Bmcc iss2 june 2015 f

Issue 2 - 2015

The Magazine of The British Malaysian Chamber of Commerce

Making Connections

Issue 100 PP 11826/07/2013 (032918)

Transportation:

By Air, Road, Rail or Sea It’s All About Connecting People, Goods, Cities, Countries

Issue 2 - 2015■ Chamber News PLUS: ■ Property: Boom Or Blip? ■ Fabulous Try For Charity

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First Lines

W

elcome to Berita BMCC! Firstly let me say how honoured I am to have been appointed as the new Chairman of BMCC. As I take up

the helm from Dato’ Larry Gan, I am reminded of all that we have achieved under his strategic guidance.

It is quite an act to follow. A whirlwind journey of three and a half years, peppered with visits by high profile royalty and senior ministers, the celebration of our 50th Anniversary, our selection as the UKTI’s delivery partner for the Overseas Business Network Initiative [OBNI], the development of a high-performing Executive Office and a much closer relationship with the team at the British High Commission.

Andrew Sill Chairman - BMCC

There is no doubt. BMCC is most definitely on the map, both here in Malaysia and overseas. On behalf of my fellow Directors, we say thank you Larry and we are glad we will

have access to more of your wisdom as you continue with us on the Board.

I would also like to take this opportunity to welcome David Ng as our new Deputy Chairman. David brings comprehensive experience and keen business acumen to the table. He will be a valuable asset in this important role as BMCC continues on its journey.

With our recent successful accreditation as a member of the British Chambers of Commerce network, our responsibilities as the OBNI partner in Malaysia continue to expand. The OBNI is a major UK Government initiative and one that has the potential to further strengthen investment links between Malaysia and Britain. As one example, this month, we are leading a significant part of the visit by the Northern Powerhouse delegation [see Page 12].

The last three months have also seen a flurry of events that carry the BMCC badge. The 21st JPA Programme, the 11th Annual Charity Rugby Dinner, a senior delegation visit to Iskandar, a premier luncheon with the Lord Mayor of the City of London, our AGM, and more. Most are captured here and on www.facebook.com/BMCCMALAYSIA, so if you missed any, you can relive the occasion.

As we move into the second half of the year, with all that is happening across the world, our focus will remain on one primary goal. Building business. For our members, between our members. At home, across ASEAN, and beyond.

Our events programme continues, with a variety of offerings lined up. I look forward to meeting you in the near future. In the meantime, stay connected with BMCC. It’s the place for business.

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Tel: +60 3 2163 1784/2163 1786 Fax: +60 3 2163 1781 Email: membership@bmcc.org.my www.bmcc.org.my Follow us on: BMCCMALAYSIA

Issue 2 - 2015

The Chamber

The British Malaysian Chamber of Commerce is the leading business networking organisation in Malaysia comprising 350 top member companies with an outreach of over 75,000 employees. Since 1963, the BMCC has been a catalyst in providing businesses in Malaysia with support, networking, knowledge exchange and bilateral trading assistance.

We serve as a dynamic hub for enterprise to thrive and businesses to connect with each other, helping to promote and foster trade and investment between Britain and Malaysia.

BMCC is proud to be part of British Chambers in South East Asia or BiSEA, enabling our members to enjoy similar Chamber benefits in seven other countries including Vietnam, Thailand, Brunei, Laos, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Singapore.

BMCC Patrons: HE Victoria Treadell, CMG, MVO British High Commissioner YBhg Tun Musa Hitam

Chairman: Andrew Sill, The Royal Bank of Scotland Bhd

Deputy Chairman: David Ng, International SOS Sdn Bhd

Directors: Soo Kim Wai, Amcorp Properties Bhd Bob Olivier, Aspac Executive Search Sdn Bhd Andrew Diamond, Bubblegum Sdn Bhd Datuk Seri Michael Yam, InvestKL Amanda Powell, KL Kudos Design Sdn Bhd Dato’ Larry Gan, OMESTI Bhd Michael McIver, Plus Three Consultants Sdn Bhd Mahendra Gursahani, Standard Chartered Bank Malaysia Bhd Bill Addington, TechSol Sdn Bhd Datuk Peter Wentworth, OBE, Weir Minerals Malaysia

Ex-Officio: Gavin Anderson, British Council Tony Collingridge, OBE, UK Trade & Investment Dr Zainal Abidin Majid, Advisor To The Board

BMCC Executive Office Nik Tasha Nik Kamaruddin: Executive Director Stephanie Ho: Director of Events Louis Arokianathan: Finance Manager Agnes Elizabeth: Executive PA/Business Development Afiq Sahidi: Office Executive Ralph Owczarek: Senior Project Manager, OBNI Sridaran Sabapathy: Market Research Executive, OBNI Sulita Levaux: Market Research Executive, OBNI

BMCC Magazine Editor: Amanda Powell Editorial Committee: • George Aveling • Marcus Osborne • Nik Tasha Nik Kamaruddin • Bill Addington Production: KL Kudos Design Sdn Bhd Printing: Tinggi Press Sdn Bhd Lot 6, Jalan Kuang Bulan, Taman Kepong, 52100 Kuala Lumpur.

Berita BMCC is published bi-monthly for distribution to BMCC members and other organisations in the business community. The views expressed or implied herein are those of the authors or contributors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Chamber.

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Issue 2 - 2015

In This Issue

MAKING CONNECTIONS

On The Cover

Yes! The much anticipated return to KL of British flag carrier British Airways has arrived and in grand style! Read more in our Feature Section on this and other aspects of the vital transport sector.

PROPERTY: Will it be a year of boom or bust? Turn to our Feature Section on Page 21 for the latest insights.

■ First Lines ................................................. 3 ■ Hot Happenings ........................................ 6 ■ Trade Talk ................................................... 7 >

Brand Britain Out In Force

>

Changing Of The Guard: BMCC AGM

>

Vested Interests In Malaysia

>

OBNI Moves Up To Next Level

>

The Northern Powerhouse

>

‘Frosty’ Prospects For UK Firm

Issue 2 - 2015

■ Report Back............................................. 14 >

Luncheon With The Lord Mayor Of London

>

Building Bonds: BMCC-JPA Programme

>

StanChart: Going Beyond Borders

>

Rugby Roars Into Town

■ Feature Section ........................................ 21 > Transportation: Making Connections > Property Outlook ■ Meet Our New Members ....................... 32 ■ News From Our Members ..................... 35 ■ On The Social Scene ................................ 40

BMCC Magazine Reach Your Target Market, Raise Your Profile With BMCC

BMCC Magazine is a powerful platform to reach your target audience.

We offer editorial and customised sponsorship packages as well as advertising at very competitive rates. Does your company have a good story to tell? Get in touch! We want to hear from you!

Sponsorship and advertisement opportunities available!

Deadlines Imminent: Contact: 03 2163 1784 or editor@bmcc.org.my

Issue 2 - 2015

5

Hot Happenings

Dates For Your Diary August Sat 1st

Fri 14th

Mon 17thThurs 20th

September BENHAM & REEVES INVESTORS SEMINAR PROPERTY OUTLOOK 2.30pm - One World Hotel Petaling Jaya

BMCC OBNI OPEN DAY! 9.00am onwards - Regus, Level 15, Menara Darussalam, Jalan Pinang, KL

Led by Senior Directors of London’s oldest independent leasing company. Places limited.

Join us to find out more about the services we offer and how we can help your business

Contact: Maureen Soon on +603 6211 6478 or email malaysia@brlets.com

RSVP to events@bmcc.org.my before 21 August 2015

BMCC EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING 2.30pm-4.00pm - Regus, Menara Prestige, Level 32, No 1 Jalan Pinang, Kuala Lumpur.

To vote on constitutional changes for BMCC

SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER! Istana Budaya Kuala Lumpur All-singing, all-dancing, all-star international cast with original songs! Don’t miss it!

For BMCC Principal Members only Register at events@bmcc.org.my

Visit www.milestone-entertainment.com for details and tickets

BMCC BUSINESS CLINIC ON MALAYSIA London / Bristol / Manchester Walk-in event with BMCC Executive Director Nik Tasha Nik Kamaruddin for firms looking to seize growth opportunities in Malaysia.

LONDON: 17th August BRISTOL: 19th August MANCHESTER: 20th August Places limited. Appointments on first come first served basis. Visit www.bmcc.org.my for registration details

Thurs 20th

Tues 1st

ASEAN SUMMIT - ECONOMIST EVENTS How will the ASEAN Economic Community shape the way the region does business?

Fri 4thSun 13th

Weds 9thSat 12th

Visit www.igem.my for details Thurs 10th

Bilahari Kausikan, Ambassador-at-Large, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Singapore; Dato’ Seri Mohd Nazir bin Tun Abdul Razak, Chairman, CIMB Group; Nina Hachigian, United States Ambassador to ASEAN; Stephen Groff, Asian Development Bank; Anthony Tan, CEO, GrabTaxi and many others 20% discount for BMCC Members (Code: BMCC) Register at: www.economist.com

BMCC SPEED NETWORKING! 5.30pm-8.00pm - JW Marriott Hotel KL It’s back! The signature event for making new buiness contacts in record time!

See below for details!

Thurs 10thFri 11th

SYMPOSIUM & BUSINESS MATCHING POTENTIAL FOR EU SME PROFESSIONALS IN MALAYSIA Visit www.malaysia.ahk.de or email katja.schulze@malaysia.ahk.de

The Westin Kuala Lumpur Speakers from around the region including:

IGEM 2015 POWERING THE GREEN ECONOMY KL Convention Centre

Tues 15th

COMMONWEALTH SPEAKER SERIES VIP LUNCHEON WITH GUEST SPEAKER Senator Dato’ Wahid Abdul Omar Minister In The Prime Minister’s Office 12.30pm-2.30pm - DoubleTree Hilton KL Download the form from www.bmcc.org.my and email to events@bmcc.org.my

Fri 18thSun 20th

FORMULA 1 SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX! Catch the excitement close up! www.tickets.formula1.com

Mon 28thTues 29th

EU-ASEAN FORUM ON FOOD SAFETY Visit www.eu-aseanforum.com for details

October Sat 17th

10TH GREAT BRITISH BALL! 7.30pm-Late - Shangri-La Hotel KL Book Your Table Now! RM4,000 per table Visit www.greatbritishball.com.my or email tickets@greatbritishball.com.my

AND DON’T FORGET! Save The Date!

DECEMBER Fri 4th

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Issue 2 - 2015

BMCC CORPORATE CHRISTMAS LUNCH 12 noon-2pm - Venue TBC The Grand Finale Of The Year!

Trade Talk

Brand BRITAIN Out In Force!

M

alaysia hosted the ASEAN SME Showcase & Conference 2015 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre recently with BMCC and other British brands coming out in force!

Organised by SME Corp and MITI, and themed “ONE Business ONE Community”, the event served as an interactive platform for SMEs to put their products, services and technologies ion show for the global market.

Officially opened by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Dato' Haji Muhyiddin Yassin, the event saw strong participation by SMEs from the 10 ASEAN countries of Malaysia, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Philippines.

Speakers from various successful international companies were there to share their success stories, tips and knowledge at various sessions held during the 3-day event. The ASEAN Business XchanGe platform provided an opportunity for the ASEAN SME Community to increase their visibility and profile through face-to-face Business Matching Sessions.

The strength of Brand Britain was clearly demonstrated by the BMCC contingent along with BMCC Members and Partners at the UK Pavilion which included: •

Allied Pickfords

•

Amcorp Power

•

Archer Bahari

•

BAE Systems

•

British High Commission GREAT Campaign

•

MINI

•

Oxford Business Group

•

Standard Chartered Bank

•

The Alice Smith School

•

University of Nottingham

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Trade Talk

Strength To STRENGTH Service deliveries were up 45 percent, business opportunity responses up 426 percent and business wins up 1,741% with £2.1 billion recorded. ”The targets for the coming year are all significantly higher as the team maximises the traction achieved so far and pushes to the next level.”

MARKING MILESTONES • 50th Anniversary BMCC Gala Dinner • 10th Annual Charity Rugby Dinner • Delegation Tours to Iskandar Johor and to Bintulu/Kuching, Sarawak • BMCC Annual Corporate Christmas Luncheon

T

• Visit by Mayor of London, Boris Johnson with large business delegation

he recent BMCC Annual General Meeting gave members the opportunity to hear from outgoing Chairman Dato’ Larry Gan and new High Commissioner Vicki Treadell as they presented a snapshot of the many highlights over the past 12 months. The message is clear: Britain’s brand in Malaysia goes from strength to strength!

• Legal services reform comes into place!

• Pinewood Studios opens in Iskandar Malaysia; Epsom College opens; Heriot-Watt University opens new campus in Putrajaya • UKTI GREAT Week; GREAT Shopping Contest drives 1.5m in sales for UK brands in Malaysia • Fit for Fashion TV series, featuring GREAT British brands, airs in Malaysia, across Asia and the Middle East • KL Fashion Weekend featuring GREAT British Fashion and Zandra Rhodes • British Airways returns to Malaysia!

The Chamber closed out the year on a stronger financial performance and successfully achieved accreditation as the formal delivery partner for UKTI in Malaysia.

A series of top drawer events were also added to the portfolio [see panel].

HE Vicki Treadell reinforced the message as she also outlined some of the major milestones achieved in the wider community.

Focusing on the business side of things, she reported that UKTI clocked up an impressive performance during the period, with all numbers up on the previous year.

Event Sponsor 8

Issue 2 - 2015

Following the formal meeting, the Board met separately to appoint a new Chairman and Deputy Chairman, while members moved on to a lively networking session.

• Lord Mayor of London visits Malaysia with delegation

Trade Talk

Changing Of The Guard After three and half years in office, Dato’ Larry Gan is stepping down as Chairman of the Chamber.

The first Malaysian ever to hold the post, his strategic leadership and visionary thinking has helped move the Chamber to a higher plane in terms of service delivery, business engagement and operational effectiveness. He remains on the Board as a Director and will continue to be involved in the overall operation of the Chamber.

Chairman Andrew Sill, Country Executive/ Managing Director, The Royal Bank of Scotland, Malaysia, has been appointed as BMCC Chairman. He has served on the BMC Board since 2009, most recently as Deputy Chairman. He has been with the RBS Group for over 20 years, and currently sits on the Board of The Royal Bank of Scotland Berhad and RBS Asia Advisers (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd. Before moving to Malaysia, he spent 10 years in Singapore as Senior Director and subsequently Co-Head Corporate Banking, South East Asia, with RBS. Originally from the UK, Andrew has a BA (Hons) from Birmingham University and is married with two children.

Deputy Chairman Stepping up to the role of Deputy Chairman is David Ng, General Manager of International SOS, the world’s largest medical and travel security risk services company. David has served as one of the Board Members of BMCC since 2010.

Prior to joining International SOS, David was Managing Director for DHL Malaysia and Brunei for four years where he successfully led an organisation of 800 people. This success earned him the “Malaysia Business Award for Outstanding Leadership in Logistics” in 2012. He was also Managing Director for DHL Express Indonesia for six years. David holds a BSc in Civil Engineering from Surrey University and an MBA from Warwick University, UK. He is also a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants England & Wales.

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Trade Talk

Vested INTEREST In Malaysia Wow! 10 Cities in 12 Days - from Exeter to Hull to Newcastle and all in between. Engagement doesn’t even begin to describe what the representatives from the ASEAN Chambers of Commerce achieved on the recent roadshow to the UK. BMCC Executive Director Nik Tasha tells all!

T

he ASEAN Roadshow is an ongoing event where Chambers of Commerce from across the ASEAN region - Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, Singapore, Cambodia, Myanmar and Thailand with help and co-ordination of the Chamber of Commerce in the UK, promote opportunities for British companies and encourage them to invest and start up in the region.

Given that by 2020 the ASEAN block will be a major force to be reckoned with, and we are already in the ‘Asia Decade’, the encouragement for export from the UKTI is very timely to meet the demands of a population of more than 800 million people.

The Roadshow events usually begin with an overview of ASEAN and then move deeper into each market. After that, there’s the opportunity for interested companies to have informal 1-2-1 sessions with the representatives from the various markets.

On this trip alone, more than 150 companies registered their interest in Malaysia and BMCC’s OBNI team will be following up to ensure these business opportunities head this way. And it’s no surprise, given Malaysia’s 18th place World Bank Ranking for Ease of Doing Business. The overall verdict? Malaysia is open for business! Message received loud and clear!

“I am proud to say that interest for Malaysia was high and the perceptions on doing business here were upbeat and positive. Companies recognise Malaysia as being one of the better countries for doing business!”

Nik Tasha Nik Kamaruddin

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Issue 2 - 2015

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Trade Talk

OBNI: A New Dimension On

Hey! We’re Accredited!

UK’s International Trade Over the past two years, the Overseas Business Network Initiative or OBNI has grown from a pilot scheme designed to assist UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) to deliver on-demand trade services to UK SMEs in challengingto-access markets, to a fully operational initiative that will be extended into 40 new international markets by the end of 2016/17. OBNI’s new Senior Project Manager, Ralph Owczarek shares some updates.

L

aunched in late 2012, the OBNI aims to enhance the support services made available for UK SMEs seeking to do business in high-growth markets globally.

It is the result of the partnership between the UKTI and the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) and plays an integral role in realising the UK government’s plan to double annual exports volume to £1 trillion by encouraging an additional 100,000 UK SMEs to export by 2020.

“This is a key component of both the British and Malaysian Governments’ drive to significantly increase trade and investment between our countries by capitalising on British know-how and expertise, and increasing the visibility and the appeal of the Malaysian economy to the UK.” Ralph took up the role in May 2015 after several fruitful years spent in London working with another chamber of commerce, helping UK companies to do business overseas.

Educated at the University of Westminster in London, his expertise includes all aspects of international trade such as development and management of business services and promotion of trade and investment.

Ralph joins the BMCC at a very exciting time for Malaysia which is forecast to experience robust long-term economic growth, bolstered by strong public and private investment and favourable demographics, as the Government pushes ahead with its drive to become a developed nation by 2020. The recently announced Eleventh Malaysia Plan 2016-2020, is a key component of this.

The transitory period of the Malaysian economy is reflected in the future composition of export growth, which is expected to be driven more by higher-value added goods and less by commodities. In particular, the electronics sector is a key pillar of Malaysia’s Economic Transformation Programme.

“The Economic Transformation Programme or ETP offers a pool of cross-sector opportunities for UK companies, as it aims to attract total investments of £280 billion across 12 National Key Economic Areas such as Energy, Financial Services, Tourism, Business Services, Electronics & Electrical, Wholesale and Retail, Education, Healthcare, ICT, and Agriculture.”

Prospects for the UK economy look bright too. “In comparison with other developed economies, the UK has recorded the fastest growth in the G7 in 2014. Its position as a global leader in the provision of financial and business services puts the country in a good place to benefit from a global economy that is set to be increasingly servicesorientated.”

UK exports to developing economies will score the fastest rates of growth over the medium term, with UK goods and services sales to China, Malaysia and India forecast to grow most rapidly at 9-10 per cent per year in the decade to 2030. In particular, UK investment in Malaysia’s financial sector looks promising.

Since 2010, goods and services exports from the UK to Malaysia have increased by 30 per cent to be worth around £3bn a year.

The main UK goods exports to Malaysia are machinery and transport equipment while notable services include education and financial services.

Since the country’s architecture and engineering sectors have recently been granted more freedoms, UK firms are also taking advantage of the chance to export their talent and services to Malaysia. Just the top 25 British companies based in Malaysia today account for over 70,000 local jobs and over RM6 billion pumped into Malaysia’s research and development per annum.

F

ollowing a comprehensive evaluation of our processes, procedures, systems and more, BMCC is now an accredited member of the British Chambers of Commerce network!

This accreditation and the logo that comes with it signifies that BMCC delivers a high standard of customer service to its members and represents the voice of local business on the national and international stage.

BMCC Executive Director Nik Tasha said, “We are absolutely delighted to have successfully completed the accreditation journey. This is a significant milestone in our history and will serve as a clear indicator to our existing and potential members at home and overseas that we are a validated, reliable, quality service provider.”

“Being part of the accredited chamber network will open up extensive business connections and opportunities and strengthen our value proposition as one of the OBNI partners,” added Ralph Owczarek.

While London’s economy has been driven primarily by financial and professional services, the UK’s northern economies boast strong manufacturing, science and innovation centres, technology and services sectors. One of the most significant developments in the UK at the moment is the Northern Powerhouse project – see Page 12.

“The interest from UK exporters in Malaysia is steadily on the rise. Thanks to the efforts that BMCC puts in to promoting the Malaysian economy in the UK, in 2014/15 we have received a record number of enquiries from companies seeking potential partners, distributors or customers in Malaysia. This is a testimony to the increasing UK commercial interest in Malaysia, with OBNI being an important source of practical support for UK SMEs seeking to do business here.”

JOIN US FOR THE OBNI OPEN DAY! Tues 1st Sept - 9.00am - Regus, Level 15, Menara Darussalam, Jalan Pinang, KL Email ralph@bmcc.org.my or events@bmcc.org.my to register

Issue 2 - 2015

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Trade Talk

Northern POWERHOUSE The Northern Powerhouse project is an initiative by the UK government aimed at fostering economic growth in the North of England. By 2020, the cities of Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield, Liverpool and Newcastle are set to go through a major infrastructure and transport links development, becoming an attractive environment for foreign investors and adding to the region’s relatively untapped economic potential.

T

he plan is simple – to rebuild the North of England to be one of the world’s most competitive regions.

The success of this project will create a more robust and balanced economic platform for the UK, so countering economic dependency on London and the South.

Spearheading this initiative is James Wharton, MP, who has been appointed as the new minister for the Northern Powerhouse.

According to HM Treasury analysis, the North currently has a population of 15 million people and generates around £290 billion output per year. Realising the ambition to rebalance the UK economy has the potental to create a net worth value of an additional £56 billion in nominal terms to the economy of the North.

An affordable effective transportation system will be the foundation of future growth, allowing the seamless flow of resources to and from the region, improving the capabilities of the region’s supply chain.

A rail network is to be built that will connect northern cities to other parts of the country. The road network will also be updated and improved to create a “commerce-worthy” infrastructure. To promote overall international accessibility, the North’s seaports and airports will be further developed.

The building of an effective transport foundation is just one aspect of the project.

Over a century ago, science and innovation made this part of Britain the economic

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Issue 2 - 2015

Manchester

Leeds

powerhouse of the world, contributing many great ideas that have made the UK synonymous with science and innovation.

As such, Manchester will be home to a multimillion-pound science institution, a centre that will mirror London’s £650 million Francis Crick Institute, set to become Europe’s largest biomedical research centre.

With a focus on materials research, a project costing approximately £200 million will be embarked on, and is expected to be widely supported by private investments. A “commercial arm” of the institute will be developed to ensure innovations in technology and manufacturing are sold to businesses in Britain and worldwide.

The world’s largest radio telescope, the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), has been based in Manchester, providing the region with a head start in the field of astronomy and space exploration.

In tandem with science, research and innovation, the city of Manchester will also be a cultural and artistic centre.

Work is already underway to build a new theatre for Manchester.

With a capacity of up to 5,000 people, and costing some £78 million, the theatre will become home of the Manchester International Festival. Scheduled to open in 2019, the venue is expected to greatly contribute to the economic growth of the region.

Devolution of power is another key notion of the Northern Powerhouse proposal. From 2017, Greater Manchester will be governed by a newly elected mayor to allow the region more fiscal independence over its project delivery and spending. The Mayor will be granted the freedom to advise on local infrastructure improvements necessary to encourage development.

The newly rebuilt region will create a single market for people, goods and ideas that will empower the North to to compete with the rest of the world. It will drive the growth of a knowledge economy in which ease of travel, access to skills, and the ability to create talent pools are crucial for both the city regions and the companies based there.

A senior UK trade delegation will shortly visit Malaysia with a view to clearly articulating the vision, goals, standards, incentives and requirements of the Northern Powerhouse projects. Led by The Rt Hon Francis Maude, the Minister of State for Trade & Investment and the Rt Hon Sajid Javid MP, Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the delegation will comprise heads of 50 UK companies representing the region.

This will provide a great opportunity for the international investment community to obtain first-hand information on the business prospects that will be available for the private sector, says BMCC Executive Director Nik Tasha Nik Kamaruddin.

“Malaysia is one of the four countries in South East Asia selected by the UK government as part of its roadshow to promote the Northern Powerhouse. Malaysian businesses and investors will be offered first-hand information on the opportunities available under the initiative.”

Contact the BMCC Office to learn more.

Trade Talk

‘Frosty’ PROSPECTS

.....In Tropical Malaysia!

N

o your eyes are not playing tricks on you... Read on.... In most countries, food needs to be stored in cold rooms to keep it fresh and ready for market. Nowhere more so than in Malaysia with its tropical heat and high humidity all year round.

But, cold rooms and cold stores can bring their own challenges: frost can penetrate into the ground and cause frost heave, and condensation is always a risk, both around doors and on the ceilings beneath a cold room sited in a multi-storey complex.

To combat both of these problems low temperature heating systems are used. There are two basic technologies: one using mains power, and the other using low voltage. The mains power system has the advantage of not needing a transformer when connecting the wiring but suffers from notorious unreliability and fluctuations in effectiveness. In addition, the cost of replacing it is substantial.

Whichever system is used, heating elements are placed in the floor of the cold room to create a thermal barrier between the cold room and the ground beneath, and around the door/s of the cold room. This system is also very effective in preventing condensation for cold rooms in multi-storey buildings where condensation on the ceiling below can be a serious problem.

One company that supplies low voltage frost and condensation prevention systems is Thermatek, based in the UK but supplying to the wider ASEAN region as well as many other countries in the world.

During a recent visit to the region, organised and supported by BMCC and UKTI, Thermatek Managing Director Derek Lawrence met several company representatives who sell and install cold rooms. Outlining the advantages of the low voltage system, he was pleased with the high level of interest received during his visit and afterwards.

A further visit to Malaysia is planned in coming weeks and the company looks forward to meeting as many people as possible who are interested in finding solutions to their condensation and frost issues in Malaysia.

www.thermatek.co.uk

The low voltage system does normally use a transformer but the system is cheaper to run, and far more stable and reliable, often outlasting the cold room itself.

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www.uk-gl.com Issue 2 - 2015

ReportBack

Stronger TIES BMCC was honoured to host The Rt Hon Lord Mayor of The City of London, Alderman Alan Yarrow as Guest Speaker at its recent Premier Luncheon.

Well-attended by 80 guests the business event provided a powerful platform to network and share insights on bilateral business opportunities.

“

Malaysia is a great friend of Britain and our partnership is growing ever deeper and stronger. There are excellent bilateral business opportunities. Opportunities to create jobs, promote growth and increase prosperity in both our countries.

As the head of The City of London, I truly believe it is the natural place for Malaysian business to look to draw on expertise and for sources of capital and investment – and it is the natural place to look for support and partnership. From education, to financial services, to construction, to power and water…...we in the UK stand ready to support Malaysia’s exciting future and growth.

There are plenty of UK names here to lend testimony to that. HSBC, Standard Chartered and Shell have created over 7,000 skilled jobs in the “Multimedia Super Corridor”. Tesco employs 15,000 people here.

GSK is Malaysia’s leading pharmaceutical company, with 800 employees. Dyson and BT have doubled their footprints... and BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce, Prudential and Barclays are other examples of this long-term dependable depth of partnership.

INFRASTRUCTURE We have an important contribution to make in the development of physical infrastructure and urban regeneration – vital to accommodate changing societal, cultural and economic needs. Such as Klang Valley MRT and other integrated transport projects.

UK business has unique expertise and experience in delivering the biggest global transport infrastructure – funded through our tried and tested model of Public Private Partnership. The UK offers all requisite skills over the whole life cycle of a project – unlocking private sector expertise and finance, project management and legal resources to ensure the right project with the right outcomes.

Meanwhile, Malaysia has a big presence in the UK - not least in London, with a Malaysian investment consortium facilitating the transformation of one of London’s most iconic, but underdeveloped, areas of real estate. The famous Battersea Power Station – with a gross development value of GBP8 billion - which will build 3,500 new homes, offices and open spaces – and create around 15,000 jobs.

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Issue Iss ssue ue e 2 - 2015 20 2 01 15 5

Malaysia’s experience epitomises the City of London’s status as a truly global financial centre – where global business looks to raise capital, manage risk and procure world class products and services. It is Europe’s financial centre, South East Asia’s financial centre, your financial centre. Not least, as leading centre for Islamic finance outside the Muslim world, and ninth largest global centre for Islamic finance; with $19 billion of reported assets.

ISLAMIC FINANCE Successive UK governments have made regulatory and fiscal changes which have made it far easier than in comparable centres to establish Islamic banks and offer Shariah-

compliant products. There are several operating in the retail sector. On the wholesale side, there are a number of players, most based in the City of London, including Gatehouse and Bank of London & the Middle East – while other existing Arab and Malaysian banks are extending their offer in Islamic finance.

FINANCIAL EDUCATION Qualifications in Islamic finance are offered in the UK by four professional business schools and at least 10 universities. Over 80 percent of FTSE100 companies have at least one ICAEW Chartered Accountant on their board. And all this, Ladies and Gentlemen, is what makes the UK the perfect partner.”

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Building BONDS

Best Company: Tesco Stores Berhad

Best Presentation: Dr Mohd Desa Bin Haji Hassim Head of Agriculture Division Integrated Agricultural Development Area (IADA) Assigned to Crops For The Future

Best Candidate: Dr Mohd Desa Bin Haji Hassim

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he 21st BMCC JPA Programme was successfully concluded recently with the participants from Malaysia’s Public Services Department (JPA) and BMCC member companies enjoying a well-earned celebratory Awards Dinner. BMCC’s then Deputy Chairman [now Chairman] extended a warm welcome to guest of honour YB Tan Sri Mohamad Zabidi Zainal, Director General of the JPA, before moving on to present the Programme Awards to the respective candidates and companies.

The joint initiative between JPA and the BMCC began more than 30 years ago, providing an unparalleled opportunity for senior government officials to obtain ‘hands-on’ British/Malaysian private sector experience via a tailored industry placement within a host organisation.

To date, more than 280 Malaysian Senior Government Officers and over 70 British companies have benefitted, helping to foster stronger links between the UK and Malaysian private and public sector.

Participating companies for this year included Crops For The Future, Holiday Villa Hotels & Resorts, International SOS, Lloyd's Register, Tesco Stores and The University of Nottingham.

The JPA candidates were senior managers from a variety of departments including Agriculture, Applied Science and Environmental Health, NAM Institute of the Empowerment of Women (NIEW), ICT Policy and others.

The next BMCC-JPA Programme will run in 2017. Register your interest now with the BMCC Office!

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Going Beyond BORDERS M

ore than 60 per cent of Malaysian mid-sized companies are keen to expand beyond the country’s borders, according to an independent survey conducted by Standard Chartered Bank.

ASEAN is the most popular international destination, with 76 percent of the surveyed firms already doing business in this region.

These results were highlighted at a summit held in Iskandar, Johor recently, organised in conjunction with BMCC. Themed “Elevating Cross Border Opportunities in ASEAN & Beyond”, the event, was attended by more than 80 Standard Chartered Bank clients from across the region.

businesses and investors from across ASEAN. “What makes us distinctive is the breadth and depth of our network. Standard Chartered has presence in 10 ASEAN countries to help facilitate trade between the region and the rest of the world.”

Mahendra Gursahani [above], CEO & Managing Director, Standard Chartered Bank Malaysia, said, “There are many opportunities in markets beyond domestic borders.

However, there are also challenges that will be faced by many local mid-sized firms that seek to internationalise. These challenges include unfamiliar regulatory environments and sourcing credit facilities for working capital needs.”

The survey further revealed that close to 80 per cent of Malaysian mid-sized companies are confident in the growth potential of their businesses in the next five years.

Among the factors that are fuelling such expansionary confidence are the increasing demand for products and services. Much of this is driven by a growing middle class, as well as the relatively young population that is entering the workforce.

He added that this is where banks such as Standard Chartered can bring together

Andrew Bainbridge, Global Head of Commercial Clients at Standard Chartered

commented that such confidence is a positive sign of growth for the SME segment.

“Mid-sized companies are crucial engines of economic growth and job creation across ASEAN, and are increasingly active in global trade. Our study shows that slowing growth in the region has not dented the confidence

of the company CEOs. In fact, these dynamic companies are looking to take on more workers and expand into new markets, growing their turnover in the next five years.”

The robust SME sector in Malaysia constitutes 97 per cent of the total business establishments in the country.

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The SME sector is also the largest provider of employment where it provides about 60 per cent of job opportunities, contributes to 32 per cent to Malaysia’s GDP and 19 per cent of exports.

The seminar was part of a wider programme for Standard Chartered’s clients to engage with the various players in the Iskandar region.

Participants also heard from Iskandar Regional Development Authority (Irda), the organisation tasked with transforming the region, which spans some 2,217 sq km in south Johor, into an international metropolis by 2025.

Launched on Nov 4, 2006, Iskandar Malaysia is three times bigger than Singapore and twice the size of Hong Kong. It is divided into five flagship zones – JB City Centre, Nusajaya, Eastern Gate Development Zone, Western Gate Development Zone and Senai-Kulai.

Since its launch until March 31, 2015, Iskandar Malaysia had received RM166.10bil in cumulative committed investments.

In the first quarter of this year alone, Iskandar Malaysia secured RM7.8bil worth of fresh investments, about one third of which came from overseas.

According to Chief Executive Officer Datuk Ismail Ibrahim, Iskandar aims to attract at least RM25bil in new investments every year over the next decade.

The programme for the two-day visit also included a networking session with representatives from local organisations, a dinner at which YB DatukTengku Putra Haron Aminurrashid [above pictured far right] was the special guest of honour, and a friendly golf game at one of the local courses.

www.sc.com

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RUGBY Roars Into Town

I

n this year of the Rugby World Cup, the 11th BMCC Charity Rugby Dinner saw acclaimed rugby legends Andrew Mehrtens, Brian Moore and Alan Quinlan [above l to r] in town to entertain a crowd of some 350 people with tales from the locker room! With Justin Sampson as MC and Auctioneer, all the right ingredients were in place for a great evening including first-class hospitality from Shangri-la Kuala Lumpur, Guinness Anchor and Milawa, some very attractive auction items and raffle prizes. The RM80,000 raised this year will go towards supporting UNICEF’s work in Nepal following the two deadly earthquakes that have claimed more than 8,500 lives.

EVENT SPONSORS & PARTNERS:

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Touching The Grassroots M ore than 50 rugby-mad children got a taste of what it takes to win a World Cup as they enjoyed the action-packed Coaching Clinic as part of this year’s Charity Rugby event. Organised in conjunction with KL Saracens, one of the city's best-known rugby clubs, the Clinic saw juniors, ranging in ages from 6 to 14, enjoying a masterclass on tackling and passing under the watchful eye of the three legends.

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GROOMED To Go A

head of the BMCC Charity Rugby Dinner, speakers, sponsors & Organising Committee members were treated to an exclusive gentlemen’s grooming session at the Truefitt & Hill outlet in JW Marriott Hotel KL. Truefitt & Hill is the oldest barbershop in the world, as certified by Guinness Book of World Records with famous clients including the British Royal Family, members of visiting Royal Households, business leaders, Members of Parliament, ambassadors, the diplomatic service and visiting dignitaries.

The gents were properly pampered with traditional shave, head massage and haircut. One brave individual even allowed rugby legend Alan Quinlan to set about giving him a shave with a cutthroat razor! [far right]

www.truefittandhill.com.my

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Feature: Transportation & Property

Effective transportation links are vital to national economies and countries like Malaysia and the UK are ahead of the game with many such initiatives. New airline routes, the Second Penang Bridge, the MRT, the high speed rail link to Singapore; the Northern Powerhouse project in the UK and more. The property sector also relies on connectivity to support growth and development. Our feature section looks at a few of the examples.

Making CONNECTIONS BUILDING Communities

Issue Issue22--2015 2015

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Feature: Transportation

Flying The FLAG British Airways has kicked off its long awaited return to Malaysia with a star-studded launch event, a historic inaugural flight from London and special offers for BMCC Members! We spoke to Robert Williams, Regional General Manager, South East Asia, to get the inside track on what we can expect to see from this leading carrier.

What can passengers look forward to with the return of BA? We’re delighted to be back in Malaysia!

Our return offers a fantastic connection between Kuala Lumpur and our hub at London Heathrow’s Terminal 5. Not only are we able to offer great services to London but our network means that we can connect passengers seamlessly to other destinations in the UK, Europe and of course to the US. We offer four cabins on our long haul aircraft so have a product to suit every taste and every budget; from our exclusive First suites and our award-winning Club World (business class) cabins, to World Traveller Plus (premium economy) and World Traveller (economy) cabins. We’re really excited to be the first global carrier to bring premium economy onto the KL-London route, offering a separate cabin with wider seat, more legroom, a greater recline and enhanced service.

What has changed to bring BA back after an absence of nearly 15 years?

We stopped flying here in the wake of the global financial crisis in 2001. Since then

the market has changed greatly. Malaysia has seen impressive economic growth and Kuala Lumpur is an increasingly important business and cultural hub in Asia. More people are keen to travel, many students from here are basing themselves in the UK but also more customers want to travel to Malaysia for business and leisure purposes.

By offering a daily overnight service into London with connections onto our network, we’re responding to customer demand.

Our flights provide greater choice for both business and leisure travellers looking to visit the UK, Europe and North America.

Which particular segment is BA hoping to attract? Leisure? Business?

High-end travellers? MICE? By offering our customers a choice of four distinct cabins on our long-haul fleet, we really do cater to all types of travellers, from leisure travellers on a once-yearly trip, to families wanting to see each other, to the weekly business traveller or to someone looking for the exclusivity and privacy of our First cabin.

All of our flights arrive at Heathrow, Terminal 5, which is exclusive to British Airways and Iberia. It was recently named

by Skytrax as the best airport terminal for the third successive year.

In addition to luxurious lounges and world-class shopping and dining, passengers arriving at Ter-

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minal 5 can take advantage of fast and convenient transfers to the largest choice of UK and European cities from London.

What campaigns are in place to attract your target audiences?

We’ve launched a series of marketing initiatives in Malaysia and my commercial team is working closely with corporate businesses and the travel trade to ensure that Malaysian travellers are aware of the great value for money that they get when travelling with us to the UK, Europe and North America. In addition, of course we’re delighted to be partnering such organisations as the BMCC! Back in the UK and elsewhere, our commercial teams are working in similar ways and we’ve also been heavily promoting Malaysia as the ideal tourist destination that it is.

You are flying the UK-Malaysia route using the Boeing 777-200ER. How does this compare to aircraft used by others on the long haul routes?

The B777-200ER aircraft is a core and important part of our long-haul fleet. It is fitted with all of our four long-haul cabins, including our award-winning and ever-popular Club World business class and our World Traveller Plus premium economy cabin.

Any plans to introduce other aircraft types in the future?

We constantly review our network and make adjustments to our operations as required, including the right aircraft for particular routes.

Feature: Transportation

How about connectivity?

From London we can connect passengers to the entire British Airways network, be that the 88 destinations we serve in Europe or our extensive network in North and South America.

We also offer many links to Africa. From Kuala Lumpur, we work with partners to offer connectivity both to other destinations in Malaysia and into the region.

What kind of passenger numbers are you targetting in the next 2-3 years? Will the flight frequency increase?

Above Left: Datuk Jimmy Choo signs a special glass slipper at the official launch party to mark the return of BA to KL! Supermodel Georgia May Jagger was just one of the many stars to grace the occasion!

We are very optimistic about our new service to KL. It is being restarted due to strong demand from customers and the feedback to date has been extremely positive. KL is an increasingly important economic and cultural hub in Asia, and our flights provide greater choice for both business and leisure travellers looking to visit the UK, Europe and North America.

Above: Fly, dine and sleep in spacious comfort in BA’s Club World cabin

SPECIAL DISCOUNT RATE! For BMCC Members

Any special message for BMCC Members and our readers?

The response and feedback has been overwhelming and we are absolutely delighted that many Members and other travellers have already made bookings to travel with us! We have crafted a very special offer for BMCC Members and I would urge everyone to take advantage of the exclusive discounts on our fares at ba.com [See panel]

12% Discount across all classes* (including promotional and sale fares)

Applicable on fares between KL and the UK, USA, Canada, Latin America and Caribbean. Not allowed on code share and franchise flights.

Book before 31st December 2015 Travel before 30th April 2017 Go to the following link: http://www.britishairways.com/travel/fx/ public/my/cugAlias-xz416?source=CUG_ xz416&eId=111042 *Terms & Condtions Apply.

Note: When accessing the fares, please clear the cookies and temporary internet files in your browser before using the link. Visit your browser’s ‘help’ section for details on how to do this.

www.ba.com

Issue Issue22--2015 2015

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Feature: Transportation

cliff slips occurred. It was their remediation that became the critical delivery item.

Restoring Vital LINKS

One cliff failure was estimated at approximately 25,000 tonnes of material precariously held up at mid-slope. It was therefore deemed unsafe to open the railway with the slipped mass still on the face.

A major operation began to bring the material down in a controlled manner. A combination of long reach excavators at track level and slope-climbing ‘Spider-Rigs’ on the cliff face worked in tandem with high

When vital transport links are disrupted, user inconvenience and potential loss of business are just two of the irritating outcomes. But when those travel lifelines are damaged and rendered unsafe to use, it’s a different story, one that requires rapid response and expertise.

O

n 4th February 2014, heavy storm damage caused an 80-metre long breach in the coastal railway, the primary link between London and the Southwest of England, near Dawlish in Devon.

In addition to the initial sea wall breach, a further 400 metres of parapet wall, 300 metres of copers and walkway slabs, six staircases, two sea wall ramps, and three breakwaters were damaged over a fourmile stretch between Dawlish and Teignmouth. Not surprisingly, the incident made national news headlines.

British Engineering Consultants Tony Gee, the on-call engineers for Network Rail Wales and West, were called out to site the following morning to assess the damage. As the only designers on the Dawlish emergency project, Tony Gee’s engineers worked collaboratively with Network Rail and the three main contractors mobilised - BAM Nuttall, Amco Rail, and Dyer and Butler.

In total, Tony Gee inspected, logged and recorded more than 130 structural defects caused by the storm damage and detailed their repair.

Immediate works were undertaken to protect the track and houses behind from being undermined further by the tide. Sea containers were lifted in and filled with debris/ballast to form a protective barrier.

The high tides and continuing poor weather meant site conditions were difficult and restricted work to short length low-tide cycles. Sprayed concrete was used around the sides of the hole to prevent the fine sand

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from washing out further and to protect undermined properties.

Then, ten days after the first storm, a second ripped through the site, extending the breach by a further 20 metres and increasing other wall defects by some 25 percent.

By using staggered rows of precast vertical concrete barriers (VCBs) as facing shutters on the seaward face, the breach was filled with four lifts of mass concrete.

Two rows of anchored L-shaped precast retaining wall units were then installed along the sea wall edge to support the new track formation, as well as along the adjacent access road to allow this to be reinstated.

Once complete, a new ballast bed and track was laid and the line was re-opened to trains on 4th April 2014, just eight weeks and four days after the initial damage.

Collapsed Sea Cliffs Initially, the sea cliffs between Dawlish Warren and Teignmouth, had fared better than the sea wall and apart from some minor slips, were holding up well to the storms and unprecedented high groundwater levels. However, after the second storm on 14th February, additional larger

pressure water jetting to remove the majority of this material.

Work to replace 180 metres of track in front of the slip site began just five days before the line was due to re-open. Meanwhile, engineers from Tony Gee carried out hourly inspections day and night, and supervised rope access teams who performed extensive mass hand-scaling/rock-combing of the slope face to remove boulders and suspect areas of rock, and reinstate/refurbish the damaged catch fence.

Work continued on the fence and slope until 16 minutes before the first stock train passed through, restoring vital rail links between London and the Southwest. www.tonygee.com

Feature: Transportation

MOVING Story With a pedigree of 50 years to its name, Crown Group, the company that is known worldwide for its relocations, mobility and records management services, brings in-depth knowledge and global coverage to the table. We spoke with Malaysia Managing Director James E. Thompson III to find out more.

T

he Crown Group has been moving people, businesses and their records into, around and out of Malaysia for the last 40 years. As such, the firm is an established brand and needs little introduction. Yet, there is more to this organisation than meets the eye.

Arriving in Malaysia 18 months ago from China was a huge shift in lifestyle for James E. Thompson III and his young family. “I had spent 20 years in China – in Beijing and Shanghai – where I witnessed firsthand the entire economic revolution and all that brought with it. Coming to Malaysia has been a massive step change. There are enormous differences in culture, living conditions, working environment, you name it, it’s like chalk and cheese,” he says.

“One of the most dramatic – and negative - side effects of the economic revolution in China was the impact on the environment.

Everywhere is very polluted so it’s a real pleasure to be in Malaysia and to be able enjoy being outdoors finally.”

ment account for 40 percent each in terms of revenue and the Malaysia operations make up a substantial part of overall Group revenue.

In KL, its state-of-the art document management facilities offer an expanded capacity of over 1.8 million cartons for its multi-national clients.

Crown Penang has recently also expanded and moved into a 9,000 sqft modern facility with racking for 90,000 cartons. The Johor branch resides on a 20,000 sqft facility with the ability to manage up to 150,000 cartons.

Features such as state-of-the-art security systems with layered card access, fire protection systems and climate protection are incorporated at the facilities to ensure utmost protection of client information and records.

Records Management is about more than storing records. It’s about giving clients prompt access to their data and reducing the risk of misplacing critical business information.

Crown offers a range of Information Management Services, from packing and cataloguing through to secure document destruction. Online tracking and monitoring services are also provided.

Another business line that the firm is looking to develop further is specialist logistics and high end service delivery for sectors such as oil & gas and fashion. The company is already handling storage and logistics for a well-known luxury retail brand. “While there has been a dip in the number of people relocating into Malaysia this year, we are focusing on expanding all our business lines,” says Jimmy.

With his father being the founder of the Group and still very much involved at the age of 75, Jimmy does not seem fazed by this. “The firm is a privately held, very professionally run business that reaches all corners of the world. I am very proud to be part of the organisation, especially in a region that clearly has so much potential.”

www.crownrelo.com www.crownrms.com

In his most recent role as Deputy General Manager, China, Jimmy oversaw the operation of Crown China’s business divisions.

This included expansion of operations from six to 18 locations including Crown’s Beijing and Mongolia warehouse facilities.

In Malaysia, he is responsible for Crown Malaysia’s four locations in KL [Subang and Bandar Enstek], Penang and Johor. The principal business lines are Relocations, Mobility Services, Commerical/Industrial Moving, Records Management and Fine Arts Handling. Relocations and records manageIssue 2 - 2015

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Feature: Property

Project PRESTIGE

Eastbourne Terrace, Paddington

S

ince making its debut on the London property scene with the acquisition of Eastbourne Terrace, a prime office building in Paddington, Central London, Amcorp Properties - AMPROP - has made significant headway in the London property market It has achieved this through its strategic partnerships with reputable property players, among them Grosvenor Group, Native Land and Hotel Properties Ltd. Over the last few years, AMPROP had already embarked on several key projects in conjunction with its partners. Early 2012 saw the acquisition of Pavillion D, comprising 53 residential and 1 retail unit, at the award-winning NeoBankside development.

Since then, the Group has also entered into residential redevelopment projects at prestigious locations that include Mayfair and Holland Park.

Recently, AMPROP has teamed up in a venture with Native Land, Hotel Properties and Temasek, the Singapore Government investment arm, to jointly acquire and redevelop Sampson House and Ludgate House.

Located in the heart of London’s Southbank fronting the River Thames, the property is within striking distance of the Tate Modern, as well as Blackfriars Station and underground stations, so benefitting from existing transportation links to the City, the West End, Canary Wharf and other key commuter suburb destinations.

The joint venture plans to redevelop the Property into a world-class residentialled mixed development complete with state-of-the-art offices, retail and leisure facilities. With an estimated GDV of £1bn (RM5.5bn), the Project is expected to transform the high traffic location on the South Bank into a landmark riverside destination fronting the Thames.

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Top: Campden Hill redevelopment project, located next to Holland Park, a superprime residential development comprising 72 luxury apartments with extensive landscaped entrance and courtyard gardens.

Below: AMPROP’s JV redevelopment project at Old Burlington Street, a prime residential block comprising 42 units of luxury apartment, designed by renowned architect, Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners.

AMPROP’s Managing Director Ben Lee said, “Given London’s established status as the world’s leading destination for real estate investments and the strategic location of the Property fronting the River Thames directly opposite the City on the South Bank, we are confident that the Project spurred on by favourable planning policies will be well received by the market.”

www.amcorpproperties.com

Feature: Transportation

Making CONNECTIONS A

t 24 kilometres long, the Second Penang Bridge is currently the longest sea crossing in Southeast Asia, providing, as it does, vital access to and from the island of Penang for its vibrant business community and its residents. Officially opened on 1st March 2014, it is the largest civil engineering to have been completed in the region over the last 20 years.

Full Speed Ahead

Global infrastructure specialist AECOM was called in to provide expertise on designing and building such a landmark project.

Working with China Highway Planning & Design Institute (HPDI), AECOM was the consultant of China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) to provide feasibility studies, detailed design, pre-tendering, post tendering services and site supervision.

The entire sea crossing construction was split into three main packages with CHEC responsible for detailed design and construction of the main cable-stayed bridge and the substructure and foundation of the approach spans [Package 1]. This portion comprises precast segmental concrete marine viaducts in 55-metre span modules and a cast insitu concrete cable-stayed bridge measuring 475 metres.

AECOM’s team in Malaysia, together with engineers from the Long Span and Specialty Bridge group, worked on the design, construction supervision, and construction engineering of this record-breaking project.

The risks to Malaysia of seismic activity from the Sunda tectonic plate led to a 2,500-year return period earthquake design requirement being adopted. Other risk factors to be taken into account included tropical monsoon winds and the harsh marine environment.

AECOM provided specialist consultancy on aerodynamics, navigation risk assessment and ship impact studies, seismic analyses, wind and structural health monitoring, fire hazard assessment, and resolution of construction challenges in the substantial marine piling operation.

A special aspect of the project involved applying intelligent construction engineering techniques to enable successful erection of the 240-metre main span cable-stayed bridge over the main navigation channel.

In addition to its grand scale, the Second Penang Bridge project pioneered numerous innovations, including intelligent bridge geometry control, a lightweight form traveller machine for cable-stayed bridge erection, the extensive use of the statnamic pile loading testing method and the use of high-damping rubber bearings for seismic isolation.

The project also saw the most extensive use of precast hollow concrete spun piles in bridgework, and substantial driven tubular steel piling in a marine environment.

AECOM provides professional technical services and management support services across multiple disciplines around the the globe. With revenues of US$19 billion for FY2015, and nearly 100,000 employees, the company has been involved in some of the world’s most iconic projects. www.aecom.com

T

ravel from Malaysia’s capital city to the border crossing with Thailand just became a whole lot easier with the launch of the new high speed ETS train service.

The journey now takes just 4 hours and 45 minutes from KL to Padang Besar, as opposed to more than double that previously.

Currently operating a twice daily service, the train calls in at key stations along the way, including Ipoh, Kuala Kangsar, Taiping, Bukit Mertajam, Butterworth, Bukit Mertajam, Sungai Petani, Alor Star, and Padang Besar.

Dubbed the "Malaysian Bullet Train”, the KTM Class 93 is custom-built rolling stock engineered to high speed metre gauge operation, streamlined for aerodynamic efficiency. Each set of Class 93 ETS trains comprises six coaches and has a total capacity of 312 passengers.

Once the planned high speed rail link between KL and Singapore is up and running, Malaysian rail travel will be truly first world!

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Feature: Property

Boutique BONUS W

hen Previndran Singhe – or Previn – as he widely known, decided to set up Zerin Properties nearly 15 years ago, it was with a very clear aim: to have time for every client and deliver personalised service.

Office leasing has also been a good market for the firm. “Companies are expanding and need more space or have different requirements. We have worked with companies which are relocating to Malaysia and also with firms already based here.”

A boutique firm and deliberately so, some of the deals it has managed are eye-wateringly large. The bulk of its business, certainly in terms of revenue and focus, is in hotels, corporate transactions, the sale of office buildings, retail malls, development of land and helping companies coming in to Malaysia.

There is also a move from quantity to quality. In the Golden Triangle for example, a large percentage of the buildings are more than 25 years old. “Companies are looking for newer facilities that meet their technology requirements and are more in tune with their corporate philosophy. The research and data we have is very comprehensive and can save clients a lot of time.”

One of the biggest examples of such deals was the sale of the Four Seasons Resort and Spa in Langkawi [below] to Kingdom Hotels from the Middle East.

“As Malaysia’s tourism market continues to grow, so does the demand for hotels. Our role is to source suitable properties for potential buyers who want to enter the market or alternatively look for land for them to build their own.”

In the corporate sector, Zerin works with investors from around the world. The investment regime in Malaysia allows foreigners to own properties freehold including retail malls and office buildings. “For example, there are Kuwaiti firms that own office buildings here, Indonesian companies that own malls here,” says Previn.

The majority of Zerin’s clients are local with around 30 percent currently from international markets, primarily the UK, Vietnam and Indochina.

Previn is very passionate about many things – quality of service, giving back to the community, Malaysia in general, good food, rugby – he is one of the founder members of the KL Saracens Rugby Club.

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Born in Kota Kinabalu, he came to live in Peninsular Malaysia from a relatively young age. His original ambition was to become an architect but fate or fortune took him down a different path.

He is a Chartered Surveyor with the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, UK and a Fellow of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors Malaysia. He is also a Certified International Property Specialist with the National Association of Realtors, USA. “I’m always encouraging people to get themselves qualified, especially as a CS. It’s a highly respected qualification and serves you in good stead when you want get licensed with the RICS.” It’s a message he drills home with his team. “We are focussed on talent management and developing our people for long-term careers with us.”

Previn adds that by being nimble and agile, the team can meet the needs of its clients more readily. One of the biggest gamechangers for the business has been the advent of mobile.

“In the old days, we used to have to fax details of properties to each and every one of our many clients. Now it’s a simple case of sending a link on What’s App with a personalised message and it goes straight through to everyone, one shot.”

Continued opposite

Feature: Property

MALL Malaise?

D

espite weaker consumer sentiments following Malaysia’s implementation of GST, three new malls were opened recently, all within a week of each other. The Mall in KL and Atria at Damansara Jaya re-opened and KL's first outlet mall, the Mitsui Outlet Park, opened near KLIA.

The company has gone as far as developing its own app which clients can download for free and receive regular updates direct to their device or conduct searches online.

Zerin Properties is a Registered and Licensed Real Estate Agency with the Board of Valuers, Appraisers and Estate Agents, Malaysia. It is also a member of the NAI, a global network of independent commercial brokers, that provides significant leverage on the international stage.

The refurbished and renamed Sunway Putra Mall by the Sunway Group has a net lettable area of 620,000 sqft over 8 floors and is anchored by Cold Storage.

It now features a range of mainstream fashion brands, including Mango, Cotton On, Uniqlo, Padini, and Brands Outlet, plus speciality stores such as Parenthood Superstore and Sports Direct.com, along with TGV cinemas.

Such credentials have earned the firm a positive reputation in the local and international marketplace. One that has garnered a long list of prestigious awards.

The most recent include two accolades in the 2015 Asia Pacific Property Awards: Highly Commended – Property Consultancy Malaysia; and Highly Commended – Real Estate Agency Marketing Malaysia.

Atria, a historic landmark in Petaling Jaya back in the 1980s, was acquired

by OSK Property Holdings back in 2007 for RM75 million. Closed for major retrofit and redevelopment in 2012, it has now reopened as Atria Shopping Gallery with a larger total net lettable area of 470,000 sqft.

Moving away from the deals end of the business, Previn has a new cause to champion: the creation of better communities. “There is a big disconnect between true liveability and reality. We need a lot more green spaces and designs that allow far better quality of life.” It’s something he’s working on....

A strong mix of F&B and lifestyle tenants aims to cater to one of PJ’s best middle-income catchments. Anchored by the Village Grocer supermarket, the mall has a broad selection of F&B tenants, including some new-to-market names like Spitalfields Restobar, Artistry and Pizzolo.

Some orginal tenants have returned, like Dave's Deli and Esquire Kitchen.

www.zerinproperties.com

Selling Property

In PJ’s saturated retail landscape, Atria will be fighting head-on with other neighbourhood malls like Tropicana City Mall, as well as the upcoming GLO Damansara and the Starling Boutique Mall in Damansara Uptown.

Achieving Success With Video

The Mitsui Outlet Park (MOP) KLIA is a joint development by Japan's second largest developer Mitsui Fudosan Co Ltd and Malaysia Airport Holdings Berhad.

By Paul Russell, Calamity Studio

V

ideo isn't the future anymore. It's now.

Using video on the web says a lot about your company. It shows that you care.

That's because people communicate with people. They want moving images, sound and motivating music. They want to see it on Facebook, they want to share it on Youtube.

It’s said that landing pages with video have up to 800 percent greater conversion rates than the same pages without video. Google placings are higher, and visitors stay longer on your websites.

When it comes to expensive real estate, it costs a lot less than you might think, allowing you to meet your ROI very quickly. Here are some quick tips for success: •

Be quick, and cram plenty of information in – people can always press pause, or watch it again.

New Malls in Greater KL expected for completion in 2015 Mall

Sq ft

Empire City

1,800,000

Sunway Velocity

1,500,000

Da:men USJ

400,000

GLO Damansara

360,000

Damansara City

168,963

Sunway Pyramid 3

62,000

Brands which have opened there include Asics, Bonia, Delsey, Dorothy Perkins, Dr Martens, Karen Millen, Miss Selfridge, New Balance, Superdry, Topman, Topshop, Triumph, Truddy & Teddy, Under Armour, United Colors of Benetton, and Zwilling J.A. Henckels. The first phase of the MOP opened with a net lettable area of some 260,000 sqft, and is expected to have 473,000 sqft upon completion.

The MOP enjoys first-runner status as the first outlet mall within Greater KL, opening ahead of The Horizon Group's KL International Outlets (KLIO) and Genting Malaysia's joint venture with Simon Property Group, the Genting Premium Outlets.

Other outlet malls planned within the Central region, just outside Greater KL, include The Two in Rawang, the Freeport A'Famosa Outlet Village in Alor Gajah and the Sunway Ipoh Premium Outlet.

A further 4 million sqft of retail space is expected to be completed by year-end.

The larger of these malls will be Empire City Mall in Damansara and Sunway Velocity in Cheras. Barring construction delays, at least five more malls are expected to be completed in 2015.

Source: Savills Malaysia Research

Here are a couple of good examples: https://vimeo.com/24800499 Works well because it’s very friendly, yet fast-paced. It’s short and to the point.

Sells the sizzle, not the steak. https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=jlpd0zaqKwE

•

Try not to be too corporate

•

Be entertaining

Hits the spot because the host’s charm gets around those corny jokes.

•

Show some class

www.calamitystudio.com

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Feature: Property

REITs:

Improving Real Estate Investment Landscape In Asia

REITS At A Glance •

World’s largest REIT in terms of market capitalisation, Simon Property Group, owns or has a stake in 228 retail properties worldwide. Currently trades on New York Stock Exchange, with a 2014 closing stock price at US$182.11.

•

Five of the country’s most well-known shopping malls - Pavilion, MidValley MegaMall, Sungei Wang, KLCC, Sunway Pyramid - belong to retail REITs.

•

Malaysia’s largest private hospital network, KPJ Healthcare Berhad has 25 of its most profitable hospitals held within its Al-Aqar KPJ REIT.

•

Axis REIT is the world’s first and largest Islamic Business Space and Industrial REIT, listed on Bursa Malaysia.

What Is A REIT? In simple terms, a real estate investment trust, or REIT, is a company or fund that owns and typically operates income-producing real estate or real estate-related assets. REITs are no different from other stock counters and are publicly-traded on the stock exchange. By owning shares in a REIT, this provides a way for individual investors to earn a share of the income produced through the company’s real estate ownership. Indirectly, investors can gain from the income generated by commercial properties without having to buy and own the assets.

assurance for companies that will potentially be tied down for a long duration of tenancy to these landlords.

Income from a portfolio of properties is generated primarily from rents collected from tenants, minus expenses. This is distributed to investors at regular intervals such as quarterly dividends, depending on each company’s distribution policy.

REITs therefore provide investors with an alternative, transparent, liquid avenue to invest in a diverse portfolio of professionally managed income-generating real estate, covering all asset classes from residential, office, industrial, shopping malls, hospitality, healthcare, student accommodation, self-storage facilities etc.

REITs support the healthy development of the property industry. As listed vehicles, they are required to provide detailed information to

From a corporate real estate strategy standpoint, REITs are also one of the key categories of investors who are willing to undertake sale and leaseback agreements. This helps companies free up capital from the value of their real estate properties and allows capital to be channelled into their core business areas such as manufacturing, R&D and distribution.

Creating Modern, Professional Property Markets

shareholders about rental and capital values as well as their tenant mix, thereby increasing industry transparency. In turn, this improves the planning capacity of all industry participants, and may help to smooth property cycles.

As dedicated landlords, REITs are improving asset management capabilities and enhancing professional standards in the real estate industry. By providing an attractive vehicle for institutional and individual investors, they have the potential to attract additional capital into real estate.

Asian Real Estate Ecosystem Malaysia was the first to bring securitised real estate to the Asian market in the form of Listed Property Trusts (LPTs). The first such trust in Malaysia, Amanah Harta Tanah PNB, was listed in 1989. However, the market did not take off due to restrictive rules.

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) were introduced to Asia in 2001, when Japan’s Mitsui Fudosan and Mitsubishi Estate Co set up the first two trusts. Since then, REIT markets have emerged in Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Taiwan, South Korea and Thailand. The relatively new asset class has witnessed a remarkable period of growth over the 13 year period as shown below.

Asian REITs have also been growing in terms of their weight in the global REIT universe.

They make up 13 percent of the global REIT market capitalisation today and together with the more mature Oceania REIT market – Asia Pacific makes up 19 percent of the global total.

The growth of Asia’s REIT markets

Note: Includes real estate business trusts in Singapore and Property Funds for Public Offering (PFPO) in Thailand.

From the tenant’s perspective, REITs can be viewed as a class of landlord where high property management standards are maintained. Being public-listed entities, REITs are held to higher standards of asset management, corporate governance and public disclosure – an important point of Source: Bloomberg (data up to 31 December 2014)

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Feature: Property

In 2005, the Securities Commission in Malaysia introduced the guidelines for REITs following on the success of Singapore. AxisREIT was the first REIT to be listed on the Main Board of Bursa Malaysia on August 3, 2005. The market has grown from RM300 million to RM33 billion. Today there are 16 Malaysian REITs covering a wide range of asset classes as shown below.

Diversity Of Global REIT Markets While the Malaysian REIT universe is dominated by diversified and retail REITs, comprising up to 83 percent of total market capitalisation of all M-REITs, other sophisticated REIT markets have expanded their offerings to the market.

New sectors of real estate assets such as student housing, data centres, outdoor advertising, gaming facilities, prisons, cell towers and more are emerging. The nontraditional REIT market in the US has almost quadrupled by market cap from US$40 billion in 2011 to US$152 billion in 2014. This emerging secondary sector is in itself larger than the entire Japanese REIT market or Australian REIT market respectively.

This trend is for REIT managers to look to expand to broader “REIT-able” opportunities in the market. In recent months, there have been talks of a hedge fund manager suggesting the possibility of McDonald’s Corporation unlocking up to US$20 billion in value from structuring a REIT out of its US assets. As of 2 April 2015, Sears Holdings Corp reported that it would raise US$2.5 billion through its new REIT, Seritage Growth Properties, out of its sale and leaseback of 254 Sears and Kmart stores from its total portfolio of 1,725 owned and leased stores around the US.

Shopping Malls / Retail

Office

Industrial

Healthcare Hospitality Diversified

Another example closer to home is Singapore’s Keppel Data Centre REIT - the first data centre REIT to be listed in Asia in December 2014, comprising eight data centres within its asset portfolio, two each in Singapore and Australia, one in Malaysia, UK, Netherlands and Ireland. The potential for DC REITs rides on the forecast growth of data usage expected from internet usage and internet-enabled services – from 0.4 zettabytes in 2008 to a forecast of 28.1 zettabytes in 2018.

Logistics Sector Trends

Since REIT assets survive on rental income, this creates interesting driving factors in order to ensure that their assets are able to maximise rentals – innovative designs, state-of- the-art facilities, proactive asset and tenant management, aggressive acquisition of yield-accretive assets are CapitaMalls Malaysia Trust amongst the key drivers.

IGB REIT Pavilion REIT While residential and Hektar REIT commercial office design and trends are much UOA REIT publicised, there is just Quill Capita Trust as much exciting develAmFirst REIT opment in the logistics Tower REIT sector. Space constraints Amanah Harta Tanah PNB in key industrial areas AmanahRaya REIT and the explosion of ecommerce are moving Axis-REIT logistics distribution cenAtrium REIT tres towards vertical configurations with ramp-up Al-Aqar KPJ REIT driveways for trailers and containers.

YTL Hospitality REIT There is today, an increasSunway REIT ing demand for green cerKLCC REIT tified Industrial buildings

using LEED standards or equivalent local standards. This includes the use of features such as photovoltaic solar panels to generate part of the facility’s electricity source, energy-efficient LED lighting, roof material that reduces heat absorption, and more.

The growth of e-commerce has become a key influencer of logistic space demand that cannot be ignored, with industrial REITs being one of the direct beneficiaries of the shift towards consumer online shopping. Locating facilities closer to the customer base and building warehouse configurations catered to cross-docking demands play a big part in enabling same-day or next-day delivery for major e-commerce retailers. Big box facilities with large floor plates and high quality specifications such as narrow aisle racking, automated picking systems and increased roof heights to accommodate higher pallet density requirements are some examples of the new types of distribution centres.

Regardless of whether landlords are REITs, private owners or logistics players – the demand for Grade-A warehouses and facilities will be positive well into the next decade.

About Axis-REIT Axis-REIT has pioneered the industry in championing REITs through investor education and innovation in its strategies. It was also instrumental in setting up the Malaysian REIT Managers Association (MRMA) in 2010. With 15 out of 16 of Malaysian REITS as its members, the MRMA functions to collectively represent the REIT industry to improve standards of transparency, professionalism, competitiveness and knowledgesharing in the industry.

www.axis-reit.com.my

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New Members

A warm welcome to our new members!

Abdullah Chan & Co Award-winning corporate law firm located in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. Committed to understanding clients' businesses, interests and operating environments in order to provide strategic, relevant, high quality legal solutions. Team of lawyers with extensive experience and seniority to ensure services are delivered in a timely, consistent and cost-effective manner. Association with Cotty Vivant Marchisio & Lauzeral (CVML) and Child & Child (CC) provides access to international network of offices located in strategic business cities, adding extensive body of resources and expertise for clients involved in complex multi-jurisdictional situations. Awarded by major legal publications including The Legal 500 Asia Pacific, Chambers Asia Pacific and Asian Legal Business.

31st Floor UBN Tower, 10 Jalan P Ramlee, 50250 Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: +603 2035 6883 Fax: +603 2035 6882 Email: Muthanna@abdullahchan.my & meifung@abdullahchan.my www.abdullahchan.my Dato’ Muthanna Abdullah - Partner

Cubiks Malaysia Sdn Bhd international partner for people assessment, providing HR tools and services for selecting and developing people. Award-winning team able to deliver scientifically grounded assessments and expert advice for every stage of the employment lifecycle. Working hand in hand with clients to design and deliver solutions customised for individual company requirements.

Level 21-2, Menara Prestige, No 1, Jalan Pinang, 50450 Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: +603 2176 5200 Direct Line: +603 2176 5208 Email: Linden.Leong@cubiks.com www.cubiks.com Linden Leong - Country Manager

Arcanum Asia Consultancy Sdn Bhd Visual communication specialist, focused on development of visual presentations, classroom and e-Learning training material, as well as international business skills training and corporate consultancy. Range of international training and learning programmes covering Sales, Presentations, Business Thinking, Management and Leadership, and Train the Trainer focused on transferring core skills that can be put into practice immediately. Clients include private sector companies, SMEs, Governments and educational institutions globally from Singapore and Malaysia. Sister brand Omni:Slide develops engaging, high impact presentations and e-Learning, as well as provision of presentation consultancy. Joint venture/partnership arrangements globally provide access to additional tools in e-Learning, change management/leadership.

Tel: +65 (12) 2010 631 Email: mark@arcanumasia.com www.arcanumasia.com Mark J. Stradling - Founder & Managing Director

Mobile Repair Solutions Sdn Bhd Specialist insurance partner supporting ‘Out of Warranty’ repair and refurbishment for mobile phones, laptops, tablets and many other small electronic devices. With many years of experience, delivers tailor-made solutions to support almost any scheme at costeffective prices. Offering repair success rates of >90 percent on accidentally damaged devices, with turnaround times averaging less than 4 working days and engineering failure managed through a strict QC process. All repaired devices carry a full 12-month warranty.

Comprehensive management information readily available to partners through secure access to web-based MI construction tools.

34 Jalan Penguasa, U1/53B, Temasya Glenmarie, 40150 Shah Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan.

Tel: +603 5569 9036 Email: anthony@grs-me.com www.mobilerepairsolutions.com.my Anthony Calton - International Business Director

Benham & Reeves Residential Lettings Malaysian office of Benham & Reeves Residential Lettings, established since 2013, offering clients professional property leasing and management service for London properties. With 11 offices in strategic locations across London, is dedicated exclusively to lettings in London and managing fine homes. Provides rentals in London for most top FTSE and Fortune 500 companies and major international corporations, who use its services, exclusively, to find houses, flats and apartments to rent for their executives from extensive register of property. Also works closely with major international relocation agencies.

A-01-10, Plaza Damas 3 Block A, Jalan Sri Hartamas 1, Sri Hartamas, 50480 Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: +603 6211 6478 Mob: +6012 5482902 Email: malaysia@brlets.com and maureen@brlets.co.uk www.brlets.com Maureen Soon - Manager

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New Members

British Airways BA has returned to Malaysia with the reintroduction of its London-Kuala Lumpur service as of 27th May. Flying 777-200 aircraft featuring First, Club World, World Traveller Plus & World Traveller cabins, offering a product to suit all tastes. Operates out of London Heathrow’s state-of-the-art Terminal 5, offering passengers seamless connectivity with BA’s global network, all the while enjoying the airline’s outstanding on-board and on the ground service. BMCC members can look forward to special offers and promotions! www.ba.com Robert Williams Regional Commercial Manager - SE Asia

Metamorphic Training Founded to address skills gap in Malaysian managerial workforce of small to mid-size enterprises; as well as challenges in deploying first world management tools in emerging market realities. Professional training programmes encompass: Business practical material adapted for emerging market realities; Holistic cross functional viewpoints beyond traditional functional silos; and Content that incorporates action plans for individuals to deploy new skills in existing work environment. Programmes leverage on experience of Chief Trainer, Rhoda Yap, most recently CEO of leading Asian lifestyle brand and previously with McKinsey & Co, USA. Signature programmes and customised training are also offered in small class sizes.

27th Floor, Axiata Tower, 9 Jalan Stesen Sentral 5, KL Sentral, 50470 Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: +60 3 2776 6860 Fax: +60 3 2776 6999 Email: rhoda@metatrainings.com www.metatrainings.com Rhoda Yap, Founder & Chief Trainer

Calamity Studio (M) Sdn Bhd Boutique production house that specialises mainly in non-TV bespoke video communications. Offering a full script-to-screen service for external and internal corporate communications. Extensive portfolio in B2B sector, with multiple successes in B2C – including music videos. Equipped with cutting edge Red Dragon camera for high end, cinematic images. Run by a veteran marketer with over 30 years’ experience of selling everything from IT and handphones to casinos and a football stadium [not the tickets, the stadium!] Prides itself on old school values like punctuality, meeting deadlines and keeping to budgets, while at the same time exceeding expectations.

Tel: +6017 330 0936 Email: paul@calamitystudio.com www.calamitystudio.com Paul Russell – Managing Director

Asia Plantation Capital (APC) Berhad Established in November 2012, owner and operator of diverse range of commercial plantation and farming businesses across Asia-Pacific region and around the world. Part of Asia Plantation Capital Group, with focus on multi-cultural and diverse plantation projects geared to domestic and commercial demands of countries in which it operates. Also serves as plantation manager and advisor to several Private Equity Funds that focus on forestry, farming and renewable energy investment sectors. Mission is to become the leading owner and operator of sustainably managed forestry and agricultural plantations, ranging from project evaluation to plantation management and forestry product distribution.

25A, Jalan Straits View 6, 80200 Johor Bahru. Tel: +607 207 0276 Email: info@asiaplantationcapital.com www.asiaplantationcapital.com Steve Watts – Chief Executive Officer, Malaysia

Ambition Leading global boutique recruitment business listed on Australian Securities Exchange. With coverage across Hong Kong, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Sydney, Tokyo, Melbourne, Brisbane and London, specialising in Banking & Financial Services, Finance & Accounting, Sales & Marketing, Supply Chain & Procurement, and Technology. With a closely connected network of offices, backed by integrated processes and technology, and team of specialists well-placed to source the hardest to find candidates and extend client relationships to its international office network.

15th Floor, West Block, Wisma Selangor Dredging, 142C Jalan Ampang, 50450 Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: +603 2168 4200 Fax: +603 2168 4201 Email: sam.baxendale@ambition.com.sg www.ambition.com.my Sam Baxendale – Director, Malaysia

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New Members Continued

Sports Direct International plc UK’s No 1 leading sports retailer and well-known sports shopping destination. Owner of several worldNew all-business class Doha to London famous sport, fashion and lifestyle brands including Karrimor, Slazenger, Dunlop, Londsdale, Everlast, No Fear, Kangol, Firestrap. Stores are zoned by key sports categories: Boot Room - football; Sheruns Heruns running; Fit Zone - fitness, cross training, gym equipment, weights, boxing, martial arts and yoga; Racket Centre - badminton, squash and tennis; Swim Club - pool, beach, water sports and activities; Field & Trek - outdoor and winter, hiking, tracking and camping; Games Room - table games, darts, table tennis; Team Sports - basketball, hockey, rugby, volleyball, cricket and water polo; Big Action - inline skates and skateboarding; Men Sports Lifestyle; WomenSports Lifestyle and Kids Sports Lifestyle.

MST Golf Plaza, No 8, Jalan SS13/5, 47500 Subang Jaya, Selangor.

Tel: +603 5566 8666 Fax: +603 5566 8667 Email: writetous@sportsdirect.com.my www.sportsdirect.com.my Paul Gibbons - Managing Director

Oxford Business Group Global publishing, research and consultancy firm, which publishes economic intelligence on markets of Asia, Middle East, Africa, Latin America and Caribbean. Range of print and online products offering comprehensive and accurate analysis of macroeconomic and sectoral developments, including banking, capital markets, insurance, energy, transport, industry and telecoms. Critically acclaimed economic and business reports are leading source of business intelligence on developing countries. Online economic briefings provide up-to-date in-depth analysis on key issues to large global subscriber base. Consultancy arm offers tailor-made market intelligence and advice to companies looking at new markets.

Level 20, Menara Standard Chartered, No 30 Jalan Tun Razak, 50250 Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: +603 2117 5311 Email: ldenny@oxfordbusinessgroup.com; Email: nlane@oxfordbusinessgroup.com www.oxfordbusinessgroup.com Lauren Denny - Regional Manager [Pictured] Nekia Lane - Country Director

90North Real Estate Partners LLP Global independent real estate investment adviser, providing investors wth the commercial results they want from investments that are in tune with their values. Identifies, structures and executes real estate investment and development strategies across UK, Continental Europe and USA. Investments are tailored to meet individual investor criteria, with a culture of openness and honesty fostered between investor, vendor and the in-house team to build enduring partnerships that achieve common aims. Working to find the best opportunities globally and screening them carefully to ensure a profitable outcome.

Level 26, Menara Maxis Kuala Lumpur City Centre, 50088 Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: +603 2615 2633 Fax: +603 2615 2699 Email: Lpoh@90northgroup.com www.90northgroup.com Louisa Poh - Chief Representative, Malaysia [Pictured] Philip Churchill – Founder & Managing Director

AQR International Innovative provider of assessment services, management & leadership programmes and senior manager team building. Established in 1989 as TCA Consultants and grew to become one of most innovative and accessible psychometric test publishers. Now operating in 80 countries worldwide in occupational, educational, sports and health markets. Core business remains occupational sector where it develops high quality coaching, leadership and management programmes for managers of all levels. Links with Universities, Business Schools and Professional bodies enable programmes to be accredited/endorsed.

AQR is itself an international ILM Centre (Institute of Leadership & Management). Based in UK, its work is supported through international partnerships including Thrive Performance Development in Malaysia.

Tel: +6013 395 8425/+6016 878 3794 Email: ginette@thrive-performance.com & lina@thrive-performance.com www.aqr.co.uk Ginette Collin [pictured on right] - Director & AQR Regional Trainer

JCC Consultants Ltd After working in Lloyd's of London reinsurance (insurance of insurance companies) market as an underwriter and broker for 35 years, Jeremy Camps purchased Labuan Registered reinsurance broking company, set up to handle the London company's South East Asian clients, mostly his own. Following retirement, he set up to offer independent and impartial advice on reinsurance matters to insurance companies, reinsurance companies and brokers, their needs and purchases. He also offers training and expert witness advice to lawyers and on arbitration.

Tel: +6012 205 0745 Email: jeremy@jccconsult.com Jeremy Camps

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Members News International SOS Locates New Ops HQ Global Shared Services Centre In Greater KL International SOS, the world’s largest international healthcare, medical assistance, and travel security risk services company, has located its South and Southeast Asia Medical Services Operational Headquarters (OHQ) in Greater KL along with its Global Corporate Shared Services (GCSS) Centre for Asia Pacific.

New A380 For Etihad Airways Global Agreement With Tourism Malaysia Etihad Airways has introduced a second Airbus A380 on its popular Abu Dhabi-London Heathrow route with two of the airline’s three daily flights to London now operated using the A380. The new A380 cabins feature the luxurious Residence by EtihadTM and First Apartments.

The nine First Apartments are private living spaces featuring a reclining lounge chair and an ottoman, opening up to a separate 80.5 inch fully flat bed. Seventy Business Studios are located on the upper deck of the A380, all offering direct aisle access, a fully flat bed of up to 80.5 inches long, and an increase of 20 per cent in personal space.

In other news, the airline has signed a global partnership agreement with Tourism Malaysia to boost inbound tourism to Malaysia by leveraging the airline’s global passenger network.

Under the agreement, the two organisations will put into effect a range of joint marketing activities targeting Malaysia’s leading inbound visitor markets – the UK, US, Europe, and the Middle East region.

Malaysia’s Minister of International Trade & Industry Dato’ Sri Mustapa Mohamed launched the facility with ISOS cofounders Arnaud Vaissié and Dr Pascal Rey-Herme in attendance, together with General Manager of International SOS Malaysia David Ng. Its total committed investments in Malaysia of RM71.67 million will create more than 200 additional high-skilled jobs by 2020, adding to the existing employee population of 400.

Mr Ng said, “We are in a stronger position to support existing clients through our new regional offices, and are now able to provide a better proposition to potential clients.

Dr. Pascal Rey-Herme added “When we started, all we wanted to do was save lives and give people better healthcare experiences. Thirty years ago, ASEAN lacked the healthcare capabilities it has today. Now, we are able to better export our healthcare services and emergency response solutions to the rest of the world thanks to our centre in Kuala Lumpur.” www.internationalsos.com

The agreement was signed by Madam Chong Yoke Har, Deputy Director General (Planning) of Tourism Malaysia, and Andrew Ward, Vice President Marketing of Etihad Airways. www.etihad.com

Rugby Legend Redman Gives BSKL Students Day To Remember A group of students from BSKL were lucky enough recently to take part in workshops and skills sessions with elite coach and ex-professional rugby player Nigel Redman.

Nigel played 349 rugby matches for Bath and made 20 appearances for England. To cap a glittering career, he also captained the British & Irish Lions in 1997 on a successful tour to South Africa. Since retiring from the game, Nigel has worked as a motivational speaker with elite athletes across a number of Olympic sports.

During his day at BSKL, he worked with students from Years 1-9 developing and refining fundamental rugby skills.

Students from Years 5-10 were also lucky enough to hear Nigel speak about his rugby career and motivation.

www.britishschool.edu.my

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Members News 140 Years Of Heritage In Malaysia Celebrated By Standard Chartered Bank Standard Chartered Bank Malaysia marked the 140th Anniversary of its founding with a gala dinner graced by Prime Minister YAB Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib Bin Tun Abdul Razak. Also in attendance were the Bank’s Board of Directors, Group and Regional senior management, and more than 300 clients and guests.

The first Bank in Malaysia, it set up its first branch in 1875 on Beach Street, Penang, during the tin and rubber boom. Some of its clients have remained with the Bank for three generations and multi-generations of the same family have also worked there.

Mahendra Gursahani, Managing Director & CEO of Standard Chartered Bank Malaysia, said, “Our values have steered us through many boom and bust cycles since the 19th Century, and will enable us to stay focused on what we need to achieve.”

Malaysia has been home to many firsts for the Bank including: the first international bank in Malaysia to offer Islamic Banking products [1993]; the first Global Shared Services Centre of an international bank in Malaysia, Scope International Malaysia [2001]; Standard Chartered Saadiq, the Group’s Islamic Banking subsidiary, established in 2008.

As part of its 140th anniversary celebrations, the Bank is focusing on giving back to the communities where employees live and work. This includes 14,000 hours of Employee Volunteering and planting of 140 trees. The Bank has also published a coffee table book titled Passage: Our Story through the Centuries, which chronicles its history and milestones in Malaysia. www.sc.com

Epsom Students Take To The Stage Students of Epsom College Malaysia have been very active during the year taking part in speaking competitions, sports events and drama productions. The latest to hit the stage was a reduced performance of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, possibly Shakespeare’s most famous comedy, set in a magical version of Ancient Greece.

Qatar Airways Scoops Top Accolades In Global Industry Awards Qatar Airways has been honoured with three of the top aviation accolades at the annual Skytrax World Airline Awards, including winning Airline of the Year for a third time. The airline also collected two other awards: Best Business Class Airline Seat and Best Airline in the Middle East – which it has won for the eighth time. Millions of travellers, from 160 different countries, participate in passenger satisfaction surveys to decide the winners.

The highest ranking in the annual Skytrax awards category, Airline of the Year is a reflection of the commitment and dedication to service excellence and a high-quality travel experience for all passengers that fly with Qatar Airways.

The airline has experienced significant growth, with major enhancements to its fleet in the last 10 months, and the entry into service of the Airbus A380 and the Airbus A350 as the Global Launch Customer. The award was presented to His Excellency Mr Akbar Al Baker [above], Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive during the Paris Air Show. www.qatarairways.com

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Two casts of students from Years 5 to 8 performed the play with supporting cast of fellow students involved in every aspect of the production – marketing, lighting, changing the set, costumes and providing musical accompaniment.

“It has been an incredible experience to support students as young as 10 in getting to grips with the Shakespearian language and learning to identify the jokes and insults, at the same time as working on projecting their voices without the help of microphone,” said Head of Drama, Sophie Hill. www.epsomcollege.edu.my my

Members News

Marlborough College Community Clocks Up The Miles To Reach Target In Under 4 Hours

Trowers & Hamlins Is First Foreign Law Firm To Obtain Licence In Malaysia International law firm Trowers & Hamlins has become the first foreign law firm to be granted a Qualified Foreign Law Firm (QFLF) licence in Malaysia.

The QFLF licence will allow Trowers & Hamlins to operate independently in Malaysia and advise on international legal issues, subject to certain restrictions. The licence, which was approved by the Malaysian Bar Council effective April this year, will last for three years and is renewable.

Marlborough College Malaysia, through its Outreach programme, held its annual Marlborough Miles event recently, with proceeds being donated to the Palliative Care Association of Johor.

Prior to receiving its QFLF licence, Trowers & Hamlins operated a non-trading representative Regional Office in Kuala Lumpur following approval from the Malaysia Investment Development Authority (MIDA). When the office opened in July 2012, Trowers & Hamlins was the first foreign law firm – and the only UK law firm – to establish a representative Regional Office in Malaysia.

Marlborough Miles is a non-competitive, charitable event which raises funds through sponsorship and donations, involving all members of the College community pupils, parents, siblings and staff - who aim to complete as many Marlborough Miles as possible within the time.

Partner Nick White, who has been based in Kuala Lumpur since 2012 as Regional Manager, said: "Having a presence on the ground over the last three years has really helped us strengthen and grow client relationships. From KL we have access to the entire ASEAN region, and now, with a QFLF licence, we will be able to grow capacity to further advance our reach and capabilities here."

Each year the College sets a target distance to aim for; in 2013, a total of 2,013 miles were completed; in 2014 it was 6,853 miles: the distance from Marlborough College Malaysia to Marlborough College UK. This year, the target was 7,926 miles, the distance through the centre of the globe, from Marlborough College Malaysia to Ecuador, the exact point on the opposite side of the world.

The rules and regulations allowing foreign law firms to apply for a QFLF licence came into effect in June 2014, following the announcement by Malaysia of its plans to liberalise its legal market and the passing of the Legal Profession (Amendment) Act 2012. At the moment, the Malaysian Bar Council has stated that only five QFLF licences will be made available. Firms with a QFLF, and firms that enter into International Partnerships licensed by the Malaysian Bar Council, are not permitted to advise on Malaysian Law, which remains the preserve of local law firms.

Partner Nicholas Edmondes, who is now based in Kuala Lumpur alongside Nick White, added: "One of the main reasons for Malaysia liberalising its legal market was to attract foreign firms and help boost the country's Islamic finance market. Only firms with strong Islamic finance practices are being considered and it is a testament to the strength of our practice that we have been selected as the first QFLF recipient."

Trowers & Hamlins has advised numerous Malaysian clients over the years on their activities outside Malaysia, including significant inward investment deals into the UK and business activities in the Middle East. From its UK, Middle East and Far East offices, the firm offers a comprehensive range of advice on corporate and commercial transactions, projects and dispute resolution. www.trowers.com

This year’s target was achieved in under four hours with great enthusiasm and energy displayed by all involved. www.marlboroughcollege.my

Artistic Skills Move Up A Notch As SRI KDU Students Start Painting The Walls Students at Sri KDU have taken their artistic skills to the next level with the painting of individual School House murals along the main corridors following the successful execution of the Eco Mural [pictured]. The move is part of the drive to improve the profile of the Houses and foster greater team spirit. www.srikdu.edu.my

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Members News Convention Centre Initiatives Keep Community Safe & Green Eight members of the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre’s Security team have been recognised for their efforts to make the Centre and KLCC precinct a safer place for the public with the receipt of a ‘Certificate of Appreciation’ each from Dang Wangi Police Chief, ACP Zainol Samah.

For the Centre’s Security & Liaison Manager, Hazali Zakaria, the honour was on top of his success in an International Association for Counter Terrorism and Security Professionals (IACSP) course, making him the venue’s first Certified Counter Terrorism Practitioner (CCTP).

In other news, some 25 team members from the Centre headed to Bagan Lalang beach recently to take part in the Sepang City Council Coastal Clean-up programme, organised in conjunction with World Environment Day 2015. Together with other volunteers, they helped gather up around 25 kg of trash.

The Centre is also involved in other sustainability and conservation efforts including a 3R (reduce, re-use and recycle) campaign; sponsorship of trees under the FRIM Conservation Culture Programme; and sourcing of products from environmentally-conscious suppliers and local produce. www.klccconventioncentre.com

Mongoose New Hire

StanChart Rewards Delighted LFC Fan

New Title, Big Awards Haul

With Dream Trip To Anfield

Mongoose Publishing has announced the appointment of Kate Guest as the new Editor-In-Chief of ELLE Malaysia. A journalist with 12 years’ experience working on some of the biggest magazine brands in the world, she studied law and journalism in Melbourne. Graduating in 2003, she began her career at Melbourne magazine, Australia’s first city-focused glossy. In 2005, she moved to London, where she spent seven years working for custom and consumer titles across the fashion, luxury, travel and food sectors. Her last role before moving to Malaysia in 2012 was with Jamie Oliver’s food and lifestyle magazine, Jamie.

Kon Fui Sun of Kuala Lumpur won a money-can’t-buy-experience when she got the chance to fly to the UK to watch Liverpool Football Club play against Manchester United at Anfield recently.

Kate joined Mongoose in October 2013 as deputy editor on the launch of ELLE Malaysia, and in November 2014 was promoted to editor of elle.my, the award-winning website. In her new role, she will oversee the print and digital platforms of the brand, reporting to Lynette Ow, Editorial Director.

The 32-year-old Finance Manager emerged as the grand prize winner in Standard Chartered’s Liverpool Debit Card contest. Besides two Centenary Stand tickets for the match, she won two return flights to the UK with airport transfers, two nights’ hotel accommodation, stadium tour and RM1,000 spending money.

Alice Lin, Head of Retail Products at Standard Chartered Bank, said: “As we move towards being a cashless society, anchored by Bank Negara Malaysia’s initiative to drive epayments, the Bank’s debit card usage is expected to record double digit growth year-on-year.”

Mongoose launched another major title recently with the introduction of Women’s Health Malaysia. The launch was held in conjunction with the inaugural Men’s Health and Women’s Health Malaysia Night Run comprising 12KM and 5KM distances with 7,500 people taking part. Editor Sueann Chong commented that the arrival of Women’s Health – the world’s fastest-growing fitness and lifestyle magazine for women – marks a positive movement in the community.

In other news, Mongoose Publishing secured a record haul in the recent Singapore MPAS Awards, scooping 13 award wins, 8 merit awards and retaining its title as "Media Publishing Company of the Year" for the second year running. Esquire Singapore won 9 categories including Lifestyle/Entertainment Media; Feature Article; Front Cover; and Social Media Campaign. Time Out Singapore won 4 categories including Consumer Website of the Year and Mobile App of the Year. www.mongooseasia.com

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Issue 2 - 2015

Calling All English Teachers!

Love children and the English language? We’re looking for English Teachers - with Cambridge IGCSE teaching experience - and Teacher Librarians. To find out more, please contact Sheryl Chieng Tel: +603 2178 9001 Email: sheryl@ aspacgroup.com

Members News

Delivering Cost Benefits With Medical Prevention Programmes

C

ompanies are increasingly sending employees on global assignments, particularly to fast-growing regions such as sub-Saharan Africa.

In August 2014, US companies committed to invest US$14 billion in Africa; and the sub-Saharan economy is expected to grow at nearly 6 percent a year on average over the next decade, the fastest of any region in the world.

With this growth, there is potentially an increased risk to the health of travellers and international assignees from threats such as malaria.

The value of education and malaria prevention services to reduce risks to firms and their travelling employees was highlighted recently in Return on Prevention, published by research and consultancy firm Prevent, commissioned by the International SOS Foundation.

Malaria continues to be responsible for

200

million illnesses and more than

500,000

deaths each year.

The new study analyses the average investment required to relocate an employee for an international assignment; more particularly the costs that are incurred when an assignment fails due to an employee’s inability to fulfil the assignment due to poor health.

The study shows how the benefits of implementing a travel health prevention strategy significantly outweigh the operating costs of the programme.

Separately, over 40 Fortune 500 international companies were recently surveyed about the health challenges they face as their global presence expands.

The results were published in Health Trends: 10 Key Recommended Actions to Protect your Global Workforce by the International Corporate Health Leadership Council (ICHLC).

While most indicated they provide their travellers with a briefing on health risks and preventive measures, as well as a medical consultation before they depart, only one in ten provide malaria training or track those who have received it.

Dr Irene Lai, a Medical Director with International SOS, says, “Until malaria elimination is achieved, efforts to prevent and con-

trol the disease remain a responsibility for any organisation that travels to or operates in malarial areas.

“Although there have been improvements in the global malaria picture over the last few years, the disease “Malaria is both preventable and curable. Companies need to right-size their solution, which may range from education and support of a few travelling employees, through to designing and implementing a community wide prevention and control programme.” www.internationalsos.com

British Women Raise Impressive Sum

Exclusive Aziamendi 88 Pops Up

To Support Local Charitable Organisations

To Transform Mandarin Grill

The Association of British Women in Malaysia (ABWM) raised a total of RM195,000 during 2014, funds that have has been distributed to 19 charitable organisations in Malaysia. The cheques were presented to the beneficiaries by HE Vicki Treadell, British High Commissioner and ABWM Patron at a ceremony held at the High Commissioner’s Residence. The money was raised from a variety of sources, including the ABWM Christmas Bazaar and a Pink October event supporting breast cancer awareness and research. The focus of the ABWM’s charitable work continues to be women’s and children’s issues.

The renowned Mandarin Grill has been transformed into Kuala Lumpur’s most exclusive dining venue, Aziamendi 88 with a popup concept. Spain’s youngest ever 3-Michelin Star Chef Eneko Atxa, his right-hand Chef Alex Burger and supporting cast are heading the highly innovative venture. Running for a total of 88 days until 31st October, Aziamendi presents a culinary journey into Basque-rooted international haute cuisine, in an elegant interior surrounded by exceptional artwork from Malaysia’s leading art house, Wei-Ling Gallery. www.aziamendi88.com

Available at Multiple Locations Around Town www.regus.com.my for details

Issue 2 - 2015

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On The Social Scene

Getting NETWORKED

The elegant Lounge of Hilton Kuala Lumpur was the venue for the BMCC’s quarterly business networking event. More than 70 guests arrived to meet and greet new contacts and the room was buzzing with lively chatter.

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Issue Issue Iss s ue e 2 - 2015 201 15 5

On The Social Scene

Above: BMCC partners and associates were treated to an intimate Appreciation Cocktail at Marble 8 Prive Lounge where they had the opportunity to meet incoming Chairman Andrew Sill and Deputy Chairman David Ng. Everyone also had the chance to sample some of Marble 8’s signature meat dishes.

Below: BMCC teamed up with sister chambers representing the US [AMCHAM], Italy [MITCCI], Germany [MGCC] and New Zealand [MNZCC] for a night of Speed Dating & Networking.

Gathering at the Punch Bar & Lounge, Ramada Plaza Dua Sentral, the participants came ready for some intense networking armed with a plentiful supply of business cards.

Issue Iss sssue ue 2 - 2015 201 20 15 5

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On The Social Scene

Mix ‘N’ MINGLE British Theatre Playhouse and Homme Productions invited BMCC members and guests to a evening of mix and mingle at The Smoke House, The Majestic Hotel Kuala Lumpur, in conjunction with the recent performance of the world's longest running comedy, NO S€X PLEASE, WE'RE BRITISH! for the appreciative KL audience

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Issue 2 - 2015

Issue 2 - 2015

Issue 2 - 2015