Latest news with #Asia‑Pacific
Bangkok Post
10-07-2025
- Business
- Bangkok Post
LPGA Tour poised to sparkle with reboot
As the LPGA Tour enters the back nine of its milestone 75th anniversary season, it is primed to capitalise on the global growth of women's golf -- thanks to recent leadership appointments and the continued rise of Asia‑Pacific golfers -- both of which should strengthen the tour's foundation for longevity and deepen its impact on its fans worldwide. In recent months, the LPGA named its 10th commissioner in 40-year-old Craig Kessler, whom the search committee was wowed by his passion for the women's game and, more importantly, by his astute vision to take the organisation forward through four key pillars he has outlined. Kessler, who holds an MBA from Harvard Business School, assumes his new role on July 15 and brings a broad range of leadership experience across sports and business, most recently serving as chief operating officer of the PGA of America. Closer to home, the LPGA appointed Chris Madsen as its new Managing Director for the Asia-Pacific region, a critical market in its global strategy. The region will host eight tournaments this year, including upcoming stops in China, Korea (two), Malaysia and Japan beginning in October. Since Pak Se-Ri's historic triumph at the 1998 US Women's Open -- where she became the first Asian golfer, male or female, to win a major championship -- women's golf in Asia has flourished. Currently, seven Asia-Pacific players sit inside the top 10 of the season-long Race to CME Globe points list, led by No.1 Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand, No.2 Minjee Lee of Australia and third-ranked Rio Takeda of Japan. Of the 17 tournaments played so far this year, 10 have been won by women from the region. "Asia is central to the LPGA's identity, not only because of the events we host there, but also because of the many world-class players from the region and our global corporate partners based there," said Liz Moore, who served as interim commissioner from December until Kessler's appointment. The effervescent Jeeno, 22, a five-time LPGA winner, is part of a new wave of Asian superstars, and the talent pipeline remains strong. Japan's Mao Saigo, Takeda, and Chisato Iwai have all secured wins in 2025, while Korea's Kim A-Lim, Kim Hyo-Joo, Ryu Hae-Ran, Lee Somi and Im Jin-Hee have also triumphed. Minjee Lee recently claimed her third major at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship, and Lydia Ko of New Zealand, the 2024 Olympic gold medallist, continues to be amongst the tour's marquee attractions. The talent pool is also set to deepen further. When the Amundi Evian Championship, one of five LPGA majors, tees off this week in France, all eyes will be on Malaysia's Mirabel Ting. The 19-year-old phenom turned professional last week and will make her debut after a stellar collegiate season at Florida State University, where she won five of nine starts and ended the season ranked No.1 in the US. Ting was awarded the 2025 Annika Award presented by Stifel, which granted her an exemption into the Evian field. "In my 25 years, she's [Ting] by far the best ball-striker I've ever seen," FSU head coach Amy Bond told Golf Week. The LPGA is also bolstering its development pathways. The newly launched LPGA Collegiate Advancement Pathway (LCAP) will create opportunities for top college golfers in the US to transition to the professional ranks, such as the Epson Tour. This complements the existing LPGA Elite Amateur Pathway (LEAP) which rewards top amateurs with LPGA memberships, mirroring the successful PGA Tour University model that has produced stars like Ludvig Aberg. Once Kessler officially begins his role, his priorities will be to build trust, raise the visibility of LPGA stars globally, grow the fan base, and solidify the tour's financial foundation. Among future plans is hosting the largest fundraising initiative in the tour's history, a 75th anniversary Pro-Am at Pebble Beach Resorts next January, in support of the LPGA Foundation's mission to inspire the next generation of female golfers. Kessler has also hit the road in recent weeks to hold discussions with stakeholders and players to shape the LPGA's next chapter. In golf, timing is everything, and for the LPGA, its 75th anniversary, also known as its Diamond Jubilee, arrives at a perfect moment. As the saying goes, diamonds are forever, and under Kessler's transformational leadership, women's golf looks set to sparkle for decades to come.
The Star
09-07-2025
- Business
- The Star
LPGA Tour poised to sparkle beyond Diamond Jubilee with leadership reboot
AS THE LPGA Tour enters the back nine of its milestone 75th anniversary season, it is primed to capitalise on the global growth of women's golf – thanks to recent leadership appointments and the continued rise of Asia‑Pacific golfers – both of which should strengthen the tour's foundation for longevity and deepen its impact on its fans worldwide. In recent months, the LPGA named its 10th commissioner in 40-year-old Craig Kessler, whom the search committee was wowed by his passion for the women's game and, more importantly, by his astute vision to take the organisation forward through four key pillars he has outlined. Billed as RM9.73 for the 1st month then RM13.90 thereafters. RM12.33/month RM8.63/month Billed as RM103.60 for the 1st year then RM148 thereafters. Free Trial For new subscribers only
Arabian Post
09-07-2025
- Business
- Arabian Post
Asia‑Pacific AI Funding Surges to $15.4 B Amid Deal Slowdown
Asia‑Pacific digital‑native firms attracted USD 15.4 billion in artificial intelligence investment in 2024, a figure reported by IDC that underscores a shift towards deeper commitments and strategic growth, even as the volume of deals declined. Capital concentration has intensified as larger funding rounds become the norm. IDC analysts found that while the number of funded AI startups has dropped, the average investment per deal has risen markedly—reflecting investors' preference for enterprises closer to market maturity rather than early-stage ventures. China, South Korea, Japan and India remain at the forefront of investment flows. These major markets, with their diverse tech ecosystems and supportive policies, continue to lead, though Southeast Asian nations are gaining traction as both AI adopters and innovators. ADVERTISEMENT Generative AI, a wave propelled by breakthrough models in natural-language processing and image creation, is swiftly ascending as the dominant investment theme across Asia‑Pacific. IDC forecasts that GenAI allocations will more than double by 2028, reaching USD 54.5 billion and forging a new frontier for enterprise transformation. There is mounting evidence that corporations are pivoting from rhetoric to implementation. Only 29 percent of digital‑native businesses have scaled AI organisation‑wide, yet more than 42 percent now actively pursue co‑innovation partnerships with technology vendors to integrate AI across operations. These collaborative efforts are reshaping collaboration models between AI startups and incumbents. Costs associated with infrastructure and data security continue to shape investment flows. Enterprise-grade AI demands not only computational muscle but also robust governance frameworks to mitigate risks such as bias, intellectual property leakage and regulatory non‑compliance. Data from the region show that 34 percent of organisations have embedded governance within generative AI software development, an advanced step beyond policy‑level oversight. Cloud infrastructure providers are doubling down on AI support across Asia‑Pacific. Amazon Web Services announced a USD 13 billion expansion in Australia and over USD 5 billion for a Taiwan region, alongside large‑scale investments in Singapore, Malaysia and Japan. AWS claims the region's cloud spending will reach USD 250 billion in 2025, largely driven by AI demands. This inflow of cloud capital is critical in overcoming entry barriers. Local language support, data sovereignty and integration capabilities have become competitive differentiators for these platforms—Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud and Alibaba Cloud are aggressively pursuing similar capacity expansion. Southeast Asia, in particular, is emerging as the fastest–growing regional cloud market globally. ADVERTISEMENT Startups are adapting to investors' sharper focus on maturity and scalability. Fewer low‑valuation seed rounds are appearing; instead, late‑stage funding for companies with clear product‑market fit, real revenue streams and enterprise traction is dominating. This trend reflects an increasingly risk‑averse capital environment that emphasises depth over breadth. The build‑up of AI infrastructure is dovetailing with rising regulatory attention. With supervision frameworks being rolled out around sensitive sectors such as finance and healthcare, investors are seeking startups equipped with compliance capabilities. For instance, financial‑services firms are prioritising traceability and governance as mission‑critical components for future‑ready AI deployment. In geographical terms, growth hotspots vary by stage of AI ecosystem development. China leads in institutional funding and government-backed initiatives. Japan and South Korea benefit from combined strengths in industrial automation, robotics and semiconductor production. India's vibrant startup landscape is gaining attention, particularly in generative AI and enterprise software. Meanwhile, nations such as Indonesia and Malaysia are attracting more attention as AI adoption becomes a priority for government digitalisation agendas. Challenges persist. High‑cost infrastructure, skilled‑talent shortages and fragmented regulatory regimes pose constraints. Yet the rise of public‑private coalitions and university‑industry alliances is beginning to address these gaps—skills acceleration programmes are proliferating, and data‑sharing frameworks are gaining traction. Investors are now looking past headline metrics to evaluate alignment with national AI strategies, such as Japan's AI strategy and India's push for indigenous innovation. Locally relevant models—capable of understanding linguistic diversity, cultural contexts, and industry‑specific workflows—are increasingly being favoured over globalised, one‑size‑fits‑all solutions. This funding environment has spurred momentum in adjacent areas. Edge computing, AI‑enabled cybersecurity, AI‑driven supply‑chain optimisation and health‑tech verticals are emerging as new battlegrounds for both startups and incumbents. These sub‑domains are drawing fresh rounds of investment and pilot partnerships. Policy trends are also influential. Governments across Asia‑Pacific are advancing data protection frameworks, AI ethics norms and public‑sector adoption plans—all contributing to clearer roadmaps for private‑sector engagement. The interlinking of regulatory reform and capital deployment is strengthening ecosystem resilience. Investor sentiment remains cautiously optimistic. Surveys suggest that, despite macroeconomic headwinds and geopolitical risk, most executives view cloud and AI as avenues to cost reduction, efficiency gains and differentiation. As AWS's APAC vice‑president remarked, 'AI is the biggest market opportunity since cloud in 2006,' signalling sustained confidence in long‑term upside.
Time of India
12-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
US tech firm Datadog sets up Bengaluru office to drive Asia-Pacific expansion: Vice president Rob Thorne
Rob Thorne NEW YORK: Bengaluru is fast becoming a cornerstone of Datadog's global operations, with the cloud monitoring and security firm significantly ramping up its presence in India. In an interview with The Times of India on the sidelines of the DASH 2025 conference in New York, Rob Thorne, vice president for Asia Pacific and Japan (APJ), said the city now houses the company's new India headquarters in Bengaluru and a rapidly growing team of close to 100 professionals. Datadog already has a strong global presence with key offices in New York, Paris, Dublin, San Francisco, Amsterdam, Singapore, Japan, Australia—and Asia‑Pacific hubs like Singapore and Japan . Excerpts : How important is the Indian market to Datadog's global and APJ operations? India plays a critical role, not just within APJ but globally. Over the past 18 months, we've seen unprecedented customer demand. We've grown our local team significantly and established a new headquarters in Bengaluru. The silicon city is now a major strategic hub for us. What kind of Indian companies are adopting Datadog's solutions? Adoption is broad-based. We're seeing uptake from startups, mid-sized firms, and large enterprises. While digital-native businesses lead in adoption, we're also working with companies in traditional sectors—banking, finance, retail, manufacturing, and services. Can you name some of the Indian customers you work with? While we can't name all due to confidentiality, one of India's top two food delivery platforms is a major client. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Pinga-Pinga e HBP? Tome isso 1x ao dia se tem mais de 40 anos Portal Saúde do Homem Clique aqui Undo They depend on Datadog to maintain uptime and performance, particularly during peak periods. Jubilant Foodeorks, which runs Domino's Pizza in India, also uses our platform to consolidate monitoring tools and accelerate issue resolution. Is Datadog planning further expansion in India? Definitely. Just two years ago, we had one seller in India. Today, we have over 40 professionals across sales and support functions. We've already invested in new office space in Bengaluru and are preparing for further expansion as demand grows. How is the company navigating India's data privacy and localisation regulations? Data residency requirements in sectors like public services and banking pose challenges. We understand this is a priority for the market and are actively exploring ways to meet local compliance standards. What role does Indian tech talent play in Datadog's strategy? Indian talent is fundamental to our growth. We're not just building sales teams in Bengaluru but also pre-sales, post-sales, and customer support. Though we haven't moved core engineering functions here yet, the talent pipeline is strong, and we're optimistic about future possibilities. Where do you see the biggest growth areas for Datadog in India? Digital-native companies are our biggest opportunity. As they grow and mature, they tend to expand their use of our observability and security tools. We aim to support them through that journey. How does India fit into Datadog's AI strategy? India is highly receptive to cutting-edge tech. Our AI-enhanced observability solutions are gaining traction here. Customers are focused on boosting efficiency and user experience, and our tools—from GPU-level monitoring to end-user analytics—fit well with India's tech-forward momentum. What's your approach to cybersecurity in the Indian market? Security is integral to our platform. Globally, over 7,500 customers use our security suite. In India, we're helping businesses integrate devops and security to improve threat response. Our unified approach covers posture management, detection, and resolution, ensuring agility and resilience.
