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AS Watson Celebrates 185 Years of Growth, Resilience and Purpose

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From a single store in Hong Kong to a global leader with 17,000 stores across 31 markets, AS Watson looks ahead by staying true to what matters most

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 15 January 2026 – AS Watson, the world’s largest international health and beauty retailer, announces the kick-off of its 185th anniversary today, celebrating nearly two centuries of growth, resilience and reinvention.

AS Watson Group CEO Dr Malina Ngai stands in front of a 6-meter-tall mural depicting the company’s evolution from a single store in Hong Kong to a global health and beauty retailer, as the Group marks its 185th anniversary.

Founded in Hong Kong in 1841 as a single store, AS Watson has grown into a global retail powerhouse operating over 17,000 stores across 31 markets in Asia and Europe, serving millions of customers every day through trusted brands in health, beauty, personal care and wellness.

Sustained Momentum in a Fast-Changing World

AS Watson continues to demonstrate strong growth momentum driven by customer relevance, operational excellence and a clear long-term strategy regardless of an increasingly complex global environment.

In 2025, the Group delivered 8% growth in health category, with double-digit growth in Europe; and 6% growth in beauty category, with double-digit growth in Asia. With continuous investment strengthening its O+O (Offline plus Online) ecosystem, O+O sales achieved double-digit growth, reflecting strong customer engagement across channels. Its loyalty member base grew by ten million in the year, from 170 million to over 180 million.

Building for the Future

Looking ahead, AS Watson plans to open about 1,000 new stores this year, underpinned by a total investment of HK$3.8 billion (approximately US$490 million) across new store openings, store upgrades, technology and supply chain, as it continues to strengthen its global presence and O+O capabilities.

In an environment where consumer expectations, technologies and markets evolve rapidly, AS Watson views change not as a barrier, but as an opportunity — to innovate faster, operate smarter and serve customers better.

PurposeDriven Growth

Alongside commercial success, AS Watson remains deeply committed to doing good for people, community, and the planet. Sustainability continues to be embedded across its operations — from reducing environmental impact and promoting responsible sourcing, to supporting community wellbeing and health education in the markets it serves.

As part of its commitment to its communities, AS Watson reached a major milestone in its global youth employment pledge – recruiting over 134,000 young people to date and delivering 3.8 million hours of training. This achievement marks more than halfway toward its goal of creating 200,000 opportunities by 2030. In addition, the year also marks a major achievement in its “Give a Smile” campaign with Operation Smile, surpassing its goal of 10,000 free surgeries for children with cleft conditions ahead of schedule, reaffirming its commitment to brighter futures for our next generation.

Throughout its 185th anniversary year, AS Watson will host celebrations and initiatives across all 31 markets, recognising colleagues, partners and customers who have shaped the company’s journey and continue to drive its success.

Dr Malina Ngai, Group CEO of AS Watson, reflects on the company’s incredible journey while looking ahead to the future: “When we think about the next century, the truth is this: we have never been able to see 100 years ahead — not then, and not now.”

“Today, change moves faster than ever. Markets shift overnight. Technologies redefine industries. Expectations evolve constantly. So, when we talk about building the next century, it’s not about predicting the future. It’s about preparing for it.”

“And we prepare the same way we always have — by staying grounded in what does not change: our commitment to customers, our people, our partners, and to doing business responsibly.”

A Legacy of Resilience, A Future of Opportunity

After 185 years, AS Watson’s story remains one of adaptability, ambition and purpose. From one store to a global network of 17,000 locations, the company enters its next chapter focused on sustainable growth, innovation and continued leadership in health and beauty retail.

Hashtag: #ASWatson



The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

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The 7th Cross-Strait Financial Forum and Taiwan-Funded Enterprise Development Forum

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XIAMEN, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 12 Jun 2026 – On June 12, the 7th Cross-Strait Financial Forum and Taiwan-Funded Enterprise Development Forum was held in Xiamen.The event was jointly organized by the Fujian Provincial Financial Regulatory Administration, the Xiamen Municipal Financial Regulatory Administration, and the Association of Taiwan Investment Enterprises on the Mainland, hosted by Xiamen Jinyuan Investment Group, and executed by Jinyuan Uni-President Securities. Under the theme “Three Years of Integration Embarking on a New Journey, United Development Writing a New Chapter,” the forum focused on cross-strait financial cooperation, expanded financing channels for Taiwan-funded enterprises, industrial transformation and upgrading, and financial innovation between Fujian and Taiwan. It aimed to support Fujian’s efforts to accelerate the development of the first-choice home for Taiwan compatriots and Taiwan-funded enterprises on the mainland.

This year’s forum is an important supporting event of the 18th Cross-Strait Forum. During the event, nine Fujian-Taiwan financial integration projects were signed, with a total value of RMB 9.1 billion. The projects cover a wide range of financial services across areas including cross-strait industrial cooperation, water supply security for public welfare, capacity upgrades for long-established Taiwan-funded enterprises, technology and innovation industries, and modern agriculture. These initiatives continue to unlock the benefits of financial policies, promote shared access to financial resources for Taiwan compatriots and Taiwan-funded enterprises, and inject new momentum into industrial integration between Fujian and Taiwan.

At the forum, the Cross-Strait Wealth and Asset Management Cross-Sector Alliance was officially inaugurated. Supported by Jinyuan Group and jointly proposed by its affiliated financial institutions, the alliance was co-founded by Xiamen International Trust, Jinyuan Uni-President Securities, Yuanxin Yongfeng Fund, Fubon Bank (China), Junlong Life Insurance, and Xiamen Chang Gung Hospital, among others. Centered on serving the wealth management and asset management needs of people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, the alliance aims to build a one-stop service platform covering asset allocation for Taiwan compatriots and Taiwan-funded enterprises on the mainland, family trusts and wealth succession planning, pension finance, and healthcare protection solutions.

The forum also unveiled a series of innovative financial achievements related to Taiwan. The banking industry’s first group standard dedicated to Taiwan-related financial services on the mainland, the “Specification for Taiwan-Related Financial Services of Banking Financial Institutions,” was officially released. At the same time, the “Bailufen” Taiwan Compatriot Financial Service Platform was introduced, further enhancing financial services for Taiwan compatriots living in Fujian and supporting the development of Taiwan-funded enterprises.

Hashtag: #StraitsFinancialForum

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

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Verdant Rock Receives BBB+ Long-Term Insurer Financial Strength Rating with a Stable Outlook from Fitch Ratings

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HAMILTON, BERMUDA – Media OutReach Newswire – 12 June 2026 – Verdant Rock Limited has received a BBB+ Long-Term Insurer Financial Strength Rating with a Stable Outlook from Fitch Ratings effective 12 June 2026. Combined with a Class 3B Insurer license from the Bermuda Monetary Authority (BMA), effective 6 May 2026, the company is in a strong position to extend financial guarantees on bonds and loans in emerging markets for beneficiaries globally. We provide irrevocable, unconditional, on-demand financial guarantees designed to qualify as eligible credit protection under Basel and major insurance solvency regimes. We are focused on private liabilities and do not cover sovereigns, municipalities or provinces. Bonds and loans issued by emerging market corporations and banks, structured financings, asset-backed (ABS) and mortgage-backed (MBS) exposures in securities or loan format, and project finance are all within the Company’s remit.

“The infrastructure and capital markets we are targeting have been systematically underserved over the past decade. Verdant Rock enters this space with an investment grade rating, a strong capital position, the regulatory standing, the technical capability, and the long-term commitment that issuers and their advisers have been unable to find elsewhere.”

— Tolga Uzuner, Co-Founder, Chief Executive Officer, Verdant Rock Limited

The Fitch Ratings report can be accessed here:
Fitch Rates Verdant Rock at ‘BBB+’; Outlook Stable

Verdant Rock’s Class 3B registration can be verified via the BMA’s register of regulated entities (search “Verdant Rock”): https://www.bma.bm/regulated-entities

Notes to editors: For the May 2026 licensing announcement, see https://bernews.com/2026/05/walkers-supports-verdant-rock-licensing/

This announcement is (i) for information only; (ii) not an offer or solicitation to buy or sell any security, insurance product, or financial guarantee; and (iii) not for distribution in any jurisdiction where to do so would be unlawful. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results, and Verdant Rock undertakes no obligation to update them. A credit rating is not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold any security and may be subject to revision, suspension or withdrawal at any time by the assigning rating agency.

Hashtag: #VerdantRock

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

ABOUT VERDANT ROCK

Verdant Rock Limited is a Bermuda-based insurance company, regulated by the Bermuda Monetary Authority, providing Basel III and Solvency II compliant financial guarantees in emerging markets, designed to qualify as eligible credit protection under Basel and major insurance solvency regimes, for the benefit of institutions globally.

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TVBS deploys AI translation for NVIDIA GTC Taipei keynote

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TAIPEI, TAIWAN – Media OutReach Newswire – 12 June 2026 – TVBS deployed its self-developed real-time AI translation system during NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang’s keynote at GTC Taipei 2026 on June 1. The system delivered near-simultaneous Chinese subtitles that viewers initially mistook for official NVIDIA translations. The in-house technology marked a rare instance of a news organization independently developing live translation for a large-scale broadcast.

TVBS deployed its self-developed real-time AI translation system during NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang’s keynote at GTC Taipei 2026 on June 1.

Online viewers praised the translation quality, with comments including “The quality of this real-time translation is amazing,” “The translation is incredibly fast,” and “The live speech recognition quality is surprisingly good.” Some viewers assumed the subtitles came from NVIDIA’s official translation team.

The achievement demonstrates how Taiwan’s media industry is adapting to AI-driven transformation. TVBS is positioning itself as a leader in integrating proprietary AI development with real-world broadcast applications. The company completed optimization and deployment of the system in just nine days — a process that traditionally requires months of dedicated training, according to Andy Yang, manager of TVBS AI Future Technology Department.

Yang explained that the biggest challenge in real-time translation lies in balancing “content accuracy” with “reading fluency” under extremely tight time constraints. Huang’s speaking style is highly improvisational and frequently switches between English, Mandarin and Taiwanese, while audience applause and cheering often occur simultaneously.

Applying standard off-the-shelf translation software in such an environment would likely result in sentence segmentation errors and unclear semantic interpretation, Yang said. Rather than pursuing “zero-latency” translation at all costs, TVBS designed a subtitle presentation mechanism specifically tailored to the keynote format.

Prior to the event, the TVBS team conducted extensive cross-platform testing on multiple AI translation models, evaluating latency and error rates. By introducing a carefully calibrated broadcast delay, the system gained additional time to process semantic meaning and contextual alignment. This approach enabled smoother subtitles matching natural Chinese reading habits, Yang said.

The team also built a dedicated knowledge base for NVIDIA GTC Taipei, compiling AI industry terminology, product names and technical keywords in advance. This significantly improved translation quality and the accuracy of professional content delivery. TVBS’s real-time translation system can be customized based on different broadcasting scenarios, Yang noted.

Yang emphasized that the key to the rapid nine-day deployment was cross-department collaboration. Engineering teams handled hardware tuning and signal integration, while internal technical and content teams managed ongoing model training and refinement. TVBS established a collaborative workflow integrating both technology and editorial expertise.

Through continuous iteration and adjustment, the team incorporated Taiwanese linguistic nuances and natural Chinese phrasing into the system. This enhanced fluency and readability beyond what generic AI models alone could achieve, ultimately shaping what Yang called a distinct “TVBS AI style.” The approach reflects the company’s “3T” philosophy — Truth, Trust and Technology.

In his keynote at the Taipei Music Center, Huang focused on AI infrastructure, next-generation computing platforms and NVIDIA’s latest technological roadmap. GTC Taipei 2026 attracted significant international attention as AI continues to reshape global industries. Through its own transformation journey, TVBS hopes to help lead Taiwan’s media industry into a new era shaped by AI.

Hashtag: #TVBS

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

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