The new First Ecom.com partners are:
· Planet Payment - a worldwide aggregator will now have access to the First Ecom.com payment processing solutions
· iAsiaWorks - formerly known as AT&T Easylink, a key ISP partner in Asia now promoting e-commerce services
· Oasis - a leading provider of ePayment software for mobile commerce, the Internet and real world payments
· PAPNet - a web developer and systems integrator in Hong Kong
· Mindgate - provides a wide range of services from high-end Internet Access, to Web Site Creation, all the way to specializing in Intranet Systems Development
"We now are working with 49 industry partners," said Gregory Pek, president and CEO of First Ecom.com. "Comprised of strategic partners and hosting and implementation partners, these companies include some of the world's most powerful names in the e-commerce arena."
March Event Update
First Ecom.com was involved in a wide range of promotional events during March. These included:
· March 1-2: Exhibited with Sybase at the Asian Bankers Summit 2000 - Technology in Banking Exhibition in Singapore
· March 1-3: CEO Gregory Pek spoke at Internet World Asia in Singapore. This follows the company's "Best E-Commerce Company" nomination made by the Internet World Asia Academy in February.
· March 2-3: Supported the Microsoft Windows 2000 launch in Hong Kong.
· March 14: Participated in the Sybase signing ceremony where First Ecom.com and Sybase announced the official signing of an e-commerce solution agreement.
· March 16: CEO Gregory Pek participated in the NTT Communications San Jose Co-location Center Opening Roundtable in San Jose, California.
· March 21-22: Presented at the Internet Technologies for Financial Institutions conference on Singapore on the topic of "Reinventing the Role of Banks and the Internet".
· March 31: Hosted the first annual Golf Day, which included participants from major banks and financial institutions as well as industry leaders from the UK, Canada, Taiwan, China, and Hong Kong.
NTT Roundtable
On March 16, 2000, First Ecom.com President and CEO Gregory Pek participated in the NTT Communications San Jose Co-location Center Opening Roundtable on "Leveling the Playing Field: How Internet and Telecommunications Technologies Are Enabling Asia-Pacific Expansion for Emerging Businesses." The panel was comprised of representatives from eBay, Deloitte Consulting, The Yankee Group, Demandline.com, NTT Communications, and HKNet Co. Ltd. Among the many topics discussed were: "How advances in technology leveled the playing field for global market penetration," and "Is the recently burgeoning Internet and telecommunications sector the engine for Asian economic recovery?"
Asia Internet Limited
First Ecom.com's acquisition of Asia Internet Limited, which has worked with First Ecom.com in the development of First Ecom.com's processing solutions, was completed on March 31. Mike Mahboobani, president of Asia Internet Limited and now First Ecom.com's president of Systems and Technology, said "Asia Internet has maintained a close and successful working relationship with First Ecom for over one year. All of us at Asia Internet are delighted to be an integral part of this exceptional team." Asia Internet Limited also has experience working with utility companies to develop Internet technology and strategies including electronic bill presentment and payment.
Payment Processing for Banks and Financial Institutions
First Ecom.com has completed its internal User Acceptance Testing, and expects the first Asian banks to be able to accept and utilize First Ecom.com payment processing solutions by the end of April.
First Ecommerce Data Services
First Ecommerce Data Services began processing credit card transactions using the First Ecom.com solution. Completion of the First Ecom.com and Bank of Bermuda joint venture, First Ecommerce Data Services Ltd (FEDS) announced on Feb. 16, 2000, has been extended to April 28, 2000 pending finalization of relevant Bermuda regulatory approvals.
New Appointments
First Ecom.com announces the appointment of Harold L. Hutton as president of International Strategy and Corporate Development. Hutton, who has lived in Hong Kong for more than 16 years, is a chartered accountant and a member of the Hong Kong Society of Accountants. Among his many accomplishments, Hutton was instrumental in establishing and running the Corporate Finance and Mergers and Acquisitions operations of Ernst & Young in Hong Kong, where he initiated and negotiated various purchase and sales agreements, and private financings both in Hong Kong and internationally.
He also was chairman and CEO of the ILC Group of companies, which owned, among other assets, the Hang Ten apparel brand worldwide. While at ILC, Hutton was responsible for retail and licensing operations in more than 50 countries, and oversaw a team of approximately 1,400 employees. In the past two years, Hutton has been advising several international companies on their strategic development and planning. At First Ecom.com Hutton will be responsible for strategic planning and acquisitions and mergers worldwide. "We are pleased to have Harold Hutton join First Ecom.com," said Gregory Pek, president and CEO of First Ecom.com. "He brings excellent experience and a diverse background to the First Ecom.com senior management team."
About First Ecom.com
As a global provider of electronic payment processing, First Ecom.com provides secure, easy-to-implement and low-cost online payment processing services to merchants and banks worldwide. Through strategic partnerships with banks, ISPs, e-commerce product suppliers, system integrators and storefront solution providers, First Ecom.com will process credit card transactions made over the Internet in multiple currencies, either domestically or offshore in a tax-neutral jurisdiction.
For more information, visit http://www.firstecom.com or contact First Ecom.com at + (852) 2801-5181.
Certain statements contained herein are "forward-looking" statements (as such term is defined in the Private Securities Reform Act of 1995). Because such statements include risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements