8, Sep 2026
PT Prodia Diacro Laboratories Receives Frost & Sullivan’s 2026 Southeast Asian Contract Research Organization Customer Value Leadership Recognition for Customer-Centric Clinical Research Excellence
Prodia the CRO is recognized for its reliable, integrated clinical research ecosystem, customer-centric delivery model, and commitment to quality, innovation, and long-term sponsor value across Southeast Asia.
SAN ANTONIO, Sept. 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Frost & Sullivan is pleased to announce that PT Prodia Diacro Laboratories (Prodia the CRO) has received the 2026 Southeast Asian Customer Value Leadership Recognition in the contract research organization (CRO) industry for its outstanding achievements in customer-centric service delivery, integrated clinical research capabilities, and operational excellence. The recognition highlights Prodia the CRO’s ability to deliver measurable customer value while strengthening Indonesia’s position in Southeast Asia’s evolving clinical research landscape.
Frost & Sullivan evaluates companies through a rigorous benchmarking process across two core dimensions: strategy effectiveness and strategy execution. Prodia the CRO excelled in both, demonstrating its ability to align its capabilities with evolving sponsor requirements while executing clinical research programs with quality, consistency, and efficiency.
“Prodia the CRO has distinguished itself by combining deep local regulatory expertise with an integrated clinical research ecosystem and internationally aligned quality practices. Its ability to bring together clinical trial management, laboratory support, site management, regulatory consulting, consumer product clinical assessment and emerging pharmacovigilance capabilities enables sponsors to simplify study execution while maintaining strong standards of quality and compliance,” said Unmesh Lal, Vice President at Frost & Sullivan.
Guided by a long-term strategy focused on integrated service delivery, capability expansion, strategic partnerships, and ecosystem development, Prodia the CRO has evolved into a one-stop clinical research partner for pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device, nutrition, cosmetics, personal care, and other industries. Its heritage in the Prodia Group, combined with decades of laboratory expertise, provides a strong foundation for supporting increasingly complex clinical development programs in Indonesia and across Southeast Asia.
Innovation remains central to Prodia the CRO’s approach. The company brings together regulatory consulting, clinical trial management, site management organization services, central laboratory support, consumer product clinical assessment, and pharmacovigilance capabilities. The integrated model reduces vendor fragmentation, streamlines communication, and enables sponsors to access coordinated support across the clinical research life cycle.
“At Prodia, we see innovation as a commitment to continuously improving how clinical research and relates services are delivered. As the industry landscape becomes increasingly complex and regulatory requirements continue to evolve, we continuously expand our capabilities to provide reliable, compliant, and integrated solutions. Our latest Pharmacovigilance services reflect this commitment, supporting our partners in strengthening safety management and meeting evolving regulatory requirements which further positioning Prodia as a trusted and reliable partner for the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries,” said Erizal Sugiono, Director at PT Prodia Diacro Laboratories.
Prodia the CRO’s commitment to customer experience strengthens its position in the market. By providing a single point of coordination, proactive feasibility support, structured project reviews, transparent communication, and continuous improvement mechanisms, the company helps sponsors improve study execution while reducing operational complexity. Its collaboration with Prodia Laboratory, the only CAP-accredited laboratory with widest network across in Indonesia, enhances end-to-end laboratory support, from sample management, study-specific testing, and laboratory support with consistent quality and reliable data across research sites.
The company has developed a deep understanding of Indonesia’s clinical research landscape and a wide network of investigators, key opinion leaders, and research sites through sustained engagement in the local clinical research community, including the development of at least 10 clinical research units and GCP certification for more than 5,000 physicians. Its capabilities have also supported more than 110 clinical studies actively recruiting participants in Indonesia, contributing to the country’s broader clinical research readiness.
Frost & Sullivan commends Prodia the CRO for establishing a high standard in customer-centric strategy, execution, and market responsiveness. Continued investment in quality systems, laboratory capabilities, technology-enabled study oversight, strategic partnerships, and specialized services, such as pharmacovigilance, positions the company to address the increasingly complex requirements of sponsors conducting clinical research across Southeast Asia.
Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents the Customer Value Leadership Recognition to a company that demonstrates outstanding strategy development and implementation, resulting in measurable improvements in customer experience, competitive positioning, and value delivery. The recognition highlights forward-thinking organizations that are reshaping their industries through innovation, customer centricity, and growth excellence.
Frost & Sullivan Best Practices Recognition
Frost & Sullivan’s Best Practices Recognitions honor companies across regional and global markets that exhibit exceptional achievement and consistent excellence in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer experience, and strategic product development. Each recognition is the result of a rigorous analytical process in which Frost & Sullivan industry experts benchmark performance through comprehensive interviews, deep-dive analysis, and extensive secondary research. The goal is to identify true best-in-class organizations that are driving transformative growth and setting new industry standards.
Contact us: Start the discussion.
Contact:
Tarini Singh
E: Tarini.Singh@frost.com
About PT Prodia Diacro Laboratories
Prodia the CRO is an independent Indonesian Contract Research Organization (CRO) providing integrated and wide range of services. Its integrated capabilities span regulatory consulting, clinical trial management, site management, central laboratory services, consumer product clinical assessment, and pharmacovigilance services, enabling coordinated support across the clinical research lifecycle. With strong local expertise and access to the Prodia ecosystem, Prodia the CRO is committed to delivering reliable, high-quality solutions that help sponsors navigate the complexities of clinical research in Indonesia and beyond.
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- By Sai Krishna
8, Sep 2026
From Water to Wealth: Technology Reshapes India’s Aquaculture Growth Story
New Delhi, Sep 8: India’s fisheries and aquaculture industry is undergoing a significant transformation as advanced technologies, rising investment and growing demand for seafood push the sector towards more efficient and commercially viable production models.
Technologies such as Recirculatory Aquaculture Systems (RAS) and Biofloc are emerging as important tools in this transition, enabling fish farmers to produce more in controlled environments while making better use of water and other resources. The shift is also opening new opportunities for rural businesses, employment and investment across the wider fisheries value chain.
The fisheries and aquaculture sector already plays a major role in India’s rural economy, supporting the livelihoods of nearly three crore fishers and fish farmers. Its economic footprint extends well beyond primary production, encompassing feed, equipment, processing, cold-chain infrastructure, transportation, packaging, retail and exports.
India is now the world’s second-largest fish producer, contributing around 8 per cent of global production. It is also the second-largest aquaculture producer, the world’s largest producer and exporter of shrimp and the second-largest producer in capture fisheries.
Sustained public investment has helped accelerate this growth. Since 2015, more than ₹39,272 crore has been approved or announced through various government initiatives aimed at strengthening fisheries infrastructure, improving production, encouraging technology adoption, expanding market access and boosting exports.
The results are reflected in the sector’s production performance. Annual fish production has more than doubled from 95.79 lakh tonnes in 2013-14 to a record 198 lakh tonnes in 2024-25. Inland fisheries and aquaculture have been at the centre of this expansion, with output increasing 147 per cent from 61.36 lakh tonnes to 151.60 lakh tonnes over the same period.
India’s seafood export performance has also strengthened considerably. Exports rose from ₹30,213 crore in 2013-14 to a record ₹73,890 crore in 2025-26, underlining the growing importance of fisheries to India’s export economy and its integration with global seafood markets.
Technology is now expected to play a larger role in sustaining this momentum. Under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), RAS and Biofloc systems are helping shift aquaculture towards controlled, intensive and resource-efficient production.
RAS relies on water treatment and recirculation, enabling farms to reuse a large proportion of their water. The systems can recycle up to 90-95 per cent of water, reducing freshwater requirements and making aquaculture possible in locations where conventional farming may be difficult. Production units can also be established closer to urban consumption centres and major markets, potentially improving supply efficiency and reducing logistical distances.
Biofloc technology takes a different approach by using beneficial microorganisms to maintain water quality and support fish growth. The system can help farmers make more efficient use of resources while creating controlled production conditions.
Under PMMSY, 9,467 RAS units and 4,573 Biofloc units have been approved, backed by an investment of ₹4,120 crore. The expansion of these systems is helping promote year-round production and extend aquaculture beyond conventional farming regions.
The economic impact could extend well beyond fish farms themselves. As technology adoption increases, demand is likely to grow for aquaculture equipment, specialised feeds, water-treatment systems, farm automation, digital monitoring, cold storage, logistics, processing and technical services. This creates space for both established businesses and new rural enterprises to participate in the emerging aquaculture ecosystem.
Technology-led production could also strengthen India’s position in high-value seafood markets. Controlled farming environments can offer greater consistency in production, improved biosecurity and better traceability, all of which are becoming increasingly important as international markets place greater emphasis on quality and food safety.
The applications are expanding across different segments of aquaculture. RAS and Biofloc systems are being adopted for premium-value trout production in cold-water regions such as Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. They are also being used in shrimp farming in saline and brackish-water areas and in ornamental fish production, creating opportunities in specialised and higher-value markets.
The next phase of the sector’s development could see aquaculture increasingly integrated with digital technologies. Artificial intelligence, real-time monitoring, drones and renewable energy solutions have the potential to improve farm management, monitor water conditions, optimise resource use and reduce operating costs.
At the same time, greater diversification towards high-value species such as shrimp, trout, seabass, tilapia, murrel and pangasius could help farmers improve returns while expanding India’s presence in international seafood markets.
For the rural economy, the transformation carries significance beyond higher fish production. A stronger aquaculture industry can generate additional income opportunities, create skilled and semi-skilled jobs and stimulate demand for businesses involved in processing, storage, transportation and marketing. It can also provide farmers with alternatives to traditional sources of rural income.
As investment, technology and private-sector participation deepen, Indian aquaculture is gradually evolving from a largely traditional activity into a more organised and technology-driven industry. If supported by skills, infrastructure and efficient market linkages, this transformation could strengthen rural livelihoods, expand the seafood export base and establish fisheries as an even more important pillar of India’s emerging blue economy.
8, Sep 2026
AcroMeta to Enter Ambient Temperature Cellular Logistics Through Strategic Partnership with Macro HRD SG Pte. Ltd.
[L-R] Signing ceremony between Mr Toh Ker How, Executive Director of AcroMeta Group Limited, and Ms Kawinyarat Mardpiratchata, CFO and Managing Partner of Macro-HRD Pte. Ltd.
SINGAPORE, Sept 08- AcroMeta Group Limited (“AcroMeta”, or the “Company”, and together with its subsidiaries, the “Group”) today announced that it has entered into a non-binding term sheet (“Term Sheet”) with Macro HRD SG Pte. Ltd. (“Macro”), a Singapore-based provider of management consultancy services to the healthcare sector. The Term Sheet sets out the principal terms for a strategic partnership between AcroMeta and Macro-ATCLS Pte. Ltd. (“Macro-ATCLS”), the company through which Macro’s Ambient Temperature Cellular Logistics technology is being commercialised.
Mr Lawrence Toh, Executive Director of AcroMeta Group Limited, said, “This proposed strategic partnership gives us the opportunity to build a position in an industry where cell and gene therapy logistics are expected to grow at double-digit rates in the years ahead. We see this as a natural extension of our strategy to grow our portfolio beyond our core operations, and we’re excited about the potential to build a meaningful presence in bringing this technology into Southeast Asia.”
About Ambient Temperature Cellular Logistics (ATCLS)
Ambient Temperature Cell Logistics (ATCLS) is an emerging technology licensed by Macro HRD, designed to fundamentally transform the transportation and distribution of living cells and other temperature-sensitive biological materials by eliminating reliance on conventional refrigerated and cryogenic cold chains. ATCLS uses proprietary ambient-temperature preservation and reactivation technologies, supported by its proprietary Gradient Equilibrium Decision Modeling (GEDM) platform for real-time governance, chain-of-identity and process control, enabling dormant living cells to be transported at ambient temperature and reactivated at the point of use.
The opportunity addresses rapidly expanding markets including stem cells, CAR-T/immune-cell therapy, gene therapy, regenerative medicine, organ and tissue transplantation, and cell-and-gene-therapy logistics; the underlying markets cited in the project materials range from US$5.2 billion for immune-cell therapy to US$47 billion for organ transplantation, while the global cell-and-gene-therapy 3PL market is estimated at US$1.81 billion in 2025 and projected to reach US$16.95 billion by 2035 (25.1% CAGR).
Based on defined ambient-addressable segments, ATCLS estimates a Serviceable Addressable Market (SAM) of approximately US$14.5 billion by 2032, positioning the technology as a potential category-creating solution capable of reducing the cost, fragility and geographic limitations of conventional cold-chain logistics. (See Footnote 1)
Proposed Exclusive Licensing Arrangement for Southeast Asia
AcroMeta will have an option to acquire an exclusive licence to deploy the ATCLS technology across agreed territories in Southeast Asia, including the right to appoint sub-licensees. The proposed exclusive licensing arrangement is intended to provide AcroMeta with the rights to develop and commercialise the ATCLS business within Southeast Asia.
This structure allows AcroMeta to secure exclusive rights across the Southeast Asian markets, together with a first right to acquire additional territories, significantly expanding the Group’s potential commercial reach for the ATCLS technology.
Building AcroMeta’s Platform Growth Strategy
The Group intends to continue evaluating strategic opportunities to support its long-term value creation for shareholders. The Board remains focused on disciplined capital allocation as the Group progresses through its next phase of development.
Footnote 1: This information was provided by Macro’s management and has not been verified by the board of directors. The directors have not audited or verified the data supplied by the company.
8, Sep 2026
MENA Fintech Association Welcomes Wise as a Corporate Member to Advance Cross-Border Payments and Global Financial Connectivity Abu Dhabi, UAE
Abu Dhabi, UAE – Sept 08 – The MENA Fintech Association (MFTA), the region’s leading not-for-profit fintech industry body and globally ranked among the top fintech associations, has welcomed Wise, the global technology company building the best way to move and manage the world’s money, as a new corporate member. The partnership brings together Wise’s global payments infrastructure and MFTA’s regional network to support the continued evolution of cross-border payments and financial connectivity across MENA.
Wise joins MFTA as international money movement becomes increasingly central to the region’s digital economy. Growing trade, digital commerce, workforce mobility, and cross-border business activity are driving demand for payment infrastructure that is faster, more transparent, and more cost-effective.
Serving around 19 million customers globally, Wise processed more than $240 billion in cross-border transactions during the last financial year, helping customers save more than $3 billion in fees. Its infrastructure connects directly to domestic payment systems across multiple markets, enabling faster international transfers while reducing complexity and improving transparency.
Beyond its consumer and business offering, Wise Platform enables banks and financial institutions to embed international payment capabilities into their own products and services. This allows financial institutions to provide faster, more transparent cross-border experiences while leveraging Wise’s global payments infrastructure.
The partnership comes at an important time for MENA, where financial institutions, fintechs, regulators, and businesses are working to modernize payment infrastructure and strengthen the region’s connection to global financial markets. As part of its engagement with MFTA, Wise will contribute its expertise to initiatives focused on payments, financial infrastructure, cross-border commerce, and digital financial inclusion.
Mohamed Mansour, CEO of Wise UAE, commented:
“Joining the MENA Fintech Association marks a key step in Wise’s continued engagement in the UAE and across the wider region. As more people and businesses live, work and trade across borders, the need for international payments that are fast, transparent and low-cost has never been clearer. We look forward to working with MFTA, regulators, policymakers and industry partners to support an open, connected and more transparent ecosystem, and to help make moving money internationally more convenient for customers across the region.”
Nameer Khan, Chairman of the MENA Fintech Association and Founder of Fils, added:
“The way money moves across borders is becoming increasingly important to the competitiveness of modern economies. As trade, talent, and capital move more seamlessly between markets, the infrastructure supporting these flows must evolve with them. Wise has demonstrated at significant global scale what faster, more transparent international payments can look like, and we look forward to bringing that expertise into our network and supporting the continued development of more connected payment ecosystems across MENA.”
As part of the MFTA network, Wise will collaborate with banks, fintechs, financial institutions, regulators, and technology providers across the region. The collaboration will support dialogue around cross-border payments, payment infrastructure, digital inclusion, and the technologies enabling more efficient global money movement.
Together, MFTA and Wise aim to contribute to a more connected financial ecosystem where businesses and individuals can move money across borders with greater speed, transparency, and accessibility.
8, Sep 2026
Guanlan AI Applications: Higher Accuracy, Lower Cost, Smarter Interaction
HANGZHOU, China, Sept. 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — It’s over a year since Hikvision launched the Guanlan large-scale AI models. In a very real sense, today’s video systems ‘understand’ what they are looking at. They also know what has already been recorded and, thanks to the natural language innovations, what the user wants. These are the things that let a product fit the scenario it is deployed in – delivering operations that run more safely, at lower cost, and with less manual work.
AI detection and analysis: Alarms you can count on
Perimeter protection
The perimeter is where a wrong detection costs most. Legacy systems are easily triggered by animals, weather, and moving vegetation, burying real threats under manual assessment work.
Guanlan addresses this problem at the edge. DeepinViewX cameras run the model, cutting false alarms by 90% while detecting at twice the range of traditional cameras, with half as many repeated alarms on the same target. Whether using optical cameras for short perimeters, or thermal, radar, and fiber-optic sensing for vast distances, the AI helps reduce the noise.
Scenario-specific analytics
Beyond the perimeter, Guanlan moves past standard object detection to flag high-risk issues in specialized environments. Built for recognized operational risks, these applications typically reduce false alarms by 70% to 90%.
- Safety & compliance: Examples include Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) detection on construction sites, fall detection in care homes, and smoking detection in gas stations. In all cases, the system continuously monitors for risky behaviors and triggers instant alerts.
- Operational hazards: Examples include forklift detection in logistics parks, and early fire and smoke detection in mining sites using dual-channel thermal cameras.
- Specialized uses: Examples include animal detection for large farms and prohibited item detection at transport hubs – the latter powered by large X-ray and millimeter-wave models.
AI efficiency engine: Doing more with less
Saving storage with intelligent ROI compression
Conventional encoding treats every part of the frame as equally worth keeping. To deliver breakthrough video storage optimization, Guanlan Encoding brings the large vision model into the encoding pipeline. It uses precision Region of Interest (ROI) segmentation to preserve detail on dynamic subjects – people, vehicles, and other key objects – while applying heavier compression to static backgrounds. Storage savings average between 30% and 50%.
Searching video with just a few words
Finding a specific moment in recorded video has often been slow. An operator knows roughly what they are after and has no way to pinpoint it except by scrubbing a timeline.
AcuSeek removes that step. Built on a large multimodal model for natural language video search, it aligns image features with the meaning of a written phrase, so a description becomes a query. Results come back in seconds.
The next frontier: Software as an AI agent
Hikvision’s new HIKO AI agent, arriving on the HikCentral Professional platform and Hik-Connect app, changes the interaction entirely. It sits between the system and the user, turning complex configurations into simple conversational commands.
HIKO acts as an AI Assistant that carries out administrative instructions instantly – like setting up visitor access against a plate number or pulling an attendance report just by asking for it. It functions as an AI Guardian, replacing rule configurations with a natural language command (e.g., “Alert me when the passageway is blocked”), tagging each alarm with a written summary, and composing contextual audio warnings from the scene. Finally, as an AI Search engine, it reconstructs a person’s complete movement path – across video, door records, and ANPR reads – simply because the operator asked, “Where did the man in the blue shirt go?”
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8, Sep 2026
India’s Lithium Battery Manufacturing Sector to Create 3 Million Jobs by 2030, says Adecco India
Mumbai, 8th September 2026: India is transforming from importing and assembling lithium-ion cells to building a domestic cell-to-pack manufacturing base. The country’s battery industry is entering its most capital-intensive and employment-intensive phase, evolving from an assembly and import-dependent opportunity into a fully integrated cell-to-recycling industrial ecosystem, according to Adecco India. The sector is projected to generate 1.5 to 2 million jobs, 25% direct and 75% indirect, by 2030. Hiring is expected to grow by 25% to 30% Y-o-Y, with the next decade defined less by conventional assembly-line roles and more by specialised electrochemistry, materials science and battery process engineering capabilities across the value chain.
According to Deepesh Gupta, Director and Head of General Staffing, Adecco India, “India’s battery manufacturing journey is no longer just a policy ambition; it is now translating into plant-level capacity. Under the PLI Scheme for Advanced Chemistry Cells, the Government of India has committed Rs. 18,100 crore to develop 50 GWh of domestic ACC manufacturing capacity, with an additional 5 GWh reserved for niche chemistries. A new component manufacturing incentive scheme of nearly Rs. 12,000 crore is also under consideration for cathode and anode active materials, copper foil, electrolytes and separators. With battery manufacturing capacity currently at around 60 GWh and expected to approach 100 GWh by the end of 2026, along with upcoming gigafactory investments in Gujarat, Karnataka, Haryana and Telangana, the sector is moving beyond assembly and building the depth of a full industrial ecosystem. Since battery components account for more than 60% of cell cost, and India continues to depend heavily on imported lithium, cobalt and refined battery-grade materials, workforce planning must cover the entire value chain, from cell chemistry and pack integration to end-of-life recycling, not just finished-vehicle manufacturing,”
“Catalysing the vision of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’, this localisation drive, supported by the Critical Minerals Mission and India’s participation in the Quad Critical Minerals Initiative Framework, will reduce India’s reliance on imported cells and refined materials, strengthen energy security, and support the Net-Zero target by 2070, while creating employment opportunities across both established manufacturing hubs and emerging Tier-2 and Tier-3 industrial corridors,” he added.
Lithium Battery manufacturing is expected to contribute 50% – 60% of India’s projected green manufacturing jobs by 2030, with specialised battery engineering talent commanding salary premiums of up to 35% to 40% over conventional manufacturing and electronics roles.
Gigafactory clusters continue to be the primary employment engine for the sector, concentrated in Karnataka, Telangana, Gujarat and Haryana, with individual facility capacities ranging from 6 GWh to upwards of 16 GWh of cell and pack manufacturing capacity. 70% of total hiring demand is concentrated across these clusters, with 30% of new mandates expected to originate from Tier-2 and Tier-3 industrial corridors as component parks, battery recycling facilities and supplier ecosystems mature around the anchor gigafactories. State-wise, karnataka and Gujarat are expected to account for the largest share of this hiring at 24% and 22% respectively, followed by Telangana (18%) and Haryana (14%), as cell manufacturing, pack assembly and ancillary supplier capacity scales across these clusters.
The Cell Manufacturing and Battery Components segment will account for the largest share of hiring (42%-45%), extending well beyond gigafactory operators into cathode and anode active material producers, copper foil, electrolyte and separator manufacturers, and precursor chemical suppliers, as India works to localise a supply chain. Currently, China controls roughly 80% of global copper foil output and refines the majority of the world’s lithium, nickel and cobalt.
Talent planning is also beginning to look beyond lithium-ion chemistry. A 2026 CEEW assessment argues that India will need to diversify its battery chemistries as demand could reach around 1.3 TWh annually by 2047, with sodium-ion batteries emerging as a credible pathway to supporting the country’s energy transition and reducing supply-chain vulnerabilities. Several key sodium-ion battery components, including cathode materials, hard-carbon anodes, electrolytes and aluminium current collectors, can draw on India’s existing industrial capabilities in pharmaceuticals, fertilisers, textiles and chemicals, potentially enabling significant domestic value addition and opening a parallel talent pathway for chemical and process engineers already embedded in these sectors. Emerging players commercialising hard carbon made from agricultural and bio waste for sodium-ion batteries with support from the Department of Science and Technology and the Technology Development Board, point to the kind of cross-sector talent movement this diversification could unlock.
Entry-level demand is strongest across process engineering, cell testing, validation and quality functions (45%), while mid-level hiring is increasingly concentrated on Battery Management System Engineers, Process and Automation Engineers, and Materials and Electrochemistry Engineers (40%). At the senior level, demand centres on Cell Chemistry Scientists, Functional Safety Leaders and Advanced Manufacturing Heads (15%).
Battery Recycling and Circular Economy Manufacturing is emerging as one of the sector’s fastest-growing talent segments as end-of-life volumes begin to build. With India currently recycling only a small fraction of its end-of-life lithium-ion batteries, and industry estimates pointing to a recycling market opportunity of around USD 3.5 billion by 2030, alongside the Government’s Critical Minerals Mission and the KABIL joint venture working to secure upstream lithium, cobalt and nickel supply, recycling and materials recovery are becoming central to the sector’s workforce planning rather than a peripheral function. Hiring in this segment is projected to grow by 25-30%, with demand shifting towards Hydrometallurgy Engineers, Battery Diagnostics Specialists and EPR Compliance Leaders, and salary premiums of up to 30%-40% reflecting an acute skill shortage estimated at 45%.
“Despite the pace of capacity announcements, specialised battery talent availability continues to lag industry demand by 25-30% across electrochemistry, materials science, battery process engineering and functional safety. A significant share of India’s conventional electronics and automotive manufacturing workforce, skilled in mechanical and electrical assembly, is not directly transferable to gigafactory environments without structured reskilling in cell chemistry, cleanroom protocols and battery safety systems. Addressing this gap will require accelerated reskilling of the existing manufacturing workforce, deeper industry-academia collaboration with chemical engineering and materials science institutions, and sustained investment in specialised battery technical education,” Deepesh added.
Looking ahead, organisations that build layered, function-specific talent pipelines, spanning cell chemistry, process manufacturing, functional safety and materials recovery, will be best placed to lead India’s battery manufacturing ecosystem as it scales. A one-size-fits-all workforce strategy will not work for a manufacturing base this technically complex and still this early in its build-out. With deep expertise in engineering, manufacturing and specialised workforce solutions, Adecco India is well positioned to support companies in building this future-ready talent base.
The commentary is based on insights from over 30+ client base of Adecco India.
7, Sep 2026
Artprice News: D-12 | 18th LYON BIENNALE – CONTEMPORARY ART
17 & 18 SEPTEMBER FOR PROFESSIONALS,
OPEN TO ALL FROM 19 SEPTEMBER
PARIS, Sept. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Twelve days before opening to the public, the 18th Lyon Biennale – Contemporary Art is preparing to welcome artists, contemporary art professionals, collectors, institutions and members of the international art community for two professional preview days, on Thursday 17 and Friday 18 September 2026.
Then, from Saturday 19 September, the Biennale will open its doors to everyone for nearly three months of exhibitions across 11 venues in Lyon and its metropolitan area, until 13 December 2026.
Ahead of its public opening, the Biennale de Lyon invites the French and international art community to two professional preview days offering an exclusive first look at its 18th edition.
Artists, curators, gallerists, directors of museums and art centres, collectors, and professionals working in cultural institutions, production, mediation, communications and research are invited to join us in Lyon on 17 and 18 September.
Professional accreditation includes:
- exclusive access to the exhibition venues during the professional preview days on 17 and 18 September;
- access to the opening reception of the 18th Lyon Biennale – Contemporary Art, on Friday 18 September at Les Grandes Locos;
- access to all Biennale venues during the first two days of the public opening, on 19 and 20 September.
Accreditation is personal and mandatory for access to the professional preview days. Applications are open through Wednesday 16 September 2026 inclusive.
Apply for professional accreditation: https://www.labiennaledelyon.com/espaceprofessionnel/accreditation-faq
Professional Days programme: https://www.labiennaledelyon.com/espaceprofessionnel/journees-professionnelles-programme?compact=1
Meetings, conversations with artists, opportunities for exchange and professional events will punctuate these two days. The programme notably includes international encounters and networking sessions at Les Grandes Locos, as well as a series of conversations bringing together artists and professionals from different international art scenes.
pros@labiennaledelyon.com
+33 (0)4 27 46 65 67
From Saturday 19 September to Sunday 13 December 2026, the 18th Lyon Biennale – Contemporary Art invites audiences to discover a new artistic map of Lyon and its metropolitan area.
Entitled “Passer d’un rêve à l’autre / To pass from one dream to another“, this 18th edition is under the artistic direction of Isabelle Bertolotti and curated by Catherine Nichols.
Inspired by Lyon’s traboules — passageways that lead through courtyards and buildings, connecting one space to another — the Biennale explores the ways in which we can move from one mode of perception to another and, perhaps, from one collective dream to another.
Drawing on the history of Lyon as a city of trade, production, circulation and exchange, this edition examines the economies that organise our lives: the ways in which human and more-than-human beings acquire, transform, share and circulate the material and immaterial resources that enable them to live.
With 120 artists and 11 exhibition venues, this year’s Biennale extends far beyond a traditional museum itinerary. Cultural institutions, heritage sites, former industrial spaces, public spaces and places of transit form a geography to be discovered across the city and metropolitan area:
- Les Grandes Locos
- Musée d’art contemporain de Lyon – macLYON
- Musée des Tissus et des Arts décoratifs
- Traboules des pentes de la Croix-Rousse
- Jardin du Musée des Beaux-Arts
- IAC – Institut d’art contemporain / Frac Rhône-Alpes
- Musée des Confluences
- Fondation Bullukian
- Parking LPA Saint-Antoine
- Metro Line B – Gare Part-Dieu station
- Cour des Loges, A Radisson Collection Hotel
Three venues form the principal anchors of this edition: Les Grandes Locos, macLYON and the Musée des Tissus et des Arts décoratifs.
At Les Grandes Locos, the industrial scale of the site resonates with questions of production, transformation, extraction and circulation. At macLYON, the exhibition explores more closely the conditions of existence, life and death, inheritance and debt. At the Musée des Tissus, the works examine forms of relationship, care and exchange.
Around these three major hubs, the Biennale spreads throughout the city, taking over artistic institutions, heritage sites and everyday spaces alike.
For nearly three months, the Biennale invites audiences to see Lyon differently.
Entering a museum, walking through a traboule, encountering an artwork in a former railway-industrial site, a garden, a car park or a metro station: the itinerary turns the city itself into one of the territories of the exhibition.
With this 18th edition, the Biennale de Lyon reaffirms more strongly than ever its mission: to make contemporary art an experience of encounter, circulation and sharing, open to everyone.
18th Lyon Biennale – Contemporary Art: “Passer d’un rêve à l’autre / To pass from one dream to another”
Artistic Director: Isabelle Bertolotti
Guest Curator: Catherine Nichols
General Director, Biennale de Lyon: Cécile Bourgeat
Professional Preview Days: 17 & 18 September 2026
Opening reception: 18 September 2026 at 6:30 pm, by invitation
Public opening: 19 September 2026
Exhibition: 19 September to 13 December 2026
11 exhibition venues in Lyon and its metropolitan area
120 artists
400 works
Professional accreditation open through 16 September 2026 inclusive.
Public ticketing: advance sales until 18 September, with the Biennale Pass available for €20 instead of €25.
Biennale de Lyon
https://www.labiennaledelyon.com
Images:
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[https://imgpublic.artprice.com/img/wp/sites/11/2026/07/img2-BIENNALE_LYON_BAC26_BLOC-MARQUE_EN_DATES.jpg]
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ANOTHER PASSAGE OPENS
Alongside its long-standing commitment to the Lyon Biennale, Artprice opens another passage — this time through language.
Dialogue Between a Thinker and AI, thierry Ehrmann’s 1,800-page open-access RAW typescript, places memory, art, humanism and artificial intelligence into circulation.
Not a product to consume, but a text to enter, explore and share.
The Codex is yours: https://www.dialoguebetweenathinkerandai.com/en/
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Artprice by Artmarket and La Demeure du Chaos/Abode of Chaos are partnering with the 18th Lyon Biennale, curated by Catherine Nichols and under the artistic direction of Isabelle Bertolotti.
This collaboration brings together two major players in the art world, both deeply rooted in Lyon while maintaining a strong international outlook. For more than forty years, the Lyon Biennale has supported the evolution of contemporary art and helped establish the Lyon metropolitan area as a leading platform for artists, art professionals, and audiences from around the world. Artprice, the global leader in art market information, has for many decades documented the transformations of the international art scene and the careers of the artists who shape it.
Contact: Thierry Ehrmann, ir@artmarket.com
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7, Sep 2026
Frost & Sullivan Appoints Janesh Janardhanan as Global Partner and Head of Subscriptions
Janardhanan to lead the strategic direction, commercial growth and global expansion of Frost & Sullivan’s analytics, subscription and Growth Generator platforms
SAN ANTONIO, Sept. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Frost & Sullivan, the global analytics and growth advisory firm, today announced the appointment of Janesh Janardhanan as Global Partner and Head of its Subscriptions business. In this role, Janardhanan assumes P&L leadership of the company’s global subscription portfolio, encompassing its analytics business, its subscriptions platform, and its Growth Generator data platform.
The appointment reflects Frost & Sullivan’s continued investment in its recurring-revenue subscription offerings, which provide clients worldwide with continuous access to intelligence, growth opportunity analytics, and decision-support tools. Janardhanan will be responsible for driving the strategic direction, commercial performance, and global expansion of these platforms.
“I am honored to take on the leadership of Frost & Sullivan’s Subscriptions business at such a pivotal moment,” said Janesh Janardhanan, Global Partner and Head of Subscriptions, Frost & Sullivan. “Our analytics, data, and Growth Generator platforms sit at the heart of how clients identify and act on their next opportunities for growth. My focus will be on deepening the value we deliver, scaling our platforms globally, and ensuring our subscribers stay ahead of the transformations reshaping their industries.”
Janardhanan brings extensive experience in commercial leadership, analytics, and growth strategy to the role. He is a graduate of Harvard Business School (GMP) and holds an MBA and a Bachelor of Engineering from the National University of Singapore.
Under his leadership, Frost & Sullivan’s Subscriptions business will continue to expand its coverage, enrich its content and data assets, and strengthen the technology platforms that power insight and growth for organizations across the globe.
About Frost & Sullivan
For more than six decades, Frost & Sullivan has helped clients accelerate growth and achieve best-in-class positions in growth, innovation, and leadership. The company’s Growth Pipeline as a Service provides corporate leadership teams and their growth strategy partners with continuous research, insight, and analytics that drive transformational growth strategies. For more information, visit www.frost.com.
Your Transformational Growth Journey Starts Here: Schedule Your Growth Pipeline Dialog™ with the Frost & Sullivan team.
Media Contact:
Kristina Menzefricke
Marketing & Communications
Global Customer Experience, Frost & Sullivan
kristina.menzefricke@frost.com
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7, Sep 2026
Aarti Industries Commissions Phase I of Zone IV, Unlocking New High-Value Manufacturing Opportunities
Phase I brings Calcium Chloride, PEDA and a part of Multipurpose Plant on stream, strengthening downstream integration, application diversification and flexible manufacturing capabilities
MUMBAI, India, Sept. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Aarti Industries Limited (AIL), a leading global speciality chemicals company, today announced the successful commissioning of Phase I of its Zone IV project at Jhagadia, Gujarat, marking an important milestone in the Company’s ongoing growth and expansion journey.
Phase I brings together Calcium Chloride, PEDA (2-Phenyl Ethyl Diethyl Aniline) and a part of its Multipurpose Plant (MPP), creating complementary capabilities in downstream integration, diversified end-use applications, and flexible multi-product manufacturing. The platform is designed to support the commercialisation of high-value and niche products, with several products planned from Zone IV expected to be manufactured in India for the first time.
PEDA extends AIL’s existing Ethylation platform further downstream, building on the Company’s established 2,6-Diethyl Aniline capabilities and strengthening its participation in value-added products catering primarily to agrochemical applications.
The Calcium Chloride facility strengthens AIL’s Energy & Additives portfolio, with applications across sectors including oilfield and energy-related markets. The Multipurpose Plant provides a flexible manufacturing platform to scale pilot-validated processes into commercial production across multiple products and advanced chemistries, enabling faster response to evolving customer and market requirements. With Phase I commissioning now completed, AIL’s focus will progressively shift towards commercial qualification, customer approvals and disciplined ramp-up of the newly commissioned assets.
Together, these facilities broaden Zone IV’s ability to address a diversified portfolio of applications spanning agrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, coatings, polymers and energy & additives, while strengthening AIL’s ability to develop and commercialise high-value and niche products.
Suyog Kotecha, Chief Executive Officer, Aarti Industries Limited, said:
“Commissioning of Phase I of Zone IV marks an important milestone in Aarti Industries’ growth journey. Zone IV has been conceived as a flexible platform that allows us to deepen integration, diversify applications, and progressively add high-value, niche products to our portfolio. PEDA extends our existing value chain further downstream, Calcium Chloride strengthens our offering in Energy & Additives, while the Multipurpose Plant enhances our ability to take new chemistries from pilot to commercial scale. Several products planned from the platform are expected to be manufactured in India for the first time, strengthening domestic manufacturing capabilities while creating new opportunities for our customers. We remain on track to progressively commercialise all the manufacturing blocks within Zone IV during this fiscal year.”
The broader Zone IV platform has been designed across multiple chemistry blocks with the flexibility to manufacture diverse chemistries, enabling AIL to respond dynamically to emerging opportunities across domestic and global markets. The project strengthens the Company’s integrated R&D, scale-up and manufacturing ecosystem and forms an important building block of AIL’s long-term speciality chemicals growth strategy.
About Aarti Industries Limited
Aarti Industries Limited (AIL) is a leading global speciality chemicals company with over four decades of expertise in complex process chemistries, scale-up and manufacturing. Established in 1984, AIL serves leading global and domestic customers across diverse end-use industries through a portfolio of 100+ products, supported by 16 manufacturing plants, four R&D centres and 250+ scientists. With strong capabilities spanning research, process development, engineering and commercial-scale manufacturing, AIL continues to advance innovation, customer partnerships and sustainable growth. The Company has been awarded the EcoVadis Platinum Medal, placing it amng the top 1% of companies assessed globally, and the Gallup Exceptional Workplace Award 2026.
With deep expertise across multiple chemistry platforms, an integrated manufacturing footprint and strong R&D capabilities, AIL continues to strengthen its position as a trusted Partner of Choice for customers globally.
Website: www.aarti-industries.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/aarti-industries
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7, Sep 2026
SAFEEN Drydocks Expands Ship Repair Capacity with UAE’s Largest Floating Dock
Abu Dhabi, UAE – 07 September 2026: SAFEEN Drydocks, the shipbuilding and repair subsidiary of Noatum Maritime, has expanded its drydocking operations with the addition of a 230-metre floating dock at Zayed Port in Abu Dhabi. Designed to accommodate ocean-going commercial vessels and rig repair projects, the new dock strengthens SAFEEN Drydocks’ ship repair, maintenance and refurbishment offering, while improving turnaround flexibility for customers.
SAFEEN Drydocks, a joint venture between AD Ports Group and Premier Marine Engineering Services LLC, currently operates over 170,000m² of shipyard facilities at Khalifa Port and Zayed Port in Abu Dhabi.
Located at Zayed Port, the new 230-metre floating dock is the largest in the UAE, with a lifting capacity of 21,000 tonnes, and is positioned alongside 1,000 metres of quayside. The addition broadens the range of vessel repair and maintenance projects SAFEEN Drydocks can accommodate, while providing greater scheduling flexibility.
The expanded drydocking infrastructure will also support the maintenance of Noatum Maritime’s extensive deep-sea fleet, boosting operational efficiency and reducing downtime.
Captain Ammar Al Shaiba, CEO – Maritime & Shipping Cluster, AD Ports Group, said: “The addition of the floating dock marks an important step in the continued expansion of SAFEEN Drydocks’ capabilities. By increasing our capacity to serve larger vessels and maintenance projects, we are strengthening our ability to support customers with faster, more flexible maintenance solutions, while also enhancing the efficiency of our own fleet operations.”
The new floating dock complements the recently acquired Balenciaga Shipyard in Spain, which includes drydocks, a 105-metre slipway, and a 22,385m² factory equipped with advanced automation technologies.
The continued expansion reinforces Noatum Maritime’s commitment to investing in high-value maritime infrastructure and expanding integrated marine services across the UAE and beyond. It also enhances SAFEEN Drydocks’ role in supporting vessel owners and operators with comprehensive ship repair, maintenance and refurbishment solutions from Abu Dhabi.
