Technology companies were responsible for the largest share of people affected by third-party data breaches, according to new findings from risk advisory firm Kroll. Kroll’s 2026 Data Breach Outlook, published on Thursday, found that 69% of individuals affected in incidents it handled between June 2025 and June 2026 had been exposed through breaches involving third parties. Of that group, 79% were linked to compromises in the technology […]
Searches of mobile phones, laptops and other electronic devices by United States customs officers have risen sharply, intensifying scrutiny of border security practices and the privacy protections available to international travellers. Figures from US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) show that officers searched 55,318 electronic devices during the 2025 fiscal year, an increase of 17.6 per cent from 47,047 in 2024 and 32.4 per cent from 2023. […]
US semiconductor stocks suffered a sharp sell-off on Thursday, wiping billions of dollars from market valuations after equipment manufacturer Lam Research warned that supply-chain bottlenecks were restricting shipments despite strong demand for artificial intelligence infrastructure. The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index plunged 6.72 per cent on October 22, with all 30 constituent companies declining. The retreat reflected mounting investor concerns about whether chipmakers could sustain ambitious expansion plans amid […]
The partnership pairs LeapThought’s own AI with Google Cloud’s Gemini models and sovereign Cloud offering, giving infrastructure owners control of their data and connected intelligence across the full project and asset lifecycle.
SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 23 October 2026 – LeapThought and Google Cloud today announced a strategic partnership to bring sovereign, domain-native AI to the owners and operators of critical building infrastructure, giving them control of their data and sharper decision-making across the full value chain, from delivery through operations.
Ratnakar Garikipati, Founder, Chair, and CEO of LeapThought, alongside Rahul Sharma, Google Cloud Managing Director, APAC Public Sector. The partnership combines LeapThought’s specialized AI with Google Cloud’s Gemini models and sovereign infrastructure to deliver secure data control and end-to-end intelligence for infrastructure assets.
The partnership has two priorities. The first is value chain integration, which connects everyone involved in delivering and running an asset — owners, operators, developers, consultants, contractors, and suppliers — on one governed platform. The second is security and sovereignty: owners can keep control of their data, within compliant, standardized frameworks that can be repeated from one program to the next.
FULCRUMHQ, LeapThought’s globally recognized Integrated Digital Delivery (IDD) platform, gives infrastructure owners the option to run on Google Cloud, including Google’s sovereign, air-gapped solutions for defense, public sector, and private sector environments requiring high security. At its core is GENIEHQ, LeapThought’s own Industrial AI, embedded directly into the platform and built to reason over the structured and unstructured data that defines a capital program — BIM models, GIS and geospatial data, ERP financials, schedules, contracts, reality capture, telemetry, and data from field robotics and sensors. The partnership pairs GENIEHQ with Google Cloud’s Gemini models, giving owners and their delivery teams natural-language access to that data across a project and a portfolio.
The partnership delivers on these two priorities as follows:
1. Value Chain Integration: One Governed Record, Natural-Language Insight
Major capital and building infrastructure programs span owners, operators, developers, consultants, contractors, and suppliers — each typically working in separate systems, with design, construction, and operational data fragmented across handovers. LeapThought’s FULCRUMHQ platform brings this information together into a single governed record that follows an asset from design through operation, giving owners a consistent view across their portfolio, not just a single project.
By running FULCRUMHQ — and the GENIEHQ Industrial AI embedded within it — on Google Cloud, and integrating LeapThought’s proprietary data architecture with Google’s Gemini models, the partnership enables:
Interactive Model and Portfolio Querying: Combining GENIEHQ’s deep understanding of project and portfolio data with the multimodal capabilities of Gemini, owners, engineers, project managers, and field teams can ask complex, plain-language questions directly against BIM models and portfolio data — instead of manually clicking through complex 3D CAD/BIM model trees or running predefined filter scripts — such as identifying clash detections, extracting exact material quantities, verifying regulatory code compliance, or surfacing risk trends across a program (e.g., “Show me all fire-rated doors on Level 3 that don’t match the latest spec,” or “Which contractors across our portfolio have the highest rate of non- conforming work this quarter”).
Global Scale and Reliability: Google Cloud provides the high-performance compute and elastic scalability needed to process compute-intense multi-gigabyte 3D models and point-cloud datasets, across a single project or an entire portfolio, in real time.
2. Security and Sovereignty: Full Control on Google Cloud’s Sovereign Solutions
For critical civil assets, defense installations, public sector agencies, and private sector owners where data cannot traverse the public cloud, LeapThought gives owners the choice to deploy on Google Cloud’s data residency solutions, including Google Cloud Data Boundary, Google Cloud Dedicated, and Google Distributed Cloud. In these environments, GENIEHQ, LeapThought’s Industrial AI embedded within FULCRUMHQ, runs alongside Gemini locally, within the owner’s chosen security boundary, ensuring zero cross-boundary exposure or unauthorized external telemetry.
“The value of an asset now lies as much in the intelligence around it as in its physical form. That intelligence belongs to the owner, and it must be secure, sovereign, and shared across the whole value chain. Demand for this is growing quickly, in Asia and around the world, and that is what brought us and Google Cloud together. We’re starting from Singapore and building toward a standard for critical infrastructure everywhere,” said Ratnakar Garikipati, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of LeapThought.
“Public sector and critical infrastructure agencies manage some of the most intricate engineering and regulatory datasets in the world. The partnership between Google Cloud and LeapThought enables project teams and portfolio owners to quickly surface actionable insights directly from complex BIM models and program data using everyday language. Combined with Google’s sovereign, air-gapped solutions, we’re providing agencies with the option to modernize project workflows while maintaining strict data governance, residency, and operational sovereignty,” said Rahul Sharma, Managing Director, APAC Public Sector, Google Cloud.
Hashtag: #LeapThought
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About LeapThought
LeapThought is a US technology company that builds software connecting people, data, and AI across the infrastructure lifecycle. It is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington, has its Asia headquarters in Singapore, and operates across the United States, Brazil, Singapore, and New Zealand. Its FULCRUMHQ platform and embedded GENIEHQ Industrial AI serve public agencies, developers, consultants, contractors, and universities and institutes of higher learning. Clients include Singapore’s Land Transport Authority, Building and Construction Authority, and JTC. The company was founded and led by Ratnakar Garikipati.
Meta Platforms has agreed to give chief executive Mark Zuckerberg greater freedom to sell shares without surrendering voting control, securing his commitment to remain in California as voters prepare to decide on a billionaire wealth tax. The arrangement, disclosed in a regulatory filing, follows Zuckerberg’s warning that he was considering moving his primary residence outside the state to avoid a potentially multibillion-dollar liability under Proposition 40, which […]
Abu Dhabi renewable energy company Masdar has priced its $600 million five-year blue bond at 115 basis points above the comparable US Treasury benchmark, narrowing the spread from initial guidance of around 130 basis points. The 15-basis-point tightening establishes the final borrowing margin on the dollar-denominated offering, which is structured as senior unsecured debt and is scheduled to mature on 29 October 2031. The securities carry a […]
North Korea-linked hackers have incorporated post-quantum cryptography into a cyberespionage campaign against South Korean organisations, encrypting malware deliveries while exploiting widely used financial security software, cybersecurity researchers disclosed. Kaspersky identified the campaign, named Operation FlashHole, at its Security Analyst Summit in Bali on Wednesday. Its investigation established that at least three organisations in software development, construction and wired communications equipment manufacturing had been affected. The earliest evidence […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai The United Arab Emirates has formally nominated senior diplomat Lana Nusseibeh to become the next United Nations secretary-general, introducing a Middle Eastern contender into a leadership contest marked by divisions among the Security Council’s permanent members. President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan submitted her nomination on Wednesday in a letter to the presidents of the General Assembly and Security Council. Nusseibeh, the […]
QashierGM works from each merchant’s own sales, payouts and menu, and gets routine work done with the owner’s approval. With Crew, Qashier’s new team chat, anyone on the team can tag @GM to get things done, and QashierGM acts only within each person’s role.
SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 23 October 2026 – Qashier, the unified merchant operating system serving more than 25,000 businesses across Southeast Asia, today launched QashierGM, an AI general manager that works with a merchant’s whole team. Available at no additional cost to all Qashier merchants in Singapore, QashierGM lives in QashierHQ, the web and mobile app (Android and iOS) merchants use to manage their sales, payouts, products and staff. Owners can ask it about sales, payouts and products in plain language. Merchants on the Qashier plan also get Crew, a new team chat where staff can bring QashierGM into any conversation by tagging @GM. Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines follow in November.
Because QashierGM works directly from each merchant’s own transactions and settlements, it can do what a general-purpose chatbot cannot: explain, line by line, why a payout is lower than the day’s sales, or show which outlet is underperforming this week. Owners get answers grounded in their actual operations, without piecing together reports.
“Most small business owners can’t afford a general manager, so they become one after closing, going through reports at midnight,” said Christopher Choo, Co-Founder and CEO of Qashier. “QashierGM is the manager they never had. It already knows the business, takes on the routine work and never makes a change without asking. With Crew, it now works alongside the whole team, not just the owner.”
The launch follows an open beta that began in September with merchants ranging from single-outlet cafés and shops to multi-outlet chains, with F&B operators the most active. Their most common questions were about sales trends, best sellers and payouts, and with the year-end festive season approaching, many are asking QashierGM to suggest festive promotions built around their most popular items.
Jun Rong, Operations Manager of Coexist Coffee Co., likens using QashierGM to talking to his store managers, only faster. “Running a café means wearing every hat, and the numbers usually wait until after closing. QashierGM already knows our sales, payouts and menu, so I just ask. When we plan a promotion, it suggests ideas based on what our customers actually buy, and nothing changes until I confirm. It feels like having a general manager who’s been with us from day one.”
QashierGM also takes routine admin off the owner’s plate. An owner can ask it to update a price, mark an item as sold out or add a new product, and QashierGM shows a card with exactly what will change and where. Nothing goes live until the owner taps confirm. Multi-outlet operators can compare stores, spot the one underperforming and push a change to every store in one request. Store managers see and change only their own store. Owners can also set alerts in their own words, such as “alert me on any unusual refunds” or “tell me when the first staff clocks in”, and QashierGM tells them when it matters.
Crew: the whole team, with QashierGM in the conversation
Crew, included in the Qashier plan and Enterprise plans, gives a merchant’s team a work chat of its own, separate from personal messaging groups where messages get lost and former staff keep the history. Owners, managers, kitchen and floor staff get private direct messages, group chats by team or department, and announcements with read receipts. Anyone can tag @GM to check a number, update an item or send a customer an invoice with a payment link. QashierGM acts only with the permissions of the person who tagged it, sends bigger changes to whoever can approve them right in the chat, and posts an update when an invoice is paid. It only sees the conversations it is tagged into.
On a typical day, a floor staff member can mark a dish sold out, a manager can approve a price change from her phone, and an owner can send an event deposit invoice and see it paid, all in the same app. Crew and QashierGM work in all major languages used across the region, including English, Mandarin Chinese, Malay and Thai.
Connectors to third party apps such as Gmail and Google Business Profile arrive in November, extending QashierGM beyond Qashier to supplier emails, customer enquiries and Google reviews. “A good general manager handles the work wherever it lands, not just inside one system,” added Choo. “This is the first step.”
Qashier processes more than US$1 billion in annualised payment volume for over 25,000 merchants across Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines. The company has been profitable since December 2025 and raised US$6.125 million in Series A+ financing in June 2026. QashierGM is available now to all Qashier merchants in Singapore through QashierHQ on web, Android and iOS, at no additional cost. Crew is included in the Qashier plan and Enterprise plans. Both launch in Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines in November. To learn more, visit https://qashier.com/sg/.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Qashier Pte. Ltd.
Qashier is a unified merchant operating system that brings together payments, business software, embedded financial services and customer engagement tools on one platform. Operating across Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines, Qashier supports more than 25,000 SMEs with an integrated ecosystem built for Southeast Asia’s digital economy. Qashier is licensed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore as a Major Payment Institution. Founded in Singapore in 2019, Qashier gives merchants an AI general manager, QashierGM, and a team chat, Crew, through QashierHQ.
Photographs purportedly showing Natco Pharma representatives meeting Health Minister K Muraleedharan on August 5 have surfaced amid a controversy over medicines for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), prompting the minister to clarify that the discussions concerned corporate social responsibility activities. The images are…
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 22 October 2026 – Finance leaders and representatives of international organisations attended the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) Finance Ministers’ Meeting (FMM) 2026, successfully held in Hong Kong for the first time (October 20-21). Participants engaged in in-depth exchanges on issues concerning regional financial and economic development.
Yesterday (October 21), the FMM issued the 2026 APEC Finance Ministers’ Joint Statement, reaffirming the commitment to building an open, dynamic, resilient, and peaceful Asia-Pacific community by 2040 for the prosperity of all our people and future generations.
Representatives of the participating APEC member economies and international organisations during the meeting.
Minister of Finance and chair of the 2026 FMM, Lan Fo’an, said that all parties should firmly implement the consensus reached at the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting, uphold multilateralism, and deepen practical co-operation in fiscal and financial affairs, with a view to contributing to regional economic and financial stability and long-term sustainable growth.
Earlier, John Lee, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government, welcomed participants to the FMM.
“This is a historic occasion for Hong Kong. The APEC Finance Ministers’ Meeting – part of APEC China 2026 – is taking place in our city for the very first time. We are honoured to support this significant international event, which brings together the member economies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, representing some three billion people and accounting for over 60 per cent of global GDP,” Mr Lee said.
“Under the unique ‘one country, two systems’ principle, Hong Kong enjoys both the China advantage and the global advantage. We are the only common law jurisdiction in China, our country, and have a legal and regulatory regime similar to most of the world’s top financial hubs.”
Speaking during the discussion sessions, Paul Chan, Financial Secretary of the HKSAR, said that amid geopolitical tensions and uncertainties over trade policies, Asia-Pacific economies should strengthen co-operation to maintain the smooth flow of trade and investment, while guarding against financial risks and nurturing long-term growth drivers.
He said that Hong Kong would leverage its unique advantages under the “one country, two systems” principle, and make full use of its diverse financing channels and professional services as an international financial centre to serve as a “super connector” and “super value-adder”.
“Regionally, we need open channels for trade and investment, not new barriers. Connected markets allow capital to reach productive uses and technologies be adopted across borders,” Mr Chan said during a plenary session on Global and Regional Economic and Financial Outlook (October 20).
“Our collective task is to safeguard stability while strengthening the foundations for lasting prosperity. Hong Kong, China stands ready to work with fellow economies to seize opportunities, manage risks and support more resilient, sustainable and inclusive growth across the Asia Pacific.”
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority and the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) held two thematic seminars (October 20) on “Fostering a digitalised, inclusive and sustainable supply chain ecosystem through finance” and “Mobilising capital for nature: scaling finance and regional cooperation across APEC” respectively.
In his welcoming remarks at the seminars, Christopher Hui, Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury of the HKSAR, said: “In an era of profound economic transformation and evolving global challenges, prosperity will not be secured by any economy acting alone. It will be built through partnership, innovation and resilience. I am therefore delighted that this seminar brings together regulators, business leaders and experts from across the Asia-Pacific region for meaningful exchanges on how we can unlock new opportunities, strengthen financial resilience, and drive sustainable growth for all.”
Following the conclusion of the FMM, Mr Lee and other officials met Mr Lan at Government House to exchange views on economic and financial development of the Chinese Mainland and Hong Kong. Mr Lee expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the country for its trust in and support for Hong Kong, as well as its strong affirmation of Hong Kong’s status as an international financial centre.
During the FMM, a diverse range of tours and visits were arranged for members of delegations from participating economies and international organisations to enjoy the city’s cultural heritage and unique charm as an international metropolis.
The itineraries included visits to the Peak, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong Palace Museum, Xiqu Centre, Chinese Culinary Institute and Ocean Park as well as a boat tour to enjoy the renowned views of Victoria Harbour.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is expected to oppose former Keralam Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s proposed appeal before the Kerala High Court Division Bench against the registration of corruption cases linked to alleged payments by Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL) to Exalogic Solutions. Senior ED officials…
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Central banks are increasing gold reserves and shifting bullion between international vaults, with new industry data showing a sharp rise in purchases and growing interest in reducing dependence on individual storage centres. The World Gold Council says official institutions bought an average of approximately 1,000 tonnes annually over the four years preceding its 2026 survey, compared with roughly 500 tonnes a year during […]
By Nitya Chakraborty U.S. Secretary of state Marco Rubio’s visit to India this week and talks with the Indian corporate leaders including Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani have roused unusual interest in the country’s business circles as also among diplomats globally. There are two aspects. First, Rubio gave priority to his visit to Jamnagar and […]
Japanese banks, airlines and transport operators suspended digital services as companies rushed to install emergency security patches for critical vulnerabilities in PHP, a programming language widely used across the internet. The disruptions spread across Japan on Wednesday and Thursday, affecting online banking, airline applications, airport information systems and commercial websites. Companies temporarily disabled vulnerable services while assessing their exposure to two security flaws that could allow attackers […]
The Supreme Court warned the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against interfering with the powers and responsibilities of other investigating agencies while hearing petitions filed by Kerala Opposition Leader Pinarayi Vijayan and his family in the CMRL-Exalogic corruption case. A special bench comprising Justices Joymalya…
SoftBank Group shares fell sharply on Thursday, bringing the Japanese investment company’s market value close to half its June peak as investors questioned the cost of financing its expanding artificial intelligence commitments. The stock dropped more than 5% in Tokyo trading, extending a retreat that has accompanied broader selling across Asian technology markets. The decline has put renewed attention on SoftBank’s reliance on borrowing and the uncertain […]
Alibaba Group Holding Ltd shares plunged nearly 6% in Hong Kong on Thursday, leading a technology sector selloff after China’s market regulator demanded stronger product quality controls and consumer protection measures across major ecommerce platforms.
The company’s stock fell to HK$97.55 during morning trading, marking its steepest intraday decline in two months. Investors reacted to indications that Beijing could intensify scrutiny of online marketplaces, potentially increasing compliance costs for Alibaba and its competitors.
China’s State Administration for Market Regulation disclosed on Wednesday that it had convened a meeting in Beijing with representatives of leading digital commerce businesses to discuss improving product standards, strengthening consumer safeguards and addressing shortcomings in platform governance.
Shares of JD. com dropped approximately 4.7%, while Kuaishou declined more than 4%. Other technology companies, including Tencent, Meituan, Xiaomi and NetEase, also suffered losses as selling spread across the sector.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index declined nearly 3%, touching a three-month low, while the Hang Seng Tech Index dropped more than 4%, reaching its weakest level since September 2024. The technology benchmark has lost more than 30% this year.
The regulatory announcement focused on persistent problems involving counterfeit merchandise, misleading advertising and products failing to match descriptions provided by online sellers. Authorities identified livestream shopping, instant retail services and social commerce as areas where product safety risks have become increasingly complex.
The regulator said platforms must strengthen their responsibilities as gatekeepers, establish comprehensive quality management systems and improve supervision throughout commercial supply chains. Companies were instructed to align their practices with existing regulatory guidance and the government’s 2026 quality improvement priorities.
Officials also emphasised greater transparency, improved aftersales services and more effective mechanisms for resolving consumer complaints. The measures seek to strengthen accountability among platform operators without necessarily introducing an entirely new regulatory framework.
Representatives from Alibaba’s Taobao and Tmall businesses attended the meeting alongside JD. com, Pinduoduo, Xiaohongshu, Kuaishou, Douyin, Vipshop and other online trading platforms.
The gathering followed guidance issued last year by ten government departments, including the market regulator, the Cyberspace Administration of China and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, concerning product and service standards across digital marketplaces.
Authorities acknowledged that companies had implemented improvements under those guidelines but said substantial challenges remained. Emerging business models were creating additional difficulties for regulators attempting to identify unsafe products, deceptive marketing and inadequate consumer safeguards.
For Alibaba, the renewed regulatory emphasis directly affects its domestic commerce operations, particularly Taobao and Tmall, which connect merchants with consumers across China’s vast online retail market.
Stricter monitoring requirements could oblige marketplace operators to devote additional resources to merchant verification, product inspections, complaint handling and supply chain oversight. The financial implications will depend on how existing requirements are implemented and enforced.
The announcement did not disclose fresh financial penalties against Alibaba or establish a timetable for additional enforcement measures. The market reaction therefore reflected concerns about possible regulatory consequences rather than confirmation of sanctions against the company.
Broader investor caution compounded the selling pressure. Mainland investors had reduced their exposure to Hong Kong equities during the preceding trading session, while technology valuations remained under pressure amid questions surrounding substantial expenditure on artificial intelligence infrastructure.
Alibaba has committed significant capital to expanding its computing capacity and artificial intelligence operations, making investor assessments of profitability and spending particularly important alongside regulatory developments.
The company completed an HK$80 billion share placement in August, allocating approximately 60% of net proceeds towards expanding global computing infrastructure and the remainder towards hyperscale artificial intelligence data centres and upgrades to cloud systems.
That financing underlined Alibaba’s commitment to technological investment even as its established ecommerce businesses face heightened expectations concerning operational standards and consumer safeguards.
The regulator also encouraged companies to use commercial data to improve product quality among suppliers, linking information gathered through online transactions with manufacturing improvements and better supply chain coordination.
Another proposal involved developing and publishing platform quality governance indices, intended to provide consumers with clearer information about standards maintained by different marketplaces.
Officials urged participating companies to strengthen cooperation with regulators and other stakeholders while making information about products and services more transparent.
The meeting included discussions of the ISO 9001 quality management framework and methods for businesses to assess their own governance arrangements. Platform representatives exchanged views on implementing quality improvements and addressing weaknesses identified by the authorities across online trading activities.
Britain’s data protection regulator has reprimanded two Welsh organisations after ransomware attackers exploited a 12-year-old account protected by the password “Password1”, stealing personal information belonging to 3,300 people, most of them children. The Information Commission’s Office (ICO) identified serious security failures at Ogi Networks Limited, an IT service provider, and the Local Government Data Unit – Wales, known as Data Cymru, following its investigation into the November […]
Abu Dhabi emerged as the leading centre of sovereign investment activity in the Middle East during the first nine months of 2026, with state-backed funds accelerating acquisitions, consolidating strategic assets and expanding international investments despite geopolitical uncertainty. New figures from investment research firm Global SWF show that Mubadala Investment Company deployed $26.2 billion between January and September, making it the most active sovereign investor in the Gulf. […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai A unit of Abu Dhabi Investment Authority has secured shares in Paras Healthcare’s Rs 14.5 billion initial public offering, placing the emirate’s sovereign wealth capital among the hospital operator’s institutional backers. The Gurugram-based company opened its public subscription on Wednesday, October 21, with bidding scheduled to close on Friday. Its anchor placement, completed on October 19, raised Rs 6.525 billion from domestic and […]
Healthcare reviews platform publishes first annual ranking of hospitals across the UAE as AI-driven patient search reshapes how people find care across the Gulf Doctify, the verified healthcare reviews and booking platform used by over ten million people each year, has published its first annual ranking of the top hospitals across the UAE as it marks six years of operations in the region. The rankings analyse hospitals […]
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach Newswire – 21 October 2026 – UEM Edgenta Berhad (“UEM Edgenta” or “the Company”), a leading Asset Management and Infrastructure Solutions company, today announced the launch of its inaugural Young Entrepreneurship Programme (YEP), a new initiative developed to identify, train and mentor young entrepreneurs within the Company’s vendor ecosystem. The inaugural cohort comprises six vendors from UEM Edgenta’s Infrastructure Solutions and Asset Management business ecosystems, marking the start of a structured, multi-phase journey towards operational readiness and long-term business growth.
The six vendors were selected through a rigorous, multi-tiered screening process. Companies were assessed against eligibility criteria centred on youthful leadership and business track record, before undergoing desktop audits, pre-assessments and site visits benchmarked against the Malaysia Business Excellence Framework (MBEF). Vendors demonstrating the required readiness, strategic relevance to UEM Edgenta and potential for sustainable growth were shortlisted for the inaugural cohort.
YEP is designed to build on the success of UEM Edgenta’s existing Vendor Development Programme, with a sharper focus on empowering young business owners. The programme aims to develop industry-ready vendors that meet UEM Edgenta’s operational and compliance standards, while strengthening their long-term business viability. In doing so, YEP supports the aspirations of Rancangan Malaysia Ke-13 (RMK13) to raise the socioeconomic standing of the rakyat, particularly through youth empowerment, digital innovation, financial inclusion, and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).
To deliver the training component, the Company has forged strategic partnerships with Institut Keusahawanan Negara (INSKEN) and the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) Malaysia. INSKEN will lead training on business model development, leadership, and strategic planning, culminating in an INSKEN certification, while CIDB will provide technical training on tender, contract, and financial management as well as management systems, supporting participants’ compliance and competitiveness within the construction and infrastructure industry. These external modules are complemented by internal business training delivered through Edgenta Academy.
Shaiful Subhan, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of UEM Edgenta, said the programme reflects the Company’s commitment in nurturing a resilient and future-ready vendor base. “As we look ahead, we want to build a supplier ecosystem that is diverse, competitive and driven by capability and performance. We believe opportunities should be earned through commitment, quality and willingness to grow, not simply by how long a company has been in business. A strong supply chain is not built overnight. It is built by investing in people, developing capabilities and creating long-term partnerships that grow together,” he said.
Beyond its immediate vendor ecosystem, UEM Edgenta views YEP as a platform to contribute to the broader national agenda of socioeconomic mobility, helping young business owners transform innovative ideas into commercially viable ventures that, in time, create new employment opportunities within their own communities. The inaugural cohort has been intentionally kept small to allow for high-quality, intensive mentorship and customised training. The Company will evaluate the outcomes of this inaugural batch to guide future investment and the potential expansion of the programme to a wider pool of young entrepreneurs in subsequent years.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About UEM Edgenta
UEM Edgenta Berhad (“UEM Edgenta”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of UEM Group Berhad, is an Asset Management and Infrastructure Solutions company that delivers integrated, end-to-end solutions across the entire asset lifecycle, combining engineering excellence in design, project management and asset consultancy with tech-enabled asset management capabilities to optimise asset performance, efficiency and resilience.
With operations across Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Taiwan, the United Arab Emirates and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, UEM Edgenta supports the reliable and sustainable performance of critical assets, including healthcare facilities, transportation networks and industrial infrastructure.
Businesses are deploying artificial intelligence agents faster than they can monitor their behaviour, leaving gaps in security, accountability and cost control, according to a global Splunk study released by Cisco on Tuesday. The 2026 State of Observability report found that 87% of technology professionals consider AI monitoring a priority, yet 56% cannot measure important workload indicators such as the quality of responses generated by large language models. […]
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