SINGAPORE, Oct. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The 19th Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW) will open on 26 October, bringing together global policymakers, industry leaders and innovators to navigate energy challenges and shape a more secure, connected and sustainable energy future.

Highlights of SIEW 2026

I. Opening: The Singapore Energy Lecture will be delivered by H.E. Dr Tan See Leng, Minister for Energy, Trade and Industry (Energy and Industry). YAB Datuk Amar Haji Fadillah bin Haji Yusof, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation, Malaysia, will deliver the Ministerial Keynote Address. Bernard Fontana, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Électricité de France (EDF), will share his perspectives at the SIEW Opening Keynote.

II. Ministerial and VIPs: Ministers from Australia, Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam, Finland, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Oman, Philippines, and United States will be joined by H.E. Dr Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary-General of the ASEAN Secretariat, Dr Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency, and Francesco La Camera, Director General of the International Renewable Energy Agency. Global industry leaders from Baker Hughes, China Huaneng Group, GE Vernova, Hitachi Energy, Petronas, Siemens Energy, State Grid Corporation of China, Tenaga Nasional Berhad, and Univers will share their insights impacting the energy landscape.

SIEW 2026 will host prominent decision-makers and visionaries from across government, international bodies, regulatory agencies, and industry. The list of speakers attending SIEW 2026 is available here.

Government

H.E. Dr Tan See Leng, Minister for Energy, Trade and Industry (Energy and Industry), Republic of SingaporeH.E. Gan Siow Huang, Minister of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Ministry of Energy, Trade and Industry, Republic of SingaporeYAB Datuk Amar Haji Fadillah bin Haji Yusof, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation, MalaysiaH.E. Sonam Tashi, Minister for Energy and Natural Resources, BhutanDato Seri Setia Awang Haji Mohamad Azmi Bin Haji Mohd Hanifah, Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office (Energy, Upstream and Downstream), Brunei DarussalamH.E. Sakari Puisto, Minister of Economic Affairs, Republic of FinlandH.E. Malaithong Kommasith, Minister of Industry and Commerce, Lao People’s Democratic RepublicH.E. Eng. Salim Bin Nasser Al Aufi, Minister of Energy and Minerals, Vice Chairman of the Board of the Oman Investment Authority, OmanThe Honourable Sharon S. Garin, Secretary, Department of Energy, Republic of the PhilippinesH.E. Jean Barroca, Deputy Minister of State for Energy, PortugalDr Majid Al-Qwaiz, Deputy Minister of Development and Project Management, Kingdom of Saudi ArabiaThe Rt Hon Miatta Fahnbulleh MP, Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandChris Stark, Head of UK’s Mission for Clean Power, UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

International Organisations

Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General, International Atomic Energy AgencyLin Yang, Deputy Executive Secretary for Programme, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)Hideaki Iwasaki, Director General, Sectors Department 1 (Energy and Transport Sectors), Asian Development Bank (ADB)Kim-See Lim, Chief Investment Officer, Public Sector (Region 1) & Financial Institutions and Funds (Global) Clients, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)Stéphanie Guénot Bresson, Commissioner, Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection Authority Dr Sama Bilbao y León, Director General, World Nuclear Association

Regulators and Utilities

Anna Collyer, Chair, Australian Energy Market CommissionClare Savage, Chair, Australian Energy RegulatorNarumi Hosokawa, Secretary General, Electricity and Gas Market Surveillance Commission, JapanErik Westergaard, Deputy Chair, Electricity Authority, New ZealandDato’ Sri Ir. Ts. Shamsul Bin Ahmad, President and Chief Executive Officer, Tenaga Nasional BerhadHon. Francis Saturnino C. Juan, Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer, Energy Regulatory Commission, PhilippinesTheodore J. Garrish, Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy, U.S. Department of EnergyJudy Chang, Commissioner, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, United StatesEmmanuelle Wargon, Chair, French Energy Regulatory CommissionDr Narin Phoawanich, Governor, Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand Shao Guoyong, Board Director, State Grid Corporation of China

Industry

Gary Rose, Executive Vice President, Nuclear, Canada, AtkinsRéalis, and President, CANDU International, Candu Energy Inc.Allyson Anderson Book, Chief Sustainability Officer, Government Affairs & Public Policy Officer, Baker HughesYingying Zhou, Vice President, Organisation and Head of Asia, Cheniere EnergyJoseph Law, Managing Director, CLP Power Hong KongLi Rui, Vice President, China Southern Power GridLim Wee Seng, Group Head of Energy, Renewables & Infrastructure, Project Finance Strategic Advisory and Sustainability, Institutional Banking Group, DBS BankTham Chee Aun, Chief Executive Officer, Ditrolic EnergyEric Gray, Chief Executive Officer, Power, GE VernovaJames O’Reilly, Chief Executive Officer, Greenlink InterconnectorN Venu, MD and CEO, India and APAC Region, Member of Global Executive Team, Hitachi Energy, MD, Hitachi IndiaZhong Guodong, President, China Huaneng Group Co., Ltd.Dr Han-Gon Kim, President, Innovative SMR Development AgencyTadashi Maeda, Chairman of the Board, Japan Bank for International CooperationIzumi Kai, Managing Executive Officer, CEO of JERA AsiaStephanie McGregor, Chief Executive Officer, Marinus LinkEmmanuel V. Rubio, President and CEO, Meralco PowerGen Corporation (MGEN)Yasuhiro Kawabe, President & CEO of Mitsubishi Power, Ltd.Elaine Lam, Group Managing Director and Head of Global Corporate Banking, OCBCYM Tan Sri Tengku Muhammad Taufik Tengku Aziz, CEO, Petronas Thorbjörn Fors, Group Senior Vice President and President Asia Pacific, Siemens EnergyStanley Huang, Group Chief Executive Officer, SP GroupJeanne Soh, Managing Director, Head, Structured Finance, Asia, SMBC 

The SIEW week will feature high-level expert discussions across SIEW Summit, SIEW Energy Insights, SIEW TechTable and SIEW Thinktank Roundtables. Topics will include energy security, regional connectivity, system resilience and decarbonisation, including leading technologies and industrial capabilities on AI and digital grids, power interconnections, geothermal energy, and nuclear energy. More details can be found at siew.gov.sg. 

Register now at https://register.siew.gov.sg.

PR Newswire is the Official Press Release Distribution Partner of Singapore International Energy Week 2026.

About SIEW

The Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW) is an official trademarked event by the Energy Market Authority (EMA). It is an annual platform for energy professionals, policymakers and commentators to discuss and share best practices and solutions within the global energy space. 

The SIEW logo is an officially registered trademark, a symbol of credibility and prestige as the world’s leading energy event. 

About the Energy Market Authority

The Energy Market Authority (EMA) is a statutory board under the Singapore Ministry of Energy, Trade and Industry. Through our work, we seek to build a clean energy future that is resilient, sustainable, and competitive. We aim to ensure a reliable and secure energy supply, promote effective competition in the energy market and develop a dynamic energy sector in Singapore. Visit www.ema.gov.sg for more information. 

For media queries, please contact:

Ms Mahima Kathuria
FINN Partners for Singapore International Energy Week
Tel: +65 8022 6364
Email: SIEWMedia@finnpartners.com

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SOURCE Energy Market Authority

Proposed bank-led pilot to bring together local banking services and digital-asset settlement infrastructure to support Ghanaian businesses paying Asian suppliers

ACCRA, Ghana, Oct. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Stanbic Bank Ghana and RD Technologies today announced that they are working together to explore a bank-led cross-border trade settlement solution supported by stablecoin technology. The initial focus will be legitimate business-to-business payments from Ghanaian businesses to suppliers in Asia, with regulatory engagement, technical validation and pilot planning forming the next phase of work.

For Ghanaian businesses paying suppliers in Asia, cross-border payments can involve multiple intermediaries, adding time, cost and complexity to settlement and payment tracking. The parties intend to assess how digital-asset settlement infrastructure can complement existing banking services to deliver a more efficient and transparent trade payment experience within the regulated banking system.

Under the proposed model, Stanbic Bank Ghana would remain the customer-facing bank, responsible for customer onboarding and account opening, know-your-customer (KYC) checks, transaction approval and local-currency settlement, together with the associated local compliance oversight. RD Technologies would provide payment technology, digital-asset infrastructure and access to its Asian settlement network, coordinating overseas settlement. Stablecoin technology would support the underlying cross-border settlement process, while business customers would access the relevant banking services through Stanbic Bank Ghana.

Subject to the requisite regulatory no-objection, the parties intend to establish a project team to progress technical testing and the design of a controlled pilot. Stanbic Bank Ghana will support the pilot by facilitating participation of eligible customers introduced for the proposed use case, subject to the bank’s normal onboarding, compliance, risk assessment, and transaction-approval requirements.

Darwin Mireku, Head, Strategy Enablement, Stanbic Bank Ghana, said:

“Reliable and efficient payments are essential for Ghanaian businesses engaged in international trade. Through this collaboration, we aim to assess how new technology can help customers settle legitimate trade payments with suppliers in Asia more smoothly. Customer needs, compliance and risk management will guide the design and testing of the proposed solution as we engage with the relevant regulators and work towards a controlled pilot.”

Rita Liu, CEO, RD Technologies, said:

“This collaboration brings together Stanbic Bank Ghana’s domestic banking capabilities and RD Technologies’ digital-asset infrastructure and connectivity with Asian markets. Our shared objective is to explore a secure, compliant and more efficient way for Ghanaian businesses to settle legitimate trade payments with suppliers in Asia. The next phase will focus on regulatory engagement, technical validation and the design of a controlled pilot.”

The parties will continue engagement with the relevant regulatory stakeholders and, subject to the necessary regulatory no-objection, proceed with technical validation and operating-model design. Through this initiative, the parties aim to support the modernization of Ghana’s payments ecosystem and strengthen its trade connectivity with Asian markets.

About Stanbic Bank Ghana

For over 26 years, Stanbic Bank Ghana has been a leading force in the nation’s banking sector, distinguished by financial strength, innovation, and a commitment to driving national growth. Since its establishment in 1999, the bank has maintained its position among Ghana’s top tier-one institutions, delivering world-class solutions guided by a highly experienced leadership team. As a subsidiary of the Standard Bank Group, Africa’s largest bank by assets, Stanbic Bank leverages deep sector expertise and a strong pan-African presence across 20 countries. Standard Bank Group is the first African banking group to be licensed as a direct CIPS participant. Standard Bank’s strategic partnership with the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), a 20% shareholder, further enhances Stanbic Bank Ghana’s access to global trade finance networks, Asian markets, and competitive cross-border financing opportunities. Stanbic Bank provides structured finance, capital solutions, treasury services, commodity trade expertise, and strategic advisory support. Guided by the purpose that “Ghana is our home,” Stanbic Bank Ghana remains committed to driving growth by empowering businesses, enabling prosperity, and supporting national development for decades to come.

About RD Technologies

RD Technologies is a global financial technology group that provides innovative digital financial services to enterprises through its regulated subsidiaries. The group is dedicated to building the next generation of financial infrastructure bridging traditional finance (Web2) and Web3. As an early participant admitted into the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) Stablecoins Issuer Sandbox, RD Technologies maintains a steadfast commitment to balancing rigorous compliance with pioneering innovation. To date, the group has secured over $90 million USD in cumulative funding. Its prestigious investor base features prominent global institutions and strategic industry heavyweights, including HashKey Group, HongShan (HSG), ZA Global, Solana Foundation, Guotai Junan International, China Harbour, Bright Venture Capital, Hivemind Capital, Eternal Digital Capital, Junsan Capital, and Aptos Labs.

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SOURCE RD Technologies

New guidance highlights the connection between Vendor Master governance, information reporting readiness, and evolving IRS filing requirements

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla., Oct. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — RAS AP Consulting, a leading advisory firm specializing in Accounts Payable Governance, Vendor Master Management, and Information Reporting Compliance, today announced its new educational resource, “1099 Compliance Starts in the Vendor Master File,” to help organizations prepare for major changes affecting information return reporting and filing.

The educational initiative comes as organizations prepare to retire the IRS Filing Information Returns Electronically (FIRE) system and transition to the Information Returns Intake System (IRIS). The IRS announced that November 19, 2026, will be the final day to file information returns through the FIRE system, requiring current FIRE users to transition to IRIS beginning with the 2027 filing season.

In addition to system changes, organizations must navigate new IRIS Transmitter Control Code (TCC) requirements, application timelines that may take up to 45 days, and reporting threshold changes affecting certain information returns.

According to RAS AP Consulting, many organizations still treat 1099 compliance as a year-end filing exercise rather than an enterprise data governance initiative.

“Many filing issues begin long before forms are submitted,” said Rosemarie A. Smith, BSBA, Founder and CEO of RAS AP Consulting, a certified 1099 and 1042‑S Information Reporting professional with more than 30 years of experience in Accounts Payable operations, supplier governance, and compliance. “Missing W-9S, inaccurate taxpayer information, duplicate vendor records, and weak onboarding controls can all create unnecessary compliance risk. The transition from FIRE to IRIS serves as an important reminder that information reporting begins with strong Vendor Master governance.”

LinkedIn carousel: https://lnkd.in/p/etsiKA28

The firm’s new educational LinkedIn carousel outlines key considerations for AP, Tax, Procurement, Shared Services, and Finance leaders, including:

FIRE-to-IRIS transition requirementsCritical IRS filing deadlinesIRIS TCC application requirementsReporting threshold changes for certain information returnsVendor Master File governance leading practicesW-9 and TIN validation readinessAP Governance considerations for year-end compliance

The campaign reinforces a core principle promoted by RAS AP Consulting:

“1099 compliance starts in the Vendor Master File, not at filing time.”

The firm believes organizations that proactively evaluate supplier data quality, tax documentation processes, and Vendor Master controls before reporting season will be better positioned to reduce compliance risk, improve information reporting accuracy, and support successful year-end filing initiatives.

As part of the initiative, RAS AP Consulting is offering complimentary readiness discussions focused on Vendor Master integrity, taxpayer data validation, IRIS preparedness, and AP Governance best practices.

About Rosemarie A. Smith

Rosemarie A. Smith, BSBA, is the Founder and CEO of RAS AP Consulting and a recognized Accounts Payable Governance professional with more than three decades of experience in Accounts Payable operations, supplier governance, information reporting compliance, internal controls, and AP transformation. Smith holds professional certifications in both 1099 Information Reporting and 1042-S Information Reporting and has led compliance, supplier governance, and AP modernization initiatives across multiple industries throughout her career.

About RAS AP Consulting

RAS AP Consulting is a Florida-based advisory firm specializing in Accounts Payable Governance, Vendor Master Management, Information Reporting Compliance, AP Transformation, and Supplier Lifecycle Governance. The firm helps organizations strengthen controls, reduce compliance risk, improve supplier data integrity, and modernize AP operations through practical governance frameworks and operational excellence initiatives.

Media Contact

Rosemarie A. Smith, BSBA
Founder & CEO
RAS AP Consulting™
Port St. Lucie, Florida

AP Governance | Vendor Master Management | 1099 & 1042-S Compliance

Contact:
Rosemarie Smith
***@rasapconsulting.com

Photo(s):
https://www.prlog.org/13177773

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SOURCE RAS AP Consulting LLC