MDBCONNECTS 2012 - 3rd edition by Malaysian Dutch Business Council

SIP MILESTONE RESIDENCE PASS - T

MAKERS & DRIVERS OF BUSINESS & COMMERCE

KDN NO. PP11067/12/2010 (025836)

HUMAN RESOURCES TAKES CENTRESTAGE THIS ISSUE, WITH SIP, WoW AND RP-T

WORLD OF WORK ISSUE: 3RD EDITION 2012

692k

1.5M

1.4M

1.8M

484k

744k

300k

757k

1.7M

442k 474k

433k

585k

1.3M

620k

417k

494k

335k

302k

609k

380k 1.1M

627k

338k

361k

805k

756k

504k

402k

317k

459k

2.1M

391k 536k

404k

545k

576k

318k

394k

795k

504k

302k

423k

750k

871k

566k

710k

357k

578k

400k

670k 325k

390k

744k

702k

692k

815k

609k 665k

626k 1.2M

490k 493k

1.3M

1.3M 630k

631k

1.3M

372k

336k 1.3M

657k

1.6M

1.2M 1.1M

1.9M

1.1M

314k

7.2M

385k

519k

396k 355k

585k

320k 341k

1.5M

537k

433k

333k 381k

331k

1.5M

333k 352k

308k

360k

568k

386k

833k

305k 368k

10.1M

331k 425k

387k

347k

1.2M

327k

510k

665k

832k

978k

351k

484k

406k

535k

339k

428k

377k

1.3M

612k

327k

453k

403k

560k

1.2M 941k

405k

371k

523k

1.3M

497k 570k

693k 708k

437k

734k

414k

361k

2.3M

330k

415k

556k

313k

309k

730k

404k

343k

2.2M

379k

450k 543k

319k

1.1M

493k

299k

364k

1.2M

614k

381k

WHETHER YOUR BUSINESS IS BIG OR SMALL, WE’RE EXACTLY THE RIGHT SIZE. • • • • • • •

At DHL we understand that different companies need different logistics solutions. That’s why we provide air, ocean and road freight expertise that caters for your specific requirements. And we offer you flexibility and easy access to a wide range of services all over the world through a local and personalised contact. So whether you’re moving ten pallets, or a hundred containers, you’ll find something that fits you just right at DHL.

CONTENTS MEMBERS

BIG STORY

MDBC EVENTS / 12

INSIDE LOOK / 36

MDBC / Henry Goh & Co IP Seminar MDBC 3rd Annual HR Forum

GREEN BOARD / 39

/21

MEMBERS NEWS / 23 SOCIAL / 40 NEW MEMBERS / 42

DIALOGUE IP UPDATE / 13 HR UPDATE / 17 TALENT CORP RP-T / 19

COMMUNITY MDBC MILESTONE / 11 SPECIAL EVENT - MSA / 21 EMBASSY NEWS / 29 EU / EUMCCI / 31 STUDENT INTERNSHIP PROGRAM / 33

/23

/39

S A

MDBC MEMBERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO MAKE BETTER USE OF OUR GROWING EXPOSURE AND NETWORK. WE ARE READY TO BE OF ASSISTANCE TO YOU! Dear MDBC members and friends, I will not go as far as coming up with our own MDBC version of Oppa Gangnam style, but it is clear that the MDBC does have its own style as well: Club-like yet professional; Informal yet maintaining protocol; Direct yet respectful; Business-wise yet cozy (‘gezellig’)! I always consider it the best compliment when our guests at events tell us that the session was not just very informative and useful, but that we have created an environment in which people feel at home and enjoy the networking. This applies both to members and guests. Such a pleasant environment makes it possible for our members to start new contacts and pursue mutual business opportunities in a positive way; our intention is to make this feeling even stronger.

The strength of our Council goes further than this. The steady growth of our membership (maintained above 200) and active presence in the Malaysian business community has enabled us to establish a much broader network and a much stronger exposure. A wider distribution of our publications, especially this (MDBConnects), our Business Directory and active on-line activities (social media, Apps) further support this growing network and exposure.

and network, there is a wide variety of opportunities available to support your business operations and of course, as a membership organisation, we are ready to be of assistance to you! Join the MDBC experience! I promise you we will not make you dance, whether it’s Gangnam or MDBC style! EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR MARCO WINTER

In the office we can feel this development by the larger number of communication which comes our way: more inquiries, more requests for cooperation, support and donations, more invitations to attend conferences, seminars and functions, and more documentation and publications to read. MDBC members are encouraged to make more and better use of this exposure

MDBC BOARD OF DIRECTORS Dato’ Jaffar Indot, Chairman Jepamajosa Sdn Bhd

Mr. Jan-Willem Smulders AQ Services International

Mr. Remco Koster, Vice Chairman Woodwing Asia Pacific Sdn Bhd

Ms. Barbara Voskamp VoskampLawyers

Datin Sandra van Hellemond, Treasurer QPA Sdn Bhd

Mr. Joos Louwerier ING Insurance Berhad

Mr. Marco Winter MDBC Executive Director

Dr. Wim Botermans RB Lifescience Sdn Bhd

Ms. Anne de Graaf Netherlands Embassy

Mr. Michael Brouwer Silverstreet Malaysia Sdn Bhd

Datuk Merlyn Kasimir Former CEO of Matrade

Honorary Member of the Board:

Mr. Jack Ang Markant (M) Sdn Bhd

H.E. Mr. Paul Bekkers Netherlands Ambassador

MDBC Patrons: Y.B. Dato’ Sri Mustapa Mohamed Minister of International Trade & Industry Y.B. Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz Member of Parliament

Malaysian Dutch Business Council Unit 808, 8th Floor Wisma Lim Foo Yong 86 Jalan Raja Chulan 50200 Kuala Lumpur Tel : 603 - 2722 8335 Fax : 603 - 2141 8335 Email : info@mdbc.com.my Website : www.mdbc.com.my

MDBCONNECTS · 3RD ISSUE 2012

CALENDAR

OCTOBER TUE 23 / 9.30AM

Members-for-Members on Personal Development at LeMidi Restaurant

FRI 2 / 6.00PM

MDBC Sustainability Awards 2012, Awards Ceremony & Dinner, at Crowne Plaza Mutiara KL

TUE 6 / 12.00NN

NOVEMBER

EUMCCI / MDBC VIP Luncheon with the Chairman of MIDA

FRI 2 / 9.00AM

THU 8 / 2.30PM

MDBC Sustainability Awards 2012, presentations by Shortlisted Companies, at Crowne Plaza Mutiara KL

Malaysian Hi-Tea, organised by NCH/ NMBC, with presentations of MIDA, Matrade and MDBC at Chamber of Commerce Amsterdam

MON 26 / 1.00PM

Visit to ResQtec Zumro and Besi APAC

THU 29 / 6.30PM

International SuperNetworking at Crowne Plaza Mutiara KL

NOTICE:

MDBC members will receive personal invitations for these functions by email once all details are confirmed. All events/dates to be reconfirmed.

Drinkers of the world, unite. Everywhere you go, you find the familiar sight of people savouring their Heineken, clanking the green bottles in merriment. Found in over 170 nations, Heineken is the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s No. 1 international premium beer. So come, the rest of the world awaits you.

MILESTONE STUDENT INTERNSHIP PROGRAM REACHES 100 STUDENTS IN 2012 AND SEES 1 ST WEDDING! What started in 2004 as an initiative to welcome some extra assistance to the MDBC has grown to be a one-of-a-kind program which has over the years seen MDBC coordinate nearly 350 internship placements in Malaysia for Dutch students. This year alone, we are reaching the 100-students mark, a true milestone! The unique MDBC Student Internship Program (SIP), in which MDBC cooperates with 8 partner-universities in the Netherlands and with our wide membership-base in Malaysia, has also received the appreciation of Malaysian authorities. Both the Ministry of International Trade & Industry as well as the Ministry of Tourism consider SIP a boost to Malaysia’s business and tourism exposure in the Netherlands. After all, these students themselves, as well as their community of family, friends, classmates, etc are all exposed to working, living and travelling in Malaysia and establishing life-time friendships and contacts. The popularity of Malaysia as a very suitable internship location for Dutch universities and students who are looking for international experience in this rapid growing part of the world is due to its centralised location in Asia, the excellent infrastructure and ease of communication. MDBC’s unique role in the coordination of the internships and support upon the students’ arrival in Malaysia (by providing the cultural briefing and by arranging for the work permits through the Malaysian Immigration Department), has also led to further SIP expansion and appreciation.

opportunities and benefits which a student can bring to their team or company. Due to their practical educational background, motivation and flexible attitude, the students can work on a variety of projects, research and activities.

On this page you will find several quotes and pictures that highlight the fantastic SIP experience for all parties! At MDBC, we are looking forward to a next milestone, welcoming the 500th student, which can be expected mid 2014.

MDBC’s students have proven to be of great value to our organisation

For more information please check the MDBC Student Internship Program Facebook page or write to internship@mdbc.com.my

Furthermore, during the internshipperiod, several “bilateral relationships” have blossomed. Recently, the first such wedding took place! Congratulations to Rick and Shereen who met in 2009 when Rick had his internship at AQ Services.

Rick & Shereen on their wedding day, joined by former SIPcolleagues in KL, Mathijs, Marlies, Suzanne and Sadia

Outstanding! One of the best times in my bachelor program. Participating companies in Malaysia are not just limited to Dutch multinationals or local hotels. Malaysian MNC’s, Malaysian and Dutch SMEs, several NGOs and a few companies of other origin are all equally enthusiastic on the

Great experience and an awesome time! MDBCONNECTS · 3RD ISSUE 2012

An exciting past few months it has been as we continue to integrate and interact with our fellow MDBC members to strengthen our business and trade communities, fostering new partnerships and opportunities whilst having ourselves a great time.

MDBC / HENRY GOH & CO IP SEMINAR MDBC held its long standing annual Intellectual Property (IP) seminar with member company Henry Goh & Co on 10 July at Holiday Inn Kuala Lumpur Glenmarie. This year’s seminar focused on how to Identify, Protect and Maintain Trade Marks, Patents and Industrial Designs. After a brief introduction by MDBC and Henry Goh & Co, the latter’s Legal Counsel, Registered Patent, Industrial Design & Trademark Agent, Lim Eng Leong, gave a presentation on “Trade Mark: Register, Don’t Just Manufacture”. Stressing the importance of registering trademarks, Eng Leong also highlighted the advantages of owning a Trade Mark such as providing exclusive rights to use for the registered proprietor and authorised users as well as the ability to command a premium price. Speaking on “Patent: The Innovation Booster - How Do I Get One” was Oon Yen Yen (Business Development Manager, Registered Patent, Industrial Design & Trademark Agent, Henry Goh & Co) who took us through the steps of applying for a Patent as well as pointing out what were

patentable and non patentable inventions. Yen Yen also highlighted the always important, but often forgotten point that patent rights belong to the owner of the invention but that the owner is not always the inventor. Simply put, the inventor is the creator of the invention but the owner is the applicant who is entitled to the invention. Different from this approach are applications for Industrial Design. As presented by Alvin Boey (Registered Patent, Industrial Design & Trademark Agent, Henry Goh & Co), Industrial Designs focus on the visual appearance of your products, not the technical or functionality of your products. Additionally, the author (or person who created the design) is treated as the original owner of the Industrial Design. This changes if the industrial design was created in pursuance of a commission, in which case the person who commissioned the work is treated as the original owner. After also taking the audience through the application process as well as do’s and don’ts, Dr. Woon Weng Chuen (Head,

Bottom: Attendees at the Ip Seminar listening to the updates provided by the speakers Bottom right: Panelists l to r - Azlina Khalid, Pn. Shamsiah Kamaruddin, Dave Wyatt, Dr. Woon Weng Chuen, Alvin Boey, Oon Yen Yen and Lim Eng Leong during the panel discussion

Commercialisation & Incubation Branch and Head, IP Management Branch, Forest Research Institute of Malaysia) shared his experiences as an IP owner IP Management in Malaysia. Dr. Woon strongly recommended organizations get involved in IP Management and highlighted the benefits of not just being pro active, but in organizations performing their own due diligence. Wrapping up the presentations was Puan Shamsiah Kamarrudin (Deputy Director General Industrial Estate, MyIPO) who briefed everyone on the upcoming developments in Malaysia’s IP laws. She identified 6 Strategic Initiatives which will be pursued by MyIPO: *Strengthening the legal infrastructure of Intellectual Property *IP Valuation Initiative and IP Collateralization *Enhancing the IP service delivery system *Upgrading the IP Training Centre (IPTC) to an IP Academy *Promoting IP Awareness *International Treaties MyIPO hopes that the effective implementation of these initiatives will help to create a conducive IP ecosystem to encourage local and foreign enterprises anchor an IP value chain in Malaysia as well as financing of IP based investments. For more photos please check the MDBC Facebook Page at:

MDBCONNECTS · 3RD ISSUE 2012

IP UPDATE

DIALOGUE

ALL CHANGE FOR BRUNEI PATENTS Text: Dave A. Wyatt (Head - Patent & Industrial Design, Henry Goh & Co) and Lim Eng Leong (Legal Council, Registered Patent, Industrial Design & Trade Mark Agent, Henry Goh & Co) Brunei Darussalam is an important market for a rising number of Malaysian companies. With this in mind, MDBC member company Henry Goh & Co included an update on the changes for Brunei Patents that companies should be aware of. Also included are updates on Copyright Voluntary Notification. Patents Order, 2011 came into force on 01 January 2012. Following that, on 17 February 2012 Brunei became bound by the Paris Convention, and on 24 July 2012 the country’s accession to the PCT and Budapest Treaty took effect. The substantive and procedural aspects of the new law closely mirror those of the current Singapore Patents Act 1994. English is the prescribed official language. Brunei’s accession to the PCT will be of particular interest to foreign IP owners. It will allow applicants in many cases

to pursue a streamlined prosecution process by relying on the results of the international preliminary examination. As of June 2012, Copyright protection in Malaysia has also marked significant developments with the coming into force of the Copyright (Voluntary Notification) Regulations 2012. While there is still no formal copyright registration process (due to automatic protection by virtue of Berne Convention), copyright owners can now notify and deposit a copy of the work eligible for copyright with MyIPO in order to attain more tangible protection. A Notification under the Regulations shall be made by a citizen or permanent resident of Malaysia only. The work must be titled and if it is in a language other than the national language or English, the name of that language and its translation must be provided.

One requirement is that the copy of work must be “clear and of durable quality to the satisfaction of the Controller” (standard opened to interpretation); although either hard or electronic copies are permitted. If the notification is in order and upon its successful entry into the Register, the Controller shall inform the Applicant in writing. Despite its voluntary nature, the notification does have a profound effect on the admissibility of evidence. This is because the original presumption of ownership under the Act is maintained and any certified extracts from the Register shall be prima facie evidence of the particulars therein and shall be admissible in all courts. Since most copyright owners have for years been demanding a more tangible form of protection, the new Regulations can be seen as a fulfillment of such a request. For more information on these updates, please contact Henry Goh & Co.

MDBCONNECTS · 3RD ISSUE 2012

TMF Group navigates businesses cross borders seamlessly With over 100 wholly-owned offices worldwide, TMF Group offers a comprehensive range of compliance and administrative services which are critical for clients from a financial, reputation and risk management perspective. Our services are delivered in each country by our expert staff, professionals who have the key local knowledge and speak the language. Contact us Kuala Lumpur’s office 10th Floor, Menara Hap Seng, No. 1 & 3, Jalan P. Ramlee, 50250 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia T. +60 3 2382 4288, F. +60 3 2382 4170 malaysia@tmf-group.com

Labuan’s office Brumby Centre, Lot 42, Jalan Muhibbah, 87000 Labuan F.T., Malaysia T. +60 87 593 828, F. +60 87 417 242 labuan@tmf-group.com Penang’s office Suite S-21-H, 21st Floor, Menara Northam, 55 Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah, 10050 Penang, Malaysia T. +60 4 210 7118, F. +60 4 210 7111 malaysia@tmf-group.com

www.tmf-group.com The TMF Group consists of a number of companies worldwide. For details of TMF Group’s regulated companies, please see: www.tmf-group.com.

randstad world of work report 2012/13 the world of work is transforming: are you ready?

In Asia Pacific, the future is upon us every day. Rapidly changing market forces are compelling organisations to continuously re-invent and focus future strategy on driving whole business agility. At the heart of this is accelerating workforce productivity and harnessing the true potential of your talent. This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Randstad World of Work Report aims to bring our future into

the frame. To examine problems and solutions, the areas where we are making great strides, and those where we have more work to do. We hope this report will be the start of a long conversation. A conversation that will help us all gain a deeper understanding of how our world of work will change and transform in the future â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and most importantly, what we can do to prepare for it today. Register for your complimentary copy of the Malaysia edition of the Randstad World of Work Report 2012/13 at www.randstad.com.my/worldofwork

THE MDBC HR FORUM IS AN IMPORTANT AND

MDBC 3rd Annual HR Forum

INFORMATIVE MEETING OF HR PRACTITIONERS ENSURING THE SHARING OF PRACTICAL, EFFICIENT SOLUTIONS AND BEST PRACTICES.

Above: TalentCorp’s Siralan during the practical session Top right: Panelists l to r - Jasmine Kaur, Elizabeth Lee, CC Lim, Audra Pakalnyte and Deb Loveridge Bottom right: Attendees at the MDBC 3rd Annual HR Forum

MDBC held its 3rd annual HR Forum at Crowne Plaza Mutiara KL. In cooperation with TalentCorp Malaysia, this year’s event began with a practical session for guests who were interested in learning more about the Residence Pass – Talent (RP-T) program being offered. This session proved to be very beneficial for attendees, providing them with detailed eligibility and application information about RP-T program (also see page 19). A Q&A session with TalentCorp Malaysia representative Siralan Palanisamy (Manager Foreign Talent Facilitation), also provided TalentCorp with a fantastic opportunity to get immediate feedback from the community about their questions and concerns. After a brief break, the MDBC HR Forum, which was organised with event partners Randstad, Maxis and TalentCorp, began with a sharing of the results of Randstad’s Annual World of Work (WoW) Report by Jasmine Kaur, Director, Randstad Malaysia (also see page 16). 16

MDBCONNECTS · 3RD ISSUE 2012

According to Jasmin, “This year’s report is all about the future. The skills needed and how technology will transform our working lives. It provides valuable insights to help organizations of every size, tackle workforce planning for the decade ahead. Workforce planning is critical to all organizations. It helps to innovate, lead and succeed in the future.” Tied to this was the presentation by Deb Loveridge, Randstad Asia Pacific’s Managing Director, on the importance and benefits of Employer Branding, an effective way to recruit and retain talent – part and parcel of an organization’s workforce planning. “It helps organizations to build emotional bonds with top talent, setting your vision for the type of employer you want to be – who you are, what you want and what you stand for” said Deb. To address the use of technology and how it is transforming our working lives, CC Lim, Managing Partner, EMI Solutions Sdn Bhd, gave a presentation on utilizing technology to provide mobility solutions in HR on behalf of Maxis Mobile Services. Speaking on a common complaint by multinational companies that local fresh graduates are hard to hire because they simply lack the necessary skills were Audra Pakalnyte (HR Manager, Symphony HRS) and Elizabeth Lee (Senior Executive Director, Sunway

University). Both provided details on what companies can do and what efforts are being made by private education institutions to improve the talent pool. from the corporaet side, Audra spoke on her personal experiences with graduating training programs for fresh graduates which are done in cooperation with organizations such as the Selangor Human Resources Development Center (SHRDC). These programs are provided free of charge and give companies the opportunity to really pinpoint the exact skill sets they are looking for in a pool of potential applicants. The graduates then go through the training process (in which the companies are involved) and upon completion, companies can then be assured that they are choosing from a better talent pool. Elizabeth also indicated that while efforts were being made to improve the skills being taught, implementation of the correct curricula and the effects of it would take time. She added that it was an ongoing process that would still require the continued input of organizations such as the ones attending the Forum. For more pictures of the forum, please check out the MDBC Facebook Page at:

DIALOGUE

HR - World of Work Report THE WORLD OF WORK IS TRANSFORMING: ARE YOU READY? The last 12 months have been a time of rapid change in Malaysia. Rising domestic consumption has helped Malaysia withstand the impact of the European debt crisis. The introduction of a minimum wage, subsidies for palm oil farmers and wages growth for public sector workers, have boosted consumer confidence - all but assuring GDP growth of 3% in 2013. Unemployment remains low at around 3%, but could rise if government stimulus isn’t quickly replaced by private investment. A number of infrastructure projects are planned over the next five years, but global companies will need to be convinced about productivity improvements and the supply of skilled talent before foreign investment starts flowing. The Government knows development of a globally competitive, highly skilled and productive workforce is critical to achieving Malaysia’s goal of becoming a high income advanced nation by 2020. Yet a number of social and economic development challenges continue to fuel the brain drain that sees one in 10 skilled Malaysians leave the country to work or study overseas. In 2011, a new Government agency, TalentCorp, was established to improve the flow of skilled talent to support Malaysia’s economic transformation plan. While progress has been made with programs to improve vocational education, attract foreign professionals and encourage Malaysians working overseas to return home, a lack of skilled talent remains a significant barrier to growth. Our Randstad World of Work Report 2012/13 confirms attracting new talent for the next phase of growth and retaining top performers are the biggest human capital challenges Malaysians organisations face. In an effort to attract the highly skilled workers that will drive the next wave of productivity and innovation, the Government has introduced tax breaks and incentives to ease the earnings transition for Malaysians returning home from overseas. A new residence pass that enables skilled foreign workers and their families to live and work in Malaysia for up to 10 years is also

aimed at attracting more international professionals. Under tough circumstances, Malaysian employers acknowledge they face challenges like retaining and engaging talent, boosting productivity, creating flexible work options, and developing leadership skills for the next phase of growth. Yet, business leaders have learned much from previous hurdles in the economic development journey over several decades. I have no doubt they will rise to the challenge and collaborate with employees to manage this current period of change and lead stronger, more robust organisations into the future. This year’s report is all about the future. How work will be done, what skills will be needed and how technology will transform our working lives. As Malaysia aims to become a global player in growth industries such as oil & gas, healthcare, electronics and business services, employers highlight the need for creative leaders to motivate and inspire the workforce of the future, while employees again affirm the importance of inspirational leadership. Improving middle management capabilities, strengthening employee engagement and collaboration and aligning the workforce plan with business strategy are the key strategies employers will undertake to improving productivity over the next five years. Plans for addressing talent scarcity over the next decade also show employers are ready to embrace more flexible work options. Organisations will hire more people on a temporary or contract basis, more people on flexible work arrangements, and will promote more women into leadership roles. Malaysian employers admit they still have work to do to overcome cultural and practical barriers to offering flexible and remote work options — but they do see the benefits, particularly in terms of attracting and retaining talent, and improving employee engagement. The next five years are ultimately about developing a more highly skilled workforce to prepare for future growth in new sustainable industries, yet employers lack confidence

in their own ability to attract talent and the education sector’s ability to deliver the needed skills. When it comes to tackling employee turnover, organisations have the will but lack the technological means. Employers believe in measuring employee satisfaction and engagement, but many don’t have confidence in their systems. Most want to enable remote work, but technology remains a barrier. Employers see the value of a comprehensive talent management approach, but the ongoing complexity of the process means three-quarters believe the need for outsourcing will increase. When it comes to the skills of the future, employers stress the need for leadership — creative, innovative leaders with the ability to adapt to changing and competing business demands. They seek technology specialists of all kinds to spike innovation, business development and new hybrid technical/sales roles to drive customer relations, and digital and social media skills to evolve e-business models and customer engagement. They also recognise the need for business analysts to steer process improvement, people to manage risk and compliance, and middle managers across the board to lead change and drive workforce productivity. The Randstad World of Work Report 2012/13 provides valuable insights to help organisations of every size tackle workforce planning for the decade ahead. To request your complimentary copy of Randstad’s World of Work Report 2012/13, please visit www.randstad.com. my/worldofwork. Jasmin Kaur Director Malaysia, Randstad randstad world of work report 2012/13

MDBCONNECTS · 3RD ISSUE 2012

Some call it talent management. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s call it partnership. Without the right talent, there will be no transformation. Without transformation, we will not realise our potential as a nation nor achieve Vision 2020. This is why we aspire to make Malaysia a global talent destination by 2020. We make it our mission to build effective partnerships and make a difference in addressing your talent needs as well as Malaysiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in order to enable the country to reach its aspiration of a high-income nation. TalentCorp is pleased to offer top expatriates flexible long term working and living options in the country. We also look forward to facilitate highly-skilled young foreign talent to work in Malaysia. The right talent makes all the difference. We would like to work together with you, as leading employers, to enhance talent availability for your organisation, your sector and the country. To learn more about our foreign talent facilitation initiatives, please visit www.talentcorp.com.my

www.talentcorp.com.my

DIALOGUE

TalentCorp RP-T

TALENTCORP INTRODUCED THE RESIDENCE PASS - TALENT (RP - T) PROGRAM IN APRIL 2011 TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN TOP TALENT IN THE COUNTRY WITH A RANGE OF BENEFITS. Established on 1 January 2011 under the Prime Minister’s Department, TalentCorp was tasked with formulating and facilitating initiatives to address the availability of talent in line with the needs of Malaysia’s economic transformation. Collaborating closely with the relevant Government agencies and employers in priority economic sectors, TalentCorp develops demand driven initiatives focused on three strategic thrusts, specifically (1) Optimise Malaysian Talent, (2) Attract and Facilitate Global Talent and (3) Build Networks of Top Talent. Earlier this year, TalentCorp’s Chief Executive Officer, Johan Mahmood

Merican, said that for Malaysia to emerge as a global talent destination by 2020, it was critical to ensure that the public and private sectors work together to address the talent requirements of the country. As part of their efforts to accomplish this, TalentCorp is pursuing their Returning Expert Program initiative to facilitate the return of Malaysian professionals from overseas. This is done with the objecitve of overcoming the shortage of professional and technical expertise in the country and creating a world - class workforce in Malaysia, especially in the context of the Economic Transformation Program (ETP).

RP - T: BENEFITS AND ELIGIBILITY BENEFITS Holders of the RP - T enjoy the following benefits: Being able to work and live in Malaysia for up to 10 years. Being able to change employers without having to renew the pass. Spouse and children (under 18 years old) are eligible for the pass. Dependents over 18 years of age, parents and parents - in - law are eligible for a 5 years Social Visit Pass. Spouse can also seek employment without the need to apply for an Employment Pass. The spouse and children (under 18 years old) are also eligible to study.

ELIGIBILITY Expats are eligible for the RP - T if they meet the following requirements: They are high achieving individuals with the capacity to drive business results that contribute towards Malaysia’s economic transformation. Have worked in Malaysia for 3 years. Hold a valid Employment Pass at the time of application. Hold a PhD / Master’s/ Degree or Diploma in any discipline from a recognised university or a professional / competency certificate from a recognised professional institute. Possess 5 years of total work experience. Earn a gross total taxable income of RM 144,000 per annum. Have an income tax file number in Malaysia and have paid income tax for at least 2 years.

This initiative is constantly being improved to meet the needs of Malaysian expats. Also introduced by TalentCorp, is the Residence Pass - Talent (RP-T) program in April 2011. This program aims to attract and retain top talent in the country with a range of benefits. With the ETP anticipated to create more than 3 million jobs in the National Key Economic Areas (NKEAs) by 2020, the RP - T will be offered to highly qualified expatriates seeking to continue living and working in Malaysia on a long-term basis.

APPLYING Those who are interested in applying for the RP - T may apply online at www. expats.com.my/rp/new/html Please note that an application fee will be charged. Applicable upon submission of application made payable to ‘Talent Corporation Malaysia Berhad’: Application Fee (Per applicant) RM 200 (Talent / Spouse) RM 200 (Dependents under 18 years) Applicable upon approval of the RP - T, made payable to ‘Talent Corporation Malaysia Berhad’: Processing Fee (per applicant) RM 1,800 (Talent / Spouse) RM 1,300 (Dependents under 18) For issuance of the RP - T, made payable to ‘Ketua Pengarah Imigresen Malaysia’: Immigration Fee (per applicant) RM 500 (Talent / Spouse) RM 500 (Dependents under 18) Multiple Entry Visa Fee (for 5 years) RM 0 - RM 50 (Talent / Spouse) RM 0 - RM 50 (Dependents under 18) For more information, please contact TalentCorp.

MDBCONNECTS · 3RD ISSUE 2012

SPECIAL EVENT - MSA’12

SUSTAINABILITY AWA R D S 2 0 1 2 THE MDBC SUSTAINABILITY AWARDS 2012! After the successful launch of the MDBC Sustainability Awards (MSA) last year, we are gearing up to do it all over again. It is therefore with much pride and anticipation that we present to you, the MSA’12! The MSA was created to acknowledge, showcase, honor and reward the outstanding Best Practices of MDBC member companies. It is in line with the efforts of the MDBC and the Netherlands Embassy over the past years to be involved in events and share information on CSR, Corporate Governance, Green Technology, Sustainable Development and more. Unlike last year (which was a special double event of the inaugural MSA and the 15th Anniversary Dinner of the MDBC), this year’s program will focus entirely on the Sustainability Awards. Also different are the categories for the awards. MSA award categories are changed every year in order to provide different companies with different specializations opportunities to showcase and share their best practices in sustainability. The award categories for this year are: 1. Best Corporate Sustainability Related to Water Water has and always will be an essential for life. It is therefore of great importance, especially now, to take responsibility. The following are just come examples of project eligible for consideration: projects related to water usage, storage, transport, infrastructure (water systems), supply, renewable energy technologies, water treatment (industrial or public), or in any other way related to water.

3. Best Corporate Sustainability Related to Primary Commodities (Including but not limited to: Palm Oil, Forestry, Rubber, Cocoa, Oil & Gas) Commodity production remains one of the greatest challenges for economic development, poverty reduction and global environmental stewardship, whether preventing loss of biodiversity, reducing environmental pollution and addressing the production of greenhouse gases, promoting rural development, or strengthening governance. Recent changes in market conditions combined with an increased awareness among consumers, industry and civil society have given rise to unprecedented opportunities for leveraging supply chain actors towards a comprehensive vision for sustainable commodity production and trade. The following are just some examples of projects eligible for consideration: projects linked to usage, (biodiversity) conservation, energy, reusability, renewable sources or recovery of such primary commodities. All projects must be directly related to the organization’s core business. 4. Best Sustainability Project Small and Medium Enterprise Category 4 is open to members and non – members, whereby members have the opportunity to nominate / recommend non – members. A member can nominate projects of a non – member SME if that project affects or is part of the member’s products, services or supply chain.

Within this category, SMEs have the opportunity to propose a project which has had any positive sustainable effect. ALL projects related to sustainability which takes place in Malaysia or are related to Malaysia are eligible for consideration in this category, thus not necessarily restricted to the above mentioned themes in categories 1, 2 and 3. For additional details on the categories and criteria, please check out the MDBC MSA page. Keeping with the same format of a day and evening program, this year’s MSA will again be held at the Crowne Plaza Mutiara Kuala Lumpur. Once again, the independent, expert panel of judges in the MSA led by Chief Judge, H.E. Paul Bekkers (Ambassador, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Malaysia), will evaluate the projects for consideration with the following criteria: • Uniqueness, Innovativeness and Originality of the project • Impact of the project on the stakeholders (qualitative / quantitative, short – term / long – term) • Sustainability of the program (People, Planet, Profit) • Efficiency and effectiveness of the project • How and to what extent the project is being communicated and reported (internally and externally) • Project Management ( planning, control, assurance and improvement) • How easy it is to duplicate the project Each category will feature two independent judges. Additional information about the panel of judges will be revealed in the lead up to the event. Nominations closed on 21 September, after which the judges shortlist 3 nominees per category. These shortlisted companies will present their projects at the MSA day program for final judging. Winners will be announced during the MSA evening program.

2. Best Corporate Sustainability Related to Waste Management Waste Management can be improved in so many ways, such as the implementation of innovative technologies. One can think of the collection, monitoring, transport, etc. The following are just some examples of projects eligible for consideration: projects related to recycling, reuse, reduction, and energy recovery of waste in urban areas or rural areas for housing and / or industry. MDBCONNECTS · 3RD ISSUE 2012

www.exact.com

Being there for your business Value creation comes from valued partnerships Exact Software (M) Sdn Bhd A-6-1 & A-6-2 Northpoint Mid-Valley City No. 1 Medan Syed Putra Utara 59200 Kuala Lumpur Telephone: +603 2081 6888

3rd Edition 2012

Dutch companies open their offices in Malaysia!

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA

ONE RINGGIT

MEMBERS NEWS

Growth and development for the Port of Rotterdam. PORT OF ROTTERDAM HANDLED 222 MILLION TONNES OF CARGO IN THE FIRST HALF OF 2012, UP BY 3.2% FROM THE FIRST HALF OF 2011.

Amsterdam is ranked no. 2 on World’s Best Cities to Visit according to Lonely Planet.

LISMAN FORKLIFTS ASIA OPENS IN MALAYSIA “2012 is not only a festive year thanks to the opening of Lisman Forklifts Asia, but we are also proudly celebrating our 45th anniversary.”

According to Hans Smits, Port of Rotterdam CEO, “The Port got off to a good start with slightly higher than expected growth in throughput. This is inline with the recent report from Statistics Netherlands, in which the economic growth is attributed primarily to exports outside the EU. By far the majority of this traves via the Port of Rotterdam.” The national picture also corresponds with that of the port when it comes to products: an increase in the refining and handling of crude oil and oil products, as well as container throughput is benefitting from the good export performance of the Dutch industry. Like throughput, the construction of the Second Maasvlakte is developing well. One of this year’s critical moments, the closure of the seawall went perfectly. The construction on the RWG and APMT container terminals marks the actual beginning of corporate investment on the land expansion. In total, the business sector will be investing almost 11 billion Euro in the port area in the period 2011 up to 2015. This is evidence of the confidence in the port and positive expectations regarding economic developments and integration of Europe.

from left: Koen Lisman, H.E. Paul Bekkers, Anton Lisman and Marcel Jansen during the ribbon cutting ceremony

Lisman, the worldwide wholesaler leader in used forklifts and aerial platforms, recently opened Lisman Forklifts Asia in Port Klang. This opening was extra special as this year also marks the company’s 45th anniversary. After enormous growth in Europe following the expansion of the EU, Lisman started to focus more on remote markets to guard their leading position and investigating opportunities to establish a subsidiary company in South East Asia. Malaysia proved to be the most

suitable country for Lisman to set up their Pan Asia sales hub with inter Asian connections by boat and plane. Now Lisman Asia offers high quality stock of used material handling equipment in all variety, multi-brand, wholesale-only, based on a turn key solution for the material handling industry. Welcoming international visitors from Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia, the opening ceremony also included a speech by Netherlands Ambassador H.E. Paul Bekkers.

TNT WINS EDELMAN AWARD TNT won the most prestigious award in the field of operations research: the Franz Edelman Award 2012.

Containers being offloaded at the Port of Rotterdam

Awarded by INFORMS, it is considered the highest honor in the field of operations research, the discipline of applying advanced analytical methods to help make better decisions. TNT routinely uses such tools to enhance its transportation networks, resulting in more efficient routes and lower mileage. The awarded Global Optimization (GO) programme covers multiple aspects of TNT operations. MDBCONNECTS · 3RD ISSUE 2012

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA Malaysia Airlines has been awarded 5 star status in the SKYTRAX World Airline Awards joining an elite group of airlines to receive this prestigious ranking for their consistent and high quality of product and service.

Members News

3rd Edition 2012

MALAYSIA AIRLINES AWARDED 5 STAR STATUS AT SKYTRAX AWARDS

Announced recently at a ceremony held at the Farnborough International Air Show, Malaysia Airlines also received accolades of ‘World’s Best Airline Cabin Crew’ and ‘Best Airline Signature Dish’ for its Satay, served in Business and First Class cabins. The World Airline Awards are the global benchmark for airline excellence with over 18 million travellers from over 160 countries and 100 different nationalities taking part each year in the world’s largest independent passenger satisfaction survey. The exclusive top tier 5 star rating and Cabin Crew prize is the most coveted of all the categories and is a significant achievement.

CHUR ON C’LAUD 9

VOSKAMPLAWYERS NOW IN KL

Chur Associates is celebrating their 9th Anniversary this year. With the happy theme of “C’Laud9. Yes ~ We are on Cloud 9”, they have also launched a new logo to celebrate this fact. The oriental element in the logo this year is also to celebrate the fact that Chur Associates is the Malaysian brand of legal services that intends to bridge Asian business culture with the rest of the world. Consistent with the same spirit of being “at the top”, the Chur Associates team have just returned from conquering the highest mountain in Malaysia and South East Asia. Happily, they made it to the summit and were able to fly the C’LAUD9 flag at the peak of Mount Kinabalu. Managing Partner Chris Tan (r) and his colleagues showcasing their new C’LAUD9 logo during their trip to Mt. Kinabalu

l to r: Barbara Voskamp, H.E. Paul Bekkers and Gene Kwee cutting the ribbon at the official opening

VoskampLawyer’s Kuala Lumpur office was officially opened on 13 September by Netherlands Ambassador H.E. Paul Bekkers. While the office is actually located at Menara Citibank, the opening ceremony was held at Carcosa Seri Negara where a mix of clients, friends and associates of VoskampLawyers celebrated the occassion.

IMTECH MARINE NOMINATED FOR MARITIME INNOVATION AWARD The intelligent energy management system developed by Imtech Marine is one of four nominees for the Dutch Maritime 24

MDBCONNECTS · 3RD ISSUE 2012

VoskampLawyers is a boutique law firm with headquarters in Singapore, specialized in advising clients in legal and tax issues in relation to their cross border transactions. The Kuala Lumpur office will focus on assisting foreign investors and their investments in Malaysia from a corporate and tax compliance perspective. Innovation Award 2012. This sytem controls the allocation of hybrid energy sources and energy consumption by means of intelligent automation and continuously realises the optimal energy efficient, lowest emission and cost efficient sailing profile. Its deployment will lead to fuel savings from 20% - 25%. The user will be able to completely focus on sailing tasks without worrying about energy usage and availability.

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA

Members News

FAR EAST IDL BECOMES INTERACTIVE IN KL

l to r: Wilto Hofman (Partner, Far East iDL Interactive), Koh Seng Tee (CEO, Far East iDL Interactive), Thomas Ling (CEO, iDeaLogic Singapore), Mirjam Pouwe (Head of Content, Wolters Kluwer) and Edwin Duits (Head of Purchase, Wolters Kluwer)

Last September, Far East iDL Interactive was launched with guests of honor YB Teresa Kok (Selangor Senior State EXCO for Investment, Industry & Trade, Member of Parliament for Seputeh) and H.E. Paul Bekkers (Netherlands Ambassador).

The launch marked the opening of the company and the signing of a contract with publisher Wolters Kluwer. Formalities were completed by the unveiling of the company logo and featured a traditional Lion Dance to bring luck and prosperity.

3rd Edition 2012

CRUYFF INSTITUTE ISKANDAR

The world class Johan Cruyff Institute (JCI) is to be established in EduCity, Nusjaya, Johor. The JCI for Sports Studies, Pelorus Dutch Sports Technology (PDST) Sdn Bhd and Education@Iskandar Sdn Bhd (EISB) have signed a memorandum of understanding to establish JCI Malaysia, JCI’s pioneering institute of sports management in Asia. EISB falls under the purview of Iskandar Investment Berhad (IIB). PDST, with IIB as its partner, will be responsible for the business and administrative framework of JCI Malaysia including recruitment, branding and academic programme management. Pelorus is also coordinating the programme for the Netherlands Maritime Institute of Technology. As part of Johan Cruyff’s visit to Malaysia in September, in collaboration with Khazanah Nasional Berhad, two Cruyff Courts were launched, one in Brickfields Kuala Lumpur and the other in Johor Bahru. Cruyff Courts are public playing fields located in the centre of neighborhoods to provide safe places for children to play, develop and enjoy themselves in a community development. Johan Cruyff speaking with DYAM the Tunku Mahkota of Johor, with Jan Soer (Netherlands Embassy) and IIB President Datuk Syed Mohamed Syed Ibrahim

MDBCONNECTS · 3RD ISSUE 2012

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA

Members News

3rd Edition 2012

LA SCHEERS CELEBRATES 5 YEARS! OFFICE MAKEOVER UNDERLINES MAKING THE WORLD MORE BEAUTIFUL Well known concept and design agency, La Scheers celebrated its 5th year anniversary in Malaysia on August 5th. After an auspicious beginning in Amsterdam, the agency moved to Kuala Lumpur where Founder and Creative Director, Lisette Scheers grew up. The last five years have been spent living the La Scheers motto: “We make the world beautiful”.

The highlight of the celebration was the launch of Lisette’s new book : “The war of Art”, readily available at well known distributors such as Sunday’s and Ciplee in Bangsar.

Marking this 5-year milestone of making the world beautiful, the La Scheers office underwent a makeover from retro 60s style to a vibrant color concept. The La Scheers design team enjoying the recent makeover at the office.

Making something unique as well as beautiful takes a high level of creative skill. Personalised campaigns that are hand crafted and the ability to combine western perception with oriental depth are qualities that made La Scheers the leading agency in its field in Malaysia today.

DULUX EMERGING TALENT AWARDS 2012 Three young Malaysian talents recently won DETA 2012. As the grand prize, these students will be going on an overseas study trip to London and Amsterdam.

DETA 2012, AkzoNobel’s annual design competition saw Johnson Heng Chun Sheng (Saito College), Melissa Chong Sook Lynn (Alfa International College)

and Simon Chong Sin Man (UCSI University) emerge as this year’s winners, outshining over 400 other students from 17 colleges and universities nationwide. Specially brought to the Interior Design students by AkzoNobel, DETA 2012 aims to unearth and nuture emerging talent while also grooming these young designers to become sustainability-conscious leaders of the future. “At AkzoNobel, we underline our commitment to sustainability by supporting the emergence of young Malaysian talent. This design competition is not only a chance for students to showcase their design skills, but also to demonstrate the possibilities of a sustainable future with regard to interior design,” said CW Goh, General Manager of AkzoNobel Decorative Paints Malaysia. DETA 2012 marks AkzoNobel’s third consecutive nationwide student design competition.

Jeremy Rowe, Managing Director of Deco Paints SEAP with the winners of DETA 2012

MDBCONNECTS · 3RD ISSUE 2012

NETHERLANDS EMBASSY NEWS

New Challenges, A Look Back & More Welcoming new colleagues! New Challenges After the summer months a new exciting time has started, with a new Dutch government forming as well as a new team at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Malaysia. Just before the Dutch elections, our two new colleagues started their posting in Kuala Lumpur. Yet, we also had to say farewell to Jan Soer, the former deputy Head of Mission. After his positive contribution to the team during the last four years, Jan will assume a new challenge in Johor, Malaysia, fortunately not too far away. We wish Jan all the best and say ‘See you soon’ (‘Tot ziens’)! The Embassy welcomes the new deputy Head of Mission and successor of Jan Soer, Ton Mandemaker and Anne de Graaf, the new Head of Trade. Ton started his career at KPMG, after which he spend 6 years in financial positions at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From 1994 on, postings at the missions abroad in Pakistan, Vietnam, China, Cyprus and Angola followed. Prior to her transfer in KL, Anne de Graaf worked at the Head Quarters in The Hague on the Dutch international

security policy, focussing on the Middle East. Before joining the Foreign Service she worked several years as an economist in Amsterdam. Both Ton and Anne look forward to contribute to strengthening the economic ties between the Netherlands and Malaysia. Looking Back - A Good Start The Embassy is pleased with the good start of the second half of this year showing the strong ties between our 2 countries. On 13 September, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced several high-impact projects as part of the ETP that are expected to boost the country’s Gross National Income and create jobs. This included the DialogVopac project, a consortium comprising Dialog group, the Johor Government and Royal Vopak which will develop the RM 4.08 billion Pengarang LNG Terminal under the Oil, Gas and Energy New Key Economic Area (NKEA). Ambassador Paul Bekkers also had the honour of attending the inauguration of the KL office of VoskampLaywers and the official launch of Far East Interactive Sdn. Bhd., a joint venture between one Malaysian and two Dutch companies.

Farewell and welcome reception. From left to right: Jan Soer, Anne de Graaf and Ton Mandemaker

The Malaysian Prime Minister and 3 cabinet ministers endorsing the investment of over RM 4 billion for the 1st independent LNG trading terminal in Asia.

Looking Forward - More to Come The coming months the Embassy will welcome several delegations from the Netherlands. In line with the importance of bilateral trade in Dutch foreign and economic policy, a delegation from the Ministry of Economic affairs, Agriculture and Innovation will join the 9th Trade Promotion Organization Network World Conference in Kuala Lumpur this October. Malaysia is the first ASEAN country to host this event and gave the event this year the following theme: “Transforming TPOs’ Business Through Innovation”. At the end of October, the high-level Dutch delegation on Sustainable Palm Oil South East Asia will visit KL before they will attend the annual meeting of the Round Table on Sustainable Palm Oil in Singapore. The mission includes policy makers and representatives from different related branch organisations. The delegates will meet with the industries and authorities to strengthen the bilateral relations in this field and signal the Dutch commitment to sustainable palm oil. The latter event is quickly followed by the trade delegation from the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation. The Dutch visit aims to exchange expertise and identify business opportunities in the field of solar energy, biomass and energy efficiency. The delegation will also attend the BioMalaysia Conference & Exhibition 2012, the largest and Malaysia’s premier biotechnology event in the region, showing breakthrough inventions from all over the world. Alongside these economic and trade initiatives, the Embassy is involved in bringing various artists from the Netherlands to cultural events, such as a Writers Festival in Penang, the EU Film Festival and the Penang Jazz Festival.

MDBCONNECTS · 3RD ISSUE 2012

EU / EUMCCI DIALOGUE BETWEEN EUMCCI COMMITTEES & MITI 2012 EUMCCI and EU Delegation representatives attended a dialogue with the Minister of International Trade and Industry and delegation from MITI. The dialogue was chaired by MITI Minister YB Dato’ Sri Mustapha Mohamed.

EUMCCI LAUNCHES MASTERCLASSES. The EU-Malaysia Chamber of Commerce and Industry is collaborating with established and well respected providers of high level courses to offer EUMCCI Corporate Partners and interested parties business training covering a wide range of corporate topics. The third quarter of 2012 has seen the Chamber offer courses led by ICLIF and The Academy of Responsible Management and these

providers will soon be joined by others including Imperial Consulting Snd Bhd. The inaugural EUMCCI Masterclass was a course provided by ICLIF on Corporate Governance, entitled ‘Courage to Speak Truth to Power’ in June led by John Zinkin, Managing Director of Corporate Governance.

Issues raised by EUMCCI members included the following topics: Oil & Gas, ICT, Logistics, Healthcare, Wine & Spirits, Environment, Energy and Green Technology, Automotive and Aerospace. Many of the issues discussed were raised in the Chamber’s publication ‘EUMCCI Trade Issues & Recommendations 2012’.

EUMCCI Masterclasses are all HRDF claimable and open to all EUMCCI Corporate Partners and external applicants.

EU FILM FESTIVAL RETURNS Now in its 13th year, the European Union Film Festival is set to be bigger and better than ever with more European countries participating, more movies and more locations. The Film Festival will take place at selected Golden Screen Cinemas in Kuala Lumpur from 8 – 18 November, Penang from 22 – 28 November and, for the first time, in Kota Kinabalu from 6 – 13 December. Tickets are priced from RM5, with several free screenings also planned.

MDBCONNECTS · 3RD ISSUE 2012

STUDENT INTERNSHIP PROGRAM MAXIS/HOTLINK SUPPORT FOR INTERNSHIP PROGRAM Recently Maxis joined the MDBC. Besides the membership, Maxis also supports the HR Forum (see page 17) and the Student Internship Program. At a cultural briefing to more than 20 newly arrived students last September, Maxis Commercial & SME Business Department’s Kenneth Lee, Jason Chow and Sheffry Low were on hand to provide the students with their Hotlink SIM cards and to explain the many upgrading services.

THE INTERN INTERVIEW: Joost van Heesbeen Joost van Heesbeen is an International Business & Management student at the Rotterdam Business School. He is currently doing his internship with MDBC member company AQ Services as an Assistant Business Manager. AQ Services specializes in Mystery shopping, research coaching, Joost with his local colleagues at AQ Services

training and employee motivation / incentive programs. Joost is tasked with working on a financial account with the biggest bank in Malaysia. “I am managing the Kuala Lumpur and Penang states. I ensure that all the bank outlets in these locations are visited monthly by a mystery shopper, who has been briefed and trained. After the visit, I ensure that the shopper sends in the questionnaire on time with high reporting quality.” said Joost. Joost finds it highly beneficial to work in an environment where 14 different nationalities are employed, due to the cultural diversity. On the more social side of his internship experience, Joost adds that you can still have a very educational experience and learn about a lot of different cultures. “Malaysia is the place to be if you are a foodie. Instead of asking “How are you?”, people in Malaysia ask “Sudah makan kah?”, have you eaten yet? The fact that they ask you this, tells you something about the importance of food in this country. This became even clearer during a cultural briefing arranged by MDBC. We were advised to have lunch with our colleagues at their favourite lunch spot to really get to know our colleagues and it really does make a difference. MDBCONNECTS · 3RD ISSUE 2012

The Art of Packaging Cleaning, developing, producing, and distributing packaging for high quality and fragile industrial products

No.28, Jalan Mega 1/5 Taman Perindustrian Nusa Cemerlang 81550 Nusa Jaya, Gelang patah Johor, Malaysia Tel: +607 5545678 Mail: info@hqpack.com.my

www.hqpack.com.my

L e a din g th e u ps tr e a m oil & g a s in du s tr y w ith n e w te c h n olo g ie s a n d in n o v a tiv e s pa tia l con ce pts , F r a m e s h a s e x pe r ie n ce d u n pr e ce de n te d gr ow th . F ou n de d in 1 9 8 3 , F r a m e s h a s r e m a in e d a n in de pe n de n t c om pa n y . W h ile w e o pe r a te w or ldw ide , w e a r e h e a dqu a r te r e d in T h e N e th e r la n ds w ith r e g io n a l o ffic e s in G e r m a n y , U S A , M a la y s ia , A bu D h a bi, B r a z il a n d I n dia . Frames offers Design, Fabrication, Supply and Guarantee of complete process and control systems and packages to the upstream oil & gas industry including FPSO, SPAR, TLP, Semisub, Fixed Platform, Monopile etc. production facilities. In addition to the system supply, Frames provides the field support personnel to effectively integrate and/or start-up the system in client's plant on the jobsite. The Frames Group consists of four primary technology centers each providing engineered and custom build packages: F low c on tr o l & s a fe g u a r din g • Wellhead Control Systems • Subsea Hydraulic Shutdown Systems • Hydraulic Power Units • Hydraulic Cargo & Ballasting Systems • Integrated Valve & Control Packages • Valve Automation & Control • Chemical Injection & Distribution Systems • Methanol Injection & Distribution Systems • Workover Control Units • Services & Commissioning G a s a n d liqu id tr e a tm e n t s y s te m s • Gas Treatment Systems (Low Temperature Separation, Glycol, Amine, Alumina, Silica Gel, Molecular Sieves) • Glycol Regeneration Systems • Amine Regeneration Systems • Methanol Recovery Systems • Glycol Desalination Systems • Overhead Vapor Combustor Systems • HC Liquid Treatment Systems (Alumina, Molecular Sieves) • Heater Systems • Fuel Gas Conditioning Systems S e pa r a to r s & in te r n a ls • (Skid-mounted) Multi phase Separators • Production, Test & Filter Separators • Scrubbers • Slug Catchers • Skimmer Tanks • Closed Drain Vessels • Coaslescers S w e e te n in g a n d s pe c ia liz e d g a s pr o c e s s s y s te m s • Sour Gas Treatment • Desalination of Glycol & Amines • Specialized Gas Treatment Systems H ea t ex cha ngers • Shell- & tube Heat Exchangers • Air-cooled Coolers • Pressure Vessels

L e a din g in O il & G a s T e c h n o lo g y

T F E I

F r a m e s H e a dqua r te r s P.O. Box 21 2380 AA Zoeterwoude The Netherlands +31 71 58 118 00 +31 71 54 144 84 info@frames-group.com www.frames-group.com

Frames Asia Pacific Sdn Bhd Unit A - 36 - 3, Menara UOA Bangsar 5 Jalan Bangsar Utama 1 59000 Kuala Lumpur

T +60 3 2284 0822 F +60 3 2284 9822 E j.mooijer@frames-group.com

AN INSIDE LOOK

“When you are sincere and honest, and you invest the time (in your employees) you can get a return on that investment, it creates a very strong bond.”

AN INSIDE LOOK: FRAMES ASIA PACIFIC - JACCO MOOIJER Frames has been designing and building technologically advanced high quality process and control systems for the international upstream oil & gas industry since 1983. Privately owned and headquartered in The Netherlands with offices worldwide, Frames specializes in the design, manufacturing, supply, installation and commissioning of complete systems for oil & gas treatment, separation, heat exchanging, flow control and safe guarding. Locally, Frames Asia Pacific has worked with clients such as SBM Malaysia (supplying the chemical injection and hydraulics equipment for the Aseng Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) which is to be located offshore Equatorial New Guinea Aseng as well as the chemical injection module at Tepat Teknik in Shah Alam for the N’Goma FPSO which is destined for offshore Angola), Sime Darby Engineering (separator equipment for the B – 193 project of ONGC) and Shell Sarawak Berhad. Via Technip KL and DSME (Daewoo in Korea), Frames is also currently executing a project for Chevron Australia (chemical injection module). Recently, MDBC had a sit down with the General Manager of Frames Asia Pacific, Jacco Mooijer, a friendly and unpretentious gentleman from Mijdrecht, the Netherlands who is always open to sharing a laugh. A chemical engineer by training, Jacco has been with Frames for 20 years. Having done his internship with them while 36

MDBCONNECTS · 3RD ISSUE 2012

at Haagse Hogeschool in The Hague, he accepted the full time position they offered him upon graduation, preferring the famillike environment in the small organization. MDBC: What made you decide to come to Malaysia? Jacco Mooijer: My wife Miranda, who works with Shell, was offered a posting in Shell Malaysia as a Flow Assurance Engineer, Projects & Technology. This encouraged me to approach the management of Frames about setting up an entity in KL to cover this region. Even though Frames was focused on Middle East markets at the time, management also knew that floating production facilities manufacturing is done in this region, so if they wanted to be in the supply chain, there would need to be a shift to the east. It was ironic because I had sworn to never live in the tropics, a decision I made after my first visit in 1995 on a job related to Shell Sarawak. MDBC: What was the first month in Malaysia like for you and your family? Where there big adjustments or major challenges during this startup period? Jacco: I did the initial preparations from the Netherlands in late 2008, then visited KL and met with MDBC Executive Director Marco Winter who gave me a few tips and guidelines. By 2 January 2009 I arrived in KL with my family and one week later Frames Asia Pacific was set up and running at The AmpWalk.

At the time we lived right across the street at Lanson Place (currently Ambassador Residences) which made everything easy and convenient. The cooperation we got from MIDA and other organizations also enabled the startup period to go very smoothly for me. People were very friendly, playing nice opens a lot of doors. We didn’t have any real issue with cultural adjustments because Miranda and I are both used to travel and have lived in other places before. There were no big issues settling in but the traffic and the climate were the biggest adjustment. Another thing I had to get used to was the fact that you’re now working alone rather than with a team / colleagues to back you up. I worked pretty autonomously even in the Netherlands so it was manageable. Also, our days became much longer for the first half a year due to the time differences. You work normal days here and extend those hours due to the working hours in the Netherlands which is behind by 6 – 7 hours. We both had to learn to handle that as it’s not sustainable over the long term. MDBC: What advice would you give others who are now in a similar startup situation? Jacco: You have to make sure that you do all the things you would do at home, like pay your taxes, especially if you want to set up your company legitimately. On the legal side of things, go with a reputable organization. I would also suggest that if you’re going to be setting up for an existing entity, start with a representative / regional office (which I opted for) first and develop it from there. Also, the most important thing locally is networking. Everything here is ac-

AN INSIDE LOOK complished through networking so develop that relationship not just professionally but also personally. MDBC: What lessons have you learned on the way to becoming the General Manager and since? Jacco: To get something, you have to give first. This is much more important in Asia than it is in the West. I sometimes have to convince people back home of this necessity. I think this works everywhere but the way you present this is what makes cultures different. Also I’ve learned to cope with the different local employees. The level of commitment here is very different. No one has left the company since they were hired. This loyalty and commitment is amazing. When you are sincere and honest, and you invest the time (in your employees) you can get a return on that investment, it creates a very strong bond. If an employee is having problems in his personal life it will always affect how they are in the office. I would rather invest the time and care to try and help sort out the problems they may be having rather than looking for another employee to replace them. Showing this level of involvement ensures that people don’t look around. Sincerity, honesty, openness are the most important things you need to have to achieve something here and it is also my leadership style. I involve my staff in the decision making process as this engages them, makes them feel like they have a part to play in this company. MDBC: What are the key challenges for a foreign GM? How did you overcome these challenges? Jacco: Learning to balance being a boss and being friendly. Level with your colleagues when needed, but also employ authority when you need to. That balance is important. If you’re playing the boss all the time, you don’t have the loyalty you need. If you’re a friend all the time, you don’t have any authority. If you’re too bossy, no one will come in and ask for help so it’s really important to be approachable as well. This is the cultural divide in Asia, the hierarchy. It is an unwritten rule that respect comes with age. Elderly people are far more respected here than in the Netherlands. I would say that the cultural differences are the key challenges for a foreign GM so you have to learn to communicate. I managed to overcome these instinctually. If you come across as sincere, honest and open, it will be easier. Stick to your own personality and don’t put on a façade. Also, try and figure out how to make things for the common benefit. With that, you can get people enthusiastic and involved. Then as a leader, you have to radiate the

enthusiasm you want your team to have, but do it in your own way; don’t be someone you’re not. One thing people will sense immediately is if you’re not yourself. Externally, in terms of dealing with clients, sometimes it’s a struggle to become acquainted with their working methods. We are assembling an Electrostatic Coalescer (Oil – Water Separator) for Bumi Armada which is needed on the Apache Balnaves FPSO destined to operate in offshore Australia. Though this was rewarding in the end, it took us a long time to become a part of the sub–vendor circle for this new client. The directness of the Dutch doesn’t help when explaining how to handle certain issues during the project execution or tendering stage. Often, acting as the me-

“Identifying top performers is intuitive. In terms of developing them, you have to give people the space to develop.” diator between HQ in Europe and the local clients in Malaysia and the ASEAN region as a whole, is a prerequisite to getting anywhere. This means that the accepted behavior of one’s own colleagues when applied back home, requires adaptation once doing business in the region. Another important challenge to learn to cope with is the “speed” with which Malaysian “Upstream Oil & Gas” projects take shape. This can be extremely slow and might be a consequence of the protected market we operate in. Westerners are sometimes too eager to help (force) clients

in making decisions at a point in time at which it is way too early to already push for such decision-making at the client side, let alone properly judging the level at which the client DMU is actually situated at the client’s organization. The call for high efficiency processes and organization in many perspectives is actually something that one needs to harmonize first with all stakeholders prior to starting to build upon each other. Hiring an experienced local Malaysian in “networking” is a great help in bridging gaps and rapidly getting to know the ways of the marketplace you’re acting in. MDBC: How do you identify and develop your top performers? What do you look for in your successor? Jacco: Identifying top performers is intuitive. In terms of developing them, you have to give people the space to develop. Top performers must be creative but you have to remember that creativity comes in many forms. It is taking my own desire to interfere and letting that go. It also means that you have to trust in the people around you. Without trust, there is a barrier and there will never be a good relationship. Knowing where people have their shortcomings does not mean that there isn’t any trust. It just tells you where you have to be supportive. This is also something that my successor will need to have, trust worthiness, sincerity and honesty in his doings. He will have to be a professional who will be able to elevate this facility to the next level. MDBC: What lesson(s) will you be taking with you? Jacco: There will be a couple bags full of life experiences both professionally and personally that I will be taking with me. I have matured as a people manager and I have also become a bridge builder. Where I see local clients and colleagues with the same problem or similar issues, I can bring them together so that the issue can be solved. Also, I have learned to go beyond the surface appearance. Although I was initially a bit insecure about picking up this challenge, I would not have changed this experience for anything in the world. It has taught me never to say never again (in reference to his decision to “never live in the tropics”). We may come back here. It’s the first time we’ve been outside of the Netherlands for so long and for our daughter Maren, she will probably have challenges adjusting to life there. I am curious to see how we will adapt to being home. It sounds a bit cliché but it has been a really good time here. Officially our assignment ends 31 December so our stay may be ending for us some time during the first half of 2013. But who knows, we may apply for the TalentCorp Residence Pass and come back to Malaysia in the future. MDBCONNECTS · 3RD ISSUE 2012

Let’s Light up our cities with a cLeaner source of eLectricity. We all need electricity. Whether it’s to light up the local football match or warm the half-time drink – it’s an essential part of powering our lives. Shell is helping to deliver natural gas to more countries than any other energy company. When used to generate electricity, this natural gas emits around half the CO2 of coal. It’s one of the most abundant sources of energy available today and, with our continued innovation, it could provide us with cleaner energy for around the next 250 years. And it’s one of a number of different sources of energy we’re investing in to power and sustain our lives today and into the future. Let’s broaden the world’s energy mix.

search: shell Let’s go

Let’s go.

To explore interactive stories on innovation in energy on your iPad, scan the code or search ‘INSIDE ENERGY’ in the App Store.

iPad and App Store are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.

GREEN BOARD

Lionex - Educating others about the EU Timber Regulations (EUTR) With over 40 years of experience in the hardwood business, Lionex is the one stop business partner for rough sawn timber and value added timber products. Present in South East Asia for over 25 years, Lionex sources sawn timber from Malaysian sustainable forests. Their presence in Malaysia, Indonesia and China provides a constant flow of high quality timber products. More recently, Lionex has played a unique and proactive role in helping to educate others about the new EUTR, which bans the imports of illegally harvested wood in the EU from March 2013. Illegal logging is a pervasive problem of major international concern. It poses significant threats to forests as it contributes to the process of deforestation and forest degradation, which is responsible for about 20% of global CO2 emissions, threatens biodiversity and undermines sustainable forest management and development including the commercial viability of operators acting in accordance with applicable legislation.

“The EUTR prohibits placing illegally harvested timber on the EU market.” In practice, operators must strive to keep the risk of placing illegal timber negligible. Appropriate assessment of the risk of illegality and complementary mitigation measures if necessary rely on sound and reliable information on legal and illegal timber trade. Various tools to get information and assess risk and legality are already available and a number of research networks also provide input. The adoption of the EUTR is driving even more initiatives to set up tools. However, the range of sources for information makes

As customers and competitors have become more aware of the importance of sustainable and legal forestry, it has and will continue to change the way we do things. As Lionex calls it, “lifting the market”, pushing it to a higher level by setting the example and leading the field. Being an innovative and pro–active company, Lionex has become one of the sparring partners of lawmakers. By using guerilla marketing techniques, the Lionex awareness program has maximum effect for minimal costs. Creativity, diversity in its team and synergy between key partners has contributed to this success. Marco Poot at his Klang operations. He says: “Sustainability is our responsibility towards our environmentt.”

it cumbersome for operators. Besides, competent authorities need expertise to carry out targeted checks, but also to be able to make operators accountable for not taking information on the potential illegality of timber into consideration. By making these very complex new regulations understandable for the general public it is also easier to gain support for legal wood in the international wood markets. Lionex has taken over part of the EU communication in making the Asian, African and South American wood business more transparent, sustainable and legal. Seeing it as something that simply needed to be done, Lionex utilizes every possible occasion from its bi-monthly newsletters to organizing seminars at the last European Timber Trade show in Nantes, France to explain and gain support for the EUTR.

Duplicating this endeavor is not easy so Lionex supports other institutions and companies to use tools already created. This creates a better level playing field in the international wood business and reaches more stakeholders. Sharing knowledge instead of keeping it to one’s self has been the key strategy for Lionex the whole way through. According to Marco Poot, “Sustainable forest management is incoporated in the long term business plans of Lionex.” By setting a clear sustainable vision and investing time and resources in becoming more sustainable, Lionex’s sales volume has increased by 20% every year, even in a depressed market. Business tenfolded since 2000. Customer development and quality improvement projects have resulted in more value adding in Asia, also increasing employment and improving margins. By listening seriously to all involved and being eager to learn, Lionex has managed to get ahead and lead the field.

Lionex started focusing on sustainable wood more than 6 years ago, before it was fashionable and required by law, working together with nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), local governments and indigenous people. They communicated the importance of sustainability not only for future business but also for the importance of maintaining healthy and diverse forests. Lionex started this awareness building by first communicating this message through the company ranks. From there, the message was spread to their suppliers and on to the outside world. Sustainability is an attitude that is in the essence of all Lionex personnel and partner companies. MDBCONNECTS · 3RD ISSUE 2012

PICTURE PERFECT

Embassy reception and HR Forum See pages 29 and 17 for the stories behind these pictures.

MDBCONNECTS 路 3RD ISSUE 2012

Annual General Meeting AGM + Football + Directory-launch + drinks = Getting together, the MDBC style!! Never shy of making more out of our Annual General Meeting, the MDBC entertained the AGM-attendees with some EURO-infected goal-scoring opportunities to launch our MDBC Business Directory 2012/13 at the Parkroyal Kuala Lumpur last June, after which the 3rd half networking could kick off, supported by plenty of food & drinks!

MDBCONNECTS 路 3RD ISSUE 2012

NEW MEMBERS

WARM WELCOME

As always, we constantly expand to include new and interesting partners as part of our international community of business professionals, allowing our members to find more opportunities for success. To that end, we would like to extend a very warm welcome to the MDBC Community for the following new members:

DUTCH LINK PTE LTD

IMTECH MARINE SINGAPORE PTE LTD

ISKANDAR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY 42

MDBCONNECTS · 3RD ISSUE 2012

BUSINESS ACTIVITY: Incorporated in 2009 in Singapore, Dutch Link Pte Ltd specializes in the exclusive importation, storage, distribution and sales of quality food & beverage products from the Netherlands for retail as well as the foodservice industry. Currently we carry quality Dutch cheeses, fish products and spirits from well known brands such as Beemster, Klaver, Reypenaer, Hollandvis and Amsterdam Republic Spirits. Additionally, we provide consultation service in marketing and logistics services as well. Dutch Link has spread its activities to other countries and further expansion is planned.

CORPORATE REPRESENTATIVES Andrew Baartscheer, Director Leonie Baartscheer - van der Sluis, Director

BUSINESS ACTIVITY: Imtech Marine is a leading company in the global marine market, operating as a full service provider and system integrator of tailor made, innovative technology solutions covering the whole ship. It specializes in automation (platform and bridge), navigation & communication including connectivity, energy and drive solutions, HVAC (heading, ventilation and air conditioning) solutions and fire protection technology, entertainment, lighting and maritime services. Our company’s goal is to be a supplier independent top three player in the global marine market.

CORPORATE REPRESENTATIVES Gennaro Pipoli, Managing Director Alex Chua, Director - Finance & Control

BUSINESS ACTIVITY: ISKANDAR MALAYSIA is a highly anticipated national project that will encompass three times the land size of its neighbour Singapore. Envisioned to stand as a strong and sustainable economic region with global competitiveness, this emerging metropolis’ establishment is constantly benchmarked against the world’s best in practices and infrastructure. Complementary to its worldwide connectivity is the infrastructure enhancement plans which have all been put in place to meet the demands of a world class city.

CORPORATE REPRESENTATIVE Y.B. Datuk Ismail Ibrahim, Chief Executive Officer

CONTACT: 127 Sunset Way 01 - 02 Clementi Park 597156 Singapore Singapore Tel: 65 - 6463 7721 Fax: 65 - 6466 0695 Email: andrew.baartscheer@dutchlinksingapore.com.sg

CONTACT: 8a Tuas Ave 12 639030 Singapore Singapore Tel: 65 - 6862 2218 Fax: 65 - 6862 2430 E mail: singapore@imtechmarine.com Website: www.imtechmarine.com

CONTACT: #G - 01, Block 8, Danga Bay Jalan Skudai 80200 Johor Bahru Johor Darul Ta’zim Tel: 607 - 233 3000 Fax: 607 - 233 3001 E mail: mohdnoor@irda.com.my Website: www.iskandarmalaysia.com.my

PC ADVANCED COMPOSITE

ROLAND BERGER STRATEGY CONSULTANTS

CORPORATE REPRESENTATIVES Dato’ Raymond Sng, Managing Director Herman Kuhlkamp, Product & Marketing Director

BUSINESS ACTIVITY: Roland Berger Strategy Consultants, founded in 1967, is one of the world’s leading strategy consultancies. With roughly 2,500 employees working in 50 offices in 36 countries worldwide, we have successful operations in all major international markets. Roland Berger Strategy Consultants advises major international industry and service companies as well as public institutions. Our services cover all issues of strategic management - from strategy alignment and new business models, processes and organizational structures to technology strategies.

CORPORATE REPRESENTATIVES Anthonie Versluis, Managing Partner Malaysia John Low, Partner

BUSINESS ACTIVITY: Van Den Berg Products is the manufacturer and distributor of a complete range of electric household and cleaning appliances both OEM as well as under our MONTISS brand name.

CORPORATE REPRESENTATIVE Yvanka Jeffery, Director

Our products are distributed in Europe, the Middle East and South America and fully compliant with the highest European safety and quality standards.

VAN DEN BERG PRODUCTS

Individual Members

Dr. Wim M. M. Botermans Managing Director RB Lifescience No 1 - 3, Jalan Solaris 2 Solaris Mong Kiara 50480 Kuala Lumpur Tel: 6012 - 918 8479 E mail: wbotermans@rb-lifescience.com

NEW MEMBERS

BUSINESS ACTIVITY: PC Advanced Composite Sdn Bhd (PCAC) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Plastic Centre Sdn Bhd who has 40 years of plastic blow moulding history and possesses the know how in producing specialized inner liner for LPG cylinder. PCAC also has the know how and skills for processing and production of composite LPG cylinder by virtue of a licensing agreement signed with Advanced Lightweight Engineering BV (ALE). ALE is an R&D company from Delft in the Netherlands, specialised in the design and development of high end composite technology.

Ongoing expansion is established through strategic partnerships with distributors in key growth areas.

Dr. Louis R.K. Paul C - 9 - 1, Hijauan Kiara 6 Jalan Kiara 5 50480 Kuala Lumpur Tel: 603 - 6211 0570 E mail: LouisRPaul@hotmail.com Jeroen Hendriks 30, Jalan Putra Permai 10 / 26 47650 Petaling Jaya Selangor Darul Ehsan Tel: 6019 - 730 8691 E mail: jpahendriks@yahoo.com

CONTACT: Lot 6065, Jalan Haji Abdul Manan Batu 5 1/2 off Jalan Meru 41050 Klang Selangor Darul Ehsan Tel: 603 - 3392 3888 Fax: 603 - 3392 3999 Email: herman@low8.com Website: www.low8.com

CONTACT: Level 39 Menara Standard Chartered 30 Jalan Sultan Ismail 50250 Kuala Lumpur Tel: 603 - 2203 8600 Fax: 603 - 2203 8601 Website: www.rolandberger.com

CONTACT: IJzerwerf 10 - 12 6641 TK Beuningen The Netherlands Tel: 31 (0) 243 454 422 Fax: 31 (0) 243 454 429 Email: sales@vdbergproducts.com Website: www.vdbergproducts.com

Robert Jan van Pelt Head of Bancassurance Maybank 21st Floor Menara Maybank 100 Jalan Tun Perak 50050 Kuala Lumpur Tel: 6016 - 208 5702 E mail: robertjan.vp@maybank.com.my

MDBCONNECTS · 3RD ISSUE 2012