Media OutReach
Bracell Exceeds Female Entrepreneurship Target and Reaches 73% of Projects Led by Women
Company brings forward its Bracell 2030 target and strengthens social impact through income generation and female empowerment in local communities
SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 28 May 2026 – Bracell, one of the world’s leading producers of dissolving and specialty pulp, exceeded in 2025 the target set to promote female entrepreneurship in surrounding communities by reaching 73% of its social impact business projects led by women. The result surpasses the 60% target established for 2030 and represents a significant increase compared to the 56% baseline recorded in 2020, highlighting the consistent evolution of the company’s social strategy.
The results are part of Bracell’s 2025 Sustainability Report, which consolidates the company’s performance under its Bracell 2030 strategy, aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The female entrepreneurship target is part of the Empowering Lives pillar, which focuses on income generation, productive inclusion, and strengthening women’s leadership in the territories where the company operates.
The supported projects include small businesses, cooperatives, and local enterprises that receive technical training, access to support networks, and encouragement to formalise their operations. The early achievement of the target reflects both the expansion and the growing maturity of these initiatives over recent years.
“The Bracell 2030 Plan reflects our long-term commitment to a development model that combines environmental responsibility, social impact, and sustainable growth. Progress in female entrepreneurship demonstrates our ability to generate structural and lasting impact in communities”
In 2025, Bracell, a member of the RGE group of companies founded by Sukanto Tanoto, invested BRL 9.9 million in social projects, benefiting more than 159,000 people through initiatives focused on education, income generation, and citizenship, according to the 2025 Sustainability Report.
Dona Della and Social Transformation
The main driver of this impact is Dona Della, a Bracell Social project focused on fostering financial autonomy and boosting women-led businesses. In 2026, the programme reaches its third edition, expanding its reach to additional municipalities. With applications opening on May 20, the initiative will operate this year across two main pillars:
The first pillar consists of a hybrid training programme developed in partnership with Rede Mulher Empreendedora, offering individual mentoring sessions and potential access to seed capital. The second pillar, Dona Della Impulsiona, is an acceleration programme carried out in partnership with SEBRAE for participants who have completed the initial training. It provides consultancy support, networking opportunities, and participation in trade fairs and business events.
According to Francine Toledo Mendonça, Social Responsibility Coordinator at Bracell, the project offers not only a structured learning pathway for women entrepreneurs but also an essential support network for business growth. “Dona Della aims to broaden horizons, unlock potential, and create concrete opportunities for these women to move forward with greater confidence and autonomy in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. More than accelerating businesses, we are strengthening stories, trajectories, and new beginnings. Our commitment is that each woman recognises herself as the protagonist of her own journey,” she emphasises.
Stories That Reflect Impact
Marta Rocha, 53, originally from Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, moved to the interior of São Paulo State in search of better living conditions and found a new opportunity through entrepreneurship. After years working in various roles, she learned how to sew through professional training projects and began doing small alterations with a simple sewing machine. “I bought my first machine for BRL 158, and I will never forget that,” she recalls.
Participating in Dona Della, a Bracell-supported entrepreneurial training initiative focused on women’s development in local communities, marked a turning point. Even though she did not win the award in the 2024 edition, Marta says she gained something even more valuable: knowledge and confidence. She expanded her activities, participated in business fairs and events—such as Facilpa and initiatives supported by Bracell—and structured her own business.
Today, Marta owns three industrial sewing machines and an overlock machine, produces her own pieces, and plans to expand her atelier, including organising a fashion show featuring dresses from her own brand, Marta Rocha. “My emotional and financial life was transformed. Today, I can see a future that once seemed impossible,” she says.
Selma Arantes, a retired teacher, found a fresh start through handicrafts. Inspired by her mother, who also produced handmade items, she began making cloth dolls after retirement. What initially started as an emotional activity took on new meaning when she decided to invest in professional development.
By participating in Dona Della and other training initiatives in partnership with Bracell and Sebrae, Selma developed skills in management, planning, and brand positioning. She formalised her business as a micro-entrepreneur and structured her operations, resulting in approximately 80% financial growth in 2025. “I learned to recognise the value of my work and to position myself as a professional. It is never too late to learn and start again,” she highlights.
Launched in 2023, Bracell 2030 brings together 14 goals across four pillars: Climate Action; Sustainable Landscapes and Biodiversity; Promoting Sustainable Growth; and Empowering Lives, reinforcing the company’s commitment to shared value creation and sustainable development.
Hashtag: #RGE #Bracell #Brazil #femaleentrepreneurship #SDG #socialimpact
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About Bracell
Bracell is a global leader in the production of dissolving pulp and specialty cellulose with two main mill operations in Brazil in Bahia and São Paulo. In addition to its operations in Brazil, Bracell has a management office in Singapore and sales offices in Asia, Europe and the U.S.
Media OutReach
Zuellig Pharma Acquires Cialis® (Tadalafil) from Lilly in Singapore
Hashtag: #ZuelligPharma #EliLillyandCompany #Cialis #Healthcare #MensHealth #Healthcare #Pharmaceuticals
https://www.zuelligpharma.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/zuellig-pharma
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About Zuellig Pharma
Zuellig Pharma is a leading healthcare solutions company in Asia, and our purpose is to make healthcare more accessible to the communities we serve. We provide world-class distribution, commercialization, and clinical trial support services, underpinned by a strong culture of innovation to support the growing healthcare needs in this region. The company was founded a hundred years ago and has grown to become a multibillion-dollar business covering 18 markets with over 12,000 employees. Our people serve more than 200,000 medical facilities and work with over 450 clients, including the top 20 pharmaceutical companies in the world.
Media OutReach
Licensed Watch Dealer Times Avenue Marks Five Years amid Singapore’s Pre-Owned Watch Market Growth
As the global watch industry slows and fraud risks in the secondary channel draw public attention, Times Avenue is among Singapore’s secondhand luxury watch specialists seeing sustained growth on the back of shifting buyer preferences and tightening consumer scrutiny
SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 3 August 2026 – Times Avenue by Horology Maison marks its five-year anniversary in 2026, as Singapore’s pre-owned luxury watch market expands amid a broader slowdown in the global watch industry.
A Growing Secondary Market and the Case for Regulated Dealers
The Bloomberg Subdial Watch Index, which tracks the 50 most-traded references by transaction value, recorded its best half-year performance since early 2022 in the first half of 2025, reflecting a broader shift in buyer preference towards the secondary channel.
The growth of the pre-owned segment has been driven by a combination of factors, including tighter supply of popular references at authorised dealers, record gold prices lifting new watch retail costs, and a shift among buyers towards immediate availability and market-reflective pricing.
Founded in 2020, Times Avenue has grown alongside this trend, transacting more than 3,000 authenticated timepieces from its Beach Road boutique over its first five years of operation. The boutique’s inventory is weighted towards luxury Swiss timepieces including Rolex, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, Tudor and Cartier, with a focus on sought-after references that are typically subject to long waiting lists in the primary market.
At the same time, authentication and fraud risks in the secondary channel have drawn public attention, including the recent prosecution of an Italian national who attempted to trade a “fake” Rolex GMT Saru at a Singapore retailer. Both developments underline the importance of sourcing from licensed, regulated dealers.
Licensed secondhand goods dealers like Times Avenue operate under frameworks that impose customer due diligence, transaction reporting, record-keeping, and stock movement obligations. Exempted by the Singapore Police Force and a fully regulated dealer under the Ministry of Law, Times Avenue ensures that every watch sold undergoes rigorous in-house authentication before it reaches the client, and each piece is covered by an in-house warranty, giving buyers assurance of authenticity for every transaction.
Times Avenue also offers in-person buying from the public, trade-ins, consignment, and authentication, alongside retail, covering both the acquisition and resale ends of the secondary market.
Clients and prospective buyers can view current inventory, arrange private viewings, or request a sourcing consultation at https://horologymaison.com/contact-us/.
Hashtag: #TimesAvenue #PreOwnedWatches #LuxuryWatchesSingapore #WatchCollector #HorologyMaison
https://horologymaison.com/
https://www.facebook.com/timesavenuesg
https://www.instagram.com/timesavenuesg/
carousell:
https://www.carousell.sg/u/timesavenuesg/
telegram:
https://t.me/timesavenue
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Times Avenue by Horology Maison
Times Avenue by Horology Maison is a Singapore-based luxury watch grey dealer established in 2021, offering authenticated new and pre-owned timepieces from
Rolex, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, Tudor, Cartier and other leading maisons. The company provides retail, buying, trade-in, consignment, sourcing and authentication services from its boutique at 371 Beach Road #02-55 City Gate, Singapore 199597. Times Avenue by Horology Maison is registered with the Ministry of Law as a Regulated Dealer (Registration No. PS20220002864) and holds SPF Exempted Second-Hand Goods Dealer status.
Media OutReach
De Beers Group debuts Desert diamonds in Shanghai
Over 200 industry leaders, trendsetters and cultural figures gather at The Orbit to celebrate the much-anticipated launch event
SHANGHAI, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 3 August 2026 – De Beers Group unveiled the Desert diamonds campaign for Asia at West Bund Orbit in Shanghai. The immersive experience brought to life the authenticity, individuality and inner radiance embodied by Desert diamonds. Generating significant buzz across Shanghai, the event attracted distinguished guests, including government officials and ambassadors, retailers and industry partners, media and cultural influencers, artists and designers.
Designed by British architect Thomas Heatherwick, the West Bund Orbit’s fluid, ribbon‑like form resonates with Desert diamonds’ narrative of individuality, naturalness and fluidity, offering a visually perfect setting for the launch. The highlight of the evening was a sacred gong‑striking ceremony, symbolising the opening of a new era for Desert diamonds. Officiating at the gong-striking ceremony were Lynn Serfaty, General Manager, Natural Diamonds, De Beers Group; Annie Wong, Chief Operating Officer of Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group; Winston Chow, Deputy General Manager of Chow Sang Sang Jewellery Group and Tommy Tse, Deputy CEO at Tse Sui Luen Jewellery Group. The ring the bell ceremony is accompanied by Loletta Lai, VP, Natural Diamond Marketing, APAC, De Beers Group and Sean Lin, VP, Sales, De Beers Group.
Government and diplomatic leaders joined the celebration to offer their congratulations. Taking the stage for a group photo were Mr. Sohail Shaikh, UK Deputy Trade Commissioner to China, UK Government / FCDO; Mr. Tom Simpson, MD, China, China-Britain Business Council; Ms. Phuti Joyce Tsipa, South African Consul-General in Shanghai; Ms. Bertha Amakali, Minister Counsellor of Namibia to China; Mr. Lin Qiang, President of Shanghai Diamond Exchange Center; Ms. Xu Yilei, Managing Director of the Natural Diamond Council Greater China; Ms. Meng Xiaojun, Chief Economist of NGTC; Shridaran Pillay, VP Government Affairs, De Beers Group, underscoring the event’s cross‑cultural significance.
“Desert diamonds captures the untamed beauty and power of the desert,” said Lynn Serfaty, “In China, natural diamonds are not imports—their origins are deeply rooted in ancient civilisation. The desert itself resonates with the Chinese cultural appreciation for transcendence, resilience, and the harmony between heaven and humanity.”
“Today’s consumers seek individual expression, true self, and self‑reward,” she continued, “Each Desert diamond is a response to this desire. Every Desert diamond presents a uniquely warm, natural colour and carries the imprint of billions of years. It is this cultural resonance that is driving the growing interest and appreciation of Desert diamonds in the Chinese market, representing the values most precious in our time: authenticity, individuality, and inner radiance.”
Departing from traditional jewellery launch formats, De Beers Group invited four “Real People” who embody the spirit of authenticity through their real‑life journeys to reveal the essence of Desert diamonds. The event opened with Desert diamonds “Real People” and sound healer Lear Tsui’s ethereal “Healing Trace” gong performance, guiding guests into a serene state of inner exploration. In the performance segment “Colour of Origin” that followed – Guo Yu’ang, a young Peking opera artist of the Mei School, honoured tradition with a graceful and elegant aria, conveying the beauty of heritage. The only female “Real People”, Shi Wei, China’s first F1 Academy female driver, made a stunning appearance wearing Desert diamonds jewellery at the “Blade of Resilience” segment. She shared with conviction: “True strength is often not outwardly expressed but built through intense focus. Just like the formation of natural diamonds—seemingly silent, yet enduring pressure over eons to achieve transformation.” Taking the stage at the finale “Ray of Refraction”, stand‑up comedian Liu Yang ignited the room with a series of humorous and heartfelt performances, and amidst the laughter, he led everyone into the moment of the very first reveal of Desert diamonds jewellery. Liu Yang shared: “True brilliance is not about being flawless, but about embracing every aspect of yourself, just as Desert diamonds reflects a unique individuality through the natural beauty of diamonds.”
At the heart of the celebration was a curated jewellery art exhibition, presenting Desert diamonds jewellery masterpieces by Chow Tai Fook, Chow Sang Sang and Tse Sui Luen, alongside De Beers Group’s iconic three‑stone collection and loose Desert diamonds. De Beers Group creatively partnered with bamboo weaving artist Xu Mingyu, who used the intangible cultural heritage of bamboo weaving to create immersive art installations throughout the venue. The Desert diamonds jewellery was placed amidst an intricate interplay of bamboo rhythms, sparking a poetic dialogue between contemporary jewellery design and millennia‑old craftsmanship. This distinctive Eastern aesthetic not only offered a fresh visual delight, but also interpreted the beauty of individuality, the authenticity of craftsmanship, and the radiance of time‑honoured tradition embodied by Desert diamonds from a local perspective, further underscoring De Beers Group’s Building Forever sustainability commitment.
To bring the experience to a memorable close, guests continued the journey through sensory party, where sound, scent and imagery combined to evoke the beauty at the heart of Desert diamonds. Interactive zones included a sand art experience allowing guests to co‑create with their fingertips, feeling the flow and eternity of the desert, a Gong Sound healing session using resonant frequencies to guide guests into a state of calm and introspection, and a Scents of the Desert fragrance experience blending warm amber and deep woody notes to outline the raw, pure beauty of the desert earth. Each experience acted as a different facet of a Desert diamond, collectively reflecting the themes of authenticity, individuality, and inner radiance.
To delve deeper into the spirit of the theme, De Beers Group hosted a series of panel talks, offering different perspectives on the evolving role of natural diamonds in modern life. Consumers were invited to participate in Natural Diamond Masterclasses, where they learned about the rarity, uniqueness and enduring value of natural diamonds, and gained further understanding of how to distinguish natural diamonds from laboratory‑grown diamonds. In addition, enamel painting workshops allowed guests to explore the dialogue between traditional craftsmanship and contemporary design.
Desert diamonds opens a new chapter in the celebration of natural diamonds, honouring their deep‑earth origin, inherent rarity, and cross‑cultural significance as symbols of individuality, natural beauty and self‑reward. Today, consumers increasingly look for pieces that reflect not only who they are, but how they choose to live, celebrate and express themselves. Desert diamonds answers that desire with a natural diamond expression shaped by individuality, authenticity and inner radiance. Looking ahead, De Beers Group will continue to celebrate the enduring wonder of natural diamonds and inspire a new generation to discover their relevance in today’s world. Desert diamonds breathe new life into “A Diamond is Forever”—because natural diamonds belong not only to eternity, but also to the here and now.
Please follow the official accounts to find more information regarding Desert diamonds.
| De Beers Group Official Website www.debeersgroup.com |
Natural Diamond Instagram Page: @ADiamondisForeverhk |
Hashtag: #Naturaldiamonds #Diamonds #DeBeersGroup #Desertdiamonds #ADiamondisForever
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About De Beers Group
Established in 1888, De Beers Group is the world’s leading diamond company with expertise in the exploration, mining, marketing and retailing of diamonds. Together with its joint venture partners, De Beers Group employs more than 20,000 people across the diamond pipeline and is the world’s largest diamond producer by value, with diamond mining operations in Botswana, Canada, Namibia and South Africa. Innovation sits at the heart of De Beers Group’s strategy as it develops a portfolio of offers that span the diamond value chain, including its jewellery houses, De Beers London and Forevermark, and other pioneering solutions such as diamond sourcing and traceability initiatives Tracr and GemFair. De Beers Group also provides leading services and technology to the diamond industry in the form of education and laboratory services and a wide range of diamond sorting, detection and classification technology services. De Beers Group is committed to ‘
Building Forever,’ a holistic and integrated approach to sustainability that underpins our efforts to create meaningful impact for the people and places where our diamonds are discovered. Building Forever focuses on three key areas where, through collaborations and partnerships around the globe, we have an enhanced ability to drive positive impact; Livelihoods, Climate and Nature. De Beers Group is a member of the Anglo American plc group. For further information, visit
www.debeersgroup.com.


