it’s premature to try to size what availability will mean for our full-year performance,” said Chief Financial Officer John Lawler.

    “Right now, estimates from suppliers could suggest losing 10 to 20 percent of our planned first-quarter production.”

    Ford reported a fourth-quarter loss of $2.8 billion, compared with a loss of $1.7 billion in the year-ago period.

    Revenues fell 9.3 percent to $36 billion.

    Lees ook:

  • McLaren Artura To Make World Debut On February 16

    McLaren Artura To Make World Debut On February 16

    McLaren Automotive will bring the full force of its expertise in hybrid powertrain engineering with the introduction of the new Artura. The company revealed its plans to bring the new high-performance hybrid car last year and now it’s closing in on its world debut. The company has revealed that the Artura hybrid supercar will make its world debut on February 16.

    The Artura marks the beginning of a new era for the pioneering British company. Building on the expertise in electrification first showcased in the McLaren P1 hybrid hypercar unveiled in 2012 and more recently the Speedtail Hyper-GT, which entered production this year as McLaren’s fastest ever car with a top speed of 403 kmph, the Artura is McLaren’s first High-Performance Hybrid series-production supercar.

    The new Artura marks the debut of an all-new compact twin-turbocharged V6 petrol engine, designed to combine with an electric motor in a new lightweight hybrid powertrain that retains the performance benefits of McLaren’s larger capacity V8 engines and has the additional attraction of improved torque response at low engine speeds to deliver scintillating acceleration. The Artura can also run on electric power alone for everyday emission-free urban journeys.

    The first car to be built on an all-new, platform architecture optimized for electrification and designed and manufactured in the UK at the McLaren Composites Technology Centre, the Artura furthers McLaren’s commitment to super-lightweight engineering principles that have their roots in motorsport. The additional mass of the High-Performance Hybrid system, for example, has been largely offset by the application of weight-saving technologies throughout the chassis, body and powertrain.

    Additionally, the McLaren Carbon Lightweight Architecture (MCLA) at the heart of the Artura not only enables the car’s class-leading weight advantage, it is also the base for the dynamic excellence inherent in every McLaren.

  • Cleaner UI is being tested for Google Maps

    Cleaner UI is being tested for Google Maps

    Google Maps does a lot more than get you safely from point “A” to point “B” on time. It also tells you where you can find restaurants that serve certain food in the city that you’re visiting, where you can find some entertainment nearby and more. The bottom line? Google Maps provides those on the go with very important information that they need to get through the day.

    Google is testing a new look for the Google Maps app that replaces the white bar now found on the top of the route option screen with the user’s starting location and his destination. Icons resembling the different modes of transportation such as driving, public transportation, walking, biking, and others are now gone from the destination box.

    These options are now found in a scrollable list moved to the bottom half of the display. Each mode of transportation shows how users how long it will take them to reach their destination using that mode. A “Depart at” button allows the user to set a specific time to start a journey, and an “Options” button will likely offer users routes to avoid highways, tolls, and more.

    The new UI makes it easier for Google Maps users to see the difference in transportation time for their route depending on the mode of transportation being used. The new route option interface is currently being tested so don’t waste too much time wondering why you don’t see it yet on your phone. Google, as we told you recently, is testing a split-screen interface for Maps’ Street View navigation.

    If for some reason you don’t have Google Maps on your phone, you can tap the appropriate link to install the app from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store.

    Lees ook:

  • The benefits of using retail technology

    The benefits of using retail technology

    Technology is evolving rapidly and it is present in all sectors. While some industries might have a lower tech adoption rate than others, this doesn’t mean that they can’t benefit from using tech products and solutions.

    Retailers, especially brick and mortar stores, are starting to open their doors to technology and innovation.

    In this article, we are going to take a look at how retail technology can help stores and brands. Also, we’ll check out the top technologies that can increase customer engagement and drive up sales.

    Retail technologies

    There are different types of retail technologies that can be used to improve processes and impress shoppers. For instance, augmented reality is used by fashion retailers to show customers how a certain outfit looks on them. Augmented reality mirrors are available in different retail stores and they increase the productivity of the employees and increase customer satisfaction.

    Apart from augmented reality, retail robots are also appreciated by both retailers and shoppers. Some of these robots are used only for internal processes like stocking while others can be used for in-store marketing campaigns. Shopper marketing robots like Tokinomo can be used to amaze customers and engage with them. With the help of light, sound, and motion technology, this robot lets products talk to customers.

    Virtual technology can also be used by retailers to offer an amazing customer experience. Imagine shopping with VR glasses and seeing how those products were manufactured.

    Benefits of using retail technology

    1.   Increased productivity

    When you are using technology in your retail processes (from KPI monitoring to stocking), productivity will increase. Also, employees will have more time to focus on shoppers, on offering them information, answering questions, and creating an overall great shopping experience.

    2.   Always available

    Unlike humans, robots can work long hours and even work 24/7 without taking breaks. This will help you provide a non-stop retail solution. Customers could be able to come inside the store, shop, scan their products, and pay with the help of a checkout robot. The checkout system can be used even during working hours if shoppers like self-checkout. It’s easier and faster for both retailers and customers.

    3.   Monitor, improve, analyze

    Technology is on your side and it can help you with the most difficult tasks. Unlike eCommerce platforms that can use different analytics tools, brick and mortar have a hard time monitoring everything. The lack of relevant data is another problem. However, now retailers can use analytic solutions and even robotic POP displays that offer data in real-time.

    4.   Omnichannel retail

    The best thing about technology is that it can help you connect the offline environment with the online one. Customers want to have the full shopping experience and with the help of technology, you can provide that. BOPIS (buy online, pick up in-store) is a retail trend that is beneficial for both shoppers and retailers. People can select all of their products from the comfort of their home and then swing by the store to collect them. No need for checkouts, payments in-store, or long lines. Fast and efficient.

    5.   Increase customer satisfaction

    It’s a known fact that shoppers love to see that retailers innovate. This is because it shows that they care about their customers and their needs. When shoppers see that you offer them the possibility of self check-out, contactless pay, or BOPIS, they will be satisfied.

    Also, customer satisfaction increases when they can solve their problems faster and efficiently. A customer service robot inside the store can provide information about products and offer guidance anytime the customer needs it.

    6.   Offer an experience, not just products

    Another way in which you can benefit from using technology is that you can offer your customers much more than what they expect. Instead of just selling, you should focus on shopper marketing which means putting the customer first. Products that speak for themselves, amazing displays, retail events, and demos increase customer engagement.

    Customers expect more from brick and mortar retailers. This is why you should consider including various technologies in your day by day processes. As you can see, technology can help you increase customer satisfaction, increase productivity, and be able to monitor all of your in-store promotions. 

    Author Bio:

    Nicoleta Niculescu is a Content Marketing Specialist at Tokinomo, the ultimate in-store marketing solution for retailers and consumer goods brands. Tokinomo advertising robots bring CPG products to life on the shelf and lift sales by an average of 200%.

  • How has the online casino gaming evolved?

    How has the online casino gaming evolved?

    The evolution of online casino gaming : From the start to now

    Online casinos started around two decades back. Now, they have become one of the primary sources of entertainment for individuals who like casino gaming. One reason online casino gaming has become mainstream is the quality they offer. They are beneficial for individuals who don’t have someplace nearby where they can go to play. Life appears to have become busier than earlier and holding back to play when on vacation is an alternative many people do not want. Here, online casino gaming is a better opportunity for people looking to play online.

    The ascent of online casinos appears to be relentless with more players using the opportunity to bet from the solace of their own homes. It is believed that the time of 1994 was vital for the formation of online gambling casinos. The online casinos opened at that time started the whole online casino gaming industry that is presently worth billions and fulfills the needs of the crowd of players through the gambling games they provide, the liberal advancements, and the simple access online casinos can give. 

    The start of online casinos

    The number of online casinos has increased at a surprising speed since 1994 and there are in a real sense thousands to browse. As this technology turned out to be increasingly popular, an expanding number of individuals ran to use it. This implied that soon the games accessible from online casinos advanced into the homes of millions of individuals from around the planet, a large number of whom had never at any point gone to a real casino. As a result of the enhanced availability of the business, another crowd was conceived, causing the online casino to become more popular.

    The fact that online casinos became famous was obvious, yet nobody might have sensed exactly how enormous it would turn into. This was because of several aspects; the most important among them is the internet revolution. The popularity of the internet assisted with carrying casino gaming to the majority, and the more it developed, the more prominent the drive to create innovation that could uphold it. PCs and web connections got enhanced, the business started to develop at a fast speed, and the nature of the content, which was provided, improved step by step.

    Another key feature of the 1990s that led to the popularity of online casino gaming was the overture of secure online financial transactions. This implied that online casinos were a helpful spot to bet as well as a protected spot to play with the money. The soaring number of websites was the result of the competition in the sector. As the popularity of online casinos grew, they started trying to offer more range, big prizes and became the best in the market. Rivalry expanded as physical gambling clubs understood that they required getting online.

    Not long after the start of the first online casinos, for individuals to understand their gigantic profits. In a matter of a few months, they turned out to be well known among players as they offered a new and energizing approach to appreciate gambling. Soon, numerous organizations were encouraged by the accomplishment of previous casinos and followed their model. Various online casinos started, and the field turned out to be very serious. Therefore, casinos were forced to start something that would attract customers, which resulted in welcome bonuses. As time passed and technologies enhanced, the general players’ experience was improving and getting better. The illustrations were a lot better, sound effects got undeniably genuine and programming imperfections were an uncommon sight.

    Soon after the promotion of online gaming casinos, online sports betting also became popular. Just like gaming casinos, the field of online sports betting was exceptionally lucrative, and casinos began offering rewards to attract more and more customers.

    Changes in the online casinos

    Things have never been clearer than today; when the individuals who play can find top-quality 3D illustrations, the best animations, and many interactive highlights. Additionally, these enhancements have been customized for smartphones, regardless of whether it be via specific applications or versatile browsers.

    The COVID-19 situation has bought new difficulties for the gambling industry. While people are avoiding visiting physical casinos, the popularity of online gaming casinos has soared. As the internet has made it possible for people to play from the comforts of their homes, the immense prominence has kept internet gaming innovation at the forefront. From online transactions to interactivity, online gaming casinos have turned into one of the best places to spend time. The online casinos provide the best graphics, animation, ease, and interactivity, regardless of whether you are playing on a Smartphone or computer. With good competition among online casinos, this pattern for online casinos is just going to enhance.

    There are various sorts of casino games online that you can play. These casino games have made it possible for people to distract themselves, especially in the times of coronavirus.

     

     

     

     

     

    Lees ook:

  • DHL Global Forwarding Asia Pacific recognized as Certified Top Employer 2021 second time in a row

    DHL Global Forwarding Asia Pacific recognized as Certified Top Employer 2021 second time in a row

    DHL Global Forwarding, the air and ocean freight specialist of Deutsche Post DHL Group, was recognized as Top Employer for 2021 in Asia Pacific. The certification attests to DHL’s achievement in implementing HR best practices, focused on fostering a positive work environment and encouraging its employees’ personal and professional development. In addition to being certified Top Employer 2021 in Asia Pacific, DHL Global Forwarding was also once again named Top Employer globally and in 34 countries, including India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand. The Top Employers Institute Global Certification Program annually certifies and recognizes companies in participating countries who demonstrate excellence in people practices.

    During the pandemic, Deutsche Post DHL Group’s purpose of “Connecting people. Improving lives” proved more pertinent than ever. Employees kept the network running 24/7 to ensure a steady supply of Life Sciences & Healthcare necessities further highlighted the commitment and importance of each individual at DHL Global Forwarding and the rest of the Group.

    “With more than half a million employees across the globe, Deutsche Post DHL Group counts our people as our greatest asset. By ensuring that our superstars are happy at work and fired up to give their best each day, we are creating a virtuous cycle that feeds into great business outcomes. We are delighted that the Top Employers Institute has recognized DHL Global Forwarding Asia Pacific’s people-first strategy with the Top Employer 2021 award,” said Kelvin Leung, CEO, DHL Global Forwarding Asia Pacific.

    The Top Employers Institute program certifies organizations based on the participation and results of their HR Best Practices Survey. This survey covers six HR domains consisting of 20 topics such as People Strategy, Work Environment, Talent Acquisition, Learning, Well-being and Diversity & Inclusion and more. In total, the program has certified more than 1,600 Top Employers in 120 countries/regions across five continents.

    “Receiving the Top Employer award again this year has revalidated that our human resource strategy for DHL Global Forwarding Asia Pacific is on the right path. However, we are not resting on our laurels and we are continuously innovating to stay ahead of the evolving needs of our people, our business and the environment that we are operating in,” said Celine Quek, Vice President and Head of Human Resources, DHL Global Forwarding Asia Pacific.

    At DHL Global Forwarding, training opportunities and talent development programs are consistently reviewed and benchmarked against industry requirements. All employees go through a mandatory DHL Certified International Forwarder (CIF) program upon induction to ensure that they adhere to the same global standards as colleagues in the global network, abiding by the strictest code of conduct and business principles. In its fifth year, the CIF is a key initiative with a portfolio of culture and capability enhancing programs that support DHL Global Forwarding growth strategy.

    Further, DHL Global Forwarding started initiatives to promote diversity and inclusion in the company, such as “Women at DHL Global Forwarding, Freight”, which enables more women to fill leadership roles. The initiative aims to promote a cultural mindset with a keen focus on equal opportunities by offering work arrangements, transparency, and career support.

    Another initiative, “Well-being at DHL Global Forwarding, Freight” engages employees  by examining how employees’ tasks, expectations, stress levels and working environments affect their overall health and happiness. Especially in challenging times, such as when a global pandemic is affecting nearly every aspect of life, a pulse check and active management of employees’ well-being are crucial. The organization encourages employees to boost their “well-being” in three ways: Be Social, Be Present, Be Active.

    Top Employers Institute CEO David Plink says: “Despite the challenging year we have experienced, DHL Global Forwarding has continued to demonstrate the power of putting their people first in the workplace. We are proud to share this year’s announcement and congratulate the organizations who have been certified in their respective countries through the Top Employers Institute program.

    Lees ook:

  • AirAsia ‘super app’ to help struggling airline rebound from pandemic

    AirAsia ‘super app’ to help struggling airline rebound from pandemic

    AirAsia Group Bhd chief executive officer, Tan Sri Tony Fernandes, said the global pandemic and country lockdowns that ensued last year served as a great opportunity for the company to work on growing its “super app”.

    The group’s website airasia.com has already been providing airline and travel-related services. However, in October last year, it unveiled the rebranding of the “super app”, combining 15 types of products and services under three pillars — travel, e-commerce and fintech.

    According to Japan’s NHK World’s interview with Fernandes recently, the app now has 16 million users a month.

    He said the airline is in a good position to succeed given its growing know-your-customer (KYC) data and wants a non-airline business to rival his airline business in a few years’ time.

    “One of the greatest assets of an airline is data. It’s KYC. It’s passport information. We have ID information. We have strong loyalty card information. People who fly have a bit more money, so there is also credit card information.

    “If you take a Grab or a GoJet, they are generally transacting at a lower value, they may not have as much information as we do over the last 19 years. So knowing what you want, we can personalize a lot of things and I think that’s one of our advantages,” he said in the video interview dated Feb 1.

    The airline industry has been hit the hardest in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic as many flights are forced to be halted and plane fleet temporarily grounded, plummeting business performance and forcing many to be out of job.

    Fernandes said his aim is for the airline to continue attracting customers at a low price while making money, and then take the opportunity to sell other things digitally to the customers. He added that he hopes to hire back all the staff that had to be let go during the pandemic.

    The budget airline saw its worst quarter during the second quarter of last year at the peak of lockdown measures in Malaysia and around the region, as revenue dipped 96% to RM118.96 million as of June 30, 2020 compared with RM2.92 billion in the previous year while it registered a net loss of RM992.8 million versus a net profit of RM17.3 million a year earlier.

    Lees ook:

  • Shiseido confirms sale of consumer business for US$1.5 billion

    Shiseido confirms sale of consumer business for US$1.5 billion

    Japanese beauty company Shiseido said it plans to sell its personal-care business, which includes its lower-priced hair care and skin care products, to private equity firm CVC Capital Partners for 160 billion yen (US$1.5 billion).

    Shiseido’s personal-care unit includes popular brands like Senka face wash and Tsubaki shampoo.

    Under this deal, the assets will be transferred in July to a new company. Private equity fund CVC Asia V will acquire a 65% stake in the venture and Shiseido will hold a 35% stake.

    “We see significant potential for growth by investing further in employees, brands, and R&D, as well as by driving digitalization and accelerating overseas expansion, with the possibility of going public in the future,” said Yukinori Sugiyama, partner and co-head of CVC Japan, in a statement.

    Founded in Tokyo in 1872, Shiseido is focused on its premium beauty brands such as NARS Cosmetics, Bare Escentuals, and its namesake Shiseido line. As part of this strategy, the company is planning.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Fighting Amazon over retail deal, India’s Future says staring at insolvency, hit to bank loans

    Fighting Amazon over retail deal, India’s Future says staring at insolvency, hit to bank loans

    If India’s Future Group cannot sell assets, $4 billion in bank loans and debentures will be at risk, pushing its retail unit into insolvency, the company said in a court filing on Wednesday against Amazon.com Inc, which wants to block the sale.

    A court in New Delhi blocked Future Group’s sale of retail assets to Reliance Industries on Tuesday after Amazon raised objections to the deal.

    The corporate battle has embroiled sprawling businesses led by two of the world’s richest men: Amazon’s Jeff Bezos and Reliance’s Mukesh Ambani.

    Amazon had argued that Future breached contracts by selling retail assets to Reliance. The court sided with the U.S. firm, saying an earlier order from an arbitrator that put the Future-Reliance deal on hold was valid.

    Future – which had argued the arbitrator’s order was not binding – on Wednesday filed a challenge against the court’s ruling, saying the company’s creditors would be at “significant risk” if the Reliance deal fails.

    Other than an estimated 300 billion rupees ($4.1 billion) hit to bank loans and debentures, the deal’s failure would also impact livelihoods of 50,000 employees and 6,000 small- and medium-sized vendors, it said.

    “It is inevitable that FRL (Future Retail) will go into liquidation … The magnitude of damage that may be caused to the public at large is unimaginable,” Future said the court filing, seen by Reuters.

    The appeal is set to be heard on Thursday before a bigger two-judge bench in New Delhi.

    Future, India’s second-largest retailer with more than 1,700 stores, and Amazon did not respond to a request for comment.

    Shares of Future Retail dropped 5% in early trading on Wednesday. Reliance Industries fell as much as 1.2%, but recovered later.

    The Delhi court on Tuesday asked Indian authorities to maintain status quo on the transaction, effectively putting the Future-Reliance deal on hold.

    Indian stock exchanges and the country’s antitrust watchdog had already cleared the deal, though it was awaiting approval from a law tribunal.

    Future in its appeal said Tuesday’s Delhi court order “rendered stillborn” the approvals.

    “The sole and sheer intent” of Amazon was to prevent Reliance – which is also venturing into e-commerce – from acquiring Future’s assets, the Indian firm argued in the filing.

    Amazon, which had its sights set on ultimately owning part of Future’s retail assets itself, has argued a 2019 deal it had with a unit of Future contained clauses prohibiting the Indian group from selling them to anyone on a “restricted persons” list, including Reliance.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook: