Industry News

Marriott International and BBH Singapore have launched a new advertising campaign for Marriott Bonvoy, aiming to redefine perceptions of loyalty programmes. Titled “Loyalty’s Just That Easy,” the campaign seeks to demonstrate that Marriott Bonvoy is accessible to all travellers, not just frequent flyers or business elites. The initiative showcases how members can effortlessly earn and redeem points across more than 30 hotel brands, including through everyday activities like dining and spa visits.

The campaign’s centrepiece is a hero film directed by Emmy Award-winner Rhys Thomas, produced by Stink London. It follows a traveller’s journey, illustrating how even small moments of relaxation can accumulate points. The film is available in three versions, featuring protagonists from India, Japan, and Korea, and is complemented by shorter 30- and 15-second clips.

Xue Ying Mei, Vice President Marketing for Marriott International Asia Pacific excluding China, stated, “This campaign aims to correct these perceptions, showing how loyalty with Marriott Bonvoy is effortless.” Khairul Mondzi, Executive Creative Director at BBH Singapore, added, “We started with a simple question. What if loyalty didn’t feel like effort at all?”

Launched on 5 January, the campaign will run across the Asia Pacific region, including India, Japan, Korea, and Indonesia. It forms part of an integrated marketing strategy encompassing out-of-home, digital, and social media channels, with further activations planned throughout the first half of 2026.

Global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright has bolstered its aviation practice with the appointment of Leo Fattorini as Head of Aircraft Finance for Asia and the Middle East, based in Singapore. Joining him are five other legal professionals, including counsel Chris Healy and senior associate Adam Smart, who will initially operate from Singapore and Hong Kong, enhancing the firm’s presence in the Asia-Pacific and Middle East markets.

Fattorini, previously leading Bird & Bird’s global aviation practice, brings extensive experience in aircraft finance and leasing, recognised by Chambers Global. His decade-long tenure in Singapore has fostered strong regional connections, particularly in India, where he has facilitated over 250 aircraft deliveries. His insights into airline operations and strategy, gained from a senior role at a major UK airline, are expected to further strengthen Norton Rose Fulbright’s global aviation services.

Duncan Batchelor, Global Head of Aviation at Norton Rose Fulbright, expressed enthusiasm about the new appointments, stating, “Leo’s vast experience—spanning private practice, in-house airline counsel, and international aircraft transactions—makes him the perfect fit for our firm.” Yu-En Ong, Head of Singapore, highlighted the significance of Fattorini’s arrival, noting his commercial acumen and leadership as valuable assets to clients.

Fattorini himself is eager to leverage Norton Rose Fulbright’s global platform, saying, “The firm’s international reach and collaborative culture make it an ideal environment to continue supporting clients across Asia-Pacific and the Middle East.”

Norton Rose Fulbright’s aviation team collaborates with airlines, banks, lessors, and regulatory bodies, offering comprehensive legal services, including financing, leasing, and restructuring. The firm’s strategic expansion aims to deliver market-leading aviation finance advice across key global hubs.

Citi has reported its strongest investment banking client revenues in the Asia Pacific region in over a decade, with 2025 figures reaching US$514m, a 33% increase from the previous year, according to Dealogic. Key growth areas included mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and equity capital markets, driven by robust cross-border M&A and active listing years in Hong Kong and India. The bank facilitated over US$250b in capital raising for Asian clients from global markets in 2025.

Jan Metzger, Co-Head of Japan, Asia North, and Australia, noted, “The investment banking pipeline across this region is one of the strongest I have seen on record.” Kaustubh Kulkarni, Co-Head of JANA and Asia South Pacific IB, highlighted the diverse sectoral mix, including consumer, healthcare, and technology, media, and telecom (TMT), as key themes for 2026.

Colin Banfield, Head of Asia M&A, expects M&A activity to remain robust in 2026, particularly in China and India, driven by multinational-led cross-border deals. The Asia Pacific region continues to be a focal point for multinational corporations’ strategic planning.

Citi forecasts several key themes for 2026, including increased M&A activity from the Gulf Cooperation Council into China and Asia, a focus on healthcare, TMT, and artificial intelligence in financing, and a continued revival of Hong Kong’s market. Additionally, India is set for another strong year of initial public offerings, with larger average deal sizes anticipated.

The bank also predicts a rise in private credit across Asia, supporting increased high-yield issuance, and expects ASEAN to see heightened equity capital market activity.

Ensign InfoSecurity has secured the 7th position in the 2025 MSSP Alert Top 250 Managed Security Service Providers list, marking its fourth consecutive year in the global top 10. This achievement reaffirms Ensign’s status as the highest-ranked MSSP from the Asia Pacific region. The MSSP Alert Top 250 list is an annual benchmark that evaluates managed security service providers worldwide based on service breadth, capability, revenue, and innovation.

The company’s sustained recognition highlights its commitment to delivering cutting-edge managed security services amidst escalating global cyber threats. Charles Ng, CEO of Ensign InfoSecurity, stated, “The continued recognition in the MSSP Alert Top 250 highlights our unwavering commitment to delivering world-class managed security services that keep pace with the evolving threat landscape.”

In a strategic move to enhance its offerings, Ensign launched the Agentic Security Operations Centre (SOC) at GovWare 2025. This centre, the first of its kind in Asia, is powered by autonomous AI agents and integrates adaptive intelligence, regional threat insights, and human expertise. It aims to enable organisations to detect, triage, and respond to cyber threats swiftly. Chua Zong Fu, Executive Vice President of International Business at Ensign, noted, “The Agentic SOC represents a fundamental shift in how organisations defend themselves, combining adaptive AI with expert human oversight to stay ahead of adversaries.”

Ensign InfoSecurity, headquartered in Singapore, continues to lead in cybersecurity services, offering bespoke solutions across the Asia Pacific region.

Global logistics provider J&T Express has announced a significant milestone, delivering 30.13 billion parcels in 2025 globally, marking a 22.2% increase from the previous year. This achievement was largely fuelled by robust growth in Southeast Asia and New Markets, alongside stable contributions from China.

In the fourth quarter of 2025, J&T Express handled 8.46 billion parcels, a 14.5% year-on-year increase, with an average daily volume of 92 million parcels. The company’s success in Southeast Asia was particularly notable, with parcel volumes reaching 7.66 billion for the year, up 67.8% from 2024. The introduction of industrial-grade automated sorting equipment in Thailand and similar advancements in Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines have been pivotal in supporting this growth.

J&T Express also expanded its operations in New Markets, including Saudi Arabia, UAE, Mexico, Brazil, and Egypt, where parcel volumes grew by 79.7% in Q4 2025. The company recorded a total of 400 million parcels delivered in these regions throughout the year.

In China, J&T Express focused on enhancing operational efficiency through automation and cloud warehouse expansion, resulting in a 26% increase in automated equipment and the deployment of 1,000 unmanned vehicles. By the end of 2025, the company operated 19,300 outlets and 246 sorting centres globally, with 413 automated sorting machines.

Charles Junyi Hou, Group Vice President of J&T Express, stated, “Benefiting from the rapid development of e-commerce and a diversified customer base, J&T maintained robust growth in Southeast Asia and New Markets. Looking ahead, we will continue to strengthen our global network, drive growth through innovation, and consistently meet market demands.”

J&T Express’s strategic investments and technological advancements position the company for continued growth and innovation in the global logistics sector.

Sun Life, in collaboration with Aflatoun International, has launched “Brighter Financial Futures”, a programme aimed at enhancing financial literacy among domestic workers in Asia. This initiative, announced on 6 January 2026, targets over 30,000 workers in Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Vietnam, offering workshops, toolkits, and training sessions to improve their financial skills.

David Broom, Chief Client and Distribution Officer at Sun Life Asia, emphasised the importance of financial literacy in achieving lifetime financial security. “Our partnership with Aflatoun International ensures we’re reaching underserved communities,” he stated. The programme, lasting 12 months, is tailored to different employment stages and delivered through local organisations, ensuring a positive impact across various markets.

The initiative builds on the success of Sun Life’s previous collaboration with Uplifters, a Hong Kong-based charity supporting migrant domestic workers. Broom highlighted the economic and social significance of domestic workers, aiming to provide them with the resources needed for informed financial decisions. “This collaboration creates a lasting ripple effect for stronger, more sustainable communities,” he added.

The programme’s curriculum, available online and in-person, focuses on practical financial knowledge, including emergency savings, future planning, and protection against scams. Kirsten Theuns, Director of Strategic Partnerships & Development at Aflatoun, remarked, “Financial education empowers communities from the ground up, unlocking new opportunities for domestic workers and their families.”

Further local partnerships will be announced throughout 2026, expanding the programme’s reach and impact. Interested individuals can register for the Brighter Financial Futures programme online.

Millennium Hotels & Resorts (MHR) has announced a strategic loyalty partnership with Indian Hotels Company (IHCL), the custodian of the Taj Hotels & Resorts brand. This collaboration, unveiled as MHR celebrates 30 years in global hospitality, aims to enhance travel and stay benefits for members worldwide through the integration of MHR’s MyMillennium and IHCL’s Taj InnerCircle of NeuPass programme.

Headquartered in Singapore, MHR is recognised for its award-winning portfolio across Asia-Pacific, Europe, the UK, the US, and the Middle East. This partnership marks a significant step in MHR’s strategy to expand its international presence and strengthen its loyalty ecosystem. The collaboration is set to deliver greater value, choice, and recognition to travellers across key markets.

Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director and CEO of IHCL, commented on the partnership, stating, “IHCL’s iconic brand Taj joining hands with Millennium Hotels & Resorts unlocks meaningful synergies within a global loyalty network. Through this collaboration, the integration of MyMillennium with Taj InnerCircle enhances the member experience.”

The partnership reflects MHR’s ongoing evolution over three decades, as it continues to forge alliances with like-minded hospitality leaders. By combining their loyalty programmes, both MHR and IHCL aim to offer enhanced benefits and rewards to their members, thereby increasing customer satisfaction and loyalty.

As the hospitality industry continues to evolve, such partnerships are crucial for maintaining competitiveness and offering customers more comprehensive and rewarding experiences. This collaboration is expected to set a precedent for future alliances in the sector.

UltraGreen.ai, a leader in fluorescence-guided surgery and digital health solutions, has achieved significant regulatory milestones with approvals for its Verdye (indocyanine green for injection) in the Philippines and IC-Flow Imaging System V2 in Malaysia. These approvals mark a crucial step in the company’s strategic expansion across Southeast Asia, a region experiencing a surge in healthcare demand.

The approvals enable UltraGreen and its local partners to support education, training, and the broader clinical adoption of indocyanine green-based techniques among surgeons in both countries. This development is particularly timely as surgical demand rises in oncology, colorectal, and reconstructive care across the region.

Fluorescence-guided surgery using indocyanine green has become an essential tool in various surgical procedures. The IC-Flow Imaging System V2’s approval in Malaysia facilitates the use of fluorescence imaging technology in clinical settings, whilst Verdye’s approval provides Filipino clinicians access to a globally recognised, high-quality product.

Declan Cassells, Chief Operating Officer of UltraGreen, stated, “These approvals represent far more than regulatory milestones – they pave the way for delivering proven surgical technologies to healthcare systems across Southeast Asia.”

UltraGreen’s commitment to advancing precision surgery through high-quality pharmaceutical, imaging, and data-driven solutions is further solidified by these approvals, strengthening its presence in Southeast Asia.

CapitaLand Investment Limited has announced its acquisition of a 20.2% interest in three data centres in India for S$99.73m. This strategic investment aims to bolster CapitaLand’s presence in the rapidly growing Indian data centre market, which is experiencing increased demand due to digitalisation and data consumption.

The acquisition, facilitated through the CapitaLand India Data Centre Fund, marks a significant expansion for the company in the region. The data centres are expected to enhance CapitaLand’s portfolio by providing robust infrastructure to support the burgeoning digital economy in India.

The investment underscores CapitaLand’s commitment to expanding its data centre footprint in key markets. The company has been actively seeking opportunities to capitalise on the growing need for data storage and processing facilities, driven by the surge in internet usage and cloud computing.

CapitaLand’s decision to invest in these data centres aligns with its strategy to diversify its asset base and tap into high-growth sectors. The acquisition is anticipated to generate substantial returns, given the increasing reliance on digital services across various industries.

This move is part of CapitaLand’s broader plan to strengthen its position in the global data centre market, which is projected to continue its upward trajectory in the coming years. As the demand for data centres rises, CapitaLand is poised to benefit from its strategic investments in this sector.

Standard Chartered and Ant International have transitioned their blockchain-based tokenised deposit solution from pilot to commercial launch, enabling real-time fund transfers across Hong Kong and Singapore. This innovative solution allows global entities to bypass traditional banking hours and settlement delays, facilitating seamless transactions in HKD, CNH, SGD, and USD.

The solution, developed on Ant International’s Whale blockchain platform, was created under the Hong Kong Monetary Authority’s Project Ensemble and the Monetary Authority of Singapore’s Project Guardian. It marks a significant step in enhancing liquidity and efficiency in financial markets through tokenisation.

Mahesh Kini, Global Head of Cash Management at Standard Chartered, highlighted the growing demand for real-time and 24/7 treasury management, stating, “Driven by a shared vision of shaping the future of cash management, we are pleased to partner with Ant International from the conceptualisation to the commercial launch of this solution.”

The integration of Ant International’s bank accounts with tokenised deposits ensures a near real-time flow of liquidity, significantly improving the management of treasury and working capital. Kelvin Li, General Manager of Platform Tech at Ant International, noted, “The new solution enhances our liquidity management by providing seamless and secure access to the working capital needs of our businesses globally.”

This development is expected to encourage more global businesses to explore the benefits of tokenised deposits, contributing to the growth of tokenised assets in Hong Kong and Singapore. As both companies continue to innovate, they aim to set a blueprint for commercial banks to facilitate the transition from traditional banking ledgers to blockchain technology.