RANI JARKAS, CHAIRMAN OF CEDRUS INVESTMENTS, WELCOMES MR. RANDY HICE JOINING THE LIFE SCIENCES ADVISORY BOARD

HONG KONG, 23rd August, 2016 – Abbott Informatics’ Manager of Global Strategy, Mr. Randy Hice, joins Cedrus Investments’ (“Cedrus”) Life Sciences Advisory Board.
Randy is recognized worldwide as a leading authority in laboratory informatics, specifically focused on complex, large-scale implementation of Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS), Laboratory Information Systems (LIS), Electronic Laboratory Notebook (ELN), and sophisticated Cloud architectures.  He has been working in the field of laboratory automation since 1984, first as a programmer/analyst at Digital Equipment Corporation, then as a Principal with Laboratory Expertise Center.  In 1989, he pioneered Laboratory Workflow Analysis as a methodology for system selection, project planning, harmonization, and system design.  With STARLIMS Corporation purchasing Laboratory Expertise Center in 2008 and STARLIMS being acquired subsequently, he now serves as the Manager of Global Strategy for Abbott Informatics where his focus is on complex business analysis, harmonization, inter-operational platforms, Clinical LIS, and Cloud Computing. He is also responsible for analyzing global market potential, demand and profitability for complex informatics systems.
Randy has developed global laboratory automation and harmonization strategies for leading pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device, and Contract Research Organization (CRO) companies, identifying opportunities to share and utilize critical laboratory data across corporate locations in Europe, Asia, and the U.S.
As the manager of the Strategic Consulting group of Abbott Informatics, Randy assumed the visionary role of leading the Cloud Services initiative in which he developed service offerings in Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) and Software as a Service (SaaS) areas to meet the growing demand for Cloud applications.
Randy is the most published author in the world of laboratory automation and workflow analysis, and has served as the monthly Laboratory Automation editor for the Scientific Computing magazine since 1996.  He has also contributed to American Pharmaceutical Review and American Laboratory.
Cedrus Investments has been investing in and providing financial advisory services to the life sciences industry for over a decade.  In recent years, the firm has been assisting Australian and European life sciences companies to increase their visibility with a broad pool of institutional investors in the Greater China region.  At the same time, Cedrus also helps Chinese biopharmaceutical companies and investors to identify valuable overseas investment opportunities.
Mr. Hice said, “I am delighted to join the Cedrus’ Life Sciences Advisory Board. I look forward to sharing my expertise and experience with the Cedrus’ team to identify and evaluate exciting investment opportunities.”

Mr. Rani Jarkas, Chairman of Cedrus Investments extended his welcome and said, “We are excited to have Mr. Randy Hice joined our Life Sciences Advisory Board.  As a reputable figure in laboratory informatics, Randy is an ideal addition to the board.  His decades of experience and in-depth knowledge will be invaluable to both Cedrus’ direct investments and its investor clients from across the globe.  In addition, Randy’s global connections and business development skills in the industry also solidify Cedrus’ unique position in identifying early opportunities to maximize investment returns.”

Rani Jarkas: RMB becomes widely accepted in cross-border transactions

Last year, the IMF decided to add yuan into its Special Drawing Rights (SDR) currency basket, making it one of the five reserve currencies fully endorsed by the 188-member organization.
Chinese currency is increasingly being accepted in cross-border transactions, as the currency gains increased global recognition. IMF data showed that $94 billion of official assets were already held in renminbi at the end of 2014, accounting for 1.1 percent of global foreign exchange reserves.
According to report from the People's Bank of China, the volume of cross-border renminbi receipts and payment in 2015 reached 12.1 trillion yuan ($1.83 trillion), accounting for 28.7% of the total volume of cross-border receipts and payments.
China has aggressively promoted global use of the renminbi, as the world's largest trading nation looks to lower transaction costs in international trade, which currently is mostly settled in US dollars.
PBOC declared that by the end of 2015, yuan had become the third most-used currency in cross-border trade and financing. It took fifth place among all currencies for use in international payments and foreign exchange trading. And the currency looks set to take up a greater share of global reserve currency assets.
Rani Jarkas, Chairman of Cedrus Investments, an investment pioneer with years of financial experience in Asia, said, “I believe that yuan will become a major currency and one of the most important in cross-border current account trading, and overseas investors will enjoy wider access to yuan-denominated investment and financing products.”

王雷（Rani Jarkas）：人民币跨境交易国际接受程度不断提高

去年，国际货币基金组织决定将人民币纳入特别提款权（SDR）货币篮子，成为该组织188个成员国背书的五大储备货币之一。

随着人民币的国际认可度不断提升，人民币在国际交易的使用日益发展。国际货币基金组织数据显示截止2014年底，共有940亿美元的人民币官方储备资产，占到全球外汇储备的1.1%。

根据中国人民银行发布的《2016人民币国际化报告》，2015年跨境人民币收付金额合计12.1万亿元（1.83万亿美元），占同期本外币跨境收付总额的比重达28.7%。

目前美元仍为国际贸易结算第一大货币。但作为全球最大的贸易国，中国希望降低国际贸易交易成本，积极推动人民币的国际使用。

中国人民银行统计，截止2015年底，人民币已成为全球第三大贸易融资货币、第五大支付货币、第五大外汇交易货币。另外，人民币正在积极努力提高其在国际储备货币资产中的份额。

赛德思投资董事长王雷（Rani Jarkas）在亚洲有多年的金融投资经验。他表示：“我相信人民币将成为主要货币并在全球跨境经常项目交易中举足轻重，全球投资者将迎来更多人民币计价的投资和融资产品。”

Rani Jarkas: China eases foreign investment rules in free trade zones

The first free trade zone in Shanghai was founded in September 2013, followed by the establishment of three new pilot zones last year, namely Tianjin Municipality, Fujian Province and Guangdong Province.
The four pilot free trade zones are now spearheading structural reforms to make it easier to start businesses and grant foreign firms more access, temporarily allowing foreign investors to found wholly-owned enterprises in a number of fields, including iron and steel production and gas station operations, according to the State Council early this week.
More than 20 of the total 51 adjustments involve changes from administrative approval to managerial registration for foreign investment. Also, the wholly foreign owned enterprises are not just limited to service sector but expanding to other sectors, ranging from agriculture to transportation.
In particular, international investors in the Shanghai free trade zone can participate in spot trading of commodities ranging from iron ore and non-ferrous metals to cotton. Zone authorities are expected to allow Chinese households to invest in offshore capital markets in the near future.
Rani Jarkas, Chairman of Cedrus Investments, an investment pioneer with years of financial experience in Asia, said, “Loosened controls on capital and widened access have led to a surge in cross-border transactions in these zones. We expect to see a continuous boom as the reform further develops.”

王雷（Rani Jarkas）：中国放宽自贸区外资进入门槛

第一个自贸区于2013年9月份在上海设立，随后去年成立了三个新试验区——天津、福建和广东。

根据国务院本周早些时候公布的内容，这四个自贸试验区正在引导结构性改革，减轻新设公司压力，放宽外资进入门槛，暂时允许海外投资者在一些领域成立外商独资企业，包括钢铁生产和加油站运作。

此次51项调整中有超过20条包含了对外商投资的行政审批和管理注册方面的变动。同时，外商独资企业不仅仅被局限在服务业，还拓展到了包括农业和交通在内的其他行业。

其中，上海自贸区的海外投资者可以参与大宗商品的现货交易，包括铁矿石、有色金属和棉花。自贸区管委会有望在近期批准中国家庭投资海外资本市场。

赛德思投资董事长王雷（Rani Jarkas）在亚洲有多年的金融投资经验。他表示：“放宽的资本管制和更广泛的准入已推动了自贸区内的跨境交易。我们预期随着改革不断深化，将会出现持续的繁荣。”

Rani Jarkas: China’s reform bid shows positive economic signs

China has been striving to cut red tape and make life easier for private companies. This triggered a boom in the registration of private firms -- over 2.6 million were created in the first half, more than in the whole of 2013.
In 2016, China's economy is witnessing some other positive changes, notably better structure and different growth pace in its traditional and new sectors.
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reported last week that profits of China's major industrial firms rose 6.2 percent year on year in H1, narrowing from a 6.4-percent rise registered in the first five months. China's GDP expanded 6.7 percent in Q2, the lowest growth rate since the global financial crisis in early 2009.
"The quality of China's economic activity is improving, and positive factors are increasing," according to NBS spokesperson Sheng Laiyun.
Zuo Xiaolei, an economist with China Galaxy Securities, said a slowing Chinese economy needs new growth engines, but eliminating overcapacity and nurturing new impetus need time.
Rani Jarkas, Chairman of Cedrus Investments, an investment pioneer with years of financial experience in Asia, said, “China has sought to raise the quality and efficiency of growth and substitute traditional drivers with new forces. These reforms will offer meaningful solutions to China's economic woes and bring the economy onto a more solid footing.”

王雷（Rani Jarkas）：中国的改革展现积极成效

中国一直以来为私营企业简化手续减轻负担的努力迎来了回报，2016年上半年新注册私营企业数量超过260万，超过2013年全年的数字。

中国经济在2016年经历了许多积极的改变，结构显著改善，传统和新行业以不同速度增长。

国家统计局上周公布报告显示，中国大型工业企业在上半年与去年同期相比增长6.2%，比前五个月6.4%的增速略有缩减。中国国内生产总值在第二季度增长为6.7%，是继2009年全球金融危机以来最低增速。

“中国经济的质量正在提高，积极因素正在增加” ，统计局发言人盛来运表示。

银河证券首席经济学家左晓蕾评论，中国经济增速放缓说明需要新的增长引擎，然而消除产能过剩并培养新的动力需要时间。

赛德思投资董事长王雷（Rani Jarkas）在亚洲有多年的金融投资经验。他表示：“中国已努力提高经济增长的质量和效益，并用新兴力量取代传统驱动力。这些改革将为解决中国经济困局提供意义深远的解决方法，为经济打下更坚实的基础。”