Media OutReach
AS Watson Celebrates 185 Years of Growth, Resilience and Purpose
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.
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.
Purpose–Driven 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.
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Media OutReach
XTransfer Joins Forum Ekonomi Malaysia 2026
Signals Plan to Make Malaysia Regional Compliance Hub
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach Newswire – 11 February 2026 – XTransfer, the world’s leading B2B cross-border financial platform, was honoured to be invited to join the Malaysia Economic Forum (Forum Ekonomi Malaysia 2026). Bill Deng, Founder and CEO of XTransfer, shared insights on how Malaysia can accelerate technology application and innovation to help micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) scale exports under the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP), during FEM 2026’s panel discussion, “Made by Malaysia: Accelerating Technology Applications & Innovation”.
Bill was honoured to join YB Tuan Liew Chin Tong, Deputy Minister of Finance of Malaysia, and Mr Ooi Ching Liang, Senior Director of Engineering at SkyeChip, for a discussion focused on strengthening high-growth, high-value industries, advancing R&D commercialisation, increasing productivity and competitiveness, and supporting MSMEs in global value chains.
Drawing on XTransfer’s work with MSMEs across markets, Bill noted that many Malaysian businesses are “able to export,” but face persistent barriers to scaling exports. The most common issues are trust, compliance, and scale, which often surface as payment delays, repeated documentation requests, FX uncertainty, and working capital pressure as orders grow.
“For B2B SMEs in foreign trade, the biggest constraint isn’t demand. It’s the operational complexity behind cross-border payments, foreign exchange, and compliance,” Bill said. “In particular, AML requirements can be difficult for both traditional banks and SMEs to manage efficiently, creating friction that slows down legitimate trade.”
Bill highlighted a structural shift in global trade flows from a single dominant corridor to non-U.S., intra-Asia, and broader South–South routes. This trend is increasingly clear in real SME transaction patterns. Bill shared, “In 2025, XTransfer’s average collection amount from Asia, Africa, and Latin America grew by 106% year-on-year, with Africa exceeding 270%, Latin America reaching 94%, and ASEAN reaching 82%.” YB Liew noted the trend and thinks it is a direction Malaysia should pursue.
XTransfer also said it plans to establish Malaysia as its regional compliance centre, citing Malaysia’s strong geographic and time-zone advantages, a mature regulatory environment, availability of talent in compliance and risk operations, and cost efficiency. “Malaysia gives us the talent, governance environment, and regional proximity to scale compliance as intra-Asia and emerging-market trade accelerates,” Bill added.
Hashtag: #XTransfer #Malaysia #SMEs #13MP #FEM2026
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Media OutReach
CGTN: Little Chinese New Year opens big window to China’s soul
As the lunar calendar turns its final pages, China enters a period of joyful anticipation known as Xiaonian, or Little Chinese New Year. Often celebrated as the Festival of the Kitchen God, it marks the official start of the “busy year” – a traditional term for the intense, joyful period of preparing food, cleaning homes, and shopping for the upcoming Spring Festival.
The Spring Festival is a deeply significant time for family reunion. In 2024, UNESCO inscribed the “Spring Festival, social practices of the Chinese people in celebration of the traditional Chinese New Year” onto the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
While daily routines continue to evolve, they remain anchored in rituals that provide a sense of normalcy and meaning. It is perhaps no wonder that in a climate of uncertainty, traditional Chinese lifestyles are finding a new audience beyond the country’s borders, with the Spring Festival chief among those unique traditions that are fast becoming a shared human experience.
Diverse traditions, shared aspirations
In a prelude to the broader celebrations, Xiaonian, observed on February 10 and 11 this year, kickstarts a focused period of preparation. According to ancient lore, families offer Zaotang, or sticky “Kitchen Candy,” to the Kitchen God to ensure he delivers a favorable report on the household’s conduct before he ascends to the heavens. This lighthearted tradition marks the beginning of several symbolic rituals aimed at welcoming a fresh start.
A key element of this transition is donning new clothes. In Chinese culture, the New Year represents a moment when “all things are renewed,” and wearing new garments symbolizes shedding the “dust” or misfortunes of the past to embrace auspicious energy for the year ahead. Alongside this personal renewal, families nationwide engage in “sweeping the dust,” a deep-cleaning ritual to purify the home and prepare it for new blessings.
Whereas these practices are universal, celebratory flavors vary by geography. In the north, families traditionally gather over steaming plates of dumplings, whereas in the south, the menu often features sweet rice cakes (Niangao) and glutinous rice balls (Tangyuan).
As Mao Qiaohui, a researcher at the Institute of Ethnic Literature at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, explains, these variations highlight the inclusive nature of Chinese civilization.
“Although folk customs differ between different regions across China, this diversity reflects the cultural pluralism within the Spring Festival tradition,” she notes. “Different regional identities contribute to a shared pursuit of harmony and reunion.”
The vitality of these traditions is also evident in local craftsmanship. In northern regions like Shandong and Henan, artisans are currently making Huamo, decorated steamed buns, featuring horse designs for the upcoming zodiac year. Meanwhile, in Shuozhou, Shanxi Province, intangible heritage inheritors are carving spirited stallions onto traditional gourds. These creations reflect the regional diversity of the festival and a collective desire for progress in the year ahead.
Cultural dialogue: From global stage to daily life
The festive atmosphere is reflected further in preparations for the Spring Festival Gala (Chunwan), produced by China Media Group.
Recent rehearsals show performances meshing traditional Chinese culture with international artistry. One performance piece combines the wooden clog dance of the Hani and Lisu ethnic groups with the rhythmic tap of Spanish Flamenco and Hungarian folk dance. And with global stars like Jackie Chan and Lionel Richie on the bill, the Gala’s stage is set to become a stage for the world to come together.
The reach of the gala has expanded far beyond a domestic audience. Through the “Spring Festival Gala Prelude” events held in the United States, Russia, France, Italy, and several African nations, the program has become a gateway to Chinese New Year customs and cultural exchange.
This interest extends beyond art and into the lives of people worldwide, as seen in the #BecomingChinese trend. This phenomenon features international social media users adopting elements of Chinese daily life – such as keeping a thermos of hot water handy, wearing quilted indoor slippers or practicing mindful movement with Baduanjin exercises.
The festival is no longer a distant event but a gateway to Chinese lifestyle, rooted in ancient wellness wisdom and constantly updated by modern convenience, and the first step to a journey of exploration into a culture that values ritual, safety and hospitality.
Whether through global broadcasts or shared daily habits, the Spring Festival increasingly strengthens a sense of cultural empathy between China and the rest of the world.
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Hashtag: #CGTN
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Media OutReach
De Beers Group and Assouline Celebrate the Launch of “A Diamond Is Forever: The Making of A Cultural Icon 1926-2026”
Hashtag: #DeBeersGroup #NaturalDiamonds #diamonds #ADiamondIsForever #Assouline
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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 Jewellers 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 via De Beers Institute of Diamonds and a wide range of diamond sorting, detection and classification technology systems via De Beers Group Ignite. De Beers Group is committed to ‘
Building Forever,’ a holistic and integrated approach for creating a better future – where safety, human rights and ethical integrity continue to be paramount; where communities thrive and the environment is protected; and where there are equal opportunities for all. De Beers Group is a member of the Anglo American plc group. For further information, visit
www.debeersgroup.com.
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