Asia Pacific
Headlines
SANNE appoints new business development director in Tokyo
Makoto Nagao, has been appointed to the newly created role of Director, Business Development adding further strength to SANNE’s Asia-Pacific business. With more than 35 years of experience, Nagao-san brings a wealth of knowledge, following a lengthy career with Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, SMFG. While he was at SMFG, Nagao-san was General Manager...
Crayfish.io launches UK’s first funded initiative to get businesses China-ready
A ground-breaking initiative with a £500k investment fund dedicated to helping UK businesses get ‘China-ready’ has been launched in Cambridge by global online platform, Crayfish.io. Starting in September, the Crayfish China Accelerator programme - which has secured UK-China Enterprise Ltd (UKCE), a Chinese-capital-backed VC fund, as its...
SANNE opens new office in Mumbai, India
SANNE, a leading global provider of alternative asset and corporate services has further extended its global reach with the opening of a new office in Mumbai, India. With existing offices in 18 leading international finance centres, SANNE now has a local presence in one of the world’s fastest growing alternative markets and is also pleased to announce...
SANNE secures new bookkeeping licence in China
SANNE, a leading global provider of alternative asset and corporate administration services obtains new bookkeeping licence in China boosting its already strong proposition. The new licence expands SANNE’s existing product offering in China, adding bookkeeping, accounting and tax preparation services for Chinese registered entities. Jing Jing...
SANNE appoints Country Head to lead its Singapore business
Adding further expertise and knowledge to its APAC business As a leading global provider of alternative asset and corporate business services, SANNE is pleased to announce the appointment of David Fowler to the role of Country Head − Singapore with immediate effect. Based in SANNE’s Singapore office, David will be taking over the role from Valérie...
Finance
The eternal, fanciful allure of the South Pacific
AS A DISTRACTING sidebar to much grimmer stories, newspapers around the world have been publishing tales of tourists stranded in palm-fringed places, unable to catch a flight home. A 19-year-old Briton trapped on a tropical island after a stint volunteering for a charity told the BBC, “I think people assume, ‘You’re in Fiji, you’re on the beach...
An Australian court overturns a cardinal’s conviction for sexual abuse
THE JURY that in 2018 found George Pell guilty of sexually assaulting two choirboys deliberated about its verdict for five days. But it did not think about the evidence carefully enough, Australia’s High Court ruled on April 7th. It overturned the conviction and ordered Mr Pell, a cardinal who used to be the Vatican’s top financial manager, released....
South Korea presses on with an election
AT FIRST GLANCE it looked like any old campaign event. A crowd thronged around a stage in a narrow street in central Seoul. Dancers in bright pink hoodies performed a lacklustre routine to a K-pop tune. But the dancers wore face masks that matched their hoodies. Spectators, though hard-pressed to keep the officially recommended two-metre distance from...
Japanese women rebel against painful dress codes
ISHIKAWA YUMI worked eight-hour shifts as an usher in a funeral parlour, always in heels. Her employer insisted. Her toes bled. “Why do we have to hurt our feet at work, when men can wear flat shoes?” she complained on Twitter. The tweet exploded. Encouraged, she gathered 18,800 signatures on a petition calling for a ban on employers requiring women...
With the world distracted, China intimidates Taiwan
THE TANKS queued patiently with the cars, delivery trucks and bright yellow taxis before rolling serenely through the traffic lights. The drill, in Yuanshan, a town south-east of Taipei, was intended as practice at repelling a Chinese invasion. Some of the tanks, covered in webbing, hid in a copse, about as inconspicuously as is possible for a 50-tonne...
Legal
After Fintech, Singapore eyes Legaltech status
Singapore, a haven for disruptive fintech firms, is aiming to shake up Asia's legal sector next The Lion City will host Southeast Asia's first legaltech accelerator from April. The city-state's initiative aims to groom legaltech startups as well as incubate new business models or services conceived by law firms. Singapore's law academy has launched...
China updates New Industry Catalogue
PRC reduces regulatory procedures for foreign investments following its 2016 reforms. China creates a nationally applicable “negative list” for foreign investment, which opens up more industries for multi-national companies.Foreign Investments Filing Administrative Rules will be updated and published soon by the Ministry of Commerce to clarify...
Proposals to make free movement of data a principle of EU law expected this autumn
Ansip said proposed new EU legislation to tackle unnecessary restrictions on where data can be stored are likely to be published this autumn.The proposals will also look to make it easier for businesses to move their data between rival cloud providers and ensure that public sector bodies can access data held by authorities in another EU country to help...
New advertising standards in the UK to take tougher stance on gender stereotypes
The new standards will be drawn up by the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP), according to a new report on gender stereotypes in advertising (64-page / 5.4MB PDF) published by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), the watchdog that oversees compliance with UK advertising rules.The CAP will also look to "clarify standards that reflect the ASA‘s...
UK government urged to avoid data transfers 'cliff edge' at point of Brexit
In a new report, a House of Lords committee warned that trade and security could be impacted if the flow of data is disrupted at the point of Brexit.To enable data to flow between the UK and EU post-Brexit, the EU Home Affairs Sub-Committee urged the UK government to seek a so-called 'adequacy' decision from the European Commission, which would recognise...
Deals
Lyreco Group announces the acquisition of DeskRight
Lyreco Group today announced the acquisition of DeskRight, a leading office supplies business on the Singapore market. The move puts Lyreco, European leader and number three worldwide in the distribution of workplace supplies solutions to businesses, in a leadership position on the Singapore market and represents the first step in its new development...
HSA Advocates advised a consortium of four ports in relation to strategic sale of Dredging Corporation of India by Government of India
HSA Advocates represented a consortium of four ports Vishakapatnam Port Trust, Paradeep Port Trust, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust and Deendayal Port Trust in relation to strategic sale of Dredging Corporation of India concluded by Government of India (GoI). The four ports have acquired 100% of GoI's shares in Dredging Corporation of India (i.e. 73.47%...
Duff & Phelps enhances restructuring and dispute offering with acquisition of Zolfo Cooper Asia
Expands Footprint in Greater China Region Duff & Phelps, the global advisor that protects, restores and maximizes value for clients, today announced the acquisition of Zolfo Cooper Asia, a leading independent provider of restructuring, insolvency, litigation support and forensic accounting services. The combination of Duff & Phelps and Zolfo...
Investcorp launches in India with acquisition of IDFC Alternative’s Private Equity and Realty Businesses
Entry in to India expands footprint of direct investments into Asia Investcorp a leading global provider and manager of alternative investment products, today announced the launch of its operations in India with the imminent completion of its first deal, the acquisition of the Private Equity and Real Estate investment management businesses of IDFC...
China, Japan overseas M&A push to extend in 2019
China’s economic growth slowdown to drive dealmaking abroadJapanese companies may continue to seek large foreign dealsCompanies in China and Japan will continue their pursuit of overseas acquisitions this year amid the economic growth slowdown and geopolitical uncertainty, according to JPMorgan Chase & Co. Ready availability of capital will...
Acq Lite
Ashley Eckstein: Ahsoka of 'Star Wars' is her 'heart and soul'
April 9 (UPI) -- Ashley Eckstein, the voice of Ahsoka Tano in the animated Star Wars: The Clone Wars series, is flying even deeper into a galaxy far, far away with her first children's book that features Ahsoka and is titled I Am a Padawan. It's available now. "At first, it was incredibly intimidating because I had never written for Ahsoka before and...
Look: Karina Smirnoff confirms son Theo Gabriel's birth
April 9 (UPI) -- Dancing with the Stars alum Karina Smirnoff is a new mom. The 42-year-old professional dancer and television personality confirmed Wednesday that she welcomed her first child, a baby boy, with her husband, Jason Adelman. Smirnoff posted a photo on Instagram that shows her son's feet and shared his name, Theo Gabriel, in the caption. "Welcome...
Watch: Ciara, Russell Wilson on donating millions of meals to COVID-19 relief
April 9 (UPI) -- Celebrity couple Ciara and Russell Wilson say it's a "blessing" to be able to give back amid the coronavirus pandemic. The 34-year-old singer and 31-year-old NFL football star discussed their pledge to give 10 million more meals via the "Meals Up" initiative while appearing remotely on Thursday's episode of Good Morning America. Ciara...
Watch: Phoebe Bridgers releases new music video for 'Kyoto'
April 9 (UPI) -- Phoebe Bridgers released on Thursday a new music video for her latest single, "Kyoto." The music video uses a green screen to place Bridgers in front of a number of landscapes and backgrounds from Japan. The footage is grainy and VHS quality. Bridgers performs the song while wearing a skeleton outfit. "I don't forgive you/ But please...
'The Simpsons' short 'Playdate with Destiny' headed to Disney+
April 9 (UPI) -- The Simpsons short film Playdate with Destiny is coming to the Disney+ streaming service on Friday. Simpsons producers Matt Groening, Jim Brooks, Al Jean, Matt Selman and David Silerman made the announcement on the Disney+ Instagram page on Thursday. "Greetings friends! Earlier this year we made a nifty little short film called Playdate...