GenScript Announces Collaboration with AMDeC: Seeks to Decrease Biological Research Costs at NYC Area Institutions

PISCATAWAY, N.J. /PRNewswire/ — GenScript has cemented an alliance with AMDeC, LLC, becoming a member of AMDeC’s Vendor Partnership Program. The program unites academic investigators with commercial entities by providing discounted vendor pricing to consortium members, which includes NYC area research institutions, like NYU Langone Medical Center and Weill Cornell Medical College.
GenScript is offering AMDeC members DNA sequencing services at deeply discounted prices. The services feature an easy, flexible sample submission and short turnaround times. But financial incentives aren’t the only motivation for this collaboration. DNA sequencing has been a catalyst for biological research since the 1970s. Access to fast, affordable sequencing has enabled researchers to sequence the first human genome, and study a variety of gene functions. Hence, the value of sequencing services to the research community has increased, as service turnaround times and prices have decreased. The GenScript-AMDeC collaboration provides scientists with rapid, economical, high-quality sequencing services, which will help accelerate research in the NYC area.
That’s just the tip of the iceberg for GenScript’s CEO, Frank Zhang, Ph.D., who anticipates that through this collaboration, GenScript will eventually offer its complete arsenal of one-stop custom services, including gene and peptide synthesis, protein expression and purification, antibody production, and cell line development. Access to these premier services would have the same catalytic effect as DNA sequencing has had over the years, since outsourcing these tasks expedites academic laboratory research.
“By working with AMDeC, we hope to establish services [at] every single university in the USA,” said Zhang. “Our vision is to make the research easy by providing custom reagents to scientists…[so that] the productivity in academic research labs will be improved.”
Both GenScript and AMDeC are committed to accelerating discoveries in biological research. Thus, it’s no coincidence that the potential for advancements in science and technology through this alliance is in parallel with AMDeC’s assertion as “A Catalyst for Breakthroughs” and GenScript’s core motto, “Transforming Biology Research”.
*Read more about the GenScript-AMDeC collaboration in the November 2012 issue of Nature Medicine.
About GenScript
Founded in 2002, GenScript is a leading biology CRO offering customized services to aid biological research, and drug discovery/development. GenScript is headquartered in Piscataway, NJ, with subsidiaries in Europe, Japan, and China.
Source: GenScript USA Inc.

Globally Revolutionary New Retail Concept Unveiled at Bangkok’s Siam Center

US$60 million investment in Siam Center by Siam Piwat and 200 brand owners is biggest collaborative initiative in retail development ever undertaken in Thailand that aims to lift the stature of Bangkok as top global shopping destination
“We are pioneering a revolutionary new retail development concept where the developer works with retailers and brand owners to give the entire venue a consistent visual identity as well as a consistent promise to the visitor” – Mrs. Chadatip Chutrakul – CEO, Siam Piwat Ltd.
BANGKOK /PRNewswire/ — Siam Piwat, the owner and operator of Siam Paragon and Siam Center recently unveiled sweeping plans, as part of its total rejuvenation of Siam Center, for the introduction of a revolutionary new retail concept that promises to put Bangkok among the ranks of the world’s most innovative shopping destinations when it opens on January 11th, 2013.
Mrs. Chadatip Chutrakul, CEO of Siam Piwat Co., Ltd., the owner and operator of Siam Center, said, “We’re pioneering a revolutionary new retail development concept where the developer works collaboratively with retailers and brand owners to give the entire venue a consistent visual identity. Brand owners and retailers have agreed to conceive their store designs to reflect an overall theme that is clearly and distinctly Siam Center, even for the stores of the biggest of big-name international and local brands in fashion as well as in food and beverages.”
“Brand owners and retailers are also collaborating with us to ensure the delivery of a consistent promise to the visitor: that, no matter which store one visits, or whichever restaurant one patronizes, one will meet with unexpected products and services, and which will be unlike anything available at any other venue,” she said.
In addition, most stores will carry special product selections that are only available at Siam Center, even including exclusive offerings in the food and beverage outlets.
“Big, fast-forward international brands have also agreed to present their latest new-arrival collections in Siam Center before they are presented at other branch,” Mrs. Chutrakul said.
“Siam Piwat is investing more US$ 60 million, while retailers and brand owners are investing US$ 33 million to create the new Siam Center. It is the biggest collaboration ever undertaken by retailers and brand owners in Thailand,” she said.
The SoHo district of New York is one of the inspirations behind what Siam Center is about to offer. It is, perhaps, the only place in the world where stores have designed their shops to suit the distinct style of the district, adapting themselves to fit the unique character of their environment while still preserving all that makes their brands special. For the first time, at Siam Center, all of these are now being done under one roof.
Siam Center has a gross floor area of 40,000 sqm and is located at the crossover station between the city’s two major overhead mass transit rail system routes. It is also at the heart of Bangkok’s retail zone with visitor traffic of around 150,000 people per day, of which approximately 60% are local residents and 40% tourists.
For further information, please contact:
Siam Piwat Co., Ltd.:
Sireetorn Niyomsen
Tel: +662-658-1000 ext 234
Bangkok Public Relations Ltd.:
Pairoj Pachanapreeda
Tel: +662-664-9500 ext 115
Source: Siam Piwat Co., Ltd.

Sunshine Oilsands Announces Grant of Share Options

HONG KONG /PRNewswire/ — The board of directors (the “Board”) of Sunshine Oilsands Ltd. (the “Corporation” or “Sunshine”, HK: 2012) today is pleased to announce that share options (the “Share Options”) to subscribe for shares in the capital of the Company (the “Shares”) were granted by the Corporation under its share option scheme adopted on January 26, 2012 to certain directors and eligible officers and employees of the Corporation (the “Grantees”), subject to acceptance by the Grantees, with details as follows:

Date of grant

:

December 10, 2012 (Hong Kong)
December 9, 2012 (Calgary)

Number of Shares in respect of which the Share Options were granted

:

36,054,908

Exercise prices of Share Options granted

:

Exercise prices range from HK$2.99 to HK$6.30 per Share
The average exercise price of the Share Options is HK$3.83 per Share

Closing price of the Shares on December 7, 2012

:

HK$ 2.67 (HKEx)
CAD 0.345 (TSX)

Closing price of the Shares on December 10, 2012 Morning Session

:

HK$2.83 (HKEx)

Validity period of the Share Options

:

Five (5) years

Included in the total Share Options granted are the following share options granted to directors and the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation:
Name

Position*

Number of share
options Granted

Average
Exercise
Price

John Empey Zahary

President & CEO

4,500,000

HK$ 2.99

Michael John Hibberd

Director & Co-Chairman

4,610,000

HK$ 5.14

Songning Shen

Director & Co-Chairman

4,610,000

HK$ 5.14

Hok Ming Tseung

Director

360,000

HK$ 5.20

Haotian Li

Director

360,000

HK$ 5.20

Raymond Shengti Fong

Director

360,000

HK$ 5.20

Wazir Chand Seth

Director

360,000

HK$ 5.20

Gerald Franklin Stevenson

Director

360,000

HK$ 5.20

Gregory George Turnbull

Director

360,000

HK$ 5.20

Robert John Herdman

Director

360,000

HK$ 5.20

Other than the Chief Executive Officer and directors listed above, no substantial shareholder, chief executive, director or associate (as defined under the Listing Rules) of any of them were granted Share Options.
Pursuant to Rule 17.04(1) of the Listing Rules, the grant of the Share Options to each of the Chief Executive Officer and the directors listed above have been approved by the independent non-executive directors of the Corporation (excluding independent non-executive directors who are Grantees).
About Sunshine Oilsands Ltd.
Sunshine Oilsands Ltd. is one of the largest non-partnered holders of oil sands leases by area in the Athabasca oil sands region, which is located in the province of Alberta, Canada. Since the Company’s incorporation on 22 February 2007, Sunshine has secured over 464,897 hectares (1,148,785 acres) of oil sands leases (equal to approximately 7% of all granted leases in this area).
The Company’s principal operations are the exploration, development and production of its diverse portfolio of oil sands leases. Its principal operating regions in the Athabasca area are at West Ells, Thickwood, Legend Lake, Harper, Muskwa, Goffer, Pelican and Portage. Sunshine’s oil sands leases are grouped into three main asset categories: clastics, carbonates and conventional heavy oil.
For further enquiries, please contact:
Sunshine Oilsands Ltd.

Mr. John Zahary

Mr. David Sealock

President & CEO

Executive VP, Corporate Operations

Tel: +1-403-984-1446

Email: investorrelations@sunshineoilsands.com

Website: http://www.sunshineoilsands.com

Source: Sunshine Oilsands Ltd.

CAS Registers 70 Millionth Substance Just 18 Months After Reaching 60 Millionth Milestone

Patents from Asian countries continue to be the leading source of chemistry disclosures
COLUMBUS, Ohio/PRNewswire/ — Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS), the world’s authority for chemical information, announced today a major milestone for the CAS REGISTRYSM, the largest collection of publicly disclosed chemical substance information. CAS scientists registered the 70 millionth substance from a patent application submitted to the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO).
The 70 millionth substance is a potential T-type calcium channel blocker discovered at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), a multidisciplinary research institute in Seoul, South Korea. Assigned CAS Registry Number® 1411769-41-9, the substance is one of several pyrazolyl-piperazine compounds disclosed in the patent application published by KIPO on November 14, 2012. This molecule may be useful in the treatment of epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, dementia and other conditions.
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121206/CL25687)
“It’s exciting that this milestone was realized with a substance from a Korean patent considering our earlier reports that Asian scientists are disclosing more chemical research in patents,” said Christine McCue, vice president of marketing at CAS. “This year alone, 63 percent of all chemical patents covered by CAS originated in Asia. Our team of scientists analyzes documents in more than 50 languages, including more than 20 Asian languages, and is uniquely qualified to uncover important chemistry patented by scientists worldwide.”
Similar to the 60 millionth substance registered in May 2011, the 70 millionth substance again reflects the value of patents as an important source of chemical information. In fact, more than 70 percent of new substances from the literature registered in 2012 originated from patents. To ensure the completeness and quality of the CAS premier substance collection, CAS scientists analyze, organize and curate chemistry in patents from 63 patent authorities around the world, far more than any other service.
About CAS
Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS), a division of the American Chemical Society, is the world’s authority for chemical information. CAS is the only organization in the world whose objective is to find, collect and organize all publicly disclosed chemical substance information. A team of scientists worldwide curates and controls the quality of our databases, which are recognized as the most comprehensive and authoritative by chemical and pharmaceutical companies, universities, government organizations and patent offices around the world. By combining these databases with advanced search and analysis technologies (SciFinder® and STN®), CAS delivers the most current, complete, secure and interlinked digital information environment for scientific discovery. Learn more at http://www.cas.org.
Source: Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS)

Konica Minolta Sensing Singapore Launches New Asian Website

SINGAPORE /PRNewswire/ — Konica Minolta Sensing Singapore, the worldwide leader in the industrial measurement of color, light and 3D shape, announces the launch of their new corporate website to better serve customers in the Asia Pacific region.
Officially launched today, Konica Minolta Singapore departed from its past web structure and pushed their website forward in one giant leap; incorporating the latest web technology and completely rethinking how to connect with existing and new customers. The web design was taken from Lou Carulli, Manager of International Marketing Communications at Konica Minolta Sensing Americas. Responsible for the development and re-launching of the corporate websites in the US, Mexico, and Brazilian markets, Mr. Carulli felt it was “…critical to send one global message to customers,” he stated.
“Our web visitors are extremely important to us and we want to make it easy for them to find a solution. The site was designed with 2 types of visitors in mind. Type one is a new visitor that has identified a problem within their company but may not be familiar with the existing technology that is available. Type two is a visitor who is experienced, knows the science behind how our products work, and is looking for something specific. Both will come to find a solution which could be the same instrument, but each will take a different path to arrive to that solution,” explains Mr. Carulli.
In addition to improved navigation, a new area called The Learning Center was added to educate visitors on the science behind the instruments and how a solution from Konica Minolta Sensing can improve their business. A new On Demand Webinar section now includes application specific content allowing the ability for visitors to educate themselves. In this virtual environment visitors can move at their own pace with complete control to pause, fast forward, rewind or skip to specific topics.
Perhaps the largest addition to the new website comes from the complete catalog of accessories available for each category of instrument. “Konica Minolta Sensing has decades of applications experience across all of our measurement solutions. We have developed and engineered hundreds of accessories over the years on some of the most specific application requirements. This is the level of service and commitment you can expect from Konica Minolta Sensing,” said Mr. Carulli.
Log on to sensing.konicaminolta.asia and experience all the new site features today!
About Konica Minolta Sensing Singapore
Konica Minolta Sensing Singapore is recognized as the international leader of industrial color, light and 3D shape measurement. The company is responsible for product lines that continuously revolutionize how visual perception is measured by the world.
Lou Carulli
Manager, International Marketing Communications
Konica Minolta Sensing Singapore
201-785-2413
lcarulli@se.konicaminolta.us
sensing.konicaminolta.asia
Source: Konica Minolta Sensing Singapore

TheLuxenomad.com Sets Sail with Media Launch Aboard Luxury Cruise

All-girl tech start-up hosts media event on luxury boat with celebrity Nomad, HENRY GOLDING
SINGAPORE /PRNewswire/ — To celebrate the media launch of the members-only luxury travel portal in Singapore, TheLuxeNomad.com hosted an intimate gathering for leading lifestyle and travel media yesterday afternoon.

Sign-up to TheLuxeNomad.com

Celebrity Nomad Henry Golding and Elizabeth Lazan attend TheLuxeNomad.com’s media event
Held on The Equator Club’s NYMPHAEA luxury boat, guests were asked to switch to holiday-mode and sip on sunset drinks, indulge in little bites by Foodology, and pamper themselves with complimentary foot massages by Sole Service. Media guests were also invited on a spin aboard the perfect luxury all-rounder; the JCRAFT – a sexy 42ft Torpedo which evokes all the glamour of the classic wooden speed boats of the 50s and 60s.
Present at the event was Stephanie Chai, Chief Nomad and Founder of TheLuxeNomad.com, and celebrity TV host, Henry Golding to meet and greet the guests. The event kicked off with an introduction by Chai, followed by a brief presentation on Asia’s growing online travel industry and how The Luxe Nomad differs from other online travel portals.
“Asia is one of the fastest growing markets for luxury travel, yet only 25% of bookings are made online. In more mature markets, such as the United States, this rate is over 50% – signaling an incredible growth opportunity. The Luxe Nomad is very niche as we represent luxury hotels only, with exclusive flash sales that offer prices lower than anywhere else.”
Having only launched their beta site late July, this members-only travel site has since seen sales go from strength to strength.
“Despite the short time that we’ve been in the game, we’ve received positive feedback and had a very encouraging first quarter. By October, we tripled our sales and our database numbers,” says Stephanie Chai, Founder and CEO of TheLuxeNomad.com. “Just last month, we had a single booking come in at over US$40,000. That’s huge!”
During the event, Chai welcomed celebrity TV host, Henry Golding, who is one of TheLuxeNomad.com’s “Nomads on the Go”. Unlike other online hotel booking sites, this luxury travel portal adds a touch of glamour to online bookings by appointing Asian celebrities as curators to review partner hotels and share insider tips with members.
“I’m so happy to be a part of The Luxe Nomad…They handpick some of the best hotels and villas from around the region. And it cuts away that boring time of searching and sifting through the internet. So, to get all the best four star, five star hotels in one place? TheLuxeNomad.com – look no further,” says Golding.
By tying up with the celebrities, TheLuxeNomad.com not only provides exciting content, but hopes to engage both their social media platforms and traditional media to create a greater reach and target a wider audience.
With the start-up scene in Asia heating up and Silicon Valley VCs looking east for new investments, TheLuxeNomad.com is one of the growing numbers of female start-ups in the region. “It wasn’t intentional to be an all-girl affair but we realized that women are key drivers of online sales. It is often the wives, girlfriends and mothers who are doing travel research and booking online,” says Chai. “What better way to understand your consumer than to be one yourself?”
About The Luxe Nomad:
TheLuxeNomad.com is a private flash sale site that offers luxury hotels and resorts to a sophisticated and affluent membership base for unique insider deals. Each week, a new rotation of hotels will be featured on the site with discounts up to 70% off. The site displays beautiful property imagery and editorial content from a host of celebrity “Nomads On The Go” to give insider stories on both the hotels and the destinations themselves. The site is run by Singapore-based Luxe Nomad Pte Ltd.
Media Gallery:
Stephanie Chai, Founder and CEO of TheLuxeNomad.com
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/5w9ozm5tkrhyz79/vx_RwJfnJa
The Luxe Nomad Logo
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/2s67p0qovp7m1u0/nGgJOq5nkA
Press Kit 2012
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/04hebo1z0lx12i4/1ALS9xYYsZ
Media Contact
Alexandra Seitz
PR Manager
alex@theluxenomad.com
+852-6106-6781
Source: TheLuxeNomad.com

2012 Cosmoprof Asia Closed with Double-digit Growth in Number of Visitors

HONG KONG/PRNewswire/ — Cosmoprof Asia, the largest and most definitive beauty trade event in the Asia Pacific region has closed with record numbers.

Cosmoprof Asia 2012 attracted 55,386 visitors (a growth of 14% over 2011)

All industrial seminars were fully attended.

Schwarzkopf Professional at AHMA hair show

Hong Kong Professional Nailist Union Competition 2012 enlivened the main stage of Grand Hall Avenue.

The show, held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre from 14 to 16 November, is a confirmation of the strength and identity of the Cosmoprof brand and its ability to attract the who’s who of the global beauty industry.
The event, celebrating its 17th year, posted impressive numbers:
74,000 sqm of exhibition area (+9% over last year )
1,964 exhibitors (an increase of 10% compared to 2011) from 44 countries and regions
531 first-time exhibitors
19% increase in participation from Europe (with France ranking first in terms of exhibitor number)
23 national and group pavilions from Australia, Belgium, mainland China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Korea, Pakistan, Poland, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, UK and USA, joined by the inaugural Canadian and Brazilian groups.
55,386 visitors (a growth of 14% over 2011) over the three show days with significant presence of buyers from countries such as Australia, China, Japan, Korea, Russia and US.
More than 250 members of the media and journalists covered the event.
Exhibitors reported excellent results and high satisfaction. Their expectation of meeting new prospective customers was widely met thanks to the participation of buyers of very high standing from across the world including procurers representing Chanel, Coty, Estee Lauder, Johnson & Johnson, LVMH, P&G, Unilever as well as Li & Fung, Mannings, SaSa, Sephora and Watsons.
“Amika is the leader in hair care and hair appliances and Cosmoprof Asia is vital to help us expand our professional distribution in Asia. We are looking to expand our business as a heavy player in Asia’s professional beauty market and have received a lot of interest in our brand and met several good distributors at the show,” said Heather Coughlin, National Education Manager, Amika (USA).
“Cosmoprof Asia is the meeting point with the major international actors of the industry. An important rendezvous for us on a fast growing platform,” said spokesperson of Albea (France).
“This is the most important beauty event in Asia, the show in which international brands should participate. This is the place for finding high quality business opportunities as well as enhancing brand awareness. Congratulations to the Cosmoprof team,” commented Tommaso Corradini, General Manager, Bioline S.r.l. (Italy).
“For 15 years we have been the leader in the Asian market but we are maintaining high investments in order to keep the leadership in this market. Being at Cosmoprof Asia is just one of these important strategic investments,” said Nelson Philippe, Owner, LPG Systems (France).
For the 6th consecutive year, Cosmoprof Asia organised the International Buyer Programme to facilitate direct contact between exhibitors and international buyers. Prominent buyers from Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand and Russia were invited to meet one-on-one with exhibitors of their choice. During the 3-day event, more than 140 one-on-one business meetings took place at the International Buyers Lounge with unanimous endorsement from all participants for the benefits of this formula.
Cosmoprof Asia Special Events
All seminars and concurrently-held events were fully attended.
Cosmoprof Asia collaborated with the Asia Hair Masters Association (AHMA) to host a series of activities including the AHMA Hairstyling Awards Final to give talented young stylists a shot at the international stage. The notable hair maestro Mark Leeson and Schwarzkopf Professional celebrated the hair event through hair shows and seminars.
Seminars on China and Japan offered the audience a better understanding of the evolution in the two leading Asian cosmetic markets.
Preview on 2013/2014 fashion and beauty trends as well as sessions on sustainable packaging, and on natural and organic cosmetic products, also attracted large audience.
The 5th Cosmoprof Asia Spa Conference brought together a high-caliber panel of speakers and professionals from the Spa industry.
“Cosmoprof Asia this year was an outstanding success,” declared Duccio Campagnoli, President of BolognaFiere and SoGeCos Spa. We are particularly proud of having been able to produce under the Cosmoprof brand yet another successful event for international cosmetics industry.
“It’s very encouraging to see yet another record-breaking edition of Cosmoprof Asia. Participants originating from 121 countries and regions testify to the truly international profile of the show and the increasing importance of the Asia region to the global beauty trade.” said Michael Duck, Executive Vice President of UBM Asia Ltd and Director of Cosmoprof Asia Ltd.
The 18th edition of Cosmoprof Asia will be held from 13 to 15 November 2013 at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre.
Notes to the editors:
Cosmoprof Asia is organised by Cosmoprof Asia Ltd, a joint venture company between UBM Asia Ltd and BolognaFiere Group.
About UBM Asia Ltd
(http://www.ubmasia.com)
Owned by UBM plc listed on the London Stock Exchange, UBM Asia operates in 19 market sectors with headquarters in Hong Kong and subsidiary companies across Asia, including UBM China in Shanghai, Hangzhou, Guangzhou and Beijing. We have over 240 products including trade fairs, conferences, trade publications, B2B/B2C portals and virtual event services. As Asia’s leading exhibition organiser and the biggest commercial organiser in China, India and Malaysia, we stage the leading events of their kind across the region. Our 200 events, 24 publications and 16 vertical portals serve over 1,000,000 quality exhibitors, visitors, conference delegates, advertisers and subscribers from all over the world with high value face-to-face business-matching events, quality and instant market news and industry trends, and round-the-clock online trading networks and sourcing platforms. We have over 1,100 staff in 21 major cities across Asia, stretching from Japan to Turkey.
About BolognaFiere Group
(http://www.bolognafiere.it)
BolognaFiere Group, the world’s leading trade show organizer in the cosmetics, fashion, architecture and building, art and culture sectors, features in its portoflio more than 80 exhibitions, both domestic and international events. SoGeCos S.p.A., as organizer of Cosmoprof Worldwide Bologna (established 1967), the most important beauty meeting point in the world that will take place in Bologna next March 8-11, 2013 (Cosmopack: March 7 – 10, 2013), has the privilege to work with the beauty industry in the five continents and to monitor new emerging markets where there is a demand for cosmetics products. The international platform offered by Cosmoprof, with its events in Hong Kong (established 1996) and Las Vegas (established 2002), provides a truly global marketplace for the beauty industry where brands can find success.
MEDIA CONTACT
ASIA WORLDWIDE
UBM Asia Ltd SoGeCos s.p.a – BolognaFiere Group
Ms Amy Ng Ms Paola Formenti
Tel. +852-2516-1659 Tel. +39-02-45-47-08-252
amy.ng@ubm.com paola.formenti@cosmoprof.it

Ms Janice Poon
Tel. +852-2516-2117
janice.poon@ubm.com

http://www.cosmoprof-asia.com
Source: UBM Asia

UBM Asia Sets Up Scholarships and Grants to Groom Jewellery Talents In China

HONG KONG /PRNewswire/ — UBM Asia has joined hands with the Jewellery Institute of Guangzhou Panyu Polytechnic to set up the UBM Asia Scholarship and UBM Asia Grant for the students. This School-Enterprise collaboration aims to recognise students with outstanding academic achievement and to support underprivileged students.
As Asia’s leading exhibition organiser, UBM Asia is not only dedicated to developing trade exhibitions and promoting international trade, but also takes an active role in community services, such as charity, donation, rehabilitation, environmental protection and volunteering activities. This is the first time that UBM Asia has worked together with an education organisation. Founded in 2001, the Jewellery Institute has trained many thousands of students into professionals of jewellery design, processing, identification and marketing.
UBM Asia will fund Renminbi 80,000 yuan (US$13,000) annually: 50,000 yuan for the UBM Asia Scholarship and 30,000 yuan for the UBM Asia Grant. To ensure the equity and openness of the selection process, UBM Asia management, teachers and student representatives from the Jewellery Institute will form a vetting committee to assess candidates for the scholarships and grants. Awardees will be announced at the annual Awards Presentation Ceremony.
UBM Asia will also provide a special incentive programme alongside the Scholarship and Grant. Students winning awards in international and national jewellery competitions will be fully funded by UBM Asia to visit the world’s largest jewellery fair, the September Hong Kong Jewellery and Gem Fair organised by UBM Asia. UBM Asia has a global portfolio of 18 jewellery events in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, India, Japan, Singapore, Turkey and Germany.
The signing ceremony of the collaboration and the first UBM Asia Scholarship and UBM Asia Grant presentation ceremony will be held on 27 November 2012 at Guangzhou Panyu Polytechnic. Mr. Li Guorong, Vice Director of Bureau of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation of Guangzhou Municipality, representative from Guangzhou Education Bureau, Mr. Meng Yuanbei, Party Secretary of Guangzhou Panyu Polytechnic, Mr. Liang Zhanxiong, Chairman of Guangdong Gold and Silver Jewellery Association, Mr. Pan Qingsong, Chairman of Guangdong Golden Jewellery and Jade Industry Association, and Mr. Yang Huining, Secretary-General of Gold Association of Guang Dong Province will attend the ceremony to witness the signing of the collaboration agreement between UBM Asia, represented by Mr. Wolfram Diener, Senior Vice President of UBM Asia, and Guangzhou Panyu Polytechnic, represented by Mr. Wang Chang, Dean of Jewellery Institute, followed by the presentation of scholarships and grants.
For press enquiries, please contact:
Jennifer Law, Director of Corporate Marketing & Communications, UBM Asia
Tel: +852 2516 1691
Fax: +852 3749 7342
Email: Jennifer.Law@ubm.com
Elsie Hui, Corporate Marketing & Communications Executive, UBM Asia
Tel: +852 2516 1679
Fax: +852 3749 7342
Email: Elsie.Hui@ubm.com
Notes to Editors
1. About UBM Asia (www.ubmasia.com)
Owned by UBM plc listed on the London Stock Exchange, UBM Asia operates in 19 market sectors with headquarters in Hong Kong and subsidiary companies across Asia, including UBM China in Shanghai, Hangzhou, Guangzhou and Beijing. We have over 240 products including trade fairs, conferences, trade publications, B2B/B2C portals and virtual event services. As Asia’s leading exhibition organiser and the biggest commercial organiser in China, India and Malaysia, we stage the leading events of their kind across the region. Our 200 events, 24 publications and 16 vertical portals serve over 1,000,000 quality exhibitors, visitors, conference delegates, advertisers and subscribers from all over the world with high value face-to-face business-matching events, quality and instant market news and industry trends, and round-the-clock online trading networks and sourcing platforms. We have over 1,100 staff in 21 major cities across Asia, stretching from Japan to Turkey.
2. About UBM plc (www.ubm.com)
UBM plc is a leading global business media company. We inform markets and bring the world’s buyers and sellers together at events, online, in print and provide them with the information they need to do business successfully. Our 6,500 staff in more than 30 countries are organised into specialist teams which serve commercial and professional communities, helping them to do business and their markets to work effectively and efficiently.
For more information, go to http://www.ubm.com; follow us on Twitter at @UBM_plc to get the latest UBM news.
Source: UBM Asia

ANZ Signs Five-year Shanghai Rolex Masters Sponsorship

SHANGHAI /PRNewswire/ — ANZ today announced an agreement with the Shanghai Rolex Masters to become the International Banking and Finance Partner of Asia’s premier Masters tournament for the next five years.

Executives from the Shanghai Sports Bureau, ANZ and Shanghai Juss launch the ANZ and Shanghai Rolex Masters partnership.
This Diamond Sponsorship of the Shanghai Rolex Masters – now in its fifth year – extends ANZ’s association with tennis following its continued successful partnership with the Australian Open Grand Slam. The Masters will be held between 7-13 October 2013.
Commenting on the announcement, Ms Joyce Phillips, CEO of ANZ Global Wealth and Private Banking, said: “The Shanghai Rolex Masters has quickly become one of the pre-eminent events on the global tennis calendar reaching a worldwide audience of more than 45 million.
“ANZ has a long-standing presence in China and this partnership not only reinforces our long-term commitment to China but also provides a valuable platform to help build our brand connection across the region,” Ms Phillips said.
Shanghai Rolex Masters Tournament Director Michael Luevano said: “ANZ is a well-respected bank in Asia-Pacific and we are delighted to welcome them as one of the tournament partners. ANZ has a strong history supporting tennis in Asia Pacific and its involvement in the Shanghai Rolex Masters will help ensure a lasting legacy is left on the sport in China and the broader region.”
ANZ will also gain naming rights to the China Tennis Development Program, a grassroots initiative aimed at developing young talent and supporting the growth of tennis in China. In the summer of 2013, 400 children from schools across China will be invited to participate in a series of training sessions under the guidance of experienced tennis coaches.
In its first three years in 2009-2011, the Shanghai Rolex Masters was voted by the ATP players to be the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Tournament of the Year.
For media enquiries contact:
Stephen Ries
Senior Manager Media Relations
Tel: +61 3 8654 3659 or +61 409 655 551
Email: Stephen.Ries@anz.com Gregor Hastings
Weber Shandwick Shanghai
Tel: +86 21 2411 0131
Email: ghastings@webershandwick.com

About ANZ: With a history spanning more than 175 years, ANZ operates in 32 countries throughout Asia and the Pacific, the Middle East, Europe and America. ANZ provides a range of banking and financial products and services to around 8 million customers, and employs 48,000 people worldwide.
Source: ANZ

Emirates Airlines Soars With New Windows 8 Business Application and HP Tablet Experience

In-flight application running on touch-enabled HP ElitePad 900 tablets allows airline pursers and crew to provide exceptional service to customers.
REDMOND, Wash. /PRNewswire/ — Emirates, one of the fastest-growing airlines in the world, announced today at the Windows 8 launch event in Dubai the development of a line-of-business application for Windows 8 called Knowledge Driven Inflight Service (KIS). An in-flight communication and customer relationship management device first introduced by Emirates for its pursers in 2004, the KIS application will now run on the soon-to-be-launched HP ElitePad 900 business tablets and will enable Emirates to continue to deliver extraordinary customer service and experiences.
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“At Emirates, we strive to deliver the world’s best in-flight experience,” said Kevin Griffiths, senior vice president, Cabin Crew at Emirates. “We constantly invest in the best aircraft, products and service. To support our crew, we have created an application on Windows 8 that delivers a unique, personalized experience with the necessary information for our cabin crew to better serve the needs of customers. The Windows 8 platform running on HP ElitePad 900 devices gave us this option, allowing us to create the KIS app that enables our crew to offer an experience not available on other airlines.”
Pursers on the flight use the KIS application to brief the cabin crew before every flight and understand how to best meet the personal preferences and needs of passengers. The crew can also use the application to easily conduct in-flight upgrades to business class or first class for Emirates Skywards members, as well as customer feedback that is immediately routed to headquarters upon landing.
As the first global customer of the HP ElitePad 900, Emirates is creating a new KIS tablet that is light, attractive and has a long battery life, ideal for nonstop flights. The device, announced by HP in October and available to customers in January 2013, is built specifically for business users, offering Windows 8 optimization and a beautiful lightweight design. Combined with Windows 8’s touch-optimized user interface, which quickly shows the most important information via Live Tiles, the crew can spend more time interacting with customers in a unique and efficient way.
When deployment across its fleet is complete, Emirates will have 1,000 HP ElitePad 900 devices running the KIS application on Windows 8. More information on the KIS application running on Windows 8 is available at the Microsoft Showcase.
Emirates operates more than 2,500 flights per week to 126 destinations in 74 countries across six continents. The award-winning airline operates the largest fleet of A380s with 27, and the world’s largest fleet of Boeing 777s.
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Source: Microsoft Corp.