Industry News

DKSH Business Unit Healthcare has announced a strategic distribution partnership with BridgeBio, a biotechnology company specialising in genetic diseases. This collaboration aims to facilitate the regulatory evaluation and potential patient access to a transthyretin stabiliser for transthyretin-mediated amyloidosis (ATTR-CM) across Australia, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan. The partnership combines BridgeBio’s biotech innovation with DKSH’s comprehensive commercialisation platform.

The transthyretin stabiliser is intended for treating cardiomyopathy in adults with wild-type or variant ATTR-CM, a progressive disease that significantly impacts quality of life and can lead to premature death. Currently, the treatment is not approved in the regions covered by the agreement, and its commercialisation will depend on obtaining necessary regulatory approvals.

DKSH will leverage its expertise in regulatory affairs, medical affairs, market access, and distribution to support the introduction of this treatment. Patrik Grande, Global Head of Business Unit Healthcare at DKSH, stated, “Our strategic partnership with BridgeBio represents an important milestone as DKSH Healthcare enters a new chapter with a renewed vision for growth.”

With over 160 years of experience, DKSH is a leading provider of Market Expansion Services, operating in 35 markets with a workforce of 26,840 specialists. In 2025, DKSH’s Business Unit Healthcare generated net sales of CHF 5.8 billion, distributing pharmaceuticals, consumer health products, and medical devices. This partnership marks a significant step in expanding access to innovative treatments in the Asia-Pacific region.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has called on Asia-Pacific countries to strengthen their emergency workforce capacities to better manage shared health risks. This appeal follows a comprehensive regional analysis presented at the Asia Pacific Health Security Action Framework Stakeholders Meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, attended by over 100 delegates from 49 countries.

The analysis, which synthesised insights from 21 strategic risk assessments and over 800 experts, emphasised the need for proactive investment in emergency workforce preparedness. The region faces a complex landscape where climate hazards, disease outbreaks, and geophysical events increasingly overlap, creating devastating impacts on health systems and communities.

Key findings revealed that more than half of the participating countries identified flooding, cyclones, dengue, and pandemic-potential respiratory pathogens as high-risk threats. WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific, Saia Ma’u Piukala, stated, “Isolated health interventions are no longer sufficient,” highlighting the interconnected nature of these hazards.

To address these vulnerabilities, WHO recommends several strategic actions, including bridging workforce capacity gaps, fostering multisectoral coordination, securing sustainable financing, enabling emergency-ready primary health care, ensuring inclusive emergency planning, and optimising communication strategies.

Despite significant gaps, the region has strong foundational pillars such as dedicated clinicians and rapid response teams. WHO is advancing regional workforce capacities through the Global Health Emergency Corps initiative, supported by the Gates Foundation and Institute of Philanthropy, to create a cohesive and rapidly deployable emergency workforce.

Gina Samaan, WHO’s Regional Emergency Director for the Western Pacific, stressed, “Scaling up emergency workforce readiness is no longer optional,” underscoring its importance in safeguarding health and protecting lives in an unpredictable future.

ST Telemedia Global Data Centres (STT GDC), headquartered in Singapore, has announced significant expansion milestones at its Jakarta data centre campus, including the launch of STT Jakarta 2 and the development of STT Jakarta 5 and 6. This expansion aims to deliver over 360MW of AI-ready IT capacity to support Indonesia’s burgeoning digital economy, projected to reach $130b by 2026. The initiative is driven by the increasing demand for cloud, AI, and digital infrastructure in the region.

The expansion of the Jakarta campus is designed to support high-density, AI-ready workloads and includes next-generation platforms with liquid cooling readiness. This development reflects STT GDC’s commitment to investing in scalable, high-performance digital infrastructure to meet Indonesia’s growing needs.

In parallel, STT GDC is focusing on talent development and community impact. The company has partnered with ATMI Cikarang to establish a Data Centre Laboratory Learning Centre in West Java, offering hands-on training with industrial-grade equipment. The programme includes globally recognised certification and structured internships, with student placements lasting up to 10 months within STT GDC’s operations.

Additionally, STT GDC is investing in community initiatives around its Jakarta campus. This includes the development of a badminton facility for 10,000 residents in Cikarang and environmental programmes like mangrove planting, benefiting over 150,000 villagers. These efforts aim to ensure that digital infrastructure development contributes positively to local communities.

Hendrikus Hendra Gozali, Country Head of STT GDC Indonesia, stated, “Our initiatives are designed to bridge the gap—equipping local talent with industry-relevant skills whilst ensuring that communities benefit meaningfully from the growth of the digital economy.” As STT GDC continues its expansion, these initiatives underscore its commitment to fostering inclusive growth and supporting Indonesia’s digital ecosystem.

Bank of Singapore has announced the appointment of Lim Leong Guan as Head of Private Banking for the Middle East, South Asia, and International, effective 1 July 2026. Based in Dubai, Lim will also serve as Chief Executive of the Dubai International Financial Centre Branch, pending regulatory approval. This move is part of the bank’s strategy to expand its ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) segment, which saw a 9.4% growth in 2025, according to Capgemini Research Institute.

Lim, a veteran with 35 years in private banking, joined Bank of Singapore in 2020 and has been pivotal in doubling the assets under management (AUM) for the Financial Intermediaries segment. His leadership will be crucial as the bank aims for a 30% increase in UHNW AUM globally by 2028. Lim’s previous roles include Global Head of Financial Intermediaries, Family Office and Wealth Advisory, and Global Head of Products at Bank of Singapore. He also spent 25 years at UBS Wealth Management in senior roles.

Alongside Lim, Rickie Chan and Vi Sun Yang will drive the UHNW strategy in Greater China, North Asia, and ASEAN, respectively. Annabelle Chow will lead the Financial Intermediaries business globally, reporting to Yang. Chow has been instrumental in tripling the size of the FIMs team across Singapore, Hong Kong, and Dubai.

Bank of Singapore CEO Jason Moo expressed confidence in Lim’s ability to capture market opportunities, stating, “LG is a seasoned private banker with a proven track record.” The bank’s focus on UHNW and FIM segments is expected to be a key driver for its next phase of growth.

CIMB Bank Berhad has signed a Letter of Intent with China CITIC Bank Corporation Limited to bolster financial connectivity between China and ASEAN, focusing on Malaysia and Indonesia. This collaboration seeks to facilitate bilateral trade, cross-border financing, and investment flows by leveraging China CITIC Bank’s strong onshore network and CIMB’s extensive ASEAN presence.

The partnership aims to provide clients with seamless access to a wide range of banking solutions, including trade transactions, payments, and cross-border financing. Additionally, it will support Chinese Yuan Renminbi and foreign currency payment capabilities, potentially offering access to China’s Cross-Border Interbank Payment System. This initiative is expected to enhance financial linkages across the China-ASEAN corridor.

Both banks will also explore head-office-level communications to streamline treasury and cash management services, improving operational coordination. This will enable clients to manage cross-border transactions more efficiently as they expand across the region. Furthermore, the partnership includes mutual client referrals and advisory services to assist clients in navigating market entry and regulatory requirements.

Chu Kok Wei, CEO of Group Wholesale Banking at CIMB, stated, “As trade, investment, and supply chain linkages between China and ASEAN continue to deepen, businesses increasingly require banking partners that can help them navigate both markets more seamlessly.”

The collaboration also plans to explore syndicated loans across global markets, broadening clients’ access to regional and international financing opportunities. This strategic alliance underscores the commitment of both banks to support their clients’ growth ambitions in one of the world’s most dynamic economic corridors.

Sunrate, a global payment and treasury management platform, has launched SunrateAI, a pioneering AI-native global payment infrastructure designed to automate and manage complex enterprise workflows. As traditional payment systems struggle with the demands of a real-time, multi-market global economy, SunrateAI offers a transformative approach by turning isolated payment actions into a continuously operating intelligent system.

SunrateAI aims to simplify the intricacies of cross-border B2B payments, which are often hindered by complex workflows, regulatory compliance, and dynamic foreign exchange (FX) management. Paul Meng, co-founder and CEO of Sunrate, stated, “With SunrateAI, we are defining Agentic Global Payments—introducing an intelligent ecosystem capable of autonomously navigating these enterprise complexities.”

The system features a suite of specialised agents that work as a unified system, autonomously orchestrating end-to-end workflows and optimising execution decisions in real time. Li Yilong, Head of AI at Sunrate, highlighted the significance of this innovation, stating, “Agentic Global Payments enable a fundamentally new operating model—one that is not only faster and more scalable but inherently smarter.”

Founded in 2016, Sunrate operates in 190 countries and partners with major financial institutions such as Citibank and Barclays. The launch of SunrateAI marks a significant step towards a more efficient and intelligent global payment landscape.

A recent report by Zurich Insurance highlights that 75% of Southeast Asia’s renewable energy capacity is at risk of severe climate exposure by 2030, threatening $165b in assets. The report suggests that investing $13b in climate resilience measures could mitigate up to $82b in potential losses, offering a 6.5x return on investment.

The analysis underscores the urgency for ASEAN countries to integrate resilience into their clean energy infrastructure. With the region aiming for renewable energy to constitute 45% of installed power capacity by 2030, up from 33% today, the financial stakes are high. Mark Fletcher, Head of Zurich Resilience Solutions, Asia Pacific, stated, “Southeast Asia has a clear opportunity to protect the value of its clean energy transition before losses materialise.”

The report identifies wind, flooding, hail, and tornadoes as critical hazards, with solar energy sites facing the most immediate risk. By 2030, 80% of solar sites are expected to fall into high-risk categories. Amar Rahman, Global Head Sustainability & Climate Solutions at Zurich, emphasised the importance of forward-looking climate data to guide resilience investments.

Zurich’s recommendations include mandatory climate risk screening, prioritising high-risk assets for stress-testing, and embedding hazard-specific resilience into procurement. These measures aim to enhance the insurability and bankability of renewable projects, ensuring long-term performance and reliability.

As ASEAN accelerates its clean energy initiatives, embedding resilience from the outset is crucial to safeguarding asset values and maintaining insurability, ensuring the region’s energy transition is both reliable and sustainable.

A recent survey commissioned by BioCatch has highlighted significant concerns among Asia Pacific (APAC) banking leaders regarding the potential for AI-driven fraud. Conducted across 340 fraud-management, anti-money laundering, and risk and compliance leaders in Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, India, and Australia, the survey found that 86% of respondents believe AI has heightened the sophistication of fraud and scams. Furthermore, 86% anticipate AI agents becoming a major exploitable vulnerability within the next year.

The survey underscores the growing challenge of distinguishing legitimate AI-assisted actions from malicious ones, with 78% of respondents expressing concern. Fraud attempts and losses are reportedly on the rise, with 81% and 78% of APAC respondents, respectively, noting increases at their institutions. Alarmingly, 49% reported annual fraud losses exceeding $10m, with some institutions losing over $100m.

BioCatch CEO Gadi Mazor commented, “AI is starting to reshape how customers interact with e-commerce sites and financial institutions and will change how criminals execute fraud and other financial crimes.”

The survey also revealed a strong desire for collaboration among APAC banking leaders, with 92% advocating for real-time intelligence sharing to combat scams. Additionally, 79% of respondents have already encountered agentic AI attacks, and 98% are prioritising customer trust in their investment decisions.

As fraudulent activities accelerate, the findings highlight the urgent need for innovative solutions to safeguard financial institutions and their customers from evolving threats.

Duke-NUS Medical School has been awarded a €2m grant from the European Union to bolster Asia’s capacity to detect infectious disease outbreaks early. The funding will support the use of wastewater and environmental surveillance as a population-level early warning system, aiming to identify threats before clinical cases escalate.

The initiative, announced on 9 June 2026, is part of a broader effort to enhance public health preparedness across the region. The project will be led by Duke-NUS’s Centre for Outbreak Preparedness, with Professor Paul Pronyk at the helm. “This grant will enable us to develop robust systems that can provide critical data for early intervention,” said Pronyk.

The funding comes at a crucial time as countries continue to grapple with the challenges posed by infectious diseases. Wastewater surveillance has emerged as a valuable tool in monitoring public health, offering insights into the spread of pathogens within communities. By detecting viral particles in wastewater, authorities can gain a clearer picture of infection trends and respond more effectively.

The project was officially launched at the ADWANCE-Asia kick-off meeting on 8 June in Kuala Lumpur, attended by key figures from the European Commission, including Ludmila Nistor-Mihajlova and Angela Tessarolo. The collaboration underscores the importance of international partnerships in addressing global health challenges.

Looking ahead, the initiative is expected to play a pivotal role in strengthening the region’s health security infrastructure, potentially serving as a model for other parts of the world.

DHL Supply Chain has announced a significant expansion of its data centre logistics capabilities across the Asia Pacific region. This move aims to support the growing demand for data centres as the region is poised to become the world’s next major data centre hub, attracting an estimated $800b in investment by 2030.

The expansion involves adding over 160,000 square metres of dedicated warehousing capacity, with 30,000 square metres already operational and an additional 130,000 square metres planned for Malaysia and Thailand over the next two years. This development is part of DHL’s strategy to provide comprehensive logistics solutions for hyperscalers and data centre operators amidst the rapid growth of AI and digital connectivity.

Javier Bilbao, CEO Asia Pacific DHL Supply Chain, highlighted the importance of this expansion, stating, “As the region enters this sustained phase of large-scale data centre execution, customers need more than capacity—they need execution certainty.” DHL’s investment focuses on advanced white glove handling and specialised technical services, ensuring precision and speed in demanding deployment environments.

The logistics giant is also upskilling its workforce to manage complex multiphase deployment programmes, shifting critical preparation work from live construction zones to controlled environments. This approach reduces the risk of damage and delays, ensuring efficient delivery and installation processes.

DHL’s expansion in Asia Pacific complements its global investment in data centre logistics, following recent developments in North America. Amanda Rasmussen, Chief Commercial Officer at DHL Global Forwarding, emphasised the strategic growth priority of data centre logistics, aiming to deliver integrated end-to-end solutions for every stage of the data centre lifecycle.