Retail News CRM

Tag: Boosts

  • BNP Paribas Boosts Philanthropy Efforts with New Donor-Advised Fund Platform in Asia

    BNP Paribas Boosts Philanthropy Efforts with New Donor-Advised Fund Platform in Asia

    BNP Paribas Wealth Management has bolstered its philanthropic operations by unveiling a new donor-advised fund (DAF) platform in Asia. The platform, dubbed the “BNP Paribas Bridge Foundation,” is dedicated to assisting Asian entrepreneurs, affluent individuals, and family-run enterprises seeking a robust, well-governed method for conducting philanthropic activities.

    The Foundation operates within the framework of Singapore’s financial and legal system, supervised by a governance board comprising both internal and external professionals. The team’s expertise spans philanthropy, impact investing, and the Asian charitable sector.

    A DAF is a specialized structure intended for philanthropic contributions. Its primary advantages include potential tax benefits and the retention of advisory rights.

    The rise of philanthropy as a key aspect of the entrepreneurial journey in Asia is notable, shifting the focus from wealth accumulation to creating a lasting legacy. The Bridge Foundation caters to this vision by offering a secure and efficient platform for philanthropic donations, adhering to the highest standards of governance and compliance. Arnaud Tellier, BNP Paribas Wealth Management’s CEO in Asia-Pacific, emphasized this point in his remarks on the launch.

    Questions & Answers

    What is the BNP Paribas Bridge Foundation?
    The BNP Paribas Bridge Foundation is a newly launched donor-advised fund platform in Asia by BNP Paribas Wealth Management. It aims to assist Asian entrepreneurs, high net worth individuals, and family offices in their philanthropic activities.

    What are the advantages of a donor-advised fund (DAF)
    A DAF is a vehicle specifically designed for charitable giving. The main benefits include potential tax advantages and the retention of advisory privileges.

    How does the BNP Paribas Bridge Foundation operate?
    The Foundation operates within the framework of Singapore’s financial and legal system. It is governed by a board consisting of both internal and external professionals with experience across philanthropy, impact investing, and the Asian charitable sector.

  • Vietjet Boosts Fleet with 44 Pratt & Whitney-Powered Airbus A320neos: A Stride Towards Fuel Efficiency

    Vietjet Boosts Fleet with 44 Pratt & Whitney-Powered Airbus A320neos: A Stride Towards Fuel Efficiency

    Vietjet Air recently revealed its partnership with Pratt & Whitney, an international leader in the production and servicing of aircraft engines, to supply its 44 Airbus A320neo airliners with Geared Turbofan (GTF) engines. This new order brings the total number of GTF-powered aircraft ordered by Vietjet to 137.

    Order Details

    The new order comprises 24 A321neo and 20 A321XLR aircraft. The first batch of deliveries is slated to begin in July 2026. Besides supplying the GTF engines, Pratt & Whitney has pledged to offer Vietjet engine maintenance services under a 12-year EngineWise comprehensive maintenance plan.

    “The GTF engine is powering our growth with industry-leading operating economics and fuel efficiency of up to 20% lower than earlier aircraft,” commented Vietjet’s managing director Nguyen Thanh Son.

    In 2018, Vietjet received its initial A321neo aircraft. Currently, the airline operates 42 A321neo aircraft, all powered by GTF engines. The airline’s future plans include outfitting a total of 93 aircraft in its fleet with this specific engine variant.

    Benefits and Commitments

    Rick Deurloo, the president and chief commercial officer of Pratt & Whitney, acknowledged that the latest order would allow Vietjet to fully leverage the merits of one of the most efficient engines for single-aisle aircraft. He also reiterated Pratt & Whitney’s enduring commitment to assisting the airline’s network expansion.

    Compared to previous-generation engines, the GTF engine slashes fuel consumption by up to 20% and noise levels by 75%. To date, over 2,600 GTF-powered aircraft have been delivered to more than 90 customers around the world.

    Network Expansion

    Vietjet currently manages an extensive Asia-Pacific network, connecting Vietnam and Thailand with locations in Australia, India, Kazakhstan, China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea. The airline has plans for a steady expansion towards Europe.

    Questions & Answers

    What is the significance of the new order with Pratt & Whitney?
    The new order will allow Vietjet to achieve maximum fuel efficiency and reduced noise levels, making it one of the most efficient engines for single-aisle aircraft.

    What are the future plans of Vietjet regarding the use of GTF engines?
    Vietjet intends to equip a total of 93 aircraft in its fleet with GTF engines, extending the benefits of fuel efficiency and reduced noise levels across its operations.

    How does the GTF engine compare to previous generation engines?
    Compared to its predecessors, the GTF engine can reduce fuel consumption by up to 20% and noise levels by 75%, making it a more efficient and environmentally friendly option.

  • Hollister Boosts Hong Kong Presence with New Store at K11 Art Mall: A Fusion of American Vintage and Chinese New Year Collections”

    Hollister Boosts Hong Kong Presence with New Store at K11 Art Mall: A Fusion of American Vintage and Chinese New Year Collections”

    Hollister, an offspring of Abercrombie & Fitch Co., has broadened its physical retail footprint in Hong Kong with the launch of a new store at K11 Art Mall.

    Store Design and Offerings

    The store’s interior design is a reflection of Hollister’s American-vintage theme, featuring wooden floors, navy accents, and an open layout. The window displays are currently showcasing Chinese New Year merchandise, and the festive design elements can also be observed in the fitting-room areas.

    Hollister’s new store offers a wide range of its core apparel lines, inclusive of denim, casual wear, and seasonal collections. Denim continues to be a major focus at the K11 Art Mall store, boasting a diverse offering of baggy, flare, and straight-leg fits available in multiple sizes.

    In addition to the standard offerings, the store has stocked up on new seasonal ranges. This includes the Love Hollister collection and a Chinese New Year capsule designed to celebrate the Year of the Horse. The latter features hoodies and sweatshirts adorned with red-toned updates.

    Hollister’s Growing Presence in Hong Kong

    The launch of the K11 Art Mall store highlights Hollister’s continued commitment to expanding its brick-and-mortar presence in Hong Kong. This comes at a time when international fashion brands are sustaining their investments in physical stores, parallel to their digital channels.

    Abercrombie & Fitch experienced a surge in sales last year, posting record second-quarter numbers. Hollister played a significant role in this growth, contributing a 19 per cent increase in sales.

    Questions & Answers

    What is the design concept of Hollister’s new store at K11 Art Mall?
    The store follows Hollister’s American-vintage concept with wooden flooring, navy accents, and an open layout.

    What clothing lines does the new Hollister store carry?
    The store carries Hollister’s core apparel lines, including denim, casual wear, and seasonal collections. It also offers a Chinese New Year capsule and the Love Hollister collection.

    How did Hollister contribute to Abercrombie & Fitch’s growth last year?
    Hollister significantly contributed to Abercrombie & Fitch’s growth last year, accounting for a 19 per cent increase in sales.

  • WhatsApp Boosts Social Media Appeal with New Drafts Feature: No More Lost Status Updates!

    WhatsApp Boosts Social Media Appeal with New Drafts Feature: No More Lost Status Updates!

    WhatsApp, the widely-used messaging app, is once again evolving into a more social media-centric platform with the anticipated introduction of a new feature already available on its sister platforms, Facebook and Instagram. This progression is altering the app’s primary focus from being a messaging platform to integrating more traditional social media elements.

    Status Drafts Soon to be Available on WhatsApp

    The status feature of WhatsApp has been embraced by billions of users around the globe. However, if you’ve ever begun typing an extensive status and got interrupted, you’re familiar with the ensuing frustration as your status disappears, if you exit the app. A new development indicates that this inconvenience is about to be addressed.

    The latest version of WhatsApp appears to have code that suggests the imminent introduction of a “save as draft” feature for status updates. This means that if you exit the application while in the middle of composing a status, you won’t have to start over.

    This capability is expected to work similarly to Instagram. When you attempt to exit the status editor, a pop-up will appear, querying whether you want to save your status before exiting. You will be provided with the options to either save as a draft, discard your status, or continue editing. Once saved, the status will appear as a draft the next time the creation screen is opened.

    However, while this new feature is certainly useful, it does pose a potential downside concerning storage. Forgotten drafts and continuous creation of new statuses may cause WhatsApp to consume more space than usual on user devices. Similar issues have been observed with Instagram, where stored data can accumulate over time.

    Nonetheless, it will be intriguing to see how WhatsApp navigates this challenge once the feature is launched. One possible solution could be the automatic deletion of drafts after a specific period.

    A Convenient Upgrade

    While it may not seem like a significant shift, the ability to save drafts is a valuable improvement. It not only saves time but brings WhatsApp closer to aligning with other Meta-owned apps like Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. For those who regularly use statuses (essentially WhatsApp’s version of Instagram Stories), this enhancement will be appreciatively welcomed.

    There’s no official launch timeline for the feature yet, but it is expected to be part of the next stable release of the app.

    Additionally, WhatsApp is experimenting with features that allow support for multiple accounts on a single device. The app was recently made compatible with the Apple Watch and introduced passkey-encrypted backups, enabling users to secure their backups with their fingerprint, face, or phone lock code.

    Questions & Answers

    What new feature is WhatsApp introducing?
    WhatsApp is introducing a new feature that will allow users to save their status updates as drafts.

    How will the new ‘Save as Draft’ feature work?
    If users exit the app while creating a status, a pop-up will appear asking whether they want to save their current status as a draft. If saved, the status will appear as a draft the next time the status creation screen is opened.

    Are there any potential downsides to the new feature?
    The ‘Save as Draft’ feature may cause the app to consume more storage on users’ devices due to the accumulation of saved drafts.

  • China Mobile Boosts Global Connectivity with Pioneering 2Africa and SEA-H2X Submarine Cable Initiatives

    China Mobile Boosts Global Connectivity with Pioneering 2Africa and SEA-H2X Submarine Cable Initiatives

    In the first half of November 2025, China Mobile achieved substantial growth in its underwater cable investments, strengthening its influence in promoting worldwide digital connectivity.

    China Mobile Activates 2Africa Submarine Cable

    In Nairobi, Kenya, China Mobile spearheaded a significant event to mark the activation of the 2Africa submarine cable’s eastern sections, connecting South Africa, Kenya, Djibouti, Marseille, and Egypt. The event aimed to showcase next-generation infrastructure and intelligent connectivity platforms, designed to speed up digital transformation for African service providers and businesses.

    Guo Haiyan, the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Kenya, emphasized that digital cooperation is becoming a crucial component of collaboration between China and Africa. The activation of the 2Africa submarine cable’s eastern section and the introduction of China Mobile’s AI+ Cloud-Network Convergence Industry Solutions are a testament to the robustness of China-Africa digital collaboration.

    Furthermore, she noted that Kenya is a crucial ally for China in pursuing digital transformation and pledged to continue sharing expertise to bolster Africa’s digital economy. Guo expressed hope that both nations would intensify collaboration to create an open and inclusive digital governance ecosystem that encourages mutual growth and prosperity.

    Simultaneously, Hon. William Kabogo Gitau, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Information, Communications, and the Digital Economy, hailed the 2Africa project as a significant achievement in China-Africa collaboration. He believed the activation of the eastern section would greatly improve East Africa’s international communications capacity and strengthen digital connections between China and Africa.

    Li Huidi, Executive Vice President of China Mobile, stressed that AI and 5G technologies are powering Africa’s economic transformation and expressed readiness to cooperate closely with Kenya and other African countries to establish an intelligent foundation by integrating 2Africa cable resources and enhancing AI computing capabilities.

    SEA-H2X Cable Reaches Hong Kong

    In another notable achievement, China Mobile successfully completed the landing of the Hong Kong segment of the Southeast Asia-Hainan-Hong Kong (SEA-H2X) international submarine cable, marking an important milestone in the construction of the high-capacity network system.

    As the principal initiator and primary investor of the SEA-H2X project, China Mobile oversaw the Hong Kong landing, ensuring its smooth and timely execution.

    China Mobile’s investment in the SEA-H2X project strengthens its core capabilities in digital communication in the Asia-Pacific region and improves its overall competitiveness in global telecommunications. This venture laid a robust network foundation for the long-term growth of the regional digital economy and injected sustained impetus into worldwide digital interconnectivity.

    Questions & Answers

    What is the significance of the 2Africa submarine cable’s activation?
    The activation of the 2Africa submarine cable’s eastern sections presents a crucial step in enhancing digital collaboration between China and Africa. It will significantly improve East Africa’s international communications capacity and strengthen digital connections between the two regions.

    What is the SEA-H2X international submarine cable?
    The SEA-H2X is a high-capacity network system connecting several strategic locations across Asia. China Mobile successfully completed the landing of the Hong Kong segment of the SEA-H2X cable, marking a key milestone in its construction.

    How does China Mobile’s investment in SEA-H2X impact the company and the region?
    China Mobile’s investment in the SEA-H2X project solidifies its core strengths in digital communication in the Asia-Pacific region, enhancing its competitiveness in global telecommunications. It provides a robust network foundation for the growth of the regional digital economy and boosts worldwide digital interconnectivity.

  • Deutsche Bank Boosts Thailand Operations with Ex-Julius Baer Exec Appointment

    Deutsche Bank Boosts Thailand Operations with Ex-Julius Baer Exec Appointment

    Deutsche Bank Private Bank has appointed a former executive from Julius Baer’s onshore Thailand joint venture to their private wealth team. Penluck Sriboonruang has taken the post of vice president on the Thailand team, now based in Singapore and reporting directly to Paul Handley, the Southeast Asia market head.

    Professional Experience

    Sriboonruang brings with her a vast amount of experience, having worked for over seven years in the field. Her previous roles include being a senior private banker at the Thailand joint venture SCB-Julius Baer, as well as a team leader at the Bangkok-based Siam Commercial Bank.

    A representative for Deutsche Bank Private Bank has confirmed the details of Sriboonruang’s appointment.

    Questions & Answers

    Who has Deutsche Bank Private Bank appointed to their private wealth unit?
    Deutsche Bank Private Bank has appointed Penluck Sriboonruang to their private wealth unit.

    What is Penluck Sriboonruang’s role in Deutsche Bank?
    Penluck Sriboonruang has been appointed as the vice president in the Thailand team at Deutsche Bank Private Bank.

    What is her professional background?
    Penluck Sriboonruang has over seven years of combined experience at Thailand joint venture SCB-Julius Baer, where she was a senior private banker, and Bangkok-based Siam Commercial Bank, where she was a team leader.

  • Coca-cola Q3 Report: Revenue Boost Amid Challenging Market, Category & Regional Performance Explored

    Coca-cola Q3 Report: Revenue Boost Amid Challenging Market, Category & Regional Performance Explored

    In the third quarter, Coca-Cola revealed a 5% increase in net revenue, rising to $19.2 billion. Their organic revenue also observed a 6% increase during this period.

    Challenging Market Conditions

    James Quincey, the Chairman and CEO of Coca-Cola, acknowledged the challenging market conditions, yet credited the company’s impressive performance to their diverse beverage portfolio and the unique strengths of their franchise model.

    Growth Across Regions

    Unit case volume increased by 1% during the third quarter. This growth was driven by increasing sales in specific regions such as Central Asia, North Africa, Brazil and the UK.

    Category Performance

    The performance varied across the different beverage categories. Sparkling soft drink volumes remained stable, with a 1% growth in unit case volume. This growth was primarily driven by gains in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and the Asia Pacific region.

    Coca-Cola Zero Sugar saw a considerable increase in sales, with a 14% rise across all regions. Diet Coke and Coca-Cola Light also performed well, with a 2% increase predominantly due to growth in North America and the Asia Pacific region.

    However, not all categories experienced growth. Sparkling flavours saw a 1% decline as gains in Europe, the Middle East and Africa were offset by weaker results in the Asia Pacific region. Additionally, juice, value-added dairy and plant-based beverages saw a 3% decline.

    Conversely, water saw a 3% increase across all regions, sports drinks rose 3% due to growth in North America, and coffee grew 2%, driven by the Asia Pacific and Europe, Middle East and Africa regions.

    Refranchising Strategy

    Coca-Cola also made advancements in its refranchising strategy during the quarter. Coca-Cola HBC AG agreed to obtain a controlling interest in Coca-Cola Beverages Africa, furthering the company’s shift towards a franchise-focused model. In a separate transaction, the company completed the sale of a 40% stake in Hindustan Coca-Cola to the Jubilant Bhartia Group.

    The company confirmed that its productivity programs have helped counter inflationary pressures and have supported investment in areas such as digital and omnichannel capabilities.

    Future Projections

    Coca-Cola anticipates generating a minimum of $15 billion in free cash flow for the remainder of the fiscal year and affirmed that it is on track to meet its full-year guidance. Looking further ahead, Quincey expressed confidence in the company’s ability to meet its 2025 guidance while also working towards achieving its long-term objectives.

    Questions & Answers

    Does Coca-Cola expect to meet its full-year guidance?

    Yes, Coca-Cola confirmed that it expects to meet its full-year guidance.

    Which regions contributed to the growth of Coca-Cola?

    The growth in the third quarter was largely driven by increasing sales in regions such as Central Asia, North Africa, Brazil and the UK.

    What was the result of Coca-Cola’s refranchising strategy in the third quarter?

    During the third quarter, Coca-Cola HBC AG agreed to obtain a controlling interest in Coca-Cola Beverages Africa, furthering the company’s shift towards a franchise-focused model. Additionally, the company completed the sale of a 40% stake in Hindustan Coca-Cola to the Jubilant Bhartia Group.