News In Brief

Welcome to our ‘News In Brief’ column in which we digest all the news releases for you in no more than five paragraphs. Below are snippets of all the media releases we received from Jan 8 till the end of the week. This article updates throughout the week.

Nutrigene Unveils Child PDP

Kuala Lumpur, Jan 8: Nutrigene Modern Sciences Sdn. Bhd., a leading company in child development, has launched its nationwide Personalised Development Program (PDP). The program utilizes a science-driven approach, leveraging DNA analysis to promote holistic child growth. This revolutionary method aims to balance nature and nurture, reshaping parenting and education.
At a recent event, Nutrigene’s management, including Founder & CEO Dr. Choo Wenxi, and TVB artists like Benjamin Yuen and Shaun Tam, shared insights into the program. They highlighted the use of the RIASEC Career Talent DNA Test in early childhood development, helping parents understand their child’s inherent strengths.
Dr. Choo emphasized PDP’s focus on both psychological and academic development, nurturing various developmental areas like language, numeracy, and arts. Nutrigene aims to support 10,000 families by 2025, encouraging collaborations with educators and childcare professionals.
Coinciding with the PDP launch, Nutrigene inaugurated its first branch in Kuching, Sarawak. This expansion underscores their commitment to providing personalized education, tailored to each child’s unique needs. Dr. Choo underlined the importance of qualified educators in achieving this goal, ensuring a nurturing environment for both educators and students. Nutrigene’s PDP and new branch mark a significant step in redefining personalized education standards.

GHL Adopts Click to Pay

Kuala Lumpur, Jan 8: GHL Systems Berhad has launched Mastercard Click to Pay for 2,000 e-commerce merchants. This innovative solution offers a faster and more secure checkout experience, allowing consumers to use their preferred cards on any device without manual entry. It mirrors Chip and Pin technology for online shopping, enhancing security and convenience.
GHL Malaysia’s CEO, Kevin Lee, emphasized the solution’s alignment with modern consumer demands for simplicity and security. Beena Pothen, Country Manager for Mastercard in Malaysia and Brunei, highlighted Click to Pay’s seamless, safe online payment experience, reducing the need for storing card details with multiple merchants.
This strategic collaboration with Mastercard adds to GHL’s range of payment solutions, including in-store, online, and mobile services. TGV Cinemas, Malaysia’s leading cinema operator, is among the first to adopt this technology, offering their customers a hassle-free payment experience. The move comes as e-commerce in Malaysia is expected to reach USD 8.75 billion in 2023, with a projected annual growth of 13.26 per cent until 2027.

MarcoPolo700 Foundation-UNESCO Partnership

London, Jan 8: The MarcoPolo700 Foundation, established to honor the 700th anniversary of Marco Polo’s passing, was launched today as a charitable organization promoting cultural exchange, art, and education. The Foundation aims to build a transformative traveling exhibition retracing Marco Polo’s journey from Italy to China, combining virtual technology and physical artefacts to highlight cultural exchanges between the East and the West.
Kevin Adeson, CEO of the Foundation, emphasized the significance of uniting people through shared history and cultural diversity. The Foundation is set to engage schools in visual arts competitions and cultural explorations, aligning with its mission to foster collaboration and appreciation across generations.
The Foundation has announced a partnership with UNESCO, planning to participate in the UNESCO World Conference on Culture and Arts Education in Abu Dhabi. Dr. Helen Chan, leading the Annual Digital Arts Competition, expressed excitement over collaborating with UNESCO on this international initiative. Yiline Zhao of UNESCO commended the Foundation’s commitment to cultural exchange, supporting a long-term partnership to promote mutual understanding and appreciation of cultural heritage.

Privilege Club Exclusive Unveiling

Doha, Jan 8: Qatar Airways has announced a significant enhancement to its loyalty program with the launch of the Privilege Club Collection. This innovative platform is designed to provide Privilege Club members with exclusive access to a range of unique experiences and events.
Members can now use their Avios, the reward currency of the Privilege Club, to access and bid on a variety of curated packages. These include VIP tickets to major concerts at The O2 arena featuring artists like Depeche Mode, John Mayer, Liam Gallagher, and The Jonas Brothers, as well as VIP experiences at FC Internazionale Milano and Paris Saint-Germain football matches, including pitch side tickets, signed jerseys, and more.
The spokesperson for Qatar Airways Privilege Club expressed that this new platform aligns with their vision to offer valuable and inspiring opportunities to members. The introduction of Avios and partnerships with global banks and hotels have been key steps in enhancing the Privilege Club experience.
Members also have the option to buy Avios directly on the platform. Avios can be accumulated through various activities, including flying with Qatar Airways, oneworld® alliance members, partner airlines, shopping and dining at Qatar Duty Free, booking holiday packages with Qatar Airways Holidays, using co-branded payment cards, or linking payment cards to their Privilege Club account for in-store and online shopping with partners in Qatar.
The Privilege Club Collection is part of Qatar Airways’ continued efforts to expand its range of partnerships across banking, financial sectors, hotels, car rentals, retail, and lifestyle segments, offering more benefits and experiences to its members.

MR D.I.Y.’s Heartwarming CNY Webfilm

Kuala Lumpur, Jan 11: MR D.I.Y., Malaysia’s beloved home improvement retailer, has released a heartwarming Chinese New Year webfilm titled “Wo Ai Ni” that has quickly garnered over seven million views on platforms like YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, and Xiaohongshu. The 5-minute 23-second film tells the story of a family reunion during Chinese New Year and highlights the importance of expressing love to one’s family. MR D.I.Y. aims to promote love and compassion among Malaysians through this initiative.

Cactus Water Backs Perak Tourism

Kuala Lumpur, Jan 11: Chuan Sin Sdn Bhd (CSSB), a top bottled water manufacturer, has partnered with Tourism Perak Management Berhad to support the ‘Visit Perak Year 2024’ campaign.
They plan to distribute around seven million cartons of Cactus mineral water nationwide, featuring labels showcasing 11 Perak tourist destinations.
This collaboration, sealed by CSSB’s R&D Director Dr. Chuah Chaw Teo and Tourism Perak’s CEO Nurmalis Musa, is aimed at promoting sustainable tourism and revitalizing Perak’s tourism industry. Destinations like Kelly Castle and Taiping Zoo will be highlighted on Cactus water packaging, driving both domestic and international interest in Perak’s cultural and natural attractions.

Springdel Secures $5M Investment

Toronto, Jan 14: Springdel, a prominent company in essential mobile device management (MDM), has recently announced a significant $5 million investment, primarily led by Carbide Ventures with additional support from Beyond Ventures.
This investment marks a pivotal moment for Springdel to intensify its dedication to Artificial Intelligence (AI) integration and declarative device management (DDM), both of which are reshaping the landscape of MDM and Unified Endpoint Management (UEM). Calvin Chung, Springdel’s CEO, remarks: “Our platform is meticulously engineered for essential device management that keeps pace with the swift evolution and innovation in the enterprise sector. Our solution offers a seamless approach to incorporate AI for efficient management of device fleets, aiding frontline workers and critical operations. This financial backing enables us to explore the full potential of AI and the shift from traditional MDM to DDM, aiming to offer quicker, more dependable support and updates for shared devices.”
Dan Weirich, General Partner at Carbide Ventures, echoes this sentiment: “Springdel’s innovative strategy is transforming the benefits enterprises can derive from an increasing number of digital endpoints. Their focus on innovation and user experience uniquely positions them for significant growth. We’re excited to back a team that’s not only adapting to the industry pace but also defining it in an era dominated by AI transformation.”
Chung highlights the limitations of current solutions, stating: “Mission-critical edge devices demand specialized management, and conventional MDM falls short. Incorporating AI, we offer a solution that’s more proactive, adaptive, and intelligent, enhancing our customers’ ability to manage their device fleets. This leads to reduced downtime, improved security, and better resource management.”
The new funding will fuel the development of advanced AI-driven capabilities and automation. Focus areas include the expansion of predictive maintenance, intelligent alerts and notifications, and enhanced cognitive analytics and reporting.
Additionally, this investment is set to boost Springdel’s market expansion strategies and fortify crucial partnerships.