隨着網絡威脅日益複雜和急速演變，Daniel一直在強化香港的整體網絡韌性方面發揮重要作用。除了加強 HGC 環電的網絡防護能力外，他亦積極與業界合作夥伴、協會及公共機構協作，推動管治標準提升及促進網絡威脅情報分享。HGC環電亦成功取得 SOC 2 Type II 認證，進一步鞏固集團在網絡安全信任、合規及營運卓越方面的承諾。
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
有關環球全域電訊有限公司
環球全域電訊有限公司（HGC 環電）是香港及國際電訊營辦商及ICT方案供應商，於香港及國際市場擁有廣闊的網絡覆蓋及基礎設施，提供各種不同服務，除了提供電訊網絡基礎設施予其他營辦商外，亦是企業及住宅用戶的服務供應商。HGC環電設20個海外辦事處，並有同事駐守全球33個城市。HGC環電為本地、海外、企業、中小企及大眾市場提供全面的電訊服務、數據中心服務、資訊科技方案及寬頻服務。HGC環電擁有及營運覆蓋廣泛的光纖網絡，與中國內地頂級電訊商開通了五條跨境分流路由，更與過百間世界級的國際電訊網絡營辦商互連。本公司致力增強現有基礎設施，發展最新技術，並開發基礎設施服務和方案。HGC環電於2019年完成收購高端數碼科技及IT基礎架構解決方案供應商高威電信，進一步促進 HGC 環電集團轉型成為 ICT 解決方案供應商。HGC 環電是 I Squared Capital 的投資組合公司。I Squared Capital 是獨立的環球基建投資管理基金，主要於北美、歐洲、拉丁美洲以及亞洲等地區進行能源、公共設施、運輸業、基礎設施、數字基礎設施和環境基礎設施等投資。
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 2 February 2026 – HGC Global Communications (“HGC” or “the Group”) is delighted to announce that Daniel Ho, Vice President, Unified Cyber Security and Digital Transformation Solutions of HGC, has been honoured with the “Cyber Security Professional Awards 2025” – Silver Award in the Telecommunications Services sector. This marks Daniel’s second consecutive win, reaffirming his exceptional leadership and continuous contribution to advancing cybersecurity capabilities in Hong Kong and beyond.
Photo 1_Daniel Ho, Vice President, Unified Cyber Security and Digital Transformation Solutions of HGC, has been honoured with the “Cyber Security Professional Awards 2025” – Silver Award in the Telecommunicatio
With cyber threats increasing in scale and sophistication, Daniel continues to play an important role in reinforcing Hong Kong’s broader cyber resilience. Beyond strengthening HGC’s defensive posture, he actively engages with industry partners, associations and public bodies to elevate governance standards and encourage threat intelligence sharing across the ecosystem. HGC further advanced its trust and compliance capabilities by attaining SOC 2 Type II certification, reflecting the Group’s ongoing commitment to robust security and operational excellence.
This year’s Cyber Security Professional Awards placed strong emphasis on the expertise of its judging panel, which plays a pivotal role in ensuring the credibility and integrity of the evaluation process. Among them was HGC’s Chief Executive Officer, Andrew Kwok, who served as one of judge for the 2025 awards. His participation reflects the strong standing of HGC within the telecommunications and ICT community and the Group’s continued commitment to supporting industry development and best practice standards.
Photo 2_Andrew Kwok, CEO of HGC, served as a judge for the “Cyber Security Professional Awards 2025 – Copy
Andrew Kwok, Chief Executive Officer of HGC, said, “Daniel’s achievement this year reflects the professionalism and innovation essential in today’s cybersecurity landscape. His work not only contributes to raising industry standards but also strengthens HGC’s commitment to delivering robust and futureready cybersecurity capabilities for businesses and communities.”
Daniel Ho, Vice President, Unified Cyber Security and Digital Transformation Solutions of HGC, said “It is a tremendous honour to receive the award again at the ‘Cyber Security Professional Awards.’ This recognition reflects not only my personal dedication but also the trust and support from HGC, which continues to invest in cybersecurity talent, technology, and innovation. I am deeply grateful to my team for their relentless efforts and to the Group for empowering us to deliver advanced protection solutions to clients across sectors. This award motivates me to continue contributing to the cybersecurity community and driving impactful initiatives that strengthen Hong Kong’s cyber resilience.”
The “Cyber Security Professional Awards,” established in 2016, recognises outstanding cybersecurity professionals across multiple industries and promotes knowledge-sharing, innovation, and corporate commitment to cyber resiliency. This year, awards were presented across eight sectors, including Banking and Finance, Telecommunications Services, Cyber Security Educations & Training, Government Departments and Public Bodies, Internet and Cloud Services, Cyber Security Startups & SMEs, Cyber Security Audit & Consulting, and Transportation & Public Utilities.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
HGC Global Communications Limited
HGC Global Communications Limited (HGC) is a leading Hong Kong and international telecom operator and ICT solution provider. The company owns an extensive network and infrastructure in Hong Kong and overseas and provides various kinds of services. HGC has 20 global offices and staff presence in 33 cities worldwide. It provides telecom infrastructure service to other operators and serves as a service provider to corporate and households. The company provides full-fledged telecom, data center services, ICT solutions and broadband services for local, overseas, corporate, SME and mass markets. HGC owns and operates an extensive fiber-optic network, five cross-border telecom routes integrated into tier-one telecom operators in mainland China and connects with hundreds of world-class international telecom operators. The company is committed to further investing and enriching its current infrastructure and, in parallel, adding on top the latest technologies and developing its infrastructure services and solutions. In 2019, HGC Group completed the acquisition of Macroview Telecom Limited (Macroview), a leading digital technology solution and managed services provider. The addition of Macroview further accelerates HGC Group’s digital transformation path and positioning as a pioneering ICT and digital services leader. HGC is a portfolio company of I Squared Capital, an independent global infrastructure investment manager focusing on energy, utilities, transport, social infrastructure, digital infrastructure, and environmental infrastructure in North America, Europe, Latin America and Asia.
To learn more, please visit HGC’s website at: www.hgc.com.hk
Makro PRO is the #1 Thai e-commerce platform and Thailand’s #1 e-commerce platform by first-party (1P) sales
Today, e-commerce accounts for 27% of Thailand’s retail sector and is expected to grow to 32% by 2030, reflecting rapid structural transformation of the retail landscape.
Recognition reinforces CP AXTRA’s leadership in retail technology, omnichannel integration and scalable digital growth
BANGKOK, THAILAND – Media OutReach Newswire – 2 February 2026 – CP AXTRA Public Company Limited (CP AXTRA), the operator of Asia’s leading wholesaler and retailer “Makro and Lotus’s,” announced that Makro PRO has been ranked Thailand’s No. 1 Thai e-commerce platform and No. 1 e-commerce platform by first-party (1P) sales value, according to independent research conducted by Euromonitor International between December 2025 and January 2026.
The recognition marks a significant milestone in CP AXTRA’s transformation into a technology-driven retail ecosystem and underscores the Company’s leadership in Thailand’s fast-evolving digital commerce landscape. Makro Pro, CP AXTRA’s digital commerce platform connecting online ordering with nationwide wholesale distribution, plays a central role in this transformation.
Thailand’s retail sector is undergoing a profound structural shift. Total retail sales are predicted to grow from THB 4.95 trillion in 2025 to THB 6.0 trillion by 2030, while e-commerce penetration is expected to increase from 27% to over 32% during the same period, according to Euromonitor International. This reflects accelerating digital adoption, rising customer expectations and the rapid integration of online and offline retail channels. As competition intensifies, first-party e-commerce platforms have emerged as a critical engine of sustainable growth, enabling retailers to strengthen operational control, build deeper customer relationships and deliver stronger long-term economics.
Within this environment, CP AXTRA has continued to advance its omnichannel strategy, seamlessly integrating physical stores, digital platforms, data intelligence and nationwide logistics into a single ecosystem. Makro PRO plays a pivotal role in this strategy, serving as a scalable growth platform across both B2B and B2C segments while leveraging CP AXTRA’s extensive physical retail network.
“This recognition from Euromonitor International is an important milestone for CP AXTRA and a strong validation of the transformation journey we have been driving across the organization,” saidMr. Tanit Chearavanont, Group Chief Wholesale Business Officer, CP AXTRA. “Makro PRO has been ranked as the No. 1 Thai e-commerce platform overall and Thailand’s No. 1 e-commerce platform by first-party sales, reflects our disciplined focus on building scalable digital capabilities, deepening direct customer relationships and integrating online and offline retail into one seamless ecosystem. As Thailand’s retail market continues to evolve, we remain committed to investing in technology, data, and innovation to deliver long-term value for our customers, partners, and stakeholders.”
Euromonitor International assessed Thailand’s first-party e-commerce market, defined as platforms that operate their own online storefronts and sell directly to customers. Based on this research, Euromonitor ranked Makro PRO No. 1 in Thailand by 1st party ecommerce brand-level sales value across both B2B and B2C segments in 2025 and is the leading e-commerce platform of Thai origin.
The achievement further reinforces Makro PRO’s distinctive position as the only Thai e-commerce platform combining large-scale digital commerce capabilities with one of the country’s most extensive physical retail networks. As the Company continues to execute its long-term growth strategy, CP AXTRA remains focused on advancing retail technology innovation, strengthening ecosystem partnerships and supporting the sustainable development of Thailand’s retail sector.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About CP AXTRA Public Company Limited
CP AXTRA Public Company Limited, a subsidiary of CP Group, operates Asia’s leading wholesaler and retailer, “Makro” and “Lotus’s.’ The Company is based in Thailand, with operation across 10 countries. CP AXTRA is committed to fulfilling people’s lives with good health, love, joy, and well-being by providing solutions and meeting customers’ daily needs with technology, innovation, and operational excellence. With over 30 years of retail experience, CP AXTRA is a trusted partner for both B2B and B2C customers, offering a comprehensive range of products and services. Today, it manages over 2,700 offline stores in Thailand and Asia, with strong online presence.
HCMC, VIETNAM – Media OutReach Newswire – 2 February 2026 – The Ho Chi Minh City Development Joint Stock Commercial Bank (HDBank, ticker: HDB) recorded pre-tax profit of over VND21.3 trillion (US$820.5 million) in 2025, up 27.4% year-on-year and exceeding its target.
HDBank delivers robust 2025 results with profit up 27.4%.
Profitability and core indicators remained among the strongest in the banking sector, reflecting the Bank’s sustainable growth quality.
In the fourth quarter alone, HDBank posted profit of over VND6.5 trillion (US$250.3 million), a 60% increase compared to Q4 2024.
As of the end of 2025, consolidated total assets reached VND931 trillion (US$35.8 billion), up 33.5% year-on-year. Total funding mobilisation stood at VND832 trillion (US$32 billion), with customer deposits rising 28.2%.
Outstanding loans increased 34.3% to VND588 trillion (US$22.6 billion), with credit focused on sectors featuring reasonable risk profiles and long-term growth potential, including SMEs, supply chains, production and business, exports and green projects. This strategy enabled the Bank to maintain high growth while effectively managing risk.
Total operating income rose 25.4% to VND42.7 trillion (US$1.6 billion) driven by strong growth in non-interest income, which rose 2.5 times year-on-year and accounted for 18.6% of the total.
Return on equity reached 25.3%, among the highest in the sector, while return on assets stood at 2.1%. During the year, HDBank paid stock dividends and issued bonus shares with a combined ratio of nearly 30%, reaffirming its commitment to shareholders.
The non-performing loan ratio remained low at 1.66%.The capital adequacy ratio under Basel II reached 16.7%, among the highest in the industry, providing ample room for credit growth and scale expansion without immediate pressure for capital increases.
2025 also marked a strategic milestone in HDBank’s long-term strategy with the completion of the receipt of DongA Bank subsequently rebranded as Vikki Digital Bank, a new-generation digital bank. In its first year of operation, Vikki recorded more than 2.1 million app downloads, highlighting strong growth potential in digital and retail banking.
Meanwhile, HD SAISON, a subsidiary of HDBank, posted profit of over VND1.39 trillion (US$53.5 million) with ROE of 22.5%.
HDBank now serves more than 25 million customers, with 94% of individual transactions conducted via digital channels.
Moody’s upgrade of HDBank’s credit rating to the top tier among Vietnamese banks in 2025 further strengthened investor confidence in the Bank’s financial strength and long-term growth prospects.
Hashtag: #HDBank
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 2 February 2026 – CPA Australia has today submitted a set of forward-looking recommendations for consideration in the Hong Kong SAR Government’s 2026-27 Budget. With an estimated HK$0.9 billion fiscal deficit for 2025–26 and solid fiscal reserves of HK$653 billion, CPA Australia propose a series of policy measures under the theme of “Power Hong Kong’s Growth” focusing on four pillars:
Connecting China and global markets to power growth
Strengthening Hong Kong as a global trade and wealth hub
Diversifying the economy and boosting workforce competitiveness
Raising living standards for a healthier and liveable city
(from left to right) Ms Karina Wong, Divisional Councillor and Deputy Chair of Taxation Committee of CPA Australia Greater China; Mr Janssen Chan, Co-Chair of Taxation Committee; Mr Anthony Lau, Co-Chair of Taxation Committee of CPA Australia Greater China; Mr Adam Chiu, Member of Taxation Committee of CPA Australia Greater China
Connecting China with global markets and powering Hong Kong’s future economic engine
CPA Australia emphasises that Hong Kong must reinforce its position as the premier gateway connecting China with global markets. As China’s 15th Five Year Plan places greater focus on high-quality opening up, Hong Kong is uniquely positioned to help Chinese enterprises expand overseas while attracting foreign direct investment into the Mainland through Hong Kong. Strengthening this gateway function will be critical to driving the city’s next phase of economic growth.
Mr Anthony Lau, Co-Chair of CPA Australia’s Greater China Taxation Committee stated,
“Developing a unified and coherent tax incentive framework for Corporate Treasury Centres (CTC) and regional headquarters (RHQ) would further strengthen Hong Kong’s appeal as a base for multinational operations. In addition, the effectiveness of re-domiciliation has attracted many overseas companies to move their legal domicile to Hong Kong. As there is no clear guidance on whether re-domiciliation will trigger Mainland tax liabilities and tax reporting obligations, we recommend the Hong Kong Government engages with the Mainland tax authorities to clarify that no actual transfer of assets occurs during the process, and therefore no Mainland tax should arise.”
“We also recommend advancing market connectivity measures such as allowing a tax deduction specifically for IPO-related expenses for companies that list on the Main Board of the HKEX, and continuing to enhance existing cross boundary financial mechanisms such as introducing an IPO Connect scheme.”
A streamlined approach would reduce complexity, improve tax certainty and encourage overseas and Mainland enterprises to centralise management, financing and strategic functions in Hong Kong.
CPA Australia also highlights the importance of positioning the Northern Metropolis as a flagship cross‑border innovation zone that will drive Hong Kong’s future growth. Mr Lau said, “To support the infrastructure development, we suggest the Government adopts forward‑looking financing tools that ease pressure on public finances. These may include issuing bonds targeted at with an estimate amount for example USD2 billion at different maturity to international investors, and providing a tax exemption for bond holders on interest income and trading profits derived from bonds issued for Northern Metropolis infrastructure projects, whether issued by the government or the private sector.
“To attract leading innovation and technology enterprises to the zone, we further recommend broadening the scope of qualifying R&D expenditures to include activities outsourced to related parties based and operating in other cities within Greater Bay Area. This reflects the increasingly integrated nature of cross boundary innovation and supply chains.”
Strengthening Hong Kong as a global trade centre and a hub for wealth retention
Hong Kong’s long‑standing role as a free, open and trusted trading and financial gateway remains central to its international relevance.
Ms Karina Wong, Deputy Chair of the Greater China Taxation Committee said, “Hong Kong should build on its unique status as a global trading centre by strengthening the free trade port regime and expanding support for high-value commodity trading, which would help diversify the city’s economic base and enhance market depth. Qualifying commodity items such as silver and rare-earth materials remain outside the current scope, the qualifying list needs to be reviewed regularly, with sufficient legislative flexibility, to ensure timely updates in response to market developments. The Government could also consider whether the scope should extend beyond physical trades and incidental income to cover derivative driven transactions, which form a significant part of global commodities activity.”
A stronger family office ecosystem is central to reinforcing Hong Kong’s role as Asia’s preferred hub for wealth management and succession planning. “We recommend introducing a preferential 8.25 per cent profits tax rate for Single Family Office, Multi Family Offices (MFOs) and fund managers to enhance Hong Kong’s competitiveness relative to other regional wealth management centres.
“Aligning the permissible investment asset classes under the family office tax concession regime with those under the Capital Investment Entrant Scheme (CIES) would also streamline operations, provide greater investment flexibility and further strengthen Hong Kong’s appeal among global wealth owners managing long term capital,” added Ms Wong.
Modernising Hong Kong’s philanthropy framework would encourage a more caring and compassionate community and strengthen the city’s appeal to long-term capital. “The generous donations supporting residents and the reconstruction of Wang Fuk Court show that Hong Kong is a caring city. To encourage greater philanthropic participation, we suggestremoving the current 35 per cent cap on cash donation deductions and allowing a full 100 per cent deduction, while introducing a 300 per cent enhanced deduction for contributions to designated funds, such as the Community Care Fund and Disaster Relief Fund. This would direct more resources toward areas of social need.
“These reforms will strengthen Hong Kong’s ecosystem for trade, wealth management and philanthropy, helping the city attract and retain long term capital and strengthen Hong Kong’s competitive edge,” Ms Wong said.
Diversifying the economy and enhancing workforce competitiveness
As advanced economies accelerate digital transformation and adopt emerging technologies, Hong Kong’s long-term competitiveness will depend on the city’s ability to scale innovation, raise productivity and strengthen the capacity of its workforce and enterprises.
“We propose to relaunch a revamped Technology Voucher Programme to help businesses, in particular SMEs, accelerate digitalisation and adopt artificial intelligence (AI) solutions that enhance efficiency and competitiveness.
“Strengthening R&D related tax incentives is equally important in driving innovation, therefore we propose increasing the cap for the highest rate of the R&D super tax deduction by raising the threshold for the 300 per cent deduction on qualifying R&D expenditure from HK$2 million to HK$4 million.” said Mr Janssen Chan, Co‑Chairperson of CPA Australia’s Greater China Taxation Committee.
SMEs remain the backbone of Hong Kong’s economy, yet many continue to face cost pressures and increasing competition.
“We recommend raising the cap under the two-tier profits tax regime for concessional 8.25 per cent half-rate from HK$2 million to HK$4 million of assessable profits. Extending the SME Financing Guarantee Scheme beyond March 2026 is another move that would ease operating pressures for smaller businesses and encourage reinvestment,” added Mr Chan.
By raising the two-tier profits tax cap, extending financing support and retooling tech programmes for AI adoption, the Government can give SMEs the room to grow and strengthen their long-term resilience.
Raising living standards and building a healthier and more liveable city
Mr Adam Chiu, member of the Greater China Taxation Committee, said the Budget should introduce targeted tax and subsidy measures that deliver practical support to households while encouraging healthier and more productive lifestyles.
“To provide direct relief to taxpayers, we recommend maintaining the 100 per cent salaries tax rebate on the 2025/26 final salaries tax, capped at HK$6,000. This would help offset rising living costs and support disposable income, particularly for middle‑income earners. We also propose introducing a tax deduction of up to HK$60,000 for working families who employ domestic helpers specifically to care for children, elderly family members or persons with special care needs. This would help ease caregiving pressures, support labour‑force participation.” Mr Chiu said.
He added that lifelong learning and skills upgrading are increasingly important in a rapidly evolving economy. “To enable individuals to undertake more advanced or specialised training, including in emerging areas such as AI, we recommend increasing the subsidy ceiling under the Continuing Education Fund to HK$30,000 per eligible applicant, and increasing the cap on the self-education tax deduction to HK$150,000 per year. To promote physical wellbeing, we also propose a tax deduction of up to HK$2,000 for sports‑related expenses.”
“By supporting working families, encouraging lifelong learning and promoting healthier lifestyles, these measures can collectively enhance quality of life and help build a more resilient and inclusive Hong Kong,” Mr Chiu said.
CPA Australia believes these recommendations will strengthen Hong Kong’s ability to engage more effectively with global markets, enhance its competitiveness as an international financial and business hub, and improve quality of life for residents. Taken together, these measures will help ensure Hong Kong is well positioned for a more sustainable, innovation driven and inclusive future.
Hashtag: #CPAAustralia
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About CPA Australia
CPA Australia is one of the largest professional accounting bodies in the world, with more than 176,000 members in over 100 countries and regions, including more than 22,500 members in Greater China. Our core services include education, training, technical support and advocacy. CPA Australia provides thought leadership on issues affecting the accounting profession and the public interest. We engage with governments, regulators and industries to advocate policies that stimulate sustainable economic growth and have positive business and public outcomes. Find out more at cpaaustralia.com.au
This launch marks the first time that GemFair’s ethically sourced, artisanal-mined diamonds are featured in jewellery, bringing their story of supporting livelihoods to consumers
LONDON, UK – Media OutReach Newswire – 2 February 2026 – De Beers Group is pleased to announce a collaboration between GemFair, the company’s programme to help formalise the artisanal and small-scale diamond mining (ASM) sector, and its luxury jewellery brand, De Beers London, to bring the story and beauty of GemFair’s ethically sourced, artisanal diamonds to consumers for the first time.
GemFair is a first-of-its-kind sourcing initiative that aims to transform standards and livelihoods for artisanal diamond miners by providing fair value purchasing, training to improve mining and working practices and a formal and traceable route-to-market for ethically sourced artisanal diamonds. Through GemFair’s proprietary digital tools and third‑party‑verified assurance programme, eligible diamonds can be traced from mine site to market.
GemFair is also part of Building Forever – De Beers Group’s industry-leading commitment to sustainability – transforming rarity into responsibility by supporting meaningful impact that endures beyond diamonds for countries, communities and ecosystems. The programme’s success is measured through improvements in standards, support of livelihoods in both mining and alternative livelihoods like farming and fishing, and traceability rather than production volume, reflecting its long-term, systems-based approach.
The capsule collection with De Beers London translates this journey into a series of creations that pair rough and polished GemFair diamonds, offering a rare and tangible expression of transformation. Comprising twelve unique pieces, the capsule collection celebrates the House’s intimate relationship with the source. Sculpted by the quiet force of rivers, each diamond was individually selected for its character and quality. The polished diamonds were handcrafted exclusively for the capsule, while the rough diamonds remain as nature intended – an authentic and powerful tribute to the Earth’s raw beauty. Through ‘Toi & Moi’ rings and the ‘Modern Lines’ set, each piece reflects a continuous dialogue between discovery and craftsmanship, honouring both the origin of the diamond and the artistry that reveals it.
Beyond this capsule, GemFair is now a registered supplier to De Beers London for future collections, having met the House’s rigorous standards for quality and responsible sourcing. This partnership marks an important step in strengthening the connection between exceptional diamonds, the people who discover them, and the finished jewellery piece.
Emmanuelle Nodale, CEO of De Beers London, said: “We’re proud to be the first jeweller to launch a collection featuring GemFair ethically sourced diamonds, bringing not just their beauty but also the powerful story of artisanal miners to our clients. By introducing both rough and polished diamonds within the same creation, we offer a rare and tangible connection to each diamond’s path, from its discovery in ancient riverbeds to its transformation into a jewel. These pieces carry not only the beauty of the diamond itself, but also the human stories behind it — stories of pride, opportunity and meaningful impact for artisanal mining communities. This collection marks an important step in our ongoing commitment to GemFair and to raising awareness of the programme’s important work.”
De Beers Group launched GemFair to lead industry efforts to formalise a transparent route to market for artisanal diamond miners, which accounts for around 10 per cent of global diamond supply by value and provides a vital source of livelihood for millions of people in some of the poorest parts of the world.
The programme launched in 2018 in the Kono region of Sierra Leone, where it continues to operate today. De Beers chose Sierra Leone to establish the GemFair programme because the government has made substantial efforts to include artisanal mining in its regulation and the country has transformed following the civil conflict that ended more than two decades ago.
Sandrine Conseiller, CEO of De Beers Brands & Diamond Desirability said: “Today’s luxury is defined not only by craftsmanship but by conscience. As part of our commitment to Building Forever, GemFair plays a vital role in supporting livelihoods by formalising artisanal mining and creating fair, traceable routes to market. For the first time, we are bringing these diamonds to consumers through this new collection with De Beers London with pieces that celebrate the beauty of natural diamonds while telling a story of the producers’ empowerment and transformation. It’s an important step in our efforts to translate rarity to responsibility and create meaningful impacts that endure beyond diamonds.”
Today, there are more than 500 artisanal mine sites participating in GemFair, which in turn support approximately 7,000 direct and many more indirect livelihoods. Since launching, GemFair has purchased more than 20,000 diamonds from participating miners and conducted more than 5,700 compliance visits to participating sites. GemFair has also launched a programme to reclaim artisanal mine sites once mining has ended to help improve safety and environmental practices within the sector. Since 2020, the programme has converted almost 160 abandoned mine pits to agricultural use and donated over 1,000 kilograms of rice, fruit and vegetable seedlings for local communities, supporting food security and providing an alternative source of livelihoods.
Steve Allan, Head of GemFair, said: “The collaboration with De Beers London marks a significant milestone for GemFair as our beautiful, ethically-sourced artisanal diamonds are sold in a dedicated jewellery collection for the first time. GemFair makes a tangible difference to the lives of the artisanal miners involved in the programme and it’s a great privilege to help tell their stories through the diamonds that we source and sell. We’ve come a long way since starting out as a pilot programme trying to establish a model for something that had never been done before. It’s very rewarding to see GemFair diamonds set in such stunning jewellery pieces, representing a real full circle moment.”
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
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 London 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 and a wide range of diamond sorting, detection and classification technology services.
De Beers Group is committed to ‘Building Forever,’ a holistic and integrated approach to sustainability that underpins our efforts to create meaningful impact for the people and places where our diamonds are
discovered. Building Forever focuses on three key areas where, through collaborations and partnerships around the globe, we have an enhanced ability to drive positive impact; Livelihoods, Climate and Nature. De Beers Group is a member of the Anglo American plc group. For further information, visit www.debeersgroup.com.
ZURICH, SWITZERLAND – EQS Newswire – 2 February 2026 –
The Automation Extended program helps industries modernize distributed control systems without disruption by building on ABB’s proven platforms and safeguarding existing investments
A modern, open and modular automation ecosystem enables advanced analytics, AI and IoT integration, allowing technologies to be adopted at customers’ pace without operational risk
A separation-of-concerns architecture protects the core control while enabling new digital capabilities to be deployed at scale – without touching mission-critical operations
ABB has introduced its Automation Extended program, a strategic evolution of its distributed control systems (DCS), designed to help industries modernize without disruption. Building on ABB’s long-standing leadership with the world’s largest DCS installed base and vision in process automation, Automation Extended outlines how future automation capabilities can be introduced progressively – preserving system integrity while enabling the flexibility, scalability and efficiency needed for the next era of industrial operations.
Industrial operations today face volatile markets, cyber security challenges, regulatory pressures and a rapidly changing workforce. ABB’s Automation Extended addresses these realities by enabling innovation with agility and pace without disruption to production, supporting advanced analytics and IoT integration, and simplifying operations for diverse skill levels.
Operators can continue to rely on trusted ABB systems such as ABB Ability™ System 800xA®, ABB Ability™ Symphony® Plus and ABB Freelance, while introducing new technologies progressively and without operational interruption. This approach provides a structured, low risk path to modernization, preserving continuity while enabling innovation.
“In industries we serve – many operating large and complex infrastructures that deliver essential resources – our customers rely on modernization without disruption,” said Peter Terwiesch, President, ABB’s Automation business area. “Automation Extended delivers exactly that: bringing future-ready capabilities into the systems they know and trust, with security and interoperability at the core.”
The Automation Extended program is implemented through a modern, open and modular environment designed for interoperability, scalability and seamless integration across industrial domains. Based on separation of concerns principles, the automation ecosystem includes two distinct yet securely interconnected environments:
The control environment, a software‑defined domain that ensures robust, reliable and deterministic control for critical processes.
The digital environment, securely connected to the control layer, enabling advanced applications, edge intelligence and real‑time analytics. This space leverages artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning for decision support without disturbing proven control structures.
A single, unified and comprehensive automation service approach for ecosystem lifecycle management and optimization is applied for the management and maintenance of these diverse technological environments.
By integrating new technologies such as an Open Platform Communications Unified Architecture (OPC UA) backbone and a Cloud-Native Architecture for managing both environments – leveraging containerization, orchestration and modular services – the ecosystem enables a broad spectrum of enhancements. These range from proactively detecting and correcting process anomalies to optimizing maintenance strategies through continuous condition monitoring of critical assets, and elevating engineering with efficient modular approaches ready for deployment across diverse hardware platforms. This architecture delivers scalability and agility while ensuring robust performance.
Access to Automation Extended will be enabled through the next releases of ABB Ability™ System 800xA®, ABB Ability™ Symphony® Plus and ABB Freelance process automation systems.
ABB is a global technology leader in electrification and automation, enabling a more sustainable and resource-efficient future. By connecting its engineering and digitalization expertise, ABB helps industries run at high performance, while becoming more efficient, productive and sustainable so they outperform. At ABB, we call this ‘Engineered to Outrun’. The company has over 140 years of history and around 110,000 employees worldwide. ABB’s shares are listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (ABBN) and Nasdaq Stockholm (ABB). www.abb.com
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