Singapore, 28 December 2015: InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG^®), one of the world’s leading hotel companies, has signed a management agreement with Kebsup Group Company Limited to open the first Hotel Indigo^®
in Phuket.

Set to open its doors to guests in 2018, the 180-room Hotel Indigo Phuket Patong will be located in the northern end of the bustling Patong beach town, renowned for its lively shopping scene and a wide variety of restaurants and bars peppering the busy streets. Guests staying at Hotel Indigo Phuket Patong will enjoy the hotel’s close proximity to the beach in the day and the easy access to the town’s vibrant night life after sundown.

Hotel Indigo is IHG’s boutique brand. Each Hotel Indigo property is designed to reflect the culture, character and heritage of the local neighbourhood it is located in, so no two properties are the same.

Guests at the new Hotel Indigo Phuket Patong can fully immerse in the stories of the Patong neighbourhood which will feature distinctly in Thai-inspired décor and artwork, whilst locally inspired menus at the hotel’s restaurants and bars will be designed to offer diners a true taste of the island.

Leanne Harwood, Vice President, Operations, South East Asia, IHG said: “Phuket is one of the top resort destinations in Thailand, welcoming more than five million tourists in the first half of this year alone. We are delighted to be launching our Hotel Indigo brand in the Patong beach town with our partners Kebsup Group Company Limited to cater to the growing number of both domestic and international visitor arrivals to the island. We are confident our guests will welcome the arrival of the new Hotel Indigo Phuket Patong where they can truly enjoy the individuality and style of a boutique hotel with the security and consistency of an international hotel company.”

Ms. Chalermluck Kebsup, Director, Kebsup Group Co., Ltd. said: “Phuket as a destination grows in popularity every year and tourists to the island are increasingly well travelled and savvy.

Hotel Indigo Phuket Patong will cater to travellers who appreciate the unique tastes and cultures that make up the vibrant Patong neighbourhood, and we look forward to providing them with great guest experiences through the hotel’s locally-inspired architecture and cuisine when it opens in 2018.”

This is the second hotel IHG is developing with Kebsup Group Company Limited. The hotel company is currently also managing Holiday Inn Express Phuket Patong Beach Central, owned by Kebsup Group Company Limited, which opened in 2012.

Singapore, November 2015 – Epson launched their latest WorkForce Pro Series Printers – WF-5111, WF-5621 and WF-6091. Singapore is the first country in Southeast Asia to launch the new WorkForce Pro series printers.

The launch was held as part of a business showcase of Epson’s business inkjet portfolio for both SOHO/SME and business users. Products include its market leading ink tank system printers which have sold over two million units in Southeast Asia.

WorkForce Pro Printers – Focus on cost-savings and speed

Specially targeted at home and small to medium businesses, the three new WorkForce Pro series printers – WF-5111, WF-5621 and WF-6091 will provide users with low-cost, high page yields for enhanced business productivity and work efficiency.

Key features of the new WorkForce Pro series printers include:

• Powered by Epson’s PrecisionCore Printhead technology: Initially used for industry level printing, Epson is increasingly introducing PrecisionCore technology for models catering to small business and office needs. It is a culmination of over 40 years of development that produces precision and durability in business printing. The printhead technology eliminates warm up time that is normally required in colour laser printers, therefore maximizing time efficiency. Nozzles using PrecisionCore can efficiently and precisely deliver the most appropriate amount of ink to achieve highquality, high-speed printing.
• High page yields and durability: According to Epson, the WF-6091 can print up to 10,000 and 7,000 black and colour pages respectively, while the WF-5111 and WF-5621 can print up to 45,000 pages monthly.
• Saving costs with automatic duplex function. The new WorkForce Pro range comes with double-sided printing to further cut costs and lessen the impact on the environment.

Product specifications of the new WorkForce Pro series printers are available in the Annex.

Printing Solutions for Businesses

In addition to the new WorkForce Pro series printers, business partners were also treated to a showcase of Epson’s complete portfolio of business inkjet printers. They include:

• M-series Ink Tank System Printers: Epson’s first monochrome integrated ink tank system printers – the M100 and M200 provide users ultra-low-cost office printing. The printers save costs, power and time with an ultra-high yield of 6,000 pages, making it the most economical office printer than any mono laser or inkjet printer.
• Epson’s revolutionary L-series range of ink tank printers: These include the L310, L365 as well as the L655, Epson’s top-of-the-line ink tank system printer which is the world’s first duplex ink tank system printer.
• Epson WorkForce Pro WF-R8591: The first printer model that features a Replaceable Ink Pack System (RIPS). Combining both PrecisionCore technology and DURABrite Ultra Pro inks, the Epson RIPS utilises high capacity ink packs that can hold a far higher volume of ink compared to traditional ink cartridges. The WF-R8591 has a super high-yield printing of up

  to 75,000 pages without replacing the ink. The Replaceable Ink Pack System technology offers cost savings to meet centralized printing needs and maintain a lower inventory for consumables.

The event is part of Epson Singapore’s efforts to engage their customers and promote the use of inkjet printing for the business segment. Said Mr Matthew Loh, Head of Sales, Epson Singapore,” The future of business printing lies in developing versatile solutions that can keep up with changing business needs. Small businesses especially want a one-stop solution that can deliver good and fast results cost-effectively – be it office documents, colour photos or creative visual products. Epson’s business printing solutions, such as the WorkForce Pro series, bring that ease of mind and flexibility to corporate customers, to expand their business at top speed without worrying if they need to add on multiple printers or compromise on quality.”

Annex: Epson WorkForce Pro series business inkjet printers key specifications

Entertainment, media and hospitality industries are most targeted; government is next A state-owned bank and an Asian telecommunications company were compromised

Singapore,     November     19,     2015     –     FireEye,     Inc.     (NASDAQ:     FEYE)     and     Singapore Telecommunications Limited (Singtel) today released a new report on advanced cyber attacks against organisations in Southeast Asia. In the first half of the year, organisations observed in the region faced a 45% higher risk of facing a targeted cyber attack than the global average. In the prior six-month period, they faced only a 7% higher risk.

Across the region, 29% of observed organisations were targeted with advanced cyber attacks in the first half of 2015. Thailand and the Philippines were hardest hit, with 40% and 39% of observed organisations exposed to these attacks, respectively.

Chart: Percentage of FireEye customers observed to have been affected by targeted malware (January – June 2015)

More than one-third of malware detections associated with advanced persistent threat (APT) groups originated within the entertainment, media and hospitality industries. By targeting media organisations, threat groups can gain access to news before it is published and potentially identify undisclosed sources.

FireEye observed at least 13 APT groups targeting national government organisations and at least four APT groups targeting regional or state governments around the world.

“Espionage isn’t new but it is increasingly conducted online, and Southeast Asia is a hot spot,” said Eric Hoh, president for Asia Pacific Japan at FireEye. “Geopolitics can drive cyber attacks. As

Southeast Asia becomes a larger economic player on the world stage and tensions flare in the South China Sea, organisations should be prepared for targeted attacks.”

William Woo, Managing Director, Enterprise Data and Managed Services at Singtel said, “The report emphasises the frequency and sophistication of cyber attacks against all types of industries and enterprises in the region. The risk of attack, faced by regional enterprises, is higher than the global average. Therefore these enterprises must make it a priority to reinforce their cyber defences. Even though APT attacks can be discovered within a shorter timeframe than before, which is currently after 205 days, this still leaves enterprises wide open to malicious activity within their breached environment. To avoid such a situation, it is imperative for enterprises to adopt preemptive measures, such as our cyber defence managed services, to safeguard their assets and customers, in order to protect their reputations.”

Threat intelligence is an important tool for organisations seeking to stay ahead of attackers. The report contains insights into recent developments in Southeast Asia’s cyber threat landscape, such as groups targeting prominent institutions to gather political and economic intelligence, the detection of a known cyber espionage campaign, and threat actors’ evolving techniques to evade detection.

State-owned Bank Compromised

FireEye observed malware beaconing from a state-owned bank in Southeast Asia. FireEye Threat Intelligence believes the malware, called CANNONFODDER, is most likely used by Asian cyber threat groups to collect political and economic intelligence. In late-2014, FireEye observed the malware beaconing from an Asian telecommunications company. In mid-2014, the company observed threat actors sending spear phishing emails with malicious attachments to employees of an Asian government.

Decade-Long Cyber Espionage Campaign Detected

In April 2015, FireEye released a report documenting an advanced persistent threat group referred to as APT30 which conducted a cyber espionage operation against businesses, governments and journalists in Southeast Asia for ten years. This group’s malware, called Lecna, comprised 7% of all detections at FireEye customers in Southeast Asia in the first half of 2015.

Stealthy Group Targets Southeast Asia Government

FireEye has been tracking ongoing activity associated with a unique and relatively stealthy group it first identified in 2013 as APT.NineBlog. One of the probable targets of the group’s 2015 campaign is a Southeast Asian government, based on the specificity of some of the decoy documents. The group’s malware uses encrypted SSL communications to evade detection. In addition, the malware attempts to detect the presence of applications used to analyze malware, and it quits if any is detected.

View the full report: http://www2.fireeye.com/rs/848–DID–242/images/rpt–southeast–asia–fall–2015.pdf

###

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG®) is celebrating the opening of Holiday Inn Express Jakarta Wahid Hasyim in the heart of the capital, making it the  8th Holiday Inn Express in Indonesia.

Centrally located along the bustling Jalan K.H. Wahid Hasyim, the 160-room hotel’s city-centre location is within minutes of the city’s colourful markets and major shopping malls, the Central Business District (CBD) and other attractions. The hotel will cater to the needs of on-the-go travellers looking for a comfortable and affordable place to rest and relax after a long day out and about, whether for business or leisure.

Please see below for the full press releases

[pdf-embedder url=”https://theneodimension.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Media-Release_Holiday-Inn-Express-Wahid-Hasyim.pdf”]

SINGAPORE, OCTOBER 21, 2015 – TAG Heuer is building Singapore’s first ever floating tennis platform ahead of the WTA Finals in Singapore. Stretching out 35 by 17 metres across the water at Clifford Pier, and weighing up to 10 cars, the floating court will be unveiled on October 22 in what is promised to be an evening of sporting glamour and a key event on the fringe of the tournament.

The floating court will take 10 days to build and install, and will be the stage for an exhibition game between two tennis icons who have played the sport at the highest levels – five-time world number one and TAG Heuer ambassador Maria Sharapova, and former tennis player Michael Chang. Guests and the public can get up close to the action from the deck at Clifford Pier, while all along the bay, the floating court will offer a visual spectacle.

Hailed by tennis legend John McEnroe as “one of the greatest competitors our sport has ever seen,” Sharapova, who is currently in second place on the WTA leaderboard coming into the Finals, will be looking to bounce back from a forearm injury to register her first win in Singapore. She will arrive at the floating court in style, on a boat.

Chang, who is now coach to top Japanese player Kei Nishikori, still holds the record for being the youngest Grand Slam winner when he won the French Open in 1989 at the age of 17. He will take on Sharapova in a friendly mixed-doubles game. They will be paired with 19-year-old Angeline Devi Devanthiran and 17-year-old Shaheed Alam who both represented Singapore for the first time at the 28th SEA Games in June. There will also be a Charity Rally where TAG Heuer will donate $100 per rally in the longest rally played.

In addition, the event will see eight-year-old Joshua Wong’s wish come true. The young tennis fan suffers from non-Hodgkin lymphoma and TAG Heuer has partnered Make-A-Wish Foundation to realise Joshua’s wish to meet a real-life sports star. He will present the TAG Heuer limited edition SG50 Aquaracer to Sharapova on court in the presence of hundreds of guests.

The party will continue indoors with press conferences with Sharapova and Chang, as well as a TAG Heuer showcase, live music and other activities.

TAG Heuer presents Maria Sharapova on Singapore’s 1^st Floating Tennis Platform
Thurs, 22 Oct 2015, 6:30pm
Clifford Pier, Fullerton Bay Hotel
80 Collyer Quay
Singapore 049326

If you want to see more photo, you may wish to visit my facebook album here

Holiday Inn Resort®Kandooma Maldives announces that its culinary team won the prestigious “Gold Medal” from the recently concluded Asian Economy Countries (AEC) Culinary Challenge 2015, held at the Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre (BITEC) from 2-5 September. 

Themed “Inspire and Create the ASEAN Cuisines of Tomorrow”, the culinary challenge was participated by 8 countries. Executive Chef Vincent Tan, Chef Nguyen Troung Luat and Chef Truong Vinh Co represented Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives (Vietnam) and emerged the grand winners by preparing, cooking and presenting cuisines famous from the seven competing nations. 

The resort’s Culinary Team will be participating in the Maldives Culinary Challenge 2015 coming up from 18-21 September 2015.

See the full press releases below

[pdf-embedder url=”https://theneodimension.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/media-release_aec-culinary-challenge-2015-15-september-2015.pdf”]

Global market slumped like a freefall but innovation will never stop. Entrepreneurs will continue to innovate and invent interesting products and services. Give yourself a chance to indulge in the air of entrepreneurism at NTU Business Plan Competition(NTU BPC) this coming Friday, 9 Jan 2009.

NTU BPC – 08CreativeLab is a campus-wide competition very much in line with Singapore’s effort to promote and develop a strong technology entrepreneurship environment leading to a vibrant and thriving sector of high growth technology-oriented companies. Spearheaded by Nanyang Technopreneurship Center (NTC) and designed to encourage the growth of entrepreneurship through education and competition, NTU BPC provides a platform in which participants present new innovative business concepts to venture capitalists, entrepreneurs, business leaders and angel investors.

Through the various learning initiatives and training engagements with business communities, participants are strongly encouraged to go beyond “paper play” and to start up ventures based on their business plans.

This year’s competition which began in May attracted a total of 294 NTU students or 67 teams. During the first round of judging, we narrowed this down to 18 teams. 8 teams from the Semi Final have advanced into the Grand Final of 08CreativeLab.

Our judges from the preliminary and semi-final rounds have short-listed 8 finalist-teams for this Grand Final, where each team is expected to perform an elevator pitch on their business, followed by a venture capital fair where each team will set up a booth to showcase their business idea to be evaluated by a panel of distinguished judges consisting of venture capitalists, business angels, successful entrepreneurs, eminent corporate business leaders, intellectual property owners, solicitors, government officials, and etc.

The winning teams will be awarded with over S$23,000 cash prizes; possibilities to raise capital funding; and others including digital equipments and shopping vouchers, etc.  Supporting this event, we have supporting partners such as Action Community for Entrepreneurship (ACE), Singapore Venture Capital & Private Equity Association (SVCA), Technology Transfer Network (TTN) and Lloyd Wise.

NTC would like to invite you to the Grand Finale of NTU Business Plan Competition 2008 on 9th of January 2009.

Interested parties, please register yourself here

Feel lost in the job market? Lack of motivation? I believe these are some emotional struggles among young Singaporean. However in the midst of poor market condition, there always exist an opportunity. Successful entrepreneurs usually emerge during bad weather. Why not get yourself de-stressed and feel the air of entrepreneurialism with Global Entrepreneurship Week 2008?

Global Entrepreneurship Week (The Week) lasts from 17 to 23 Nov 2008. It is a celebration of innovation, entrepreneurship and creativity. The Week will bring together millions of young people across the globe through online and local activities and encourage them to think innovatively and unleash their ideas.

This is not an “All Talk, No Action” event. M.Y. FBI Holiday Camp, targeted at children (age 10-12), will required participants to think of creative ideas to sell their craft on 22nd November as a closing for the camp. All profits will go to a charity benefiting children which will be selected by the participants themselves.

Besides business educations for the young children, Youths-4 Charity Flea market is targeted at youths from Secondary Schools and ITE with a focus on social entrepreneurship. Youths-4 Charity Flea market is a competition. Each team will be required to produce items/ crafts for sale on the flea market. To make the competition more realistic, rental and interest will be imposed.

The Global Entrepreneurship Week 2008 is organised by ACE and NUS Enterprise. The sponsored review is provided by BLOG2u (http://blog2u.sg). If you wish to find out more information of the event, please visit the official site: http://www.entrepreneurshipweeksg.org

If you are an entrepreneur or business developer, you are constantly fighting for sales otherwise you will lose out in this highly-competitive market. Time is everything! As a sales person or entrepreneur (especially those at the early stage of startup), you need to be highly efficient even on the move!

Meeting your clients is like engaging a fire fight. You need weapons and transportation for wars. Your products are your bullets and your car should be like your armor vehicle. Besides transportation capabilities, armor-vehicles have fighting and communication capabilities. Question here, “besides transportation, what else can our car do?”

I am sure all of us agree that car is a liability. Why? Simply because we do not see much of owning a car except for the ERP (for those who don’t understand, it is the acronym of Electronic Road Pricing), car loans, petrol charges and road taxes. We need to look at uses or applications of car beyond transportation.

I come across the term “Mobile Office”. One of the examples is to convert your vehicle into a mobile place. I believe this is the area that can be further explored. In fact Volkswagen (Stock Quotes: VOW.DE) has the concept of such car. Below are some of the photos of Volkswagen T6.  

The T6 model has won the “Best Lifestyle Interior” in the Interior Motives Award 2008. (Source: Car Body Design)

I am using this example only to prove my point that we need more applications on wheels. In fact, I believe that the design of the concept car can be further developed to suit the needs of the mass (especially entrepreneurs who might not have an office to work since office rental can be quite expensive).  Sounds hard? But it is not very hard for the technicians to change or modify your car parts. If you watch MTV channel, there is a TV program called “Pimp My Ride” that actually helps to “renovate” your car.

Enough of Wonderland! Let’s get back to reality. In Singapore, we have seen car loves spend ten thousands of dollars just on installing lighting and car audio system. I am sure there is a demand of office usages on cars. But, Can we have such car modification in Singapore? Bear in mind, you might be installing additional battery (approval from LTA – Land Transport Authority ) to power up your equipments such as communication devices which might transmit wireless signal (approval from IDA – Infocomm Development Authority).  Things are not going to be that simple. I believe there are more factors to consider.

I am very willing to hear more. Please drop your comments.