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Singapore Institute of Management Partners with Peak Energy to Deploy Onsite Solar, Advancing Its Green Energy Drive
14-year power purchase agreement will cut SIM’s energy rates by more than 45% while delivering approximately 1,100 MWh of solar energy annually to its Clementi Road campus
SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 3 August 2026 – The Singapore Institute of Management (SIM), one of Singapore’s leading private, not-for-profit education and lifelong learning institutions, has signed a long-term solar agreement with Peak Energy, a clean-energy platform that develops, owns and operates renewable assets across Asia Pacific.
Under the agreement, Peak Energy will design, finance, build, own and operate an approximately 900 kWp onsite solar installation at SIM’s campus on Clementi Road, Singapore. The system is expected to generate approximately 1,100 MWh of clean energy annually, with SIM securing solar power at a rate at least 45% lower than SIM’s prevailing electricity prices.
The project is structured as a 14-year power purchase agreement (PPA), under which SIM will purchase solar power generated onsite at a competitive rate, with no upfront capital investment required. Peak Energy will retain responsibility for the installation, ongoing operations and maintenance of the system throughout the contract term.
Businesses and institutions in Singapore are facing some of the most expensive power prices in the region, a position under further strain from rapid growth in data centers and AI-driven electricity demand across the region. That pressure has been compounded by the country’s heavy reliance on imported gas for power generation, with recent disruption to global LNG supply linked to the conflict in Iran adding further volatility to energy prices. Against this backdrop of structurally rising and increasingly unpredictable energy costs, SIM’s move to lock in a long-term solar agreement offers a rare source of price certainty, in addition to SIM seeing it as a source of green and renewable energy as part of its sustainability drive.
The agreement reflects a broader shift among Singapore’s education and institutional operators to reduce exposure to grid electricity and lower their environmental footprint, as onsite solar becomes an increasingly viable option for campuses with substantial rooftop capacity.
“Sustainability is increasingly part of how we think and operate, and how we prepare our learners for the future. This agreement is a discernable step in that direction: bringing onsite solar to our Clementi Road campus reduces our environmental footprint and helps us play a part in Singapore’s sustainability drive. We are pleased to partner with Peak Energy on this journey,” said Vincent Siow, Senior Lead/M&E – Campus Infra & Services, Singapore Institute of Management.
“This partnership reflects the growing recognition Peak Energy has built in Singapore, both on the technical delivery side and in the financial strength we bring to long-term energy infrastructure. At a time when energy markets remain unbalanced and costs unpredictable, we’re able to give an institution like SIM a clear, structural way to unlock significant cost savings while securing reliable power for the long term,” said Gavin Adda, CEO of Peak Energy.
Hashtag: #energy #energycrisis #Iranwar #Iran #Singapore #energy #energycosts #Scope2 #sustainability
https://www.peakenergy.asia/
https://www.peakenergy.asia.
About Singapore Institute of Management (SIM)
Founded in 1964, the Singapore Institute of Management (SIM) is one of Singapore’s leading private, not-for-profit education and lifelong learning institutions. From its campus on Clementi Road, SIM provides a broad range of higher education and professional development programmes, partnering with reputable universities to offer internationally recognised qualifications across business, technology, and the social sciences. Guided by its not-for-profit mission, SIM is committed to preparing learners for a changing world and to operating its campus responsibly and sustainably. For more information, please visit www.sim.edu.sg.
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Pattaya Is More Than Just the Beach: How ‘Event Tourism’ Is Making This Seaside City Near Bangkok a Year-Round Destination
This trend reflects the growth of Event Tourism, or activity-based tourism, which is gaining popularity among a new generation of both Thai and international travellers. Events are not merely a reason to travel; they are also a starting point for sharing experiences with like-minded people, feeling the energy of a city at its liveliest and enriching the journey through food, culture, lifestyle, relaxation and memorable moments along the way.
Pattaya is one destination that clearly reflects this new travel trend. Once best known as a familiar seaside getaway near Bangkok, the city has now evolved into a vibrant year-round destination, with everything from sporting competitions, music festivals and beachfront activities to international lifestyle events such as Wonderfruit, Rolling Loud Thailand, the Pattaya International Fireworks Festival, Pattaya Music Festival, Honda LPGA Thailand and the Pattaya Marathon, as well as many other international events that continue to draw Thai and overseas travellers back at different times of the year.
This September, the 33rd Pattaya Marathon 2026, to be held on 26 and 27 September 2026, is another major event that reinforces Pattaya’s role as an Event Tourism city. This year, more than 40,000 runners and family members from various countries are expected to travel to take part, filling Pattaya with the atmosphere of travel, connection and the energy of people brought together through sport. Adding to its appeal, the race combines a scenic coastal course with Pattaya’s lively urban energy, giving runners the opportunity to enjoy sunrise views over the Gulf of Thailand, refreshing sea breezes and some of the city’s most recognisable beachfront landmarks.
But the appeal of travelling to Pattaya for an event does not end on race day. After the run or activity, travellers can extend their trip with many more experiences, from strolling along the beach and visiting cafés in popular neighbourhoods to dining at well-known local restaurants, spending time at a beach club, trying water activities, or relaxing with family and friends in an easily accessible beach city that stays lively throughout the day.
To complement this style of travel, ONYX Hospitality Group welcomes travellers at its two Pattaya hotels: Amari Pattaya and OZO North Pattaya. Both are conveniently located for easy access to the city’s vibrant attractions and close to the Pattaya Marathon 2026 starting point, making them ideal for runners, families and travellers who want to turn an event trip into a seaside break.
For those looking to make their holiday experience even more complete, Amari Pattaya presents a new definition of multi-generational family holidays. For families travelling together, the hotel offers a balanced approach that allows members of every generation to enjoy their own lifestyle seamlessly before coming together again to share happy moments as a family.
While some family members may choose to explore Pattaya Beach or enjoy outdoor activities, others can unwind at Maai Spa, a premium spa that blends contemporary Thai wellness practices with the refined inspiration of silk to restore both body and mind.
For larger families travelling with little princes and princesses, children can let their imaginations run free through creative activities at The Treehouse Kids Club and the expansive water park, while grandparents can retreat to the peaceful privacy and exclusive service of Club Napha.
Amari Pattaya also brings the whole family together over memorable meals, from authentic Thai cuisine crafted with carefully selected local ingredients and a selection of Western favourites at Amaya Food Gallery, to authentic Italian cuisine served in the warm ambience of Prego Pattaya Pasta Lab and Bar, a beachfront Italian restaurant where families and friends can gather over fresh pasta, handcrafted dishes and contemporary interpretations of Italian classics in a warm and welcoming setting
Meanwhile, OZO North Pattaya is an ideal choice for travellers who want to make the most of every moment of their trip. Its location close to the beach, major shopping centres, cafés, restaurants and the city’s key event venues makes it easy to experience Pattaya’s vibrant atmosphere. Guests can start the day with breakfast at EAT, take a stroll by the sea, stop at a café during the day and conveniently round off the evening with Pattaya’s nightlife. Back at the hotel, they can relax by the large swimming pool or recharge at the fitness centre before retiring to a room designed for a truly restful night’s sleep, ready to welcome a new morning and enjoy the city all over again.
More than just a seaside city near Bangkok, Pattaya today is a destination where travellers can shape their own experiences throughout the day, from relaxing on the beach and enjoying brunch at an inviting café to water activities, art attractions and seaside dining at sunset. This is the appeal of Event Tourism: an event is not merely the reason to travel, but the starting point for a trip filled with people, atmosphere and memorable moments.
For runners, families, groups of friends or anyone look for a seasonal getaway, Pattaya Marathon 2026 could be a good reason to start planning the next trip and use the opportunity to experience a side of Pattaya that goes beyond the beach.
Hashtag: #OnyxHospitalityGroup #AmariPattayaHotel #OZONorthHotel
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About ONYX Hospitality Group
ONYX Hospitality Group, one of the most respected names in the Asia-Pacific hospitality industry, manages a comprehensive and complementary portfolio of brands — Amari, OZO, Shama and Oriental Residence — designed to meet the diverse needs of both business and leisure travellers across the region. Beyond its accommodation brands, the Group also provides additional hospitality services spanning spa, food and beverage.
With more than six decades of management experience, the company has expanded its innovative solutions across the region while maintaining internationally recognised standards and ensuring operational agility and optimal efficiency. By fostering enduring relationships with like-minded business partners, ONYX Hospitality Group delivers unrivalled experiences in a highly competitive and constantly evolving market, meeting the ever-changing needs of travellers.
More information: www.onyx-hospitality.com
Follow ONYX Hospitality Group at:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ONYXHospitalityGroup
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onyxhospitalitygroup/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/onyx-hospitality-group
Digital consumer finance group reports positive operating profit for the first half of 2026 as it prepares to expand across the GCC and South-East Asia
MANAMA, BAHRAIN / MANILA, PHILIPPINES – Media OutReach Newswire – 3 August 2026 – Skyro, a digital consumer finance group headquartered in Bahrain, posted its first-ever half-year operating profit in H1 2026, just over three years after launching in the Philippines in 2022. The company’s credit portfolio has grown almost eightfold since the end of 2023, while revenue has tripled year-over-year since launch, as Skyro prepares to expand its model across the GCC and South-East Asia.
H1 2026 key results:
- The company disbursed almost US$180 million in loans in the first half of 2026 alone, 1.9 times the amount disbursed a year earlier.
- The Skyro app’s user base grew to more than 7 million users.
- By the end of Q2, Skyro reached 2 million total product loan transactions within its POS infrastructure since inception.
- Skyro’s lending products are offered through a network of more than 3,000 merchants and around 10,000 retail locations; its online merchant network expanded more than fivefold in 2025.
- The company posted positive operating profit in H1 2026 – its first operationally profitable half-year since inception.
“In 2022, the Philippines became a magnet for fintech start-ups from around the world due to the clear gap between demand for accessible credit and its supply,” said Arsen Liametov, co-founder of Skyro. “On one side were traditional banks offering low-interest loans only to the most affluent segments of the population. On the other were payday lenders charging annualised rates of up to 400%. We chose to position ourselves between these extremes, targeting the largest and most underserved segment of the market, and we built the model from day one to be scalable well beyond a single country.”
Skyro uses AI-based alternative credit-scoring methods to assess the creditworthiness of individuals who lack a formal credit history, analysing factors such as online purchase history, smartphone usage data, and in-app behaviour. This approach enables the company to build a holistic picture of an individual’s credit profile and to extend loans to customers who would otherwise be excluded by traditional banks.
The Philippines remains a challenging market for international fintech lenders, as conventional credit-scoring models often fail to capture the creditworthiness of large segments of the population. Skyro’s AI-based approach to credit assessment has enabled it to become an exception in that market.
“Reaching operational break-even is an important milestone for Skyro,” said Liametov. “It’s what allows us to fund capital-intensive products like SkyroCredit, plan the launch of complementary fintech offerings, including investment technology solutions and SME lending, and expand into new markets.”
Skyro is now applying the same approach beyond the Philippines, expanding its presence across the GCC and South-East Asia. As digital lending continues to disrupt markets where financial regulation remains conservative, Skyro aims to replicate its three-year path to break-even through its scalable lending platform and technology infrastructure.
Across these markets, large segments of the population and small businesses remain outside the formal financial system. That gap is central to Skyro’s growth thesis: as these markets become digitalised, lenders that integrate with existing financial infrastructure, rather than building parallel systems to compete with it, are best positioned to scale.
*Operating profit is profit after all operating expenses, including general and administrative expenses, before foreign-exchange gains or losses and income tax. Figures are based on unaudited management accounts.
Hashtag: #Skyro
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About Skyro
Skyro is a high-growth, digital-first fintech group providing scalable, responsible access to finance across high-potential emerging markets. Powered by proprietary data science, AI-driven credit decisioning and alternative-data scoring, the company combines a mobile-native experience with a modular fintech architecture to serve underserved customer segments at scale.
By 2026, Skyro’s registered user base has grown to 7 million users in the Philippines, underpinned by a robust credit portfolio exceeding $200 million. The company’s strategic ambition is to establish itself as a leading provider of diversified financial services across dozens of emerging markets worldwide.
The transaction highlights strong confidence among global investors in HDBank and Vietnam’s long-term economic prospects.
The proceeds will be used to expand access to finance for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, particularly women-owned businesses, supporting financial inclusion and sustainable development in Vietnam.
The facility was structured in line with the Social Loan Principles and HDBank’s Sustainable Finance Framework. ADB and Standard Chartered served as joint coordinators, while ANZ, Cathay United Bank, Commerzbank, Maybank Securities, MUFG Bank and the State Bank of India acted as mandated lead arrangers and bookrunners.
The transaction attracted strong interest from international investors, with commitments reaching US$721 million, around 60 per cent above the original target.
CEO of Standard Chartered Vietnam said the facility is the largest syndicated social loan ever raised by a Vietnamese organisation.
“This achievement reflects investors’ confidence in HDBank and its leadership team, and demonstrates optimism about Vietnam’s long-term growth prospects and the growing appeal of the country’s sustainable finance market among global investors,” the CEO said.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Dr Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao, Permanent Vice Chairwoman of HDBank’s Board of Directors, described the loan as a new milestone for the bank.
“It is our first financing facility dedicated exclusively to social initiatives, including programmes supporting women,” she said, adding that the transaction recognised HDBank’s long-standing commitment to community development through programmes supporting businesses, healthcare, education, culture, sports, women and children.
Tran Hoai Nam, HDBank’s Permanent Deputy CEO, said the proceeds would strengthen the bank’s medium- and long-term funding base while expanding lending to SMEs, particularly women-led businesses.
Earlier, HDBank had secured US$270 million in green financing and US$380 million in sustainable finance from international development finance institutions, including IFC, ADB, Proparco, DEG, LeapFrog, FMO, BII, JICA, FinDev and SMBC.
Hashtag: #HDBank
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
