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The move comes as the National Payments Corporation of India develops protocols for identifying and authorising AI agents on the Unified Payments Interface, creating infrastructure that could let software complete selected payments under rules and limits set by customers.

Super. money founder and chief executive Prakash Sikaria has said the emerging architecture could allow agents representing merchants and consumers to interact directly, reducing the number of steps between product discovery and payment. The company is seeking to use that shift to extend its role beyond routine UPI transfers into commerce, credit and investment-related transactions.

Agentic payments differ from conventional chatbots because the software can act after interpreting an instruction rather than merely provide information. A user could, for example, ask an agent to find an eligible product within a budget or execute a purchase when specified conditions are met, subject to the permissions built into the payment framework.

NPCI is working on a registry to verify and monitor AI agents conducting transactions through UPI. Its proposed Unified Agent Protocol is expected to support controls including spending limits, identity checks and audit trails. The initial focus is on small, frequent purchases, while more complex conditional transactions could follow as safeguards and liability rules develop.

The payments body has already extended UPI Circle, its delegated-payments framework, to software profiles including AI profiles for limited users. Under the broader system, account holders can delegate payment authority within predefined limits while retaining visibility over transactions. Reserve Pay, another UPI mechanism, can block funds for authorised payments that may be debited later.

Super. money’s push builds on products added this year as it tries to broaden engagement beyond person-to-person and merchant payments. Its splitStore service, introduced in July, lets eligible customers browse products listed on Flipkart and either pay in full or use a pay-later facility provided by regulated lending partners.

The company’s terms state that Flipkart and its sellers remain responsible for the underlying sale, fulfilment, invoicing, cancellations and returns, while Super. money provides the shopping and credit interface. The platform does not hold inventory or set product prices.

Super. money has also added digital gold. Its customer-support documentation describes purchases, sales and reconciliation procedures involving a vault partner, while the app has promoted cashback on gold purchases. The service includes a post-purchase selling lock-in and applies the tax and market spread associated with digital-gold transactions.

Those products give the company potential use cases for agents that can move from a customer instruction to a transaction without requiring the user to navigate several separate screens. The central challenge is ensuring that delegated authority remains narrow enough to prevent unwanted or mistaken purchases.

That concern is shaping the wider industry’s approach. Razorpay, NPCI and OpenAI have been testing agentic payments using UPI Reserve Pay, with an earlier pilot allowing users to shop through a conversational AI interface and complete purchases from participating merchants after confirmation. Razorpay says its system is designed to support pre-authorised transactions within customer-approved spending limits.

Competition is intensifying as payments companies decide how extensively to integrate AI. PhonePe co-founder Rahul Chari has cautioned that not every existing payments experience becomes better merely by adding artificial intelligence, signalling a more selective approach than platforms seeking to make autonomous agents central to commerce.

Super. money remains smaller than the dominant UPI applications, giving it an incentive to pursue newer transaction categories rather than compete solely on basic payments. Its app combines UPI with credit, deposits, bill payments, shopping and other financial products, while the company has used cashback and embedded credit to encourage repeat usage.

According to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), entry-level professional, managerial, executive and technician (PMET) openings increased from 32,500 in December 2025 to 32,800 in March 2026, despite an overall decline in job vacancies. MOM also reported that around nine in 10 university graduates from the 2025 cohort found employment within 12 months of graduation, suggesting that fresh graduate employment has remained relatively resilient.

Financial services, professional services and technology remain active hiring sectors

Financial and Insurance Services, Professional Services, and Information and Communications were among sectors identified by MOM as experiencing active PMET hiring and wage growth. Together, these sectors recorded approximately 14,200 PMET vacancies as of September 2025, compared with 12,600 a year earlier, including roles suitable for fresh graduates.

Opportunities span finance, risk, compliance, accounting, consulting, software, systems and data functions. Increasing digitalisation also means these boundaries are becoming less distinct, with banks and professional services firms increasingly recruiting technology and data talent.

Information and communications continue to require digital capabilities

Singapore’s technology workforce reached 214,000 in 2024, according to the Infocomm Media Development Authority’s Singapore Digital Economy Report 2025, with AI and Data and Cybersecurity among the fastest-growing technology occupations. The latest MOM data also shows concrete entry-level demand. As at March 2026, Information and Communications recorded 200 vacancies for software developers, 130 for IT support technicians and 80 for computer engineers among its entry-level jobs with higher vacancy counts.

Technology graduates are therefore finding opportunities not only within technology companies but also across finance, manufacturing, professional services and other industries.

Financial and professional services are evolving with technology

Singapore’s financial sector continues to provide opportunities across banking, insurance, investment, risk and compliance. As at March 2026, MOM identified financial compliance officer or risk analyst, insurance sales agent or broker, and financial or investment adviser among the entry-level Financial and Insurance Services roles with higher vacancy counts, with 30 vacancies recorded for each occupation. Technology is also changing the nature of financial services, with institutions applying analytics, automation and AI across areas such as fraud detection, customer service and risk management.

Professional Services provides opportunities across both corporate and technical functions. MOM’s March 2026 data identified 100 vacancies for resident technical officers, 60 for auditors and 50 for IT support technicians among the sector’s entry-level jobs with higher vacancy counts. As AI increasingly assists with research, analysis and routine processes, graduates who combine professional knowledge with digital capabilities, communication and judgement may be better positioned for changing roles.

Healthcare and social services continue to offer graduate pathways

Health and Social Services continues to provide entry-level opportunities for graduates. As at March 2026, MOM identified 210 vacancies for social workers, 190 for registered nurses and other nursing professionals, and 80 for social work associates among the sector’s entry-level jobs with higher vacancy counts. These roles demonstrate that graduate demand extends beyond digital careers. Specialised professional knowledge and interpersonal skills remain important in sectors where human interaction and service delivery are central.

AI is changing entry-level roles rather than simply removing them

Generative AI has raised concerns among students and parents about its impact on graduate employment. MOM data presents a more nuanced picture. Among firms that had adopted AI, 6 per cent reported reducing headcount and 8 per cent lowering hiring activity, while 19 per cent redesigned roles and 14 per cent created AI-related jobs. The impact of AI has therefore been more visible in job redesign than broad-based hiring reductions. Fresh graduates may increasingly be expected to use AI tools, interpret data, assess AI-generated information and focus on areas requiring judgement, communication and problem-solving.

Skills-based hiring is changing how graduates compete

Employers are also looking increasingly beyond qualifications alone. MOM’s Job Vacancies 2025 report found that academic qualifications were not the main consideration for 79.6 per cent of vacancies.

This places greater emphasis on what graduates can demonstrate alongside their qualification, including internships, technical capabilities, communication, teamwork and analytical thinking. For students choosing a degree, employability is therefore not only about entering a growing industry but also about developing skills and experience that employers value.

SIM graduate outcomes reflect employment across diverse industries

Graduate employment data provides another way for students and parents to assess career outcomes. According to the Private Education Institution Graduate Employment Survey 2024/2025, 81.0 per cent of SIM fresh graduates surveyed secured employment, while 47.0 per cent were in full-time permanent employment. The median gross monthly salary was S$3,565. Across all private education institutions surveyed, 78.9 per cent of fresh graduates secured employment, with a median gross monthly salary of S$3,500.

SIM’s Graduate Employment Survey also shows graduates entering sectors including banking and financial services, ICT and cybersecurity, consulting and professional services, aviation and engineering, healthcare and social services, logistics and transportation, retail and manufacturing. Employment outcomes remain dependent on factors including programme choice, individual skills, work experience and labour-market conditions.

Parents can consider employability alongside programme fit

For parents supporting higher education decisions, current hiring trends provide useful context, but today’s strongest industry may not necessarily offer the greatest opportunities several years from now. A broader assessment can include a student’s interests and strengths, programme curriculum, awarding university, recognition, fees, career support and graduate employment outcomes.

The SIM Parent Resource Hub brings these considerations together, covering degree pathways, programme recognition, fees and financial support, student care and graduate employability. Its Graduate Outcomes & Employability resource provides information on SIM’s PEI Graduate Employment Survey results, industries and organisations where SIM graduates have worked, and career and internship support available to students.

These resources can help parents consider not only where jobs are available today, but how a higher education pathway can help their child develop relevant knowledge, experience and transferable capabilities.

Career resilience increasingly depends on transferable skills

Singapore’s labour-market data shows that opportunities for fresh graduates remain spread across multiple industries. Financial Services, Professional Services and Information and Communications continue to offer professional opportunities, while Healthcare and Social Services, also show meaningful entry-level demand.

For students entering higher education, career preparation may therefore be less about identifying one “future-proof” industry and more about developing disciplinary knowledge, practical experience and transferable skills that can remain valuable as employment needs change. Parents and students can refer to the SIM Parent Resource Hub, including its Graduate Outcomes & Employability resource, when evaluating degree pathways, employability, recognition, fees and student support.

References

1. Ministry of Manpower, Singapore. Fresh Graduate Employment – https://www.mom.gov.sg/newsroom/parliament-questions-and-replies/2026/0804-written-answer-to-pq-on-fresh-graduate-employment
2. Ministry of Manpower, Singapore. Trends in Job Vacancies – https://www.mom.gov.sg/newsroom/parliament-questions-and-replies/2026/0805-written-answer-to-pq-on-trends-in-job-vacancies
3. Ministry of Manpower, Singapore. Sectors with Active Hiring and Wage Growth – https://www.mom.gov.sg/newsroom/parliament-questions-and-replies/2026/0113-written-answer-to-pq-on-sectors-with-active-hiring-and-wage-growth
4. Ministry of Manpower, Singapore. Job Vacancies 2025 – https://www.mom.gov.sg/newsroom/press-releases/2026/0320-job-vacancies-report-2025
5. Manpower Research and Statistics Department, Ministry of Manpower. List of Entry-Level PMET Job Opportunities for Fresh Graduates – https://stats.mom.gov.sg/iMAS_PdfLibrary/List-of-top-entry-level-PMET-job-opportunities-for-fresh-graduates-Q1-2026.pdf
6. Infocomm Media Development Authority. Singapore Digital Economy Report 2025 – https://www.imda.gov.sg/resources/press-releases-factsheets-and-speeches/factsheets/2025/ar-sgde-2025
7. Singapore Institute of Management. Parent Resource Hub: Helping Your Child Choose the Right Degree Pathway – https://www.sim.edu.sg/degrees-diplomas/parent-resource-hub
8. Singapore Institute of Management. Graduate Outcomes & Employability – https://www.sim.edu.sg/degrees-diplomas/parent-resource-hub/graduate-outcome-employability

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

Mr. Irwin founded Rosseau Asset Management Ltd. in 1998, following several successful years in proprietary investing at Deutsche Bank Canada. Rosseau’s flagship fund, Rosseau LP, was established on December 31, 1998 and has earned a strong reputation for investment performance and disciplined, research-driven decision-making. In his time at Rosseau, Mr. Irwin has had extensive experience investing in offshore oil projects off the coasts of South America and Africa, and onshore projects throughout the world.

Prior to founding Rosseau, Mr. Irwin’s experience also includes corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions at CIBC Wood Gundy, credit analysis and fixed-income management at Scotia Capital Markets, and proprietary trading at Deutsche Bank Canada. Mr. Irwin holds a Bachelor of Mathematics from the University of Waterloo, is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and holds a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Western Ontario.

“Warren’s extensive financial, investment and capital-markets background along with his passion for offshore oil exploration will be a significant asset to Colossal Energy Fields,” said Curtis Cohen, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Colossal Energy.

“His analytical mindset, discipline, governance and professionalism will greatly strengthen funding resource opportunities, as well as capital allocation and long-term shareholder value.”

Colossal Energy’s commitment to sustainable, inclusive growth shines brightest in nations where its investments in energy access, community empowerment, and equitable development directly advance energy equity for all.

Hashtag: #ColossalEnergyFieldsCorp.

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

About Colossal Energy Fields Corp.

Colossal Energy Fields Corp is a Canadian oil and gas exploration company focused on exploration and production opportunities in Africa. Proven Upstream Pedigree. Colossal Energy has deep expertise in exploring offshore opportunities and developing near-to-producing field opportunities.

  By R. Suryamurthy India’s trade with BRICS has expanded dramatically, but the numbers reveal an uncomfortable imbalance beneath the rhetoric about a multipolar world and alternative financial architecture. Between FY2021 and FY2026, India’s total merchandise trade with the 11-member grouping more than doubled, from $203.1 billion to $417.5 billion. Yet the expansion was overwhelmingly […]

The article Bricks cannot de-dollarise its way out of India’s huge trade imbalance appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).

The caution comes after the Japanese currency surged to its strongest levels since February, helped by mounting conviction that the central bank will lift its policy rate at its September 17-18 meeting and by speculation that major domestic investors will shift more money out of overseas assets. The dollar fell below 153 yen this week before recovering some ground.

Barclays’ assessment challenges the increasingly bullish market view that the yen has entered a durable appreciation phase. The bank said the latest move has been driven by powerful expectations rather than a fully established change in capital flows or monetary policy, leaving the currency vulnerable if either catalyst disappoints.

Markets have moved close to fully pricing a quarter-point Bank of Japan increase to 1.25 per cent this month. Expectations strengthened after policymakers signalled greater concern over inflation and currency weakness. Board member Kazuyuki Masu said on Thursday that the central bank could be forced to raise rates more rapidly if underlying inflation accelerates, while stressing that decisions would depend on incoming data.

A survey of economists published this week also showed a broad expectation that the Bank of Japan will raise rates to 1.25 per cent in September, with further tightening projected during 2027. That outlook has encouraged investors to unwind positions built around Japan’s comparatively low borrowing costs and has increased demand for the yen.

The second pillar of the rally is the prospect that Japanese pension funds and other large institutions will direct more capital into domestic bonds and equities. Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama said in July that the government wanted pension funds, including the Government Pension Investment Fund, to make substantially greater investments in Japanese financial assets.

That statement triggered speculation that the GPIF, one of the world’s largest pension managers, could reduce its foreign exposure. Its portfolio stood at about 320.4 trillion yen at the end of June, with 25.59 per cent in domestic bonds, 24.48 per cent in domestic equities, 24.60 per cent in foreign bonds and 25.33 per cent in foreign equities, official data show.

A major change in those allocations could generate significant yen buying because foreign assets would have to be sold or currency exposure reduced. Rising Japanese government bond yields have strengthened the argument for keeping more capital at home. The 10-year government bond yield has reached levels not seen for decades, increasing the relative attraction of domestic fixed-income holdings.

Fitch Ratings said this week that higher Japanese yields could encourage banks, insurers and other institutional investors to retain more funds domestically. It also expects Bank of Japan policy rates to rise faster than markets had previously assumed, though it has not projected a wholesale withdrawal from overseas markets.

Evidence of repatriation has nevertheless remained mixed. The GPIF’s June-quarter figures showed domestic bond holdings rising in value while their portfolio share remained close to the fund’s 25 per cent strategic target. Foreign assets still accounted for roughly half of the portfolio, underscoring the scale of adjustment that would be required for pension flows to become a sustained source of yen demand.

The currency’s rise has also been reinforced by the unwinding of yen-funded carry trades, in which investors borrow cheaply in Japan to purchase higher-yielding assets elsewhere. Cross-border yen borrowing reached about 360 trillion yen in March, making abrupt changes in exchange-rate expectations capable of producing sizeable market moves.

The yen had fallen to around 164 per dollar in July before authorities in Japan and the United States intervened jointly in the foreign-exchange market. Its subsequent recovery accelerated this month as traders attached greater weight to tighter monetary policy and domestic capital repatriation.

The proposal is expected to feature at the BRICS leaders’ summit in New Delhi on September 12 and 13, where India, as this year’s chair, is seeking agreement on ways to lower the cost and speed up the settlement of trade, tourism and remittance payments among member states.

Reserve Bank of India Governor Sanjay Malhotra said last month that BRICS members were examining links between their fast-payment systems and central bank digital currencies, with a payments task force considering several options. He stressed that discussions remained at an exploratory stage and that no model had been agreed.

India’s preference is for interoperable national systems rather than either a common currency or centrally controlled BRICS payments architecture. Officials have framed the initiative around efficiency, cheaper transactions and use of sovereign currencies, distancing it from proposals that could be interpreted as an organised campaign to displace the US dollar.

That distinction has become politically important as BRICS members debate how far financial cooperation should go. Russia and some other members have advocated stronger alternatives to Western-dominated payment channels, while India has repeatedly ruled out backing a common BRICS currency and has resisted presenting financial initiatives as a de-dollarisation project.

The RBI earlier recommended that linking BRICS members’ digital currencies be placed on the summit agenda. Such an arrangement could allow transactions to be settled directly through participating central banks or financial institutions, reducing dependence on multiple correspondent banks and potentially cutting foreign-exchange and processing costs.

Central bank digital currencies are electronic forms of sovereign money issued by monetary authorities. Unlike privately issued stablecoins, their value and settlement are backed by central banks. India has been testing the digital rupee since 2022 and has added features including programmability and offline functionality as the RBI studies how it can complement payment methods.

Malhotra has said cross-border payments offer scope for lower costs, particularly in retail transactions. He has also said the RBI will continue efforts to promote greater international use of the rupee and encourage settlement in local currencies where commercially viable.

India is pursuing payment connectivity on a parallel track through the Unified Payments Interface, its instant retail payments platform. Prime Minister Narendra Modi this week called for UPI to be connected with payment systems in more countries. UPI is already available or linked with services in several overseas markets, including Singapore and the United Arab Emirates.

The BRICS discussions nevertheless extend beyond retail payment links. Officials have also been examining whether digital currencies issued by central banks can provide a secure settlement layer for transactions between member economies without requiring the creation of a shared currency or new supranational monetary authority.

Technical and policy obstacles remain. CBDC systems across BRICS countries are at different stages of development, and any cross-border arrangement would require agreement on interoperability, cybersecurity, data standards, foreign-exchange conversion, liquidity, governance and legal responsibility when transactions fail or disputes arise.

Trade imbalances pose another complication because a country receiving more of another member’s currency than it can use may be reluctant to accumulate balances. Policymakers have therefore also discussed mechanisms involving currency swaps and other settlement arrangements to deal with mismatches in bilateral trade.

The BRICS grouping now comprises 11 members, making consensus more difficult than when it consisted only of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The expanded membership includes Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia, while Saudi Arabia has participated in BRICS meetings as its membership status has remained subject to clarification.

The company allotted 45 lakh equity shares to anchor investors on September 9 at ₹140 apiece, the top end of the IPO price band. The allocation represented 30 per cent of the total 1.5 crore shares offered in the issue.

Public subscription opened on September 10 and will close on September 15. The price band has been set at ₹130 to ₹140 a share, with investors required to bid for a minimum lot of 107 shares and in multiples of 107 thereafter. At the upper end of the band, the minimum retail application amounts to ₹14,980.

The IPO is entirely a fresh issue of shares, with no offer-for-sale component. At the ceiling price, the issue will raise up to ₹210 crore. The company’s shares are proposed to be listed on the BSE and NSE, with the listing scheduled for September 18, subject to completion of the allotment process.

EQ India Fund received the largest share of the anchor allocation, taking about 10.71 lakh shares worth nearly ₹15 crore. Swyom India Alpha Fund was allotted about 7.14 lakh shares valued at ₹10 crore, while Tiger Strategies Fund-I took roughly 5.72 lakh shares for about ₹8 crore.

Other anchor participants included Taurus Mutual Fund schemes, Innovative Vision Fund, Visionary Value Fund, VBCUBE Ventures Trust, CP Capital and Navbharat Investment Trust. The anchor book comprised nine institutional investors across 10 fund accounts, reflecting the participation of more than one scheme under a single fund house.

Veegaland plans to deploy ₹119.82 crore of the net proceeds towards part-financing expenditure on its ongoing real estate projects. The remaining proceeds are earmarked for unidentified land acquisitions and general corporate purposes, according to the offer documents.

For the year ended March 2026, Veegaland reported total income of ₹254.16 crore, up from ₹196.22 crore a year earlier, while profit after tax rose to ₹26.61 crore from ₹20.43 crore. Revenue from operations was ₹250.98 crore and EBITDA stood at ₹42.64 crore. The company reported, in its restated accounts, assets of ₹483.81 crore and borrowings of ₹85.59 crore at the end of the financial year.

The company had earlier proposed a larger fresh issue of up to ₹250 crore in its draft prospectus before reducing the size to ₹210 crore in the final offer structure. The Securities and Exchange Board of India issued its final observation on the proposed public issue on June 1, and the red herring prospectus was filed on August 31.

Veegaland develops residential apartment projects across Kerala under the Veegaland Homes brand. Its portfolio spans mid-premium, premium, ultra-premium, luxe and ultra-luxury residential categories, with projects concentrated in key urban markets in the state.

As of June 2026, the developer had completed 10 projects with an aggregate saleable area of about 11.05 lakh square feet. It also had 12 ongoing projects and three upcoming developments, according to information disclosed for the issue.

The IPO timetable provides for the basis of allotment to be finalised on September 16. Refunds for unsuccessful bidders are expected to be initiated on September 17, with shares scheduled to be credited to successful investors’ demat accounts the same day.

The offer reserves 30 per cent of the total issue for anchor investors. Of the remaining shares, 20 per cent is allocated to qualified institutional buyers, 15 per cent to non-institutional investors and 35 per cent to retail individual investors, under the stated reservation structure.

The company’s issue documents identify Cumulative Capital as the book-running lead manager, while MUFG Intime India is the registrar. The face value of each equity share is ₹10, making the floor price 13 times face value and the cap price 14 times face value.

Growth reflects Prudential’s continued investment in adviser development and career progression

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 10 September 2026 – Prudential plc (“Prudential”) has retained its No. 2 position among multinational companies in the 2026 Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT) rankings. First-time qualifiers increased 14 per cent year-on-year, reflecting continued momentum in Prudential’s agency business and the impact of its strategy to build a more professional and productive agency force across Asia and Africa.

This momentum is reflected across Prudential’s markets:

• Indonesia has held the No. 1 in-country ranking for more than a decade and continues to have the largest number of MDRT members in the market.
• Hong Kong climbed three places in MDRT rankings to No. 3 globally and No. 2 in-country, with the second-highest number of Top of Table (TOT) and Court of Table (COT) qualifiers.
• Singapore ranked No. 1 in-country for TOT qualifiers, with an 83.8 per cent MDRT member retention rate, and sits in the global top three. It also led the 2026 MDRT Culture of Excellence Awards, with 29 Agency Leader award recipients from a total of 68 winners worldwide.
• In Africa, Prudential remains the only insurer represented in the MDRT Global Top 100 company rankings in the last three years, with Nigeria and Ghana each ranked No. 1 in-country.
• In the Chinese Mainland, Prudential grew MDRT qualifiers 40 per cent year-on-year in the first half of 2026.

Prudential’s base of quality producers is driving year-on-year double-digit growth in new business profit per MDRT agent, as reported in its 2026 Half Year Results.

Pankaj Banerjee, Group Chief Agency Officer, Prudential plc, said: “Our agency transformation is gathering pace, and our direction is clear: we are building a higher-quality, more professional and more productive agency force, equipped to deliver the trusted advice our customers increasingly need, at every stage of their lives. The continued growth in first-time MDRT qualifiers reflects the progress we are making and the commitment of our advisers, agency leaders and colleagues to raising professional standards across the industry.”

As customer needs become more complex, particularly in health, protection and wealth planning, the demand for trusted, high-quality advice is rising. For Prudential, upholding agency excellence is about providing advisers access to learning, role models, communities and opportunities that help them progress and deliver better outcomes for customers.

This commitment is reflected in Prudential’s long-standing partnership with MDRT, which gives advisers access to a global professional community, learning opportunities and standards of excellence. At every stage of the adviser journey, Prudential continues to invest in attracting high-quality talent, strengthening capabilities and productivity. This includes equipping advisers with deeper wealth planning capabilities, insights and AI-enabled tools to meet evolving customer needs and drive sustained MDRT growth.

To accelerate this progress, Prudential recently established the MDRT Advisory Council, a Group-wide platform bringing together leading producers in 11 agency markets to share best practices, accelerate adviser growth and support advisers in their professional progression across the force.

Prudential’s commitment to adviser development was also reflected at the 2026 MDRT Global Conference in Sydney, where it was recognised as MDRT Premier Sponsor and joined by 400 of its advisers and agency leaders from across different markets.

As MDRT approaches its 100th anniversary, Prudential looks forward to continuing its partnership with MDRT with a focus on expanding development pathways, raising professional standards, and supporting the next generation of advisers to achieve their full potential.

Hashtag: #Prudentialplc

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

About Prudential plc

Prudential provides life and health insurance and asset management in Greater China, ASEAN, India and Africa. Prudential’s mission is to be the most trusted partner and protector for this generation and generations to come, by providing simple and accessible financial and health solutions. The business has dual primary listings on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong (HKEX: 2378) and the London Stock Exchange (LSE: PRU). It also has a secondary listing on the Singapore Stock Exchange (SGX: K6S) and a listing on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: PUK) in the form of American Depositary Receipts. It is a constituent of the Hang Seng Composite Index and is also included for trading in the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect programme and the Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect programme.

Prudential is not affiliated in any manner with Prudential Financial, Inc. a company whose principal place of business is in the United States of America, nor with The Prudential Assurance Company Limited, a subsidiary of M&G plc, a company incorporated in the United Kingdom.

www.prudentialplc.com/

The transaction follows the landmark property’s March 2026 debut and marks the completion of the joint venture transformation of the Lake Como site into a five-star EDITION hotel

BANGKOK, THAILAND – Media OutReach Newswire – 9 September 2026 – Bain Capital, a leading global private investment firm, and Omnam Group, a Europe-based hospitality real estate developer and investor, recently announced the sale of The Lake Como EDITION to Sansiri Capital, the hospitality trophy asset fund of Sansiri Public Company Limited, a leading Thai real estate developer with more than 40 years of experience. The transaction marks the culmination of the partners’ transformation of the landmark Lake Como property into one of Italy’s most significant new luxury hospitality destinations. The transaction is expected to be completed in the next several weeks. Completion remains subject to customary closing conditions and required third-party approvals. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Set on the shores of Cadenabbia, the property occupies a rare waterfront position opposite Bellagio, with access to Milan and Malpensa International Airport in approximately one hour. The landmark 19th-century palazzo was acquired by Bain Capital and Omnam Group in late 2021. An extensive redevelopment began in April 2022, reimagining the historic property as The Lake Como EDITION. The hotel opened in March 2026, just under six months ago, as part of Marriott International’s EDITION Hotels portfolio, introducing a new expression of contemporary luxury to one of Italy’s most iconic destinations.

At acquisition, Bain Capital and Omnam identified an opportunity to create a new luxury hospitality offering in a market characterized by strong international demand, limited five-star supply and significant barriers to new lakeside development. Acquiring the property with vacant possession enabled the partners to undertake a comprehensive repositioning rather than an incremental refurbishment.

The sale reflects growing international investor interest in distinctive, experience-led European hospitality assets and marks Sansiri’s strategic expansion into Europe’s luxury hospitality sector through the Sansiri Capital fund, further strengthening its portfolio of trophy assets. For Bain Capital and Omnam Group, the transaction demonstrates the value created by combining real estate investment, development expertise and leading hospitality partners to reposition a complex asset.

The redevelopment substantially reconfigured the property, reducing the former hotel’s room count from nearly 300 to 148 larger rooms and suites and creating a new spa and wellness building, alongside an extensive food and beverage and leisure offering. The transformation also incorporated the property’s distinctive waterfront amenities, including its floating pool and beach club.

Ali Haroon, a Partner and Head of Europe Real Estate for Bain Capital, said:

“Lake Como is a strong example of how we approach real estate investing in Europe. We focus on sectors supported by long-term structural demand and opportunities where our capital, local relationships and hands-on capabilities can fundamentally transform an asset. Together with Omnam, we have taken a highly underinvested property in an irreplaceable location and created a contemporary luxury destination for the international market. This is exactly the type of complex, execution-led opportunity we seek across our Europe Real Estate strategy.”

David Zisser, CEO and Founder of Omnam Group, said:

“The Lake Como EDITION has been an ambitious undertaking from the outset. Our vision was to take a remarkable historic property in one of the world’s most iconic destinations and give it new relevance through architecture, design and hospitality, while remaining deeply connected to the character of Lake Como.

Together with Bain Capital and an exceptional group of partners, we have taken that vision from acquisition and development through to the opening of a landmark new hotel. We are immensely proud of what has been created. The completion of this transaction is a significant milestone for Omnam and a testament to the strength of our development approach, while marking the beginning of an exciting new chapter for The Lake Como EDITION.”

The sale of The Lake Como EDITION marks the latest chapter in Omnam Group’s expanding presence across Europe, where an ambitious pipeline of projects is currently underway in Florence, Venice, Puglia and Sicily — each reimagining distinctive properties into internationally relevant lifestyle destinations.

The acquisition also marks a significant international investment for Sansiri Public Company Limited, bringing one of Lake Como’s newest luxury hospitality assets into its trophy-asset portfolio through Sansiri Capital, the hospitality trophy-asset investment arm.

Napat Thavisin, President of International Operations, Sansiri Public Company Limited and Managing Director of Sansiri Capital, said:

“The acquisition of The Lake Como EDITION marks a significant milestone in advancing Sansiri’s New S-Curve strategy. It strengthens our financial resilience and diversifies risk across our global hospitality portfolio. We remain focused on ultra-luxury trophy assets in gateway cities and high-demand leisure destinations—markets characterised by robust demand and inherently constrained supply. This disciplined capital-allocation approach is designed to maximise long-term shareholder value.

As Thailand’s No.1 most trusted luxury real estate developer, with 40 year of experience, Sansiri brings a proven record in global markets from The Manner SoHo, New York to the growth of Standard International prior to its acquisition by Hyatt Hotels Corporation. Leveraging this expertise, we look forward to stewarding this exceptional investment in The Lake Como EDITION under Sansiri Capital’s ownership, in collaboration with Marriott International, which will continue to operate the hotel, while further diversifying our revenue streams across major global currencies. Looking ahead, Sansiri will actively pursue trophy-asset investments in premier leisure and gateway destinations worldwide, reinforcing our position as a fully integrated global real estate and lifestyle investment platform.”

Hashtag: #Sansiri

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