Media OutReach
The 2024 Vinfuture Prize Honors Four Scientific Works Under The Theme Of “Resilient Rebound”
The 2024 VinFuture Prize Award Ceremony was broadcast live nationally on Vietnam National Television VTV1. The ceremony was graced with the presence of Mr. Pham Minh Chinh, Prime Minister of Vietnam, leaders of domestic ministries and departments, international ambassadors, and eminent scientists from around the world.
The four winning works were rigorously curated from a pool of nearly 1,500 impressive nominations spanning more than 80 countries and territories worldwide. These groundbreaking achievements have the potential to significantly impact humanity’s present and future, particularly in critical fields like computer science, public health and global health, material science, and generative medicine. Not only do these innovations offer solutions to universal challenges, but they also play a pivotal role in shaping the future of humanity.
With their potential for exponential growth, this year’s award-winning innovations epitomize the spirit of “resilient rebound.” By pushing the boundaries of science and technology, these breakthroughs unlock new directions and expand the possibilities of application.
The 2024 VinFuture Grand Prize is awarded to five scientists: Professor Yoshua Bengio, Professor Geoffrey E. Hinton, Mr. Jen-Hsun Huang, Professor Yann LeCun, and Professor Fei-Feil Li for transformational contributions to the advancement of deep learning.
Advances in deep learning have opened a transformative era for technological innovation, enabling machines to learn from vast amounts of data and achieve unprecedented accuracy in tasks such as image recognition, natural language processing, and decision-making. Professors Geoff E. Hinton, Yann LeCun and Yoshua Bengio have made groundbreaking contributions to neural networks and deep learning algorithms, while Mr. Jen-Hsun Huang pioneered accelerated computing platforms that facilitated the modern era of AI (Artificial Intelligence) computing. Professor Fei-Fei Li‘s creation of the ImageNet dataset further drove advances in visual recognition systems, making it possible to train models at scale.
Since 2012, deep learning has become a dominant tool in driving rapid advancements across sectors such as healthcare, autonomous systems, and financial services, and shaping the future of innovation.
In addition to the VinFuture Grand Prize, three Special Prizes, each valued at US$500,000, have been awarded to innovators with outstanding achievements in emerging fields, women innovators, and innovators from developing countries.
The 2024 VinFuture Special Prize for Innovators with Outstanding Achievements in Emerging Fields is awarded to Professor Zelig Eshhar, Professor Carl H. June, and Professor Michel Sadelain for development of CAR T cell therapy for cancer and other diseases.
Professor Zelig Eshhar‘s groundbreaking work transformed cancer treatment by developing CAR T cell therapy, a “living drug” that has saved many lives and sparked a thriving biopharmaceutical industry. This innovation offers hope for new medical applications and affordable treatments worldwide. Professors Carl H. June and Michel Sadelain built on this progress, further improving CAR T cell therapy to effectively treat cancer and autoimmune diseases that resist standard therapies. Their pioneering work led to the approval of the first CAR T cell therapy by the US Food and Drug Administration in 2017 for childhood and young adult acute lymphocytic leukemias and is now considered for clinical care world-wide.
The 2024 VinFuture Special Prize for Innovators from Developing Countries has honored Bangladeshi Dr. Firdausi Qadri for innovative improvement of oral cholera vaccination in developing countries.
Dr. Firdausi Qadri has played a key role in improving vaccination against cholera, a severe diarrheal disease due to the bacterium Vibrio cholerae, that occurs after ingestion of contaminated food or water and remains a major public health concern particularly in areas with poor sanitation and limited access to clean water. Dr. Firdausi Qadri at the ICDDR,B (International Center for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh) has performed large-scale clinical studies with a Vietnamese live vaccine strain which allowed her to conclude on the benefit, power and safety of a single oral dose of an affordable vaccine and consequently on the possibility to perform large-scale vaccination campaigns in her own country and in other poor countries, in order to prevent outbreaks.
Controlling cholera outbreaks at the source enhances global public health security, preventing the spread of the disease across borders.
The 2024 VinFuture Special Prize for Women Innovators has honored Professor Kristi S. Anseth for advancement in design of polymeric biomaterials and methods for biomedical applications.
Professor Kristi Anseth is a pioneer, who has developed biomaterial cell culture systems, to decipher extracellular matrix (ECM) signals that regulate tissue development, maintenance and regeneration. She designed synthetic ECM that captures the unique cell and dynamic tissue microenvironment in three-dimensional space that can be modulated on demand, providing a means to study 4D-biology. She studies how cells exchange information with the ECM and applies this knowledge to engineer biomaterials for tissue regeneration and disease states, as well as screening drugs.
She is renowned for blending modern molecular and cellular biology with engineering and mathematics to produce the next generation of biomaterials that are tissue substitutes able to restore, maintain, or improve tissue function.
Commenting on the results of the 2024 VinFuture Prize, Professor Sir Richard Friend, FRS, VinFuture Prize Council Chair, stated, “The 2024 VinFuture Prize Laureates have all made advances that have changed the world, and have brought unexpected and powerful new tools. The Grand Prize recognizes the unprecedented advances in Artificial intelligence. It celebrates three elements that together have propelled this success: fundamental advances in deep learning, data sets and the silicon GPU hardware. This year’s three Special Prizes celebrate advances in three very different areas of healthcare. These illustrate the breadth of science and technology that can bring practical and powerful solutions. The vision that the Founders set – to celebrate the potential for discovery and innovation to bring real benefits to societies across the whole globe – is very clearly delivered in the set of this year’s prize winners.”
The VinFuture Prize has solidified its position as one of the world’s most prestigious science and technology awards, with four successful prize seasons. Notably, numerous VinFuture Prize laureates have gone on to receive further accolades at prestigious global awards, validating VinFuture’s visionary approach and pioneering spirit. The VinFuture Foundation remains committed to its mission of serving humanity and inspiring innovation in Vietnamese science and technology. By fostering groundbreaking research and development, the Foundation aims to contribute to sustainable development and global prosperity.
Hashtag: #VinFuture
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About the VinFuture Prize
The VinFuture Foundation, established on International Human Solidarity Day on December 20th, 2020, is a non-profit organization co-founded by billionaire Mr. Pham Nhat Vuong and his wife, Mrs. Pham Thu Huong. The Foundation’s core activity is awarding the annual VinFuture Prize, which recognizes transformative scientific and technological innovations capable of making significant positive changes in the lives of millions of people worldwide.
The VinFuture Prize consists of four prestigious awards presented each year. The most esteemed is the VinFuture Grand Prize, valued at US$3 million, making it one of the largest annual prizes globally. Additionally, there are three Special Prizes, each valued at US$500,000, specifically dedicated to honoring female innovators, innovators from developing countries, and innovators with outstanding achievements in emerging fields.
In pursuit of its mission, the Foundation undertakes various activities. These include engaging in strategic grantmaking initiatives, fostering intellectual connections, and collaborating in the advancement of science and technology. Learn more at: 
https://vinfutureprize.org.
Media OutReach
Chinachem Group Attains International Recognition for Sustainable Development Efforts
Achieves GRESB Five-Star Rating
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 10 January 2025 – Dedicated to achieving a sustainable, zero-carbon future by prioritising environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors across its businesses, Chinachem Group (“Chinachem”) has been recognised as a Global Sector Leader for 2024 in the prestigious Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB), achieving the highest possible five-star rating in both the Development Benchmark and Standing Investment Benchmark categories.
Having received a four-star rating from GRESB in 2023, Chinachem has taken it up a notch by achieving the five-star rating for the first time. This recognition marks a milestone for the Group, highlighting the significant progress it has made in governance, risk management, stakeholder engagement and the green performance of its properties.
Over half of all annual carbon emissions globally are generated by the built environment, making it a major contributor to climate change. Chinachem has addressed this challenge by implementing an ambitious Carbon Reduction Roadmap – CCG 3050+ – which commits it to reducing carbon intensity by 51.8% by 2030, compared with the 2020 baseline. As of this year, Chinachem has already achieved a 33% reduction in carbon intensity.
Chinachem has been an industry pioneer in introducing green building technologies in Hong Kong. It has promoted the adoption of a smart site safety system, and is the first private developer in the city to adopt Modular Integrated Construction (MiC) technology for a private residential development, helping to reduce construction waste, noise and carbon emissions.
Lee Garden Eight, a joint venture commercial property project by Chinachem and Hysan Development at Caroline Hill Road, Causeway Bay, is the first private construction project in the city to extensively adopt the Multi-trade integrated Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing (“MiMEP”) technology. This innovative approach not only reduces on-site construction waste and carbon emissions but also shortens construction time and reduces the need for mechanical and electrical manpower.
In addition, Chinachem has partnered with CLPe to build and operate the first Net Zero Carbon Chiller in Hong Kong at the NINA MALLs to enhance energy efficiency. It also encourages its tenants to contribute to a sustainable future by offering partial management fee waivers to promote their participation in carbon reduction initiatives.
Chinachem Sustainability Conference in November 2024 attracted over 5,000 participants in-person and online. With the theme “Integrating Sustainability Solutions towards a Resilient Future”, the Conference brought together stakeholders from government, business, academia and research, and provided constructive recommendations for the interim review of Hong Kong’s Climate Action Plan 2050.
GRESB is a leading sustainability assessment and benchmark organisation for the global real estate industry. Each year, it evaluates companies’ sustainability performances and examines their progress toward achieving global sustainability goals. A total of 2,223 real estate portfolios participated in the GRESB assessment in 2024.
To learn more about Chinachem’s sustainable development initiatives, please visit this webpage.
Hashtag: #ChinachemGroup
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Global changes in currency pairs
Currency markets are bracing for heightened volatility in 2025, driven by shifting global economic conditions and monetary policy adjustments. According to S&P Global’s Economic Outlook, slowing global growth, rising inflation, and divergent interest rate policies among major central banks are expected to weigh heavily on currency pairs like EURUSD and GBPUSD. These factors, combined with trade uncertainties, could disrupt Forex market liquidity, increasing short-term volatility and widening spreads.
The U.S. dollar is expected to maintain its status as a safe-haven asset amid continued global uncertainties. Emerging markets, however, face potential pressure as currency depreciation risks rise, particularly in regions reliant on external financing. As a result, traders are likely to focus on hedging strategies and closely monitor monetary policy decisions from the U.S. Federal Reserve, European Central Bank, and Bank of England.
Commodity trading: new opportunities
Commodity markets are set for dynamic shifts in 2025, shaped by inflationary pressures, geopolitical risks, and the global energy transition. Gold, which saw strong demand in 2024 as a safe-haven asset, is projected to maintain its upward trajectory as global economic uncertainty persists. Analysts point to ongoing geopolitical tensions and a slowdown in economic growth as key drivers of gold’s appeal in the coming year.
Meanwhile, oil markets are likely to experience continued volatility. Supply constraints, coupled with shifts in energy demand, could push prices higher. Additionally, green energy-related commodities like lithium, copper, and nickel are increasingly valuable as governments accelerate their renewable energy initiatives. Reports highlight that commodities essential for electric vehicle production and energy storage will see sustained demand growth, creating new opportunities for commodity traders.
Growth of trading in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia remains a focal point for global trade and investment, driven by strong economic fundamentals and rapid digital transformation. Countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore are leading the charge, with the region’s GDP growth forecasted to outpace global averages in 2025.
Indonesia’s digital economy continues to expand, supported by strong consumer adoption and increased investments in infrastructure. By 2025, Southeast Asia’s internet economy is expected to reach $330 billion, reflecting a steady rise in e-commerce, fintech, and online services. Malaysia, on the other hand, remains a significant player in electronics and renewable energy, with government policies aimed at enhancing infrastructure and attracting foreign investment. Singapore, as a financial hub, maintains its strategic role in driving innovation and green technology adoption.
Risks and challenges for 2025
While trading opportunities are abundant, 2025 brings its share of challenges. Rising global debt levels, coupled with higher borrowing costs, present risks to both developed and emerging economies. Bain & Company’s 2024 report highlights concerns over potential recessions in major markets, which could disrupt trade flows and investor sentiment.
Geopolitical conflicts and protectionist trade policies also remain key risks. Tensions in global supply chains, particularly between the U.S. and China, could impact commodity prices and currency markets. Traders must rely on robust risk management strategies, incorporating both technical and fundamental analysis to navigate these uncertainties.
Trading in 2025 will be defined by the volatility of the Forex market, rising demand, and the strength of Southeast Asian economies. Traders are advised to acknowledge these and other trends in advance to adjust their long-term strategies accordingly. To facilitate trend watching, market players can rely on advanced tools that allow for faster and more accurate decision-making. Such tools include Space from OctaTrader, which provides predictive insights and expert strategies for traders. Such an approach allows for improved risk management amidst volatile markets.
Hashtag: #Octa
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Octa
Octa is an international broker that has been providing online trading services worldwide since 2011. It offers commission-free access to financial markets and various services used by clients from 180 countries who have opened more than 52 million trading accounts. To help its clients reach their investment goals, Octa offers free educational webinars, articles, and analytical tools.
The company is involved in a comprehensive network of charitable and humanitarian initiatives, including the improvement of educational infrastructure and short-notice relief projects supporting local communities.
In the APAC region, Octa received the ‘Best Trading Platform Malaysia 2024’ and the ‘Most Reliable Broker Asia 2023’ awards from Brands and Business Magazine and International Global Forex Awards, respectively.
Media OutReach
Dah Sing Bank and Hong Kong Small and Medium Enterprises Association Join Hands to Support SMEs to Better Understand and Practice ESG
“SME ESG Charter” 2024 enhanced brand image and expanded business opportunities for participating SMEs
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 9 January 2025 – Close to 90% of small and medium enterprises (“SMEs”) participating in the SME ESG Charter 2024 (“ESG Charter 2024”) have acknowledged that they have benefited from enhanced brand image, reflecting the significance of the ESG Charter 2024 jointly launched by Dah Sing Bank, Limited (“Dah Sing Bank” or “the Bank”) and the Hong Kong Small and Medium Enterprises Association (“HKSMEA”). The Bank and HKSMEA have confirmed to continue their collaboration with the SME ESG Charter 2025 (“ESG Charter 2025”) to encourage more SMEs to improve their environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance and accelerate the transition towards economic sustainability.
HKSMEA surveyed 302 SMEs in December last year on their business challenges and their knowledge and implementation of ESG. The survey results showed that the top challenge faced by SMEs in the past year was rising cost of business (57.7%), followed by increased competition (46.5%), loss of customers (42.3%) and manpower shortages (36.6%). Meanwhile, 77% of SMEs considered ESG practices to be ‘very important’ and ‘important’, while 85.2% of the surveyed companies indicated willingness and interest to participate in the ESG Charter.
Dah Sing Bank launched its partnership with HKSMEA when the ESG Charter 2024 was introduced last year. The initiative was well received with 35 SMEs having participated, of which 26 qualified to receive free independent assessment and certification. The participating SMEs acknowledged that the initiative has helped deepen their understanding of ESG, and that gaining certified in the ESG Charter 2024 not only improved their corporate image but also helped to increase business opportunities.
“Dah Sing Bank has always been committed to supporting SMEs and helping them seek opportunities. Whilst the climate change driven ESG megatrend may seem remote, it is in fact shaping the development of a sustainable economy, presenting both challenges and potential opportunities for companies. We hope to encourage different industries and stakeholders to participate in this megatrend, and to help more SMEs transition towards economic sustainability so that they may progress further with enhanced competitiveness to capture new opportunities. We joined forces with HKSMEA to provide SMEs with hands-on training and support in the ESG Charter 2024. In 2025, we hope to enhance the scope of the ESG Charter to reach out to more local SMEs,” said Ms. Phoebe Wong, Deputy Chief Executive, Senior Executive Director and Group Head of Personal Banking of Dah Sing Bank.
Through the ESG Charter 2024, Dah Sing Bank and HKSMEA provided comprehensive support to SMEs which included publicity, workshops, technical advice, auditing and certification, public education and business liaison. Dah Sing Bank will award SMEs that have successfully qualified for the ESG Charter 2024 an incentive of up to HKD1,400 in account opening fee rebates. The Bank also plans to introduce various product and service incentives in the coming year to encourage customers to implement ESG practices.
Mr. Andrew Kwok, President of HKSMEA, said, “The transition towards economic sustainability is an important global trend. HKSMEA is committed to encouraging more SMEs to participate in the ESG Charter and to achieving our long-term goal of enabling more SMEs to understand the importance of learning and practicing ESG. We support local SMEs to integrate ESG elements into their operating structures and governance mechanisms, and meet the long-term development needs of Mainland China and Hong Kong.”
HKSMEA’s SME survey also showed that 88.9% of SMEs participating in the ESG Charter 2024 acknowledged that their brand image has improved, 72.2% acknowledged funding support for certification and 50% for professional advice.
Furthermore, 62% of SMEs surveyed have started to implement ESG-related initiatives. Among the areas that SMEs have started to implemented, social responsibility ranked highest at 95.5%, followed by environmental protection at 93.2% and corporate governance at 86.4%. Meanwhile, 84.1% of SMEs agreed that good ESG practices can increase customer trust and build a positive brand image, while 54.5% of SMEs believed that implementing ESG practices can help them gain access to large companies’ supplier lists, thereby increasing business opportunities. Similarly, 54.5% of SMEs believed that they can effectively reduce operating costs through savings in electricity, water and waste management costs.
Among the SMEs surveyed, 77% saw adopting ESG practices as “very important” and “important”; 61.5% said it would help to attract investors; 46.2% said it could reduce operating costs through environmental protection measures; 46.2% believed it could increase employees’ sense of belonging and morale; 30.8% said it has improved their own operational management systems, and 30.8% said it could increase customer loyalty and trust.
According to the survey, 85.2% of companies surveyed indicated willingness and interest to participate in the ESG Charter. The key reason for not yet implementing ESG measures was a lack of human resources (48.1%), followed by a lack of financial resources (40.7%). Tight cash flow has prevented SMEs from investing in the necessary resources to implement ESG measures.
The ESG Charter 2024 is a not-for-profit assessment framework that references the sections of the ESG Reporting Guide in Appendix C2 of the HKEX Listing Rules that are applicable to SMEs. Participating SMEs will be assessed by and will receive an assessment report from a third party professional consultancy. SMEs who have successfully attained the ESG Charter 2024 status will be placed in the SME ESG Register by HKSMEA, and will enjoy priority when large corporations supporting the charter consider their products and services.
Hashtag: #DahSingBank
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About Hong Kong Small and Medium Enterprises Association
Founded in 1996, Hong Kong Small and Medium Enterprises Association was one of the most important SMEs chamber of commerce in Hong Kong. As an non-profit making organization, we have been working for the development of SMEs from manufacturing, food & beverage industry, professional service sectors, marketing and allied industrial / business sectors for almost three decades.
Our main mission is to serve as a bridge of communication between SMEs and HKSAR Government, increasing the competitiveness and productivity of SMEs, assisting them in upgrading, restructuring, entering GBA market and developing globally.
About Dah Sing Bank Limited
Dah Sing Bank, Limited (the “Bank”) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dah Sing Banking Group (HKG:2356). Founded in Hong Kong over 75 years ago, the Bank has been providing quality banking products and services to its customers with a vision to be “The Local Bank with a Personal Touch”. Over the years, the Bank has been rigorous in delivering on its brand tagline to grow with its customers in Hong Kong, the Greater Bay Area and beyond – “Together We Progress and Prosper”. Building on our experience and solid foundation in the industry, our scope of professional services now spans retail banking, private banking, business and commercial banking. Meanwhile, the Bank is also making significant investments in its digital banking capabilities to stay abreast with smart banking developments in Hong Kong and to support financial inclusion at large.
In addition to its Hong Kong banking operations, the Bank has wholly-owned subsidiaries including Dah Sing Bank (China) Limited, Banco Comercial de Macau, S.A., and OK Finance Limited. It is also a strategic shareholder of Bank of Chongqing with a shareholding of about 13%. Dah Sing Bank and its subsidiaries now have 64 operating locations in Hong Kong, Macau and Mainland China.
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