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Tag: awards

  • World Design Capital Taipei 2016 plans for world’s design devotees and designers

    World Design Capital Taipei 2016 plans for world’s design devotees and designers

    On the agenda for October are four major events in the World Design Capital® (WDC) Taipei 2016 program of International Signature Events: the International Design House Exhibition, International Design Week Forum, International Design Policy Conference, and Network of Cities Meeting. 

    WDC Taipei 2016 extends a warm invitation to participants and visitors from around the world to come and share their ideas and experiences, and bear witness to Taipei’s transformation into a model city that incorporates design thinking into public policy. 

    “October will be a defining month for the World Design Capital Taipei 2016,” says Pei-ni Beatrice Hsieh, Commissioner of the Department of Cultural Affairs of the Taipei City Government. “It is an opportunity both to reflect on the progress we have already made and to ignite international dialogue with other cities; to share experience and expertise. This is a chance to define a legacy for WDC Taipei 2016 that will be felt long into the future.”

    The International Design House Exhibition will be held at Taipei City’s historic Songshan Cultural and Creative Park, once home to a tobacco factory, from Thursday, October 13 to Monday, October 31. The Design House will bring together local and international designers, studios, and organizations to curate a series of thought-provoking exhibitions that will challenge visitors to reconsider their relationship with the urban environment and experience first-hand how design can radically change the world’s cities.

    An exhibition curated by Agua Zhou of Taipei-based studio Agua Design in the historical North Tobacco Factory, will showcase the results of innovative WDC Taipei 2016 projects, including the International Open Call and Designer in Residence Taipei programs, and explore the impact of Taipei City public planning and design policies.

    In Warehouse One, curator Li Wei-Lang, the Creative Director of Afterain Design (Taiwan), will mount an exhibition showcasing breakthroughs and innovation in Taiwanese design, particularly in the fields of science and technology, art and craft, and sustainability. In Warehouse Two, Page Tsou, celebrated visual artist and founder of Taipei-based studio, Auspicious Design, has invited renowned illustrators and visual artists from around the world to exhibit works that reflect on their impressions of Taipei.

    Warehouses Three and Four will be home to an international roster of exhibitors, with some participants hailing from cities that are past or future holders of the World Design Capital designation. The exhibition will explore the WDC Taipei 2016 theme of “Sisheng: Life Quality and Health, Ecological Sustainability, Smart Living, and Urban Regeneration.” In Warehouse Five, renowned Taiwanese contemporary calligraphic artist Tong Yang-Tze will collaborate with up-and-coming Taiwanese fashion designers, and spatial and sound designers to create an interactive exhibition that will breathe new life into traditional Chinese calligraphy.

    The International Design Policy Conference, which will be held on the weekend of October 15 and 16 at the Taipei International Convention Center, aims to explore how design thinking can be integrated into public policy. Policy experts, industry professionals, and academics will be invited to share their insights into and case studies on urban development through design. 

    The International Design Week Forum, which will be held on Monday, October 17 and Tuesday, October 18 at the Creativity Theater in Songshan Cultural and Creative Park, will bring representatives from various design weeks and festivals around the world to contribute their insights into how cities can support and harness the innovation of designers. The second day will be open to the public. Participants will be able to access free entry to both the International Design Week Forum and the International Design Policy Conference in August. Follow WDC Taipei 2016 on Facebook for updates: https://www.facebook.com/taipeidesign/.

    The final International Signature Event in the October series is the invitation-only Network of Cities Meeting. WDC Taipei 2016 organizers will invite mayors and city representatives from around the world to meet in Taipei, where together they will discuss WDC legacy programs, explore opportunities for collaboration, and share design-based solutions to the many civic and environmental challenges faced by cities around the globe.

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  • JDC picks up gold award for effective marketing

    JDC picks up gold award for effective marketing

    The government-owned Jeju Free International City Development Center (JDC) – parent company of Jeju Duty Free – has won a Gold Prize at the recent Asia Tourism Marketing Festival, for its success in attracting Chinese visitors through its highly effective marketing efforts.

    JDC subsidiary, Jeju Duty Free operates at Jeju International Airport, the second largest airport in South Korea, behind Incheon International Airport.

    The company offers liquor and tobacco, perfume and cosmetics, watches, luggage and leathergoods, accessories, sunglasses, confectionery, ginseng, stationery and toys. Apparently Jeju Duty Free lists over 10,000 items in total from 190 different brands.

    The JDC entity aims to promote tourism, elevate the public image of Jeju and attact both domestic and foreign investment for business, public relations and marketing activities.

    JDC-Asia-Tourism-Festival-Awards

    JDC executives receive the gold prize for the company’s effective marketing efforts.

    Operating according to the South Korean government’s Special Act on Jeju Free International City, the corporation is affiliated with the Ministry of Construction and Transportation.

    On 11 June, JDC picked up the gold prize at the Asia Tourism Marketing Festival.

    JDC says that the company’s duty free shops make a concerted effort to offer customers a variety of activities and promotions, every season which has seen Jeju Duty Free obtain a high evaluation by ATMF.

    Attracting Chinese visitors to Jeju and into its duty free shops is of paramount importance to JDC, a Marketing Manager said.

    Jeju International Airport already benefits from healthy passenger traffic and in fact in the past has suffered from congestion, which has prevented some retail expansion.

    According to Korea Airports Corporation (KAC), JDC’s Domestic Terminal store, which covers almost 3,000sq m, recorded sales of KRW.338bn ($310m) in 2013.

     

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  • Entrant results are in for the Golden Pin Concept Design Award 2016

    Entrant results are in for the Golden Pin Concept Design Award 2016

    Taiwan’s international Golden Pin Concept Design Award wrapped up its call for entries for 2016 on 15 June, and the award has once again broken the record for the number of entries received.

    Of the 3,380 entries received from 11 countries in 2016, design concepts from China and Taiwan make up the bulk of the participation figures. New countries spotted on the entry list in 2016 include Australia, Israel, and Thailand. Malaysia and South Korea, countries with marginal representation in 2015, saw a significant jump in their entry numbers in 2016, an indication of the award’s growing reputation.

    The Golden Pin Concept Design Award, launched in 2015, is an annual award that offers a total of NT$900,000 (more than US$27,000) in cash prizes. Entrants are encouraged to consider philosophies, ideologies, principles, or areas of thought attributable to huaren culture or lifestyles in their submitted concepts, as well as the Chinese concept of zhongguan (中觀). While separately the words mean ‘center’ or ‘middle’ (zhong 中) and ‘to observe’ or ‘to watch’ (guan 觀), the meaning of the combined phrase is much deeper–something akin to ‘mastery gained from the perspective afforded those at the center of things.’

    While philosophical Chinese concept of zhongguan may seem difficult for someone unfamiliar with Chinese language to understand, this year, entries from international participants revealed some surprising and perceptive interpretations.

    • Designer Noa Razer from Israel entered a series of ceramic Chinese stools adorned with decorative motifs from cultures around the world. Named “Stoolim,” the series explores integration, influence, and synthesis between cultures.

    As with last year, designers from countries and areas outside of Taiwan with large huaren (Chinese-speaking) populations were once again keen participants in the award.

    • Guan-Yu Chan from Malaysia took the woven dish covers commonly used by Chinese families living in the southern parts of the Greater China region and adapted them into a modern pendant light-dish cover combo. The resulting work, called “CAGE–Dish Cover Design” by the creator, adds a touch of contemporary luxury to a once utilitarian object and ensures it is no longer relegated to the kitchen cupboard or market stall table.
    • Jiahui Tan of Fable, a boutique design agency in Singapore, entered “PLAY,” a cultural book commissioned by the National Heritage Board (NHB) for a community exhibition. The work, which takes the structure of DNA for its visual language, plays on the meanings and structures of the English letter ‘Y’ and the Chinese character ren (人), which means ‘man’ or ‘person’ in English, as well as a famous Chinese idiom (前人种树, 后人乘凉) that encourages people to appreciate the efforts of their predecessors in providing the comforts people enjoy today.
    • From Hong Kong, Yiu Hoi Lun’s poster “Migrant Worker” attempts to highlight the suffering many migrant workers in China face during the Chinese New Year holiday when they attempt to leave the cities and return to their family homes in the countryside. The designer was inspired by images she saw on TV and the internet of people breaking down in tears as they waited in endlessly long lines in the rain, snow, freezing temperatures just to buy their train tickets.
    • Calvin Sio of Hylé Design Macau entered “Fond of Shar[ing]–Food Serving Board” into this year’s award. The platter is inspired by the Chinese dining custom of sharing food from multiple dishes placed in the center of a table. The platter also comes with a set of interchangeable handles. Inspired by the shape of the armrests and backs of Ming Dynasty chairs, the handles allow for easy gripping of the platter from multiple angles around a table.

    Perhaps unsurprisingly, entries from Taiwan and China offered some of the most complex and deeply considered fusions of contemporary design and zhongguan.

    • Through the tableware series, “Home Craft,” Taiwanese designer Yu-Rui Liang attempts to create a contemporary use for the traditional craft of Chinese joss paper, also known as ghost or spirit money. The forms of the cups, plates, candle holders, and other utensils in the series are also inspired by objects found in religious shrines and temples in Taiwan.
    • “Roaming Through [the] Garden,” a typography system created by Chinese designer John Yan, incorporates architectural elements of the Classical Gardens of Suzhou–a UNESCO World Heritage Listed historical site–into the character design. He hopes that as readers take in the font, they will feel as though they are walking in a classical Chinese garden.

    While most entries were received in the Product Design category, as was the case in 2015, the number of entries submitted into the Spatial Design and Packaging Design categories rose by over 50%. Entries into the Visual Communications category remained more-or-less stable.

    Running since 2015, the Golden Pin Concept Design Award is one among three awards in the Golden Pin design award group. The annual competition is open to submissions from students, professionals, and corporations from around the world, and accepts product and project design concepts in four design disciplines: Product Design, Visual Communication Design, Packaging Design, and Spatial Design. Concept designs must not be available in the market, nor may they be produced within the year of the award.

    In 2016, entries will be assessed in three stages by a carefully selected international jury. All entrants that pass the second round of selections will be awarded a Golden Pin Concept Design Award Design Mark and a certificate. Best Design of the Year winners will receive one of three cash prizes awarded at a grand ceremony in Taipei, Taiwan in early December, each worth NT$300,000 (approx. US$9,800).

    The Golden Pin Concept Design Award is executed by the Taiwan Design Center and organized by the Industrial Development Bureau, Ministry of Economic Affairs. The Ministry of Economic Affairs acts in an advisory capacity.

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  • Maybank Islamic secures four awards

    Maybank Islamic secures four awards

    Maybank Islamic Berhad has clinched the Leadership Issuer of the Year Award for a financial institution by the Asset Triple A Islamic Finance Awards 2015 for its RM1.5 billion Basel III-compliant subordinated sukuk murabahah, which was the single largest deal of its kind launched by an Islamic financial institution.

    The issuance was pursuant to a subordinated sukuk murabahah programme of up to RM10 billion in nominal value established in March 2014.

    The transaction received encouraging response from investors resulting in an oversubscription rate of 2.9 times, enabling Maybank Islamic to upsize the deal from the initial target of RM1 billion. Maybank Investment Bank Berhad acted as the Lead Arranger and Manager.

    “Proceeds raised from the subordinated sukuk murabahah are used to position Maybank Islamic for stronger growth domestically and regionally,” said Maybank Islamic Chief Executive Officer Muzaffar Hisham.

    He also thanked his team for their hard work in the sukuk issuance and The Asset for recognizing this effort.

    “The strong demand we received from investors for this programme is a testimony of Maybank Investment and Maybank Islamic’s leadership in the Islamic capital market space,” he said.

    The Sukuk programme also won an award in the category of Highly Commended Best Bank Capital Sukuk.

    In 2014, Maybank Islamic Berhad cemented its leadership position as it posted robust double-digit growth rates in financing, deposits and in asset size which stood at RM146.4 billion as at December 31 2014.

    Maybank Islamic also won 4 other awards. These were the Islamic Bank of The Year for Asia Pacific and Malaysia, Best Islamic Retail Bank, Best Islamic Trade Finance Bank. It also picked up 2 awards in collaboration with Maybank Investment Bank for Best Corporate Hybrid Sukuk and Best Local Currency Sukuk.

    Maybank Investment also won the following awards – Best Reit sukuk, Best bank capital sukuk-Highly commended, Best corporate sukuk, Best quasi-sovereign sukuk, and Best Islamic Deal.

    The awards ceremony took place here recently and Maybank Islamic was represented by its Deputy CEO, Nor Shahrizan Sulaiman and its Head of Corporate and Investment Banking Arshad Ismail.

    Maybank Islamic is currently the leading Islamic Bank in ASEAN and the largest Islamic Bank in Malaysia securing a 32.7 percent domestic financing market share and accounting for 43.8 percent of Maybank Group’s total domestic loans/financings.

  • Golden Pin Design Award Releases Stunning 2016 Call For Entries

    Golden Pin Design Award Releases Stunning 2016 Call For Entries

    As the call for entries deadline for Taiwan’s premier international design competition, the Golden Pin Design Award, draws close, organizers have teamed up with innovative local motion graphics studio, Bito, to create an insightful call for entries promotion video.

    The stunning production provides local and international entrants with invaluable insight into the concept of huaren design, or design created for and within Chinese-speaking communities, as they prepare to submit their design works by June 30, 2016.

    The video, dubbed “Earth.Heaven” by Bito, explores the Golden Pin Design Award’s 2016 theme of “Heaven and Earth” (天地 or Tian Di in Chinese), which is derived from the Chinese cosmological framework of the three universal elements of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity as highlighted in the ancient Chinese divination text, I Ching (also known as the Book of Changes in English). The dot (.) in the studio’s highly abstract creation represents the huaren designer flowing between the realms of Heaven and Earth on a constant search for inspiration.

    “Design exists in our everyday life, and so in turn, design exists inside these ancient concepts of Heaven and Earth,” says Keng Liu, Founder of Bito. “In Chinese culture, we emphasize that Heaven, Earth, and Humanity must coexist in harmony. We wanted to make a video that was very fluid in its motion, and this relates to the way in which deeper aspects of huaren culture are expressed in everyday life. We didn’t want to create a realistic vision of Heaven and Earth; instead, we wanted to create something very abstract that would explain this complex idea of ‘Heaven.Earth’ in a simple way.”

    Bito is intimately connected to the Golden Pin Design Award. In 2015, the undeniably successful studio took home five coveted Golden Pin Design Award Design Marks for their work for Acer, TedxTaipei, TedxTianhe, Planet Gift International, and their own animated company Chinese New Year message. Despite also being honored by numerous leading international award organizations, receiving recognition from the huaren community was particularly inspirational. “The criteria for the Golden Pin Design Award is born from the huaren perspective, which makes this award very special and very different to other design awards,” says Liu.

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  • Bank Indonesia Wins 3 CSR Awards

    Bank Indonesia Wins 3 CSR Awards

    Bank Indonesia (BI) has received three awards in the The 8th Annual Global Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Summit and Awards. Two gold awards are for Excellence in Provision of Literacy and Educational Award with market capitalization above US$1 billion and Empowerment of Women Award. While bronze award was achieved for Product Excellence Award.

    BI’s Communication Department Director Abronas Hutabarat attended the event to receive the awards. He originally intended to attend the international forum to introduce BI’s CSR programs. “We didn’t expect to receive the awards. These are the result of synergy and hard work put in by my colleagues in BI’s Communication Department,” Abornas said after receiveing the awards in Nusa Dua, Bali, Thursday evening.

    Abornas said that BI always made CSR programs on a yearly basis which focus on community empowerment. According to him, BI’s CSR programs are comparable to those of its international counterparts.

    There are seven categories in The 8th Annual Global CSR Summit and Awards, namely Best Environmental Excellence Award, Best Community Programme Award, Excellence in Provision of Literacy and Education Award, Empowerment of Women Award, Best Workplace Practice, CSR Leadership Award, and Product Excellence Award.

    Of the categories, BI got nominated in 4 categories. Arbonas said the four categories are Best Community Programme Award, Excellence in Provision of Literacy and Education Award, Empowerment of Women Award, and Product Excellence Award.

    Arbonas said one of the gold awards were given for BI Corners CSR program, in which BI provides libraries in all universities in Indonesia. Last year BI built 106 BI Corners. This year BI is targeting to build 150 BI Corners. He hoped that in the next five years BI could build 1,000 BI Corners in the all educational levels to support financial literacy. In addition, BI helps female entrepreneurs in managing business units and bookkeeping to make the businesses bankable.

    The Annual Global CSR Summit and Awards is the most prestigious recognition awards program for Corporate Social Responsibility of various agencies in Asia. The awards are given to agencies who are able to make contributions to environmental sustainability, product innovation, community empowerment and CSR management and transparency.

  • 7-Eleven awards Wolf Blass wine

    7-Eleven awards Wolf Blass wine

    The convenience market channel in Hong Kong has traditionally been the most significant retail sales channel for beer. The rise in wine sales through this channel with brand recognition evidences evolution of Hong Kong as a wine market.

    The brand winning criteria were based on combined scores tallied from consumer votes as well as by 7-Eleven staff during the January 2016 voting period.

    Along with Wolf Blass, other beverage companies that picked up awards at 7-Eleven’s ceremony included global brands such as Red Bull and Heineken.

    TWE-Barry-Galloway-receiving-the-award-on-behalf-of-Wolf-Blass-350x350

    “This award is a credit to our sales and merchandising team in recognition for their great work through this important Hong Kong convenience channel,” said Barry Galloway, Country Manager of Hong Kong, Macau and South China, Treasury Wine Estates.

    “I would also like to extend my congratulations to the Wolf Blass team as this accolade is testament to the outstanding efforts of our winemakers for producing exceptional quality wines enjoyed by consumers in Hong Kong and the world over.”

    Speaking to dbHK, Galloway admitted that although sales through the convenience market channel didn’t compare with sales through supermarkets and specialist wine stores, it was an important step for TWE’s market penetration in Hong Kong.

    According to Galloway, the popularity of the brand has posed a small challenge: that they have temporarily run out of stock of the smaller formats, as they proved so popular at the convenience stores.

    Established in the Barossa Valley in 1966, Wolf Blass has grown from a humble tin shed to become one of the world’s most successful and awarded wine brands.

    Already a recipient of more than 8,000 medals and trophies at national and international wine shows, this award is probably one of its more eclectic ones.

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  • Thailand’s most illustrious real estate event returns for the 11th year

    Thailand’s most illustrious real estate event returns for the 11th year

    The Thailand Property Awards presented by Hansgrohe returns for a successful 11th edition to reward the finest developers and current developments in the country’s resilient real estate sector. The annual event, which is attended by some 600 C-level executives, industry leaders and innovators annually, was officially launched to the media on 29 March 2016 at the Renaissance Bangkok Ratchaphrasong Hotel.

    Building on the monumental success of last year’s 10th anniversary event, which saw SC Asset Corporation PLC claim the biggest award for Best Developer, the kingdom’s biggest and most respected industry awards programme will champion the leading industry players in Bangkok and Phuket, which continue to evolve alongside the secondary markets of Hua Hin, Chiang Mai, Khao Yai, Samui and the Eastern Seaboard.

    “The tourism sector is playing an increasingly important role in driving the country’s economic growth,” Suphin Mechuchep, managing director of JLL Thailand and newly elected chairperson of the central panel of judges, said.

    “A decent chunk of tourist spending goes to retailers in various retail formats from street-side retail strips to modern shopping centres,” she added. “Retail markets in key tourist destinations such as Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket, Krabi, Koh Samui, and Chiang Mai will benefit most from this trend.”

    This economic boost, as well the recently reported strong year-end finish to 2015 following the implementation of the government-led boosting measures and incentives, will be discussed by the industry’s leading experts, developers and innovators at the high-level forum that takes place before the awards gala – the Property Report Congress Thailand. The whole day conference on Thursday, 22 September from 09:00 to 15:00, and will be held at the Plaza Athenee Bangkok, a Royal Meridien hotel, the official venue of the Thailand Property Awards.

    On the panel: Srikorn Techarattanaptasert, consultant of title sponsor Hansgrohe; central panel of judges chairman Suphin Mechuchep, JLL Thailand; Terry Blackburn, founder of the Asia Property Awards and managing director of PropertyGuru International; returning judge Professor Dr Manop Bongsadadt, 2016 president of judges panel; and Alexander Kunz, Asia regional director of sponsor Kuppersbusch by Teka
    On the panel: Srikorn Techarattanaptasert, consultant of title sponsor Hansgrohe; central panel of judges chairman Suphin Mechuchep, JLL Thailand; Terry Blackburn, founder of the Asia Property Awards and managing director of PropertyGuru International; returning judge Professor Dr Manop Bongsadadt, 2016 president of judges panel; and Alexander Kunz, Asia regional director of sponsor Kuppersbusch by Teka

    An internationally recognised celebration of the country’s real estate achievements, the Thailand Property Awards 2016 have already begun accepting nominations from developers and the general public starting in late February. The nomination period will close on 8 July, with the official shortlist revealed to the world in the third week of August.

    Entry is free. All successful entries will be supervised by BDO, one of the world’s largest accounting and auditing firms, and the trusted awards supervisor of the Asia Property Awards, which, in its 11th year, is widely recognised for its fairness and transparency.

    This year’s awards programme will be boosted by the support of title sponsor Hansgrohe, a leading global manufacturer of innovative and designer bathroom products, official media partner Property Report, as well as the large network of awards organiser PropertyGuru, Asia’s largest online property portal group.

    “We’re excited to be working with PropertyGuru Group as the Asia Property Awards programme continues to expand in ASEAN in its second decade,” said Terry Blackburn, founder and managing director of the Asia Property Awards. “In trying times like these, Thailand can always depend on exceptional projects that boost investor confidence and elevate market standards. We’re delighted to reward their hard work at the Thailand Property Awards.”

    Suphin will be joined on the esteemed judging panel, which is presided by Dr Manop Bongsadadt, renowned professor of architecture at Bangkok’s Chulalongkorn University, by some of the best-known names in the industry. Aside from the central panel of judges, each region will have its own panel comprising local experts to ensure credibility of the Awards.

    A total of 31 trophies will be presented in 2016, with award categories covering the condominium, housing/villa, hotel, office, and retail segments. A special recognition for Thailand’s Real Estate Personality of Year, whose influence and achievements resonate across the kingdom, will be named by the editors of Property Report prior to the gala night.

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  • HCL Care Wins Asia Retail Excellence Award in ‘Mobile and Telecom Service’

    HCL Care Wins Asia Retail Excellence Award in ‘Mobile and Telecom Service’

    The HCL Care division (HCL Care Services) of HCL Services Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of HCL Infosystems Ltd. (India’s premier IT Services and Distribution Company), has won the prestigious Asia Retail Excellence award in the ‘Mobile and Telecom Service’ category at an award ceremony held in Mumbai. This recognition was conferred on HCL Care Services for providing excellent end-to-end support services for various product categories across locations in India.

    On receiving this recognition, Mr. Sharad Talwar, Head, HCL Care Ltd. said, ” We are honored to receive the prestigious Asia Retail Excellence award in the ‘Mobile and Telecom Service’ category. This award encourages us to continue delivering service excellence and exceptional after-sales support to our customers. Today we provide world-class service support, including setting up exclusive Service Centres to leading OEMs, and are the preferred partner for leading Indian and international brands.”

    HCL Care Services provide support across telecom, IT, consumer electronics and consumer durables products for multiple brands through its contact centres, walk-in centres, on-site support, supply-chain operations, reverse logistics, repair factory and value-added services. HCL Care Services, under its specialized retail outlets ‘Touch’, have a network of more than 300 service centres across 250 cities in India, and serves more than 3 million consumers in a year. HCL Consumer Services has further expanded its retail presence by opening up exclusive service centres for various brands.

    Asia Retail Congress is an important global platform to promote world-class retail practices. The forum is aimed at company chairs, presidents and CEOs from leading international and national retailers, directors of international and national retailers, and directors of international brands, who believe in making a change. Their awards recognize best practices in the retail industry across various categories like fashion, consumer durables, mobile and telecom services, food, travel and hospitality, health, real estate, etc.

  • Hong Kong Airlines wins international acclaim awarded Airline of the Year at ISPY2016

    Hong Kong Airlines wins international acclaim awarded Airline of the Year at ISPY2016

    The spectacular ISPY Gala Awards is a core part of the ISPY programme originated in 1999, an annual four-day event for all inflight retail stakeholders groups.At the ISPY (Inflight Sales Person of the Year) 2016 Gala Awards ceremony held in London, full-service airline Hong Kong Airlines won the much-coveted Airline of the Year Award. The airline’s cabin crew Mr Oscar Cheng and Ms Minerva Tam were awarded silver medals in the category of Product Merchandising Team Award, as well as recognized as the World’s Greatest Selling Cabin Crew 2016.
    The spectacular ISPY Gala Awards is a core part of the ISPY programme originated in 1999, an annual four-day event for all inflight retail stakeholders groups. Before the announcement of the winners, each of the Airline of the Year finalists is required to have an hour-long workshop including a 30-minute presentation followed by a panel discussion and questions from the audience, while the cabin crew are trained and assessed to compete for team and individual awards. This year, 28 world-class airlines including Cathay Pacific, Dragonair, Singapore Airlines, Virgin Atlantic and Air Canada participated in the event to compete for the awards.

    Mr Stanley Kan, Director of Service Delivery of Hong Kong Airlines, said, “Last time, Hong Kong Airlines was the only legacy carrier in Asia amongst the top 4 finalists for Airline of the Year Award, while this year, we are thrilled to be crowned as Airline of the Year – a remarkable progress indeed. Partnering with inflight retail concessionaire DFASS, Hong Kong Airlines has achieved significant improvement in inflight duty free sales services with the launch of innovative initiatives such as professional training and the introduction of the Brand Ambassador Scheme.”

    Aside from the ISPY award, in recent years Hong Kong Airlines garnered a bunch of international acclaims including Asia’s Leading Inflight Service 2015 at the internationally renowned World Travel Awards in October 2015. The airline has been rated as the 4-star airline since 2011 by international specialist research consultant Skytrax. Hong Kong Airlines also won Skytrax World’s Most Improved Airline in 2014, and enlisted the top 10 World’s Best Regional Airline for the first time in 2015.
  • Finalists for the Asia CEO Awards 2015 announced

    Finalists for the Asia CEO Awards 2015 announced

    Asia CEO Awards 2015 has announced the outstanding companies and individuals who made it to list of finalists across its 13 award categories.

    Finalists for KMPG Executive Leadership Team of the Year include Clark Development Corporation, Concepcion Industrial Corporation, Hedcor, Inc., Integrated Micro-Electronics, Inc., Magsaysay Maritime Corporation, Megaworld Corporation, PAG-IBIG Fund, Philex Mining Corporation, Pointwest Technologies Corporation, and Security Bank Corporation.

    SyncHRony Global Top Employer of the Year awards finalists are ADP Philippines, Inc., ANZ Global Services and Operations Manila, Inc., Capital One Philippines Support Services Corporation, Cognizant Technology Solutions Philippines, Inc., HSBC Electronic Data Processing (Philippines), Inc., IBEX Global Solutions Philippines, Inc., LBC Express, Inc., and TATA Consultancy Services (Philippines), Inc.

    The finalists for the Smart Enterprise Global Filipino Executive of the Year Award are Andrew Tan, chairman of Alliance Global Group, Inc.; Arnel Paciano Casanova, presi- dent and CEO of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority; Arthur Tugade, pres- ident and CEO of Clark Development Corpo- ration; Arthur Tan, president and CEO of In- tegrated Micro-Electronics, Inc.; Gilda Pico, president and CEO of Land Bank of the Philippines; Marlon Rono, president of Magsaysay Maritime Corporation; Oscar Reyes, president and CEO of Manila Electric Company (MERALCO); Darlene Marie Berberabe, president and CEO of PAG-IBIG Fund; Frederick Go, president of Robinsons Land Corporation; Alberto Villarosa, chairman of Security Bank Corporation; and Riza Mantaring, president and CEO of Sun Life of Canada (Philippines) Inc.

    JLL Expatriate Executive of the Year Award finalists are Mark Woolfrey, managing director of ANZ Global Services and Operations Manila, Inc.; Tom McCormick, COO of Capital One Philippines Support Services Corporation; Pushkar Misra, president and CEO of Hinduja Global Solutions Philippines, Inc.; David Sutherland, global CEO of International Care Ministries; and Michael Raeuber, group CEO of Royal Cargo, Inc.

    ADP Service Excellence Company of the Year Award finalists are Acquire BPO, Cognizant Technology Solutions, Healthway Medical Clinics, Inc., Infosys BPO Ltd., Lorma Medical Center, Magsaysay Maritime Corporation, Regus Global Service Center, and Seda Hotels.

    SHORE Solutions Most Innovative Company of the Year Award finalists are Bronzeoak Philippines, Inc., LBC Express, Inc., My Checkpoints (Mo-Anima, Inc.), and WiPro Philippines.

    The finalists for the Capital One Young Leader of the Year Award are Raymond Arnedo Abrea, president and CEO of the Abrea Consulting Group, Inc.; Scott Stavretis, CEO of Acquire BPO; Delfin Agnelo Wenceslao, director, president and CEO of D.M. Wenceslao and Associates, Inc.; Iyah Enciso, CEO of FAD School for Modelling; Mario Berta, founder and CEO of Flyspaces.com; Leandro Legarda Leviste, president and CEO of Solar Philippines; Apollo Tiglao, president and CEO of Subic Water and Sewage Co., Inc.; Bryce Maddock, CEO of TaskUs; and Clarissa Isabelle Delgado, CEO of Teach for the Philippines, Inc.

    ADEC Innovations Green Company of the Year Award finalists are Accenture, Inc., Emotors, Inc., Hedcor, Inc., Meralco Industrial Engineering Services Corporation (MIESCOR), Ten Knots Development Corporation/El Nido Resorts, and Tuks+Oil Technology.

    Technology Company of the Year Award finalists include Accenture, Inc., CreditBPO Tech, Inc., Eco-Systems Technologies, Inc., Elabram Systems Group, Freelancer.com, TATA Consultancy Services (Philippines), Inc., and 24/7 Philippines.

    The I-Remit Heart for OFWs Company of the Year Award finalists: ACM Landholdings, Inc., ASKI (Alalay sa Kaunlaran) Global Ltd., Ayannah Information Solutions, Inc., PAG- IBIG Fund OFW Center, PJ Lhuillier Group of Companies, and The Global Filipino Investors, Inc.

    ICM CSR Company of the Year Award finalists: ADP Philippines, Inc., ANZ Global Services and Operations Manila, Inc., BPI Foundation, Capital One Philippines Support Services Corp., Citinickel Mining and Development Corp., Cognizant Technology Solutions Philippines, Inc., Convergys Philippines, Dell Philippines, HSBC Electronic Data Processing (Philippines), Inc., JPMorgan Chase & Co., Megaworld Foundation, Inc., PMFTC, Inc., and Wipro Philippines.

    Philippine Airlines Hospitality Destination of the Year Award finalists: Acacia Hotel Manila, Marriott Manila, New World Makati Hotel, and Nurture Wellness Village.

    TCS ASEAN Company of the Year Award finalists: Hedcor, Inc., Integrated Micro-Electronics, Inc., Jones Lang LaSalle Philippines, Inc., Multimedia Development Corporation, Pointwest Technologies Corporation, and WiproPhilippines.

    Presented by PLDT Alpha Enterprise, the Asia CEO Awards is set to be one of the biggest events of its kind in the Asia Pacific re- gion. Over 1,200 business leaders from the Philippines and across the world are expected to attend this special occasion, which will culminate on November 11, 5:30 p.m., at the Grand Ballroom of the Marriott Hotel Manila.

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  • Candidates Start Lining for Indonesia Property Awards 2016

    Candidates Start Lining for Indonesia Property Awards 2016

    Ensign Media is the publisher of Property Report and the organizer of the event.

    “At the first-ever Property Report Congress held in October, the majority of panelists from Indonesia predicted that the coming year would offer a better outlook for the country as the domestic real estate market continues to evolve and adapt to changes.”

    Great names in Indonesia property industry, including Sinar Mas Land and Ciputra Group, won several trophies in 2015’s first Indonesia Property Award.

    The award has prepared 27 trophies for the next year’s event, with categories covering a range of segments including condominium, housing, villa, hotel, office and retail.

    Commercial real estate services company Colliers International revealed a gloomy report on Jakarta’s office, apartment, retail, hotel and industrial estate market in the third quarter.

    The report said the occupancy in Jakarta’s central business districts in the third quarter 2015 has fallen to 92.7 percent, down “moderately” by 3 percent on a yearly basis.

    Apartment prices witnessed a “minor” increase of 3.4 percent quarterly and 11.2 percent annually to Rp 29.87 million per square meter.

    Occupancy rates in the retail sector dropped 1 percent to 85.3 percent in a year-on-year basis in the third quarter of this year.

    Occupancy in Jakarta’s hotels also dropped by 1.2 percent quarterly to 57.2 percent.

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  • Judges ready and excited for Thailand’s first Entrepreneur Now Awards 2015

    Judges ready and excited for Thailand’s first Entrepreneur Now Awards 2015

    The winners of Thailand’s very first Entrepreneur Now Awards (ENA) 2015 are soon to be announced and the judges are now faced with the daunting task of selecting the winners from over 100 nominations.

    The winners will be announced on November 17th at the ENA Awards Night at Four Points By Sheraton Bangkok.

    The ENA is the brainchild of Pacharee Pantoomano Pfirsch, founder of Bangkok Now (BNOW), one of Bangkok’s networking communities. Pacharee is also an entrepreneur and co-founder of Brand Now, a boutique marketing and PR company based in Thailand.

    “I am honored to have such a prominent panel of judges from the local and international business community, many of who are entrepreneurs with years of experience,” said Pacharee.

    “We have such a wide spectrum of both Thai and foreign nominees from various industries, making the selection of winners a challenging feat,” pointed out Pacharee, adding that the entry deadline for ENA had to be extended by two weeks due to overwhelming response and the high level of interest.

    Through ENA, Pacharee wants to recognize Thai and foreign entrepreneurs operating in the Kingdom of Thailand, as Thailand opens its doors to ASEAN Economic Community (AEC).  The award’s objective is to promote entrepreneurism, attract investors to Thailand and the ASEAN region, and revitalize the Thai economy and the SME sector.

    Judges include Pawoot Pongvitayapanu, Managing Director of founder of Thailand’s largest e-commerce service Rakuten TARAD Co., Ltd serial entrepreneur Fred Mouawad of Synergia One group of companies, Paul Robere, Managing Director of quality management consulting firm Robere & Associates, Lay Cheng Tan, Programme Officer at UNESCO, Michael I. Waitze, Managing Partner, Asia at ventureLab Growth Partners, Juthasree Kuvinichkul of GrabTaxi Thailand and   Conor Bracken, Founder and CEO of localization company Andovar.

    The ENA also hopes to champion the entrepreneurial spirit, cultivate the entrepreneur culture and support the eco-system to sustain it.

    The ENA is a great opportunity for entrepreneurs to highlight their creations and gain recognition for their achievements, said Pawoot, who also serves as ENA’s honorary advisor.

    “Innofficiency is the key to entrepreneurism. This term is derived from the words Innovation and Efficiency. Entrepreneurs are not only creative, but also possess great management skill that leads to efficient management. Entrepreneurs should also think beyond profits and create something that can make a difference in the world while at the same time, pursing their passion,” explained Pawoot.

    The judges applaud the ENA project for its recognition program and for focusing on the achievements of specific individuals and their contributions to the world of business and their society.

    Paul Robere and Fred Mouawad added that the ENA was a wonderful opportunity to recognize, encourage, and promote entrepreneurs in Thailand.  “There is no better way to build the start-up ecosystem than by encouraging budding entrepreneurs to interact, learn, and get inspired by their peers.  Success breeds success, and ENA is a boost to the entire ecosystem of entrepreneurs,” said Fred.

    This was echoed by venture capitalist Michael I Waitze, who added that the entrepreneurial and start up ecosystem is moving from a disjointed collection of participants to a connected group of professionals.  UNESCO’s Lay Cheng observed that globally, entrepreneurship is attracting a lot of attention from policy makers, educators and particularly among the young people, who are drivers of economic growth and innovations.

    Speaking from personal experience, Conor Bracken pointed out that a successful entrepreneurial ecosystem requires more than good ideas and talent. Access to capital and credit, infrastructure, and mentors are equally important.

    “The ENA is a great initiative to promote the ecosystem, providing entrepreneurs with opportunities to learn, fine-tune their business models and open more doors toward their goals,” added GrabTaxi Thailand’s Juthasree Kuvinichkul.

    The nominees will be judged on the following criteria: uniqueness, vision and potential growth, value in Thailand & ASEAN, eco-sustainability, striking achievements and how they overcame challenges.

    A total of 11 awards will be handed out to the following categories: Most Outstanding Male / Female Entrepreneur, The Eco Entrepreneur, The Creative Entrepreneur, The Social Enterprise Entrepreneur, Student Plan,  The Exceptional ASEAN/Foreign Owned Company, The Exceptional Thai Owned Company, The Most Entrepreneurial Team, SME (30 to 100 employees) and Micro Enterprise (less than 30).

    Sponsors for ENA include Thai AirAsia X, Acer, YouGov, Big Picture, Avon and Brand Now.  Partners include the American Chamber of Commerce in Thailand (AMCHAM), Bangkok Entrepreneurs, Bangkok University, Irish Thai Chamber of Commerce, Thai-Italian Chamber of Commerce and UNESCO. Class Act Media is the media partner and Friends include Busy Bees @115, Kliquedesk, ONEDAY, 63 Bangkok and The Hive Bangkok.

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  • SM Investments Corporation bags five awards from Alpha Southeast Asia magazine

    SM Investments Corporation bags five awards from Alpha Southeast Asia magazine

    SM Investments Corporation (SM) bagged five awards from Alpha Southeast Asia magazine based on a poll of investors.

    SM topped four categories under the 5th Annual Southeast Asia’s Institutional Investor Awards for Corporates. These are Most Organised Investor Relations for the fifth year in a row; Best Senior Management Investor Relations Support; Best Strategic Corporate Social Responsibility. SM was also named among the companies with the Most Consistent Dividend Policy.

    SM’s Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Mr. Jose T. Sio was likewise named Best Chief Finance Officer (CFO) in the Philippines for the fourth time in a row. Mr. Sio is known for his financial prudence while strongly supporting the phenomenal growth of the SM group of companies.

    Mr. Sio is a certified public accountant with a master’s degree in Business Administration from New York University. He was a senior partner at Sycip Gorres Velayo & Co. prior to joining SM in November 1990.

    “We are grateful for this recognition by Alpha Southeast Asia which continues to inspire us to strive for excellence. We also thank our investors who continue to put their trust in the company,” SM EVP and CFO Jose T. Sio said.

    The awards presentation for the Philippine winners will be held on September 1, 2015 at the Makati Shangri-La.

    The poll is based on tallied votes among 520 investors and analysts across the region as well as the US and Europe. These included fund managers with investment interests in Southeast Asia, large institutional investors, insurance companies, pension funds, funds of hedge funds, private banks, equity and fixed income brokers as well as buy and sell-side analysts.

    Alpha Southeast Asia is a monthly magazine primarily written for institutional investors, asset and fund management companies in Hong Kong, Singapore, other parts of Asia, US, Europe and the Middle East. The magazine also has a strong following among the region’s largest local corporates.