PM Edition: Top 10 Business Articles on LiveNews.co.nz for August 19, 2026 – Full Text

Driving the Thai Economy and Charting New Strategic Pathways for the Future of ASEAN

BANGKOK, THAILAND – Media OutReach Newswire – 18 August 2026 – The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry, and Banking (JSCCIB), comprising the Thai Bankers’ Association, the Board of Trade of Thailand, and the Federation of Thai Industries, in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance, the Bank of Thailand, the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC), and the World Bank, has announced its readiness to convene a high-level leadership conference, ‘The Bangkok Business Summit 2026,’ under the theme ‘Reinvent Thailand, Resilient ASEAN.’

To be held at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center (QSNCC), the summit will showcase the vision of public-private sector collaboration aimed at restructuring Thailand’s economy. This event serves as a milestone paving the way toward the IMF-World Bank Group Annual Meetings 2026, which Thailand will proudly host in Bangkok in October 2026, as well as Thailand’s upcoming ASEAN Chairmanship in 2028.

A key highlight of The Bangkok Business Summit 2026 includes a keynote address entitled ‘Thailand’s Offer to the World’ by Mr. Anutin Charnvirakul, Prime Minister of Thailand. The address will declare Thailand’s readiness as a global investment hub, shifting the nation from cost-based competition to enhancing capabilities, innovation, and digital infrastructure. Furthermore, Dr. Ekniti Nitithanprapas, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, will deliver a policy address on ‘Unlocking the Next Growth Engines for Thailand & ASEAN,’ revealing policy reform steps designed to unlock private sector investment and drive the country’s new economic engines. Professor Dr. Yodchanan Wongsawat, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, will address positioning Thailand as a regional investment platform for high-tech industries.

Mr. Payong Srivanich, Chairman of the Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry, and Banking (JSCCIB), stated that this event aims to answer a critical question: How can Thailand transform global shifts and its central location in ASEAN into new opportunities for investment, job creation, and sustainable growth?

“The Bangkok Business Summit 2026 is not merely a platform for exchanging perspectives, but a venue where Thailand presents its concrete strengths, opportunities, and development directions to the global business community—bridging the government’s vision, recommendations from international organizations, and the practical expertise of the private sector,” Mr. Payong stated.”Thailand’s challenge today is not just growth, but building competitive growth in a rapidly changing world. We need a platform for collaborative efforts to ‘Reinvent Thailand’ by creating new economic engines and elevating our competitiveness so Thailand can capture new opportunities and become an integral part of a ‘Resilient ASEAN’ capable of adapting to global dynamics.”

Key Highlights & Session Overview

• Special Keynote: Mr. Vitai Ratanakorn, Governor of the Bank of Thailand, will present on ‘Thailand’s New Horizons: From Ambition to Delivery.’
• Global Insights Panel: Featuring in-depth discussions with Mr. Carlos Felipe Jaramillo, World Bank Vice President for East Asia and Pacific, Mr. Sarvesh Suri, Regional Vice President for Asia and Pacific, The International Finance Corporation (IFC), and Mr. John W.H. Denton, Secretary General of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) exchanging views on economic trends, investments, and business opportunities.
• Report Launch: Launch of the World Bank’s latest report, ‘Building Thailand’s Future Today: The Investment and Growth Playbook.’ The report proposes a roadmap for Thailand to achieve high-income country status through investment and reforms that create jobs, boost productivity, and lay the foundation for long-term growth, highlighting potential industries such as advanced manufacturing, sustainable & wellness tourism, digital services, agriculture & food, and the creative economy.
• Luncheon Discussion: Thai Beverage Public Company Limited will host a special session entitled ‘Growth Reaches Communities: Sufficiency Economy Philosophy,’ presenting the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy as a framework that creates balance, strength, and sustainability from local communities to the business sector and macroeconomy.

Afternoon Tracks

• Track 1: Building Resilience (Infrastructure, Energy, and Digital Finance): Led by Mr. Piti Disyatat, Deputy Governor for Monetary Stability, Bank of Thailand, in building competitiveness and the ability to attract future industries to the country. The session will include discussions on the topics of ‘Efficient Energy & Low-Carbon Infrastructure’ and ‘Policy Architecture and Low-Carbon Cities in Action’ focusing on investing in key infrastructure that will drive the industrial transition to a low-carbon society, with leaders from various sectors, including the Ministry of Energy, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, PTT Public Company Limited, Gulf Energy Development Public Company Limited, Siam Cement Public Company Limited, Thai Airways Public Company Limited, and Google LLC and the topic of ‘Building Thailand’s Trusted Economy: Digital Public Infrastructure for Inclusive Growth,’ focusing on digital public infrastructure in the financial sector for sustainable growth, and safe and inclusive digital finance, with senior executives from Bangkok Bank, Krungsri Bank, TMBThanachart Bank, and Ascend Money.
• Track 2: New Horizons (Future Industries, Agri-Food, and Human-Centric Economy): Led by Professor Dr. Yodchanan Wongsawat, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, focusing on developing high-potential talent within organizations and positioning Thailand as a regional investment platform for high-tech industries, semiconductors, AI infrastructure, and advanced R&D.

Additionally, the Bangkok Business Summit 2026 will feature a panel discussion titled ‘The Future of Agrifood Business.’ Under the concept of Elevating to a Regional Strategic Asset, leaders from top companies including Sea Value PCL and Olam Agri (Singapore) will share their perspectives on how Thailand’s agrifood industry is evolving beyond its traditional role as the ‘Kitchen of the World’ to become a vital strategic asset for regional food security, and another discussion on ‘The Future of the Human-Centric Economy,’ integrating health, wellness, tourism, and the creative economy centered around people rather than isolated sectors. Panelists include Minor International, Bangkok Dusit Medical Services (BDMS), and Cerecin.

Closing & Actions

To conclude the summit, leaders from the three JSCCIB member organizations will summarize actionable proposals to transform insights into concrete practices. These encompass enhancing competitiveness, building investment ecosystems, and developing future industries. The event will culminate in the signing of a Letter of Intent for Cooperation on the Digital & AI Compact between Thailand’s economic agencies and the World Bank.

Note: Speakers and the event program are subject to change without prior notice due to unforeseen circumstances. We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your understanding.

Hashtag: #JSCCIB

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 18 August 2026 – V3 Group Limited, the Singapore-based holding company with a diversified portfolio spanning well-being, luxury gourmet, capital markets, real estate, and integrated healthcare services segments, announced today that its health and wellness supplements arm, LAC Global (“LAC”), has completed the acquisition of MASQUELIER’S® French Pine Bark Extract (“MASQUELIER’S®”). By acquiring MASQUELIER’S® patented technology, LAC brings over 70 years of pioneering European nutritional science into its portfolio, combining proven scientific heritage with an Asian platform to build a mass-premium wellness proposition for global consumer.

Rooted in the work of renowned French scientist Professor Jack Masquelier, a pioneer in the research and development of oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPCs), MASQUELIER’S® is distinguished by its proprietary fingerprinted format’s extraction expertise, and decades of scientific research into the antioxidant properties of OPCs, supported by clinical studies.

Ron Sim, Founder and Executive Chairman, V3 Group, said, “Health is becoming one of the defining priorities for consumers globally. People are living longer, but the opportunity is to help them live better. The acquisition of MASQUELIER’S® brings decades of European nutritional science into LAC, strengthening the scientific foundation of our portfolio. Singapore remains our home market, and we are grateful for the trust our customers have placed in us over the years. We remain committed to serving them through our extensive retail presence across Singapore’s malls, even as we take LAC into new markets and pursue our ambition to build a health and wellness brand born in Asia for consumers globally.”

MASQUELIER’S® is also the originator and trademark holder of MASQUELIER’S® Anthogenol, one of the most widely recognised OPC supplement brands across Asia Pacific. LAC’s acquisition extends beyond a single product line to bring the foundational intellectual property and scientific heritage behind an established category into its portfolio. To date, MASQUELIER’S® French Pine Bark Extract has sold over 250 million tablets, making it one of LAC’s most significant and enduring product platforms across its Asian markets.

Accelerating LAC Global’s Regional Expansion

LAC has continued to accelerate its regional expansion since the start of 2026, building on nearly three decades of organic growth across Asia Pacific. Today, LAC operates more than 250 retail stores across Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan China, Hong Kong and Vietnam, complemented by franchise operations in Mongolia, India, Indonesia and Thailand. Its physical footprint is supported by a growing e-commerce business, extending access to LAC’s portfolio of health and wellness solutions across the region. Beyond Asia, LAC products are also available in select markets across Africa, the Middle East and South America.

This expansion reflects LAC’s ambition to become Asia’s defining homegrown health and wellness brand. Through its directly owned retail and e-commerce network, supported by continued product innovation, LAC is making science-backed nutrition and supplementation more accessible to consumers across the region. As ageing populations, rising health consciousness and growing wellness expenditure reshape consumer priorities, LAC is well positioned to meet increasing demand for preventive health and everyday wellness solutions.

Looking ahead, LAC will deepen its presence in existing markets while pursuing new growth opportunities across Asia Pacific and internationally. Alongside its geographic expansion, LAC will continue to invest in product innovation and science-backed nutritional solutions, with a focus on preventive health, healthy ageing and the evolving wellness needs of consumers.

As LAC’s parent company, V3 Group will continue to support its growth through strategic capital, operational capabilities and regional connectivity. Across its broader portfolio, V3 Group remains focused on businesses with strong fundamentals and long-term growth potential, with the aim of building category-leading brands and platforms from Asia for the world.

https://www.lac.com/en/home

Hashtag: #LAC #V3Group

About LAC Global

About V3 Group

With 1.93 million tertiary-educated workers in roles below their qualification level, employment alone may no longer be an adequate measure of career progress.

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach Newswire – 18 August 2026 – Malaysia’s labour market has remained resilient, with overall unemployment falling to 2.9% in the first quarter of 2026. However, the figures may conceal a deeper challenge faced by qualified workers who may be employed without meaningfully progressing in their careers. During the same period, 1.93 million tertiary-educated workers, or 35.2%, were employed in semi-skilled or low-skilled roles.

This points to a gap between employment and career progression, particularly whether the workers’ qualifications and experience are helping them move into more skilled, complex and higher-values roles.

“We need to shift the conversation from employability to career mobility. Being employed is not the same as progressing,” said Lim Bee Ing, Centre Director of The University of Manchester South East Asia Centre. “For experienced professionals in Malaysia, progression increasingly requires the ability to lead across functions, make strategic decisions and navigate change. Purposeful postgraduate education can help build those capabilities.”

Evidence across Manchester’s MBA programmes also points to rising cross-field mobility rather than individual employment factors like qualification alone. Its latest MBA employment report found that 59% of the 2024 class changed sector, while 27% changed country, industry and job function.

Experience alone does not guarantee progress

For working professionals, career mobility depends on more than time spent in a role. Both workplace experience and postgraduate education can support progression when they help build broader capabilities, prepare professionals for more complex work and lead to greater responsibility.

Experience builds capability when professionals encounter new problems, assume higher responsibilities and make increasingly complex decisions. Years spent performing largely the same scope of work, however, may not translate into equivalent professional growth.

Similarly, a Master’s can support progression when it is linked to a clear career transition, such as moving from a specialist to a managerial role, changing functions or industries, taking on regional responsibilities, or leading digital and organisational transformation. It is less likely to deliver meaningful results when pursued as a standalone credential or with the expectation of an automatic promotion or salary increase.

“For experienced professionals, the value of an MBA is not simply in acquiring more knowledge, but in seeing their experience through a broader business lens,” said Xavier Duran, Global MBA Programme Director at Alliance Manchester Business School. “That broader perspective can help prepare them for the next stage of their career, whether that means moving into leadership, changing function or industry, or even taking on greater international responsibility.”

Preparing professionals for changing employer needs

Employer expectations are also evolving. Communication, problem-solving and strategic thinking remain important, while organisations increasingly require professionals who can interpret data, understand technology and navigate the impact of artificial intelligence.

As these demands reshape the workplace, an individual can remain technically qualified and continuously employed while becoming less prepared for their next role.

Studying while working can help bridge this gap by allowing professionals to apply new concepts directly to live organisational challenges. It also enables them to examine their experience critically and connect their existing expertise with wider areas such as strategy, finance, people and technology.

The Manchester Global Part-time MBA follows this model through flexible learning, interactive workshops and practical business projects for experienced professionals. Their applicants enter with an average of 12 years of professional experience, including six years in management, underscoring that the programme is designed to build on established careers rather than replace workplace experience.

Postgraduate education is not for salary increase alone

Career progression should be looked at beyond just salary benchmarking. More meaningful indicators include movement into higher-skilled work, broader decision-making responsibility, access to regional or international opportunities and the ability to lead more complex projects.

Malaysia has made progress in helping graduates enter and remain in the workforce. The next priority should be to turn employment into sustained progression, ensuring that talent continues to develop and move into work that makes fuller use of its capabilities.

More information on the MA in Educational Leadership in Practice (ELiP) is available at www.manchester.com.my/ma-educational-leadership-in-practice/.

MA Educational Leadership in Practice

Hashtag: #UniversityofManchester

About The University of Manchester & Alliance Manchester Business School

Second-year cross-border program connects Citigold Summer Analysts and Citigold Wealth Analysts with fintech leaders, artificial intelligence (AI) applications and emerging trends transforming wealth management

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 18 August 2026 – Citigold recently concluded its second cross-border field trip, a full-day immersive visit to Shenzhen designed to equip the next generation of wealth professionals with firsthand insights into the forefront of technology and financial services in the Greater Bay Area (GBA). Organized in partnership with the FinTech Association of Hong Kong (FTAHK) and the Shenzhen FinTech Association (SZFTA), the initiative brought together the Class of 2026 Citigold Summer Analysts, Citigold Wealth Analysts and senior leaders for a day of high-impact cross-border learning and exchange.

As a powerhouse of the GBA’s innovation economy, Shenzhen offered participants an unfiltered ground-level view of how AI and next-generation technologies are reshaping client expectations and redefining the wealth management industry. Building on the success of last year’s inaugural trip, the 2026 program deepens Citi’s commitment to investing in young talent at every stage of their careers, broadening perspectives and cultivating the forward-looking mindset required to steer the future of the wealth industry.

During the trip, Citigold Summer Analysts and Citigold Wealth Analysts had the opportunity to connect with senior leaders from Ping An OneConnect, Tencent Cloud andfounders of fintech startups. Moving beyond observation, the Citigold Summer Analysts were integral to the program’s dialogue. They moderated a startup panel discussion with fintech founders, exploring themes of entrepreneurship and AI-driven innovation. The day also featured a two-way exchange session with Tencent Cloud interns, where Citigold Summer Analysts shared reflections from their Citi internship experience and discussed practical AI use cases being explored.

Following the visit, the Citigold Summer Analysts gathered for an engaging debrief session to share key takeaways, highlighting the potential of advanced AI capabilities and digital tools to automate workflows and elevate client experiences in their current roles. Reflecting on the trip’s highlights, they noted the inspiring real-world impact of technology far beyond finance, extending into healthcare, the arts, and the broader community. Others drew valuable inspiration from the startup panel, which sparked ideas on cultivating an entrepreneurial mindset and illustrated successful collaboration between agile startups and major financial institutions to accelerate innovation. The debrief concluded with the cohort reflecting on the importance of these learnings in shaping their future careers as they navigate the rapidly evolving wealth management landscape.

Vicky Kong, Head of Wealth for Asia North and Australia, Citi, said, “At Citi, we believe one of the most crucial investments is in the talent who will shape the future of wealth management. Our Citigold Summer Analysts are at the start of their professional journeys, and an experience like this can have a lasting impact. As client expectations continue to evolve, future wealth professionals need to understand how innovation and technology are transforming the way we engage with and serve clients. It was inspiring to see them engage with industry leaders, explore new ideas and consider how technology is reshaping financial services. By fostering this forward-looking mindset, we are ensuring that Citi remains at the forefront of wealth management and continues to deliver unparalleled value to our clients.”

Michele Fung, Board Member of the FinTech Association of Hong Kong (FTAHK), said, “The Greater Bay Area continues to cement its status as a premier global hub for financial innovation. Cross-border talent cultivation initiatives like Citigold’s field trip are absolutely vital to bridging Hong Kong’s deep wealth management expertise with Shenzhen’s cutting-edge fintech engine. By immersing the next generation of wealth professionals directly in the GBA ecosystem—where real-world applications of agentic AI, digital transformation, and advanced investment tools are rapidly scaling—we are actively building a highly adaptable, future-ready workforce. The FinTech Association of Hong Kong remains deeply committed to strengthening these cross-border industry ties, ensuring our talent is uniquely equipped to spearhead the future of AI-driven wealth management in the region.”

The Shenzhen immersion is a flagship component of the broader Citigold Summer Analyst Program. Now in its second consecutive year, the initiative continues to provide curated exposure to market-leading technologies and developments across the Greater Bay Area, preparing the next generation of wealth professionals for an increasingly complex and digitally-driven future.

This year, Citi Hong Kong welcomed a highly competitive cohort of Summer Analysts across its various business lines, attracting top talent from leading universities around the world. The comprehensive 10-week program provides Summer Analysts with hands-on experience, global exposure, deep insights into Citi’s overall business and strategy, and the opportunity to be offered a Full-time Analyst role after successful completion of the internship.

Later this month, Citi Hong Kong will host an Open Day for students from global universities, providing a chance to hear from senior business leaders and connect with Citi Analysts while gaining insights into the future of banking and Citi’s 2027 Summer Analyst Program.

Hashtag: #Citi #FTAHK #SZFTA

Source: Sustainable Business Council and Climate Leaders Coalition

The Sustainable Business Council (SBC) and Climate Leaders Coalition (CLC) are calling on whoever forms New Zealand’s next Government to prioritise five practical actions that would help unlock sustainable economic growth, strengthen resilience and keep New Zealand competitive in a rapidly changing global economy.

Released ahead of November’s General Election, SBC and CLC’s joint 2026 Election Priorities: Policies for Driving Sustainable Growth (https://sbc.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/SBC-CLC-2026-Election-Priorities_Digital_FINAL.pdf) sets out 20 business-led policy recommendations designed to support sustainable economic growth, with five priority actions identified for immediate focus.

Together, SBC members and CLC signatories represent more than 140 businesses and contribute more than 42% of New Zealand’s private sector GDP.

The briefing paper builds on the findings of the organisations’ recent Driving Sustainable Growth (https://sbc.org.nz/resources/driving-sustainable-growth-opportunities-for-new-zealands-economy) report, which found an innovation-led, low-emissions economy could add $22 billion to New Zealand’s GDP every year by 2035, rising to more than $33 billion annually by 2050, while reducing emissions by a further 6 percent per year by 2035 and 22 percent per year by 2050 compared to the current pathway.

SBC Chief Executive Mike Burrell says New Zealand has significant advantages to build on, from renewable energy resources and natural capital to innovative businesses and a strong export reputation, and says the question now is whether we can turn those advantages into long-term economic success

“The role of government is not to do all the heavy lifting. It is to create the conditions for investment by reducing barriers, providing policy certainty and partnering with business where market barriers are holding back commercially viable opportunities,” says Mr Burrell.

“Businesses are already investing in innovation, energy transition, resilience and productivity improvements. What they consistently tell us they need now is clear direction, durable policy settings and the confidence to keep investing. This paper focuses on practical measures that can help create those conditions,” says Mr Burrell.

The paper identifies five priority areas for whoever makes up the next Government:

• Commitment to maintaining New Zealand’s climate change response architecture to provide long-term investment certainty.

• Unlocking New Zealand’s clean energy advantage through a 30-year whole-of-energy vision.

• Accelerating uptake of low-emissions vehicles and supporting infrastructure by removing regulatory and pricing barriers.

• Treating climate and nature risks as economic resilience issues through stronger evidence, governance and planning.

• Enhancing Investment Boost for strategically important low-emissions technologies facing high upfront cost barriers.

These priorities are supported by a further 15 recommendations covering energy, transport, technology, resilience, nature, resource efficiency and industry transition, creating a mix of critical enablers and quick wins to deliver sustainable economic growth.

Mr Burrell says the opportunity now is not to start from scratch, but to move from diagnosis to delivery.

“If we want to grasp the economic opportunity ahead of us, we need to act now. Geopolitical disruptions over the last few years have pushed climate and nature down political agendas, and the regulatory environment for businesses has been inconsistent. We now need to refocus on the mid-to long term plan.”

Taken together, these recommendations represent a practical blueprint for lifting productivity, strengthening competitiveness and building a more resilient economy. They are focused on helping New Zealand make the most of its natural advantages while creating long-term value for businesses, communities and the wider economy.

CLC Convenor and Genesis Chief Executive Malcolm Johns says businesses across the economy are already investing in new technologies, cleaner energy solutions, more efficient operations and greater resilience because it makes good business sense to do so and supports long-term competitiveness.

“What business needs when making 20 to 50-year investment is policy certainty. Large-scale investments are made over decades, not election cycles. Durable and consistent policy settings help unlock the investment, innovation and productivity growth that will underpin New Zealand’s future prosperity.”

“New Zealand has the potential to be a leader in areas such as a highly electrified economy that leverages our natural energy advantages in renewable electricity. This will deliver lower total energy costs for Kiwi homes and businesses, lower emissions and more sustainable food and fibre sectors. Capturing those opportunities will require ambition, partnership and a clear plan.”

SBC and CLC are calling on whoever forms the next Government to adopt these recommendations as part of a long-term economic agenda that supports growth, resilience and competitiveness.

Mr Burrell says, “Our businesses stand ready to work constructively alongside whoever forms the next Government to help realise the significant economic opportunity ahead of New Zealand.”

Read the full paper here (https://sbc.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/SBC-CLC-2026-Election-Priorities_Digital_FINAL.pdf).

About SBC

The Sustainable Business Council (SBC) is a CEO-led membership organisation with around 120 businesses from all sectors, ambitious for a sustainable New Zealand. Members represent $170 billion of collective turnover, 38% of GDP, and nearly 255,000 full-time jobs. Our network gives members unparalleled influence and the ability to take large-scale collective action. SBC is part of the BusinessNZ network and is the New Zealand Global Network partner to the World Business Council for Sustainable Development. www.sbc.org.nz (http://www.sbc.org.nz)

About CLC

The Climate Leaders Coalition (CLC) was launched in July 2018 with a mission of having business CEOs leading the response to climate change through collective, transparent, and meaningful action on mitigation and adaptation. Coalition signatories collectively represent around 28% of GDP, employ around 8% of NZ’s full-time employees, and have a collective turnover of $126 billion. To be a signatory, organisations are held to account for delivering on commitments outlined by a ‘Statement of Ambition’. www.climateleaderscoalition.org.nz (http://www.climateleaderscoalition.org.nz)

Source: Reserve Bank of New Zealand

18 August 2026

We are seeking feedback on the issues we have identified with our
payments system, and the proposed areas of work needed to address these.

Assistant Governor Karen Silk says payment systems are core economic
infrastructure and enable everyday transactions across the economy.
Around $2 trillion of retail payments flow between New Zealand banks
annually. Given the scale of payments systems, even small improvements
in their efficiency can lift national productivity, enhance the global
competitiveness of local businesses, and strengthen our economic
resilience. Conversely, an outdated system can constrain economic
growth.

“New Zealand’s retail payments system is operationally reliable, but is
outdated, and does not meet international best practice for modern,
faster retail payment systems. We have fallen behind global standards,
with outdated infrastructure, limited modern payment capabilities, and
insufficient innovation,” Ms Silk says.

The Minister of Finance has endorsed the Reserve Bank to lead the
delivery of a strategy for payments modernisation in New Zealand, in
coordination with key agencies and industry participants. This reflects
the close alignment between payment system outcomes and RBNZ’s monetary
and financial stability mandates, settlement operations, and our wider
central bank policy interests.

We have set up 2 workstreams to progress payments modernisation:

* The first workstream will examine the technical requirements needed
to modernise payments infrastructure and will inform the development of
future options.
* A separate workstream focuses on reforming strategic leadership,
regulatory coordination and system governance, across the retail
payments system.

Key strategic questions include whether to continue pursuing incremental
reform or to undertake structural modernisation of the underlying
payments infrastructure to build long-term capability and strengthen
resilience.

A close working relationship with industry will be fundamental to the
success of this initiative, Ms Silk says.

“We cannot do this alone and, in partnership with other government
agencies, are committed to working closely with businesses, the payments
industry and other interested stakeholders to shape the future direction
for New Zealand’s payments system and meet broader public interest
objectives.”

The Issues Paper consultation will be open for 10 weeks. Feedback is
welcomed from all those with an interest in the future of the payments
system until 27 October 2026.

“Following the Issues Paper consultation, we will analyse submissions
and provide Ministers with advice on options for future work and reform.
We expect this to be completed in the first half of next year,” Ms Silk
says.

A proposed roadmap and business case will be developed in addition to
the options paper. Proposed roles and responsibilities, and payments
modernisation policy options will be subject to a subsequent public
consultation as part of the policy development process, including cost
benefit analysis.

MORE INFORMATION

* Modernising New Zealand’s retail payment system (PDF, 779 KB): https://www.rbnz.govt.nz/-/media/project/sites/rbnz/files/consultations/future-of-money/modernising-new-zealands-retail-payment-system.pdf
* Have your say on the future of payments: https://www.rbnz.govt.nz/money-and-cash/payments/have-your-say-on-the-future-of-payments

PAYMENTS MODERNISATION WEBINAR

We will be hosting a public webinar at 11am on Monday 24 August to
discuss our issues paper with RBNZ policy staff. Please let us know if
you are interested in attending by emailing Future of Money and
Payments.

Source: Exercise New Zealand

(A World First)

“If we want more New Zealanders exercising, we need more good people out there pushing that message.”

“We spend a lot of time talking about getting New Zealand moving, but exercise professionals are the people who actually turn that ambition into action.”

“While much of the conversation about AI focuses on what it might look like to
replace, we’re using it to support work that needs to remain deeply human.”

In a world first, around 2,000 New Zealand personal trainers are being given professional websites and business tools in a nationwide initiative using AI to strengthen the workforce behind the country’s fight against physical inactivity.

New Zealand Has An Inactivity Problem

More than half of New Zealand adults are not getting enough physical activity to meet recommended health guidelines. The latest New Zealand Health Survey found just 46.2% met the guidelines in 2024/25, while one in eight adults did less than 30 minutes of physical activity across an entire week.

But behind those numbers is another part of the equation: the people whose job it is to get New Zealanders moving.

From the 19th of August, around 2,000 personal trainers registered with the New Zealand Register of Exercise Professionals (REPs) will receive a professional website and digital business tools as part of their registration.

The nationwide initiative is a partnership between Exercise New Zealand, REPs and New Zealand-built technology platform fitweb. The rollout represents a $2 million investment in New Zealand’s exercise workforce, based on the standard retail value of the websites and business tools being provided to around 2,000 exercise professionals.

The aim is not simply to put more websites online. It is to help more exercise professionals become visible, find clients, build sustainable careers and continue doing the work New Zealand increasingly needs them to do.

Backing the People

fitweb founder Ben Mann has spent close to 15 years working across the exercise industry in New Zealand and internationally, from personal training through to senior industry leadership. He says that experience has shaped his view that exercise professionals have a much bigger role in public health than simply delivering a workout to someone who has already decided to exercise.

“For nearly 15 years, I’ve watched this industry change people’s lives, but I’ve also seen great exercise professionals leave because being good at helping people wasn’t enough to build a sustainable career.”

“Exercise professionals do more than support people who already exercise. They make movement feel possible for those who haven’t been active in years, helping them see there is a way to start that works for them. Sometimes, the right professional at the right moment is all someone needs to take that first step.”

For Mann, every exercise professional who builds a lasting career has an impact that extends well beyond their own client list.

“One trainer might work directly with 30 or 40 people, but their influence reaches much further than that. They talk about exercise every day. Their clients talk to their families. They share successes. They make movement visible in their communities. They normalise it.”

“If we want more New Zealanders exercising, we need more good people out there pushing that message, and we need them still standing when somebody is finally ready to listen.”

Front Line of Prevention

That workforce is particularly important as New Zealand looks for ways to prevent poor health before it requires treatment.

ExerciseNZ has this month released New Zealand’s first comprehensive White Paper focused on physical activity and prevention, highlighting that the country’s existing exercise industry remains overlooked and under-utilised as part of the health solution.

ExerciseNZ Chief Executive Richard Beddie says supporting the people delivering exercise in communities is a practical part of changing that.

“We spend a lot of time talking about the need to get New Zealand moving, but exercise professionals are some of the people who actually turn that ambition into action.”

“If we genuinely want physical activity to play a greater role in prevention, then we need a strong, visible and sustainable exercise workforce in communities throughout New Zealand.”

The Business Challenge Behind the Profession

The challenge is that many of those professionals are also small business owners. Alongside coaching clients, they need to market themselves, establish credibility, be found online, manage enquiries and generate enough business to make their career viable.

That is the problem we’re trying to address.

Each eligible REPs-registered personal trainer receives an editable, AI-assisted professional website, with search engine foundations, a lead inbox and mini-CRM, business income and expense tools, and other digital infrastructure intended to help them get found and turn enquiries into clients.

Using AI to Support Human Connection

Creating that infrastructure individually for around 2,000 small businesses would ordinarily be impractical. However, AI changes the economics of doing it at scale. For Mann, that is also why this is an AI story with a difference.

“While much of the conversation about AI focuses on what it might replace, we’re using it to support work that needs to remain deeply human. AI makes it possible to give thousands of exercise professionals access to business infrastructure that would otherwise be out of reach, but it can’t build trust, understand someone’s barriers, celebrate their progress or motivate them to keep going. That human connection is what we’re investing in.”

Mann says the project is personal because he has seen both sides of the industry’s opportunity: the extraordinary impact good exercise professionals can have, and how difficult it can be for those same people to establish themselves commercially.

“We already have exercise professionals across New Zealand who chose this career because they want to help people become healthier, and they have the skills and knowledge to genuinely change lives. It’s a missed opportunity if we lose those professionals because they can’t build a sustainable client base, while people in their communities are ready to become active but haven’t found the right support. The stronger our exercise workforce is, the more New Zealanders it can reach and help
become active.”

Turning Technology Into Community Impact

The initiative builds on ExerciseNZ’s wider work to increase the role physical activity plays in prevention and improve recognition of the exercise workforce.

Beddie says technology can help remove barriers, but the ultimate measure of success is what happens in communities.

“A website is simply a tool. What matters is helping more New Zealanders connect with qualified exercise professionals, supporting those professionals to build viable careers, and using technology to make those human connections happen more often.”

Invitations will begin rolling out to eligible REPs-registered personal trainer contractors from the 19th of August.

Source: UNSW Sydney

Financial literacy is less about expertise than knowing how to spend, save and borrow, says a UNSW economist. Here’s what you need to know.

8.5 million Australian adults lack basic financial literacy, representing about 45% of the adult population. While Australia ranks among the top 10 countries globally for financial literacy, many people still struggle to confidently make informed decisions about saving, borrowing and managing financial risk.

Professor Isabella Dobrescu, Head of the School of Economics at UNSW Business School, says that a lack of financial literacy can leave people more vulnerable to debt, financial stress and financial abuse, and less prepared for how changes in economic conditions can affect living costs or their personal circumstances.

“Millions of people do not have the basic knowledge needed to confidently decide how much to save, how much to borrow or how to manage financial risk. Financial literacy is not just an individual problem; it is a societal problem, and we need to start building the national capability on this,” she says.

Being financially literate does not mean becoming a money expert. It starts with understanding how everyday financial decisions affect your present and future circumstances, and understanding the economics of your life.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE FINANCIALLY LITERATE?

The term financial literacy can be intimidating, with people often assuming it means having deep knowledge of investing and the stock market. But Prof. Dobrescu says it is much broader and begins with everyday decisions about money.

The estimate that 45% of Australian adults lack basic financial literacy comes from an analysis of the 2016 Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey. In the analysis, respondents were considered financially literate if they correctly answered all three questions about interest, inflation and investment diversification.

“It is about understanding how to budget, how to save, how much to borrow and how to manage risk. It is about how you make decisions with your money, and so much broader than the stock market,” she says.

Financial literacy helps people manage their own money, but these decisions do not happen in isolation. They are shaped by broader economic conditions, including changes in interest rates, inflation and the cost of living. Prof. Dobrescu says economic literacy helps people understand this wider context, as well as the incentives and trade-offs involved in their choices.

“We live in a world of constraints. We have limited money, limited time, limited information and limited attention,” she says. “Being economically literate helps you make the best in this constrained world, which is the real world.”

On The Business Of Financial Literacy podcast, Prof. Dobrescu says even highly educated people can make costly financial decisions if they do not pause to understand the trade-offs involved. She gives the example of a person who had significant savings in a bank account earning about 4% interest while carrying credit card debt, attracting roughly 20% interest.

“By using those savings to pay off the credit card debt, they could have avoided paying the higher interest rate,” she says. “It shows why it is important to understand the opportunity cost of the choices you make.”

IS DIGITAL SPENDING CONTRIBUTING TO FINANCIAL ILLITERACY?

The way people interact with money has changed. Tap-and-go payments, digital wallets and online subscriptions have made transactions faster and more convenient, and they can also make people less aware of their spending.

“The biggest behavioural change has been removing the pain of paying,” Prof. Dobrescu says. “When we used cash, we saw the coins and notes leaving our wallets. Now we tap with a card, tap with a phone or click on a subscribe button.”

While digital payments do not necessarily make people financially illiterate, Prof. Dobrescu says the lack of friction can make it harder to recognise how much money is leaving an account, particularly when small payments and recurring subscriptions accumulate over time.

“Transactions happen so quickly that we do not always stop and think about the money leaving our account. When spending becomes less visible, it becomes harder to understand where our money is going and make informed decisions about how much to spend and save,” she says.

To make spending more visible, Prof. Dobrescu recommends setting aside time each month to review expenses and identify recurring payments that are no longer needed.

“Take an hour, look at your expenses and understand where your money is going,” she says. “It is about bringing some of that friction back and becoming more aware of the decisions you are making. It’s a time cost, but it will pay off in the medium to long-term.”

WHEN DID YOU LAST GIVE YOUR FINANCES A HEALTH CHECK?

Financial literacy requires ongoing attention as people’s circumstances and priorities change.

“Financial literacy is not a destination. You have to keep checking the information available and learning because your circumstances change, the financial products available to you change, and the economy changes,” Prof. Dobrescu says.

She says a financial health check should begin with some basic questions: Do you know where your money is going? Do you have an emergency buffer? Are you carrying high-interest debt? And do you understand your superannuation?

“Superannuation is a black box for many people. They know money is going into it, but they may not know how much they have, where it is invested, what insurance is included or whether it will be enough for retirement,” she says.

“The questions people should ask also depend on their stage of life”, Prof. Dobrescu says.

“In your 30s, you should be building the foundations. That means managing debt, establishing an emergency buffer and starting to take your superannuation seriously,” she says.

“Your 40s are a balancing act. You may have a mortgage, children or other caring responsibilities, while also needing to start thinking more seriously about retirement.”

By their 50s, Prof. Dobrescu says people should have a clearer understanding of whether their retirement savings will be sufficient and how future healthcare or aged care costs may affect them.

“The foundations you put in place earlier in life matter, but it is never too late to become more engaged with your finances,” she says.

EDUCATION PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE

Prof. Dobrescu says education has an important role in closing Australia’s financial literacy gap. She is involved in STEP UP, UNSW’s economic and financial literacy outreach program for high school students, which uses the Playconomics video game to teach economic and financial concepts through live experiences.

“Students can experiment with different choices, see their consequences and then go back and try again,” she says. “They can see in real time how changing one decision can affect a whole range of outcomes.”

Through the simulated economy, students make decisions about budgeting and spending, how much to save and how much debt to take on, how to deal with taxes, whether to invest in private or public goods and how to respond to market cycles. Prof. Dobrescu says the experience also helps them understand their appetite for risk and willingness to delay spending for a future benefit.

“It is like living your life on fast forward, but without the real-world consequences,” she says. “You can make mistakes, try again and learn how your decisions affect your financial position.”

Source: deVere Group

August 17 2026

China’s new wave of AI hardware exports offers investors a hedge against Wall Street’s “dangerously circular” artificial intelligence trade, affirms the CEO of one of the world’s largest independent financial advisory and asset management organisations.

Nigel Green of deVere Group [1] comments as fresh analysis maps out a new generation of Chinese exporters carrying a combined addressable market of $12 billion to $212 billion by 2030, a shift that gives investors a genuine alternative to the self-financing loops he has been warning about for weeks.

“For weeks I’ve been flagging that too much of the AI trade in the US is financing itself, with the same capital moving between a tight circle of suppliers, lenders and customers and getting booked as growth every time it changes hands.

“A supplier invests in a customer, that customer spends the investment buying the supplier’s own hardware, and the identical dollars get counted as fresh revenue at every stop along the loop,” he says.

“China’s export wave looks nothing like that. It is hardware shipped to real ports and installed on real factory floors overseas, demand that shows up in customs data rather than in vendor-financing footnotes.”

He describes China as entering “a third global export era”, moving on from the solar panels, batteries and electric vehicles that defined the last decade toward AI-enabled industrial hardware, data-centre equipment and automated production systems.

With US trade restrictions still unresolved, Chinese manufacturers across these sectors are routing growth through Europe and Southeast Asia instead.

Industrial automation and robotics stand out as sectors where corporate execution, not macro tailwinds, decides the winners.

Two listed Chinese automation specialists illustrate the range on offer.
One Shenzhen-listed group carries a buy rating and a price target implying upside above 50%, with its addressable market outside China projected to more than triple from $163 billion as Europe becomes its central overseas battleground.

A Hong Kong-listed robotics manufacturer, rated neutral, is expected to triple its Southeast Asian market share to around 10% by 2030 against a regional opportunity worth $20 billion.

“Those two firms sit at very different stages of the same trade,” explains the deVere CEO. “The Southeast Asian push still needs deeper service coverage on the ground, while the European operation already has real scale behind it. Execution speed is what separates them, not a weaker currency.”

The scale of China’s hardware momentum is visible beyond the balance sheets. One Chinese humanoid robot maker shipped more than 5,500 units last year, compared with roughly 150 units each from its leading American rivals.

Beijing hosts the World Robot Conference from August 19 to 23, with exhibitor numbers up 36% year on year to more than 300 and over 150 products launching on-site.

“Volumes like that are the proof.

“An entire supply chain is moving up the value curve at a pace Western competitors are still underestimating, and this week in Beijing will show it in real time.”

Nigel Green argues the diversification case is now urgent for portfolios overweight the most circularly financed pockets of the American AI trade.

“Investors who have been sitting entirely inside the US AI complex are exposed to financing structures I have already flagged as fragile,” he says.

“Adding exposure tied to genuine overseas order books, across robotics, automation and industrial hardware, gives a portfolio real distance from that circularity. Every AI-heavy portfolio needs that distance before the next repricing arrives.”

He concludes that the coming week’s robotics showcase in Beijing will offer the clearest signal yet of which Chinese exporters are converting momentum into contracted, overseas revenue.

“Watch the order books coming out of Beijing this week closely.

“They’ll tell investors more about where real AI demand sits than another earnings call stuffed with financing arrangements ever could.”

deVere Group is one of the world’s largest independent advisors of specialist global financial solutions to international, local mass affluent, and high-net-worth clients. It has a network of offices around the world, more than 80,000 clients, and $14bn under advisement.