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January 2013 www.endeavourmagazine.com

KUALA LUMPUR CONVENTION CENTRE

A SCENE OF BRILLIANCE

CPL GROUP

CHANGI AIRPORT GROUP

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January 2013 www.endeavourmagazine.com

Editor’s note

KUALA LUMPUR CONVENTION CENTRE

A SCENE OF BRILLIANCE

CPL GROUP

By Daemon Sands

CHANGI AIRPORT GROUP

Chief Editor of Endeavour Magazine

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Inspired by your success

Heads of Departments Editor in Chief Daemon Sands daemonsands@littlegatepublishing.com Director of Research Don Campbell doncampbell@littlegatepublishing.com Sales Director James Martin jamesmartin@littlegatepublishing.com Corporate Director Anthony Letchumaman anthonyl@littlegatepublishing.com Lead Designer Alina Sandu studio@littlegatepublishing.com Publisher: Stephen Warman stevewarman@littlegatepublishing.com Any enquiries or subscriptions can be sent to info@littlegatepublishing.com ENDEAVOUR MAGAZINE is published by Littlegate Publishing LTD which is a Registered Company in the United Kingdom.

Company Registration: 07657236 Registered office: 343 City Road London EC1 V1LR VAT registration number:116 776007 Littlegate Publishing Ltd Kings Lane Norwich, NR1 3PS United Kingdom

I say that 2013 is going to be a good year, a momentous year and a year that the world will look back on with awesome pride.

At the start of every year we have nothing but the events of the year gone by to compare our hopes and aspirations against. 2012 gave us remarkable developments in the realm of transport, communication, economics, computing and medicine but I say that 2013 is going to supersede these benchmarks and all of our expectations.

The reason for my optimism is very straight forward, our generation has been shadowed by a number of villains that we have not been able to overcome or escape. But with surgical precision and intense dedication there are the highly trained and innovative thinkers working to find ways of removing these threats.

A cure for HIV is finally being developed and will be available within the next decade, possibly before we close the books on 2013. A child has been cured of leukaemia with the use of a re-engineered strain of HIV; paraplegics have been given new hope with successful experiments to restore the health of damaged spinal tissue and thanks to genetic research we may even have crops to thrive in the desert to feed the people of impoverished countries.

These developments, to name just a few have inspired many more heroes of science that we do not know about but who are nonetheless there, tirelessly working away to improve the world and after so long 2012 has brought us the most amazing results.

Momentum has been created and the current will carry 2013 into the history books as the year that humanity enters into a new era. An era of promises being met, an era of restored hope and renewed faith that tomorrow will bring something better.

When the future is bright the present is warm and I am looking to this year with much anticipation and enthusiasm.

I invite you to do the same.

Littlegate Publishing Ltd does not accept responsibility for omissions or errors. The points of view expressed in articles by attributing writers and/or in advertisements included in this magazine do not necessarily represent those of the publisher.

Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead is purely coincidental. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained within this magazine, no legal responsibility will be accepted by the publishers for loss arising from use of information published. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored in a retrievable system or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the publisher.

Copyright © Littlegate Publishing Ltd 2013

Kindest,

Endeavour Magazine • January 2013 •

3

Features

18 CPL Group: A Community Champion 28 Changi Airport Group: Through The Airport 36 Swiss Deluxe Hotel: Committed To Quality 46 Tanzania Ports Authority: Entry To Africa 54

Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre: A Scene Of Brilliance

GOLDEN LEGO LEGO employees that had 25 years of employment at the Hohenwestedt, Germany factory were given a solid gold LEGO brick as a token of appreciation. The brick was the size of a standard 2 x 4 brick and weighed 25.65g of 14K gold. If you have one you’re awesome and either you or one of your family had the most wicked job ever. You might want to sell it though as they’re fetching about $15,000 at the moment.

“I’m not sure I knew what an entrepreneur was when I was ten, but I knew that starting little businesses and trying to sell greeting cards or newspapers door-to-door or just vending machine kind of thing is.. there’s just something very intriguing to me about that.”

Steve Case

Articles

6 My Diary Of 10 Caffeine Abuse Why In The Future 14 I’m Going To Be A Lab Mouse Paul Carty And The Guinness Storehouse

Biz-tainment

62

Going Coastal

THE SPITE HOUSE Nobody likes living next to a construction site, but trust New Yorkers to take it that step into the beyond.

1882, In New York at Lexington Avenue and 82nd Street Joseph Richardson built a house that was only five feet deep (less than two meters) and over a hundred feet long (more than thirty meters) just to block the sunshine from the house owned by his immediate neighbour Hyman Sarner. All because Hymer had offered $1000 to buy the five feet of land but Richardson had demanded $5000 and been told to do one. The house had eight suites but was completely impractical and torn down in 1915.

HOW TEENAGER TURNED PHONE INTO PORSCHE Starting in 2008, when he was 15, Steven Ortiz who had an old cellphone traded it on Craiglist.com for a newer one. But he wanted a dirt bike so he traded the new phone in for an iPod Touch. A dozen trades later and he found he traded in a collector edition 1975 Ford Bronco and bam he was the owner of a brand new 2000 Porsche Boxter S. Eat your heart out businessmen! How many of you can claim you owned your own Porsche, not given by daddy at the age of 17 and he didn’t even pay for it!

PAUL CARTY AND THE GUINNESS STOREHOUSE

IT’S WHAT’S INSIDE THAT COUNTS

by Donnie Rust Like all things Irish, Guinness is rich in heritage and legend and loved as much by the Irish as the rest of the world. 2000 saw the opening of the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin, built upon the very spot Arthur Guinness chose to create his empire and offered to us as a homage to the tale behind Guinness. After a visit in mid-2012 I felt privileged to be able to speak with their Managing Director Paul Carty regarding the truly remarkable story behind this fantastic attraction and his integral part.

Every new marketing venture, even for a brand as strong and well-loved as Guinness, brings with it a risk but with the same sort of brewing mastery exhibited in the creation of their brew, only the finest ingredients were brought in.

“I trained as a hotel general manager originally,” Paul explains, “And have worked for Five Star hotels in London, Bahrain, Singapore and Saudi Arabia where there is always

a massive emphasis on making people feel welcome and employing a can-do-attitude to everything,” I cannot help but find the Irish accent refreshing and Paul speaks with a clear love of what he does and a deep appreciation for the story behind it, which makes all the difference. Within the first few minutes of our interview I know that I’m now a small part of that story too.

“I was here when the Guinness Storehouse was still just a building site and was very pleased to be able to add to the

input of design and inception,” he continues, “The architects that were brought in wanted to make sure that they got the design of the Storehouse just right and so employed the best designers they could find. No chances were taken, we wanted to create a truly world class innovative experiential Brand experience.”

Having spent an afternoon at the Guinness Storehouse myself I can testify that they have managed to do this perfectly. Upon the tour, which starts on the ground floor and works its to the Gravity Bar at the top (as the interior of the Storehouse is designed to look like a giant glass of Guinness, the Gravity Bar is located within the legendary

head of the pint) there is a careful combination of style, design and information. Ireland is famous for its story telling and from start to finish there is just the right amount conveyed by the tour guide, or the information in the exhibits to give you a deep appreciation for the story behind the drink.

“Guinness Storehouse is an integral part of the Irish Tourism Industry offer and to get to that point has required training of all the staff in hospitality skills,” Paul explains.

“I wanted to ensure that everything and everybody worked together to create a real sense of welcoming for all our visitors every time, every day.”

The numbers don’t lie, and it’s clear that Diageo, the Endeavour Magazine • January 2013 • 7

company that owns Guinness, hit the nail on the head with the Storehouse as it brings in over a million people every year, 25% of who have their first taste of Guinness while in the Gravity Bar overlooking Dublin, myself included.

“The secret to Guinness’ success is the adoration it enjoys and its association to everything Irish, such as fun, conversation, stories, engagement“ Paul continues. “It is unique with a special taste ground that people love. Ireland and Guinness are synonymous and the legend of both has grown over the years. As a visitor centre that was designed to immerse visitors into a great Guinness experience for over 2 hours, it has become a must see and must visit iconic attraction where over 51% of holiday makers who come to Dublin visit the Guinness Storehouse.”

There was a very specific reason why the Guinness Storehouse was established, one because the popularity and love of the beer justified it and also, Paul reveals, there was a need to open up the market.

“Before 2000, when the Guinness Storehouse opened its doors Guinness was seen as an older man’s drink and what the Storehouse assisted the Brand in achieving was to

shift attitudes and recruit a younger generation of legal age drinkers, it showed the brand in a much more contemporary manner. People left the Storehouse saying “I did not think Guinness was like that“ Paul reveals.

“Guinness is a great tasting beer, it is made from barley, hops and the purest water. The water was the reason why Arthur Guinness chose this site and signed a nine thousand year lease,” he continues. “Clearly he knew his product was going places.”

Interestingly enough on the tour it is rumoured that when officials tried to commandeer his water source he threatened them off with a pickaxe.

“Arthur Guinness was ahead of his time and a folk hero, he was an innovator with his dream and that has echoed through the last two and a half centuries in every facet of the Guinness production.” Currently Guinness are building a new world-class €154m brewery on the site, Arthur would be so proud.

Innovation is key, even in their advertising which has a reputation for being original, enthusiastic and fun. For them it is not just about providing a product but an atmosphere

and an attitude that accompanies it. It’s fun and healthy and one of a kind. Entertainment precedes Guinness and entertaining times certainly follow.

In some ways Guinness is the Coca Cola of the alcohol world. Not to compare products though as there is something very wholesome about Guinness, but they are on a similar level as Coca Cola and in the same way that the World of Coca Cola in Atlanta has to continuously update itself, so too does Guinness Storehouse.

“We continue to reinvest in our visitor centre, we are currently halfway into a three year €10m investment in the Storehouse, including a new Arthur Guinness room,” Paul says, explaining the projects closest to his heart. “The story of his philanthropy and the way he rewarded his employees and the community is not really well told at the moment and we feel it’s time to update that. We are also introducing a new tastezone, this will be very innovative. Watch this space.

“We have also brought in the largest interactive high resolution screen in the world so that people visiting the Storehouse can share their love for Guinness socially and ‘Like’ their local Guinness fan page.

It makes sense, as Guinness is as much social a beer as Ireland is a social country, it invites good times and banter.

Suitable to be enjoyed with friends but good enough company to be drunk alone, it is Ireland’s most prominent export with breweries around the world and new ones being developing as far afield as Asia, Africa and America.

“Africa is one of our largest markets at the moment,” Paul reveals. “But we’ve been there so long that they think Guinness was invented there!” What a powerful ownership and commitment to a brand in Africa, who would want to dispel the myth.

The views of Dublin from the Gravity Bar are not those of your typical tourist attraction because the history behind Guinness is not one of corporate executives, but of hard working Irishmen in the industrial part of town. The view starts with that and radiates outwards to the more commercial side of the city but this is appropriate, this is Ireland. It doesn’t need the glitz and glamour of the rest of the west and is happy with the truth. In the same way Guinness does the same, it does not promise it simply offers.

And happily, we all accept.

Endeavour Magazine • January 2013 • 9

MY DIARY OF CAFFEINE ABUSE

by Donnie Rust

07.30: My colleague decides to put on some widow-maker coffee. This is specially bought coffee that is brewed in a machine and after much bubbling, vibrating and a small puff of smoke in the shape of a skull and crossbones you can enjoy a glass-melting cup of pure caffeine.

This is coffee… on coffee.

08.30: I return from my third trip to the toilet, walk into the office and it’s like throwing myself into a cloud of coffee and slowly sinking into it like the softest mattress. I literally wade through the air to get to my desk. Yes, the air in our office is enough to stain my custom Maccy white shirt brown.

09.00: Spinning around in my chair 09.30: Still spinning 10.00: Unaccounted for 10.30: Third cup of coffee, provided for by a colleague with slightly fuzzy outlines and a strained smile that looks like it is hurting his face.

11.00: Fifth cup and the conversations in the office lose all punctuation and I can actually see the words spilling out of my co-workers mouths in long, un-spaced sentences.

11.30: Caffeine has officially kicked in. We are no longer

talking and instead we’re running around yelling at each other and making fun of the accompanying subtitles.

12.00: I tie myself down to write an article. I have heard other people cite how caffeine is the drug of choice for hyperproductivity however I’ve found it is quite literally impossible to be productive when you find yourself this far over the line of sobriety.

13.00: I return to writing my article after being distracted by a feature about detailed pictures of the human iris.

13.30: I produce a quick doodle on the corner of my note pad about how to fix the ozone layer with a fountain pen and a leather belt.

14.00: I return to writing the article that’s at hand.

As I understand it, caffeine works by inhibiting the effects of Adenosine in the receptor cells in the brain, which

are the little buggers that calm the activity of the nervous system thus triggering tiredness. Caffeine molecules bind to these receptor cells but have no active effect on the nervous system. However by doing so they take the place of adenosine molecules that could make a difference. This process is known as “competitive inhibition” and effectively delays the onset of fatigue, increases alertness and improves people’s ability to sustain attention.

To get the best effects of caffeine they suggest drinking a cup of coffee and then having a fifteen minute nap as it takes that amount of time for the caffeine to really hit home and afterwards you may not sleep again for a while.

Exhaustive research has gone into the effects (awake and still awake) and side-effects (I can’t blink!) of caffeine because as it seems to give us super powers they want to find

out just how far it will push humanity’s natural evolution.

Research does suggest that sensitive groups, such as children, could experience ill-effects from high-caffeine energy drinks although much more research needs to go into it. For example, babysitting becomes its own reward when you give your ten year old nephew a Redbull seconds before his mother returns from an exhausting night-shift and you leave.

However, habitual consumption of caffeine and caffeine related products can lead to better mental functioning in old age. Indeed, ingesting significant quantities of caffeine results in fewer errors, injuries and accidents at work and in leisure time. London’s School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine published evidence earlier this month that showed caffeine helped improve workers’ memory and concentration.

Endeavour Magazine • January 2013 • 11

For people working overnight, consuming caffeine had a similar effect to taking a power nap and identical results were seen irrespective of whether those studied drank coffee, an energy drink, took a caffeine pill or ate food with a high caffeine content.

Additionally when coffee was added to cancer cells – in a laboratory I’ll add hastily- it exhibited ant proliferative effects on them i.e. prevented them from multiplying and even a small amount caused the cancer cells to up and kill themselves.

14.30: Considering what colour cape to give my coffee superhero. The Caffienator…

15.00: I realize I’ve only got another two hours to finish

this article and another three hundred words to go. Mild panic sets in until colleague, now merely a blur and a gust of wind produces a fresh cup of widow-maker in front of me.

Yes, while it’s true that I am so uncomfortably awake that I will need to drink a pint of rum to even myself out, I cannot deny the sensational effects of this wonder chemical. It is the quintessential example of cause and effect. Newton’s laws of physics have never been better demonstrated. You take a lowly writer, dressed in a work shirt and a cardigan, wearing mismatched polyester socks with a scruffy hairdo and the general appearance of Charlie Sheen going through an airport and you add a dozen or so cups of Taylors of Harrogate, Espresso Dark Roast 5 – and just like that he

turns into Henry Saville.

Am I saying that under the influence of this coffee I am the very splitting image of a Henry Cavill? The Man of Steel standing with my fists on my hips and my chest buffed out like a super pigeon, scanning the world with my super vision and a grim, yet reassuring set to my mouth?

Ha-ha, no! Of course not, I look like a man whose skeleton is about to vacate his body and whose brain is bouncing around the inside of his skull looking for a way out! My fingers are blurs across the keyboard and my proof-reader will have to add spaces between each of my words. My left leg is bouncing up and down at a ridiculous rate and I’m answering phone calls with a rabid scream for a greeting.

17.00: Colleague makes a fresh pot of coffee.

17.30: Once brewed, we drink and our heads summarily explode.

Donnie Rust, (AKA The Naked Busker) is one of Britain’s foremost comedy writers in the field of business, travel and adventure with over 1 million readers worldwide. His stand-up comedy is apparently hilarious too. He can be found at: www.facebook.com/donnierust.

Endeavour Magazine • January 2013 • 13

WHY IN THE FUTURE I’M GOING TO BE

A LAB MOUSE

by Donnie Rust

The Bible says, “The meek shall inherit the world,” it should have said, “Computer nerds will one day kick your butt!”

And I mean this literally.

Now what I’m about to bring to your attention will sound like science fiction, but try explain Fraping to someone from 2003. This is a prediction that some people will scoff at, but I don’t care, I’ve seen the future and it is filled with dragons and elves… mostly.

Two streams of development need to be firmly established here: 1. (Fact) The Gaming industry - is at this very moment developing machinery to get you more involved into the game and more committed into it and they will stop at nothing to get you hooked.

2. (Fact) The Dream Machine industry - at this very moment there are entire companies in Japan and America who are developing machines to guide, direct and record what we dream.

That these two streams will eventually meet and merge is inevitable and when they do we will have games that can be accessed in our thoughts while we sleep. This will allow people to live out whatever ridiculous fantasy they want by

using the creative power of their mind and the directional aptitude of this dream machine. The imagination will be able to deliver them to whatever world they want, and thanks to the strength of the brain to completely mess up with our ways of thinking (duh) we could even have supplemented memories of being specific characters. So instead of just pretending to be John McClane in Die Hard, you could actually believe you are him. Imagine being able to say, “I am Batman,” sincerely.

As incredible and amazing as it sounds, it will happen within our lifetime - actually probably within the next couple of years, assuming this article is indeed the motivation they need to do so.

The main point I want to get through though is that this will be the start, a small spark to a raging furnace of change.

This new industry, forged of the combination of gaming and neural-techno-interfacing will develop very fast as this dream world of gaming. People are already used to online gaming and will demand the same of any new game method, so within a year of the launch of the first “Dreamworld Gaming System” (Note to editor: Copyright that name) you’ll have networking capabilities of your brain while you sleep.

Basically it would mean that whatever device you’re using to control your dreams into this gaming/entertainment world will be able to connect with other similar devices (your guess on which software company is as good as mine), allowing you to communicate with other people while you’re playing.

Imagine it, an imaginary world of your choosing where you can be whoever you want to be and be able to communicate

Endeavour Magazine • January 2013 • 15

with someone else. It would be the ultimate role playing game!

And that’s what will happen. More and more people will start getting involved, and people will start choosing to do work there. The connectivity will increase, the storage capacities will increase and the dream world will get to the point where more and more people will want to use it.

Imagine it, instead of a long and arduous journey involving an inter continental flight and jetlag you could meet with a work associate twelve thousand miles away, shaking hands with him and enjoying a chai latte on the highest peak of the Himalayans. Discussing items of interest like account interests and investment portfolios!

Businesses will see the benefits of it as an alternative to travel… and you know how fast things catch on thanks to business. The Kindle owes its entire success to that.

HOW WOULD THIS CHANGE REALITY? For the moment our dreams aren’t our reality because we don’t share them with anyone, there is no communication with other people happening there, no responsibility for social conformity or expectations, there is ultimately no control even for ourselves. The moment we have to share a dream with someone else we introduce things like conformity and communication, we have to be responsible for ourselves, we need to make decisions that affect other people- even if it’s just their opinion of us. The more communication we have with people the more real it becomes.

And the advantages of using such technology for work will mean that business-conformity will ensure that a “in world” commercial presence exists and gradually, like the use of mobile phones and emails it will become part of the working norm and any business without it will be at a significant disadvantage.

For many of us reality is determined by our occupation, the responsibilities we have. How would your personal world change if your job involved working in a dream world where anything and everything is possible?

a world limited only by the limits of our imagination. Why settle for acting like Neo in the Matrix when you could be Dr. Manhattan from the Watchmen?

ULTIMATELY: It’s happening and you’d be amazed at how close it is, but it terrifies me because I just know all the computer nerds I bullied at school - in that world they’re going to be a mixture between Lex Luthor and Darth Vader and I’m going to be as impressive as Stuart Little.

Donnie Rust, (AKA The Naked Busker) is one of Britain’s foremost comedy writers in the field of business, travel and adventure with over 1 million readers worldwide. His stand-up comedy is apparently hilarious too. He can be found at: www.facebook.com/donnierust.

RELATIONSHIPS: I want to look at a particular relationship status. What if the partner that you loved was involved in an accident that left them paralysed and in this dream world the pair of you could explore an entire world? Or if you lost the ability to see or to walk, and using this system you were able to free your mind into its own world?

Not for everyone perhaps but it’s certainly something to think about.

In addition, we would be dealing with a dream world, Endeavour Magazine • January 2013 • 17

Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre www.klccconventioncentre.com +60 3 2333 2888 Written by Josie Munroe

A SCENE OF

BRILLIANCE Endeavour Magazine • January 2013 • 19

Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre

Anyone who’s worked in the event-management or convention-coordination industry will agree that there is a certain criteria that a venue has to meet to be selected for the biggest functions. It has to be unique, accessible and reputable for a start. Benefit from a good location with a good environment that is not only suitable for the function itself but representational of the overall surroundings. A certain level of plug-and-play is also good, with the infrastructure of the venue itself being set up to ensure that the planners don’t have to spend all their time arranging what should, by all accounts, already be there.

Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre has all of that in spades.

A purpose-built convention and exhibition facility strategically located in the Kuala Lumpur City Centre overlooking the iconic PETRONAS Twin Towers and the 50-acre KLCC Park. Spanning five levels, the Centre offers 22,659m2 of flexible function space including 12,310m2 of column-free exhibition halls including a 2,600m2 standalone marquee, 3,000 capacity Plenary Hall, 500-seat Plenary Theatre, Grand Ballroom for 2,000 diners, Banquet Hall for 750, Conference Hall for 1,800, 20 meeting rooms, ancillary facilities and the latest in wireless, 3G telecommunications and digital audio-visual services. The Centre also prides itself on having a professional team to ensure the delivery of world-class services and top-notch culinary offerings; the latter served up by a 51-strong culinary brigade.

The winner of numerous awards including the Meeting Industry Marketing Awards (MIMA) 2012 for “Best Print Advertising Campaign (Gold)”; MICE Report Awards 2012 for ‘Best Convention Centre in Asia’; Business Destinations Travel Awards 2011 for ‘Best Congress & Convention Centre, Asia’; TTG Travel Awards 2011 for ‘Best Convention & Exhibition Centre’; Meeting Industry Marketing Awards (MIMA) 2011 for ‘Best Use of Budget (Bronze)’; CEI Industry Award 2009; and TravelWeekly (Asia) Industry Awards 2007 and 2008 for ‘Best Convention & Exhibition Centre in Asia’ The Centre has ISO 9001, ISO 22000, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 certifications, EarthCheck Bronze status and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points Certification (HACCP) recognition, the international food safety system for international convention facilities and five-star hotels. It is also the first in Asia; and one of only 12 AIPC centres

Endeavour Magazine • January 2013 • 20

Malaysia’s Premier Event Management Company

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Tel : +603 7729 6010 / 7010 Fax : +603 7729 9010 Web: www.orangeevents.com.my Email: mei@orangeevents.com.my

Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre

Orange Events is a premier event management company offering full production services. We provide turnkey solutions for theatrical shows, corporate events and concerts. Other services include production equipment rental, set design and professional technical crew to the entertainment industry and Apple apps Developement.

We delivery top quality equipment and experienced staff to fit any size of event, scope or budget. Through the years Orange Events guiding principles have always been reliablity and honesty with an ethical and professional customer service.

Orange Events is currently the only event and Sound and Av Rental company in Malaysia accredited by PLASA, USITT, Transparency International Malaysia, MICCI,ISES and The Kuala Lumpur Convention Center

®

Endeavour Magazine • January 2013 • 22

worldwide, to receive the ‘Gold’ AIPC Quality Standards certification.

These heady standards are managed and operated by Convex Malaysia Sdn Bhd, a joint venture company between KLCC (Holdings) Sdn Bhd and AEG Ogden Pty Ltd, Australia.

Malaysians care deeply about food, which explains the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre’s unwavering commitment to providing an incomparable tailor-made culinary experience to suit every need, every time. Masterminded by Executive Chef Richmond Lim, an award-winning chef with over 24 years of experience in the hospitality industry, the Centre’s catering service offers a carefully planned selection of Malay, Chinese, Indian, Modern Asian and International cuisine, all prepared strictly in accordance with the ‘Halal’ tradition.

Upon inspection, the in-house chefs are ready to oblige any culinary request; from freshly flown-in Maine lobster and Beluga caviar to smoked salmon sandwiches and gourmet coffee. Personalised menus are available to cater to every conceivable occasion, from simple coffee breaks to elaborate 12-course banquets, featuring an impressive selection of food, wine and other creative beverages.

Accessible by air, road and rail the country benefits from the reliable infrastructure that connects Singapore and Thailand to Peninsular Malaysia and excellent air service to the East Malaysia states of Sabah and Sarawak. Rail service is provided by Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM). Malaysia’s premier rail network.

Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre

Ships, from prestigious vessels such as the QE2, passenger liners and cargo ships from all over the world dock at Port Klang which is a 45 minute ride to the city centre by car.

The Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MYCEB) is Malaysia’s one-stop centre for Business Tourism activities, operating as the country’s official Destination Marketing Organisation (DMO) in relation to business events.

MyCEB’s focus is directed towards introducing and promoting potential buyers to Malaysian products, services and securing future Business Tourism through formal bids prepared by the bureau and its TEAM MALAYSIA partners.

It is the Government’s intention to make Malaysia a “topof-mind” destination in the region and to encourage more active participation from local associations to be the ‘host’ country for major conventions and congresses.

Amongst MyCEB’s other roles and responsibilities include providing business leads for the industry, organising cooperative promotions, independent production of high quality destination materials, providing networking and educational opportunities, technical assistance, training and industry development as well as strategies for product development and improvement.

Established by the Ministry of Tourism Malaysia to further strengthen Malaysia’s business tourism brand and position for the international meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions market MyCEB is a non-profit organisation.

Serving as a central hub to assist meeting and event planners

Endeavour Magazine • January 2013 • 24

to bid for and stage international business events in Malaysia and act as a conduit for national product development.

As a measure to further develop the international events industry, MyCEB has launched a specialist unit known as the International Events Unit (IEU) which focuses on identifying and supporting international event bids including sports, art and culture and lifestyle events. The IEU’s goal is to identify and assist home-grown events with the potential to attract international publicity and international attendances. MyCEB works closely with Tourism Malaysia offices worldwide to extend its services globally.

Ultimately, what this all provides to event coordinators like Orange Events, is a reliable platform on which to launch their events. From experience, you cannot put a price on knowing that the foundation from which you are launching your event is as solid as possible. Infrastructure counts for so much and from the simplest of things like knowing that all the available electronics work and are maintained to having faith that the staff are on the ball and able to handle all the tasks appointed to them all combine to make a successful event.

As business becomes ever more global it is for event managers to plan ahead and pinpoint the best international venues and centres to be used for their corporate dealings.

This is an important choice to make because for many it will be the first impression into a new and exciting territory.

Making life easier for fleet managers everywhere

CPL Group www.cpl.com.pg +675 312 0000 Written by Daemon Sands

A BUSINESS EMPIRE AND A COMMUNITY CHAMPION Endeavour Magazine • January 2013 • 29

CPL Group

Listed on the Port Moresby Stock Exchange and enjoying the favourable position as the leading retail, wholesale operation in Papua New Guinea, CPL Group’s geographical spread of outlets have established a foothold for the company in every major city and town. Daemon Sands speaks with Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of CPL Group Mr. Mahesh Patel regarding the company’s history, success and future endeavours.

Founded in 1987 as a pharmacy chain CPL Group have definitely not lost their roots, in fact with the strong leadership of Mahesh they are capitalizing on the strength of the foundation they’ve created through careful planning, development and community growth.

A short list of their business acquisitions include the acquiring of Stop & Shop in 2005, a supermarket chain in Port Moresby which also boasts a fully-fledged bakery operation and in 2008he acquiring of the Hardware Haus chain which includes the Kit Homes business and is a local institution.

There is a saying that you get out of business what you put into it, and I have never seen a company and an individual so dedicated to giving to the community. The success of their products comes from the dedication to their customers and their suppliers. In a move seen only by true men of vision the Endeavour Magazine • January 2013 • 30

company has taken on dilemmas such as logistics in Papa New Guinea and instead of lamenting the problem have tackled it head on and found a solution.

“Getting product from local farmers to the stores was once such a major issue we had to import the goods from Australia and New Zealand,” Mahesh recalls. “This was partly down to the rugged, difficult to manage terrain, high cost and long timeframes for transportation and much of the farmers’ produce was wasted. We approached this in a solution-finding manner and developed our own aircraft charters and cold storage produce centre to bridge the supply gap between local producers and international supply” Now, through this strategy they can carry a greater percentage of what the farmers produce, encouraging a demand for them to supply. This knock-on effect is in turn carried by CPL’s approach to providing education, training and development centres to the communities to ensure that all the people have as many advantages that can be provided to them.

part of

City Pharmacy is the leading pharmaceutical company in Papua New Guinea today. Currently we have 31 retail outlets nationwide, with City Pharmacy Badili opening this year and City Pharmacy, Vision City to open soon.

Our professionally-trained Pharmacists consist of Papua New Guineans and expatriates, who are there to provide helpful advice on medical and health care products, available in-store.

Find your nearest store on our website www.cpl.com.pg

CPL Group

“Our logistics personnel have over two decades of experience in distribution and marketing in the world and rugged geography of Papua New Guinea,” Mahesh says proudly. “No-one knows the region better than our team and while they’re some of the best drivers they’re also professional problem solvers.”

Rich in natural resources, Papua New Guinea demands specific skills, know-how and understanding to navigate and work there. The management team handles distribution through tropical jungle, mountains and remote, inaccessible landscapes supplying medical and pharmaceutical products as well as general goods to a small but developing market in which nearly half the population is under the age of twenty.

“We use a strong, ethical promotion to maintain customer loyalty,” Mahesh says.

As the biggest purchaser of pharmaceuticals, Papua New Guinea’s Department of Health looks for cost effective medicine, better service and the most efficient response.

This is no better illustrated than when recently the Major Hospital in Port Moresby did not have available an urgently require life-saving medicine for a relative of a very senior bureaucrat and Mahesh took it upon himself to find it and source it to her.

CPL Group is not only about being a successful business empire but about strengthening the community foundations from where their customers and employees are garnered.

This has been coalesced into the CPL Foundation which will be launched this year. This is a move to provide education and development training for women and children in rural Papua New Guinea and to strengthen the pool of resources the Papa New Guinea Economy sources from as well as giving them the opportunities to climb the various ranks of the corporate ladders.

“To strengthen the economy of the country you have to strengthen the resources of the people,” Mahesh says, “And education is the greatest resource.”

Forward and “solution finding” thinking is the hallmark of a true leader and CPL Group have conceptualized The PRIDE OF PAPA NEW GUINEA AWARDS for WOMEN to honour the women who do extraordinary things – the unsung heroes of their communities whose contribution to Papua New Guinea life is not widely known to the general public.

There are 6 medals to be awarded for the six categories plus prizes relating to the category that they have won. The key, being an ongoing support from CPL for the projects that the recepients have won their awards.

The importance of what Mr. Mahesh Patel and CPL Group to their country is clearly evident when you look at the modern steps this company have taken to improve the prospects of his country.

Papua New Guinea is one of the most culturally diverse countries on Earth, where according to recent data over eight

LOKUMAL have worked with CPL for 25 years. They consolidate all the products that CPL buys from their branches, and also supplies to the South Pacific region, the Caribbean, South America, Nigeria and Ghana.

They are very diversified in their supply of products which range from Sundries, Giftware, Household ware, Manchester,etc, to the supermarkets.

They also specialize in Hardware and construction materials. They have experienced merchandisers who source from all over the world and not only from their 6 branches.

Endeavour Magazine • January 2013 • 32

Endeavour Magazine • January 2013 •

CPL Group

hundred different languages have been listed for the country and there are at least as many traditional societies, out of the population of about 6.2 million. It is also one of the most rural with only eighteen percent living in urban centres. It is also very unexplored both culturally and geographically with many undiscovered species of plants and animals thought to exist within its interior.

Despite, Papa New Guinea being the seventh fastest growing economy in the world, with a strong mining and

resource sector many of its people still live in less than $1.50 a day, with many of them living in traditional societies and practising subsistence-based agriculture.

However, CPL Group offers development without the loss of traditional life and with so much culture available in the country it is considered one of the resources of the country. With access to extensive warehousing in Papua New Guinea and Australia, a reliable network of stores, franchises and the logistical knowhow, CPL Group and its affiliated

companies are in the perfect place to continue making positive developments.

As already mentioned, CPL Group started as a pharmacy and City Pharmacy is the leading pharmaceutical company in Papua New Guinea today with currently thirty one retail outlets nationwide with plans for more openings in future.

“Our professionally trained Pharmacists consists of Papua New Guineans and expatriates,” Mahesh explains, “And are there to provide advice on medical and health care products, available in-store.”

At their heart is a business based on giving back and they provide Papua New Guineans with medicines, health care and beauty products; it is also a very large purchaser of products from other PNG suppliers. The company conducts business with the Government and services hospitals, most mining, gas and petroleum projects, provincial governments and major institutions.

Mahesh considers CPL Group’s service providing, of medical and health care products as its community responsibility and support for the people across the region of Papa New Guinea to have this within reach and use.

“We willingly perform this duty to make the livelihoods of every Papua New Guinean a little bit better, especially for those without adequate medical services and the rural population,” he concludes.

Endeavour Magazine • January 2013 • 35

Changi Airport Group www.changiairport.com +65 6595 6868 Written by Daemon Sands

BASED ON THE TRIP HE TOOK

THROUGH THE AIRPORT Endeavour Magazine • January 2013 • 37

Changi Airport Group

Earlier this year my wife and I were able to take a well-deserved break and fly to Asia for a long overdue holiday, the details of which are unimportant. Commonly an article about a holiday would be focussed on the holiday however I am writing this piece to let you know about the spectacular experience we encountered right at the start while our flight was delayed due to a delay with an overseas airport.

Slide @ T3

What began as a bothersome stumble became an entirely enjoyable experience thanks to the clear efforts that the Changi Airport Group have put into keeping their benchmark product at the very height of efficiency and ease.

Some background to set the scene: Singapore based, air hub, Changi Airport Group Pte Ltd was formed on 16 June 2009 and the corporatisation of Singapore Changi Airport followed on 1 July 2009. As the company managing Changi Airport, CAG undertakes key functions focusing on airport operations and management, development, commercial activities and airport emergency services.

As the world’s most awarded airport, having garnered

more than 400 accolades since it opened in 1981 everything is tailored around the needs of the passenger. To serve them and visitors from the world over, there are over 330 retail stores and 120 F&B outlets across the airport’s three terminals.

Known for our discerning tastes my wife and I found one of the most impressive things to be the stark contrast in styles of Changi Airport compared to the British and European counterparts. It was remarkably easy to forget that we were in an airport at all - instead we lost ourselves within the expansive mall-styled shopping centre and wandered through their newly erected tranquillity gardens. This is of particular relevance because I find it very difficult to get agitated when surrounded by nature and I’m certain that this garden area has managed to sooth many passengers with fears of flying or anger at having been unlucky enough to have a delayed flight.

In fact, the numbers speak for themselves. Changi Airport registered its highest number of passengers for the month of October where over 4 million movements recorded last month which is 10% higher than the same period last year.

Concurrently, Changi handled 27 600 flight movements and passenger traffic to and from the Middle East and continued its upward trend with the region contributing double-digit growth every month this year.

Xperience Lounge @ T2 Endeavour Magazine • January 2013 • 39

Changi Airport Group

This increase of local traffic and the rising numbers of traffic to and from areas such as Southeast and Northeast Asia and Southwest Pacific accentuates Changi Airport’s status as a major Asia-Pacific air hub. As of the 1st November 2012, Changi Airport has become connected to 230 cities in 60 countries and serves more than 100 airlines operating some 6,4 00 weekly flights with a flight taking off every 100 seconds.

Efficiency has a remarkably effect on people and is palatable in the atmosphere and although the airport floor is very crowded with people there is a smooth flow of traffic that suggests everything has been carefully planned out for this very purpose. Of course, a lot of this falls to the businesses upon the airport floor that are there to attract the attention and imaginations of the travellers. My wife and

Orchid Garden @ T2 Endeavour Magazine • January 2013 • 40

I spent a great deal of time in the Indian Jewellers where I found the service to be especially prevalent to keeping her mood intact as she sampled the many fine pendants on offer.

What I especially enjoyed was the person-to-person approach that this store had, a cheerful smile and a helpful attitude is something that is sometimes lacking in other areas but it’s true that every smile you receive improves your day just that little bit more.

To maintain their position as a leader in their region, an attitude of continuous improvement and development drives this organisation.

“Changi Recommends” is now available at ever y terminal with the opening of its third outlet at Terminal 1’s Arrival Hall. Changi Recommends offers exclusive deals for the best experiences in Singapore which my wife found particularly handy when it came to re-planning our holiday. Visitors to Singapore can also conveniently purchase open-top sightseeing bus tickets and tour packages from the City Sightseeing counters at the Arrival Halls of Terminals 2 and 3.

As we were going to be looping back through Singapore on the tail end of our journey we made full use of the innovative products that Changi have made available to simplify the process of airport travel. In September 2010, the original iChangi app for smartphones was launched and since has become hugely popular with Changi’s passengers and visitors. Cited as the “must-have” app in Singapore the app has been downloaded close to a million times, with an average of more than a million uses each month. The app that we were using was the enhanced, iChangi HD application for the iPad which was released on the 15th October 2012. This provided my wife and I with all the details of our travel, terminal maps and information about Changi’s retail outlets and food and beverage eateries.

For the very first time, this app comes with 360-degree visuals of popular facilities and attractions at the airport.

As an updated and improved version of the original app this one leverages the iPad’s wider screen size and offers improved visual quality and enhanced functionality for users.

Josephine found a handy YouTube video on how to use it. Mr Steve Lee, Chief Information Officer, Changi Airport Group, was quoted on saying: “We have designed the iChangi HD app to meet the needs of a technologically-savvy audience with sophisticated needs. Changi’s airport maps, an important feature commonly used by passengers, have been enhanced on this app to provide more detail that is easy-onthe eye. Real-time flight data displayed in various easy-touse formats is also a new feature and with push notification functionality, passengers are kept up-to-date with the latest flight information. Besides passengers, airport visitors will find the app useful too, with more detailed information about travel deals and retail and dining promotions.”

“With the enhanced features of this app, we aim to provide passengers with the best airport experience, one that is personalised, stress-free and positively surprising.

Innovative offerings such as the iChangi HD app augment the Changi Experience, which is already well-served by the range of first-class airport facilities and amenities for our passengers and airport visitors,” said Mr Lee. You can download the app here.

Koi Pond @T3 Endeavour Magazine • January 2013 •

Changi Airport Group

The various attractions, distractions and must-sees at Changi Airport include five thematic gardens, movie theatres, free Wi-Fi and Internet kiosks, a variety of retail outlets and eateries and a rooftop swimming pool!

In July 2012, they marked a new milestone for Terminal 1 (T1), the Grand Dame with upgrading works for their oldest terminal finally being completed.

Started in May 2008, this S$500 million T1 upgrading project has given the terminal a fresh and rejuvenated look.

Works were carried out to refurbish the terminal’s interior design and finishes, as well as improve passenger flow at key areas such as the Departure Check-in Hall, Departure Transit Mall and Arrival Hall. About 22,000 sqm have also been added to the building, bringing the total floor space of T1 to about 308,000 sqm. The larger floor area provides for more spatial comfort, better passenger flow, additional facilities and expanded retail and F&B offerings.

Developed on the thematic concept of a ‘Tropical City’, the upgraded T1 reflects Singapore’s reputation as a garden city. Improvements to the façade and terminal facilities were done with the aim of improving the overall experience for passengers.

Changes were made to the layout of the terminal, with the introduction of better way finding elements. Added to this,

higher ceilings, improved lighting, wider thoroughfares and thoughtful landscaping have all contributed to a high quality experience that is synonymous with the Changi Experience.

A major challenge facing the project engineers was to carry out the upgrading even as T1 remained operational.

This meant that works had to be done in phases during the four-year period to accommodate the different operational requirements of the terminal’s users. A total of 1.5 million man-hours were utilised during the project and at its peak, 385 workers could be found onsite at the terminal, toiling round the clock.

A highlight of the revamped Departure Check-in Hall is the addition of the world’s largest kinetic art sculpture.

Known as Kinetic Rain, this sculpture is made up of a total of 1,216 bronze droplets, moving in synchrony to a specially choreographed dance every day.

Future plans include more developments to the existing open-air car park fronting T1 into an aviation-related mixeduse complex, this project will increase the handling capacity by 14% to 24 million passengers per annum. As part of this project, some of the public areas of the T1 building will be expanded, allowing for more space for aviation facilities such as the baggage claim hall, arrival hall, car park and taxi bays.

The needs of today’s travellers have evolved and it is

Rooftop swimming pool @ T1

important for Changi Airport to keep up-to-date with these changes in order to remain relevant to passengers. Hence, the mixed-use complex will host facilities for travel segments such as fly-cruise and fly-coach which are increasingly popular.

“Focus on heartware too,” Mr Lee Seow Hiang, Chief Executive Officer, Changi Airport Group said, “Terminal 1 holds a special place in the hearts of many Singaporeans given its long history. We are pleased to have retained its heritage while preparing it for the contemporary ambience and improved facilities, passengers and visitors will continue to have a world class airport experience in T1.

The upgrading of T1 would not have been possible without the strong support of everyone in the airport community. We thank all of them for their understanding and cooperation during the upgrading period.”

It is a marvel what has been accomplished and a business model that other airport groups would do very well to follow.

My wife has never been so contented in an airport before and when she is happy so am I. Our trip to Asia was marked by a spectacular beginning and a matching end and will definitely feature in any return to the continent. It is not every day that an airport can leave such a warm feeling.

Butterfly Garden @ T3

Kinetic Art Sculpture

Endeavour Magazine • January 2013 • 43

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Swiss Deluxe Hotel www.swissdeluxehotels.ch + +41 43 243 71 40 Written by Don Campbell

COMMITTED TO

QUALITY Endeavour Magazine • January 2013 • 47

Swiss Deluxe Hotel

Standards separate and when it comes to luxury you won’t find anything that compares with the Swiss standard of luxury.

Centuries of refining has developed a benchmark appeal for anything Swiss, a unique approach and certain reliability and trust that have become the hallmark slogan for this country.

I spoke with the Head of Media Relations Stefan Mathys regarding the importance of standard upkeep and the historic origin of winter tourism at the Kulm Hotel in St. Moritz.

Swiss Deluxe Hotels, one name says it all. This unique worldwide group of 39 Swiss five-star hotels unites the prestigious names of the Swiss luxury hotel industry. The hotels are exclusive in the quality they offer, in the pride and prestige they radiate and in the personal touch which characterizes their excellent service.

Since 1934 Swiss Deluxe Hotel Group has centralized and coordinated the top hotels in Switzerland, ensuring that through the offering and quality of these establishments that the standard of the industry as a whole remains of the highest echelon. Synonymous with exclusive quality and superior forms, the standard of personal service is unique.

Over 4500 members of staff are dedicated to the comfort and wellbeing of guests who are also indelibly accustomed to luxury in service.

“Service Excellence is not only one of our guiding principles,” says SDH Chairman Jan E. Brucker during a recent interview, “It is also an essential element behind all we think and do.”

These high standards are also appreciated by guests, who delight in the exclusive ambiance of the hotels. As one third of the visiting guests are Swiss themselves, with the remaining being made up of international guests from the USA and Germany travelling either on holiday or on business.

“We are also experiencing a growing pull from Asia, Brasil and Middle East,” Stefan indicates, “Which is new territory for us and has influenced a shift in our approach. Altogether there is a recorded annual total of over eight hundred and fifty thousand overnight stays.”

“And, with an average annual investment volume of CHF 300 million, Swiss Deluxe Hotels continues to provide every exclusive amenity in the superior quality that has always Endeavour Magazine • January 2013 • 48

Endeavour Magazine • January 2013 •

Swiss Deluxe Hotel

epitomized the Swiss luxury hotel industry.” - Stefan.

The Swiss preoccupation with excellence is something we take for granted. Their enviable reputation is seen in all facets of the culture and landscape, with the tradition of first class hospitality, breath-taking natural beauty and the rich array of cultural attractions, this country has long been a magnet for the most discerning of visitors.

But Swiss Deluxe Hotels were the first to introduce “Standards of Excellence” in 1993, which has 850 different criteria. All services are covered with this mode of performance from the concierge through to room service, which are tested and evaluated. It has always been in the

little details and even things like language and mannerisms in addressing guests and eye contact are examined.

It is precisely this attention to the smallest but crucial details that makes a stay at a Swiss Deluxe Hotel one to treasure.

“The grandeur of the hotel, the antiques, precious works of art and the opulent contemporary comfort will satisfy a guest’s taste for luxury,” Stefan illustrates, “But it is the way in which they are treated by the staff that will have them returning every year.”

It is here that an interesting development has occurred regarding the staff:

“As there is a growing influx of visitors from Asia and further abroad,” Stefan says, “We have had to train our staff in the proper etiquette expected from these cultures and find the best manners in which to introduce them to ours.”

Winter holidays and tourism was once something that the population living away from mountains and winter wonder lands balked at and the turning point occurred over a hundred years ago at the Kulm Hotel St. Moritz.

“Winter tourism began when Mr. Johannes Badrutt, owner of Kulm Hotel, bet some guests the price of their stay that they could sit outside the hotel in the snow and winter sunshine in T-shirts,” Stefan reveals, “That was all it took

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Endeavour Magazine • January 2013 • 51

Swiss Deluxe Hotel

and a hundred years later a winter holiday is on everyone’s to-do-list.”

The Kulm Hotel St. Moritz stands right at the centre of St. Moritz, and affords the best views over the nearby lake accompanied with the latest creature comforts and a warm-hearted welcome. Within its noble walls awaits an incomparable aura that is founded on 150 years of traditional hospitality merging state-of-the-art infrastructure and late 19th century elegance.

In 1856, when the Kulm Hotel St. Moritz opened its doors for the first time, its founder, Johannes Badrutt, he initiated a tradition that is very much alive today, to provide each guests, young or old, with a cherished and unforgettable memory.

Taking this into account, the Kulm Hotel St. Moritz is characterized not only by style but also by originality and following on from inventing winter tourism; it was at St. Moritz where the first electric arc light in Switzerland was lit, and fittingly, where the 1928 and 1948 Winter Olympic Games were officially opened.

Pride is vital and one of the reasons why the hotel has been opened for 150 years. The lovingly preserved original décor and the state-of-the-art infrastructure sets them apart and the distinguishing mark of the decorative art of their building is the combination of late 19th century elegance and

local, Engadine elements.

A 173-room hotel of our stature wouldn’t be complete without a Presidential suite and a selection of Luxury and Junior suites. Many rooms interconnect as needed – a feature much appreciated by families and every room faces their impressive views. For the south-facing rooms it is the jewel-like Lake St. Moritz and for those facing north, the spectacular south flanks of Piz Nair and other enticing parts of the Corviglia region.

Not only tourists wanting to enjoy the scenery, hospitality and winter sports but businesses flock to Kulm and all of the other 38 hotels in the Swiss Deluxe catalogue. Nothing makes an impression like a corporate function, meeting or stay than extreme luxury and service, all the hotels come with functional venues and the staff are particularly well trained in this regard. There is another reason why businesses enjoy these hotels as a venue of choice: “Our discretion”, says Jan E. Brucker, chairman of Swiss Deluxe Hotels, “Protecting the privacy of our guests is one of our hotel traditions.”

In conclusion, whether you are a tourist wishing to try your skiing legs or a business leader wanting to make a lasting and memorable statement to your partners or staff then one of these thirty nine hotels simply have to be on your list of destinations.

Pure delight … in quality has defined the philosophy of «Läderach – chocolatier suisse» since the family-owned business was first founded by Rudolf Läderach in 1962. In a bid to simplify the chocolate-maker’s craft for his fellow confectioners the passionate chocolatier Rudolf Läderach invented the hollow truffle shell. This semi-finished product vastly improved the quality of truffles and simplified the manufacturing process, much to the delight of his colleagues in the trade.

The foundation stone to a success story had thus been laid. Today, an impressive production facility specialising in genuine Swiss confectionery stands at the foot of the Alps of Glarus in Switzerland.

Endeavour Magazine • January 2013 • 52

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ENTRY TO

AFRICA Tanzania Ports Authority www.tanzaniaports.com +255 683 800 944 Written by Don Campbell

Endeavour Magazine • January 2013 • 55

Tanzania Ports Authority

While the Port Authority has been in existence in one form or another since the founding of Tanzania, its current personification is the answer to a specific need and so they have always known exactly what their purpose is.

“We have several principle activities to consider,” Franklin Mziray Corporate Communications Manager tells us, “Firstly, the coordinated and streamlined establishment and upgrade of the Harbour systems and two the upgrading of the Tanzanian ports to an international standard where we can provide the facilities relevant to harbours and harbour services and gain approval from the Minister to construct and operate new harbours.”

This requires the construction of beacons and navigational aids, the various businesses of managing the logistics of the harbour, developing warehousing to store goods and the consignment of said goods and the development of an environment prepared and ready for further international business development.

“The development and keen logistic management of the port is important for Tanzanian economic growth which comes from a number of areas, not only the local development of business and employment of local people but since a number of Tanzanian neighbours are entirely landlocked and as such make use of the invaluable sea and lake ports within the authority’s control.”- Franklin.

The catalogue of ports that fall under the Tanzania Port Authority include sea and lake ports, the main sea ports include Dar Es Salaam, Tanga and the recently updated Mtwara and lake ports including Lake Victoria, Lake Tanganyika and Lake Nyasa.

Dar es Salaam port is the Tanzania principal port with a rated capacity of 4.1 million DWT, (deadweight tonnage is a measurement of how much weight a ship is carrying or can safely carry) dry cargo and 6.0 million DWT bulk liquid cargo.

The Port has a total quay length of about 2,000 metres with eleven deep-water berths. The Dar es Salaam port handles Endeavour Magazine • January 2013 • 56

Endeavour Magazine • January 2013 •

Tanzania Ports Authority

95% of the Tanzania international trade and serves the landlocked countries of Malawi, Zambia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda. Strategically placed to serve as a convenient freight linkage not only to and from East and Central Africa countries this port also bridges the gap between the middle and Far East, Europe, Australia and America.

In September 2012 the first phase for the Mtwara Port’s improvement has started with the construction of four berths and the expansion of the supply base for oil and gas exploration activities.

“Mtwara is hastily becoming Tanzania’s economic powerhouse and the question today is how well prepared are Mtwarans to adapt,” says Franklin, “And benefit from the fast economic changes in the southern region.”

Speaking at the Regional Consultative Council (RCC), Mtwara Regional Commissioner Joseph Simbakalia challenged the southerners to prepare for the sweeping economic changes by investing in their children’s education.

“We have to seriously take our children to school to fully enjoy the fruits of the coming social and economic development,” said Mr Simbakalia who also chaired the RCC. The deep water port at Mtwara was built between 1948 and 1954 and its development was accompanied by railway construction from Mtwara and Nachingwea. Although, with the failure of the groundnut scheme, the rail system fell into disuse and this is one of the targets of the authority to coordinate. Infrastructure development to increase movement to and from the port is key to its sustainable growth.

The deep water quay is dredged to -9.8 metres chart datum, an advantage is there are no tidal restrictions for vessels entering and leaving the harbour but there is an enforcement length restriction of 175 metres due to the shape of the channel, particularly the MSEMO SPIT area.

Recognizing that with its success as a Corporate Citizen, comes the responsibility of giving back to the Society in a meaningful and sustainable manner the Tanzania Port Authority are keen to contribute to social progress and

improve the lives of Tanzanians through poverty alleviation and promotion of economic development.

To support the Government Development Initiatives, the Authority focuses its assistance to main areas of Health, Education, Social Development, the Physically Handicapped Group and also responding to the national disasters.

During the year, the Authority supported community development projects in the areas of education where assistance was focused on the construction of classes, provision of desks and other utilities. Donation money was granted towards hospital materials, refurbishment of wards and Health Centres to various communities and social developments projects on sanitation were also considered.

The physically handicapped were provided with special traffic road signs as mitigation on challenges they face on roads, the first step on this process is to ensure that relevant signs are placed at various road crossings in Dar es Salaam.

“When dealing with natural disaster aid the ports are one of the crucial entry ports to Tanzania and our neighbours for relief foods and equipment,” Franklin explains, “And recently the need has been more important than ever.”

In conclusion there is a great deal of work that is still required but the key benefit is that it’s clear in which direction they need to go and significant steps have been taken to keep them on this road. As their country depends more and more of their strength as an organisation and business the more notable their decisions will become.

Endeavour Magazine • January 2013 • 59

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GOING COASTAL

by Bevan Langley

Bevan Langley, the prolific surfer, photographer and wildman is back again with an update on his latest developments in Surfing.

Three years ago I decided to move back home after my father passed away so I could help look after my mom and younger brother who were living in Durban.

At the time I was a young tour guide, living out my dream of travelling Africa and taking photos of some of the continent’s most amazing wildlife, landscapes and people, all the while getting to share these experiences with the many guests who came from all over the world. It really was a most amazing period in my life, and one that holds many

dear memories for me, but also one that I had to cut short in order to help out at home.

I found it quite difficult to adjust to life at home again. No more long drives into the bush to get photos of the sunset, or stories around the fire at dinner time. No threat of animals in the night, or endless beaches with untouched waves around every point. Home was a bit of a culture-shock.

As a photographer, this also left quite a fork in the road.

The only real options I had available in Durban were in the commercial industry, which didn’t really appeal to me, so I decided to take up a post as a lecturer at a private design college while I found my feet.

As time went by and I began settling in again, I found it Endeavour Magazine • January 2013 • 63

a strange place knowing that this is where I was supposed to be, but not necessarily where I wanted to be, and so it got me thinking. I needed to find a way to reconnect with all the things that I missed so much, and get back into the business of telling stories, surfing and sharing my beautiful continent through my images.

A few months after returning home, I was invited to Plettenberg Bay to work with a good friend from my touring days, John Henry, who runs a surf school in the area. It was his busy season and he needed some extra hands so he

invited my family out to spend some time with them so I could help out at the school.

Our days were spent on the beach, teaching John’s clients how to catch and ride waves, and basically have the time of their lives in the ocean, while in the evening, we would meet up to chat around his dining room table. It felt like the good old days again.

One important thing to note about John Henry is that he is one of the most passionate members of the coastal community I have ever met. I’m fairly certain he’s spent more

time in the sea than on dry land. Our conversations would meander through his many years spent travelling the world looking for perfect waves as well as what life was like on the coast in the early days of surfing in South Africa. I’m a sucker for a good story, so these conversations would go on well into the night.

One evening the conversation centred on our time in coastal tourism and how remarkable it had been; all the trips, the waves, adventures and amazing experiences. We joked about writing books or starting websites where we

and other people could share their coastal experiences with the rest of the world.

We must have felt that we were onto something though, because the conversation continued on and off for the next 3 weeks until, by the time I was ready to head home again, we had decided that something needed to be done about all our talk.

Once home, I tried a number of outlets like blogs and photo books, but nothing really seemed to hit the nail on the head for me and as time went by, I was beginning to wonder Endeavour Magazine • January 2013 • 65

if there was anything left to try.

Our idea had all but fizzled out until one day I got contacted by a young film maker from Santa Cruz, California named Kyle Thiermann. Kyle was making a documentary film about a proposed nuclear power plant in Thyspunt in the Eastern Cape, the development of which is predicted to have devastating environmental consequences and he wanted me to help him shoot for the film. It sounded like a great opportunity so I met up with him in Durban, and then proceeded on to Jeffrey’s Bay and then on to Thyspunt where we spent some time filming in the area.

As the trip went on, I became quite inspired by young Kyle Thierman and his unique approach and attitude to his work. He had a dedicated purpose and was using his passion - surfing and film-making - as a tool to speak to other surfers and initiate change. This really got me thinking about what I could to with my experience in the field and how I could use my passions, these being surfing and photography, to tell the stories that would bring about change.

With renewed impetus and vigour, I returned home with ideas on how John and I could take our conversation out of the realm of talk and into the realm of reality. I went to visit

some friends of mine in the technology industry and what followed was a 3 year venture that finally came to fruition in October this year in what is now known as Go Coastal.

Go Coastal is the online existence of our dream, a platform for people to share their coastal experiences and get travel advice from those in the know.

As a photographer, Go Coastal has given me a great sense of purpose in the last while. Even though things have changed quite a bit, and I am not able to get out as much as I used to, I’m finding that I can still be a tour guide to people around the coast, this time not in person but through my

photos and the stories that I share on Go Coastal. It has given me a new reason to pack my camera and head for the coast.

It is true what is said about necessity being the mother of all invention, and in this case, a great desire to surf, travel and share in my experiences through photographs has allowed for this new direction that I am very eagerly taking on. I am hoping that, just as Kyle once inspired me by finding purpose and using his passion as a tool for invention, I can use this new venture to inspire others to find their invention too. www.go-coastal.com Endeavour Magazine • January 2013 • 67

n o s u c fo city

` 272 rooms (standard, executive, deluxe, suite) “enjoy the style and tradition” ` 5 Conference rooms with courtyard view ` ARAZ Restaurant with terrace & Cocktail Bar ` Gallery Café & Corporate Lounge 272 rooms (standard, executive, deluxe, suite) ` Continental Spa & Fitness Room 5 Conference rooms with courtyard view ` Roof Garden

` ` ` ARAZ Restaurant with terrace & Cocktail Bar ` Gallery Café & Corporate Lounge ` Continental Spa & Fitness Room ` Roof Garden

H-1074 Budapest, Dohány utca 42-44. | Tel: +36 1 815 1000 | E-mail: continentalinfo@zeinahotels.com | www.continentalhotelbudapest.com