SteelAsia, CEO Benjamin Yao up for Platts global awards

SteelAsia and its chief executive officer Benjamin Yao have been named finalists in the two top categories of the prestigious Platts Global Metals Awards.

SteelAsia is among five finalists for the Steel Industry Leadership award, while Yao is short-listed for the CEO of the Year award.

SteelAsia is the Philippines’ leading steel company and the largest manufacturer of steel bars in South East Asia.

SteelAsia is in the running, along with Nucor Steel, the largest steel producer in the United States; AK Steel, a 115-year-old US company that is the producer of automotive steel; EVRAZ, Russia’s second largest steelmaker and an industry giant employing more than 80,000.

Yao, meanwhile, is in a field that includes Saijin Jindal of JSW, India’s second-largest steel company, and Oleg Bagrin of NLMK, Russia’s largest steelmaker.

The awards are given by S&P Platts Global, a leading independent provider of information and benchmark prices for the commodities and energy markets, with customers in over 150 countries.

S&P Platts Global honors and recognizes companies and individuals that motivate the metals industry to new paradigms, and embody excellence in leadership, innovation, safety, integrity and overall performance.

The 2017 Platts Global Metals Awards will be presented at a black-tie gala attracting metals industry leaders from around the world on May 18, at Marriott Grosvenor Square in London.

SteelAsia is an industry pioneer. In 1996, it began modernizing the Philippine steel industry by introducing the rolling mill technologies accepted worldwide as standard.

PLDT announces next generation TVolution streaming box

Leading Philippine telco and digital services provider PLDT has announced the next generation of its TVolution streaming box for its customers. PLDT worked with streaming pioneer Roku Inc. to deliver to its customers a fully proven solution that is easy to use and loaded with great content. PLDT and Roku made this announcement at the Asia Pacific Video Operators Summit (APOS) in Bali, Indonesia.

“Filipinos will be the first in Asia to stream the best in entertainment using the proven Roku streaming platform,” said Oscar Reyes Jr., PLDT FVP and Head of HOME Business.

The new TVolution streaming box will come with over 50 streaming channels including popular services such as the Philippines’ biggest pay TV provider Cignal, Southeast Asia’s biggest video-on-demand provider iflix, the world’s leading internet television service Netflix, and largest video sharing website YouTube.

“More Filipinos are streaming their favorite TV shows at home. By combining the best of the Roku Channel Store with leading local streaming services, PLDT will offer the most compelling video portfolio in the Philippines,” said Reyes. “PLDT aims to add more channels to build the most superior entertainment offer in the country.”

The Roku Powered TVolution box and service is available to all PLDT HOME Fibr, DSL, and Ultera customers starting May for an additional monthly service fee of P299.