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Absa Bank modernizes credit risk management reporting with SAS

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AI-driven automation with SAS Viya on AWS accelerates reporting while enhancing compliance and model governance

CARY, N.C., Aug. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Absa Bank, one of Africa’s largest financial institutions, understands that each credit decision represents someone’s next chapter. Amid rising customer expectations and regulatory demands, the bank teamed with SAS, a global leader in data and AI, to modernize its credit risk management infrastructure. The result: faster, more transparent and reliable lending and better outcomes for the people Absa serves.

 “With SAS Viya on AWS, we now deliver faster, more reliable credit decisions.” – Dewald Fourie, Absa Bank

The credit risk management system – built on SAS® Viya®, the company’s data and AI platform, and running on Amazon Web Services (AWS) – has reduced reporting cycles by 80% to 90% – from weeks to hours. It also helps the bank roll out new models 50% faster than before.

“Absa’s adoption of SAS Viya on AWS has transformed model risk management from a back-office function into a forward-looking strategic advantage,” said Stu Bradley, Senior Vice President of Risk, Fraud and Compliance Solutions at SAS. “The focus on governance is helping streamline AI innovation, and this evolution enables faster, more reliable credit decisions, improves loss predictability and strengthens regulatory compliance for Absa.”

Next-gen model governance drives precision and performance
With more than 500 credit risk models supporting its retail portfolio, Absa recognized that delays in model monitoring and updates could adversely impact capital reserves, loss forecasts and regulatory compliance. The bank’s legacy system – reliant on manual scripts and siloed processes – was unsustainable.

“Model monitoring is a vital part of our model governance,” said Dewald Fourie, Modeling Data Scientist at Absa. “Previously, analysts spent up to four weeks generating a single report. Now, with SAS Viya on AWS, we’ve automated the process and shifted our focus to strategic analysis and innovation.”

The benefits of Absa’s new SAS-powered capabilities on AWS extend far beyond efficiency:

80% to 90% reduction in reporting time: Model monitoring reports are now generated automatically.50% faster onboarding of new models: New frameworks (including all associated approvals) now go live in less than six months.Strategic reallocation of talent: Analysts once bogged down in manual work are now focused on higher-value projects.Elastic cloud usage: Instead of idle server capacity, resources now scale dynamically to meet demand – paying only for what’s used.Built-in AI guidance: The automated “Insights” feature of SAS Viya surfaces recommendations for further optimization.

To lead the transformation, Absa established a Center of Excellence and partnered with SAS to rebuild its monitoring framework. The new system delivers:

Standardized reports and dashboards across all models.Automated execution to reduce human error and manual effort.Real-time insights for business and regulatory stakeholders.

“With SAS Viya on AWS, we turned a once dull-but-necessary manual function into an automated strategic capability,” said Fourie. “We now deliver faster, more reliable credit decisions while improving loss predictability and ensuring regulatory compliance.”

Absa’s success has sparked broader innovation across the bank, with plans to apply the same data and AI-driven approach to other areas of operations.

Credit risk management: The foundation of financial resilience
Effective credit risk management is essential for banks and financial services firms because it directly influences both profitability and reputation. By striking the balance between prudent lending and responsible risk-taking, institutions can sustain growth while minimizing exposure to losses from defaults or poor credit decisions.

Absa’s modernization illustrates this balance in action, supported by SAS’ proven leadership in credit risk solutions. Backed by SAS’ Category Leader distinction across seven quadrants in Chartis Research’s recent Credit Risk Management Solutions, 2025: Quadrant Update, Absa exemplifies how a data-driven governance framework can help firms strengthen performance, resilience and customer confidence, while laying the foundation for continued innovation across the enterprise.

About Absa Bank
Absa Group Limited (‘Absa Group’) is listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and is one of Africa’s largest diversified financial services groups. Absa Group offers an integrated set of products and services across personal and business banking, corporate and investment banking, wealth and investment management and insurance. 

Absa Group owns majority stakes in banks in Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania (Absa Bank Tanzania and National Bank of Commerce), Uganda and Zambia and has insurance operations in Kenya and South Africa. Absa also has representative offices in the People’s Republic of China, Namibia, Nigeria and the United States, as well as securities entities in the United Kingdom and the United States, along with technology support colleagues in the Czech Republic. For further information about Absa Group Limited, visit www.absa.africa.

About SAS
SAS is a global leader in data and AI. With SAS software and industry-specific solutions, organizations transform data into trusted decisions. SAS gives you THE POWER TO KNOW®.

SAS and all other SAS Institute Inc. product or service names are registered trademarks or trademarks of SAS Institute Inc. in the USA and other countries. ® indicates USA registration. Other brand and product names are trademarks of their respective companies. Copyright © 2026 SAS Institute Inc. All rights reserved.

Editorial Contact:
Mike Nemecek
Mike.Nemeceks@sas.com
919-531-5140
sas.com/news

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Visa, MOONTON Games extend collaboration with new three-year partnership for Mobile Legends: Bang Bang’s M Series-the world’s most watched mobile esports tournament

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September 21, 2026

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As the Global Payment Partner, Visa will elevate how millions enjoy the M8 to M10 World Championships

SINGAPORE, Sept. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Visa, a global leader in digital payments, and MOONTON Games, the international video game developer behind Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB), today announced a three-year partnership to elevate the M Series experience for fans worldwide. The partnership sees Visa named the Global Payment Partner for the next three editions of the M Series—the M8 World Championship (M8) in 2027 through the M10 World Championship (M10) in 2029. The M Series is MLBB’s flagship international competition and is the most-watched mobile esports tournament in history with 5.68 million Peak Concurrent Viewers (PCV), according to Esports Charts.

From the M8 through the M10, Visa cardholders will receive preferential access to M Series tickets, as well as opportunities to win VIP Zone access, meet-and-greets, and behind-the-scenes tours–bringing fans closer to their favourite players and teams.

The partnership comes as the M Series expands its international footprint. The M8 will mark the tournament’s European debut, building on MLBB Esports’ global expansion strategy unveiled earlier this year. With Visa facilitating payments across more than 200 countries and territories, its reach and payment capabilities will support MLBB’s continued international growth while creating more seamless and rewarding fan experiences.

Danielle Jin, Chief Marketing Officer at Visa Asia Pacific, said: “We’re proud to deepen our partnership with MOONTON Games and MLBB, one of the most remarkable gaming franchises in the world. MLBB is a powerful example of how mobile gaming is changing the way people play, connect with each other, and spend. Every year, millions of fans and gamers engage with the M Series. Together with MOONTON Games, we look forward to creating more iconic moments that fans and gamers will remember in the years to come.”

The multi-year agreement builds on Visa’s first entry into MLBB Esports at the M7 World Championship (M7) in Jakarta, Indonesia, anchored in a shared vision of empowering youth through digital innovation. Visa has also expanded its presence within the wider MLBB Esports ecosystem, joining MLBB Professional League (MPL) Philippines as an Official Sponsor for Season 18.

Tiger Xu, Global Head of MLBB Esports at MOONTON Games, said: “Our partnership with Visa at the M7 demonstrated how we can create greater value together across the fan journey. This multi-year agreement is a natural next step as MLBB Esports enters its next phase of globalisation. It also reflects the growing international scale and relevance of the M Series. Together, we are excited to deliver a more seamless, rewarding, and connected experience for fans around the world.”

Visa champions the moments that bring fans closer to the passions they love, from sports and music to gaming, fashion, and entertainment. Guided by a fan-first approach to partnerships, Visa designs experiences that deepen connection and make participation seamless, secure and accessible for audiences around the world. Through high-impact partnerships, Visa helps shape cultural moments while enabling effortless cross-border commerce. Visa’s partnership with MOONTON Games strengthens its growing range of gaming partnerships and its commitment to helping people connect with the communities and experiences they care about most.

About Visa

Visa (NYSE: V) is a world leader in digital payments, facilitating transactions between consumers, sellers, financial institutions and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. We believe that economies that include everyone everywhere, uplift everyone everywhere and see access as foundational to the future of money movement. Learn more at Visa.com.

About MOONTON Games

Established in 2014, MOONTON is a global video game company dedicated to gaming development, publication, and esports. With more than 2,000 employees worldwide, the company operates offices in China, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singapore. It has successfully launched several high-profile mobile games globally and has built long-term relationships with governments and esports organizations in more than 30 countries around the world. Mobile Legends: Bang Bang is its current star game and the leading mobile multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game worldwide. For more information, visit https://en.moonton.com.

About Mobile Legends: Bang Bang

Mobile Legends: Bang Bang is one of the most popular mobile Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) games worldwide that brings communities together through teamwork and strategy. With over 1.5 billion installations and 110 million active monthly users, the award-winning game is among the top 10 most played in over 80 countries. With an extensive reach across the Asia Pacific region, the multiplayer is available in 139 countries with an expansive global esports presence.

About Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Esports

Established in 2017, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Esports serves as a platform for players to pursue their dreams of becoming esports athletes and illuminate opportunities within the international esports ecosystem. MLBB Esports has since expanded to multiple leagues, including the MPL series hosted in Southeast Asia, Middle East, and Latin America; MPL is the first esports event series to surpass 1 billion hours of watch time globally.

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CCTV4: CMG Mid-Autumn Gala Celebrates a Global Reunion at the Home of Chang’e

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September 21, 2026

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BEIJING, Sept. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — One of the most popular traditions associated with Mid-Autumn Festival is the legend of Chang’e who, to prevent her husband’s apprentice Peng Meng from stealing an elixir of immortality, consumes it herself and flies to the moon. The earliest complete account of this legend is contained in the 2nd century BC philosophical text, Huainanzi. The work, a collection of essays based on scholarly debates held at the court of Liu An, Prince of Huainan, also contains the first systematic record of the jieqi – the 24 Solar Terms observed in China since ancient times to predict changes in the weather and guide farming. 

As the host city of this year’s CMG Mid-Autumn Festival Gala, Huainan is drawing on its rich heritage to create a memorable evening of celebration and family reunion. Lying on the banks of the Huaihe River in Anhui Province, the city offers a delightful and romantic setting for an evening of music and entertainment beneath a full moon. Performances will also use cutting-edge technology in the form of AI, robotics and drones to reimagine Mid-Autumn traditions for a worldwide audience. 

Among the evening’s highlights will be British singer Sarah Brightman duetting with China’s own Zhou Shen on The Music of the Night; and a performance of Clair De Lune and May We All Be Blessed with Longevity by pipa virtuoso Fang Jinlong, Croatian cellist Ana Rucner and German pianist Oskar Roman Jezior. Also making an appearance will be two of the stars of China’s latest box-office hit Dear You – Li Sitong and Wu Shaoqing.

Celebrated on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, Mid-Autumn Festival has for centuries brought families and loved ones together. In Chinese culture, the full moon is a symbol of reunion and shared longing – an image that also speaks to a universal sense of romance and connection.

The 2026 CMG Mid-Autumn Festival Gala will be broadcast worldwide from Huainan at 8 p.m. Beijing time on September 25.

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Spiritual Journeys and Southeast Asian Escapes Mark Indian Travel Interest in September: Agoda

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September 21, 2026

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SINGAPORE, Sept. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Digital travel platform Agoda’s latest accommodation search data reveals growing interest in India’s spiritual destinations ahead of September, with several temple towns noting an increase in searches, alongside continued popularity of Southeast Asian cities.

Interest in India’s Temple Towns Climbs 

Among domestic destinations, Pachmarhi, known as the “Queen of Satpura”, recorded an almost 7x increase in accommodation searches for September compared with the same period last year. Set in the Satpura ranges of Madhya Pradesh, the hill destination is home to the Jatashankar Temple, a cave shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva, and is also known for its forests, waterfalls and scenic views. Ujjain, another city in the state, recorded an almost 3x increase in accommodation searches. Known for the Mahakaleshwar Temple, one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, the city offers travelers a mix of pilgrimage, historic ghats, and cultural experiences.

In Puri, accommodation searches increased by 2x, with the Jagannath Temple being a key part of the city’s identity, while its coastline and beaches offer travelers another experience during their stay. Varanasi recorded a 44% increase in searches, with its temples, ghats and cultural heritage offering another way to experience India’s spiritual traditions. Further down south, Tirupati recorded a 29% increase in accommodation searches. Known for the Sri Venkateswara Temple, the destination remains an important pilgrimage centre and spiritual travel destination of interest.

Southeast Asia Brings Spiritual and Cultural Experiences into September Travel

Beyond India, September travel searches also point to Southeast Asia, where travelers can find spiritual and cultural experiences alongside beaches, food and city breaks. Hanoi recorded a 58% increase in accommodation searches, with its historic streets, cultural heritage and local food offering travelers a city experience shaped by Vietnam’s traditions.

Da Nang saw a 50% increase in search interest, combining its beaches and proximity to Hoi An with cultural attractions such as Linh Ung Pagoda on the Son Tra Peninsula, a Buddhist site known for its 67-metre statue of Guanyin. Kuala Lumpur recorded a 35% increase, offering multicultural heritage, food and landmarks including Batu Caves, Thean Hou Temple and Sri Maha Mariamman Temple.

In Indonesia, Bali recorded a 24% increase in accommodation searches, offering a mix of beaches, natural landscapes and spiritual experiences, with renowned temples such as Tanah Lot, Besakih Temple and Lempuyang Temple adding to its cultural appeal.

Gaurav Malik, Country Director, Indian Subcontinent & Indian Ocean Islands, Agoda said “Agoda’s 2026 Travel Outlook Report found that 19% of Indian respondents consider spiritual or religious experiences when planning a trip this year, pointing to the diverse motivations shaping travel decisions. Our latest accommodation search data reflects this shift, with destinations being explored for pilgrimages, cultural experiences, nature getaways, and overseas holidays. At Agoda, we make it easier for travelers to find stays that best fit the diverse experiences they desire.”

With a global network of over 6 million hotels and holiday properties, along with flights, activities, and more, Agoda offers travelers a wide range of options to explore destinations across India and around the world. Whether discovering domestic hill escapes or international cities and island destinations, Agoda’s broad selection makes it easier to plan any trip.

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