Cricket Comes of Age during SEA Games 2017

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September 1, 2017

While Malaysia came out on top of the cricket medal tally, with an impressive, 1 Gold, 1 Silver and 1 Bronze, with medals for both the men and women. More importantly, the games also saw other medals spread evenly across the other nations, including Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia respectively, cricket in ASEAN has come of age.

Insiders within the game in the region will know that there are already plans to put in place a regular ASEAN level tournament, for men and women and even in the age group categories.

In the recent SEA Games, both finals for the men were played by the two powerhouses of men’s cricket in the region, Malaysia and Singapore. Both finals saw the new terrace filled to capacity coupled with the newly named pavilion filled with VIP’s and sponsors. Also among the crowd were CEO’s from leading corporations and several GLC’s looking to take advantage of the rise in popularity of cricket over the past 18 months.

It’s clear that the Malaysian Cricket Association enjoys the support of the current Minister of Youth & Sport, YB Khairy Jamaluddin, the minister spent considerable time during the last games at Kinrara Oval and soaked up the atmosphere together with the thousands that witnessed the cricket over the last few weeks.

Those corporate sponsors who got in before the SEA Games will obviously benefited the most, from the increase in media coverage and eyeballs in stadium. Now with the success of cricket both in bringing in the crowd and bringing home medals, cricket can offer excellent positioning at a fraction of the cost of some of the other sports that didn’t do so well in the SEA Games.

The Malaysian Cricket Association is now in the driving seat to not only take the game to the next level in Malaysia but across the region. The next level on the horizon will surely be when regional sponsors from not just Malaysia want to see the game on TV to reach out to the 650 million consumers in ASEAN.

Congratulations to Malaysia for hosting an excellent SEA Games and for bring cricket to the next level in the region.

Food Security Malaysia Looking forward to 2017

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News Hub Asia Reporter

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August 17, 2017

“Malaysia imports over USD 15 Billion of food annually and exports far less, this is a major problem that needs to be address as the country moves forward with it’s vision of a developed nation”

The MGBF Food Security Initiative will be based on the following strategic reponses to ensure that multiple stakeholders are engaged and that a consolidated effort can be made

Improved stakeholder interaction to increased engagement through relationship building and data management.
Improved understanding of the market challenges and opportunities through research and increased involvement of global subject matter experts.
Improvement of the supply chain with a focus on science, technology and innovation to improve efficiency.
Increased access to the various financial resources needed to empower the projects.
A focus on the need for improved human capital development.
A sustainable approach which will take into consideration the social, economic and environment aspects in both a local and global context.
The development of policy and planning recommendations to the various stakeholders.
An interactive communications plan with the direct involvement of the media to ensure a broader awareness of the situation.

The Malaysia Global Business Forum will be holding a series of strategic roundtables and stakeholder engagements to bring increased clarity to the situation. While there is a need to improve the levels of food production in the country which will only come through increased investment throughout the value chain, the more that stakeholders have a chance to meet and chart the future the higher rate of success.

Present your project to investors and financial institutes

Networking with decision makers and stakeholders

Contribute and help chart the future

Learn from the latest research and trends

What are the threats facing consumers?

Now with the changing dynamics of food security those entrusted to ensure food supply are meet with a new problem, what happens when consumers perceive that food supply is going to run out quickly in the near future. A perfect example are the recent events in Qatar, even one of the richest nations on the planet are not immune to these problems. How can this be addressed?

The Malaysia Global Business Forum will organize a series of food security event in conjunction with its food security initiative.
To get more information about the upcoming events please contact us today.

Upcoming Events :

MGBF Food Security Initiave – Registration Form

Crisis Management – Social Seeding & Your Brand’s Survival

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News Hub Asia Reporter

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August 16, 2017

It’s a familiar scenario, you are developing a brand and it has grown to become a market leader and all of a sudden your brand and your company are hit by a crisis. It started with a single consumer who was upset or disappointed for any given reason, that person then shares a post on FaceBook or a blog and it goes “Viral”

What do you do?

You call the marketing department who have been alerted by the social listening team or external consultants and they confirm it has indeed started to go viral, and because it a consumer brand this thing is gaining traction and fast.

In the modern context, most crises are played out in the social media and in some cases a specific social media could be the battleground. Something might be being shared all over FaceBook but in Twitter it’s all quiet and because of the print and TV news cycles it will take a few hours before they can react. These hours are valuable for companies to respond.

Who else is watching your crisis unfold?

Competitors are watching with great interest and it is an important time for them as well as they will be looking for opportunities to act. Enter the “social seeding companies” who can and often do add fuel to the fire as you are trying to manage a public relations nightmare.

We have all heard President Donald Trump talk about fake news, it does happen, perhaps not as frequently as some might suggest but it can have a direct impact on a company. There are other “fake” things that can fuel a real crisis, in more than one case in recent times, likes and shares from hacked or inactive accounts on FaceBook have made a video posting go viral. Ironically the person who posted the video didn’t pay for it to go viral but it served a competitors best interest and they paid for it to be shared and liked to the tune of millions of views.

There are companies, in Malaysia and overseas that offer ‘social seeding’ to boost likes and shares, some have legitimate means others are not as above board. Most of the time it’s not that important but imagine when you find yourself in a crisis and at the same time a competitive market place.

What can you do? What should you do in this type of crisis?

Recent case studies have proven that there are effective strategies, technics and actions that will improve the way your brand, company and the key personnel will come out the other side of a crisis. It is better to be prepared as not everyone in cyberspace is wishing you well. In Malaysia there are options for companies if they can prove a competitor is fuelling a crisis through competitive social seeding but legal redress can come too late especially if too much damage has been done. Most companies are not ready for what can literally happen when someone clicks a button and their friends and family start sharing it followed by those people’s friends and family and so forth.

Like insurance, don’t leave preparation till it’s too late.

Nordin Abdullah established the Crisis Management Centre to assist individuals, corporations and governments effectively deal with all aspects of a crisis. The key areas that the Crisis Management Centre can assist is; pre-crisis with risk assessment and key personnel training, mid-crisis response to limit the damage and post crisis turn around and recovery. For more information visit www.CrisisManagementCentre.com

LEO Pharma Ranks Second in Global Clinical Trials Transparency Audit

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News Hub Asia Reporter

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August 4, 2017

New top 50 list ranks LEO Pharma in second position, leading the global pharma industry in commitments to increase access to clinical trials information

The AllTrials audit on clinical trial transparency findings has been published ranking LEO Pharma as leaders in the industry.

LEO Pharma is ranked at number two out of the 50 pharmaceutical companies evaluated. AllTrials is an international campaign that calls for every clinical trial, past and present, to be registered and their results reported. The rankings assess companies’ policy commitments on disclosing trial registrations, summary findings of studies, comprehensive clinical study reports (CSRs) and individual patient data (IPD).

As one of the companies in the forefront of data transparency LEO Pharma was early off the mark to globally commit to increased disclosure. Since making this commitment in 2013, LEO Pharma has made its clinical trials results dating back to 1990 available to the public and will share individual patient-level data upon request from qualified third-party researchers. The company’s commitment to transparency and patient focus has also evolved with the completion of an innovative project to develop lay summaries for patients and interested parties in easy to understand language.

Commenting on the publication from AllTrials, Katherine Murphy, former CEO of The Patients Association (now Independent Care Consultant) said:

“I very much welcome these audit findings and greater transparency in clinical trials, as well as research and development generally. It is really pleasing to see more information on clinical trials becoming increasingly available in the public domain with companies like LEO Pharma amongst the leaders. The more information that patients and members of the public have will support them to become better placed to make informed decisions and treatment choices.”

Kim Kjoeller, Executive Vice President Global Research and Development, LEO Pharma, said:

“The AllTrials rankings are a robust overview which, while grounded in empirical data, casts new light on the attitudes and approaches to transparency across our industry. LEO Pharma welcomes the AllTrials audit and we are delighted to see this positive recognition for our commitment to making our scientific evidence base freely available for scrutiny and study. Having just entered the biologics arena LEO Pharma is at a turning point in our company‘s history, and we are excited by the promise that our pipeline holds. Maintaining this commitment to openly sharing our vision through timely disclosure of trial information has never been more important to us, and we look forward to continuing to partner with the scientific community to drive the clinical trial transparency agenda to the next level.“&# 160;

For more information on LEO Pharma’s commitment to transparency, please see the company’s Position on Public Access to Clinical Trials Information at http://www.leo-pharma.com.

About LEO Pharma

LEO Pharma helps people achieve healthy skin. By offering care solutions to patients in more than 100 countries globally, the company supports people in managing their skin conditions.

Founded in 1908 and owned by the LEO Foundation, LEO Pharma has devoted decades of research and development to delivering products and solutions to people suffering from skin diseases.

LEO Pharma is globally headquartered in Denmark and employs around 4,800 people worldwide.

Contact:

Global Media Enquiries

Henrik Kyndlev
Corporate Communications Manager
+45-3140-6180
[email protected]

UK and Ireland Media Enquiries

Charlotte Murrain
Communications Manager
+44(0)7557-436-771
charlotte.murrain@leo-pharma.com

Julie Wong
Head of Communications
+44(0)7825-918-989
[email protected]

Myanmar opens arms for the first foreign company to build an oil and gas supply base

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News Hub Asia Reporter

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July 15, 2017

YANGON, Myanmar, July 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — MOSB Limited (MOSB), has received approval from the Myanmar Investment Commission (MIC) on 11^th July, 2017 to build and operate a supply base in Mon State, with the endorsement from the Ministry of Energy.

The establishment of a supply base will support the fast-growing oil and gas industry in Myanmar and provide necessary infrastructure, health, education and employment opportunities to those in the region. This will further advance the industry by reducing travel distances and increasing efficiency.

“The planned offshore supply base would reduce the travelling time for oil and gas companies with Myanmar operations, which would otherwise have to travel to Singapore or Thailand,” said Mr. Leonard Oh, Executive Chairman of MOSB.

MOSB is committed to the growth of Myanmar and to supporting the communities in Mon State. As part of the project, MOSB will invest in the development of wide-ranging infrastructure and improvements to existing transportation and telecommunication linkages. Additionally, MOSB has plans to provide educational, medical and social services to enhance the network for business growth and economic development which will ultimately benefit the entire country.

U Zaw Min Oo, Village Head of Whagarik Village, Mon State said, “I am very happy and welcome this project because I believe it will support the local community to improve transportation, education and health as well as electricity which we need now. Our local people will not need to leave the village and travel far for jobs as the project will create a lot of job opportunities for us. This project will definitely improve our standard of living in many different ways.”

This will be the first foreign permit for a Supply Base for Myanmar, approved by the Ministry of Electricity and Energy.

About MOSB

MOSB company represents a joint venture between Two Fish Supply Base Limited of Myanmar and 2 Fish (SG) Pte Ltd of Singapore. MOSB is 80% owned by 2Fish (SG) Pte Ltd of Singapore. This is another effort by Singapore companies to create a joint effort to assist with the growth of the Myanmar economy.

Vivid Sydney: The intersection of Art, Technology and Commerce

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News Hub Asia Reporter

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July 9, 2017

Vivid Sydney: The intersection of Art, Technology and Commerce
By Somaya Ong

Vivid Sydney has taken the concept of innovation as something that is done in hip tech company or design studio and transplanted it into the very DNA of the city and its people. Vivid Sydney has attracted people from all over Australia and the world to bathe in an atmosphere of light both figuratively and literally, and made a pretty interesting winter tourism product at the same time.

Vivid Sydney is a 23-day festival of light, music and ideas, held from the 26th May to the 17th June 2017. Vivid Sydney features many of the world’s most important creative industry forums, a mesmerising free public exhibition of outdoor lighting sculptures and installations and a cutting-edge contemporary music program, creating the “Vivid Sydney is a festival of light, music and ideas.”

The official site could not have said it better “Vivid Light transforms Sydney into a wonderland of ‘light art’ sculptures, innovative light installations and grand-scale projections for all to enjoy – for free. It is a magical celebration of light-design excellence and the world’s largest outdoor ‘art-gallery’: a unique Vivid Sydney experience. Vivid Light engages lighting artists, designers and manufacturers from around Australia and the world to illuminate, interpret and transform Sydney’s urban spaces through their creative vision.”

Imagine attending a conference or a workshop and at night you are treated to a fabulous display of creativity and the thousands of people on the water, air and around the city enjoying the atmosphere. Vivid Ideas is the Asia Pacific’s annual celebration of innovation, creativity and community, building audiences and markets for the creative industries, and offering professional development opportunities across the sector. The program truly spans the innovation and imagination sector: from technology and start-up culture to design and architecture, film and screen content to visual arts and performance, advertising and marketing to animation, VFX, lighting and events.

From a business perspective the festival, Vivid Ideas brings together business and creative leaders for professional development, information updates on their industries, market opportunities and innovation: gathering all the conversations, conventions and big announcements in Sydney. Which draws the attention of the world on a city that is taking a lead in innovation globally. For more information visit https://www.vividsydney.com/

Where to stay?

Located in the heart of Sydney just walking distance to some of the most-lively spots during the festival is The Grace Hotel has been beautifully restored to its former glory, making it one of Sydney’s most prominent historical landmarks, a fine example of Neo-Gothic architecture with contrasting Art Deco interior.

Located in the heart of Sydney, this heritage-listed hotel offers a warm and personal service with the luxury of a 4 1/2 star hotel exuding a unique blend of old world charm with modern comfort to meet the needs of guests today, for more information visit http://gracehotel.com.au/

UMIT – Private University for Health Sciences Medical Informatics and Technology: Results of a Collaborative Study at Campus Tyrol Argue in Favor of a Personalized Prostate Cancer Screening Approach

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News Hub Asia Reporter

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July 6, 2017

A simulation study published in BMC Public Health by researchers of the Tyrolean Health and Life Sciences University UMIT, the Oncotyrol center, the Medical University of Innsbruck and the University of Toronto highlights optimized use of prostate cancer screening.

“Like most medical procedures also screening harbors benefits and risks. This gains increasing attention by the public,” explains Prof. Dr. Uwe Siebert, Chair of the Department of Public Health, Health Services Research and Health Technology Assessment at UMIT and President-Elect of the Society for Medical Decision Making. “A major risk of prostate cancer screening is that of overdiagnosis and overtreatment. This refers to the diagnosis and treatment of clinically irrelevant tumors, which would not cause any complaints during men’s lifetime and remain undetected without screening. Currently, there is no reliable method to distinguish clinically relevant from clinically irrelevant tumors. In consequence, also clinically irrelevant tumors may be treated, which unnecessarily exposes the affected patients to the unfortunately not uncommon long-term treatment complications such as erectile dysfunction, incontinence, bowel dysfunction.”

The simulation model developed by the researchers within a ONCOTYROL research project for personalized medicine simulates the positive and negative effects of screening on the duration and quality of life of screening participants and analyses under which circumstances the potential harms of screening outweigh the potential benefits. Project Coordinator Ass. Prof. Dr. Nikolai Muhlberger summarizes the study findings as follows: “The study results suggest that participation in screening reduces the risk to die from prostate cancer and prolongs the life expectancy of participating men. However, when quality-of-life effects are considered as well, it is shown that primarily men with elevated familial prostate cancer risk benefit from screening, while in men with average prostate cancer risk overall the harms of screening prevail. In addition, the simulation predicts that the benefit of screening in men with elevated familial risk also strongly depends on their individual valuation of treatment-related long-term side-effects.”

The urological experts in the research team, Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Horninger und Prof. Dr. Helmut Klocker, see the study as an important contribution towards a targeted application of prostate cancer screening. Horninger, the Dean of the Department of Urology at the Medical University of Innsbruck explains: “The study highlights the problem of overdiagnosis and illustrates the dependency of screening benefits on individual risk factors and preferences. Thus, it contributes to the improvement of patient counseling and supports an individual use of screening examinations, which all of us consider as important issues.”

SOURCE UMIT – The Health & Life Sciences University

2H2017 continues to be positive, but valuations getting expensive, says Pacific Mutual

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News Hub Asia Reporter

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July 6, 2017

In a statement today, Pacific Mutual Fund Bhd, an investment management company under the OCBC Group, with internal resources to manage both local and global investments for its clients, has commented that the second half of 2017 would continue to be positive, however valuations are getting rather expensive.

Teh Chi-cheun, Chief Executive Officer & Executive Director of Pacific Mutual Fund Bhd

Commenting on the outlook for the second half of 2017, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of Pacific Mutual, Teh Chi-cheun, said, “In the first half of 2017, market bullishness was driven by “Trumpflation” and the continuation of a global economic recovery. The second half of the year would continue to be positive – economic data continues to be robust and the recovery in corporate earnings is intact. However, valuations are getting rather expensive.”

Teh further added, “Expect markets to be volatile but on an upward trajectory as we continue to face policy risk, where the US is the key player to watch. America’s journey to “become great again” has been blocked by delays in healthcare reform, which affects the roll-out of Trump’s fiscal stimulus and the expected boost to US GDP. It is highly likely that the UK will have a new Prime Minister and in China, there will be the National Congress.”

“The past six months has seen an increase in political and policy risks but the market has absorbed all of it very well and has performed exceptionally. This should continue for the rest of the year but don’t expect such a stellar performance which occurred in the first half,” explained Teh.

To wrap up the first half of 2017, Pacific Mutual announced income distributions amounting to RM7.8 million for investors of eight of its funds. The company declared annual income distributions of 2 sen per unit for Pacific Millennium Fund; 3.5 sen per unit for Pacific Recovery Fund; 3 sen per unit for Pacific SELECT Balance Fund; and 2 sen per unit for Pacific Real Opportunities Absolute Return (ROAR) Fund.

The company also declared quarterly distributions of 0.4 sen per unit for Pacific Cash Fund and 1.05 sen per unit for Pacific Emerging Market Bond Fund. In addition, monthly distributions are as follows: 0.2 sen per unit for Pacific Islamic Cash Fund; and 0.3 sen per unit for Pacific Cash Deposit Fund.

PACIFIC MUTUAL FUND BHD is a subsidiary of Lion Global Investors Limited (formerly known as Lion Capital Management Limited), a company incorporated in Singapore since 1986. Both companies are members of the OCBC Group. As at the end of the first half of 2017, Pacific Mutual manages RM1.6 billion on behalf of its unit trust investors and private mandate clients. For more information, kindly log on to www.pacificmutual.com.my

SOURCE Pacific Mutual Fund Bhd

C-Level Strategy Retreat

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News Hub Asia Reporter

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June 28, 2017

Where a Corporate Retreat is held is just as important as to the overall objectives of the retreat or workshop. So before we start work on the details, imagine what you could achieve if your next brainstorming session was in a 260 Million year old hot spring surrounded by limestone hills and virgin rainforest.

The Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat is nestled in a small valley, cradled by towering Paleozoic limestone hills, verdant rainforest, rejuvenating geothermal hot springs, natural caves and cascading waterfalls. “Your getaway to regain balance and rediscover your sense of true self, this unique hideaway is designed to luxuriate in, with therapeutic value in mind”.

The resort has 25 exclusive Garden and Water villas, which combine for ultimate seclusion and bliss of the Geothermal Hot Springs Dipping Pools and the luxury that the global business traveler has become accustom.

This sanctuary of bespoke holistic wellness is in the northern state of Perak 2 hours drive from Kuala Lumpur, which can also be reached by helicopter from Kuala Lumpur and there are direct flights from Singapore. In keeping with the exclusivity and ideals of The Banjaran, we only accept adults and guests 12 years of age and above.

Having said that, some work needs to be done, the facilities are perfect for smaller groups so around 20 which makes it perfect for C-Levels, Wi-Fi and modern facilities at the Meeting Room provide absolute convenience while you engage in small-group business reviews, strategy meetings or brainstorms.
Afterwards, opt for Jeff’s Cellar’s exclusive setting and ambiance which adds stylish appeal and extravagance to significant occasions, launches and appreciation gatherings, the Executive Chef and Spa and Wellness Director can craft a range of cuisine to suit your wants and needs.

Needless to say that The Banjaran is an award winning location with a green awareness that is world class.

The Malaysia Global Business Forum is organised by Glenreagh Sdn. Bhd. has organised several retreats and brainstorming sessions for Malaysian companies and for international companies looking to expand into Asia as part of its engagement with stakeholders from the Business, Government, Academic, Media and Social Sectors. For more information about how we can help you develop a stakeholder engagement strategy or overcome some of the hurdles as you implement your current plans, contact our team today.

Commentary – UK’s departure from the EU: Impact on Malaysian Business

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News Hub Asia Reporter

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June 28, 2017

The recent invocation of Article 50 by the United Kingdom which signals the start of process of the UK’s departure from the European Union will have far reaching effects on economic and geopolitical realities faced by countries and business entreaties for the foreseeable future.

While it is the democratic will of the majority of people living in the UK it’s important to remember the founding principles of peace and prosperity through a shared future following the catastrophic aftermath of two world wars, this ideal should not be lost during the coming years.

Putting aside the political horse trading and the sensation created by some reports in the media the key question for Malaysia will be how can Malaysian companies benefit from the changes created by UK’s departure from the European Union?

While the UK has taken a step back from the EU, the fact remains that the EU is still the world’s largest trading block and a key market for companies that provide goods and services on a global scale.

Both the UK and the EU will be focused on negotiations of the separation which will a major task of unwinding of decades of convergence in many aspects of life, there will be increased opportunities for Malaysian companies who have the capacity to operate in highly regulated and competitive environments.

In the short term, now both economies will be competing for increased in trade and investment with external parties, this can be seen by the number of trade and investment delegations from Europe, in Malaysia in the recent past.

In the medium to long term, one area that Malaysia may be able to benefit from the split is in the area of food exports, especially palm oil. It is no secret that certain countries in the EU are less receptive to imports of palm oil for protectionist reasons. Malaysia can now relook at how they deal with issue as regulations and attitudes change post Brexit.

Malaysia’s exports of palm oil to the EU for the month of February 2017, stood at 153,165 tonnes and 1,759 tonnes to the UK respectively.

What we are seeing now is the opening rounds of a negotiation which is expected to take two years before a final deal is reached. It maybe counterproductive to react too quickly and on every report, there is still a long way to go.

Nordin Abdullah Managing Director of Glenreagh Sdn Bhd a boutique consultancy firm based in Kuala Lumpur. He is also currently the Vice President of the Malaysian International Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MICCI) and an EXCO member of the Malaysia Australia Business Council (MABC) and the Founding Chairman of the Malaysia Global Business Forum.

Commentary Featured in the following media :

Malaysia’s Palm Oil Stands To Reap Potential Benefits From Brexit – BERNAMA
Brexit Berpotensi Untungkan Minyak Sawit Malaysia – BERNAMA
Malaysia’s palm oil stands to reap potential benefits from Brexit – Astro Awani
Malaysia’s palm oil to reap benefits from Brexit – Malay Mail
Malaysia’s palm oil and food stands to reap potential benefits from Brexit – The Star Online
Brexit Berpotensi Untungkan Minyak Sawit Malaysia – M Star Online

“Malaysia imports over USD 15 Billion of food annually and exports far less, this is a major problem that needs to be address as the country moves forward with it’s vision of a developed nation”

Present your project to investors and financial institutes

Networking with decision makers and stakeholders

Contribute and help chart the future

Learn from the latest research and trends

New top 50 list ranks LEO Pharma in second position, leading the global pharma industry in commitments to increase access to clinical trials information

Vivid Sydney: The intersection of Art, Technology and Commerce By Somaya Ong

A simulation study published in BMC Public Health by researchers of the Tyrolean Health and Life Sciences University UMIT, the Oncotyrol center, the Medical University of Innsbruck and the University of Toronto highlights optimized use of prostate cancer screening.

The recent invocation of Article 50 by the United Kingdom which signals the start of process of the UK’s departure from the European Union will have far reaching effects on economic and geopolitical realities faced by countries and business entreaties for the foreseeable future.

Vivid Sydney: The intersection of Art, Technology and Commerce
By Somaya Ong