Fintech PR
DAY TWO OF HONG KONG INVESTOR SUMMIT TACKLES MEGATRENDS IMPACTING THE PLANET’S EIGHT BILLION CITIZENS
HONG KONG, Dec. 8, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — The Future Investment Initiative PRIORITY Summit Hong Kong today reconvened leaders from finance and government for a second day to address global matters of concern to humanity.
One thousand global investors, policy makers, innovators and business leaders were joined by counterparts from across Asia to discuss ‘megatrends’ including the unstoppable rise of Asia as an economic power, the impact of technology on lifestyles and jobs, and the deployment of capital between diverse markets and economies.
The day began with a presentation by FII Institute CEO Richard Attias and COO Rakan Tarabzoni of the Priority Compass Report, a global survey of 53,000 people across 23 countries. The survey revealed a sharp drop of 20% worldwide in people’s overall satisfaction with their lives, with respondents reporting concerns over cost of living, loneliness, technology, and climate concerns. 65% of people in countries polled are worried about day-to-day living costs. Loneliness has leaped up the list of concerns, with 41% of Asia’s population reporting frequent feelings of loneliness. 55% of people worldwide are worried about access to affordable and accessible healthcare and climate concerns continue to deepen as 78% of people across the Global South are worried about pollution.
Laurence Moroney, Lead AI Advocate at Google addressed concerns about AI and the risk of biases emerging because of reliance on narrow English language datasets. Moroney pointed out that 60% of information on Web 2.0 is generated by bots.
He also argued that innovators in AI need to account for distinctive local cultural identities in the development of AI models and explained that Google’s Gemini is working to condense and preserve cultures into small models, allowing people to interact with, learn about, and preserve individual distinctive cultures.
A panel discussion on cost of living heard Jerry Li, Founder and Managing Partner eWTP Arabia Capital describe data as the new oil, a resource driving innovation and progress. The 120 zettabytes (120, 000,000,000,000,000,000,000 bytes) generated in 2023 is expected to increase by over 150% in 2025, to 181 zettabytes.
During a panel discussion on the future of work Edith Yeung of Race Capital suggested that AI will free people from doing the things that they do not want to do, freeing them for more meaningful activities. The average person will spend 90,000 hours at work over a lifetime.
Raymond Yuan, CEO & Chairman CTH Group pointed out synergies between blockchain and AI starting to emerge in healthcare, life sciences, as well as financial services. The global Blockchain Market size was estimated to be approximately $7.4 billion in 2022 and the global artificial intelligence market $428 billion.
A panel of leading Asian venture capitalists debated ways in which Asia can grow vibrant and successful startup ecosystems, with $22.3 billion invested in Asian startups between July and September 2023.
Discussing the impact of investment on longevity and ageing Joshua Fink, Founder Luma Group, explained that revolutionary regenerative medicine, inspired by Nobel Prize-winning research, can reverse cells to a pre-disease state, offering hope against genetic diseases.
His Royal Highness Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan, Chairman, Saudi Esports Federation described the spectacular growth of gaming over the last 20 years at 12% per year. By the end of 2023 it is projected there will be 3.75 billion gamers in the world.
In a ‘titan of industry’ fireside chat with Sir Martin Sorrell, Richard Attias and Sorrell surveyed the global media sector, worth $950 billion, with digital projected to comprise 70% by 2025. On the future of platforms such as TikTok Sorrell explained that with young people’s views being shaped by new forms of social media, issues surrounding data safety and privacy will continue. Discussing ‘hyper personalization’ he pointed out that Coca Cola is thinking about the potential for AI to target individual messages to consumers.
Rakan Tarabzoni, COO, FII Institute presented the summit with FII’s inclusive ESG tool, launched to help companies in emerging markets improve sustainability and help investment capital find current and future performance leaders. The tool, which has been made publicly available will address biases inbuilt in other ESG methods and may unlock a $5.4 trillion funding gap of investments into emerging markets.
In the final session HE Kjell Magne Bondevik former Prime Minister of Norway and President, Oslo Centre for Peace and Human Right declared himself convinced that businesses that take more seriously the concerns of common people will be the businesses that will thrive in the future.
The FII Institute has worked with HKEX and consulting firm Deloitte to offset the carbon emissions generated by the summit, by purchasing credits on the HKEX Core Climate exchange, exemplifying a shared conviction that purposeful markets and business can serve humanity as a force for good.
During the summit BOC International signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement with SPIC International Finance (Hong Kong) Company Ltd. on green finance, bond investment and issuance, and global capital management. The signing was witnessed by Mr. Paul Chan, Financial Secretary of Hong Kong SAR.
The summit, held in partnership with Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX), took place at HKEX Connect Hall.
The FII PRIORITY Summit Hong Kong continues conversations held in Riyadh last month. It is part of an ongoing global programme of summits, to be held next year in Miami (February) Brazil (June) and Africa (September))
Richard Attias, CEO of the Future Investment Initiative Institute said:
“I should like to thank Hong Kong Government, the Hong Kong Exchange and the people of this fabulous city for the welcome they have shown us this week. As the world charts its forward course we must be mindful at every turn of the issues that matter. Whether it’s cost of living, developing new modes of payment, new social media platforms, or poverty, it is investment and innovation that can make the difference. The investors and innovators here this week have taken these issues seriously and the conversations and hard work will continue as we strive for a better tomorrow.”
For media inquiries, please contact:
Email: [email protected]
About FII Institute
The Future Investment Initiative (FII) Institute is a global non-profit foundation driven by data with an investment arm and one agenda: Impact on Humanity. Global and inclusive, we foster great minds from around the world and turn ideas into real-world solutions in four critical areas: Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Robotics, Education, Healthcare and Sustainability.
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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/day-two-of-hong-kong-investor-summit-tackles-megatrends-impacting-the-planets-eight-billion-citizens-302010435.html
Fintech PR
President Emmerson Mnangagwa met this week with Zambia’s former Vice President and Special Envoy Enoch Kavindele to discuss SADC’s candidate for the AfDB
President Mnangagwa, who is SADC Chairperson, reaffirmed his own country’s and SADC’s enthusiastic support for Zambian candidate Sam Maimbo
LUSAKA, Zambia, Dec. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Special Envoy Kavindele released the following statement following the meeting:
“I am elated to witness the growing success and momentum of Sam Maimbo’s candidacy to become the next President of the African Development Bank. I am filled with gratitude to our friends across both SADC and COMESA for their continued support and good wishes.
Sam has garnered such wide consensus due to his being uniquely qualified to deliver the transformative change and empowerment our continent needs. Sam’s 30 years in development work is defined by driving outcomes, improving processes, and investing in people. The AfDB needs a hands-on leader who is laser focused on delivering results and who is unafraid of making tough decisions in order to best serve our continent. Sam is that leader. Sam has the track record and experience to drastically enhance the pace, scale, and impact of the Bank’s work in service of the people and governments of Africa.
Our region has a proud history of supporting fellow Southern Africans. For example, we all recall Lusaka’s role in hosting the African National Congress’ headquarters during the dark days of Apartheid oppression.
It therefore gives me no pleasure to observe my South African brothers, who have themselves leant on Zambia’s steadfast friendship over many decades, fail to rally behind both SADC and COMESA’s chosen candidate for the AfDB. Africa’s urgent economic development challenges demand transformational leadership at the AfDB, it is all of our responsibility to put forward the best candidate for the job. This is not the time or place for a government to act with narrow self-interest, we all must act in the continent’s and AfDB’s best interest.
I thank Sam Maimbo for his lifelong service to our entire continent, and I am eager to witness his enormous impact as President of the AfDB.”
LONDON, Dec. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Heimdal Security shares a practical holiday cybersecurity checklist, offering expert insights to help businesses safeguard against cyber threats this festive season.
With reduced staffing, remote work setups, and a surge in online shopping creating heightened vulnerabilities, this guide offers actionable tips to enhance business security.
Going beyond basic advice, the checklist also highlights the most common holiday scams and features videos showcasing real-life examples of Christmas-themed cyber scams and effective prevention strategies.
Key Tips to Protect Businesses This Holiday Season:
- Strengthen endpoints: Ensure devices are updated with antivirus and endpoint protection software; consider Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) and application whitelisting.
- Prepare for phishing spikes: Train staff to identify suspicious emails, enforce robust email filters, and establish protocols for reporting unusual activity.
- Secure remote access: Mandate VPN usage, monitor unusual logins, and deactivate inactive accounts temporarily.
- Segment and shield networks: Isolate sensitive areas, deploy DNS security and advanced firewalls, and maintain full visibility over network traffic.
- Apply timely patches: Regularly update all systems and test patches in a controlled environment to minimize disruptions.
- Mitigate supply chain risks: Assess vendors thoroughly and limit their access to essential systems.
- Have a response plan ready: Tailor incident protocols for the holidays, create an on-call rotation for the IT team, and enable rapid action against suspicious activity.
“ Cybercriminals thrive on holiday distractions, but with proactive measures like phishing training, secure endpoints, and network segmentation, businesses can stay ahead of potential threats,” said Alex Panait, System Administrator at Heimdal Security.
Common Holiday Scams That Businesses Should Watch For:
Cybercriminals often tailor their tactics to exploit the festive season. The most common scams include:
- Spear phishing: Emails disguised as holiday bonuses or event invitations that steal credentials or spread malware.
- Malicious holiday E-Cards: Festive greetings that contain links deploying ransomware or spyware.
- Fake E-Commerce sites: Fraudulent websites offering discounts to steal payment information.
- Insider threats: Distracted or disgruntled employees mishandling or exploiting sensitive data.
- Corporate travel scams: Fake booking platforms targeting business travelers.
- Business email compromise (BEC): Fraudulent requests for urgent wire transfers during year-end financial rushes.
For more, read the full article here or watch the video on YouTube to see how these threats unfold and learn actionable prevention strategies.
About Heimdal:
Established in Copenhagen in 2014, Heimdal® empowers CISOs, security teams, and IT administrators to improve their security operations, reduce alert fatigue, and implement proactive measures through a unified command and control platform.
Heimdal’s award-winning cybersecurity solutions span the entire IT estate, addressing challenges from endpoint to network levels, including vulnerability management, privileged access, Zero Trust implementation, and ransomware prevention.
For further press information:
Madalina Popovici
Media Relations Manager
[email protected]
View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/stay-cyber-safe-this-holiday-season-heimdals-checklist-for-business-security-302337465.html
Fintech PR
According to Tickmill survey, 3 in 10 Britons in economic difficulty: Purchasing power down 41% since 2004
The people who have the most problems are women (30%) and are between 35 and 49 years old (39%)
ROME, Dec. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The purchasing power in the UK has dropped by 41% over the last 20 years. Today, £100,000 left in a bank account since 2004 without being invested would now be worth £59,021.
This figure is one of the findings from a study conducted by Tickmill, an international online trading broker that compared the economic situation in the UK and the European Union through the infographic “Purchasing Power and Cost of Living: UK vs EU”.
The analysis reveals a slight decline of 0.4% in the UK’s purchasing power, which currently stands at £41,573. In contrast, the European Union has seen a modest rise of 0.1%, reaching £40,874.
Why is purchasing power declining in the UK? One key factor is the cost of living. If the UK were still part of the European Union, it would rank as the fifth most expensive country, behind Ireland, Luxembourg, Denmark, and the Netherlands.
Unsurprisingly, 3 in 10 Britons are struggling with the cost of living. Women (3 in 10, compared to 25% of men), those aged between 35 and 49 (4 in 10), households earning less than £15,000 (6 in 10), and single parents (1 in 2) are among the most affected groups.
Among UK nations, Northern Ireland is the hardest hit, with 34% of its population facing financial difficulties, followed by Wales (31%), England (28%), and Scotland (22%). In England, the North East has the highest percentage of people struggling, with 4 in 10 residents affected. Even in London, the high costs impact 1 in 4 adults.
In response to these challenges, Britons are making significant adjustments:
- 53% have cut back or delayed spending on smaller items like eating out, entertainment, subscriptions, clothing, toys, books, etc.;
- 52% have reduced household energy consumption;
- 48% have decreased their grocery spending;
- 41% have scaled back or postponed major expenditures, such as holidays, cars, and weddings;
- 26% are working longer hours, taking on overtime, or pursuing additional jobs to earn extra income.
The British also made changes on the financial side. One in four adults has been forced to dip into their savings or investments to cover daily expenses. Moreover, 44% have stopped saving or investing entirely or have reduced their savings and investments—a 4% increase compared to 2023.
The lack of investment is another critical factor contributing to the decline in purchasing power. It is estimated that 13 million UK residents hold £430 billion in cash deposits but do not invest. The reasons? Seventy-four percent say they cannot compare investment products effectively, and 43% are afraid of losing their money.
A lack of knowledge and fear are preventing many savers from taking advantage of an important opportunity: preserving or increasing their purchasing power in the long term.
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