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Asia’s Transformative Era: Unveiling the “Asian Dream” through New Study “Truth About Ascending Asia”

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SINGAPORE, Dec. 4, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — McCann Worldgroup has launched its latest insights study, the Truth about Ascending Asia, at an event held at Singapore’s Asian Civilisations Museum. Over 70 clients, partners and media joined the advertising network to hear from guest speakers including Google, L’Oréal and Mastercard.

This groundbreaking new report highlights how Asia is poised to enter a transformative era, characterised by the emergence of a distinct “Asian Dream.” This concept is defined by the convergence of socio-economic shifts, technological advancements, and cultural evolution, providing a compelling alternative to traditional American and European ideals.

The study encapsulates insights from over 12,000 individuals across 12 diverse markets, 44 expert interviews, and more than 100 hours of social listening, examines the attitudes, aspirations, and values of Asian consumers in an age of rapid change*.

Key Highlights:

1. Optimism Amidst Global Challenges:
The rise of Asia unfolds against a backdrop of global turmoil, including climate change, growing inequality, and geopolitical tensions. However, the study reveals an optimistic perspective among Asians:

Only 41% believe they will need to leave Asia for a better life, in stark contrast to the 85% who feel that their everyday life will be significantly better in the next decade.83% of respondents anticipate a more peaceful life in Asia compared to the West, indicating a belief in the region’s stability and potential.

2. Defining the Asian Dream:
The “Asian Dream” is described as a vision woven with principles of equity, stability, and leadership. The report identifies three pillars:

Commensurate (All-in Equity): Among respondents, economic equality between rich and poor is ranked as the most crucial element for Asia’s future, with geopolitical equality between Asia and the West considered second. Notably, 70% agree that if feminism means equal rights for all, then they identify as feminists.Composure (Equilibrium in Society and Nature): A significant 82% prioritise social stability over individual expression, and an impressive 96% believe that organisations should be legally mandated to protect the environment.Captaincy (Commercial and Thought Leadership): A striking 92% believe Asian brands will become more influential globally, while 76% feel that Asian societies are better equipped to handle the stresses of modern life than their Western counterparts.

3. The Role of Brands:
Brands are no longer passive players; they are viewed as crucial contributors to societal improvement. Key findings reflect a strong demand for brands to:

Take an active role in enhancing everyday life, with 96% of respondents agreeing brands must do more.Engage in social issues, as 86% believe brands should have a voice on important topics.

4. Catalysing Neo-Collectivism:
A fresh form of collectivism is emerging in Asia, blending traditional communal values of family and country with newer markers of identity around local, work and city communities. The study reveals opportunities for mobilizing bigger collects finding that 83% of Asians desire an ‘Asian Union’.

5. Innovating Human Technology:
With a “Tech-First” mindset, Asia is at the forefront of technological advancements in mobile technology, e-commerce, robotics, and fintech. A notable 28% of respondents choose to be governed by tech giants like Google instead of political organisations. There is widespread belief (67%) that the benefits of technology outweigh its risks, although 56% of respondents express fear about a future dominated by robots.

6. Celebrating Cultural Affluence:
Asia’s rich cultural diversity is recognised as its greatest asset, with 92% of respondents believing this diversity should be celebrated more. The report showcases cultural phenomena, such as Korean “Mukbang” eating shows, which have gained global traction, demonstrating the appetite for cross-cultural engagement. Additionally, brands drawing from Asia’s deep cultural heritage, like Alo Yoga and emerging designers blending traditional Asian styles with modern aesthetics, illustrate the impact of cultural richness in branding.

7. Honouring Conscious Practices:
Sustainability is deeply ingrained in Asian philosophies, with 37% believing companies are responsible for reversing climate change. The demand for sustainable practices ranks as the number one influencing factor in product choices among consumers, surpassing other attributes such as organic or high-tech features. Brands are called to view sustainability not as a peripheral initiative but as a fundamental value.

Shilpa Sinha, APAC Chief Strategy Officer, McCann Worldgroup, commented: “While Asian societies are still navigating the challenges of inequality, instability and insufficiencies, the study reinforces the faith of Asian people in a future that’s better and brighter. The Asian Dream founded on the tenets of equity, equilibrium and exceptionalism is not just a theoretical framework of the region’s hopes & aspirations, it is a tangible guiding map for companies and brands to create enduring impact.”

Ghassan Harfouche, President, McCann Worldgroup Asia Pacific remarked: “For over 60 years, McCann Worldgroup has been advising clients across Asia Pacific and for over 15 years we’ve been investing in macro truth studies for the region. This research on the world’s most dynamic and diverse region, shows our commitment to understanding what drives business success in Asia and in partnering with our clients to help build enduring and innovation-led brands.”

View executive summary here.

*Our Methodology 
McCann Worldgroup’s Truth Central, the company’s global intelligence unit, conducted this large-scale quantitative study surveying more than 12,000 people in 12 Asian markets- mainland China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam. Additionally, 44 business leaders, futurists, academics, and culture tastemakers were interviewed across these markets. 

About McCann Worldgroup
McCann Worldgroup, part of the Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG), is a leading global creative solutions company. The company is united across 100+ countries by a mission to build enduring brands together. McCann Worldgroup was named Network for the Year by the Andys in 2024 and Network of the Year by the EPICA Awards for the sixth time. The core McCann Worldgroup network is comprised of McCann, MRM, CRAFT, and FutureBrand, and partners with Momentum Worldwide, Weber Shandwick and UM to deliver solutions across the entire marketing spectrum.

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HR Path Strengthens its Australian Presence with Strategic Acquisition of Payroll Experts Australia

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PARIS, Oct. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — HR Path, a global leader in HR consulting and HRIS solutions, today announces its strategic acquisition of Payroll Experts Australia, a Brisbane-based company specialising in payroll compliance, remediation, workforce management and HR systems consulting.

Founded in 2009, Payroll Experts Australia has delivered more than 530 projects for over 260 organisations across Australia and New Zealand. Independent of any software vendor, the company supports employers across the full payroll, workforce management and HR systems lifecycle, with expertise spanning payroll compliance and audit, remediation, award and agreement interpretation, payroll processing, advisory and end-to-end systems implementation.

The acquisition strengthens HR Path’s ability to provide end-to-end HR transformation services across the ANZ market. Payroll Experts Australia’s specialist capabilities complement HR Path’s existing HRIS technology and SAP SuccessFactors expertise, enabling the combined organisation to support clients with a broader range of locally grounded services, from strategic advisory and systems implementation to payroll compliance and operational support. 

Payroll Experts Australia will continue to operate under the brand “Payroll Experts Australia, an HR Path Company”. Its leadership team and employees will remain in their current roles, ensuring continuity of service for clients while giving the business access to HR Path’s international capabilities and resources. 

The transaction builds on HR Path’s expansion in the region. HR Path has been active in Australia since 2019, following the acquisition of DDG. It opened an Australian office in 2024 and acquired RKM Consulting in 2025, strengthening its HRIS technology and SAP SuccessFactors capabilities across Australia and New Zealand.  

“The acquisition of Payroll Experts Australia, a company renowned for its expertise in payroll compliance, is a strategic move that supports our ambition to be the global reference in HR transformation,” said François Boulet, Co-founding Partner at HR Path. “Their deep knowledge and strong client relationships in Australia complement our global capabilities, enabling us to deliver even more value to our clients. This partnership is about synergy, innovation, and shared commitment to excellence.”

“We are very happy about this new chapter!” said Steve Keenaghan, Chief Executive Officer at Payroll Experts Australia. “This step opens up exciting opportunities for our team and our clients and ensures our continued growth and success. We will maintain our commitment to delivering exceptional, independent payroll expertise while exploring new possibilities within HR Path.”

Contact:

Fabienne LATOUR  Fabienne.latour@hr-path.com

 

 

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Sungrow Powers Up for All Energy Australia 2026 With New Residential Innovation and Full Ecosystem Showcase

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MELBOURNE, Australia, Oct. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Sungrow, the global leader in PV inverter and energy storage solutions, is set to make a strong return to All Energy Australia 2026, the region’s largest and most influential renewable energy exhibition. It will introduce its next-generation all-in-one residential flagship PowerHarbour, alongside a comprehensive showcase of technologies for residential, C&I, and utility-scale applications.

As Australia accelerates toward a cleaner, more resilient energy future, Sungrow’s presence at All Energy will once again serve as a central meeting point for industry leaders, installers, innovators, and policymakers. The booth will offer visitors a rich blend of product demonstrations, technical insights, interactive experiences, and opportunities to connect with Sungrow’s local engineering and sales teams.

A New Addition to Residential Energy Storage

At the upcoming All-Energy 2026, Sungrow will officially unveil PowerHarbour in Australia for the first time. It is a residential all in one solution designed to simplify energy independence for homeowners. It combines sleek design, intelligent integration, advanced safety features and a modular design that can deliver up to 120kWh of capacity. The enhanced AFCI 3.0 protection makes it one of the most flexible and homeowner‑friendly systems on the market. The result is a clean, integrated solution that empowers households to take control of their energy with confidence and ease.

C&I Solutions for Diverse Applications

The exhibition will also showcase Sungrow’s C&I portfolio, including PowerKeeper, deployed across diverse Australian environments, and the ST255CS liquid-cooled BESS cabinet, designed for applications such as microgrid stability and FCAS. Together, these solutions demonstrate Sungrow’s capabilities in delivering flexible, reliable energy storage for a wide range of commercial and industrial needs.

Utility-Scale Innovation on Display

For utility developers and EPCs, Sungrow will present a full-size PowerTitan 3.0, giving visitors a rare opportunity to see the battery container up close. Together, PowerTitan 3.0 and 1+X modular inverter demonstrate advanced energy storage, grid-forming capabilities, and flexible deployment for complex project environment. Backed by dedicated local project management, comprehensive technical support, and a growing project pipeline across Australia and New Zealand.

Visit Sungrow at Booth KK123

Sungrow invites all attendees to visit Booth KK123 at All Energy Australia 2026 to experience its latest residential, commercial, and utility‑scale innovations firsthand. Attendees can expect a vibrant and engaging atmosphere throughout the day featuring lucky draws with exciting prizes, free premium coffee, photobooth and insightful presentations. The booth promises a full day of discovery, connection, and inspiration. Sungrow looks forward to welcoming partners, customers, and renewable energy enthusiasts as we continue powering Australia’s clean energy future together.

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AglaiaSense and Leopard Imaging to Demonstrate Privacy-First AI Traffic Sensing at Smart City Expo World Congress in Barcelona

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FREMONT, Calif. and BARCELONA, Spain, Oct. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — AglaiaSense and Leopard Imaging will exhibit together at Smart City Expo World Congress, November 3–5, 2026, at Fira Barcelona Gran Vía.

The two companies proposed AI-VIVA (Vision Intelligence for València and Arterials) and is selected as a finalist in the fifth urban challenge of Barcelona Innova Lab Mobility (BILM), on the application of artificial intelligence to traffic-light regulation. AI-VIVA combines AglaiaSense’s edge-AI traffic solutions with Leopard Imaging’s patented privacy architecture. At the show, the team will give a live demonstration of AglaiaSense’s signature MS500 and GS500 cameras, with the AglaiaSense AI Box, powered by NVIDIA, which adds local processing to coordinate groups of neighboring intersections.

The cameras analyze images inside the device, using the Sony IMX500 and IMX501 intelligent vision sensors. They count and classify vehicles, buses, cyclists and pedestrians in real time. Raw video is discarded on the device within 400–800 milliseconds, and only anonymous metadata is transmitted. Cities can feed that data into signal-control software to adapt traffic lights to real demand.

MS500: about 2 W average power, 1080p, powered from a standard NEMA or ZHAGA street-light socket.

GS500: about 6.5 W average, dual 4K cameras, with Ethernet, LTE Cat 4 and GPS; powered by PoE, 12–24 V DC or a NEMA adapter.

Both cameras: IP66-rated, −20 °C to +65 °C, mounted on existing poles, so no trenching or new masts are needed.

Bandwidth: more than 95% lower than CCTV-based monitoring.

“Cities want safer, smoother streets without turning every crossing into a surveillance point,” said Leon Luo, CEO of AglaiaSense. “Being named a finalist in Barcelona tells us the approach resonates.”

“Privacy has to be built into the camera, not added later,” said Bill Pu, CEO of Leopard Imaging.

AglaiaSense’s solutions are deployed across North America and Asia, and the company won first place in the Pedestrian Safety Challenge Hackathon, run by the Edge AI Foundation (formerly the tinyML Foundation) and the City of San José. In field tests, the systems achieved detection and counting accuracy above 95%. The City of Lakewood, Colorado, compared the GS500 with traditional IP cameras and LiDAR on real roads and found it more accurate, more energy-efficient, and less costly to deploy. At a high-risk crossing where pedestrians often crossed outside the crosswalk, the system alerted approaching drivers in real time.

Visit us at Pavilion 3, Level 0, Street D, Stand 71. To book a meeting, email sales@aglaiasense.com.

About AglaiaSense

AglaiaSense, is an edge-AI company specializing in privacy-first, vision-based sensing for smart cities. Its GS500 and MS500 cameras run AI on the image sensor to count and classify road users in real time and send only anonymous metadata.

About Leopard Imaging

Leopard Imaging is a global leader in high-definition embedded cameras and AI-based imaging solutions in industries including automotive, aerospace, drones, IoT, and robotics.

Media contact:

Cathy Zhao

+1 (408) 263-0988

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