REG - Asia Strategic Ltd - Exclusive Kids&Us Agreement in Vietnam

Asia Strategic HoldingsAnnouncement

15/08/2022 13:19

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RNS Number : 0578W  Asia Strategic Holdings Limited   15 August 2022

15 August 2022

 

Asia Strategic Holdings Ltd.

("Asia Strategic" or the "Company")

 

Exclusive franchising agreement for the development of "Kids&Us School of
English" in Vietnam

 

Asia Strategic Holdings Ltd. (LSE: ASIA), the independent developer and
operator of consumer businesses located in emerging Asia, is pleased to
announce that it has today entered into an exclusive franchising agreement
with Kids&Us English, S.L.U ("Kids&Us") for the development of English
language centres for children under the brand "Kids&Us School of English"
in Vietnam.

 

Kids&Us is a leading provider of English language education for children
from as young as one year old. Founded in Manresa, Barcelona, in 2003,
Kids&Us has over 155,000 students across 462 schools in Spain and a
further 108 schools internationally.

 

Since founding the school, Natàlia Perarnau has developed an innovative and
effective pedagogical method:

·   Kids&Us uses a unique teaching method based on the natural process
of developing one's mother tongue, a process which takes place in a specific,
natural and spontaneous order.

·   The courses are adapted to the students' ages and life experiences.

·   Small groups - a maximum of five in the 'Babies' stage (one and
two-year-olds) and eight across the rest of the courses - allow for
personalised attention and a high level of student participation and
interaction in the classroom.

·   Continuity of the courses allows children to learn from one-year old.

·   Classes are conducted entirely in English, ensuring total linguistic
immersion.

·   Students can continue learning English outside of class time:

o The Kids&Us 360º Universe provides an endless range of activities and
stimulating opportunities to continue learning at urban day camps, workshops
(for cooking, science, theatre), summer camps, etc.

o Products created by Kids&Us include books, boardgames, etc.

o Apps, online homework exercises and electronic devices.

Under the terms of this exclusive franchising agreement, the Company shall pay
Kids&Us (i) an initial fee of approximately EUR 100,000, (ii) one-off
opening fees for each centre, (iii) ongoing service fees as a percentage of
revenues and (iv) didactic materials based on consumption, among other fees.

 

The Company plans to open its first four centres in Ho Chi Minh
City by September 2022.

 

Commenting on the partnership, Natàlia Perarnau and Quim Serracanta, founders
of Kids&Us School of English, said: "We are delighted that we have
agreed to this strategic partnership with Asia Strategic Holdings for the
provision of English language education to children in Vietnam. Education is
a truly universal right, and we are excited about the opportunity to offer our
best-in-class methodology and products in Vietnam. We look forward to a long
and prosperous relationship with Asia Strategic Holdings and further
expanding the Kids&Us global brand in Asia. "

 

Commenting, Enrico Cesenni, Chief Executive Officer of Asia Strategic
Holdings, said: "Following the signing of an exclusive franchising agreement
for the development of Kids&Us School of English in Myanmar, Asia
Strategic Holdings and Kids&Us have decided to further expand their
collaboration to Vietnam. Our first school will open its doors to Vietnamese
students aged one to seven years old in the next few days, while three
additional schools will open in September 2022. We are very excited by the
opportunity to offer the Kids&Us product in a very dynamic market that
values high quality education and innovation."

 

For more information, please visit www.asia-strategic.com
(http://www.asia-strategic.com/)  or contact:

 

 Asia Strategic Holdings Ltd.                                richard@asia-strategic.com

 Richard Greer, Independent Non-Executive Chairman           enrico@asia-strategic.com

 Enrico Cesenni (OSI), Founder and Chief Executive Officer

 Allenby Capital Limited (Broker)                            +44 (0)20 3328 5656

 Nick Athanas

 Nick Naylor

 Freddie Wooding

 Yellow Jersey PR (Financial PR)                             +44 (0) 7951 402 336

 Henry Wilkinson

 

Notes to editors

Asia Strategic Holdings Ltd.

Asia Strategic Holdings Ltd. (LSE: ASIA) is an independent developer and
operator of consumer businesses in emerging Asia. The Company's portfolio
focuses on Education and Services with the view to expand within the broader
consumer sector and is located in Vietnam and Myanmar, two of the fastest
growing economies in the world over the last decade.

Education sector:  the Company currently has exclusive development and
franchising agreements with Wall Street English for up to ten English language
centres across Myanmar. Two centres were opened in 2017, a third in August
2018, and a fourth in February 2020. As of July 2022, Wall Street English
Myanmar served over 2,700 students.

In July 2020, the Company completed the acquisition of the Wall Street
English business in Vietnam. Founded in 2013, the WSE Vietnam business
operates through seven centres in Ho Chi Minh and Binh Dhuong serving over
3,500 students as of July 2022.

The Company also operates a joint venture with Auston Institute of
Management to develop and operate the Auston College Myanmar. The private
school opened in May 2018 offering diplomas in Engineering Technology,
Mechanical Engineering and Networking, Information Systems, and Security.
English language learning is also provided by the Company's nearby Wall Street
English centre. In February 2020, the Company announced a partnership
with Liverpool John Moores University to provide high quality engineering
training programmes for young, working professionals in Myanmar, to be taught
by Auston College Myanmar's teaching staff at its Junction Square complex
in Yangon.

In August 2019 the Company launched its first private K-12 international
school, the Yangon American International School ("Yangon American")
in Yangon. In July 2021 Yangon American was recognised as an official
International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme ("IB PYP") school by
the International Baccalaureate Organization.

In April 2022, the Company entered into an exclusive franchising agreement
with Kids&Us for the development of English language schools for children
across Myanmar. The first two centres shall be opened in Yangon by June
2023.

In August 2022, the Company entered into an exclusive franchising agreement
with Kids&Us for the development of English language schools for children
across Vietnam. The first four centres shall be opened in Ho Chi
Minh by September 2022.

Services sector:  through its acquisition of EXERA, the Company offers
security, risk management and secure logistics services, including
cash-in-transit. Founded in 2013, EXERA employs approximately 1,500
well-trained and high-quality security officers making it one of the largest
security services providers in Myanmar.

Furthermore, the Company provides hospitality services, managing over 280 beds
across four boutique hotels in three core tourist locations in Myanmar,
operating under the award winning Ostello Bello budget hospitality brand. The
Company operates an asset light strategy, entering into long-term operating
and management agreements with local hotel owners.

Vietnam and Myanmar were among the fastest growing economies in Asia in
2017-2020 (Source: Asian Development Bank). In 2022, Vietnam's annual GDP
growth is expected to be 6.5% (Source: Asian Development Bank).

The Company is well positioned to provide investors early exposure
to Vietnam's and Myanmar's strong economic fundamentals enhanced
by ASEAN's wider growth prospects.

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the 'RNS' header:

https://ms-holdings.com/investor-relations/#
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Kids&Us

Founded in Manresa, Barcelona, in 2003 by Natàlia Perarnau and Quim
Serracanta, Kids&Us has over 155,000 students in 462 schools
in Spain and 108 schools in various countries
in Europe, Mexico, Japan and Morocco.

In 2017, Corpfin Capital acquired a majority stake in Kids&Us together
with its founders, with the aim of promoting a new stage of growth and
professionalisation of the company.

https://www.kidsandus.es/en/ (https://www.kidsandus.es/en/)

 

 

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