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Tag: Malaysia

  • Nazir Razak steps down as CIMB chairman, succeeded by Mohd Nasir Ahmad

    Nazir Razak steps down as CIMB chairman, succeeded by Mohd Nasir Ahmad

    CIMB Group Holdings Bhd has received Bank Negara Malaysia’s approval for the appointment of Datuk Mohd Nasir Ahmad as the group chairman effective tomorrow. He will succeed Datuk Seri Nazir Razak, who is stepping down last week.

    On Sept 24, Nazir announced his intention to retire from his position as the group chairman and all other positions within the CIMB group of companies by year-end.

    Nazir had served CIMB for 29 years since 1989, including as group CEO for 15 years and as group chairman since 2014. Under his leadership, CIMB grew from a fledgling corporate finance franchise into a top Malaysian investment bank, and was later transformed into a leading universal bank in Asean.

    Meanwhile, Mohd Nasir has been a member of the group’s board of directors (BOD) since 2015, and its senior independent director since April 2016.

    As part of this appointment, he will relinquish his positions as senior independent director and chairman of the audit committee. However, he will remain as a member of the group BOD’s audit committee, risk committee and group nomination & remuneration committee.

    Mohd Nasir is a chartered accountant by training and a fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), UK. He is also a council member of the ACCA Global Council. He has 39 years of corporate experience through companies such as Tenaga Nasional Bhd, including in CEO positions at Syarikat Permodalan Kebangsaan Bhd and Perbadanan Usahawan Nasional Bhd. He is the group chairman of Media Prima Bhd, as well as an independent director of CIMB Bank Bhd, SIRIM Bhd and Sistem Televisyen Malaysia Bhd.

    “I am delighted that following the Sept 24 announcement of my intention to retire, the board has been able to appoint my successor quickly from within the group board, and someone capable of taking over immediately. I am, therefore, relinquishing all my positions in the CIMB group with effect from today. Naturally, I will make myself available to assist the new chairman in any way to ensure a smooth transition,” Nazir said in a statement on Mohd Nasir’s appointment.

    CIMB group’s BOD and chairperson of group nomination & remuneration committee Teoh Su Yin said Mohd Nasir’s substantial corporate experience in various capacities and leadership roles, coupled with his three-year directorship on the CIMB group board, will provide valuable guidance and continuity during this time of transition and CIMB’s continued evolution.

    “The board looks forward to his stewardship as the group shapes its next mid-term growth strategy. The board would also like to record its appreciation to Nazir under whose tenure CIMB grew and became a leading Asean financial institution, and we wish him all the very best for the future.”

    CIMB group CEO Tengku Zafrul Aziz said the group looks forward to being guided by Mohd Nasir as it starts executing its next mid-term growth plan in 2019, which will focus on, among others, the people, customers, digital and sustainability.

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  • First Victoria’s Secret Lingerie Store to open in Malaysia

    First Victoria’s Secret Lingerie Store to open in Malaysia

    The first full-range Victoria’s Secret Malaysia store has opened. Located in Mid Valley Megamall, the boutique has been launched by the US brand’s regional partner Valiram Group, which is also behind Victoria’s Secret stores in Macau, Bali and Singapore, (but not Hong Kong and Mainland China). It is reportedly planning more stores in Jakarta, Bangkok and Melbourne, Australia.

    The Kuala Lumpur store takes up 8233sqft, and has dedicated space for diffusion lines Pink and Victoria Sport, as well as the beauty products and perfume ranges stocked in earlier Victoria’s Secret stores in Malaysia.

    Many celebrities attended a formal opening earlier this month and social media key influencers including Joi Lynn have been photographed at the store.

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  • Malaysia, Japan in talks on Asian aircraft project

    Malaysia, Japan in talks on Asian aircraft project

    Malaysia is in discussions with the Japanese government for an Asian aircraft project, which is still at the ideation stage, with Malaysia looking at possibly supplying components. Entrepreneur Development Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Redzuan Yusof said the idea, envisioned to be like Airbus, for an Asian aircraft came from the Japanese government.

    “They (Japanese government) invited us to consider participating in the Asian aircraft project in view that we have the base here in relation to what we do to support the global aircraft industry, namely CTRM (Composites Technology Research Malaysia Sdn Bhd) is supplying tier 2 (aerospace parts) to Airbus. That will become our base to open up more if the ideation from Japan do materialise in the near future,” he told a press conference at the Malaysian Economic Summit 2018 today.

    He said it has not prepared the framework of its understanding between the various countries in Asia for the project, given that there is only an ideation coined.

    Adding that it has yet to have the first meeting, he hopes the next engagement will be held in late November in Japan.

    “I interacted with the Japanese counterpart. They coined the idea of having an Asian aircraft using the entrepreneurship kind of approach to develop this vendor (system), which is already in the industry, expand their capacity and capability, reaching certain level then combining our resources and technology to realise (this project).”

    Meanwhile, he said the Ministry of Entrepreneur Development (MED) is reviewing all the policies and initiatives regarding the development of entrepreneurs and SMEs with the intent to make it more holistic, integrated and targeted.

    Mohd Redzuan said it is the ministry’s mission to widen and coordinate entrepreneurial activities to be more targeted, inclusive, encompassing all segments of society including the B40s and M40s.

    “MED will focus among others on providing proper training and facilitation for entrepreneurs based on industry needs such as business advisory, loans and funding to stimulate the interest of potential and new entrepreneurs to establish their own startups. At the same time, assistance will be extended to them to ensure growth and sustainability of their businesses,” he said.

    He said it is the mandate of MED to provide support and facilitation to local entrepreneurs so that they may move forward and withstand the competition and challenges of the global market.

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  • Malaysia to focus more on pollution charge on single-use plastics by 2021

    Malaysia to focus more on pollution charge on single-use plastics by 2021

    The government is working towards implementing a pollution charge for single-use plastics which will be imposed on fixed premises at a rate of 20 sen or higher, to be determined by state governments through local councils. They include premises such as hypermarkets, supermarkets, department stores, convenience stores, fast food restaurants, petrol station convenience store, chain stores and pharmacies.

    Minister of Energy, Science, Technology and Climate Change Yeo Bee Yin said the federal government is giving state governments the liberty to determine the rate, and to decide the implementation time frame between 2019 until 2021, marking the first phase of the Roadmap Towards Zero Single-Use Plastics 2018-2030, which was launched in conjunction with the Greentech & Eco Products Exhibition & Conference Malaysia (IGEM 2018) today.

    “We have already engaged with the ruling government states as well as the opposition states. Everyone has already agreed to the plan and said they want to do this as well together,” she said at the event.

    Yeo said the goal is to address the lack of uniformity in the use of single-use plastics with such initiatives already being in effect in some states and result in the improvement and increase in the production and use of bio-degradable bags.
    She believes the charges will not be passed on consumers but instead encourage a change in behaviour and lead to people eventually using shopping bags.

    Yeo said the money collected from the levy will be ploughed back for green initiatives, creating awareness and reusable shopping bags.

    Phase two of the roadmap which will go on between 2022 and 2025 may see the levy being extended to manufacturers and non-fixed premises.

    Meanwhile, the government has cancelled 155.7256 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy feed-in tariff (FiT) projects due to unfavourable response in September 2018 and instead opened up 114.5682 MW FiT projects for qualified applicants.

    Additionally, the Sustainable Energy Development Authority of Malaysia rolled out the country’s first solar photovoltaic (PV) monitoring system, which is a database connected to grid’s nationwide meant to monitor the performance of solar PVs on a real-time basis.

    Keeping up with that, the country’s first insurance plan for solar PVs was launched this week.

    The initiative is under Seda in collaboration with Allianz Malaysia Bhd and the Malaysian Photovoltaic Industry Association. This scheme is aimed at protecting residential solar PV users.

    On another note, the government will introduce Building Energy Intensity labelling as part of its efforts to promote voluntary adoption of energy efficiency in the building sector. This is along with a renewed push for the adoption of energy performance contracting for government buildings next year.

    Yeo said capital for the retrofitting projects will be derived from the private sector, with any cost savings derived to be shared between both parties.
    She said there can be savings if the government is able to save some 20% of its annual electricity costs. This in turn will translate into a return of investment and profit for investors.

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  • Bank proposals value Uber at US$120b in possible IPO: Report

    Bank proposals value Uber at US$120b in possible IPO: Report

    Uber Technologies Inc could be valued at US$120 billion (RM498 billion) when it finally goes public next year according to recent proposals made by US banks, citing people familiar with the matter. The ride-hailing company’s most recent valuation was pegged at US$76 billion, following a US$500 million investment from Toyota Motor Corp in August.

    As reported in late September that Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley were in pole position to secure top roles in Uber IPO.

    Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley last month delivered the valuation proposals to Uber, the report said.

    Uber and smaller rival Lyft have been actively preparing to go public next year. While Lyft has hired IPO advisory firm Class V Group LLC, Uber is behind in its preparations.

    Uber hired Nelson Chai as its chief financial officer in August, filling a long-standing vacancy and clearing the way for its much-anticipated IPO.

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  • Malaysia govt to introduce building energy intensity labelling this Saturday

    Malaysia govt to introduce building energy intensity labelling this Saturday

    The government will be introducing building energy intensity (BEI) labelling for buildings as part of its efforts to promote voluntary adoption of energy efficiency in the building sector. It is likely to start with government buildings for starters.

    The initiative will be launched at the energy efficiency town hall session to be held on Saturday.

    Energy, Science, Technology and Climate Change Minister Yeo Bee Yin said during her speech at the International Greentech & Eco Products Exhibition & Conference Malaysia (IGEM) that the initiative will entail the rating of buildings with between 1-5 stars for energy efficiency.

    “This is the first step where we want government buildings to be labelled between 1-5stars for energy efficiency,” she added.

    In addition, Yeo said the government will also be aggressively stepping up the adoption of energy performance contracting (EPC) for government buildings next year. The initiative was initiated in 2013.

    “There are about 5,000 government buildings in Malaysia. Just imagine how much money we can save by retro-fitting (these) buildings by making the building electricity efficient,” she noted.

    Malaysia’s energy consumption in buildings comprised 14% of total energy consumption and 52.4% of electricity consumption in 2016.

    Internationally, the building sector is regarded as one of the most cost-effective sectors to reduce energy consumption.

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  • TIGERS to expand China and Malaysia as e-commerce booms

    TIGERS to expand China and Malaysia as e-commerce booms

    Global e-commerce fulfilment expert Tigers has opened an office in Suzhou, China, and a new fulfilment centre in Selangor, Malaysia, as part of ongoing expansion plans to serve the region’s booming e-tail market. The new e-Fulfilment Logistics Centre in Selangor is Tigers’ second Malaysian operation, after the automotive fulfilment centre in Kota Kinabalu, East Malaysia.

    The new Suzhou office is located 30 minutes from Shanghai, China, where Tigers has recently opened a new facility to meet growing e-customer demand in both the business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-customer (B2C) sectors.

    “China and South East Asia are two of the fastest growing regions in the world for online retail, and we will continue to support that growth by providing state-of-the-art facilities to meet customer demand,” said Andrew Jillings, Chief Executive Officer and Group Managing Director, Tigers.

    Tigers specialises in e-commerce fulfilment, transportation, and supply chain solutions across a wide range of industries, including automotive, fashion, outdoor and active lifestyle, health, technology, wine, and perishables.

    “Suzhou is the perfect location for Tigers, and our historic city is fast becoming a hub for international logistics organisations,” said Edison Zhang, General Manager – Sales, China, Tigers.

    “We are experiencing strong sales activity in Suzhou, and there are plans for further expansion into the Chinese market, where we already have 15 locations.”

    The 10,000 sq ft Selangor facility will operate as a headquarter for sea freight, e-commerce, and logistics, and is located 20 minutes away from Port Klang, 40 minutes from Kuala Lumpur International Airport, and one hour from Kuala Lumpur city centre.

    The automotive fulfilment centre in Kota Kinabalu is a 12,000 sq ft (1,115 sq m) facility, which supplies the entire East Malaysia region with a spare parts delivery service on a B2B basis.

    The new facilities in Asia follow the opening of a new office at Frankfurt Airport in Germany in July, which will act as a gateway to Europe by creating a trade lane between Germany and South Africa.

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  • Malaysia’s TM hires four new board members

    Malaysia’s TM hires four new board members

    Telekom Malaysia (TM) has appointed four new directors to the company’s board, following the resignation of David Benello as an independent non-executive director. The new directors are Dato’ Asri Hamidin @ Hamidon, Dato’ Mohd Naim Daruwish, Hisham Zainal Mokhtar and Saheran Suhendran. Asri Hamidin is appointed as a non-independence non-executive director representing the special shareholder, Minister of Finance (Inc) on the board. Mohd Naim has been made a non-independent non-executive director representing the interests of the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) which is a major shareholder of the Malaysian incumbent.

    Asri is currently the deputy secretary general (investment) at the Ministry of Finance, while Mohd Naim is currently the deputy chief executive (operations) of EPF. Hisham and Saheran were appointed as the independent non-executive directors. Hisham is currently a director in the group MD’s office at Malaysian Industrial Development Finance Bhd, while Saheran is currently a consultant at Messrs Chua Associates.

    All the board appointment took effect on October 3.

    TM also announced that Farid Basir has joined the telco as its new chief human capital officer (CHCO). Farid, taking over the position previously covered by Suhaimi Sulong as the acting CHCO since early this year, assumed his new role on October 1.

    Prior to his appointment, Farid was the CHCO at Bank Rakyat for almost three years.

    Cisco names Herman Lam as MD for HK & Macau

    Cisco has appointed Herman Lam as managing director for Hong Kong and Macau.

    The company has also announced that Barbara Chiu, vice president of Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, will retire by end of October.

    Cisco said Lam brings to the table over 25 years of experience in IT industry combined with a wealth of leadership and management experience gained with leading technology firms.

    Prior to joining Cisco, Lam’s previous stints include CEO of Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company, and general manager of Microsoft Hong Kong.

    Commenting on the appointment, Cisco Greater China chief executive officer Hera Siu said Lam’s “unique blend of experience and knowledge, complemented by extraordinary vision and operational expertise within large organizations,” will bring valuable insights to the company.

    “I also want to thank Barbara, who has had an immeasurable impact on Cisco’s success and express my utmost appreciation for her devotion and leadership during the past 12 years,” Siu noted.

    21Vianet appoints Wing-Dar Ker as DYXnet Group’s CEO

    Chinese carrier-neutral network service provider DYXnet Group has announced that Wing-Dar Ker has been appointed as the company’s new CEO.

    He takes over the position from company founder and CEO Lap Man, who will continue to serve the group as adviser.

    The appointment was made by 21Vianet Group, parent company of DYXnet Group and one of China’s carriers and cloud-neutral internet data center service providers.

    Wing is also president of Shanghai Blue Cloud Technologies Co Ltd, 21Vianet Group’s other wholly-owned subsidiary.

    The move is aimed at facilitating greater collaboration between DYXnet Group and Blue Cloud, while exploring and capitalizing on synergies, 21Vianet said.

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  • First humanless retail store launched in Malaysia

    First humanless retail store launched in Malaysia

    The way Malaysians buy and sell products is set to be disrupted with the introduction of a revolutionary humanless retail technology called BingoBox Retail Technology. Launched recently, the state-of-the-art, BingoBox Retail Technology is the brainchild of Scientific Retail Sdn Bhd (Scientific Retail), a joint venture between a group of visionary Malaysian shareholders and BingoBox, the pioneer of the humanless and cashless convenience store in China and the world.

    In an effort to bring added value to Malaysian retailers and consumers, Scientific Retail has further enhanced the technology. BingoBox Retail Technology offers retailers an exciting, cost-efficient and practical avenue to market and sell their products. The easy availability and accesses-ability of the 24-hour unmanned store will provide consumers a simple and seamless shopping experience. Furthermore, smart entrepreneurs are also invited to create novel ideas leveraging on this technology to spearhead new business ventures.

    Ng Seong Ping, Chief Executive Officer of Scientific Retail alongside honoured guests Chen Zilin, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of BingoBox China; Shairan Huzani Husain, Managing Director of Shell Malaysia Trading Sdn Bhd and Shell Timur Sdn Bhd; Christopher Tiffin, Chief Executive Officer of Boost; and Remus Shai Meng Choon, Chief Executive Officer of Ximplicity Sdn Bhd officiated the launch of BingoBox Retail Technology.

    During the launch event, Ng said, “We at, Scientific Retail, were inspired by the growth and success of BingoBox, which launched its flagship store in June 2016. To date, BingoBox has been successfully installed in over 400 locations throughout China. We believe that this technology coupled with local enhancement will be ideal for the Malaysian market and we are delighted to be the first partner outside of China to introduce this technology.”

    “The cashless and unmanned store has many advantages including cost savings, improved convenience, and greater security. It also provides accurate data analytics, enabling business owners to understand consumers’ preferences, subsequently allowing them to customise their offerings to appeal to the targeted market segments.”

    “Our technology can cater to all types of businesses and across industries, from fashion to F&B, traditional retail to consumer electronics. The flexibility of this platform also allows unmanned stores to be placed at diverse locations including high rise residential and commercial towers, educational institutions and transportation hubs, amongst many others,” he added.

    “We have generated a lot of interest from various sectors for this technology, and we are looking forward to seeing about 500 retailers using our technology in Malaysia by the end of 2019. As a socially responsible corporate citizen, we are also committed to supporting small-sized brick-and-mortar retailers to grow its business and gain a competitive edge via BingoBox Retail Technology.”

    BingoBox Retail Technology features a highly advanced image recognition system that can auto-detect products. It also has sophisticated monitoring and interactive systems, including facial recognition, patented artificial intelligence and theft prevention. All these will come together cohesively to provide unparalleled convenience and seamless experience for consumers. In addition, Scientific Retail is able to provide consultancy services, end-to-end setup, which include external and internal fabrication, as well as 24-hour monitoring services and remote ‘face-to-face’ customer support, with a touch of a button, for consumers.

    Shairan Huzani Husain, Managing Director of Shell Malaysia Trading Sdn Bhd and Shell Timur Sdn Bhd, said, “We are delighted to be the first in our industry to offer this innovation to all Malaysians. Customers are at the heart of everything that we do; inspiring us to enhance our products and services to make life’s journeys better for all. This partnership allows Shell customers access to our Select store at any time of the day. Additionally, the cashless transactions provide added convenience which we hope will continue to keep them happy and satisfied.” Shell Malaysia is the

    Scientific Retail also collaborated with Malaysia’s leading e-wallet provider, Boost, to create a seamless mobile payment experience for users. Chris Tiffin from Boost, said, “We are pleased to work with Scientific Retail in creating an integrated payment system that works seamlessly with BingoBox Retail Technology. We have always focused on bringing convenience to our more than three million consumers and this partnership is yet another example of how we aim to achieve our goal of digitizing cash. This integration with BingoBox Retail Technology will allow consumers to shop and pay conveniently using one mobile app for a better user experience.”

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  • aCommerce Forms Strategic Partnership with Fluent Commerce to Advance Omnichannel Strategy

    aCommerce Forms Strategic Partnership with Fluent Commerce to Advance Omnichannel Strategy

    aCommerce, Southeast Asia’s leading brand ecommerce enabler, and Fluent Commerce, the cloud-native order management company that allows omnichannel retailers to out-convenience competitors and offer their customers flexible fulfillment options, have signed a strategic partnership to bring together the best of ecommerce and omnichannel order operations.

    Under this partnership, Fluent Commerce will provide the smart omnichannel management and unified ecommerce that retailers and brands are looking for. aCommerce will act as a system integrator for retailers and brands in Southeast Asia, enabling them to provide a seamless experience to their consumers, regardless of online or offline channels.

    “The relationship with aCommerce is an acknowledgment of the imperative for retailers to provide an innovative experience for their ever more sophisticated customers, such as same-day delivery and collect in store options,” said Jamie Cairns, Channel Sales Director at Fluent Commerce. “By working together we’ll grow and unlock new opportunity for our clients by enabling them to rapidly deploy an end to end, unified commerce strategy. We’re certainly very excited by this combined proposition, which is unique in the region.”

    “Despite the ample growth of ecommerce in the region, Southeast Asia’s retail scene is largely happening offline. Combining the strengths of aCommerce and Fluent Commerce enables us to help retailers and brands execute New Retail strategies by leveraging technology to digitize and connect offline stores,” comments Mandy Arbilo, Group Director of Direct-to-Consumer Ecommerce at aCommerce. “By partnering with Fluent Commerce, we will be able to provide convenience, choice of delivery or pickup, return anywhere options, and up-to-the-minute inventory visibility.”

    Currently, aCommerce is working with leading Singaporean retailers to expand omnichannel and New Retail capabilities. The Southeast Asian leading ecommerce enabler will offer this service in Malaysia by March 2019.

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  • Crown celebrates 40 years of its operational anniversary

    Crown celebrates 40 years of its operational anniversary

    Crown Equipment Corporation, one of the world’s largest material handling companies, is celebrating 40 years as a leading provider in the Asian market. With the region rapidly rising to become a manufacturing and logistics powerhouse, Crown is helping its customers manage market demands and meet industry challenges through its flexible product range and innovative, customised solutions.

    Pallet management is one of the major issues for emerging distribution companies and small to medium-sized enterprises lacking the knowledge to deal with the challenge. Within Asia, the two most popular pallet sizes are the square 1,100mm x 1,100mm pallet and the 1,200mm x 1,000mm pallet. The U.S., Europe, and Australia, however, use different International Organization for Standardization (ISO) approved pallet sizes, and these diverse pallet types can create challenging problems if not handled correctly.

    Crown’s global approach to research, design, engineering and manufacturing means that it produces a range of lift trucks that offer the best fit to the pallets relevant to the warehouse facilities in multiple regions globally. While the company builds a range of lift trucks to cover all aspects of material handling work, from the dock to the top space of a high bay rack, Crown also customises its standard designs to help solve specific problems, such as modifying the width and position of the legs so that it would work effectively according to the required pallet size.

    With a focus on providing end-to-end material handling solutions, Crown can also identify other areas of the warehouse that can add efficiency when dealing with a range of pallet sizes. Crown consultation includes a detailed review of customers’ operations to help decide the most appropriate material handling equipment and provide inputs to improve productivity, such as enhancing warehouse design and safety culture.

    “When you work with Crown, you are working with people in possession of great product knowledge and a thorough understanding of warehouse supply chain requirements. Knowledge is a major factor that separates Crown from the competition in the Asia Pacific region and the ability to provide customers with an end to end total material handling solution partnership,” said Steven Hill, the Managing Director of Crown Equipment for Southeast Asia.

    Crown set up operations in Southeast Asia in 1978 with the Southeast Asia regional headquarters now located in Singapore. The Asia Pacific region is serviced through an extensive retail branch network, which includes locations across Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand, South Korea, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Taiwan and China.

    Crown has recently launched in a number of new locations with branches in the growth hubs of Johor, Malaysia; Rayong, Thailand; Clark, the Philippines; Incheon, South Korea; and Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam.

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  • Pavilion Hotel Kuala Lumpur Managed by Banyan Tree Opens This Year

    Pavilion Hotel Kuala Lumpur Managed by Banyan Tree Opens This Year

    Pavilion Hotel Kuala Lumpur stands 13 floors above Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, the award-winning six-storey shopping centre, adjacent to the Couture Precinct extension. Right in the heart of the capital of Malaysia, hotel guests have easy access to popular shopping hotspots and attractions – from well-known street markets such as Bukit Bintang to the best dining and nightlife experiences such as Jalan Alor and Changkat Bukit Bintang. They can also explore world-renowned landmarks such as Kuala Lumpur Tower, Petronas Towers and Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, all within walking distance.

    Impeccable service and unrivalled experiences await guests at Pavilion Hotel Kuala Lumpur. The hotel features 325 rooms and suites decked in contemporary décor for the discerning traveller in need of an urban getaway. These include 115 City Oasis rooms [32 to 43 square metres (sqm)], 60 Courtyard Oasis rooms (38 to 43 sqm) and 45 Grand Oasis rooms (42 to 60 sqm).

    For guests who enjoy a bit more exclusivity, the hotel has four dedicated club floors, including 59 Club City Oasis rooms (32 to 49 sqm) and 20 Club Grand Oasis rooms (42 to 60 sqm). Club room guests have exclusive access to the Club Lounge located on Level 14, relaxing with a delectable breakfast spread, light bites or cocktails while taking in the magnificent view of Kuala Lumpur’s cityscape.

    There are also 26 contemporary suites available for an extra touch of luxe and space: 16 Urban Studio Suites, (64 to 72 sqm), eight Urban Suites (70 to 76 sqm), one Pavilion Suite (113 sqm) and one Presidential Suite (319 sqm).

    In the world of dining, guests are in for a treat with a dedicated and skilful F&B team. Level 8 houses The Courtyard, Pavilion Hotel Kuala Lumpur’s all-day dining restaurant that offers a mouth-watering smorgasbord of Southeast Asian-inspired cuisine. Guests can also dine at Ebisu, a restaurant and bar space featuring an array of Japanese cuisine with a twist. On Level 7M, the Whisky Cove is the place to unwind with a wide selection of whiskies and blends from around the world.

    Pavilion Hotel Kuala Lumpur also offers a range of meeting and event facilities suitable for all occasions. The total event space measures 1,298 sqm, with a ballroom that can accommodate up to 500 persons, a crescent-shaped venue that sits 120 persons in banquet setting and five fully-equipped meeting rooms that can accommodate 40 persons per room.

    The urban escapade is not complete without a rejuvenating experience at the award-winning Banyan Tree Spa. A selection of Asian-inspired treatments are available and with highly-skilled therapists who have undergone a minimum of 350 hours of training at Banyan Tree Spa Academy, guests are in for a pampering time.

    The Sky Gym and Rooftop Infinity Pool are located on Level 18, offering an unparalleled view of Kuala Lumpur. Guests can shop at Banyan Tree Gallery, the hotel’s dedicated retail outlet offering a collection of handicrafts, resort apparels and signature spa amenities.

    “This effervescent and cosmopolitan city is filled with vibrant beauty and diversity. With the flourishing business landscape that Kuala Lumpur possesses, this charming city has become a mecca of sorts for both tourists and business travellers around the world.  In addition, some of the best shopping malls in the world, as well as modern and historical landmarks – are within a stone’s throw away. Pavilion Hotel Kuala Lumpur is in an ideal hotel destination for business travellers and holidaymakers — and even locals looking for a pampering staycation,” said Anders Dimblad, General Manager of Pavilion Hotel Kuala Lumpur and Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur.

    To celebrate the opening of Pavilion Hotel Kuala Lumpur, the hotel is launching an Opening Celebration package ranging from room up to spa promo deal.

  • NSK Hypermarket Malaysia to open in Cyberjaya in 2020

    NSK Hypermarket Malaysia to open in Cyberjaya in 2020

    Retail and wholesale chain NSK hypermarket is set to open in Cyberjaya by the end of 2020, with the signing of a tenancy agreement between Setia Haruman Sdn Bhd and NSK Property Sdn Bhd.

    NSK will rent a 13-acre piece of land located at the centre of Cyberjaya from Setia Haruman for 15 years. The 250,000 square feet hypermarket is targeted to open for business in the last quarter of 2020 and will initially operate from 7am to midnight daily.

    The hypermarket will cost RM35 million to build and operate retail and wholesale business, making it the first of its kind in Cyberjaya.

    “Our hypermarkets in Selayang and Kuchai Lama, operate 24 hours and we believe there is a growing need to have 24-hour hypermarkets to meet the needs of the people who wants the flexibility of shopping at any hour of their convenience. This can also be a possibility here as we see many 24-hour facilities mushrooming in Cyberjaya,” NSK executive chairman CB Lim said in a statement.

    Setia Haruman executive chairman Ahmad Khalif Mustapha Kamal said the opening of NSK hypermarket in Cyberjaya is yet another milestone in the growth and development of Cyberjaya’s ecosystem, which has many amenities that cater to the needs of its community from education, sports and recreation, 24-hour outlets and more.

    “With the opening of a public hospital and MRT in 2020 and 2022 respectively, we are confident many more businesses will open in the near future and this will enhance the liveability of Cyberjaya at large. We aim to make Cyberjaya, THE ideal place to work, live, study and play,” he said.

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  • Nestle Malaysia to sell business to finance world’s largest Milo plant

    Nestle Malaysia to sell business to finance world’s largest Milo plant

    Nestle (Malaysia) Bhd is selling its chilled dairy business – which retails the Bliss brand of yogurt drinks, in Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei – and its Petaling Jaya factory, to Lactalis Manufacturing Malaysia Sdn Bhd for RM155.3 million, as part of plans to set up the largest Milo factory in the world in Chembong, Negri Sembilan.

    The group said it would be using RM100 million, or the bulk of the proceeds from the sale, by end of 2019, for the Milo manufacturing centre of excellence in Chembong.

    Nestle Malaysia plans to move all existing Milo manufacturing assets in the Petaling Jaya factory to the Chembong factory.

    The disposal is on a going-concern basis, with Lactalis offering continuous employment to a majority of the affected employees based on the purchasers’ evaluation of their business and operational requirements. For roles that will no longer be available, termination benefits will be accorded to those who qualify.

    The group expects a one-time gain of RM27 million from the disposal, split over 2018 and 2019.

    The deal comes with a “no compete” clause for five years, from Jan 1, 2019, forbidding Nestle Malaysia from going into the chilled dairy business.

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  • Malaysia’s Parkson may close fifth Vietnam mall

    Malaysia’s Parkson may close fifth Vietnam mall

    Malaysia’s Parkson is apparently shutting down its fifth mall in Vietnam after suffering serious losses in recent years. Although the company has not made any official announcement, its name-board has been taken down from the Cantavil An Phu builing in Ho Chi Minh City’s District 2.

    If it shuts down, it would be the second outlet in HCMC that the company is downing the shutters on this year, following Parkson Flemington in District 11, and would bring the number of Parkson stores in Vietnam down to five, of which three are in HCMC, one in northern Hai Phong City and one in central Da Nang City.

    Previously, the firm had shut down its two outlets in Hanoi.

    Parkson, the first international mall to open in HCMC, has been reporting losses in recent years. Among its four markets – Malaysia, Indonesia, Myanmar and Vietnam, the last mentioned has been the worst performer in the fourth quarter of the fiscal year ending June 30, according to a report by Parkson Retail Asia.

    Vietnam had a negative growth of -14.6 percent in the fourth quarter and -8.3 percent in the fiscal year ending June 30 this year, it said.

    “The operating environment in Vietnam remains challenging amidst a crowded retail scene, wherein intensive promotional activities had to be carried out to capture sales,” the report said.

    Vu Vinh Phu, former chairman of the Hanoi Supermarket Association, said that Parkson was able to operate well when it first came to Vietnam more than 10 years ago as the number of competing malls then in the country was low.

    But market has become much more competitive now, with many new malls offering more than just a shopping experience, making them a place for entertainment and food, Phu told local media.

    Even though Parkson is one of the earliest comers, without a change in strategy, it will have to leave Vietnam sooner or later, he added.

    Parkson, a premium retail group from Malaysia, entered Vietnam in 2005 and developed a premium shopping mall chain in the big cities of HCMC, Hanoi, Hai Phong and Da Nang.

    It was touted as one of the highest-potential players in the retail market, planning to open 2-3 malls a year in Vietnam’s big cities.

    The entrance of other foreign companies like Thailand’s Central Group, South Korea’s Lotte and Japan’s Aeon as well as Vietnamese firms like Vingroup, Bitexco and Sun Group has changed things.

    Japanese retailer Aeon owns a mall in Hanoi’s Long Bien District and has another one in Ha Dong District under construction. It is planning other malls in Hai Phong and HCMC.

    Vietnam’s Sun Group opened the Sun Plaza mall in April and is building another one in Hanoi.

    Vietnam was one of 30 countries with the most vibrant retail market in the world, with retail sales of $129 billion last year, an 11 percent growth over the previous year, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

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