15 03 adb jun jul15

june/july 2015 www.adb.org.sg

Lustrum Conference ADB 25 years ... page 2

G.r.a.t.i.s. in Singapore: Haw Par Villa ... page 12

Connecting Dutch Professionals in Singapore ... page 14

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Board Members

Joep Ottervanger President Attorney at Law and Partner Loyens & Loeff

° ° ° ° A Revamped ADB ° ° ° ° More than just a look & feel You have probably noticed that things are changing at ADB. In our last issue Edo van Dijk explained the new ADB logo

which visualizes our core values “lively, connecting & inspiring” and in this issue you will find out how we came to define these values.

Jan Benes Vice President Business Development Director Philips Healthcare APAC

Kuan Yoe The Honorary Secretary Business Development Manager Intertrust Singapore

We really would like to thank the project team who helped us to define the ADB strategy.

Not only has our logo changed but our Magazine was revamped as well.

We also moved our official address from the Dutch Club to the Dutch Embassy where our new secretary, Wenneke Vrught-Repko, works two days a week. Having an office at the Dutch Embassy allows us to easily work together with the Embassy staff as well as with the other Dutch organizations, such as DutchCham, that reside there.

Tom Smeenk Honorary Treasurer Business Development Manager LNG Asia Royal Vopak Pleun Brevet Chief Editor Freelance technical writer

Now it’s time to change our internal organization; we would like to be more professional and organized. But how can one achieve a higher quality level without a change in budget? After quite some thinking the board concluded that in order to be more effective we need to reshape the way in which we are currently organized. So what does that mean?

At present there are 9 board members. These members are responsible not only for board matters, but are also the driving force behind all

Nico Derksen Member Director International Tax Management

Nynke Kinderman Member Business Development & Innovation Latize Pte Ltd Ay Wen Lie Member Senior Manager Transaction Services PricewaterhouseCoopers Reinder Peek Member General Manager Salvage (Asia) SMIT Singapore Pte Ltd

other ABD activities. They organize and execute events, make sure the events can be paid for (through sponsorship) and produce this magazine every two months. The board is supported by the secretariat, who provides professional assistance on a part-time (16-hour contact) basis. Except for the Magazine - for which there is an enthusiastic group of editors - ADB members are only involved in the organization of ADB activities on an ad hoc basis.

We have decided to reduce the number of board members to no more than seven. At the same time we would like to engage more members in ADB matters by having member committees who report to the board.

Each member committee will be steered by one or two board members and will (in addition) be comprised of 2 to 4 ADB members. So we are calling for your help and on page 27 you will find more information.

We believe that by having more focused board positions and by working through dedicated committees, the ADB will become more effective. Furthermore, we hope that by creating deeper member

Secretariat

Wenneke Vrugt-Repko Communication & Graphic Design Founder of Triple You Design

involvement, the ADB as a whole will become more dynamic. We hope and expect that this set up will form a strong pillar in our ambition to become even more lively, connecting & inspiring!

So, if you would like to help us become better and bigger by being part

°°°

The ADB connects Dutch Professionals in Singapore.

°°°

of one of the committees, please let us know. Your help will be very much appreciated!

... Joep Ottervanger ...

1

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

In this issue 1 Prologue

2 Lustrum Seminar at Four Acres 5 A night at Heineken Asia Pacific 6 Suitsupply: ready to conquer South-East Asia 8 Hired help: your rights and hers 9 GoBear 11 Pieter Hartel: a man with a passion

Lustrum Seminar ... By Jacinta Noonan . Photos by Vie Blonk ...

Tucked away in a secluded part of Singapore is the Unilever’s training center, Four Acres and that’s where 100+ ADB members converged to attend the Lustrum Seminar: Dutch Business in Singapore; past, present & future.

12 G.r.a.t.i.s in Singapore 14 Connecting Dutch Professionals in Singapore 17 Personal Finance: Renewing your mortgage 18 ADB 25 years: about the past 21 Spouses in Singapore: Wouter Muis 22 SG50: Orchard Road, Singapore’s biggest tourist attraction 25 From the Dutch Embassy: Innovation Team, Sean Tan, Susan van Boxtel and Anne Marie Schrijver 26 ADB News – Announcements, member info and more 28 Column – Kristel Zweers

6 A Dutch brand in Singapore, run by a Singaporean. Read about Yung Ong and how Suitsupply came to Singapore.

The evening kicked-off with a warm welcome from Peter ter Kulve, Executive Vice-President of Unilever, followed by Joep Ottervanger, ADB President, who introduced the first speaker: Mr Ben Vree, CEO Europe & North East Asia of APM Terminals.

Ben is one of the original members of ADB. He took us back to where it all began. In those days, ADB was for businessmen and socializing was its main purpose. To become a member you had to give a presentation about your company and if you impressed the other members, you got in. Ben vividly described some funny anecdotes and left us with his parting remark about taking responsibility to train and educate young Singaporeans and help them with opportunities.

Dr. Beh Swan Gin, Chairman of the Singapore Economic Development Board, inspired us next. He informed us that the Netherlands is the second largest investor in Singapore, and that the Dutch have been instrumental in the development of Singapore. “We have entered a mature phase as Singapore.

We used to have an investment driven growth strategy, but for the future we are looking to build on our areas of strengths and focus on those.” Singapore therefore is changing to an innovation driven economy: “We will focus on our areas of strength, and attract talent that can help us grow in those areas.

14 Rebranding ADB did not just happen; read about the team of volunteers who helped us do it.

18 ADB: 25 years. An interview with 4 longtime members about ‘way back when’.

The panel discussion with four captains of industry.

2

at Four Acres

Speakers at the event Dr. Beh Swan Gin - Keynote speaker

We will also seek partners amongst companies that are already here, instead of trying to get new companies to come to Singapore.”

The third part of the evening was the panel discussion, moderated by Dr. Marleen Dieleman. The panelists were Maarten Wetselaar (Shell); Peter ter Kulve (Unilever); Hans Hanegraaf (ABN AMRO) and Ben Vree (APM Terminals).

The general consensus was that they all liked being in Singapore and that they admire how the Singaporean government sets a strategy and sticks to it, and yet is flexible enough to adapt quickly to the unexpected, (e.g. the Asian crisis).

A great benefit of doing business from Singapore is that this country truly is a microcosm of Asia. This makes it great for research purposes and it helps attracting the best talent of Asia to come work here.

On the question what the Dutch can do to help Singapore, the panel agreed that we can help Singaporeans become international leaders. A lot of Singaporeans like to stay where they are, but traveling and working in other cultures is considered an experience no global leader can do without, according to the panel. Apart from that, they all felt that our role of bringing things to Singapore has been played out.

Currently Singapore has a lot to offer the Dutch, and maybe we should start building the bridge the other way.

After closing remarks we all headed to the dining room for a sumptuous buffet and cocktails. We would like to take the opportunity to thank Unilever for their generous spread and United Dutch Breweries for kindly sponsoring the beer.

Chairman of the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB). He also chairs the Boards of Directors of EDB Investments and EDBI and serves on the boards of ST Engineering Ltd and The Esplanade Co. Ltd. Mr. Ben Vree - Keynote speaker / Panelist

CEO Europe & North East Asia of APM Terminals and former CEO of SMIT Internationale N.V. and Van Ommeren/ Vopak in Asia. Mr. Vree is Honorary Consul General of Sweden and active as Board Member / Chairman of several enterprises (i.e. Caldic, ProDelta Holdings, SBM Offshore and Ahold).

Dr. Marleen Dieleman - Moderator

Associate professor and associate director of the Centre for Governance, Institutions and Organisations (CGIO) at NUS Business School in Singapore.

Mr. Peter ter Kulve - Panelist

Executive vice-president of Unilever, South East Asia and Australasia (SEAA).

Mr. Maarten Wetselaar - Panelist

Executive vice-president of Shell Integrated Gas. Mr. Hans Hanegraaf - Panelist

Country Executive ABN AMRO Singapore and Head of Private Banking Asia & Middle East.

•

Dr. Beh Swan Gin, chairman of the EDB: “The Dutch have made SG50 possible.”

Ben Vree as our first key-note speaker. Although he doesn’t live in Singapore anymore, he has very fond memories of his time here.

All attendees enjoyed the sumptuous buffet and drinks.

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A night at Heineken Asia Pacific ... By Sabina Godri . Photos by Vie Blonk ...

One of the ADB events in April was the company visit to the Heineken Asia Pacific Brewery in Singapore. More than 100 ADB members travelled all the way up to Tuas to learn more about Heineken Asia Pacific, the art of brewing and last but not least to enjoy an ice cold glass of Heineken at the bar.

We started with a guided tour through the Tiger Brewery. Two enthusiastic Tiger brand ambassadors explained the brewing and bottling process. We learned that brewing Heineken beer is a 100% natural process: only water, malted barley, and hops are used. No matter where in the world you are, the taste and quality of Heineken is always the same!

Michiel Egeler, Regional Director, presented the history of the company, their way of working in the region and explained why Asia Pacific is a very important market. One of the reasons is that APAC has a young and growing population, with a rising income and who are attracted by premium international brands. It was amazing to hear how many different local and global brands Heineken sells.

After his presentation, Michiel gave us the opportunity to ask many questions. He was very open and honest, especially when somebody asked why there was reorganization of the board.

After answering all the questions, Michiel invited us for a beer tasting in the Tiger Tavern. Many people tried several brands and enjoyed the extensive portfolio of Heineken.

•

Facts about Heineken • Heineken is the world’s most international brewer, present in over 70 countries globally • Heineken owns 54 breweries worldwide, has 10,800 employees and more than 50 brands • 1929: First brewery opened in Indonesia • 1932: Launch of the award winning Tiger beer • 1984: Launch of Heineken beer in Singapore • 2012: Asia Pacific Breweries became a part of the Heineken company • Asia Pacific is a very interesting region for Heineken: - Consumers in Asia Pacific have, on average, a relatively low annual alcohol consumption compared to Europe (21 ltr per person per year versus 58) - Young & growing population with increasing wealth - Rising urbanization is a key driver of increased beer consumption - International Premium Segment opportunity in Asia Pacific is compelling - Asia Pacific region expected to contribute over 62% of global beer growth in the next 5 years

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Suitsupply: ready to conquer South-East Asia ... By Sabina Godri . Photos by Suitsupply ...

Suitsupply, the well-known Dutch men’s fashion retailer, opened their first shop in South-East Asia in September 2014. Suitsupply is known for its fine tailoring, craftsmanship, and flair. Yung Ong is the first and only franchise holder in Singapore and after being in business for 7 months, it is the perfect time to ask him everything about Suitsupply and the Singaporean customer.

Yung Ong, Executive Director at Proof Living, Singapore franchisee of Suitsupply

Yung Ong can be considered a successful entrepreneur. “Eleven years ago, after graduating in law, I started Proof Living and specialized in selling luxury home furniture and accessories. Currently Proof Living has 12 shops with brands like BoConcept, Crate&Barrel and CB2. Since then we moved from highend furniture, to mid-range furniture and homeware, and now we are in fashion.”

Expanding the business from sofas to suits

“I would like to say that starting Suitsupply in Singapore was all planned, but there is some serendipity to it”. Yung met Fokke de

Jong (CEO of Suitsupply) almost a year ago.

Right from the beginning he believed in the potential success of Suitsupply in Singapore.

“Suitsupply is a very strong total concept.

Every detail is considered; not only the product-range, but also the salesmen and the shopping experience. We felt that Suitsupply is a brand that was holistically thought through.

For instance, the product range is huge and offers more than just suits. We sell fashion for men for all occasions: beach shorts, chinos, polos, serious suits, but also casual suits. As it has a strong collection, we had the confidence that there is a huge market for it.”

“We are excited to have managed to open the first Suitsupply store in ION Orchard, a mall that everyone knows, be it the local shopper and even any tourist who visits Singapore.”

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Although Proof Living has opened many stores in the past, there are always challenges. Yung explains “We know how to open stores, but the biggest challenge is always to find a good location. Coincidentally, our first furniture store opened at this exact location all those years ago. It is good to be back.”

Suitsupply fullfills a need in the men’s fashion industry

Accoring to Yung there is a lack of options in men’s fashion in Singapore. “Although the industry is changing and more men’s stores are opening, Suitsupply will fullfill a (un)conscious need. We offer a strong combination of handmade tailoring, fabrics, textiles and design for a good price. And it is very accessible; people walk in and are surprised they don’t have to spend a fortune to walk out of here with a great new outfit.”

Yung sees a challenge in changing the dressing culture.

“Dressing up is not a custom in Singapore (or even in Asia).

People think the climate isn’t conducive to suiting. But the truth is, you just have to wear a different kind of suit.

Singapore has seasons as well, one season inside and one season outside. As we are indoors most of the time; men should wear suits indoors and when they go out take off their jacket.”

Strong brand awareness of Suitsupply drives first results

Yung is happy with the turnover of the first 8 months, which is promising for the future. “In some ways, Suitsupply is probably one of my most successful businesses in the early days so far. Most other business take more time to become known in the market and are able to create footfall to the stores, while Suitsupply seems to be very attractive from day one. Since we opened the store, people just walk in.”

Obviously a large group of expats visits the store, as they already know Suitsupply (Suitsupply has more than 50 different stores in 11 countries). “But we also serve a large group of local people. Although they are not familiar with the name, they are curious about the brand and the products. And they must like what they see; we get many new clients because of the positive word of mouth advertising from our customers.”

Dutch being Dutch

“One of the challenges of operating a Suitsupply franchise store is that you have to work with the Dutch”, says Yung with a big smile. “The Dutch are very direct and honest people, which can make it difficult for us to work with them.” However, Yung’s team is prepared for it as his organization is also very direct in the way they operate.

Quite a few of his team members are expats, and some of the Singaporean members have been educated overseas.

“They understand the Western mentality.”

“Suitsupply’s marketing campaigns have always stirred a lot of interest in and awareness of the brand.”

Yung figures that the advantage of working with the Dutch is that it is easy to get things done. “We are a hybrid organization: we understand the local market and understand how the European brands operate. A strong and successful combination.”

Fokke versus Yung

From an outsider’s point of view, there are quite a few similarities between Fokke and Yung: they are both relatively young and successful entrepreneurs. When I ask Yung about it, he laughs and becomes a little shy at the same time. “I actually think that Fokke and I are very different personalities, which is why we get along very well. But the biggest differences are that he lives a lot more than I do, he focusses on one industry and he is very tech savvy. But yes, there are a few similarities, we are both very impatient men, have a focus on getting things done and we created a similar working culture.”

•

Facts about Suitsupply • Suitsupply is a market defining brand showing strong international growth.

• Strength of the brand lies in their formula: straight, to the point and still personal. Fast and effective.

Combining craftsmanship with flair.

• Worldwide the most sold suit is the Sienna suit.

Wallstreet Journal wrote a review about the suit in 2014: “High quality fabric, clean soft construction for comfort. Lots of attention to detail [...] the $614 [Sienna] Suitsupply suit matched the $3.625 Armani in quality.”

(The Wall Street Journal, April 14, 2011) • Famous jacket is the traveler jacket, a blend of mohair and wool. Mohair doesn’t crease, so when you travel you will arrive looking like your suit was just pressed.

• According to their philosophy, Suitsupply has no direct competitors.

• Suitsupply will keep opening stores in Asia. Proof Living has plans to open stores in Malaysia, Thailand and Hong Kong.

7

Hired help: your rights and hers ... By Lisette Davis ...

Recently, NCA and HOME hosted an awareness night about the do’s and don’ts of hiring a helper (foreign domestic worker).

Lots of questions were asked and below we’d like to share some of the information from that night, because we believe it should be common knowledge for everyone who employs a helper.

‘The agency told me to keep my domestic worker’s passport. It’s for her own good.’

Would you trust your children to a woman you don’t trust with her own passport and money?

So no, employers are not allowed to retain a helper’s passport, work permit or bank book, unless it is with her consent (and preferably on her initiative). The helper must carry her original Work Permit with her at all times.

‘If I allow my helper to come home late on her day off, I risk losing my bond.’

NCA is a charity organization and raises funds within the expat community to support several local charities, projects and initiatives. www.

the police and violations of work permit conditions to MOM. Gather evidence where possible; the helper has to build a strong case and therefore she needs all the help she can get. Photos, videos etc. will all help.

nca.org.sg

My helper has done unspeakable things, can I blacklist her?

HOME is an anti-human trafficking organization who strives for the wellbeing of migrant workers in Singapore.

No you cannot. Blacklisting (or banning a helper from Singapore) can only be done by MOM, and only if there have been any work permit breeches or criminal violations. But you can present your case to MOM to start the process.

How would you feel if your boss gave you a curfew? So no, your bond is only forfeited if you, or your helper, violate the conditions of www.home. the Work Permit. For example: not paying org.sg I got a great deal at my agency, why is salary on time or instruct the helper to perform there so much difference in fees? other activities besides household or domestic Would you work for free? If you’re not paying the fees, duties. Or if your helper gets involved in illegal activities, guess who will! Your helper may end up paying eight you risk your bond if they can prove you knew about it. month’s salary for the privilege of cleaning in your I suspect ill treatment of someone else’s helper. household (yes this is illegal, but if the agency calls them What should I do? ‘loans’ it’s allowed). Ask questions and be critical of what First of all, realize that your actions have severe agencies tell you. Alternatively consider a transfer; it’s consequences for the helper and may make the situation cheaper for the helper because the fee is lower. even worse. First assess what’s really going on and whether How should I treat my helper, as a member of my the helper is unhappy with the situation. She might be family or as an employee? prepared to accept it because she invested a lot to be there As an employee! Discuss the expected work activities with and does not want to risk being sent home. You could give her food or lend her your phone to call home. But don’t give the helper in advance and preferably seal this in a written contract. Explain the consequences for her and you if the her false hope or encourage her to run away (which will work permit conditions are breeched. Establish a good most likely result in her being sent home). working relationship and expect it to take some time; the helpers come from a very different background and may not If you find that the employer indeed committed offences, be used to all the appliances we take for granted. report criminal offences (like physical or sexual abuse) to

•

8

GoBear ... By Claire Mutsaerts ...

Andre Hesselink came to Singapore four years ago. After setting up multiple online travel businesses and having gained lots of experience in Asia, he set up his new company GoBear in July 2014: GoBear is a complete and easy-to-use comparison site for all types of insurance.

Who is Andre?

I grew up in a very small town in the east of the Netherlands, close to Germany. I studied NHTV and Tourism in Breda and Leiden. I wanted to work in tourism, and preferably in combination with air travel. Back in 1989, it was not possible to book airline tickets on-line, so together with a business partner I started Airtrade, a company that sold airline tickets to travel agencies.

Once internet became popular in the US, Microsoft built Expedia and I thought: wow! We need this too in Europe! So we started building Vliegwinkel.nl and later Cheaptickets.nl. The company was sold to BCD Holdings owned by the Fentener van Vlissingen family but I stayed on as CEO of the company and I set up several other online travel companies in Europe, after which I did the same in the US, Canada, Hong Kong, China, Thailand, India and now we are in Singapore.

We ended up in Asia the first time by sheer luck - literally: we won two tickets to Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, and to China in 1987. At the time hardly anyone went to China and to be honest I wasn’t that interested in Asia either as I was in the middle of planning a trip to South America. We obviously did go to Asia and it turned out much better than I thought; the different culture, great people and amazing food.

experience I know Chinese law can say one thing but the application can be totally different. That is why it is very important to have the right contacts there.

Why Insurances?

When I was asked about opportunities in Asia, I remembered when I tried to buy car insurance online in Singapore; it was a very cumbersome process; for example, they ask you what the capacity is of the engine of your car.

What kind of question is that? So, I figured the insurance industry is very traditional and not transparent in Asia and obviously not very consumer friendly. Other industries have shown that internet can be of great help for customers and achieve a shift in distribution. So we chose insurance as the industry that could benefit greatly from using the available technology properly.

For each market we start with the product that is searched for most, because in this business volume is key. In Singapore we will add health, maid and home and content.

In Thailand we will also start with car and travel insurance.

What about the competition?

What is GoBear?

Currently we have hardly any competitors in the insurance and financial industry in Singapore. This means that we have to create awareness with customers, and build a new brand. We want to become the Tripadvisor for insurance and financial products.

GoBear is a website where you can compare insurances from all the insurance companies in seconds. We went live in April with car and travel insurance. After Singapore we’ll expand to Thailand (probably this summer) and then most likely China. We see that as a challenge, because from

That is what we want to achieve: to give the customers an easy tool to make their own decisions. This also means we have to be unbiased; if we’d sell insurances ourselves we would be influenced by what generates the most profit.

•

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Pieter Hartel: a man with a passion ... By Pleun Brevet ...

Pieter Hartel arrived in Singapore last November to work for Interpol. He is writing course materials about Internet crime and the Dark Web, which will be offered to police forces of member states. And as professor of Computer science at Universiteit Twente and TU Delft, as well as researcher at TNO’s Cyber Security Lab in the Netherlands, Pieter knows internet like no one else.

‘It is much easier for crime to cross the border these days, thanks to the internet, easy international travel and the anonymous world of virtual business.’ But the internet is not all bad. ‘It can be used as a tool, a target or a place.

Police can use the internet as a tool to gather information or to track someone’s movements. The internet can also be a target where the crime is committed digitally. And you can see the internet as a place where things happen, On Interpol April 13, e.g. social networking, functions as the new Interpol a coordinator grooming, etc.’ between the police forces of 190 member countries.

Global Complex for Innovation (IGCI) officially opened its doors.

‘I am currently working on an advanced training course about the Dark Web and the Tor network, that’s the part of the internet that is completely anonymous.’ Tor stands for The Onion Router and directs internet traffic through a free, worldwide, volunteer network consisting of more than six thousand relays to conceal a user’s location and usage from anyone conducting network surveillance or traffic analysis. It was originally invented by the US Navy, to protect the online communication of US intelligence. ‘It also made it easier for people to call home, because the call could not be traced by the ‘enemy’.’

Nowadays, the Tor network is used for good and bad reasons. ‘Good reasons are, for instance, journalists in problem areas safely communicating with their editors; dissidents being able to spread the word without giving away their location; ordinary web users avoiding censorship, etc.’

But criminals have found Tor as well and formed market places on hidden servers where you can buy anything you could possibly want: drugs, weapons, child pornography,

The

IGCI’s functions will complement those of the main office in Lyon.

focus in Singapore will be on: digital security, capacity building and investigative support.

killers for hire etc. ‘Everything is about money these days; people pay with Bitcoins in escrow. The market operator releases the money, once the goods have been received.

The market operator is in a unique position; he may decide to keep all the money and go on a long holiday, knowing his clients wouldn’t go to the police.’

Some police forces are very successful in fighting cybercrime. The training is developed jointly by TNO and Interpol, and its objective is to make procedures to fight cybercrime available to all police forces. Pieter added that, ‘We are not there yet, but with these courses there will be more opportunity for them to learn what they need to know to be successful.’

Pieter Hartel was never tempted to set up his own market place. ‘I’m not in it for the money. I am a researcher and a teacher and love working with my students. They are very enthusiastic and they actually teach me a lot too.

•

11

G.r.a.t.i.s. in Singapore We started the last issue with this column and we received many enthusiastic reactions and more importantly: tips. Turns out there is plenty to do for free in Singapore, so here’s a few more ideas.

Photo Singapore Guide Photo: Kevin Chua

Strolling through China Time-travel to the and Japan in one day sixties Chinese Garden, more commonly known as Jurong Gardens, is located in Jurong East. Built in 1975 and designed by an architect from Taiwan, the Chinese Garden’s concept is based on Chinese gardening art.

You will find rainbow bridges, arch buildings, stone boats, tea house and pagodas, the Bonsai garden and the Garden of Abundance. A perfect spot for a picnic (there are no cafés that we could see).

Connected to the Chinese garden is the Japanese garden.

Whereas the Chinese Garden is designed to be visually exciting, the Japanese Gardens are designed with a calmness in mind to evoke inner peace and a meditative state.

But my favorite part was the Live Turtle and Tortoise museum with more than 50 species of turtles and tortoises from around the world. It really is more a sanctuary and granted, it’s not for free, but the entrance fee is 3 or 5 dollars, depending on your age. If you decide to go, you can buy food to feed the turtles as well.

1 Chinese Garden Road, Singapore 619795 http://www.turtle-tortoise.com/

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If you wonder what life was like in Singapore in the sixties, Kampong Lorong is the place to go as it is the last surviving kampong (Malay term for village) on Singapore’s mainland.

The kampong was also known as Selak Kain, which meant ‘hitching up one’s skirt’ as people used to hitch their skirts up to wade through floods. The place still gets flooded in particularly bad rainstorms, so pick a sunny day.

Every now and then there is a rumor that the kampong will have to give way to another development, which would be a shame in our opinion. While you walk through the kampong, you will notice the tranquility and the families that still live there seem to understand the concept of sharing and helping each other out. This is why their gates and doors are open; these are not an invitation to go stare through the windows! So stay on the ‘road’ and enjoy life in peace for a moment.

From Church of St. Vincent de Paul (301 Yio Chu Kang Road, Singapore 805910): cross the road and walk towards the Shell petrol station. Take the flight of stairs right next to it. Cross the canal and walk straight.

The Kampong is on the left side of the road.

Open House at the Istana

Visit Haw Par Villa Haw Par Villa is like no other place in the world. The park was established in 1937 by the founders of Tiger Balm (Burmese-Chinese brothers Aw Boon Haw and Aw Boon Par) to impart traditional Chinese values to the community through statues and dioramas inspired by Chinese mythology, legends and Confucianism. The park is probably best known for its gruesome depiction of the Ten Courts of Hell based on Chinese mythology and Buddhism. But there are other - more friendly - scenes as well, like the Journey to the West. All in all there are over 1,000 statues and 150 dioramas to view, and all brightly colored as only the Chinese can do.

Haw Par Villa, 262 Pasir Panjang Road, Singapore 118628

The free app Istana Garden Walk by Temasek Polytechnic is very handy if you are interested in touring the Istana grounds. The Istana is the building where the Singaporean president resides and works from and every once in a while they open the gates to the public. Entrance is not actually free, but very affordable at a $1 per person. According to the Istana website, the next open house will be on July 17 and again on August 2.

The app contains two self-guided walks through the gardens, each about 1.5 hours. One trail takes you to the Places of Interest and the other trail tours along Plants of Interest. We were told that each point has a QC code that you can scan into the app, and it will tell you more about what you are seeing.

Oh, and if you are really curious you can spend another $2 per person and get a tour of the inside!

More info: http://www.istana.gov.sg/the-istana/open-house

To arrange a personal meeting please contact:

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Connecting Dutch Profes ... By Lisette Davis ...

To create a new brand and an eye-catching logo for the ADB, a clear understanding of the organization and an effective strategy were required.

This is the story of the creation of the strategy and the new ADB brand by a project group consisting of volunteer ADB members. The project group started in September 2014 and is still active working on the launch of the new website.

Jan Benes

Patrick Nelissen

Lisette Davis

Jan Benes: “When the Board decided in June last year that we

of what members need. What is their opinion of the current

had to modernise our IT infrastructure, we also realized that

services of the ADB and how do they experience the events?”

we had to take a look at all our communication materials. As we did not necessarily have the right capabilities in the board we

The findings were concentrated around three main issues:

reached out to our members. Lo and behold, we got an excellent

acquisition, membership and events. For acquisition we found

group of people who complemented each other perfectly:

that word of mouth is important. But also that interesting events

marketing, branding, website development and design. The

will attract new members. Membership itself is valued for the

project team members are: Lisette Davis, Marianne Doele,

social networking opportunities and the building of personal

Patrick Nelissen & Willem Jan Peters.”

relationships. A few members expressed their need for more business related information and better visibility of the board.

“The team started with the basics, identifying what the ADB

The events were defined as the core product of the ADB. All this

is really all about. Through an in-depth survey we personally

information was used to create the brand and strategy.

questioned a mix of our members. Every member of the project group called a few members to interview them. With the

Identity and Strategy

outcome of this member survey, we created our new ADB

Before creating a strategy, a clear identity is needed. The project

brand and strategy for the coming years. I would like to thank

group held different sessions to identify the core values of the

the project team for their continued support.”

ADB. In other words: what is the essence of the ADB, their principles, beliefs and values. These were implemented in the

Member survey

strategy created by Lisette: “The core values are essential for a

Instead of a large quantitative research, the project group

strategy. They support the vision and define the character of an

decided to conduct qualitative interviews of 30 minutes. Before

organization. The ADB core values are: informative, sociable,

performing any survey, a detailed question list is prepared.

affordable and accessible. These values guide the behaviour of

Patrick and Jan Willem created the list for our survey. To get a

the board and influence their decisions.

representative outcome, a cross-section of members was selected.

The selection was based on difference in age, gender, duration of

A strategy provides a structured approach to solve the main

membership and active as well as non-active members.

issues of an organization. The ADB aspires to attract each and every Dutch professional in Singapore to join the ADB. Because

Patrick: “This approach enabled us to get the right insights.

of the hugely diverse background of its members, the ADB

Our focus was to gather more relevant background information

had to focus on a more tailor-made approach to the different

14

sionals in Singapore member groups. Groups can be distinguished based on duration of stay, personal needs (business or social) and professional background (e.g. industry).

The main goal is to inspire the members by organizing surprising business and social events, and to facilitate engagement via online and off-line communication. This strategy formed the start of the development process for a restyled magazine, better communication and events, and a new website.”

Marianne Doelen

Willem Jan Peters

Events

Website

Marianne explains the revised approach for events: “Because

The member survey also indicated that the current ADB website

events are the core product of the ADB, it is important to keep

does not live up to expectations. Willem Jan: “Because of this,

up the good work but also to improve in a few areas. Therefore,

the ADB misses out on a great opportunity to interact with the

the ADB will strive to have at least eight events a year,

members and attract potential members. Basic functionalities

preferably split fifty-fifty between business and purely social

for member to member interaction, like finding other members

events. The company visits are very popular, so it is important

and their interests or industry are currently unavailable. If the

to organize more. Because of the diverse background of the

ADB wants to stay relevant in this digital world, that needed

members, the company visits shouldn’t be limited to Dutch

to change.”

companies. More diversity is needed, for instance include local companies like Singapore Airlines, Marina Bay Sands

After multiple rounds of discussions about functionalities

and DBS Bank.”

and selection of vendors, the board agreed to create an online platform to match its ambition. “Right now we are in the middle

“There should also be a few purely social events for networking

of realizing a new ADB website. Some of the new features are:

purposes. Just drinks and chats in various locations. The Dutch

a member area with a forum to facilitate networking and the

Club is, location-wise, not always convenient for the working

sharing of knowledge, better events pages and easy online

crowd. To accommodate all members, one of the ideas is to

viewing (and downloading) of the ADB magazine. Of course

organize drinks in other locations around town. To create more

the website will be created in a responsive design. This means

involvement, the various board members will strive to be visibly

that you can easily view and access it on your desktop, tablet

present during events. This makes it easier to approach them.

and mobile. With the new website, I am confident that the

New members should get special attention when they visit an

ADB will meet the members’ expectations. Please keep an eye

event: a board member will introduce them to other members

out on ww.adb.org.sg and once the site is live: feel free to share

to facilitate networking.”

your feedback!”

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personal finance

° ° ° ° Renewing your mortgage ° ° ° ° ... Véronique Ruys-Sliepen ...

A lot of expats still have property in the Netherlands, and even though nobody ever really wants to review their mortgage, now is a good time to have a closer look and see if you can benefit from the current low interest rates.

Variable and short term interest rates are based on money-market rates and medium and long term interest rates depend on the capital-market rates, which in turn are determined by the rates on government bonds. Generally, long term interest rates are higher than short term interest rates and variable rates usually are the lowest (although not right now).

Considerations When reviewing your mortgage, there are a few things to consider: - In the case of a fixed interest period, think about how long you intend to own the property. When people move house, they tend to take out a new mortgage. But sometimes it’s cheaper to move the old mortgage to a new house. For instance: if you have chosen an interest rate of 25 years and move after 12, you paid more interest compared to the amount of a 12 year fixed interest period.

- You can change your fixed rate period at any time, not only when your current period expires!

- There are no penalties when changing variable interest rates to fixed term.

- The penalty you pay is the amount your bank loses out on when you change to another fixed rate period. This penalty is tax-deductible for people who are still liable for tax purposes in the Netherlands.

- Your interest rate depends on the risk category of your loan versus the value of the property. When your property has become more valuable or you repaid part of your loan, you might qualify for a lower interest rate.

Variable or Fixed?

The choice between a variable rate or a fixed rate is personal. If you think the interest rates are going to drop, it makes sense to choose the variable rate. This is a little risky, if the rates go up, you need to be able to pay higher interest payments or repay part of your mortgage. A fixed rate is less risky; you know exactly what you have to pay when.

As an expat your interest is not tax-deductible, but you don’t pay any capital gains tax on your estate either, except on your property. So, if you have a fixed mortgage rate of 3% you need to make at least the same on your savings and investments to make your money work for you, which is quite realistic.

Nobody can forecast exactly when the interest rates will go up again and by how much, but the longer the rates will drop, the more likely it is that the lowest point has been reached.

Recently the capital market rates have increased; the Dutch capital market rate (10 years) increased from 0,22% to 0,77% in two weeks time! So, no matter what happens, it is a good time to review your current mortgage!

•

Véronique Ruys-Sliepen is a certified financial consultant with over 12 years of experience in banking and financial planning. She provides tailored financial advice and wealth management solutions covering everything from health insurance until retirement planning. Contact her at 81600652 or vsliepen@globaleye.sg.

17

ADB 25 years: about the past ... By Claire Mutsaerts, Lisette Davis and Pleun Brevet ...

Expat life means you’re never long in the same place.

Founding the ADB

The result is that history gets lost and after 25 years

Lafeber was there from the start. “It’s hard to imagine now,

nobody remembers what went on back in the day. ADB

but in 1990 there weren’t that many Dutch expats in Singapore.

is fortunate to have a few members still around from the

There were only 85 kids at the Dutch School, so you can do the

beginning. We spoke with some of them about ADB and

math. Also, people used to meet up in restaurants and bars of

its history:

hotels and of course at the Club, because bars were virtually

• Ronald Lafeber was at the founding meeting of ADB in 1990.

non-existent then.” In the early nineties, The Hollandse Club

“Before that there was only the Hollandse Club and we felt

was a favorite hangout, but because it was family oriented

it would be good to have another organization for more

(as it is still today), it wasn’t the best setting for professional

professional networking.”

networking. Mr. A.G.A. van Rappard came up with the idea

• Annette Kunst joined the ADB in 1992. “I was working for a

of a Dutch Business club.

Dutch company and was looking at what type of organizations were present here. In my mind, ADB members were mostly

“Van Rappard organized a meeting in 1990, just to see if others

men in suits gathering at the bar. They ignored me initially,

would be interested in setting up an association for Dutch

probably because they had no idea what to say to me.”

business people. The idea of the business club was formalized

• Ronald Schepers became a member when he arrived in

at the Registry of Societies on October 12, 1990 under the

Singapore in 2002. “Before that I used to live in Hong Kong

name Association of Dutch Businessmen. Gijs van der Schrieck

where I was part of a business association (also with non-

became the first president and two months later we had our

Dutch people). So when I came here, I went looking for the

first official ADB meeting; around 30 people were present.”

equivalent of that and found the ADB.” • Lineke van Nederpelt came to Singapore 15 years ago.

First years

“I started working for the ADB in January 2005 and was

ADB started organizing presentations, usually in the bar of the

the board’s secretary for 8.5 years.”

Hollandse Club. Members would introduce themselves and the companies they worked for. Then they started inviting guest speakers and later added company visits to the agenda. But very special were the visits of Dutch ministers.

Lineke: “ADB always had a good relationship with the Embassy. If a Dutch minister came to town, the Embassy would let us know and together we would try to plan a meeting with our members, even if it was at short notice. It’s pretty special that you get to meet ministers and afterwards have a beer with them.” Lafeber: “Yes, times were different then, there

From left to right: Ronald Lafeber, Lineke van Nederpelt, Ronald Schepers and Annette Kunst.

18

was not much else to do, so we didn’t need a lot of time to get an event planned.”

the area in support of a state visit of Queen Beatrix to Indonesia to celebrate 50 years independence.

Although lunch tasted a little like Conimex, the event is very well remembered.

- Visit to the Shell refinery island Pulau Bukau. Impossible nowadays because of security measures.

A very old photo of Hans van Mierlo visiting ADB.

Lafeber: “Since 1991 we have had many events with Dutch

- PNO Nedlloyd company ships visit. The invitations for the - Daamen Shipyard company Dinner & Dance always visit and the ride on the boat

had this formatting.

afterwards.

ministers like Van Mierlo, Lubbers , Netelenbos, Jorritsma,

- Visit to Keppel (Tuas) where they build the giant oilrigs.

Plassterk and Balkenende. Singapore was not a high priority,

- Touring on the Chinese river boat Cheng Ho with dinner

so when they came it was quite exciting.”

and drinks.

- Annual company visits to Heineken and Philips; the

Lineke: “Remember when Queen Beatrix, Willem-Alexander

organizers gave it a different twist every time, so even

and Maxima came to Singapore, not long before Willem

though the visits were recurring, they were never boring.

Alexander became King? People had to register to be invited to

- Lectures by various Dutch and international CEOs.

the event, and only 350 people got to meet them. I was there as part of the ADB board, and I have to say, it was very special.”

Lafeber: “ADB used to plan their events on Mondays, and on Fridays we would go to Harry’s bar for a drink. Non-members

Financially speaking, ADB started with a very small budget.

would also be there, whom we tried to recruit on the spot.” All

KLM, ABN and Global International were sponsors from the

start laughing at this point, leaving the editors to wonder what

start. Lafeber: “Like today sponsoring was the only way we

else happened… Apparently you just had to be there.

could exist and keep running on minimal contribution. But back in the day you had to pay for your own drinks at events.”

What has changed over the years?

Annette: “Oh yes, I was not a member at the Hollandse Club,

Lafeber: “During the first years, it was much more formal, more

so I had to buy coupons to get drinks. And you always either

like a gentlemen’s club. Everyone wore jackets and ties, but the

had too many or too few. What a hassle.”

work culture was more formal then as well. Over the years more women came to Singapore to work, ADB even changed its name

So how about the Dinner and Dance?

from “Association of Businessmen” to “Association of Dutch

All had good memories about the Dinner and Dance over the

Business people.”

years. Lineke: “Every year we tried to find a new venue, and I remember the one at “the Arches” on Sentosa. A band played

Annette: “But overall I have to say that even though people

outside and people had such a blast. That party was talked

come and go, the events ADB organizes are always interesting

about for a long time.”

and the organizers manage to keep the events new and fresh.

That’s quite an accomplishment and the reason why I am still

At some point ADB even organized a surprise D&D. Lineke: “The Supper Club had just opened in Singapore and ADB was

a member.”

•

the first to organize an exclusive event there. We didn’t reveal anything, we just gave members the date, time and dress code. When they came they were surprised to be lounging on mattresses while eating and drinking. Of course there was also a lot of dancing. Some didn’t like it, but most loved it. As the organizing committee we got a huge surprise as well, when the Supper Club started some uh, naughty performances.”

Not only were the parties remembered though; ADB organized a lot of memorable events. A quick overview of the highlights according to our interviewees: - Lunch on board Dutch navy frigates in 1995. They were in

Lubbers visiting Singapore in 1991.

19

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° ° ° ° Spouses in Singapore ° ° ° °

Wouter Muis ... By Pleun Brevet ...

Wouter Muis studied business administration at the Erasmus University in Rotterdam with a master’s degree in Marketing Management. In 2010 he started working for Mondelēz International (former Kraft Foods) as (Junior) Brand manager Gum and Candy.

“That was fun: I learned how to build strong brands like Stimorol and how to influence consumer behavior. But when my girlfriend (Eva Klein Ovink) got the chance to work in Singapore, I happily quit my job and followed along.”

Photo: Vie Blonk

Why Asia?

Two years into my contract with Kraft I already knew I wanted to come to Asia.

From a marketing perspective this continent is very interesting; new markets are being developed constantly and Singapore is a good base to work from. We already knew the country because Eva had worked here for a while during her traineeship. We were also very flexible: we didn’t own a house and we didn’t yet have children. So it was a great time for us to go.

I was ready for a new challenge anyway, and up till now life in Singapore has been great for us: we travel a lot and there is always something going on in the city.

How do you fill your days?

Initially I thought I would simply try to get a job in marketing, but these days, since I only have a Long Term Visit pass, it is harder for companies to hire me. Singapore does not give out work passes like they used to. I have had offers, but I decided I only wanted to take a job I would really like. In January, I started supporting startup 2Sherpa on a volunteer basis and it dawned on me that I’m not going

to like any job offer because I really would like to start my own company. People who know me have always predicted that I would be my own boss someday and it seems they will be right.

Currently I am working on setting up my own business: Bamboo Branding. That involves a lot of paperwork and building a network.

I would like to help start-ups with their marketing strategy and business development on a temporary basis. I am also exploring opportunities to launch a product of my own, so that means a lot of brainstorming and being out there to look for things that are missing in Singapore.

I also organize Dutch Drinks, together with Susanne Prins van Wijngaarden.

Dutch Drinks?

If you’d like to join Dutch Drinks, follow them on LinkedIn (Dutch Drinks Singapore).

Due to a public holiday on the third Friday of July, Dutch Drinks will be on Thursday, July 16.

Yes, Dutch Drinks Singapore is a monthly event on every third Friday of the month for Dutch expats who are ready for a drink after a week of hard work. We change locations every month so we are scouting out Singapore for really cool places to have drinks at. Hard work, but someone has to do it.

•

21

Orchard Road, Singapore’s biggest tourist attraction ... By Sabina Godri ...

According to the Lonely Planet, Orchard Road is the ‘Olympic-sized training ground of Singapore’s national sport’. No matter at what time or on what day you visit Orchard Road, it is always crowded. Singaporeans just love their shopping!

In 1830, Orchard Road was an unnamed country road lined with fruit orchards, nutmeg plantations, and pepper farms.

We assume the road was named because of these orchards, but there is also talk of a Mr. Orchard who lived on the crossing with Scotts Road and who was seen regularly tending his garden and orchard.

Photo: G.R. Lambert & Company

The unnamed dirt road that became Singapore’s main attraction: Orchard Road.

Orchard Road has more than 40 shopping malls and over 8 million square feet of retail space.

More than 50 Luxury fashion flagship stores are located at Orchard Road.

Towards the later part of the 1840s people also started to build their houses along the road or up on the hills overlooking the valley. With it came outdoor hawker centers, wet markets, and even an open-air laundry basin.

During that time, graveyards also began to appear along the road. By 1846, a large Chinese graveyard was situated where the Meritus Mandarin Hotel and Ngee Ann City are

There are more than 800 restaurants, bars and cafes and 4 movie theaters with 38 screens.

Orchard Road is home to 20 hotels and 13 service apartments with approx. 14,000 guest rooms.

now, while the Sumatrans from Bencoolen had their burial ground where the current Grand Central Hotel stands.

Later a Jewish cemetery (only demolished in 1984) was established and located at the current Dhoby Ghaut MRT Station site.

Hawker Centers as we know them today did not exist in the sixties, back then they were situated outdoors, like here on the parking lot outside the Cold Storage.

22

In 1900, much of Orchard Road was still a tree flanked dirt road. In 1903, Cold Storage opened their first store to distribute food supplies and this marked the beginning of the retail transformation. The Cold Storage Milk Bar, where The Centrepoint Shopping Centre stands today, was a popular hangout in the 1960s and offered ice-cream, cake and other refreshments. From the 1930s, Orchard Road became the new social magnet because fresh produce was sold from the Orchard Market (where Cuppage Plaza now sits). Orchard Road’s first department store was set up by

Photo: Herman Verhoeven

Photo: Herman Verhoeven

This turtle resides on Orchard Road as well.

On Orchard Road you can still find the ‘original’ houses, although you have to look carefully.

a local merchant, C. K. Tang, in 1958 on an isolated plot of land facing a cemetery. In 1982, the old building was demolished and replaced by the current Tang Plaza.

targeting the Israeli embassy which was an occupant of the building. For many years the major season of Christmas has been a grand annual celebration, marked by festive decorations and an official street light-up in Orchard Road.

From the 1980s, public events like the annual Chingay Parades were held here, as well as the National Day Float Procession, and for a while there was the National Day feature “Swing Singapore” when Orchard Road was closed to traffic and young people gathered for a mass dance party on the street.

By the 1970s, Orchard Road had replaced High Street as the city’s main shopping street. It became the main entertainment hub after the opening of cinemas and a bowling alley during the ‘60s and ‘70s. Plaza Singapura (1974) was the first multi-story shopping mall. Lucky Plaza (1978) became known for having the most escalators (26) and high-speed lifts (8) throughout Malaysia and Singapore. Bigger and better malls and complexes soon followed, creating a unique streetscape.

Orchard Road has witnessed both hostile and celebratory events in Singapore. Several bombs have gone off in Orchard Road, the first on 10 March 1965 at MacDonald House during the Indonesian Confrontation period, and two at Faber House (1985 and 1986), both most likely

After a revamping in 2009, Orchard Road has been transformed into what it is today: a magnet for residents, tourists and workers alike. Recently they held a six month pilot to reinstall the monthly closure, now known as Pedestrian night. Each time more than 50,000 pedestrians strolled down Orchard Road. Whether they will reinstall Pedestrian night is unclear, but if they do, we are hoping for a great dance-along as well.

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24

from the dutch embassy

Innovation Team Meet the Innovations Attachés (or “the geeks” as they call themselves) of the Netherlands Embassy. They inform, inspire and facilitate (international) innovation.

From left to right: The Innovations Attachés in Singapore: Sean Tan (High Tech), Susan van Boxtel (Health & Food) and Anne Marie Schrijver (Water).

Susan van Boxtel Susan has been working for the Netherlands Embassy since February 2012. Before this, she worked at pharmaceutical companies in the Netherlands and Singapore as a preclinical researcher in pharmacology and translational biomarker research, within the therapeutic areas of fertility, immunology and oncology.

Susan studied Biomedical Laboratory (BSc) at the University of Utrecht and Biology (MSc) at the Radboud University in Nijmegen.

“With my background in Biology, I am especially interested in Food, Nutrition, Life Sciences and Healthcare. The collaboration between Wageningen University with Nanyang Technological University in education and research in food science is a success story.

Talent development in this collaboration supports the Dutch food sector in Singapore.

In the near future, I would like to focus on the topic of successful ageing, which is a challenge for both Singapore and the Netherlands”.

Sean Tan Sean is a high tech expert. He studied Electrical Engineering (B.Eng) at Nanyang Technology University in Singapore and Embedded System (MTD) at NUS and the Technical University of Eindhoven. In 2014, after 4 years of study, Sean received his PhD in Computer sciences at Hasselt University in Belgium. He has been working at the Netherlands Embassy since March 2015.

“My background is in Computer Sciences, and I was fascinated by the Dutch team (TNO &

TU Delft) during my visit to the INTERPOL Global Complex for Innovation. I had the privilege to work with them and other Dutch companies during the INTERPOL week and I feel proud to know that many local companies are looking up to them. I will be working with Dutch start-ups in the coming months and it will be exciting to interact with young and enterprising minds”.

Anne Marie Schrijver Anne Marie works as Innovation Project Manager at the Embassy and has been focussing on the key sector ‘water’, since September 2014. Before she came to Singapore she was involved in the preparation and realization of built environment projects in the Netherlands. She studied Civil Engineering at Hogeschool Rotterdam.

“I’m very proud of the Dutch expertise in everything related to the water sector, from water management to water- and maritime technology. The aspect I like best about our work is that we can promote Dutch expertise and help companies, knowledge institutes and government to link-up with Singaporean parties. It’s very rewarding to see these linkups develop into successful collaborations, which preserve and strengthen our long term relationship with Singapore”.

•

If you need any additional information, please contact the Innovation Attachés via email on singapore@ianetwerk.nl or refer to this (Dutch) website: www.rvo.nl/ianetwerk

25

New members introduce themselves Oscar Oomens I have worked and lived around the world incl. USA, Latin America and Russia, building integrated communication teams and global brands with LEO BURNETT. As the center of business is shifting to Asia I could not resist an offer as Asia Pacific Business Development Director. Staying in touch with fellow Dutchmen and women always helped to keep my feet on the ground. I expect the same inspiring connections through ADB in Singapore.

Marnix Mali Since last July I have been the regional head of HR for Booking.com, with plenty of nice challenges as the business continues to grow in all of our 17 countries across APAC. In the summer we moved from Amsterdam to Singapore, together with my wife Yoshie and our sons Taro (7) and Jiro (1). After some acclimatization time we are now very much enjoying the life here.

Vie Blonk My husband Edo and I had both lived abroad before we met each other. We always said that we would do it together when the occasion arose. After 20 years, we found out you have to create the occasion yourself and that’s what we did. We both have a company here and enjoy Singapore in all its facets: the people, the buzz, the food and the climate. ABD is a good platform for us to meet other Dutch business people.

Edo van Dijk I started working on the ADB logo and brand identity in October last year, a few months before my wife Vie and I moved here.

Vie started her Reputation Management consultancy here in May and I’ve been fully operational since early March with my design agency: Edenspiekermann. As one of my German co-founders likes to say: ‘we make cool shit’ and that’s exactly what I intend to do here too.

Suzan van de Kerk Too early to retire, so I am venturing for a couple of years to work in high growth markets and experiencing different cultures, plus the benefit of giving my children a broader view of the world. Singapore is an easy place to live and a great hub to see the region.

Remi Cheriex In January 2014 I arrived in Singapore to pursue my MBA at INSEAD, from which I graduated in December 2014. In February this year I started a new job as Strategy Manager at FrieslandCampina in Singapore, so after a year of “living the life as a student” the working life in Singapore has officially started.

By joining ADB I hope to extend my professional and social network in this region and I look forward to meeting all of you at one of the upcoming ADB events.

26

Maarten van Hellemond Six months ago, I moved to Singapore together with my partner, Tom Smeenk, due to his expatriation. Before that, I lived in Zurich, Switzerland, for four years, where I’d already got used to the expat life. For me, a move to Singapore is a great opportunity to explore Asia. After having worked in international wealth management / private banking in the Netherlands and Switzerland, I am looking for a new challenge in Singapore. I am looking forward to meeting you at ADB’s events.

Oesha Thakoerdin Based in Singapore I work as Director Sustainability at WEnegy Global Pte Ltd, the Renewable Energy House focusing on renewable energy, rooftop solar stations and solar power plants with micro-grids, and energy efficiency, in Asia. After living and working out of the Netherlands for more than 10 years in total, I am looking forward to exchanging ideas and experiences with Dutch professionals within ADB.

Frank Dam Just landed in Singapore, with wife and dog, for a new role in our organization: Group Leadership Development and Training manager with the JF Hillebrand Group, a global beverage and bulk logistics specialist service provider.

Joining ADB is one of the first logical steps to meet fellow Dutch professionals and exchange ideas, experiences and come to feel at home in Singapore. CU soon!

Andrea Rijnen-Roijers After 14 years working for Tata Steel Europe in IJmuiden in Project Management, Process Improvement and System Implementations, I have recently relocated with my family to Singapore. Initially we moved abroad for my husband’s work and now that we are all settled, I am also very interested in building my network and finding an exciting role in Singapore!

I hope to find many interesting people at ADB!

EDITORIAL COMMITTEE

DESIGN & PrePress

Pleun Brevet, Chief Editor Claire Mutsaerts Jacinta Noonan Lisette Davis Sabina Godri

Jennifer Phua

Email

© ADB (UEN: S90SS0097D).

The contents of this magazine are partly based on information received from third parties and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of ADB. The Committee does not take responsibility for the correctness of the articles.

MCI (P) 148/05/2015

magazine@adb.org.sg SECRETARIAT ADB

Wenneke Vrugt-Repko ADB Singapore c/o 541 Orchard Road, #13-01 Liat Towers, Singapore 238881 +65 8189 8529 www.adb.org.sg Basic Design

Edenspiekermann Pte Ltd

PRINT production

Words Worth Media Management Pte Ltd

All new ADB Members Adrianus (Arno) de Nooij Andrea Rijnen-Roijers Annabel Suesan Annemieke Gelder Edo van Dijk Els Van Poucke Errol Calis Filip Olde Bijvank Frank Dam Geert Steenvoorden Herman Verhoeven Hinke Visser Ingeborg Van der Hoek Ivonne Bojoh Jaap Frolich Jack Ruys Jan-Jurien de Rijck Jasper Hamaker Joris Gallé

Pon Asia Holding Pte Ltd Self employed None Dyson Edenspiekermann Pte Ltd Self Employed - Legal Services no employer Vroon Offshore Service Pte. Ltd. JF Hillebrand Group AG Procter&Gamble GoBear Deloitte A Luxury We Can Afford Woodpecker Asia Tech Pte Ltd Deloitte Diageo Fokker Services Asia Heineken NV CPI Asia Consulting

José Sintnicolaas Juliette Peterson Laetitia Kunst-den Teuling Liesbeth Calis Maarten van Hellemond Marnix Mali Merle Raatgerink Michael De Kroon Oesha S.I. Thakoerdin Oscar Oomens Otto Ruijs Patrick van Dam Quirine van Voorst Remi Cheriex Ron de Vries Ronnie van Munster Suzan van de Kerk Vie Blonk

Self Employed PCU CVML / Stek Givaudan self employed Booking.com Hollandse School Limited ABN AMRO Bank WEnergy Global Pte Ltd Leo Burnett ?What If! Innovation Partners Self Employed Philips FrieslandCampina DSM Sinochem Pharmaceuticals Tebodin Singapore SwissRe Vis-a-Vie

Volunteer for ADB! We are looking for help to make ADB more efficient, gain more fire-power and expertise. Now that we are changing our old ways, we have ample opportunity for you to become involved and make ADB bigger and better.

Currently we are forming the following committees: Events Committee ADB organizes one event every month, varying from company visits, social gatherings and entrepreneur panels.

Are you interested in helping to organize these events and are you able to use (or enlarge) your professional network for the good of ADB, then let us know by sending an email to Wenneke at adb@adb.org.sg Communications Committee We need to spread the word! Not all Dutchies know about our existence and that needs to change. We are looking for people who are connected to the various media channels in Singapore, to connect with all Dutch professionals.

C

Do you have the contacts, or would you like to have them?

Then we would like to have you in the Communications Committee. Let us know at adb@adb.org.sg.

Sponsoring Committee Without sponsors there would be no ADB; sponsors not only pay for events and the magazine, they also make it possible to keep the annual ADB member contribution low. Would you like to persuade potential sponsors to make a sponsorship deal with ADB? Do you have a lot of business contacts within the (Dutch) community? Then we would like to hear from you at adb@adb.org.sg.

Magazine Committee The only committee that is already in place. We are always on the lookout for more (aspiring) writers to lighten the workload. If you’d like to contribute one article every two months and if you are willing to attend our editorial meetings, then please let Pleun know at magazine@adb.org.sg.

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Tiong Bahru

... By Kristel Zweers ...

I feel very privileged to be staying in Tiong Bahru. Not so much for its trendy, overpriced lunch places where you can upgrade your “eggs on toast” to “eggs on a croissant” for an additional 7 dollars. A very reasonable price if you ask me because - in all honesty - if you want an egg on your croissant, somebody has to make you pay for it. It’s not a total rip-off, because they throw in 3 leaves of Arucola that the poor bastard with his eggs on toast can only dream off.

But I love this neighborhood so much because it (still) has an authentic atmosphere and makes me realize I’m actually living in Asia the minute I walk out the door. Something Singapore is trying very hard to make you forget. Ok, so I don’t have a swimming pool, tennis court, garden or even a balcony. I understand these things are the cherry on the cake for some but I prefer some culture and knowing where I am, instead of living somewhere that could be anywhere where it happens to be hot.

When my hood throws a party to celebrate something, all I understand from the announcements is the time and date because the rest is all written in Chinese. A big tent with plastic chairs put up days in advance tells me the party’s actual location. When buying my toilet paper at the corner shop, I learn I need to get a $5 ticket for the event. The owner is obviously looking forward to it, and wants to make sure I won’t miss out; he ensures me the ticket is money well spent because it includes free food and a lucky draw!

On the night itself I don’t need to keep my eye on the clock to know when the party has started. When I hear the howl of a cat in heat, it turns out to be one of my community singers who has opened ‘the ball’. When I arrive everyone is already “Social dancing” their ass off to Chinese music; a chachacha kind of dance performed in all its grace, stretching their arms on the side-steps as if their lives depended on it. Some of the elderly had changed into their silk party-pajamas for the occasion. A Chinese status symbol that beats anything in the Galaxy.

It doesn’t take long before one of my neighbors’ drops her partner to take me out to show my skills. Then I’m brought over to the food to make sure I get some of the good stuff before they run out, and several people make sure I stay around for the lucky draw at the end where the numbers are called out in English especially for me. When I win a $10 voucher for the Fairprice I get an applause that makes me consider changing my career into a professional lucky-draw participant.

I’m not saying this is better than any other party but when I pass some of my ‘new-made friends’ queuing for porridge on my way to eggs on toast the next day, I do think it beats a silent nod (if any) in an elevator to whatever pool, rooftop or BBQ. The best thing about living in Tiong Bahru? That you are not all living here too!

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… But I love this neighborhood so much because it (still) has an authentic atmosphere and makes me realize I’m actually living in Asia the minute I walk out the door. …

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