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As consumers increasingly turn to AI platforms for answers and recommendations, traditional search visibility alone is no longer enough. ImpossiblePlus™ gives business owners a clear, real-time view of where their brand stands in the AI landscape, and what it takes to come out on top.

Perfecting AI SEO since 2023

In 2023, the agency made a decisive shift from traditional SEO to pioneer AI SEO — which includes Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) and Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO) — helping businesses prepare for the new era of AI-powered search and get discovered across platforms such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Google AI Overviews, Claude, Perplexity, and more.

Since then, the agency has invested heavily in research and development to refine its approach. This includes building ImpossiblePlus™, a proprietary AI visibility platform that:

• Tracks prompts and brand mentions across AI platforms

ImpossiblePlus™ monitors the exact queries potential customers are typing into AI search platforms and flags not just where a brand appears, but where it doesn’t. By identifying high-intent prompts where a client is absent from AI-generated answers, the agency can immediately pinpoint new opportunities and get to work closing those gaps.

• Maps Share of Voice against competitors

The software breaks down visibility scores across ChatGPT, Gemini, Google AI Overviews, and other platforms individually, while benchmarking a brand’s Share of Voice directly against competitors — revealing who is winning the AI conversation and what it takes to pull ahead.

• Identifies cited webpages and surfaces citation views

ImpossiblePlus™ pinpoints the specific pages on a website that AI platforms are referencing as trusted sources, and lets users read those AI-generated answers word for word — so brands know exactly how they are being positioned and whether the right message is being conveyed.

• Turns visibility gaps into an action plan

With real-time data updates, ImpossiblePlus™ surfaces the specific prompts a brand is missing, the pages AI isn’t trusting yet, and the competitor territory yet to be claimed — giving Impossible Marketing’s team a clear, prioritised roadmap to act on for every client.

These advancements mean that Impossible Marketing’s clients now benefit from smarter, data-driven strategies that go beyond conventional SEO, helping them remain ahead in a fast-evolving digital landscape.

Driving Value for Businesses

By perfecting its AI SEO solutions, Impossible Marketing ensures that brands do not just appear on search engines but are also featured in AI-generated responses — the new frontier of online visibility. This advancement enables businesses to reach audiences where they are increasingly seeking answers, ensuring greater relevance and a stronger digital presence.

Investing in Future Growth

To support its innovation drive, Impossible Marketing has also been expanding its team with AI developers and specialists to further enhance its internal capabilities. The company’s ongoing investments in technology and talent reflect its commitment to pushing the boundaries of digital marketing in Singapore and across Southeast Asia.

Looking ahead, Impossible Marketing plans to continue scaling its AI solutions and explore regional expansion opportunities, further solidifying its position as a leader in the digital marketing industry.

Hashtag: #ImpossibleMarketing

https://www.impossible.sg/
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About Impossible Marketing

Established in 2012, Impossible Marketing has received multiple industry accolades, including Search Marketing Agency of the Year, Lead Generation Agency of the Year, Best Digital Strategist, and many others. Over the past decade, it has helped more than 2,000 businesses across Singapore and Southeast Asia improve their online visibility and achieve top-ranking positions on Google, while earning over 700 5-star reviews from satisfied clients. The agency is also a PSG pre-approved vendor, allowing eligible SMEs to benefit from up to 50% grant support for selected digital marketing solutions.

The debate has sharpened as enterprises test AI systems for strategy modelling, risk alerts, market forecasting, compliance reviews and scenario planning. These tools promise faster decisions and broader analysis, but they also raise questions over directors’ duties, audit trails and responsibility when algorithmic advice shapes corporate choices.

Singapore has positioned itself as one of Asia’s most active AI governance centres, combining public investment, industry adoption programmes and voluntary frameworks rather than sweeping legislation. The approach is designed to encourage innovation while keeping human accountability at the centre of AI deployment. That balance is now being tested as companies examine whether AI can move beyond back-office functions and become a structured part of board deliberations.

The issue has gained urgency because AI systems are no longer limited to producing summaries or automating routine workflows. Newer agentic AI tools can plan tasks, reason across data, trigger actions and interact with software systems with limited human intervention. For corporate boards, such capability creates both opportunity and exposure. A system that can flag liquidity pressure, supply-chain disruption or reputational risk may improve oversight. A system that gives flawed recommendations based on incomplete data, hidden bias or weak assumptions may deepen governance failures.

Singapore’s corporate law framework continues to place responsibility on human directors. Directors are expected to act honestly, use reasonable diligence and discharge their duties in the company’s interests. That obligation does not shift to software vendors, consultants or internal AI teams merely because a board relied on machine-generated analysis. If directors accept AI output without challenge, the legal and reputational risk remains with the board.

Regulators have therefore focused on controls rather than replacement. Financial institutions already face sharper expectations because AI is being used in credit, insurance, fraud detection, wealth management and customer engagement. The fairness, ethics, accountability and transparency principles promoted for data-driven finance have helped shape how firms assess AI systems, particularly where customer outcomes may be affected. Proposed AI risk-management guidance for the sector points towards stronger board oversight, model governance, validation, monitoring and escalation procedures.

For non-financial companies, the same discipline is becoming harder to avoid. Listed companies must show that boards oversee strategy, risk and management performance. As AI begins to influence capital allocation, workforce planning, cyber-risk management and mergers, directors may need to demonstrate that they understand what the tools can and cannot do. Board papers generated by AI may require clear labelling, version control and records of the human judgement applied before decisions are approved.

The government’s wider AI strategy has added momentum. Singapore has refreshed national AI priorities, expanded support for enterprises and set out plans to help thousands of businesses adopt AI meaningfully. Public investment in AI research, computing capacity and talent is intended to strengthen national competitiveness, while partnerships with major technology firms are drawing more AI activity into the city-state.

Corporate leaders are watching these moves closely. Singapore’s appeal as a trusted business hub depends partly on whether it can offer companies a stable governance environment for AI adoption. The city-state has avoided a heavily prescriptive regime, preferring practical frameworks, testing tools and assurance mechanisms. That has helped businesses experiment, but it also means boards cannot simply wait for detailed rules before acting.

A growing concern is explainability. Board decisions often involve judgement under uncertainty, but directors must still be able to justify their reasoning. AI tools can generate polished recommendations without revealing how conclusions were reached or which data points carried the most weight. That creates problems for audit committees, external auditors and regulators when a decision later comes under scrutiny.

Another risk is over-reliance. Directors may treat AI output as neutral because it appears data-driven, even when the underlying model reflects skewed training data, weak prompts or commercial assumptions built by vendors. Smaller enterprises face an added challenge because they may lack internal expertise to test systems independently. For them, AI adoption can depend heavily on third-party products whose limitations are not always clear.

Singapore’s emerging answer is likely to rest on disclosure, assurance and accountability. AI “nutrition labels” under discussion would help users understand intended uses and limitations of AI products. Testing frameworks and accredited evaluation bodies could make it easier for companies to compare tools and identify risks before deployment. These measures would not remove directors’ obligations, but they could give boards a clearer basis for responsible adoption.

Free Medication Counselling Service to Prevent Misuse of Medicines and Protect Public Health

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 24 June 2026 – Mannings is launching its “Safe Disposal of Unused Medicines Programme” for the fourth consecutive year. This year, the programme further expands its collection network through collaboration with six community organisations, increasing the number of collection points across Hong Kong to 75. From 26 June to 23 July 2026, citizens can visit any of the 62 Mannings stores with pharmacies (except Elements, Landmark, Uptown Plaza, and Airport branches) or 13 designated community organisation collection points to dispose of leftover or expired medications (pills only, excluding dangerous drugs, liquid medications, and Chinese medicines) in the “Unused Medicines Collection Box.”

Hashtag: #Mannings #TrustedAdvisorForWellness #HealthandBeauty #SafeDisposalofUnusedMedicines #DFIRetailGroup

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

About Mannings

Mannings is Hong Kong’s largest health and beauty products chain store with over 320 outlets and over 60 in-store pharmacies operating in Hong Kong and Macau, providing a wide range of quality health care, personal care, skin care and baby products to customers. Our team of Community Health Professionals is available at many of our stores, offering expert advice and free consultations from registered Pharmacists, Dieticians, Beauty and Health Advisors. Mannings has been named by the Hong Kong Retail Management Association (HKRMA) as “Quality Service Retailer of the Year – Personal Care Products Category” for 15 consecutive years (2011 to 2025). Mannings has also been recognised as the “No.1 Most Preferred Brand” in online surveys conducted by global market research company Ipsos (2021-2024) and Nielsen (2025-2026) in Hong Kong for six consecutive years.

The protest, now in its fourth day, has drawn students, job aspirants and young supporters of a movement that began as online satire and quickly turned into a street mobilisation. Demonstrators have slept at the protest site, banged steel plates with spoons, raised slogans and used humour as a political weapon against what they describe as a broken education and recruitment system.

The Cockroach Janta Party, or CJP, was launched by Abhijeet Dipke, a 30-year-old political communications strategist and Boston University student, after a Supreme Court judge’s remark comparing some jobless youth to “cockroaches” angered many young people. The group embraced the insult as a badge of survival, saying the term captured the resilience of a generation struggling with paper leaks, cancelled exams, high coaching costs and limited formal work opportunities.

Its rise has been unusually fast. The movement built a following of more than 22 million on Instagram within weeks, overtaking several established political handles and forcing parties across the spectrum to respond. Its supporters say that online reach is only the first stage, and the Jantar Mantar protest is intended to prove that digital anger can move into organised public action.

The immediate trigger is the NEET-UG 2026 controversy. More than two million candidates had to sit for a re-examination on 21 June after allegations that the original medical entrance test paper was compromised. The episode prompted extraordinary security measures, including biometric checks, heightened police presence and tighter monitoring of communication channels. Telegram was temporarily restricted after claims that leaked papers and fraudulent exam material were being circulated through the platform.

The National Testing Agency has said the re-examination was conducted under enhanced safeguards and has rejected claims that the fresh paper was leaked. It has warned students against fraudsters offering answer keys or question papers for money, while cybercrime officials have been asked to act against accounts spreading false claims. For many candidates, however, the distinction between confirmed leaks, fake leaks and administrative failure has done little to calm anger after months of uncertainty.

CJP supporters accuse the education ministry of failing to protect the integrity of high-stakes examinations that shape careers for millions of families. Their demand for Pradhan’s resignation has become the central slogan of the protest, though the movement’s wider language reaches beyond NEET. It links exam scandals with joblessness, inflation, expensive coaching centres and the feeling that young people are being asked to absorb the costs of institutional failure.

At Jantar Mantar, the movement’s theatrical style has been central to its visibility. The banging of plates echoed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 2020 appeal during the pandemic, when people were asked to honour frontline workers from balconies and rooftops. CJP used the same sound as protest, turning a familiar public ritual into a message of anger. Supporters have also called for symbolic actions such as diaper donations, using ridicule to keep attention on their demands.

Police have maintained a heavy presence around the protest site, using cameras and drones to monitor the gathering. Demonstrators have alleged that basic facilities were restricted as pressure mounted on them to leave, while organisers have said they will continue unless accountability is fixed. Dipke has told supporters that the movement is open to dialogue, but only after the education minister steps down.

The government has not accepted the demand for resignation. Officials have emphasised investigations, tighter safeguards and action against fraud networks. The dispute has nevertheless widened into a political issue, with opposition figures describing the CJP phenomenon as a signal of youth frustration while also arguing that lasting change must be carried through established political structures.

By K Raveendran The new FCRA rules may look like an administrative tightening of India’s foreign funding regime, but their political effect is likely to be far larger than their legal wording suggests. On paper, the framework is simple: organisations receiving foreign donations must be more precise about what they do, where they operate, and […]

The article Strained Atmosphere Adds To Suspicion About New FCRA Rule Changes appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).

41 local tech firms, institutes and university spin-offs head to San Diego to forge global partnerships, reinforcing the city’s status as international healthcare innovation hub

HONG KONG SAR/SAN DIEGO, UNITED STATES – Media OutReach Newswire – 24 June 2026 – Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP), in collaboration with InvestHK as co-organiser, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) as supporting organisation, and five renowned local universities – The University of Hong Kong, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and City University of Hong Kong – to form the city’s largest-ever delegation of life and health technology innovators to the BIO International Convention 2026 (BIO 2026) in San Diego, from June 22 to 25.

Building on last year’s momentum, the 2026 Hong Kong delegation doubled the size of the Hong Kong Pavilion, expanding to a record of 41 organisations from HKSTP, including partner companies, research institutes, and for the first time with top five universities spin-offs. This landmark presence showcased Hong Kong’s deep strength across AI-enabled biotech, therapeutics, diagnostics, and pharma innovation, with potential outstanding “First-in-Class” and “Best-in-Class” assets. The delegation underscores the city’s leading role as Asia’s largest and the world’s second largest fundraising hub for the biotechnology sector.

Mr. Terry Wong, CEO of HKSTP, said, “BIO 2026 is a premier platform to showcase Hong Kong’s groundbreaking innovation, deepen partnerships, and open new pathways into global healthcare markets. As a super-connector, Hong Kong is uniquely positioned to bridge global innovators with opportunities across Asia and beyond. With strong R&D capabilities backed by world-class universities—five ranked among the QS Top 100, including two with medical schools now placed in the global top 20—Hong Kong’s biotech and medical research excellence is increasingly recognised worldwide. As the city’s innovation ecosystem orchestrator, HKSTP brings together talent, capital, research institutions, clinical partners, and industry leaders to accelerate the journey from discovery to impact. We will continue to empower life and health technology ventures, translating innovation breakthroughs into life-changing solutions that benefit communities around the world.”

HKSTP and Park Companies Advanced in Cross-border Innovation and Market Expansion

A key highlight of BIO 2026 is witnessing the signing of three major strategic partnerships:

• LabCentral — HKSTP signed an MOU with one of the largest global non–profit biotech incubators, supporting life sciences startups with high-impact lab infrastructure and scientific community programmes. The collaboration will deepen ties between the U.S. and Hong Kong life sciences ecosystems through startup support, ecosystem engagement, and co-developed programmes, events and strategic initiatives. It will also help connect startups, investors, corporate partners and research institutions, creating stronger pathways for cross-border innovation and commercialisation.

• Immuno Cure – the developer of the first-in-human novel therapeutic HIV vaccine ICVAX – announced its collaboration with OPIS, an international Contract Research Organization (CRO), at BIO 2026. Leveraging OPIS’s full-service, multi-country clinical trial expertise and regulatory knowledge, the partnership will support overseas clinical trial execution and establish a global framework to prepare for international expansion.

• Zhaoke Ophthalmology signed an MOU with Laboratório Teuto, the first company to produce generic medicines and OTCs (Over the Counter – Prescription Exempt Medicines) in Brazil, to explore cross-border cooperation in ophthalmology. This is Zhaoke’s first strategic MOU in Brazil market. Leveraging its innovative pipeline and Teuto’s commercial network in Brazil, the partnership aims to bring advanced eye care treatments to Latin American patients while demonstrating the globalisation of Hong Kong-born biotech innovation.

Beyond the BIO 2026 Hong Kong Pavilion, HKSTP CEO Mr Terry Wong attended the “Translating Innovation Across Borders: Creating Global Gateways for Biotech Startups” panel sharing session. Mr. Wong shared his insights on cutting-edge biotech trends, Hong Kong’s strengths on life and health tech development, and HKSTP’s role in building a global bridge for nurturing global startup expansion, sustainable innovation and collaboration.

Furthermore, HKSTP and five Hong Kong university delegates visited the Salk Institute, home to six Nobel Laureates during BIO 2026 to explore partnerships and shape global biotech momentum through collaborative platforms. HKSTP, in collaboration with InvestHK as co-organiser, HKTDC as the supporting organisation, and powered by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in San Francisco, hosted a Global Mixer during the exhibition. Industry leaders, incubators, and venture capital firms – including Bayer Pharmaceuticals, Johnson & Johnson Innovation, LabCentral, Roche, Simcere Pharmaceutical, and T.Rx Capital – were invited to join the judging panel for startup pitching sessions. The Pavilion also featured executive sharing and curated networking events for commercialisation, licensing, partnerships, investment and international market expansion.

Global recognition at Biomedical Pitch Competition

In the lead-up to BIO 2026, HKSTP actively drove engagement across the biotech sector and co-organised the 2026 Biomedical Pitch Competition with the Boston Capital Investment Club in Boston on May 23 and 24. Competing against around 170 biotechnology companies worldwide, HKSTP park company Meta Pharmaceuticals (HK) Limited won Third Place for its next-generation autoimmune therapeutics. The recognition underscores the strength of Hong Kong’s biotech pipeline and HKSTP’s commitment to translational medicine, commercialisation and globally scalable healthcare solutions.

HK’s biotech ecosystem rises to another level

Hong Kong continues to expand its global healthcare footprint as the world’s second-largest biotech fundraising hub. As Hong Kong’s flagship innovation and technology ecosystem, HKSTP is home to more than 300 life and health technology companies and helps innovators turn pioneering ideas into real-world impact. Its ecosystem connects capital, talent, infrastructure and market access across the biotech innovation journey.

Hashtag: #HKSTP

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

Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation

Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) was established in 2001 to create a thriving I&T ecosystem grooming 13 unicorns, more than 17,000 research professionals and over 2,500 technology companies from 26 countries and regions focused on developing healthtech, AI and robotics, fintech and smart city technologies, etc.

Our growing innovation ecosystem offers comprehensive support to attract and nurture talent, accelerate and commercialise innovation for technology ventures, with the I&T journey built around our key locations of Hong Kong Science Park in Pak Shek Kok, InnoCentre in Kowloon Tong and three modern InnoParks in Tai Po, Tseung Kwan O and Yuen Long realising a vision of new industrialisation for Hong Kong, where sectors including advanced manufacturing, micro-electronics and biotechnology are being reimagined.

Hong Kong Science Park Shenzhen Branch in Futian, Shenzhen plays positive roles in connecting the world and the mainland with our proximity, strengthening cross-border exchange to bring advantages in attracting global talent and allowing possibilities for the development of technology companies in seven key areas: Medtech, big data and AI, robotics, new materials, microelectronics, fintech and sustainability, with both dry and wet laboratories, co-working space, conference and exhibition facilities, and more.

Through our R&D infrastructure, startup support and enterprise services, commercialisation and investment expertise, partnership networks and talent traction, HKSTP continues to contribute in establishing I&T as a pillar of growth for Hong Kong.

More information about HKSTP is available at www.hkstp.org.

In Singapore today, employability is no longer defined by academic achievement alone. Employers are looking for graduates who can apply knowledge in real workplace settings, work across cultures, adapt to new technologies and continue learning as industries evolve. This is especially relevant as Singapore’s labour market continues to move towards growth areas such as digitalisation, technology, sustainability, healthcare, business transformation and professional services.

Against this backdrop, Singapore Institute of Management Global Education, or SIM GE, continues to strengthen its role as a private education institution that prepares learners for the demands of today’s workplace and the opportunities of tomorrow’s economy.

Employability begins with industry relevance
For prospective students, one of the biggest considerations when choosing a higher education pathway is whether their studies will remain relevant by the time they graduate. This is particularly important in a job market where roles are changing quickly and where employers increasingly value both technical capability and transferable workplace skills.

SIM GE addresses this by offering a broad range of academic programmes through partnerships with reputable universities from Australia, Europe, the United Kingdom and the United States. These programmes span disciplines such as business, computing, social sciences, aviation, nursing and other applied fields, giving students access to international curricula while studying in Singapore.

This global education model is particularly relevant for Singapore’s open economy. Graduates entering the workforce are expected to understand local business realities while being able to operate in regional and international contexts. By learning from local and international faculty, and studying alongside peers from diverse backgrounds, SIM students are exposed to global perspectives that can support their workplace readiness.

Career support that connects learning to work
Employability also depends on how students translate classroom learning into career action. At SIM GE, career preparation is supported through Career Connect, which provides career workshops, career guidance, résumé reviews, mock interviews, profiling support, internship and job opportunities, as well as career events such as company visits, networking sessions, career talks and fairs.

This structured support is important because many students do not only need a qualification, they also need guidance in understanding industries, articulating their strengths, preparing for interviews and building professional networks. These practical areas can influence how confidently graduates enter the job market.

Through CareerSense, SIM students can also access an integrated online platform to browse and apply for internships, jobs and career events. This helps students take a more proactive approach to career planning while creating a clearer bridge between academic life and employment opportunities.

Real world exposure through internships and traineeships
One of the strongest contributors to graduate employability is exposure to work before graduation. Internships allow students to understand workplace expectations, test their skills in real business scenarios and build confidence before entering full time employment. SIM GE supports this through internships with a range of employers, from SMEs to multinational corporations. Its Work Integrated Learning for Life initiatives and internship related awards further encourage students to gain practical experience and develop holistically across cognitive, interpersonal and applied skills.

For fresh graduates, SIM’s Graduate Traineeship Programme provides structured traineeship opportunities across industries, typically lasting three to six months. The programme is designed to help graduates gain hands on experience, build workplace confidence and develop industry relevant capabilities as they transition into full time employment. This emphasis on work exposure responds directly to a key concern among prospective students, which is whether they will be ready for employment after graduation. By combining academic learning with career guidance, internships and traineeships, SIM GE helps students build not only credentials but also workplace familiarity.

The value of practical exposure is reflected in the experience of Keisha Shevila, a SIM-University of Wollongong Computer Science graduate who secured a Software Engineer role before completing her degree. In sharing her journey, she credited Career Connect with helping her better understand the job search process and preparing her “more confidently for entering the workforce”.

Building future ready graduates through skills and adaptability
The future of work is increasingly shaped by AI, automation, sustainability and cross functional collaboration. In this environment, students need more than role specific knowledge. They need adaptability, communication skills, critical thinking, creativity, cultural awareness and the confidence to keep learning.

SIM GE’s broader student experience supports this development. Beyond academic programmes, students can participate in more than 70 student clubs and co-curricular activities that build leadership, communication and teamwork skills. The EDGE Award, developed in partnership with employers, recognises students’ cumulative achievements across their learning journey and encourages a more holistic approach to personal and professional growth.

SIM GE’s diverse learning environment also plays an important role. With students from more than 50 nationalities, the campus experience provides opportunities for cultural exchange, collaboration and global awareness. These are qualities that are increasingly valuable in multinational and regional workplaces.

Aligning with Singapore’s skills first economy
Singapore’s workforce strategy continues to place strong emphasis on skills, lifelong learning and adaptability. National reports and government agencies have highlighted rising demand in areas linked to the digital, green and care economies, as well as the importance of AI literacy and transferable skills. This makes higher education choices more consequential. Prospective students are not simply choosing a programme. They are choosing a platform for long term career resilience.

SIM GE’s approach aligns with this direction by combining academic pathways, global university partnerships, employability support, industry exposure and continuous skills development. Its graduate outcomes also reflect this emphasis, with SIM reporting a secured employment rate of 81 per cent based on the Private Education Institution Graduate Employment Survey 2024/2025.

Preparing graduates for Singapore today and tomorrow
Employability in Singapore today is shaped by industry relevance, practical exposure and future ready skills. SIM GE’s proposition sits at the intersection of these priorities. For students, this means access to internationally recognised academic pathways, career services, internships, traineeships, employer engagement, student development opportunities and a diverse campus environment. For employers, it means a pool of graduates who have been encouraged to build both knowledge and workplace ready capabilities.

As prospective students consider their higher learning options, the question is no longer only what they can study. It is also how that education will prepare them for the future of work. For SIM GE graduates, the answer lies in an education experience designed not only to support academic achievement but also to develop employable, adaptable and globally minded individuals ready to contribute to Singapore’s evolving economy.

References

1. The SIM Advantage – https://www.sim.edu.sg/degrees-diplomas/sim-global-education/sim-advantage
2. SIM Career Services – https://www.sim.edu.sg/degrees-diplomas/life-at-sim/career-services
3. Achieving the three “Beyond” at individual, industry and institutional levels: Minister Chan Chun Sing at the inaugural SIM Future of Work Series – https://www.sim.edu.sg/news-events/achieving-the-three-beyonds-at-individual-industry-and-institutional-levels
4. How One International Student Graduated Career-Ready: Keisha Shevila’s Journey at SIM – https://www.sim.edu.sg/articles-inspirations/how-one-international-student-graduated-career-ready-keisha-shevila-journey-at-sim
5. Job Vacancies 2025: Labour demand gradually shifting to growth areas as firms adjust hiring plans – https://www.mom.gov.sg/newsroom/press-releases/2026/0320-job-vacancies-report-2025
6. Opening Address by Ms Gan Siow Huang, Minister of State, Ministry of Education for the Launch of the Skills Demand for the Future Economy Report 2025, Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre – https://www.moe.gov.sg/news/speeches/20250122-opening-address-by-ms-gan-siow-huang-minister-of-state-ministry-of-education-for-the-launch-of-the-skills-demand-for-the-future-economy-report-2025-marina-bay-sands-expo-and-convention-centre
7. SDFE 2025 report – https://jobsandskills.skillsfuture.gov.sg/sdfe-2025

Hashtag: #SIMGlobalEducation #SIMGE #GlobalEducation #InternationalDegree #CareerReady #FutureSkills

https://www.sim.edu.sg/

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

About SIM Global Education

SIM Global Education (SIM GE) is a leading private education institution in Singapore and the region. We offer more than 140 academic programmes ranging from diplomas and graduate diploma programmes to bachelor’s and master’s degree programmes with some of the world’s most reputable universities from Australia, Canada, Europe, United Kingdom, and the United States. SIM GE’s cohort is made up of 17,000 full- and part-time students and adult learners, of which approximately 41% are international students hailing from over 50 countries.

SIM GE’s holistic learning approach and culturally diverse learning environment aim to equip students with knowledge, industry skills and employability competencies, as well as a global perspective to succeed as future leaders in a fast-changing, technologically driven world.

For more information on SIM Global Education, visit www.sim.edu.sg

The initiative formalises capabilities the Group has been building internally, combining data-led demand identification, integrated distribution, and execution across more than 17,000 O+O stores in Asia and Europe.

Over the past two years, AS Watson has introduced more than 4,800 new brands and brand extensions across its network, underscoring the scale of its brand development activity.

From Incubation to Execution

AS Watson brand lab departs from traditional incubator models by embedding brand development directly within AS Watson’s retail ecosystem.

Rather than incubating brands ahead of their market entry, the platform operates inside the market, using real-time customer data, shopping behaviour and category dynamics to inform development decisions.

Dr Malina Ngai, Group CEO of AS Watson, said the model reflects the company’s structural advantage. “We don’t wait for brands to find the market – we build them where demand already exists, and scale them through our ecosystem.”

A Systemised Growth Model

At the core of AS Watson brand lab is an integrated operating model linking insight, creation, distribution, demand activation and scaling.

The platform leverages AS Watson’s over 180 million loyalty members and O+O capabilities to accelerate brand selection and commercial execution.

A Structured Pathway to Scale

Brands within AS Watson brand lab are supported through a structured growth pathway, progressing from early-stage validation to regional scaling and category leadership.

At each stage, brands receive differentiated support across insight, distribution, marketing activation and investment, ensuring resources are focused where the greatest growth potential exists.

This staged approach enables AS Watson to systematically build, scale and prioritise brands, improving success rates while maintaining disciplined capital allocation.

Focus on High-Growth Segments

AS Watson brand lab will prioritise product segments including Asian beauty trends (K-beauty, J-beauty, C-beauty), ingredient-led skincare, health and wellness products and elevated personal care – areas where consumer demand continues to evolve rapidly.

The Group expects the platform to strengthen its ability to build proprietary and exclusive brands while improving speed-to-market and capital efficiency.

Proven Brand Scaling in Action

Early outcomes demonstrate how AS Watson brand lab translates insight into accelerated growth – not only by shaping brand development, but by scaling brands rapidly across markets through its integrated O+O ecosystem.

Across multiple categories and geographies, the platform has enabled brands to move from targeted market entry to multi-market expansion with speed and discipline:

COSRX (K-Beauty)– By combining COSRX’s innovation-led skincare expertise with
AS Watson’s extensive retail footprint and deep consumer insights, the partnership has accelerated international expansion and broadened consumer reach. This illustrates how the platform converts strong brand propositions into sustained category growth across markets.

&honey (J-Beauty) – Leveraging its distinctive product positioning alongside
AS Watson’s regional scale, &honey rapidly expanded beyond its home market, rolling out across multiple Asian markets within a short timeframe. This demonstrates the platform’s ability to systematically scale proven domestic leaders into regional brands.

e.l.f. Cosmetics (US) – Through partnership with AS Watson, e.l.f. has extended its community-led, value-driven model across Europe, translating strong brand engagement into measurable market penetration. The example highlights how consumer-centric brands can be amplified through local market execution at scale.

essence (Germany) – The expansion of essence across multiple markets, including exclusive partnerships, reflects how purpose-driven brands can achieve consistency and reach when supported by integrated distribution and retail insight. This underscores the platform’s ability to build sustained brand relevance and loyalty across diverse markets.

Across these examples, brands have scaled through a consistent model – combining data-led selection, integrated distribution, and coordinated market execution – demonstrating how AS Watson brand lab functions as a repeatable engine for brand growth, from market entry through to regional scale.

Scaling a Repeatable Engine

AS Watson brand lab positions AS Watson to leverage its retail footprint not only as a distribution channel, but as an engine for brand creation and scaling.

The initiative signals a shift from opportunistic brand sourcing towards a structured, repeatable growth model, reinforcing AS Watson’s ability to scale brands with speed, discipline and consistency while driving long-term portfolio value.

AS Watson continues to engage with selected brand partners and emerging brands aligned with its focus areas, with further information available through its official
AS Watson brand lab platform (https://www.aswatson.com/asw-brand-lab)

Hashtag: #ASWatson

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

About AS Watson Group

Established in 1841, AS Watson Group is one of the world’s longest-standing and most recognised retail companies with roots in Asia. Today, the company operates over 17,000 stores across 12 retail brands in 31 markets, employing 130,000 people globally. This makes AS Watson Group the largest international health and beauty retailer in the world.

In the fiscal year 2025, AS Watson Group reported revenue of over US$26 billion. The company’s technology-enabled O+O (Offline plus Online) platforms serve over 6 billion shoppers annually, seamlessly integrating physical and digital retail experiences.

AS Watson Group supported over 180 charitable and non-profit organisations every year, dedicating over 40,000 hours of volunteer work to serve over 370,000 people in need in our operating markets.

AS Watson Group is also a member of the world-renowned multinational conglomerate CK Hutchison Holdings Limited, which has four core businesses – ports and related services, retail, infrastructure and telecommunications in over 50 countries.

Please visit www.aswatson.com/our-company/o-and-o-strategy/ for more information.

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 22 June 2026 – Hong Kong employees are moving faster than their organizations when it comes to using AI, creating a growing gap between AI adoption and how work is actually designed, according to Microsoft’s 2026 Work Trend Index. The research warns of a “Transformation Paradox”: while AI use is accelerating across the workforce—with more Frontier Professionals using agents for multi-step workflows and building multi-agent systems, leadership alignment, culture, and operating models are not evolving at the same pace, limiting impact and increasing pressure on employees.

The 2026 Work Trend Index draws on analysis of trillions of anonymized Microsoft 365 productivity signals, combined with survey insights from AI users and perspectives from experts in AI, work, and organizational psychology. The conclusion is consistent: the constraint is no longer what people can do, but how work is structured around them.

• AI is lifting output but not yet transforming organizations. The data shows that AI is already raising the ceiling on individual performance in Hong Kong. A privacy-preserving analysis of more than 100,000 chats in Microsoft 365 Copilot shows that 49% of all conversations support cognitive work—helping workers analyze information, solve problems, evaluate and think creatively. This shift is visible in outcomes: 57% of AI users in Hong Kong say they are producing work they could not have a year ago, rising to 73% among Frontier Professionals, the most advanced AI users in the research.
• The Transformation Paradox reflects the need for systemic change, with the gap more pronounced in Hong Kong than globally. 75% of Hong Kong AI users fear falling behind if they do not adapt quickly, yet 57% say it feels safer to focus on current goals than to redesign work with AI. [i] At the same time, only 19% say their leadership is clearly and consistently aligned on AI, and just 10% say they are rewarded for reinventing work with AI even when results are not immediate, revealing a widening gap between individual adoption and organizational change. [ii]
• As AI and agents take on more execution, human value is shifting rather than diminishing. When asked which skills matter most as AI becomes more embedded in work, Hong Kong AI users ranked quality control of AI output (48%) and critical thinking (42%) at the top, underscoring that AI is redesigning work, not replacing people.

From Using AI to Being Frontier Professionals Who Refuse to Outsource Thinking
The Work Trend Index identifies the rise of Frontier Firms—organizations that deliberately rebuild their operating models around human‑agent collaboration, rather than layering AI onto existing ways of working.

Realizing this shift requires transformation at both the individual and organizational level. The research outlines four modes of human-AI collaboration to help employees take the first step toward becoming Frontier Professionals, before progressing to designing agentic workflows:

• Delegate execution—Employees hand off routine or repeatable tasks to AI to gain speed and scale, while retaining responsibility for the outcome.
• Ask for information—Employees turn to AI for context, clarification, or insight when they need to quickly get up to speed.
• Collaborate on reasoning—People work alongside AI to analyze information, test ideas, and solve problems, using AI as a thought partner rather than a shortcut.
• Explore new possibilities—AI is used to explore open‑ended questions, reframe problems, and surface options when the path forward is not yet clear.

These patterns matter because Frontier Firms do not aim to maximize AI use everywhere. Instead, they intentionally match the right level of human involvement to the outcome, enabling speed without sacrificing quality or accountability.

Leadership and Culture Are the Real Multipliers
The research makes clear that technology alone is not the differentiator, but by how organizations lead, operate, and evolve. Organizational factors, including culture, manager support, and talent practices, account for more than twice the AI impact of individual mindset and behavior. In Hong Kong, Frontier Professionals are significantly more likely to say their managers set clear quality standards for AI work[iii], create space for experimentation[iv], and encourage more ambitious redesign of work[v].

“This is the Transformation Paradox facing Hong Kong today,” said Leo Liu, General Manager of Microsoft Hong Kong and Macau. “AI adoption is moving fast on the ground, but many organizations are still trying to fit it into old operating models. To unlock real value, leaders must move beyond pilots and productivity gains, and intentionally redesign how work gets done—how teams collaborate, how managers lead, and how success is measured.”

Microsoft is also announcing the launch of Copilot Cowork, designed to support this shift toward workflow redesign. Built on Microsoft’s multi-model approach, this agentic system enables long-running tasks across multiple tools, with usage-based pricing, cost management, and governance capabilities to balance quality, performance, and cost, and helps organizations run complex workflows more efficiently at scale.

Microsoft brings this perspective as Customer Zero, applying the same principles internally to redesign workflows, build human‑agent teams, and embed continuous learning into everyday work. Using Copilot Studio and Microsoft Foundry, Microsoft transformed its “Ask Microsoft” web agent from a standalone chatbot into a multi‑agent system that routes conversations more effectively and supports more dynamic, context‑aware interactions. This shift improves how customer intent is understood and addressed, while steering queries to the right resources or teams and allowing sales to focus on higher‑value, high‑intent engagement.

The solution delivered measurable business impact across customer engagement and operational efficiency, achieving up to 61% lower response latency and 70% fewer human escalations. Users who engaged with the agent were 10 times more likely to sign up for services and drove a 16% increase in product trial initiations.

“Inside Microsoft, we’ve learned that AI transformation is not a tooling exercise. It’s an operating model shift,” said Lorraine Bardeen, Corporate Vice President, MCAPS AI Transformation, Microsoft. “When leaders clarify how humans and agents work together, set standards for quality and judgment, and create room to experiment, organizations move faster and learn faster. That’s what separates Frontier Firms from everyone else.”

“We are entering a new era of work, where the traditional value formula is being rewritten,” said Nancy Wang, Head of LinkedIn Greater China. “We call it the ‘new math of work’—a concept introduced in LinkedIn’s new book, Open to Work. The people and organizations that emerge strongest will be those who use the time freed up by AI to build work around what’s actually harder to automate—the specific, contextual, human judgment that no tool can fully replicate, because no tool has lived what you’ve lived or knows what you know.”

The message of the 2026 Work Trend Index is clear: access to AI will soon be table stakes. How work is designed around it will define the next generation of competitive advantage for Hong Kong organizations. For more insights, read the 2026 Work Trend Index Report.

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