Artificial Intelligence

CWB reports second quarter 2021 financial and strategic performance

Published

3 years ago

May 28, 2021

CWB Financial Group (TSX: CWB) (CWB) today announced financial performance for the three and six month periods ended April 30, 2021, with second quarter net income available to common shareholders of $72 million, up 40% compared to the same period last year. Second quarter pre-tax, pre-provision income was up 11% from the same period last year and down 3% sequentially, with three fewer interest-earning days compared to the prior quarter.

“Our financial results surpassed our expectations again this quarter, supported by very strong branch-raised deposit and loan growth across the country,” said Chris Fowler, President and CEO. “Our focus to create an unrivaled experience for our clients and invest in our capabilities and product offering is creating exciting growth opportunities for CWB, especially as the near-term economic outlook improves. Based on the expected trajectory of our financial performance for the rest of the year, we now expect to deliver high single-digit loan growth and mid-teens adjusted earnings per share growth on a full year basis in fiscal 2021.”

“Our focus to offer a superior client experience by transforming our capabilities has accelerated growth of full-service relationships within our risk appetite. The $805 million of net loan growth this quarter is one of the highest levels of quarterly organic loan growth that we have delivered in our history. We also continued to drive strong growth of lower cost branch-raised deposits, which has contributed to another sequential increase in our net interest margin.”

“As the economy recovers, we will be well-positioned to accelerate our growth and capture increased market share through our continued expansion in Ontario, where we are planning for the opening of our second full-service banking centre in fiscal 2022. I am also pleased with the progress we have made in the development of our digital client offering, which complements our proactive relationship-based client experience. In the second half of 2021, we will commence a limited initial roll-out of our Virtual COO, a digital solution powered by explainable artificial-intelligence that will provide small business owners with access to real-time information on their financial health and relevant insights to accelerate their business growth. This innovative digital tool enables us to be a disruptor as we proactively support small business owners across Canada.”

“As we look to the year ahead, we are seeing signals of a strong economic recovery that could provide additional accretive opportunities to surpass our baseline loan growth expectations within our risk appetite. To provide the capital flexibility to take full advantage of these potential opportunities, we plan to establish an at-the-market common equity distribution program. This program will provide a flexible and efficient tool to grow our regulatory capital base, if needed, in parallel with stronger levels of loan growth to drive incremental shareholder returns.”

“The parallel run of our AIRB tools and processes continued this quarter. We have gained significant insights as we continue to use these tools across our business and identified opportunities for enhancements that we expect will improve our efficiency and effectiveness as a model-enabled bank. We plan to implement these enhancements and expect to extend our previously communicated timeline for resubmission of our AIRB application beyond the first half of 2022, but believe this approach will result in more favorable long-term outcomes for our teams and our investors.”

“The success we have achieved would not be possible without our talented and dedicated teams. I am very proud that for the second consecutive year, CWB Financial Group was recognized as one of the 50 Best Work Places^TM in Canada. This award is based on confidential employee trust and engagement survey results, and reflects the strength of our culture. Our continued strategic execution and strong financial results reflects our teams’ passion and dedication to realize our full potential across Canada.”

Financial Performance

On June 1, 2020, we acquired the businesses of T.E. Wealth and Leon Frazer & Associates (the wealth acquisition). The operations of the wealth acquisition contributed to non-interest income growth while negatively affecting our efficiency ratio compared to the prior year. The wealth acquisition has contributed approximately $0.01 to adjusted earnings per common share in the first half of fiscal 2021, with higher levels of accretion anticipated starting in fiscal 2022.

Q2 2021, compared to Q2 2020⁽¹⁾	Common shareholders’ net income of $72 million	Up 40%
	Adjusted EPS of $0.84	Up 40%
	Adjusted ROE of 10.8%	Up 280 bp⁽²⁾
	Efficiency ratio of 48.9% (47.1% excluding the impact of the wealth acquisition)	Worsened 180 bp (No change)

Compared to the same quarter last year, common shareholders’ net income increased as 15% revenue growth and a decline in the provision for credit losses more than offset the impact of higher non-interest expenses. Accelerated growth of full-service client relationships was the primary driver of very strong branch-raised deposit growth of 18%, which included a 34% increase in lower-cost demand and notice deposits. Net interest income increased 14%, driven by a 13 basis point increase in net interest margin and 7% loan growth, including 10% growth in Ontario. Non-interest income growth of 29% was primarily related to the wealth acquisition. Non-interest expenses were up 20%, or approximately 9% excluding the wealth acquisition and costs associated with operating our Advanced Internal Ratings Based (AIRB) tools and processes. The provision for credit losses as a percentage of average loans was 29 basis points lower than last year, primarily due to improved macroeconomic forecasts associated with the ongoing economic recovery, which drove a 34 basis point decrease in the performing loan provision for credit losses.

Q2 2021, compared to Q1 2021⁽¹⁾	Common shareholders’ net income of $72 million	Down 9%
	Adjusted EPS of $0.84	Down 10%
	Adjusted ROE of 10.8%	Down 70 bp⁽²⁾
	Efficiency ratio of 48.9%	Worsened 210 bp

Compared to the prior quarter, common shareholders’ net income decreased as 1% revenue growth was more than offset by a 5% increase in non-interest expenses and the impact of the first semi-annual coupon payment on our Series 1 Non-Viability Contingent Capital (NVCC) Limited Recourse Capital Notes (LRCN) during the quarter of $4 million, after-tax. Revenue increased, despite three fewer interest-earning days, primarily due to the impact of a six basis point increase in net interest margin, which included a one-time two basis point benefit associated with adjusting certain balance sheet management activities in response to a shift in our funding mix, and very strong 3% loan growth. Strong growth in branch-raised deposits, including 6% sequential growth in lower cost demand and notice deposits, supported continued net interest margin expansion during the quarter. The provision for credit losses as a percentage of average loans was two basis points higher than last quarter, primarily due to an increase in the impaired loan provision for credit losses.

YTD 2021, compared to YTD 2020⁽¹⁾	Common shareholders’ net income of $151 million	Up 23%
	Adjusted EPS of $1.77	Up 24%
	Adjusted ROE of 11.2%	Up 160 bp⁽²⁾
	Efficiency ratio of 47.8% (46.1% excluding the impact of the wealth acquisition)	Worsened 150 bp (Improved 20 bp)


⁽¹⁾	Includes certain non-IFRS measures – refer to definitions provided on page 6 of this news release, with further detail provided on page 7 of the 2021 Second Quarter Report to Shareholders.
⁽²⁾	bp – basis point

On a year-to-date basis, the increase in common shareholders’ net income was driven by 13% growth in revenue and a decline in the provision for credit losses, partially offset by an increase in non-interest expenses. Revenue growth included a 10% increase in net interest income and a 41% increase in non-interest income from the wealth acquisition. The increase in net interest income was attributable to 7% annual loan growth and a three basis point increase in net interest margin. Non-interest expenses were up 18%, or approximately 7% excluding the wealth acquisition and costs associated with operating our AIRB tools and processes. A 19 basis point provision for credit losses as a percentage of average loans was 15 basis points lower than the prior year, reflecting a 21 basis point decline in the performing loan provision for credit losses due to an improved macroeconomic outlook through the first half of 2021, offset by a six basis point increase in the impaired loan provision for credit losses.

Strategic Performance

We continue to transform our capabilities to offer a superior full-service client experience through a complete range of in-person and digital channels, delivered by our highly engaged teams that operate within a client-centric, collaborative and change-ready culture. Our differentiated market position and transformation-focused strategy sets the stage for CWB to be a disruptive force in Canadian financial services, deliver profitable long-term growth and provide attractive, sustainable returns to investors.

This quarter, work progressed as expected on our key strategic projects, including the development of digital onboarding for small business clients and enhanced digital banking platforms for all business and personal clients. In addition, this quarter we:

were recognized by Great Place to Work^®as one of the 50 Best Workplaces^TM in Canada, for the second consecutive year;
continued to focus on our geographic diversification strategy, with formalized plans to open a new banking centre in Ontario in fiscal 2022, building on the success of our Mississauga banking centre opened in August 2020;
continued our progress towards AIRB approval. We plan to implement enhancements to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our AIRB tools and processes that we identified through our parallel run. We expect the implementation of these enhancements to extend our timeline for resubmission of our application to the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions Canada (OSFI) beyond the first half of 2022, as previously expected; and,
progressed development of the Virtual COO solution in partnership with Temenos, a global leader in banking software, to provide small business owners with a differentiated digital banking experience and accelerate our full-service client growth. The explainable artificial-intelligence powered solution, which is scheduled for a limited initial roll-out in the second half of 2021, will provide our small business owner clients with access to real-time information on their financial health and relevant insights to accelerate their business growth.

Capital Management

During the third quarter of fiscal 2021, we intend to establish an at-the-market (ATM) common equity distribution program that will allow for the incremental issuance, at our discretion and if needed, of up to $150 million of common shares at market prices in effect at the time. This program will provide additional flexibility to gradually support stronger than expected loan growth, while prudently managing our regulatory capital ratios.

Following the successful issuance of our $175 million Series 1 NVCC LRCN in October 2020, we completed the issuance of $150 million Series 2 NVCC LRCN in March 2021. With the recent LRCN issuances that bolstered our Tier 1 and Total capital ratios, we intend to redeem all of the outstanding NVCC Non-Cumulative 5-Year Rate Reset First Preferred Shares Series 7, in accordance with the provisions of the Series 7 Preferred Shares. If we proceed with the redemption, we estimate that it will reduce our Tier 1 and Total capital ratios by approximately 50 basis points. This announcement does not constitute a notice of redemption. If a decision is made to proceed with the redemption, formal notice will be provided in accordance with the provisions of the Series 7 Preferred Shares.

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Artificial Intelligence

More than $9 Million Awarded to High School Scientists and Engineers at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair 2024

Published

2 days ago

May 17, 2024

CISION (PR Newswire)

more-than-$9-million-awarded-to-high-school-scientists-and-engineers-at-the-regeneron-international-science-and-engineering-fair-2024

Grace Sun, 16, receives $75,000 Top Award for a new kind of organic electrochemical transistor at the world’s largest pre-college science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) competition.
TARRYTOWN, N.Y. and WASHINGTON, May 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: REGN) and Society for Science (the Society) announced that Grace Sun, 16, of Lexington, Kentucky, won the $75,000 top award, the George D. Yancopoulos Innovator Award, named in honor of the pioneering drug researcher and Regeneron co-Founder, Board co-Chair, President and Chief Scientific Officer, in the 2024 Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (Regeneron ISEF), the world’s largest pre-college science and engineering competition. Other top prizes went to projects in second-order cone programming, microplastics filtration and multi-sensory therapy for dementia.

The top winners were honored during two award ceremonies: the Special Awards on May 16 and the Grand Awards Ceremony on the morning of May 17. In total, over $9 million USD was awarded to the finalists based on their projects’ creativity, innovation and depth of scientific inquiry. The competition featured nearly 2,000 young scientists representing 49 U.S. states and nearly 70 countries, regions and territories across the world.
Grace Sun, 16, of Lexington, Kentucky, won first place and received the $75,000 George D. Yancopoulos Innovator Award for her research on building a better organic electrochemical transistor that she hopes will be used to develop new electronic devices that could help detect and treat serious illnesses like diabetes, epilepsy and organ failure. To overcome the problems that have previously prevented such devices from working effectively inside the body, Grace developed a new way of chemically treating their organic components, which greatly improved their laboratory performance.
Michelle Wei, 17, of San Jose, California, received one of two Regeneron Young Scientist Awards of $50,000 for her research to improve the speed and efficiency of a type of software that is useful in many fields such as machine learning, transportation and financial systems. Michelle’s new approach involved determining a quick approximate solution to the second-order cone programming problem, then splitting the initial cone into smaller cones, which enabled her new algorithm to greatly outperform previous approaches.
Krish Pai, 17, of Del Mar, California, received the second Regeneron Young Scientist Award of $50,000 for his machine-learning research to identify microbial genetic sequences that can be modified to biodegrade plastic. His new software, called Microby, scans databases of microorganisms and determines which ones can be changed genetically to biodegrade plastics. In tests, he identified two microorganisms that can be genetically modified to degrade plastic at a cost he believes would be ten times less than traditional recycling.
“Congratulations to the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair 2024 winners,” said Maya Ajmera, President and CEO, Society for Science and Executive Publisher, Science News. “I’m truly inspired by the ingenuity and determination shown by these remarkable students. Coming from around the world with diverse backgrounds and academic disciplines, these students have shown that it is possible to come together in unity to tackle some of the toughest challenges facing our world today, and I could not be prouder.”
Regeneron ISEF provides a global stage for the world’s best and brightest young scientists and engineers. Through this competition, Regeneron and the Society are fostering the next generation of STEM leaders who are pioneering solutions to improve our world. Since 2020, Regeneron has provided STEM experiences to approximately 2.4 million students, on track to meet its goal of 2.5 million by 2025.
“The talent, intelligence and potential of this year’s Regeneron ISEF finalists is truly inspiring, and I congratulate each on their remarkable achievements,” said George D. Yancopoulos, M.D., Ph.D., co-Founder, Board co-Chair, President and Chief Scientific Officer of Regeneron. “Science competitions like ISEF were pivotal in shaping my own career and fueling my passion to fight back against disease. I look forward to seeing these students continue to push the boundaries of science and technology to create positive and sustainable change for all humanity.”
Other top honors from the competition include:
Justin Huang and Victoria Ou, both 17, of Woodlands, Texas, received the Gordon E. Moore Award for Positive Outcomes for Future Generations of $50,000 for their new prototype filtration system that uses ultrasonic waves to remove microscopic plastic particles from water. In lab tests, the acoustic force from the high-frequency sound waves removed between 84% and 94% of the suspended microplastic particles in a single pass. The students are now working to scale up and fine-tune their experimental system.
Ingrid Wai Hin Chan, 17, of Hong Kong, China received the Craig R. Barrett Award for Innovation of $10,000 for her research on using a multi-sensory therapy for dementia patients. Her mixed therapy app would allow patients to practice physical and cognitive skills through a personalized, immersive environment using virtual reality headsets. Ingrid conducted an eight-week study with six people living with dementia and found that the cognitive function of patients who used her prototype improved in several areas. She believes her app could serve as a viable option for dementia patients with limited access to in-person professional therapy.
Tanishka Balaji Aglave, 15, of Valrico, Florida, received the H. Robert Horvitz Prize for Fundamental Research of $10,000 for her investigation into a natural alternative treatment against citrus greening, a disease that threatens citrus farming in many parts of the world and is currently only treated with antibiotics. Tanishka injected the trunks of infected trees with an extract from the curry leaf tree, and found through tests that this potential method could effectively and sustainably manage citrus greening disease.
Maddux Alexander Springer, 18, of Honolulu, Hawaii, received the Peggy Scripps Award for Science Communication of $10,000 for his research into fibropapillomatosis (FP), a disease that is the primary cause of death in green sea turtles. Some turtles he studied in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, were stricken with a disease that causes internal and external tumors that inhibit their everyday lives. After analyzing the turtles’ diet of green algae, Maddux concluded that this disease, wastewater, invasive algae and the amino acid arginine all pose a grave risk to these endangered sea creatures.
Ria Kamat, 17, of Hackensack, New Jersey; Anna Oliva, 17, of Houston, TX; and Shuhan Luo, 18, of Worcester, MA, received the Dudley R. Herschbach SIYSS Award, which provides finalists an all-expense paid trip to attend the Stockholm International Youth Science Seminar during Nobel Week in Stockholm, Sweden.
Jack Shannon, 18, of Clane, Kildare, Ireland, and Nikhil Vemuri, 17, of Cary, North Carolina, received the EU Contest for Young Scientists Award. Their projects will represent Regeneron ISEF at the EU Contest for Young Scientists to be held this September in Katowice, Poland.
For more information about the top winners and access to visual assets visit: https://www.societyforscience.org/isef-2024-media-kit.
The full list of Special Award ISEF 2024 Finalists can be found at https://www.societyforscience.org/press-release/regeneron-isef-2024-special-awards-winners.
In addition to the Top Award winners, more than 450 finalists received awards and prizes for their innovative research, including “First Award” winners, who each received a $5,000 prize.
The following lists the First Award winners for each of the 22 categories, from which the Top Awards were chosen:
Animal Sciences, sponsored by Society for ScienceMaddux Alexander Springer, Honolulu, Hawaii
Behavioral and Social Sciences, sponsored by Society for ScienceAndrew Y. Liang, San Jose, California
Biochemistry, sponsored by RegeneronAmy Hong Xiao, Garden City, New York
Biomedical and Health Sciences, sponsored by RegeneronRia Kamat, Hackensack, New Jersey; Kevin Xuan Lei, Shanghai, China
Biomedical Engineering, sponsored by Alfred E. Mann CharitiesAyush Garg, Dublin, California; Divij Motwani, Palo Alto, California; Akash Ashish Pai, Portland, Oregon
Cellular and Molecular Biology, sponsored by RegeneronLara and Maya Sarah Hammoud, Beverly Hills, Michigan
Chemistry, sponsored by Society for ScienceAkilan Sankaran, Albuquerque, New Mexico; Arjun Suresh Malpani and Siddharth Daniel D’costa, Portland, Oregon
Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, sponsored by RegeneronKun-Hyung Roh, Bronx, New York
Earth and Environmental Sciences, sponsored by Google.orgNikhil Vemuri, Durham, North Carolina; Justin Yizhou Huang and Victoria Ou, The Woodlands, Texas
Embedded Systems, sponsored by HPChloe Rae and Sophie Rose Filion, Welland, Ontario, Canada
Energy: Sustainable Materials and Design, sponsored by Siemens EnergyAlia Wahban, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Engineering Technology: Statics and Dynamics, sponsored by Howmet Aerospace FoundationChiyo Nakatsuji, Bunkyoku, Tokyo, Japan; Kevin Shen, Olympia, Washington
Environmental Engineering, sponsored by JacobsKrish Pai, San Diego, California; Jack Shannon, Clane, Kildare, Ireland
Materials Science, sponsored by Howmet Aerospace FoundationGrace Sun, Lexington, Kentucky
Mathematics, sponsored by Akamai FoundationAnna Oliva, Houston, Texas
Microbiology, sponsored by Schattner FoundationMatthew Chang, Irvine, California
Physics and Astronomy, sponsored by Richard F. Caris Charitable Trust IIHarini Thiagarajan and Vishal Ranganath Yalla, Bothell, Washington; Shuhan Luo, Worcester, Massachusetts
Plant Sciences, sponsored by Society for SciencePauline Estrada, Fresno, California; Tanishka Balaji Aglave, Dover, Florida
Robotics and Intelligent Machines, sponsored by RegeneronMichal Lajciak, Dubnica nad Vahom, Trenciansky kraj, Slovakia; Anthony Efthimiadis, Oakville, Ontario, Canada
Systems Software, sponsored by MicrosoftMichelle Wei, San Jose, California
Technology Enhances the Arts, sponsored by Society for ScienceAnant Khandelwal, Sritan Motati and Siddhant Sood, Alexandria, Virginia
Translational Medical Science, sponsored by RegeneronZheng-Chi Lee, West Lafayette, Indiana; Ingrid Wai Hin Chan, Hong Kong, China
The full list of all award-winning ISEF 2024 finalists is available here: https://www.societyforscience.org/press-release/regeneron-isef-2024-full-awards.
View all the finalists’ research here: https://projectboard.world/isef.
About the Regeneron International Science and Engineering FairThe Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (Regeneron ISEF), a program of Society for Science for over 70 years, is the world’s largest global science competition for high school students. Through a global network of local, regional and national science fairs, millions of students are encouraged to explore their passion for scientific inquiry. Each spring, a group of these students is selected as finalists and offered the opportunity to compete for approximately U.S. $9 million in awards and scholarships.
In 2019, Regeneron became the title sponsor of ISEF to help reward and celebrate the best and brightest young minds globally and encourage them to pursue careers in STEM to positively impact the world. Regeneron ISEF is supported by a community of additional sponsors, including Akamai Foundation, Alfred E. Mann Charities, Aramco, Caltech, Google.org, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Howmet Aerospace Foundation, HP, , Jacobs, King Abdulaziz & his Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity, Microsoft, National Geographic Society, Richard F. Caris Charitable Trust II, Rise, an initiative of Schmidt Futures and the Rhodes Trust, Schattner Foundation, Siemens Energy, Annenburg Foundation, Ballmer Group, Broadcom Foundation, Cesco Linguistic Services, Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, Edison International, Insaco, Oracle Academy, The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation, The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation and US Army ROTC. Many are entrepreneurs across a wide range of industries. Learn more at https://www.societyforscience.org/isef/.
About Society for ScienceSociety for Science is a champion for science, dedicated to promoting the understanding and appreciation of science and the vital role it plays in human advancement. Established in 1921, Society for Science is best known for its award-winning journalism through Science News and Science News Explores, its world-class science research competitions for students, including the Regeneron Science Talent Search, the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair and the Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge, and its outreach and equity programming that seeks to ensure that all students have an opportunity to pursue a career in STEM. A 501(c)(3) membership organization, Society for Science is committed to inform, educate and inspire. Learn more at www.societyforscience.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat (Society4Science).
About RegeneronRegeneron (NASDAQ: REGN) is a leading biotechnology company that invents, develops and commercializes life-transforming medicines for people with serious diseases. Founded and led by physician-scientists, our unique ability to repeatedly and consistently translate science into medicine has led to numerous approved treatments and product candidates in development, most of which were homegrown in our laboratories. Our medicines and pipeline are designed to help patients with eye diseases, allergic and inflammatory diseases, cancer, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, neurological diseases, hematologic conditions, infectious diseases and rare diseases.
Regeneron believes that operating as a good corporate citizen is crucial to delivering on our mission. We approach corporate responsibility with three goals in mind: to improve the lives of people with serious diseases, to foster a culture of integrity and excellence and to build sustainable communities. Regeneron is proud to be included on the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index and the Civic 50 list of the most “community-minded” companies in the U.S. Throughout the year, Regeneron empowers and supports employees to give back through our volunteering, pro bono and matching gift programs. Our most significant philanthropic commitments are in the area of early science education, including the Regeneron Science Talent Search and the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF).
For more information, please visit www.Regeneron.com or follow Regeneron on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook or X.
More information about the top winners and access to visual assets visit: https://www.societyforscience.org/isef-2024-media-kit.
Media ContactsJoseph Brown, [email protected]
Gayle Kansagor, Society for [email protected]
Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2416174/Regeneron_ISEF_2024_Winners_Photo.jpg
Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2416197/Society_for_Science_Logo.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/more-than-9-million-awarded-to-high-school-scientists-and-engineers-at-the-regeneron-international-science-and-engineering-fair-2024-302149316.html

Artificial Intelligence

J.P. Morgan Life Sciences Private Capital, Blue Horizon Advisors and United Al Saqer Announce Winner of Inaugural 2024 Life Sciences Innovation Summit

Published

2 days ago

May 17, 2024

CISION (PR Newswire)

In conjunction with Abu Dhabi Global Healthcare Week 2024
ABU DHABI, UAE, May 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — J.P. Morgan Life Sciences Private Capital, Blue Horizon Advisors and United Al Saqer Group announced today Rayees Rahman of Harmonic Discovery as the winner of the inaugural J.P. Morgan Asset Management: Life Sciences Innovation Summit. Harmonic Discovery is a precision pharmacology company applying its generative chemistry platform to advance next-generation kinase inhibitors.

In partnership with the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH), the Summit took place on May 14-15, 2024 at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi and showcased the 11 innovative finalists, as well as highlighted existing innovators and opportunities in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. The event also featured keynote speeches from Dr. Laurie Glimcher of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Dr. Shahrukh Hashmi of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, and Dr. David Ho of Columbia University Medical Center and provided attendees networking opportunities to gain valuable insights into the future of life sciences innovation.
In addition, the jury designated Chun-Hao Huang of Algen Biotechnologies as honourable mention. Algen Biotechnologies is a platform therapeutics and drug discovery company using world-leading CRISPR and AI to find treatments for cancer, inflammation and metabolic diseases.
The winners were selected by an esteemed, international panel of judges, which included:Laurie Glimcher, MD, President and CEO at Dana-Farber Cancer InstituteJorge Guzman, MD, CEO at Cleveland Clinic Abu DhabiProf. Shahrukh Khurshid Hashmi, MD, Director of Research, Department of Health, Abu DhabiYasmine Hayek Kobeissi, PhD, CQF, BSc., Executive Director at Blue Horizon AdvisorsAnya Schiess, Managing Partner at J.P. Morgan Life Sciences Private CapitalWalid Zaher, PhD, Co-Founder and CEO, Carexso
Dr. Asma Al Mannaei, Executive Director of the Research and Innovation Centre at the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi said: “Under the directives of the UAE’s wise leadership, and renowned for its world-leading medical infrastructure, Abu Dhabi stands at the forefront of healthcare excellence, offering an unparalleled opportunity for advancement in healthcare for global partners. It was our utmost pleasure hosting the J.P. Morgan Asset Management Life Sciences Innovation Summit 2024 on the sidelines of Abu Dhabi Global Healthcare Week and we commend the winners for their pioneering efforts in driving impactful advancements in healthcare; their dedication to innovation not only transforms the landscape of medicine, but also holds the promise of improving lives worldwide.”
Stephen Squinto, PhD, Chief Investment Officer, J.P. Morgan Life Sciences Private Capital said: “We are thrilled with the level of biotech passion and innovation that we observed at this year’s Summit in Abu Dhabi. The energy was truly palpable we are thrilled to announce Rayees Rahman as the winner of our first Life Sciences Innovation Summit. Harmonic Discovery’s approach embodies the next generation of drug discovery and development. We appreciate the time and effort of all participants and cannot wait for our next event in the region.”
Nabil Kobeissi, Chief Executive Officer of Blue Horizon Advisors, said: “As the main sponsor, we are committed to nurturing and fostering the growth of all 11 finalists in this vibrant biotech ecosystem. This Summit marks the beginning of a transformative journey, and we are confident that it will pave the way for a flourishing hub in the region. We are also pleased to announce that we will commit to invest in and partner with the winner, Harmonic Discovery, to support its future growth in the region.”
Sponsors for the event included J.P. Morgan Life Sciences Private Capital, J.P. Morgan Commercial Bank, Blue Horizon Advisors, United Al Saqer Group, Thermo Fisher Scientific, and Salam Capital. The Summit organisation, logistics and finalist recruitment were facilitated by Lyfebulb.
Of importance, at the Summit, Mr. Mohamed Al Breiki, Executive Director of Sustainable Development at Masdar City, announced that Masdar City Free Zone would award all 11 Finalists complimentary business licenses to further support their establishment in the region. Masdar City is one of the world’s most sustainable urban developments and innovation hubs with a growing focus on life science entrepreneurship in Abu Dhabi.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/jp-morgan-life-sciences-private-capital-blue-horizon-advisors-and-united-al-saqer-announce-winner-of-inaugural-2024-life-sciences-innovation-summit-302149186.html

Artificial Intelligence

Congregating in the Lion City for a Win-Win Future of Intelligent Computing at the Global Data Center Facility Summit 2024

Published

2 days ago

May 17, 2024

CISION (PR Newswire)

congregating-in-the-lion-city-for-a-win-win-future-of-intelligent-computing-at-the-global-data-center-facility-summit-2024

SINGAPORE, May 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — On May 17, 2024, the Global Data Center Facility Summit 2024 was held in Singapore with the theme of “Power the Digital Era Forward.” At the summit, over 600 data center industry leaders, technical experts, and ecosystem partners gathered to discuss new trends and opportunities of the global data center industry in the intelligent computing era. The attendees also got to experience all-scenario, all-ecosystem, and all-service end-to-end (E2E) solutions, share innovative practices of green data centers in the Asia Pacific and Europe, and experience the exhibition vehicle to unveil the mystery of Outdoor PowerPOD that features one power system per container. By fully embracing the intelligent computing era, Huawei strives to power the digital era forward.

Seizing Opportunities Brought by AI and Jointly Building Green & Reliable Computing Infrastructure
At the opening speech, Charles Yang, Senior Vice President of Huawei and President of Marketing, Sales and Services, Huawei Digital Power, noted that since ChatGPT ushered in the AI era, large models keep pushing the limits of computing power and the intelligent computing industry is witnessing an unprecedented construction boom. As predicted, 100 GW will be added to the global data center installed capacity and the market value will exceed US$600 billion in the next five years.
According to Charles, with opportunities come challenges. The primary challenge concerning the data center industry is reliability and electricity. Data centers are scaling up from the MW-level to the GW-level. E2E reliability of data centers is becoming even more important than ever. In response to the opportunities, Huawei will work with customers and partners to expand the industry space.
Steering Data Centers to the AI Era with Product + Service + Ecosystem
During the summit, Sun Xiaofeng, President of Huawei Data Center Facility & Critical Power Business, delivered a speech titled “Power the Digital Era Forward. ” He stated that as AI large models are penetrating, the surging compute demands drive the expansive growth in data center.
To address the challenges, Huawei strives to build product + service + ecosystem E2E data center solutions that feature fast deployment, flexible cooling, green energy, and ultimate reliability.
Fast deployment: Data centers are fully modularized and prefabricated to ensure high quality and efficient construction.Flexible cooling: Air-liquid fusion and integrated cooling source emerges as the optimal cooling architecture for intelligent computing.Green energy: New generation-grid-load-storage integrated solution is built to ensure the sound operations of intelligent computing centers.Ultimate reliability: Data centers are safeguarded through reliable products and preventive protection.Currently, Huawei’s global service network covers more than 170 countries with over 1800 professional engineers, providing 24/7 technical support. With N+ flagship service centers, Huawei has built a one-hour service radius for its customers.
The ecosystem is a key part for a win-win future of intelligent computing. Huawei works with partners to develop comprehensive E2E solutions and provide customers with one-stop data center services.
During the summit, Huawei and the ASEAN Centre for Energy released a white paper on “Building Next Generation Data Center Facility in ASEAN.” The document provides insights into the status quo, challenges, and trends of data centers in the ASEAN region, and emphasizes that efficient and energy-saving products and solutions should be applied. It also proposes future-oriented policy recommendations for data center markets.
In the ecosystem exhibition area, Huawei showcased scenario-based solutions for large-, medium-, and small-sized data centers, and demonstrated data center consulting, design, integrated development, and delivery capabilities with dozens of ecosystem partners including CIMC, Weichai, CSCEC, and Huashi.
On a special note, the Huawei Outdoor PowerPOD exhibition vehicle made its global debut. The Huawei Outdoor PowerPOD features one power system per container, outdoor deployment, plug-and-play, and high protection rating and reliability. It has become the preferred choice for decoupling the power supply architecture.
A single tree cannot make a forest.
AI is presenting great opportunities. By delving into the industry, aggregating partner ecosystems, and making innovations applicable to transformations, Huawei will continue to help customers build reliable computing infrastructure, accelerating the industry to embrace AI and powering the digital era forward.
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