Choosing Excellence in Healthcare Innovation

Jarinyagon selected CUHK after recognising Hong Kong as one of Asia’s few locations offering specialised Biomedical Engineering programmes. The university’s comprehensive infrastructure, including dedicated libraries, laboratories, and teaching hospitals, along with its unique college system and generous hostel policy, proved decisive factors in her choice. Her academic excellence was recognised with the prestigious Vice-Chancellor’s Scholarship, ensuring her financial stability throughout her studies.

Academic Achievement and Research Excellence

Her academic journey has been marked by notable achievements, including the Charles K. Kao Scholarship, which supported her research exchange at Stanford University’s Department of Otolaryngology. Most recently, she secured funding from the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation’s (HKSTP) Ideation programme to develop her final year project into a commercial product.

Mentorship and Faculty Support

At CUHK, Jarinyagon has benefited from close mentorship by distinguished faculty members. Professor Scott Wu Yuan has served as her project supervisor, career mentor, and life adviser, while Professor Liting Duan’s guidance as academic adviser has helped ensure her continued success throughout the programme.

Global Exposure and Professional Development

Beyond classroom learning, Jarinyagon’s professional experience includes valuable internships at both Stanford University and a Hong Kong biotech company. Her first full-time paid position as an R&D intern in Hong Kong’s biotech sector provided crucial insights into industry operations and workplace dynamics in one of Asia’s primary business hubs.

Future Impact in Healthcare Innovation

Looking ahead, Jarinyagon aims to leverage her CUHK education to make meaningful contributions to healthcare through innovation. Her involvement with HKSTP’s Ideation programme exemplifies how CUHK prepares students to transform academic projects into practical healthcare solutions.

For Thai Students Considering CUHK

For prospective Thai students, Jarinyagon emphasises CUHK’s strong global reputation and generous scholarship opportunities as key attractions. The university’s diverse cultural environment provides invaluable opportunities for international students to expand their global perspectives while pursuing world-class education.

Hashtag: #CUHK

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About CUHK

Founded in 1963, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) stands as a leading comprehensive research university, consistently ranked among Asia’s top educational institutions.

Both new initiatives are part of the Ascott Global Academy for Excellence (AGAX), a comprehensive training platform launched in 2024 to build a future-ready workforce and support Ascott’s target of achieving over S$500 million in fee-related earnings by 2028. AGAX is led by the Ascott Learning Council, co-chaired by Ms Wong Kar Ling, Chief Strategy Officer and Managing Director, Southeast Asia, and Mr Lee Ngor Houai, Chief Operating Officer for Europe, Middle East, Africa (EMEA), South Asia and China.

In 2024, Ascott continued its upward trajectory, achieving a third consecutive year of record fee-related earnings at S$343 million, reflecting a 12% year-on-year increase on a recurring basis^[1]. This performance was driven by a 6% rise in revenue per available unit (RevPAU) and the opening of a record 11,700 units across 54 properties. Today, Ascott’s global footprint spans more than 990 properties in over 230 cities, with two-thirds already operational. The company is advancing its growth through a multi-typology brand strategy designed to scale and diversify its presence across key markets. Malaysia exemplifies this approach with a portfolio of more than 40 properties – both operational and in the pipeline – spanning serviced residences, hotels, resorts, social living spaces and branded residences. Fittingly, Ascott chose Penang – home to 21 of these properties – as the launch site for Ascott Accelerate and its new digital learning platform during the Ascott Learning Festival, reinforcing Malaysia’s role in supporting the company’s broader growth strategy.

Mr Lee Ngor Houai said: “At Ascott, our vision is to be the preferred hospitality company, enriching global living with heartfelt experiences. To deliver on this, we have expanded our portfolio beyond serviced residences to include hotels, resorts, social living spaces and branded residences, offering guests more choices under our brand promise ‘Stay Your Way.’ Our multi-typology brand framework not only caters to the diverse needs of today’s travellers, but also empowers our associates to develop broad-based expertise and thrive across different accommodation formats. As our business continues to grow and diversify, we remain deeply committed to developing our people, ensuring they have the skills and support to grow with us. Looking ahead, talent development will remain central to our strategy as we expand globally, with over 300 new properties set to become operational by 2028.”

Ms Wong Kar Ling said: “To future-proof our talent pipeline, we are excited to launch Ascott Accelerate, a comprehensive initiative designed to nurture high-potential talent at every stage of their hospitality careers. This programme supports associates from entry-level roles to key property leadership positions, such as Residence Manager and General Manager. Through mentorship, on-the-job training, project-based learning and e-learning, Ascott Accelerate will shape the next generation of hospitality leaders, equipping them with the capabilities to drive our continued success. As the training needs of our organisation evolve, we are also exploring partnerships with leading hospitality institutions to enhance the professional credentials of our team. We welcome individuals with a passion for hospitality to join us at Ascott, where opportunities to grow and thrive are part of our dynamic journey.”

Ascott Accelerate features three progressive career development tracks:

• Aim, which builds foundational leadership skills essential for supervisors;
• Advance, which strengthens the management capabilities required to lead as heads of departments; and
• Aspire, which prepares future Residence Managers and General Managers through curated hands-on learning, equipping them with the agility and leadership skills to thrive in a fast-evolving hospitality landscape.

To turbocharge the programme, Ascott is also introducing a new digital learning platform that enables associates to learn anytime, anywhere. Featuring tailored content across key operational areas – including guest services, housekeeping, property maintenance, digital technology and finance – the platform empowers associates to develop relevant skills at their own pace, while balancing daily responsibilities.

In addition, Ascott is enriching learning experiences through initiatives like the Ascott Global Exchange Programme and Ascott Learning Festivals. The exchange programme offers promising associates short-term overseas postings to broaden their perspectives, adapt to new environments and learn from high-performing teams across the network. Complementing this, the Ascott Learning Festivals are dynamic, in-person events where associates gain insights into the latest industry skills and best practices from expert trainers and thought leaders.

Ms Wong added: “Hospitality is about connecting people across places, cultures and possibilities. At Ascott, we believe those connections should begin within our own teams. Just as we aspire to offer global living to our guests, we are equally committed to giving our associates the opportunity to experience the global nature of our business – whether through international assignments or globally connected platforms like our learning festivals. These initiatives reflect not only the scale of our operations but also why many are drawn to hospitality: a passion for people, culture and discovery.”

For more information on career opportunities and to explore how you can grow with Ascott, please visit: https://www.discoverasr.com/en/the-ascott-limited/careers.

[1] Excluding fee-related earnings from one-off projects and the impact of foreign exchange movements.
Hashtag: #hospitality #talentdevelopment #humanresource #Ascott

https://www.discoverasr.com/en
https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ascott-limited/
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https://instagram.com/DiscoverASR

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

About The Ascott Limited

The Ascott Limited (Ascott) is driven by a vision to be the preferred hospitality company, enriching global living with heartfelt experiences. With a portfolio of over 990 properties across 230 cities in over 40 countries, Ascott’s presence spans Asia Pacific, Central Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the USA. Its diverse collection of award-winning brands includes Ascott, Citadines, lyf, Oakwood, Somerset, The Crest Collection, The Unlimited Collection, Fox, Harris, POP!, Preference, Quest, Vertu and Yello.

Ascott specialises in managing and franchising a wide range of lodging options, including serviced residences, hotels, resorts, social living properties and branded residences, catering to the varying needs and preferences of global travellers. Through the Ascott Star Rewards (ASR) loyalty programme, members enjoy exclusive privileges and curated experiences, enhancing every aspect of their travel journey.

As a wholly owned business unit of CapitaLand Investment Limited, Ascott generates fee-related earnings by leveraging its expertise in both lodging management and investment management. It also drives the expansion of funds under management by growing its sponsored CapitaLand Ascott Trust and private funds.

For more information on Ascott and its sustainability programme, please visit www.discoverasr.com/the-ascott-limited. Alternatively, connect with Ascott on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn.

About CapitaLand Investment Limited

• Q1 data follows $74B economic loss in Asia Pacific from natural disasters in 2024
• Earthquake in Myanmar estimated to be the costliest event of the year so far, with only a fraction insured

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 14 May 2025 – Aon plc (NYSE: AON), a leading global professional services firm, published Asia Pacific (APAC) insights from its Q1 Global Catastrophe Recap – April 2025, which analyzes the natural disaster events that occurred worldwide during the first quarter of 2025.

During this period, the APAC region experienced significant wildfire activity, particularly in South Korea and Japan. South Korea faced devastating wildfires that resulted in 31 deaths, 49 injuries and the destruction of over 7,700 structures with losses estimated at approximately $1B.

The earthquake that occurred in March in Myanmar is the costliest event of the year so far. Damage is expected to reach billions of dollars and only a fraction is covered by insurance. The costliest event for APAC insurers was ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred, with insured losses of approximately AU $1B.

The Q1 data follows Aon’s 2025 Climate and Catastrophe Insight report, which identified global natural disaster and climate trends to quantify the risk and human impact of extreme weather events in 2024, where total economic losses in APAC were $74B, with insurance covering only approximately $4B.

The main driver of economic losses in 2024 was flooding, with a significant contribution from seasonal floods in China. Two major events: the Noto earthquake in Japan and Typhoon Yagi in Southeast Asia and China also accounted for a large proportion of the losses.

Typhoon Yagi was one of the most severe storms to hit Southeast Asia since Typhoon Rammasun in 2014. The storm caused extensive damage across Vietnam, China, Myanmar, the Philippines and Thailand, resulting in significant economic and insured losses. This event highlights the importance of considering both wind and flood risks in typhoon-prone areas.

George Attard, CEO for Reinsurance Solutions for APAC at Aon, said: “The devastating earthquake in Myanmar, which caused at least 5,400 deaths and significant structural and infrastructure loss, underscores the importance of being prepared for catastrophe-related risks. Extreme weather and seismic events remain a powerful force driving the complexity and volatility that businesses and communities face and emphasizes the urgent need for innovative mitigation solutions to address this growing challenge.”

Aon’s 2025 Climate and Catastrophe Insight report highlights several trends with natural catastrophe losses:

• Growing Disaster Losses: Global insurance losses in 2024 were 54 percent above the 21st-century average, covering $145B of the $368B in damages. Even though insured losses far exceeded the average, the protection gap stood at 60 percent, representing a significant financial headwind to communities, businesses and governments. In the APAC region, the protection gap was much higher with 95 percent of the losses not covered. Increases in population density in coastal areas, wealth and overall exposure to natural hazards in high-risk areas continue to be a crucial component of growing disaster losses.
• Earthquake Risks: April 2024 saw a significant earthquake impact in Taiwan, while Japan experienced the Noto Peninsula earthquake on January 1, 2024. This emphasises the need for ongoing vigilance and preparedness for seismic events.
• Exposure Changes: Changes in exposure is a growing challenge for insurers and clients. These changes, rather than climate risks alone, are driving shifts in loss patterns. Typhoon Yagi, for example, accentuated the importance of a regional risk management approach that extends beyond sovereign borders.
• Advances in Flood Modelling: Despite the challenges, advancements in flood modelling have made significant strides in recent years. Advanced tools and data analytics can help businesses and governments understand the complexities of flood risk and prepare for future events.
• Economic Impacts: The exposure of commercial infrastructure to extreme weather has increased, requiring companies and insurers to explore the impact of changing weather patterns on assets. While Typhoon Yagi made a significant impact on economic and insured losses in China, Vietnam and the Philippines, 2024 was a relatively quiet year for natural catastrophes in Asia when compared with the long-term regional trend.

The economic and insured losses in the region also contrast with the global figures, where economic losses from natural disasters in 2024 are estimated at $368B, more than 10 percent above the long-term average since 2000.

With greater resilience and mitigation measures in place, global economies can reduce damage and loss of life. In 2024, 18,100 people lost their lives due to natural hazards, mostly from heatwaves and flooding globally. This was below the 21st-century average of 72,400. The long-term decrease in global fatalities can be attributed to improved warning systems, weather forecasts and evacuation planning, underscoring the value of reliable climate data, insights and analytics.

Significant Asia Events in 2024

“Asia is at the forefront of flood modelling,” said Peter Cheesman, head of Risk Capital analytics for APAC at Aon. “Despite this, there remains a need for better tools and collaborations with public and private partnerships to help close the insurance gap. A comprehensive, multi-country strategy, together with advanced modelling and data inputs, are critical in helping risk managers prepare for future events as climate and exposure trends continue to evolve.”

Aon’s 2025 Climate and Catastrophe Insight report can be found here.
Hashtag: #Aon #climaterisks #climate #catastrophe #catastropherisks #flooding

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About Aon

Aon plc (NYSE: AON) exists to shape decisions for the better — to protect and enrich the lives of people around the world. Through actionable analytic insight, globally integrated Risk Capital and Human Capital expertise, and locally relevant solutions, our colleagues provide clients in over 120 countries with the clarity and confidence to make better risk and people decisions that protect and grow their businesses.

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The information contained in this document is solely for information purposes, for general guidance only and is not intended to address the circumstances of any particular individual or entity. Although Aon endeavours to provide accurate and timely information and uses sources that it considers reliable, the firm does not warrant, represent or guarantee the accuracy, adequacy, completeness or fitness for any purpose of any content of this document and can accept no liability for any loss incurred in any way by any person who may rely on it. There can be no guarantee that the information contained in this document will remain accurate as on the date it is received or that it will continue to be accurate in the future. No individual or entity should make decisions or act based solely on the information contained herein without appropriate professional advice and targeted research.