Unique Himalayan expedition pushing the boundaries of human endeavour and technology
KATHMANDU, Nepal, May 6, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- To mark the 60th anniversary of the first ascent of Mount Everest, two mountaineers, Horacio Galanti and Horacio Cunietti, have commenced a unique Himalayan expedition to summit Mount Everest. This expedition will also push the boundaries of mobile technology in extreme environments and help in the recovery of debris left behind on the world's highest peak.
The two Horacios will follow in the footsteps of mountaineering greats, Sherpa Tenzing Norgay and Sir Edmund Hillary, the first to reach the summit of Mount Everest on 9 May 1953. They will lead an expedition of six people including three sherpas and three climbers representing three countries. The team is expecting to encounter extreme conditions as they journey to the top of the world at 8,848 metres above sea level, including ice, snow, moving glaciers, hurricane force winds and temperatures that dip to -30 degrees Celsius.
While on their expedition, the duo are expected to subject Standard Chartered's Breeze mobile banking apps to the rigors of some of the most challenging environments known by attempting to trade stocks and transfer funds during their journey.
Mr Aman Narain, Standard Chartered's Group Head of Digital Banking, said:
"At Standard Chartered and with Breeze we are committed to pushing the boundaries of great experiences in banking. We wish the two Horacios the best of luck on their epic journey to the summit of Mount Everest as we attempt to make the world's highest banking transactions. Here's to going '#AboveandBeyond'!"
Mr Ashley Veasey, Standard Chartered's Chief Information Officer, Hong Kong, said:
"On behalf of Standard Chartered, I wish our two Horacios and their team good luck on their epic journey and commend them for their indelible spirit of courage and determination to touch the top of the world. This expedition will see two remarkable individuals do extraordinary things through their efforts to improve the environment on Mount Everest and also harness the power of mobile technology to prove that banking can be a Breeze even on the highest mountain on earth."
Horacio Galanti is a civil engineer and runs ultra-marathons through the Rocky Mountains for fun. He lives in Canada. Horacio Cunietti comes from Argentina and lives at the foot of Mount Aconcagua. He is a professional high altitude mountaineering guide and holds the world record for reaching the summit of Mount Aconcagua 59 times -- including three extremely challenging winter ascents. Between the two of them, they have some 43 years of climbing experience having made over 150 high altitude summits.
In just a few weeks, the two Horacios will attempt their next challenge -- to reach the peak of the world's tallest mountain, doing some good for the environment and setting a world record using mobile banking technology along the way.
Standard Chartered has been digitising its banking services to deliver innovations which address the needs of its globally connected, socially networked customers who are on-the-go. The Bank's suite of banking and lifestyle apps, including Breeze Banking, Breeze Home, Breeze Good Life and Breeze Trade, provide a differentiated mobile banking solution to customers. More than one million users around the world have downloaded Breeze.
Find out more about our mountaineers and follow the progress of this epic journey to summit Mount Everest:
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For further information, please contact:
May Meere
Group Technology & Operations
Standard Chartered Bank
Mobile: +65-9366-2351
E-mail: may.meere@sc.com
