Orient Issue 53

Orient

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE - SINGAPORE

SPECIAL FEATURES

ISSN 0219-1245

ISSUE 53

53

9 770219 124002

24

UK GENERAL ELECTION 2015

19

IN FOCUS: CHALY MAH

Building Networks Connecting Business Creating Opportunities WWW.BRITCHAM.ORG.SG

ISSUE 53 / MAR 15

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Contents

11

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

13

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE SPECIAL FEATURE

19

In Focus: Chaly Mah

24

UK General Election 2015

FEATURES 16

405 Days This Year

28

Building More Sustinable Cities

32

Seven Key Digital Trends to Watch in 2015

36

It’s About Being Transparent

39

Three Key Movements Set to Shape Marketing in Apac in 2015 and Beyond

BRITISH HIGH COMMISSION / UKTI 42

Celebrating 50 Years of British-Singapore Partnership

AT THE CHAMBER 45

Britain in South East Asia News

46

Business Group News

48

Business Services News

50

BritCham New Members

52

Sterling News

55

Corporate News

58

Members’ Offers

60

The Great BritCham Ball

66

Events

W W W. B R I T C H A M . O R G . S G

British Chamber of Commerce, Singapore Sponsors GOLD AND DIVERSITY SPONSOR

GOLD SPONSOR

SILVER AND BREAKFAST CLUB SPONSOR

SILVER SPONSORS

BRONZE SPONSORS

BRITCHAM BOARD:

PRESIDENT: Hugo Walkinshaw: Ernst & Young Advisory Pte. Ltd VICE-PRESIDENTS: Damian Adams: Simmons & Simmons Mark Buchan: Grant Thornton Advisory SECRETARY: Chris Kilburn: Watson, Farley & Williams Asia Practice LLP TREASURER: Dominic Nixon: PricewaterhouseCoopers BOARD MEMBERS: Andrew Vine: The Insight Bureau Pte Ltd Peter Hatt: Standard Chartered Bank Ian Williams: HSBC Bank Robert Williams: British Airways Terence Yuen: BP Singapore Bicky Bhangu: Rolls-Royce Singapore Pte Ltd Ronald Totton: BT Singapore Sian Brown: Barclays Bank PLC Rudi Geerdink: The Royal Bank of Scotland Andrew Thomas: Ogilvy & Mather Singapore Pte Ltd David Pugh: The Fry Group Richard Warbuton: EC Harris Annabel Moore: Diageo Singapore Pte Ltd Judith Slater: British High Commission Roland Davies: British Council

COMMITTEES: Diversity: Stephen Trevis Events: Mark Buchan External Affairs: Bicky Bhangu Membership: Damian Adams Sustainability & Responsibility: Rosie Danyluk BUSINESS GROUP CHAIRPERSONS: Energy & Utilities: Damian Adams Entrepreneur & Small Business: Jonathan O‘Byrne (co-chair), Miles Gooseman (co-chair) Financial Services: Gary Haran Doyle IT & Communications Technology: Chris Reed (co-chair) Leadership: Zsuzsanna Tungli (co-chair), Mike Huges (co-chair) Creative Industries: Freddie Heygate Professional Services: Martin Riddett Property & Construction: Richard Warburton Scottish Business Group: Neil Mclnnes Shipping Transport & Logistics: Neil Johnson Women in Business: Sian Brown Young British Chamber: Zoë Marmot MANAGEMENT TEAM Executive Director: Brigitte Holtschneider Finance Manager: Pauline Yeo Business Services Manager: Jennifer Hainsworth Senior Events Manager: Alexandra Packman Membership Manager: Katie Hudson Marketing & Communications Manager: Vipanchi Membership & Events Support Manager: Emi Hosono Marketing & Communications Executive: Clara Tan Business Services Advisor: Umagliya Kankanangai Tina Business Services Advisor: Jared Sim Office Administration Executive: Anna C Garciso

Editor: Vipanchi vipanchi@britcham.org.sg

Orient is a quarterly magazine published by the British Chamber of Commerce, Singapore.

Content Coordinator: Clara Tan

© All rights reserved.

39 Robinson Road #11-03 Robinson Point Singapore 068911 Tel: +65 6222-3552 Fax: +65 6222-3556 Email: info@britcham.org.sg www.britcham.org.sg

The views and opinions expressed or implied in Orient are those of the authors or contributors and do not reflect those of the British Chamber of Commerce, its officers or editorial staff. No reproduction of articles without the prior permission of the Chamber. Unsolicited transparencies and articles are sent at owner’s risk

and the Chamber accepts no liability for loss or damage. Copy is not for sale and images belong to their respective owners. They are for illustrative purposes only, and no copyright infringement is intended.

Sub-edited, designed and printed by: NOVUS CONTENT. DI G I TAL. PUBLI SH ING.

www.novusasia.com

Contact: Simon Cholmeley simonc@novusasia.com Design: Kevin Ong kevinong@novusasia.com Khairunnisa khai@novusasia.com Sub Editors: Chua Kim Beng kimbeng@novusasia.com Chin Wei Lien weilien@novusasia.com Creative Services: Kwan Gek Lian gek@novusasia.com

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President’s Message

W W W. B R I T C H A M . O R G . S G

Dear Members, As we welcome the start of Singapore’s Golden Jubilee year, I want to take a moment to look back at 2014 and reflect on our own 60th anniversary celebrations.

Our flagship events, notably the Business Awards and the Ball, were the highlight of 2014, and provided the opportunity to celebrate in style. In addition we also hosted several prominent guests—including the Mayor of London Boris Johnson, Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, Chancellor George Osborne, to name a few—highlighting the importance of Singapore on the international stage and made possible by the excellent cooperation between the British High Commission, UKTI and the Chamber. This cooperation could not, however, have been achieved without the leadership of our Patron and High Commissioner, Antony Phillipson, and it is with great sadness that we will shortly be bidding him farewell.

Hugo Walkinshaw President, British Chamber of Commerce, Singapore

As he prepares to leave Singapore next month, I would like to express my gratitude and appreciation to Antony for his unstinting support for the Chamber. As our Patron, his guidance has been crucial in a multitude of ways that I cannot do justice to in this note.

He has overseen a significant shift in the growth of UK-Singapore business relations, marked by the launch of the Chamber’s Business Services group via the Overseas Business Network Initiative, focused on developing stronger B2B networks in the UK’s key export markets. He has generously made Eden Hall available for Chamber events on numerous occasions, proving himself to be both a splendid host and an accomplished orator. And he has done this while maintaining at all times a marvellous sense of fun and humour, as I am sure many of you have experienced first-hand.

It has been a privilege to work alongside him over the last four years; on behalf of everyone at the Chamber, I would like to wish Antony, Julie and the boys the very best as they move on to new pastures. As we look ahead to the future, I would like to welcome His Excellency, Scott Wightman CMG, who has been appointed the incoming High Commissioner to Singapore.

Focusing on Chamber matters, I am delighted to share that the Patron’s Award, which is nominated and presented annually by the High Commissioner at the Sterling Members & Sponsors Appreciation Night, was this year presented to Sian Brown. Having joined the Chamber Board in 2013, Sian was instrumental in setting up our Diversity Committee and the Women in Business Group. In her capacity as Board Member and Chairperson of the Women in Business Group, Sian has led the organisation of a number of prominent events to highlight business issues related to women in the workplace, and supports numerous worthy causes in her private capacity. It has been a pleasure working with Sian, and I would like to once again congratulate her on this well-deserved Award.

We have had a busy and successful start to the year, and the programme will continue to bring you a wide variety of networking opportunities and events, including a number of excellent ones in the next few weeks. I would ask that you please also take note of the forthcoming AGM, which will be held at Eden Hall on Thursday, 7 May. I would like to remind you to take advantage of both our website and the Orient magazine, which are key channels for members to share insights, market research and knowledge. I encourage you to gain leverage from these platforms, which can now be shared via social media.

I wish you all well, and I look forward to seeing you in the coming weeks.

Best regards,

In 2015 Tanglin Trust School celebrates 90 years’ experience ŽĨ ƉƌŽǀŝĚŝŶŐ Ă ƌŝƟƐŚͲďĂƐĞĚ ĞĚƵĐĂƟŽŶ ƚŽ ƚŚĞ ŝŶƚĞƌŶĂƟŽŶĂů ĐŽŵŵƵŶŝƚLJ ŝŶ ^ŝŶŐĂƉŽƌĞ͘

ŽŵŵƵŶŝƚLJ ĂŶĚ /ŶƐƉŝƌĂƟŽŶ dϵϬ ŝƐ Ă ǁŽŶĚĞƌĨƵů ŽƉƉŽƌƚƵŶŝƚLJ ƚŽ ƌĞŇĞĐƚ ŽŶ ŽƵƌ ŚĞƌŝƚĂŐĞ͕ ĐĞůĞďƌĂƚĞ ŽƵƌ ĂĐŚŝĞǀĞŵĞŶƚƐ͕ ŐŝǀĞ ďĂĐŬ ƚŽ ƚŚĞ ĐŽŵŵƵŶŝƚLJ ĂŶĚ ĂůƐŽ ƚŽ ŝŶƐƉŝƌĞ ŽƵƌ ƐƚƵĚĞŶƚƐ ƚŽ ŵĂŬĞ Ă ĚŝīĞƌĞŶĐĞ͘ dŚƌŽƵŐŚŽƵƚ ϮϬϭϱ ǁĞ ǁŝůů ďĞ ĐĞůĞďƌĂƟŶŐ dϵϬ ǁŝƚŚ Ă ƌĂŶŐĞ ŽĨ ĞǀĞŶƚƐ ĂŶĚ ĂĐƟǀŝƟĞƐ ǁŚŝĐŚ ǁŝůů ďƵŝůĚ ƵƉŽŶ ƚŚĞ ďƌĞĂĚƚŚ ŽĨ ĞdžƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞƐ ĂŶĚ ĞŶƌŝĐŚŵĞŶƚ ŽƉƉŽƌƚƵŶŝƟĞƐ ĞŶũŽLJĞĚ ďLJ ŽƵƌ ƐƚƵĚĞŶƚƐ͕ ĂƐ ǁĞůů ĂƐ ŽƵƌ ƐƚƌŽŶŐ ĐŽŵŵƵŶŝƚLJ ĨŽĐƵƐ͘ dĂŶŐůŝŶ ŝƐ Ă ǀŝďƌĂŶƚ ĐŽͲĞĚƵĐĂƟŽŶĂů ƐĐŚŽŽů ŽĨ ŽǀĞƌ Ϯ͕ϳϳϬ ƐƚƵĚĞŶƚƐ ĨƌŽŵ ϯ ƚŽ ϭϴ͕ ƌĞƉƌĞƐĞŶƟŶŐ ŽǀĞƌ ϱϬ ĚŝīĞƌĞŶƚ ŶĂƟŽŶĂůŝƟĞƐ͘ >ĞĂƌŶŝŶŐ ŝƐ ďĂƐĞĚ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ŶŐůŝƐŚ EĂƟŽŶĂů ƵƌƌŝĐƵůƵŵ͕ ǁŚŝĐŚ ŝƐ ĞŶƌŝĐŚĞĚ ƚŽ ƌĞŇĞĐƚ ŽƵƌ ůŽĐĂƟŽŶ ŝŶ ƐŝĂ͘ dĂŶŐůŝŶ ŝƐ ƵŶŝƋƵĞ ŝŶ ^ŝŶŐĂƉŽƌĞ ŝŶ ŽīĞƌŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ĚƵĂů ƉĂƚŚǁĂLJ ŽĨ >ĞǀĞů Žƌ / ŝƉůŽŵĂ Ăƚ ^ŝdžƚŚ &Žƌŵ͕ ĨŽůůŽǁŝŶŐ /ͬ' ^ Ăƚ zĞĂƌ ϭϭ͘ t: +65 6778 0771 e: ĂĚŵŝƐƐŝŽŶƐΛƩƐ͘ĞĚƵ͘ƐŐ w: ǁǁǁ͘ƩƐ͘ĞĚƵ͘ƐŐ a: ϵϱ WŽƌƚƐĚŽǁŶ ZŽĂĚ͕ ^ŝŶŐĂƉŽƌĞ ϭϯϵϮϵϵ dĂŶŐůŝŶ ŝƐ Ă ŶŽƚͲĨŽƌͲƉƌŽĮƚ ŽƌŐĂŶŝƐĂƟŽŶ ĂŶĚ ŝƐ ƌĞŐŝƐƚĞƌĞĚ ĂƐ ĂŶ ĞĚƵĐĂƟŽŶĂů ĐŚĂƌŝƚLJ͘

ƌŝƟƐŚͲďĂƐĞĚ ůĞĂƌŶŝŶŐ ǁŝƚŚ ĂŶ ŝŶƚĞƌŶĂƟŽŶĂů ƉĞƌƐƉĞĐƟǀĞ͘

What does Tanglin mean to you?

“For me, Tanglin represents the support I have had from teachers who really follow my progress and take a genuine interest in me; the many friends I have made since joining in Year 2, Tanglin is such a close knit community; and the many enrichment ŽƉƉŽƌƚƵŶŝƟĞƐ / ŚĂǀĞ ĞdžƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞĚ ƐƵĐŚ ĂƐ ^ ; ƌĞĂƟǀŝƚLJ ĐƟŽŶ Service) and trips to countries like Cambodia and Vietnam.” Amelia Pearson, Year 13

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Executive Director’s Message

W W W. B R I T C H A M . O R G . S G

Dear Members, I hope you had a good start to 2015!

To kick off, I would like to share the main priorities of the Chamber Board and Executive Team for the year: t Focus on providing excellent member value and assistance in a continuously challenging business environment t Continue to grow the membership t Maintain and expand, where possible and feasible, the frequent opportunities to network and exchange experience and knowledge throughout the year t Offer more proactive and targeted member connect opportunities t Significantly increase sharing of relevant and useful content beyond meetings t Celebrate SG50 with key Singaporean and British stakeholders To be able to best meet member needs and requirements, we conducted a detailed membership survey in February. The outcome and results will be available by the end of March, and will be shared ahead of the AGM, which takes place on 7 May.

Brigitte Holtschneider Executive Director, British Chamber of Commerce, Singapore

Following last year’s strategy review and valuable input from members, we are continuing to make changes in our approach to communication, content and knowledge sharing. It has been decided to recalibrate resources—staff and budgets—to a more effective, engagement-focused approach. To recap, this entails: t Digital revamp: Apr 2014 t Introduction of the digital Knowledge Bank: Aug 2014 t Reactivate BCC twitter feeds: Oct 2014 t Reduce printed Orient frequency to four issues a year: Jan 2015 t Evaluate a better, state-of-the-art and more effective approach to LinkedIn: in progress t Move the membership directory online: mid-2015 t Conceptualise a Facebook approach for key flagship events I would like to encourage all member companies to share insights, reports and case studies at our online Knowledge Bank, which represents a modern, relevant and easy-to-access alternative to the printed magazine. Please also connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

At the core of the Chamber remains a diverse calendar of events and networking sessions driven by Business Groups and Committees, allowing frequent opportunities to connect personally. We kicked off the annual programme with a series of high-value and high-profile sessions. To name a few: t Leadership t Women in Business Panel t ICT Panel t Member Connect at the Sterling and Sponsors Cocktail t SG50 / International Women’s Day Panel t McKinsey Global Institute’s Three Paths to Prosperity On a personal note, I would like to thank Jennifer Hainsworth, our Business Services Manager since Jul 2013, for her excellent contribution in setting up and shaping this new Chamber division: capacities and capabilities have been built and a sizeable number of UK companies have been assisted, adding to the robust trade flows between the UK and Singapore. Jenny will be leaving Singapore to follow her husband, who is taking on another post in the region. We are in the process of recruiting her successor, and shall make introductions once a candidate has been hired. Meanwhile, Business Services Advisors UK Tina and Jared Sim will be happy to handle any inquiry or request.

I look forward to seeing you at one of our upcoming events.

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/britishchamber-of-commerce-singapore Twitter @britchamsg

Best wishes,

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W W W. B R I T C H A M . O R G . S G

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Feature

4 05 Days This Year

By John Ogier Here’s how to earn back the 40 days every worker loses on average through fruitless meetings.

W W W. B R I T C H A M . O R G . S G

fter all the weekends, public holidays, your own vacations and a few ‘not-feeling-very-well’ days are taken out of your year, you’ll have a little over 200 days left to do your real work— and I’ve not counted travel time in any big way yet. If you’re in management of some description, expect about 80 of those days to get sucked up with meetings (that’s a conservative figure). Executives report about half of these meetings are a waste of time or half the time is wasted. That’s at least 40 days gone up in smoke.

A

One tried-and-tested way to overcome inefficiencies in the workplace is to improve ‘teamwork.’ No surprises there. However, taking this one step further, it is now ‘collaboration’ that has piqued leaders’ interests. This extends the teamwork element to include other company departments and external parties, who

can add value to business planning and processes. However, a bit like the wellintentioned mantra of ‘innovation,’ the success of real collaboration depends on a workable, pragmatic definition combined with a high commitment level of the leaders to talk it and walk it every day.

This may cause some tensions in organisations where new-generation managers are pushing the leadership to be more open and collaborative, but the leaders are unsure of how to make it work. In cases where leaders have never experienced what it’s like to effectively collaborate during their early management years, they are left to make it up when they reach leadership status [see image below]. Rarely is it enough to simply invite a dotted-line group of colleagues into your team meeting to fire off some slides at each other. That’s where you lose your 40 days.

Building Networks Connecting Business Creating Opportunities

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The full impact arises when leaders take on the mantel to bring collaborative ways of working into the core business values.

The most effective collaboration happens not in a one-session-wonder but in the longer term by blending conversations either in or between meetings whether they are in person or virtual. Add to the recipe some organised informal social events to build rapport and trust between teams and individuals and collaborative behaviour starts to happen. Co-creating collaboration rules that people can understand and respect encourages a far more effective use of time when executives come together. Meeting times will begin to fill with planned conversations, appropriate thoughtprovoking challenges and well-managed

About the Author Based in Singapore, John Ogier combines a background in seniorlevel high-technology marketing in the Asia-Pacific region with many years’ experience in the leadership, management and workshop facilitation space.

Feature: 405 Days This Year

idea sharing. Leadership endorsement of a collaborative way of working enables people to get down to business without the fear of repercussion or strict adherence to organisational boundaries. When communicated, implemented and practised well, collaboration can inspire new and advantageous ways to work.

7 Steps to a Culture of Collaboration

For leaders willing to make the commitment to move away from the current time-suck of painful meetings and work in a truly collaborative fashion, the potential gain is not only more time, but also a huge range of other benefits that come when people work effectively together.

t

405 days this year? Here’s how to make a start:

At Meeting Magic he brings high-level corporate experience in strategy, teamwork, product marketing, company culture and skill development in communication. John specialises in the authentic design and facilitation experience of important meetings and

conference sessions such as strategy and vision, organisational culture & alignment, ideation and decision making.

John can be reached M: +65 8244 0244 / E: john@ meetingmagicinternational.com

t t t t

t t

Relegate the top-down ‘Tell and Sell’ approach.

Open up problem solving and strategy planning to a wider audience.

Use a variety of meeting environments and techniques to stimulate discussion.

Capture and share outputs in creative ways.

Create deliberate social events to build rapport and trust.

Adopt ‘Test, Consult and Co-Create’.

Have the courage to be sharp on your meeting culture practices.

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In Focus

In Focus: Chaly Mah In a recent e-mail interview, the CEO of Deloitte Asia Pacific shares with Vipanchi his opinions on the global economy, social media and the ethics of doing business.

W W W. B R I T C H A M . O R G . S G

Building Networks Connecting Business Creating Opportunities

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Let’s begin with the global economy.

What are key driving factors of the 2015 economy? How is the global economy affecting Asia?

The price of oil will be a key driving factor of the global economy in 2015. As it is, the sharp drop in the price of oil has boosted consumer purchasing power in oilconsuming countries, pushed up the value of the US dollar, and weakened several oil-producing economies.

In America, the shift in US monetary policy and the expected increase in short-term US interest rates have influenced currency values around the world. But a weaker growth and low inflation in the Eurozone, Japan, and China are offsetting the positive global impact of a rebound in the US economy. The introduction of quantitative easing measures by these economies will

In Focus: Chaly Mah, Asia Pacific

cause imbalance in the global economy and could result in ‘cheap’ capital flowing into emerging markets, hence causing more pressures and uncertainties in the emerging market currencies.

What is the scene in emerging markets?

Asia remains the strongest economic region of the global economy and this, together with the other emerging economies in Southeast Asia, speaks of the strength of Asia as a self-sustaining region of growth supported by a diversified economic structure. Despite the slow-down in China, GDP is expected to continue to grow at a modest rate of around 7%. The ASEAN economy, home to some 600 million people, is expected to grow at an average of 5–6% and will contribute to economic growth to the region, particularly Indonesia, Philippines and Myanmar.

For instance, Myanmar, a new economic frontier, is expected to continue its brisk pace of expansion and liberalisation. The country is already attracting the interest of several foreign businesses keen on capitalising on its growth opportunities and significant natural resources. In 2013, Deloitte established an Independent Correspondent Firm through leading local Myanmar professional services firm, Myanmar Vigour, to support many of the Deloitte network’s clients across all industries that are looking to expand their business in Myanmar. We are seeing significant FDI flows into Myanmar from

For the emerging markets in Asia, the outlook for 2015 remains strong, but unlike previous years, the smaller economies are expected to grow at a much faster pace.

W W W. B R I T C H A M . O R G . S G

China, Japan and Thailand. Deloitte also recently established a presence in Cambodia and Lao PDR. Another area of interest in this region is the launch of the AEC by Dec 2015, which will include the 10 ASEAN countries of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. This will create a community of about 600 million people, which will be 100 million people larger than the EU or approximately half of the population of either China or India. Although, not everything may be in place by then, there should be at least some pieces of the economic community plan that will be ready for the launch. This will become a very powerful economic area that should beneďŹ t all member-states.

Perhaps more interesting from a long-term perspective is the increasing role that social media is playing in shaping events, such as the Thai coup, the Hong Kong protests and the Indonesia elections. Moving forward, this will become the norm, and business and government alike will need to consider the impact of the social media-savvy population in cyberspace.

If you look at the last decade, 2004–2014, what are the significant opportunities and risks you think are relevant for decision makers?

From geopolitical tensions to government changes and disease epidemics, there have been so many signiďŹ cant events over the last decade. Perhaps more interesting from a long-term perspective is the increasing role that social media is playing in shaping events, such as the Thai coup, the Hong Kong protests and the Indonesia elections.

Moving forward, this will become the norm, and business and government alike will need to consider the impact of the social media-savvy population in cyberspace.

Furthermore, as the world becomes more cyber-connected, events concerning cybersecurity have also come to the forefront. Boards and business decision

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makers will need to dedicate more efforts to better understand their institutions’ vulnerabilities and be actively engaged in the oversight of cyberdefence infrastructure and protocols. We can also expect that there will be greater emphasis on collaboration within the industry and with government agencies so that information can flow seamlessly as cyber incidents happen. This also creates business opportunities for cyber defence mechanisms and systems.

The cyber threat and the increasing importance of social media mean no organisation can afford not to be digitalsavvy in 2015.

Organisations are facing several challenges with respect to skills gap, talent retention and engagement.

Share some innovative trends that are emerging.

In Focus: Chaly Mah, Asia Pacific

It is important for leaders to continue to raise the standard and do the right thing, at the right time, for the right reasons. Leaders should set the tone and leading by example is the best way to do this. It’s what you do, not what you say, that demonstrates to your team what you care about.

Some companies choose to focus on addressing problems, but the most successful companies focus instead on raising the bar. One of the ways to do this is to create a culture where innovation thrives; when magnified throughout the organisation, this can become a source of competitive advantage.

New business models leveraging on digital technology will cause disruption to traditional businesses. Boards of companies will need to put on their agenda innovations and risks associated with disruption.

Every company’s culture is inherently different, so when you are cultivating innovation, you have to be thoughtful about your approach. Your innovation programme should align with the values of the company and with the company’s goals.

W W W. B R I T C H A M . O R G . S G

It’s the values, norms and subtle behaviours of leaders and employees—the invisible forces—that are responsible for the success.

By focusing on outcomes and results, these leaders can help free up energy for the creative process.

Sometimes we over-engineer the innovation process when the better option could be just to give enough support to help people navigate uncertainty and tap into the creative process without stifling it. You also have to make it rewarding for the people whose roles and responsibilities influence the very innovation culture you are trying to cultivate. Leaders play an important role in the process; they need to make sure everyone involved knows the strategic goals and intended outcomes of the organisation’s objectives. Innovation needs time to develop but few people ever feel like they have time to spare. People often get so consumed with putting out fires and chasing short-term targets that most feel that they can’t even think about the future.

Share some of your personal insights and lessons relevant for business leaders and SME owners?

Throughout my career, I have used one guiding principle, which my late father taught me. He told me, “Son, you should do things right, and always do the right thing.”

We know that to be successful, one need to do things in the right way. Equally important, doing the right thing means maintaining high moral and ethical standards in the way we do business. It is important for leaders to continue to raise the standard and do the right thing, at the right time, for the right reasons.

Leaders should set the tone and leading

by example is the best way to do this.

It’s what you do, not what you say, that demonstrates to your team what you care about.

In a challenging and competitive environment for young professionals these days, what career advice would you give them?

I encourage the younger generation to make full use of your creative and inquisitive minds, ambition and energy to make an impact that matters. Despite all the hard work and the long hours that they will put in, they must ensure that they enjoy what they do and do it with a purpose that makes an impact that matters to all stakeholders and the community we live in.

Simply put, love what you are doing and pursue it with a passion.

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Special Feature

UK General Election 2015

By Andrew Naylor

The UK goes to the polls on 8 May in what will be one of the most anticipated but unpredictable general elections in recent UK history.

here are a number of dynamics at play, making it very hard to predict the outcome. Yet the outcome will have a profound impact on the future direction of policy in the UK, particularly when it comes to economics. The choice is obvious, and the question is one that is being repeated across Europe: what’s the best way to secure growth, belt tightening or spending?

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2.

Economic policy aside, there are a number of dynamics that mark this election as one of the most interesting and unpredictable in recent history: 1.

A fragmentation of the party political spectrum. For the first time, we are in an era of genuine multi-party coalition politics. 2010 was the year in which the traditional two-party model of British politics was shattered by the rise of the Lib Dems as a parliamentary kingmaker. 2015 is the year in which

3.

we move into the realm of genuine fiveparty politics. UKIP are taking support from all parties (but particularly the Conservatives), and the Green Party is taking support from the traditional left.

It is now ahead of the Lib Dems in some polls, and has more than doubled its membership in recent years.

The march of the SNP in Scotland.

Recent polling in Scotland conducted by Lord Ashcroft (polling regarded across the party political spectrum as being one of the most robust and unbiased) suggests a swing of a whopping 25.4% from Labour to the SNP in Labour-held marginal seats. If this were replicated at the GE, Labour would lose 35 of its 41 MPs in Scotland.

The Ed Miliband effect. The public persona / media portrayal of the Labour leader is impacting Labour support, and is a factor as to why traditional labour supporters may lend their vote elsewhere.

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Special Feature: UK General Election 2015

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UK Prime Minister, David Cameron

As my colleague, Dan Reagan said, “We have entered a period of pentagonal politics, with the electorate’s support fractured across five parties in England. Both of the traditional main parties are seeing their chances of gaining a majority slip away” In summary: the Conservative vote is being split by UKIP. Labour are losing out to the SNP in Scotland, and the Lib Dems are being punished by voters for propping up a government that has embarked on an unpopular course of austerity.

What does all this mean?

Aside from making the general election result very hard to predict, one thing is likely: the UK will have to get used to coalition government.

At the time of writing in Feb 2015, the latest polls put the Conservatives and Labour neckand-neck at 33% each.

The polls suggest we are heading for a

Ed Miliband

Polling Average (as at 6 Feb 2015) Labour

33%

Conservatives

32%

UKIP

15%

Lib Dems

8%

Greens

6%

hung parliament, with Labour the largest party but short of an absolute majority. If this were to happen, they will have to look for coalition partners. The collapse in the Lib Dems vote and the rise of the SNP make the most likely coalition one between Labour and the Scottish nationalists. Alex Salmond is already eyeing a return to Westminster and Ashcroft’s polls suggest he will be a shoe-

If a Labour-SNP coalition deal cannot be struck, Labour will govern alone as caretaker, on the promise of a second poll later in the year, similar to the two elections we had in 1974.

What happens after that is anyone’s guess, but it looks like we are moving into a new and much less stable era of British party politics.

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Nick Cleg

in. We should not rule out Alex Salmond as deputy prime minster. This would have huge political and constitutional ramifications, and the SNP will extract as much as possible in return for support. How much more power should be handed to Holyrood? What are the voting arrangements in Westminster on English-only issues? Will such an arrangement prompt an English backlash, as the SNP must surely be hoping for?

If all this seems too unpalatable to Labour, they will have to look at the Lib Dems as a coalition partner. The problem is the Lib Dems might not have enough MPs after the

About the Author Andrew Naylor is an Executive Director of Cicero Group, a UK-headquartered communications and government-affairs agency. He regularly comments on Channel

election to prop up a Labour government.

There are also questions over the reelection of the Nick Clegg and Danny Alexander. Recent constituency polling commissioned by Unite suggests both will lose their seats.

My personal view on the basis of the polling averages is that the most likely outcome will be a minority Labour government. If a Labour-SNP coalition deal cannot be struck, Labour will govern alone as caretaker, on the promise of a second poll later in the year, similar to the two elections we had in 1974.

What happens after that is anyone’s guess,

NewsAsia, CNBC and Sky News on global political and economic developments.

Dan Regan quoted in this article is Head of Cicero Elections.

but it looks like we are moving into a new and much less stable era of British party politics.

If this scenario were to play out, it is likely that the UK will have three new party leaders in a couple of years. If the Conservatives lose, David Cameron will probably resign—cue Boris. Nick Clegg may well lose his seat; even if he doesn’t, the Lib Dems will likely look for a new leader to signal a break with the past. If Labour form a minority government, they may well start to think they’d fare better with a new leader. Although this election is highly unpredictable, we are in for significant political change.

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Feature

Building More Sustainable Cities Rapid levels of urbanisation, population growth, climate change and mobility are just some of the big issues affecting many of the world’s most iconic cities. But how well equipped are our cities to meet these challenges both today and in the future? And how do we create more sustainable cities?

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n seeking to address these important questions a city must respond to three competing priorities of ‘People, ‘Planet & Profit.’ In other words, a city must balance the demands of generating strong financial returns, being an attractive place for people to live and work, while also limiting any negative environmental impact.

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A Singapore success story Only 50 years after achieving full independence, recent industry research* shows that the picture for Singapore is very positive, with the city finishing in the top 10 globally and third in Asia Pacific.

Singapore also scored higher than any other Asian city in the Planet sub-index.

This reflects the city’s commitment to green urbanisation and to ensuring that sustainability is at the heart of all future designs and masterplans.

With an ambitious goal to make at least 80% of all buildings ‘green’ by 2030 as part of a concerted push to create a vibrant and high-quality living environment that is resilient, and which supports the broader climate change agenda, this is an area where Singapore will continue to lead the way.

From a People and Profit perspective, Singapore also scored consistently high although, like many other major cities in Asia, a culture of long working hours, expensive property and high cost of doing

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business were three areas where it scored lower than some cities in other regions.

However, these areas do not deter from Singapore’s many attributes. The city today stands as one of the world’s biggest financial centres, a global transportation hub, and the location of choice for many multinational organisations looking to set up their regional headquarters in Asia. A large part of its success has been built upon having a masterplan that links city planning with business and social requirements.

Looking ahead, a number of strategic initiatives are currently underway, which should see the city do even better in the coming years. For example, with the

Feature: Building More Sustainable Cities

As our planet evolves and people continue to flock to busy urban centres, we’re at a crossroads. Love them or loathe them, cities are the future of our civilisation, and we need to look after them in a more balanced and sustainable way.

population continuing to grow, the government has committed significant investments over the next decade to improving mobility and connectivity within the city.

This includes two new underground lines, extensions to four existing MRT lines, a new terminal and runway at Changi Airport, a high-speed rail link between Singapore and Malaysia, and the relocation of the container port.

Similarly, with a significant proportion of the population expected to be aged 65 or over by 2030, there’s also a major push to develop new social infrastructure, including community care homes, specialist hospitals and nursing homes.

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Ushering in the age of the sustainable city

understand precisely where you are and what challenges lie ahead.

Building a city that’s truly sustainable is a bit like assembling an enormous threedimensional jigsaw puzzle. You can build as high or as wide as you like, but if you don’t get the pieces in the right place, it won’t look right, it won’t feel right and, ultimately, it just won’t work. As with any puzzle, to be successful, you need to

As our planet evolves and people continue to flock to busy urban centres, we’re at a crossroads. Love them or loathe them, cities are the future of our civilisation, and we need to look after them in a more balanced and sustainable way. Cities can thrive as an economic engine and be the

* The research refers to the recent ARCADIS Sustainable Cities Index. For more information, please visit http://www.sustainablecitiesindex.com.

most stimulating and exciting place on Earth to live, but if that’s at the expense of the planet and its natural resources, it won’t remain that way for long. Today is unquestionably the Age of the City, but tomorrow must become the Age of the Sustainable City.

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Feature

Seven Key Digital Trends to Watch in 2015 Here are some tips for you to stay relevant as the Digital Age morphs into the Age of Wearable Technologies and the Internet of Everything.

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he pace of change is increasing, with disruption driven by relentless technological advancements.

We willl see digital undergo a further transformation in 2015, particularly in Asia Pacific, where technology and consumer behaviour are reaching a tipping point.

Therefore, organisations need to deliver real products and services quickly, as well as respond to issues as they arise throughout projects.

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This requires an agile consultancy and delivery approach engineered to embrace change, powered by a combination of strategy, technology and multidisciplinary consultancy.

So, what’s in store for organisations and digital marketers in the coming year? Here are seven digital trends that Reading Room would like to share with you.

1. Integrating Generation Z into business Generation Z, who are true digital natives born after the mid-1990s, are used to a wholly different way of engaging with people and tasks to previous workforce generations. This is especially true of those in Southeast Asia, where they live and breathe digital, mobile and social media.

Companies that have spent so many years adapting to the digital age will need to change again, such as the way of thinking and organisation structure, to be more agile and to accommodate these new attitudes and behaviours, or risk alienating (and not getting the best out of) their younger workforce.

2. Quantify that drink and shout about it Over the past few years, apps and wearable tech from Nike, Run Keeper, my fitness pal

and more have encouraged people to track everything, from body mass index (BMI) to regularity of dreams. The latest iPhone and iOS have made such technology no longer just a tool for fitness fanatics and dieters.

With support for ever more life logging in a completely passive and unobtrusive manner, intimate details of your day recorded by a connected device that lives, works and sleeps with you are being gladly exchanged with your social networks and, by extension, with brands.

In the meantime, such behaviour has presented brands with a huge amount of data. Turning that data into real insights that will help them reach target audiences and meet their business needs will become a big challenge, which will require analytical capabilities to tackle it and feed it back to the product and service

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development to adjust according to the market’s needs.

3. 2015, the year of the micro Micro-animation interactions in the interface will offer a smoother and more considered approach to content consumption, rather than shoving information in front of a user in the current web sphere.

Micro-screens will also redefine how we develop our content, from retina sharp images without the bandwidth bloat to highly optimised content for immediate, scenario-based interactions.

Coupling micro-interactions, vector-based imagery, reaction-served content and just-in-time loading of required page components will offer performance gains in double digits.

4. Community troll hunters In 2015, social networks need to respond and work out how to control the trolls.

Otherwise, users who take the issues seriously will leave for other platforms.

Feature: Seven Key Digital Trends to Watch In 2015

There is also a cultural issue to consider over what constitutes free speech and fair comment, and when it passes into threatening and offensive behaviour. The issue is complicated by differing national legislation and cultural norms.

wearables and Internet of Things space.

More and more focus will be aimed at how people and technology interact through things such as verbal commands and personal assistants.

6. Imagery: vector & photography However, even giants such as Facebook and Twitter are not immune to the threat that this issue poses—people have already started leaving them. So, the answer to this challenge may lie in the strength of the communities themselves to ‘self-police.’

Social networks really need to respond quickly, adapt to communities’ changing needs, and give them the tools to do that.

5. Content strategy & UX for voice interactions How do we localise content spoken by machines across different regions and languages, or the design of a voice interface? And how will people respond psychologically to objects that speak and act independently?

There are an increasing number of voice interfaces emerging, especially in the

Icon fonts, SVG elements, typography rendering, optimised multi-sized imagery: pixel density is becoming higher and higher.

What that means for our industry is that we’ll reach a point where designing in a rasterised format and optimising in retrospect is no longer viable. Some would argue that we have already passed that point. We’re moving towards a blend of vector assets and high-resolution images, which will have a huge impact on our workflow.

7. Blurred lines The line between online and offline environments has never been more blurred. Almost every human activity, whether work or leisure, has a connected element to it.

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Digital is now being recognised clearly as an integral part of business, so full engagement across C-level and all functions of the organisation is imperative. Companies need to change their mindset and organisation structures to be more flexible and focus on their strategic business goals.

About Reading Room Reading Room is an international digital consultancy at the leading edge of digital innovation, strategy and delivery.

We are unique in applying the principles of agility into the landscape of consultancy as well as production, enabling

2015 could be the year when places such as retailers and tourist destinations finally figure out how to truly enrich people’s experiences—and make money out of them—by using mobile technology. iBeacon, NFC, augmented reality and responsive design all have the potential to create meaningful—not gimmicky— experiences for users, whether it’s for storytelling, ease of experience, or something we haven’t thought of yet.

To deliver relevant, useful content and meaningful experiences, it requires strategic research to understand and leverage context in a way that proves beneficial to both the brand and the end-user. Then plan, create and maintain content offerings that are intelligent

clients to get to market faster and more successfully. Since its inception, Reading Room’s mission has been about helping organisations take full advantage of the opportunities the Internet has created. Reading Room is ranked as a Top 10 Interactive Agency by Forrester. Our clients

include Skoda, Philips Healthcare, Barclays, London Business School, BHP Billiton and HRH The Prince of Wales. We work across all continents and have offices in the UK, Singapore, Australia, Thailand and Hong Kong.

enough to perform on different devices and platforms, at different times and in different places.

Digital is now being recognised clearly as an integral part of business, so full engagement across C-level and all functions of the organisation is imperative.

Companies need to change their mindset and organisation structures to be more flexible and focus on their strategic business goals. This will require multidisciplinary teams and different research approach to deliver real products and services fast and adopt iteration throughout.

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Feature

It’s About Being Transparent

By David Pugh

Why bringing transparency into the workplace makes business sense for financial advisers.

want to address the subject of transparency in the financial advisory industry in Singapore, what it means to me, and why it is important.

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Financial Advisers who practise transparency will always provide accurate information to clients when they make recommendations and give advice. This is vital to enable the client to make an informed decision and to building an open and honest working relationship. It should be mandatory to confirm a product’s and investment’s cost, how much commission is paid to the

adviser, lock-in periods, etc. The adviser’s experience and qualifications are also important and should be disclosed. In an era of transparency and unbundled charges, opaque charging structures for advice and investment products should not be accepted.

Clients are slowly starting to realise this, even if many advisers and product providers are not.

amount of commission received by the adviser. A lawyer or accountant does not give his client the impression he is working for free, and neither should financial advisers. If you are taking a commission, disclose it and then justify it. Good advisers will voluntarily offer full disclosure, allowing clients to make fully informed decisions. This is how it should be.

Transparency means full disclosure. Advisers who practise transparency do not withhold any information that could impact a client’s decision. This, of course, includes the

Only high-quality advisers practise full transparency. Lower quality advisers will practise partial transparency or nontransparency. Those advisers who practise

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partial transparency tend to only provide information that helps them sell financial products. For example, they highlight past investment returns and extra allocation rates, but neglect to disclose charges, commissions, exit penalties, etc. As a result of this partial disclosure, clients have no idea what information is being deliberately withheld. Even worse are those advisers who provide no transparency at all. Instead, they use slick sales techniques to deceptively sell financial products. Unfortunately, with such massive commissions continuing to be paid to

They use slick sales techniques to deceptively sell financial products.

Unfortunately, with such massive commissions continuing to be paid to ‘advisers,’ these sales techniques are not likely to abate any time soon.

‘advisers,’ these sales techniques are not likely to abate any time soon.

Of course, ‘adviser’ is just a word, not a profession backed by a universal set of standards for training, transparency and ethics. Pretty much anyone can call himself an adviser after passing a few simple exams.

In this job, I’ve met lots of smart, diligent and highly effective people who use financial planning processes to assess an individual’s or family’s needs and then develop an effective investing approach; most of them I encountered while I was working in the

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Transparency is key to this happening. It makes good business sense to have loyal and happy customers, to be proud of the advice you have given and the transparent basis on which you provided it.

About the Author David Pugh, CFP, is General Manager of The Fry Group Singapore.

The Fry Group has been providing tax-led financial advice to private clients since 1898.

Feature: It’s About Being Transparent

UK for 10 years. Since moving to Asia, I’ve sadly seen lots of unscrupulous and commission-hungry salesmen motivated by their own greed, their employers’ greed, or both. Transparency is certainly not their agenda. All of this, unfortunately, reminds me of the UK industry in the early 1990s, before regulation changed the advisory landscape.

It’s a sad state of affairs when regulation has to be introduced into an industry to improve professionalism. This is exactly what has been happening to the financial adviser sector in Singapore, as it did in the UK. The Monetary Authority of Singapore

(MAS) first developed the Financial Advisory Industry Review (FAIR) in 2012, aimed at raising professional standards as well as increasing competitiveness for investment and insurance products. I welcome FAIR and the changes it brings.

However, legislation can only take us so far. What we also need is a major culture shift where advisers put the needs of their clients first. Transparency is key to this happening. It makes good business sense to have loyal and happy customers, to be proud of the advice you have given and the transparent basis on which you provided it.

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Advertorial

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Inspirational Pathways Stamford gives its students an edge with its Global Mentor Program.

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component to success, providing support behaviours that are associated with more positive work and career attitudes and greater career success.3

have also had the chance to question each Nobel Laureate about his area of speciality, what helped them to achieve success, and their values.

Yalow’s career could be a story of the power of individual genius and extraordinary determination. However, a closer look at her life suggests that her story is as much about the support and mentoring that contributed to her success and the high value that she subsequently placed on her own role as a mentor.

Stamford’s Global Mentor Program is innovating education by partnering some of the world’s top minds, athletes and industry leaders. Stamford has seen acclaimed Nobel Laureates conduct talks and workshops with Stamford students this year, including Professor Sir James Mirrlees, 1996 Nobel Laureate for Economics, Professor Ei-ichi Negishi, 2010 Nobel Laureate for Chemistry, and Professor Ada E Yonath, 2009 Nobel Laureate for Chemistry, hosted in partnership with the International Peace Foundation’s (IPF) 5th ASEAN event series, ‘Bridges: Dialogues Toward a Culture of Peace.’

Miki Sekiguchi, a Grade 8 Student at Stamford, comments, “Before having the opportunity to hear the professors speak, I only knew that becoming a Noble Laureate is a supreme honour. By listening to their speeches, it has taught me that a goal cannot be easily accomplished without hard work and wisdom, but also that I need to work in a field that I love. One of the questions that Prof Sir James Mirrlees shared really stood out for me, ‘Why is water less expensive than diamonds when it is more valuable in life?’ This has inspired me to think not just about what my next step is, but how I will be successful once I graduate from Stamford.”

Among all the Nobel Laureates who conducted their prize-winning research in the United States, more than half had been mentored early in their careers by other Nobel Laureates2. Mentoring is seen as a critical

Visiting Nobel Laureates have inspired Stamford students with their journeys towards success, talking them through their own unique paths in the school’s state-of-theart 500-seat Reagan Theatre. Top students

obel Prize winner Rosalyn Yalow addressed the students of Stockholm in her 1977 speech at the Nobel Banquet, identifying them as “the carriers of our hopes for the survival of the world and our dreams for its future.

We transmit to you, the next generation, the total sum of our knowledge. Yours is the responsibility to use it, to add to it, and transmit it to your children.”1

Inspiring students to reach the top of their game and achieve more than they believe they can is at the heart of Stamford’s vision and Global Mentor Program.

1 From Les Prix Nobel. Rosalyn Yalow – Banquet Speech at the Nobel Banquet, 10 Dec 1977. The Official Website of the Nobel Foundation. © 2003 The Nobel Foundation. http://www.nobel.se/medicine/laureates/1977/yalow-speech.html 2 Harriet Zuckerman. Scientific Elite: Nobel Laureates in the United States. Tracking the careers of all American Laureates who won prizes from 1907 until 1972 3 T D Allen, Eby, Poteet, Lentz, & Lima, 2004

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Feature

Three Key Movements Set to Shape Marketing in APAC in 2015 and Beyond

By Louise Reid

Marketers should hone their skills in these aspects of digital marketing.

arketing as a discipline has changed over the last few years; now, everyone who is anyone talks about the power of digital. Here in Asia, the digital landscape, use and acceptance of digital tools and channels, and the incredible diversity of regional markets mean that there is definitely no one-size-fitsall solution when it comes to digital marketing strategies.

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Three key trends will play a critical role in the future of digital marketing in the region. They are e-commerce, digital advertising and mobile.

1. E-commerce: replacing physical contact with buyers In 2014, Asia became the world’s largest e-commerce region: around US$525.2 billion was thought to have been spent on purchases made online. This means there is a massive shift in the very nature of how

every company targets their customers and potential customers.

The zero-moment-of-truth (ZMOT) model, a concept coined by Google, refers to the research buyers do online before making a purchase. Google published an Asian version of its ZMOT handbook in 2014, in line with changing buyer behaviour in the region.

The real skill now in targeting new customers and encouraging them to buy from you (whether in person or online) is being present in a credible and impactful way somewhere or even everywhere during the online research phase of the buying cycle. Easier said than done, but a challenge that inspires and stimulates marketers of all shapes and sizes, and has the power to unite disciplines and skills from PR, SEO (search engine optimisation), social media marketing, direct marketing, advertising and even events.

2. Digital advertising: the rebirth of a much loved discipline Digital ad spend grew in Asia Pacific by almost 20% in 2014, and the driving factors behind this growth are increased targeting and better data capture. Advertising became a bit of a dirty word in many marketing circles during the first few years of the global recession, with companies outright refusing to even consider it, instead favouring ‘earned’ and ‘owned’ media such as PR and social and investing in company websites and other assets.

Today, the ability to target online adverts and—critically—pay for the relevant impressions or clicks increases the potential and return. The rise of programmatic advertising, an automated way of buying relevant online media space within set parameters, further enhances its power.

It is also now easier to track the effectiveness of online campaigns, with publishers

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providing much more detailed insights into the results of an advert than ever before.

Using this insight well means marketers can constantly improve their campaigns and get the biggest returns possible.

3. Mobile: getting the basics right is the key to success There are already 3.7 billion mobile phone subscriptions in Asia Pacific and at least 0.8 billion active mobile social accounts . In many countries, more consumers are connected via mobiles than any other device; in fact, in countries such as Thailand, there are more mobile phones than people!

About the Author Louise Reid is a linguist, published author and seasoned international B2B marketer who helps multinational B2B brands to grow their profile and business around the world.

She established and runs

This mass availability, adoption and increased affordability of mobile phones across the region provide another opportunity for marketers to interact with their audiences online. Understanding mobile use and ensuring any material targeting mobile phones is responsive (ie it refits to appear suitably on a mobile screen) is one of many important things to get right.

Other considerations include ensuring any marketing is relevant and appropriate to the tool being used. For example, when using social media to get your messages

BDB Asia, a specialist B2B marcomms agency in Singapore and is client services director of the agency’s global business, led out of the UK.

across, you have to consider how and why your target audience use it to make sure your activities resonate and don’t annoy!

Marketing in Asia Pacific is an incredibly exciting industry where the scene is set for unprecedented creativity and innovation.

Finding amazing ways to reach your audiences and encouraging them to buy from you is what gets us marketers up in the morning, and there is no better place to be than here in Singapore.

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British High Commission

Celebrating 50 Years of BritishSingapore Partnership

By Antony Phillipson 30 Jan 2015: Shared commitment to address challenges from climate change to combating extremism

hile the main focus in Singapore this year is the celebration of the 50th anniversary of independence, 2015 also marks 50 years of diplomatic relations between Singapore and the United Kingdom.

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That might strike many as unremarkable.

After all, the UK and Singapore enjoy a long shared history, so surely it would be natural for the UK to be one of the first to recognise the new nation of Singapore. But while that may be true, it is still worth celebrating a relationship that remains of great importance to the UK as we look ahead to future challenges.

At the heart of that relationship is a shared commitment to a just world based on the rule of law, one in which we can provide for the prosperity and security of all our people.

To that end, both countries need to work together to address conflict and its causes,

which include poverty and inequality.

We need to reduce barriers to trade and investment, implement the European Union-Singapore Free Trade Agreement, and enhance our innovation and research links to create knowledge-based economies that are fit for the future.

We need to deepen our defence cooperation, and create new collaborations in areas like cyber, maritime security and humanitarian and disaster relief. And we need to work together to create genuinely smart nations that can deliver effective and efficient public services to our citizens, and which will make our cities liveable and sustainable.

That emphasis on sustainability also underpins our approach to climate change, one of the global threats that we must face together. As the United Nations Secretary-General has said, we may be the last generation that can get a grip on this

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issue. We will be failing our children and grandchildren if we do not make every effort to agree a new climate framework in Paris in December this year.

Another global challenge we must address concerns the rise of extremism. The horrific events in Peshawar, Baga, Paris and elsewhere, as well as the ongoing crisis in Syria, are a stark illustration of the threat.

It cannot be a case of whether to stand up to those who are willing to use violence to achieve their aims, the question is how we do it.

Our response needs to be global, inclusive and comprehensive. The UK and Singapore are working together in the coalition against the Islamic State, and we should look to draw on interfaith and community programmes that have worked well, such as in Singapore.

Close Cooperation We will pursue these issues in our own way and in our respective groupings, whether the EU, UN Security Council or G7 for the UK; or ASEAN, the East Asia Summit or the G77 for Singapore; as well as together in the Commonwealth. Indeed, one of the great advantages of working together is the combined audience that we can reach.

Last year’s State Visit to the UK by Singapore President Tony Tan Keng Yam touched on many of these themes. It also celebrated our shared heritage, whilst looking forward to future opportunities.

In the months since, we have been delivering on the commitments made then. The new UK-Singapore Innovation and Research Partnership is being rolled out. President Tan recently attended a ceremony to mark the groundbreaking for the new medical school that is just one manifestation of our innovation and research ties, and more specifically, the partnership between Imperial College, London and Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

During the State Visit by President Tan, we announced that the UK would be arranging a GREAT British Week in Singapore in March this year. The focus will be on British excellence in innovation, creativity and education, and the events aim to enhance

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UK-Singapore collaborations in these areas, providing opportunities for the companies of both countries, large and small, to create new connections and trade and investment wins.

Earlier this week saw the inaugural UKSingapore Financial Dialogue and Renminbi Forum, bringing together officials and companies to agree further steps to boost cooperation between our two leading international financial centres.

We are not starting from scratch, of course.

There are around 1,000 UK companies in Singapore, many using it as a regional base; some have been here for well over 50 years.

Singapore is the destination for nearly 50 per cent of UK exports to ASEAN. Singaporean

About the Author HE Antony Phillipson British High Commissioner This article was originally published in TODAY on 30 Jan 2015.

British High Commission: Celebrating 50 Years of British-Singapore Partnership

As Singapore celebrates its Golden anniversary, and the UK and Singapore mark a similar milestone, we must build on our long-standing partnership to ensure that our countries can address them, so that we can enjoy increasing prosperity and greater security, now and in the future.

companies have significant investments in the UK, amounting to nearly three quarters of Singapore’s investment in the EU. We live in challenging times. The world is better connected than ever before, bringing great opportunities, but also multiple threats.

So, as Singapore celebrates its Golden anniversary, and the UK and Singapore mark a similar milestone, we must build on our longstanding partnership to ensure that our countries can address them, so that we can enjoy increasing prosperity and greater security, now and in the future. That will be the main objective of the discussions that UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond will have in Singapore today (FRIDAY) during his official visit here.

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Britain in South East Asia News

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At the Chamber: Business Group News

Property & Construction Group Chairperson: Richard Warburton —EC Harris Singapore Pte Ltd ingapore celebrates 50 years of independence this year. The speed at which the city-state has developed in this period is testament to the country’s sustained focus on pushing the boundaries and embracing new and innovative thinking.

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A great example of this can be seen in the recent announcement that Singapore will seek to become the world’s first ‘smart nation.’ As part of this drive, it will aim to build a fully wired infrastructure that enables it to collect data and intelligence that will allow it to deliver better services in a range of areas, including healthcare

and transportation, and access to key resources like water and electricity.

If Singapore is successful, it will be the first nation to fully connect its entire infrastructure, and will be in a strong position to address some of the major challenges that are affecting many of the world’s most iconic, cities including rapid levels of urbanisation, an aging population, and mobility. Recent ARCADIS research reveals that when measured against three main indices (People, Planet & Profit), Singapore is among the top 10 most sustainable cities in the world and the most environmentally sustainable city in Asia.

This will not come as a surprise to anyone who lives or does business in Singapore.

However, the study also highlighted the growing challenge facing our cities in the future. With the population of Singapore continuing to grow, the city will need to push the boundaries again over the next 50 years.

The government recognises this, and should be commended for the forwardlooking plans it has already made. A focus on strengthening both transport and social infrastructure will facilitate more efficient living and enable Singapore to continue to offer its citizens a first-class quality of life.

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Young British Chamber Chairperson: Zoë Marmot —Head of Communications, Asia Pacific, Cognita

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ommon complaints about people from Generation Y (Gen Y) include:

s moving from job to job s always expecting quick promotions s needing constant praise s not wanting to work late s being high-maintenance But could these concerns be attributed to mismanagement, and is there a way to unleash the talent in these people?

The Young British Chamber recently had the privilege of listening to Spencer Ogden’s CEO, David Spencer-Percival, as part of its mentoring series. Spence Ogden is the world’s fastest-growing energy recruitment specialist: it grew by a third last year alone despite oil prices hitting a six-year low.

More pertinently, they achieved this while hiring staff from Gen Y. So how did this company achieve revenues of £77million in 2014 after just five years?

One answer is in getting the most out of this high-maintenance—but also highperforming—Gen Y staff.

First, high-performing Gen Ys are created by aligning their goals with company expectations. Help them understand that there are no short cuts to success, but make sure to explain their career plan and potential growth. As Spencer-Percival said, “You have to work hard every day at the same thing and then you will be a success!”

This will create a sense of identity with the company and motivation for accomplishing long-term goals.

Once a Gen Y is aboard and identifies with the company, you must provide the training and skills to help him or her succeed. When new recruits join Spencer Ogden, they enter the Spencer Ogden Training Academy that, after the first three intensive months, continues to provide

training, development and support for individuals at every stage of their career.

Training gives employees the essential tools for success, which increases confidence, productivity and the drive to succeed.

Gen Ys want to learn. They desire continuous improvement and knowledge.

When the learning curve of a job stops, that is when they start looking for a new job.

Stop this cycle by quenching that thirst for knowledge and desire for new challenges with in-house opportunities.

With the tools to succeed, your inspired Gen Ys are ready to take on projects of their own, making delegation the next key area. Spencer-Percival explained that growth is “all about letting go, which is the hardest thing to do.” If you don’t delegate, people will never learn, they will never feel respected or needed, they will continue to take up all your time and be high-maintenance. Gen Ys tend to feel underutilised, so use them, push them and expect more from them!

Finally, give Gen Ys work-life balance at the office. Make it fun! Spencer Ogden’s Singapore office is equipped with Astro Turf flooring, an American-style diner and table

tennis equipment. “At Spencer Ogden, we are committed to creating environments that encourage open communication and teamwork, and, as a result, we have a highly collaborative and productive workforce,” revealed Spencer-Percival.

However, this does not mean that there are no rigid KPIs beneath all that fun. You still have to deliver. In fact, staff productivity has increased by 30% as people work harder and longer.

Spencer-Percival emphasised how much he enjoys taking someone who has never had a job before and making him or her successful. “It’s a wonderful thing to see.

It’s life-changing and fantastic to watch,” he described.

So be challenged to unleash the talent in your Gen Ys. Find out what their strengths are and capitalise on them. Inspire them to work hard and nurture their passion.

The result will be a highly motivated, highly successful workforce ready to competitively take your company into the future.

Article by: Katherine Baker

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Business Services News

Business Services Update I

highlighted the latest technology, processes and ideas that effectively and efficiently bring the market valuable resources that members strive to find and develop.

OSEA 2014 was an essential showcase for everything new and available in the hi-tech world of Offshore Oil and Gas. The event

Although focused primarily on oil and gas, this was a cross-sector trade mission for companies from all market sectors across Yorkshire and the Humber region.

The Business Services team provided the participating companies with a range of services, including networking opportunities with chamber members, organisational and market research

n Dec 2014, the Business Services team welcomed South Yorkshire International Trade Forum (SYITF) to Singapore for their second trade mission. This mission followed on from a successful trade mission in Feb 2014. The December mission coincided with Offshore South East Asia (OSEA 2014), Asia’s most important oil and gas exhibition, which took place at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, from 2–5 Dec.

support, and programmes of meetings with potential partners, agents or customers. The team are now working with a number of the companies on an ongoing basis to help them to effectively achieve their business goals in Singapore.

In January, Jennifer attended the Singapore Business Federation (SBF) seminar held at Suntec Convention & Exhibition Centre on the Economic, Business & Currency Outlook 2015, during which the results of the SBF National Business Survey 2014/2015 were analysed and presented. Among the items

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discussed were capturing the overall sentiments felt by the SBF members, identifying the challenges in the new year while simultaneously planning new effective business strategies for 2015, as well as preparing for inevitable economic restructuring. The session ended with an economic update from UOB and trends analysis for 2015 by Western Union.

On 20 Jan 2015, as part of the Overseas Business Network Initiative (OBNI), the Business Services team, together with EBLEX, organised a British Beef Promotion Event, which welcomed the local press along with well-known chefs. The objective was to increase the awareness of the presence of British beef in the Singapore market and keep local consumers aware of developments in British beef industry. Members may recall seeing mouth-watering photos of British beef on the Chamber’s twitter feed.

February and March were exciting months, ďŹ lled with many events. Most notable was the UKTI mission from the East Midlands in early February, where 10 UK companies from a range of different sectors participated in a cross-sectoral mission to Singapore and Malaysia. On 2 Feb, the Business Services team hosted a mission reception, during which the participating companies met their buyers as well as chamber members. Invest Northern Ireland also brought in a mixed mission to Singapore on 16 Mar. The Business Services team hosted a breakfast meeting to brief these companies on the business environment in Singapore, and match-make them to chamber members. Members interested in participating or learning more about our incoming missions should contact Jennifer@britcham.org.sg

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At the Chamber

BritCham New Members Sterling Shell Eastern Petroleum (Pte) Ltd Mark Gainsborough

Corporate Fifth Ring Pte Ltd Himanshu Verma Emirates Andrew Peter Bunn Dover Court Int’l School (Pte) Ltd Kim Christine O’Flynn-Kelly Deutsche Bank AG Nick Watney JAC Recruitment Asia Ltd Stephen John Blundell Koehler Group Sven Koehler

Geyer Environments Pte Ltd Frederic Nitschke RCMA Group Christopher Michael Pardey

Corporate Plus The Institure of Marine Engrg Science & Technology Charlotte Lord Hogan Lovells Lee & Lee Stephanie Jane Keen Knight Frank Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Kevin Coppel B2B International Consulting (Beijing) Co. Ltd Stephanie Teow ECO World Development (S) Pte Ltd Hoe Mee Ling

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Corporate SME Specialized Group Pte Ltd Ben Perry Macdonald & Company Chris Kiernan Rosemont Singapore Pierre Vanrenterghem Anagram Group Mark Stuart area 51 Pte Ltd Ian James Myles GidgeASIA (Gidge Pte Ltd) Lewis Troke Tokema Pte Limited Pierre Liguori

nbi Human Capital Ben Richardson The Innovators Institute Pte Ltd Charlie Ang Asgard Project Solutions George Wall

Overseas Corporate Karma Resorts Jean Taouk Designing Leaders, LLC Willam Clark Thomas Web Analytics Consultants Association Toshiaki Ejiri

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At the Chamber: Sterling News Lloyds Banking Group has relocated its Financial Institutions and Global Transaction Banking sales teams in Asia from Hong Kong to Singapore in Jan 2015.

The move will see the FI and GTB teams joining the Global Corporates relationship team in Singapore, where Lloyds established its hub for Asia Pacific last year. The enlarged operation will serve as a gateway for Lloyds Banking Group’s Commercial Banking UK clients operating in Asia and Australia, and for Asian and Australian companies and Financial Institutions that operate and invest in UK. Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking offers a broad range of products that spans import and export trade finance, structured and asset finance, securitisation facilities and capital market funding. Commercial Banking clients range from privately-owned firms to multinational corporations and financial institutions.

The Commercial Banking office in Singapore is headed by Stephen Skulley. www.lloydsbankcommercial.com

At the start of 2015, EC Harris came together with Langdon & Seah, inProjects, Hyder and environmental consultancy SENES to form one united ARCADIS organisation in Asia.

Working as one business under a shared leadership team will allow us to bring the very best of ARCADIS to our clients, including deeper pools of talent, new service lines and a broader geographical reach. It will also enable us to more quickly achieve our vision to become Asia’s leading design and consultancy firm in built and natural environments.

Within the Asia-Pacific region today, ARCADIS has, 6000 consultants based in over 70 offices across the region. We work with clients to address the most complex challenges facing organisations that operate within the built and natural environments. Through the work we do for our clients, we not only deliver commercial value, but also help to improve the quality of life in the communities where we live and work.

Magrath Global is pleased to announce that Melvin Ng has been appointed their new Immigration Practice Manager. Melvin spent the last seven years leading a corporate immigration team at Baker & McKenzie. Wong & Leow,. and joins a rapidly expanding local Singapore team.

Magrath LLP became the first UK corporate immigration specialist to open a standalone presence in Singapore in 2012, with Ben Sheldrick and Mark Chowdhry spearheading the firm’s practice in the city state. The launch of Magrath Global reflected the eastward shift of several of the firm’s multinational clients, eager to capitalise on more buoyant markets.

Magrath has a long-established reputation in the UK for corporate and business immigration expertise, which has been enhanced by its association with US-based Gibney, Anthony & Flaherty to offer a transatlantic service. Singapore and the wider Asia-Pacific region, however, necessitated an on-the-ground presence rather than a best friends-style approach.

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LSBF in Singapore welcomes three Universities in the first week of 2015.

Teesside University is the latest partner of LSBF in Singapore. The schools jointly offer a unique opportunity for ACCA affiliates and members to study postgraduate programme (MSc in Accounting & Finance), with up to 70 credit exemptions in Singapore.

University of Canterbury and University of Southern Queensland are also on board as LSBF in Singapore’s affiliate partners. Through these schools, LSBF provides a better education pathway in programmes such as business studies and accounting & finance, where LSBF students are granted credit exemptions to study selected degree programmes in New Zealand and Australia respectively.

This year, British Airways is celebrating the 15th anniversary of the launch of its World Traveller Plus premium economy class.

The airline was the first global commercial carrier to introduce a fourth class-configured aircraft, targeting the cost-conscious business traveller and discerning leisure passenger looking for wider seats, increased recline, more legroom and double baggage allowance.

British Airways’ latest generation World Traveller Plus is the result of a multi-million pound investment, and can now be experienced on all flights from Singapore to London and Sydney.

The speed of urbanisation across much of emerging Asia has led to an increase in the development of masterplanned communities. China, India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines are turning to this approach. Masterplans address the complex issues that affect towns, cities and neighbourhoods, responding to a wide range of local social, economic and environmental issues.

Developers are under pressure to deliver maximum returns, with each asset required to earn its keep. When forecasting community needs, additional business elements will ideally be embedded within the development mix to generate further revenue streams.

Faithful+Gould’s Development Advisory Services business offers comprehensive support to private and public sector real estate developers and funds. We are currently supporting several masterplanning community schemes. We inform clients’ decision-making, resulting in developments that are strategically planned, designed, phased and delivered to maximise returns.

For further information, contact Callum Bothwell on +852 2972 1118 and Rick Hancock on +65 6220 8401.

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At the Chamber: Sterling News Eight of the world’s top women golfers swapped the fairway for a fashion show as they launched the eighth annual HSBC Women’s Champions in spectacular style.

World Number 1 Lydia Ko (New Zealand), World Number 2 Inbee Park (Korea), World Number 5 Suzann Pettersen, World Number 6 Michelle Wie (United States), and defending HSBC Women’s champion Paula Creamer (United States) were all joined on the catwalk by LPGA stars Anna Nordqvist (Sweden), Jessica Korda (United States) and Chella Choi (Korea) for a stunning showcase of the new fashion Spring/Summer 2015 collection by pioneering lifestyle brand Shanghai Tang.

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At the Chamber: Corporate News

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The Insight Bureau recently released its latest economic outlook, GEMS Bellwether Report, written by Dr Yuwa Hedrick-Wong. It clearly shows that we now live in a multi-speed global economy where, more than ever, we need to analyse individual economies rather than groupings. Those economies developing strong domestic demand and inclusive growth profiles will see the strongest fortunes. The Insight Bureau’s main work is the placing of speakers and moderators into corporate briefings, events and conferences. It shares reports and interviews with its clients network, and also makes these available to British Chamber members via the BritCham Knowledge Bank.

The revisions to the ISAs aim to ensure fundamental and relevant audit matters are explained and communicated to the end-user clearly. ACCA sees this improvement in auditor’s reports as crucial to the future value of audits, enhancing both transparency around the audit and innovation in audit reporting.

Chairman of the ACCA Singapore Network Panel, Wilson Woo said, “These new standards are more challenging for the auditor, but with this comes a great opportunity.

The new standards allow scope for auditor judgment to tailor reports to individual client circumstances so that best practice can emerge.”

Ascendas, a leading provider of business space solutions, has acquired a premium business park project in Shanghai Zhangjiang Hi-tech Park, a technology park in the Pudong district of Shanghai that was recently included into the Free Trade Zone.

Mr Manohar Khiatani, President and Group CEO, said, “We are excited about our new business park project in Shanghai. This extends our presence in China and deepens our commitment to provide world-class and differentiating infrastructure solutions and conducive environments to our customers that Ascendas is renowned for.”

Ernst & Young, launched the nominations for its 14th annual EY Entrepreneur Of The Year (EOY) awards, themed ‘Leading change, creating value,’ at a ceremony held at The RitzCarlton Millenia, Singapore, on 13 Feb 2015.

Nominations can be made from now until 1 Jun 2015. Entrepreneurs who are nominated should demonstrate strong entrepreneurial spirit, innovation, sound strategic direction and financial track record, personal integrity and influence, and have built successful businesses that have global or community impact.

To nominate, please visit ey.com/eoy

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At the Chamber: Corporate News Regus, the global flexible workspace provider, is opening new business centres at Changi Business Park in March and Paya Lebar Square in April this year. By offering more affordable flexible office solutions, businesses and individuals will be able to work more flexibly and productively, and achieve a better work-life balance while saving on costs.

In addition to the two new Regus Business Centres in Changi Business Park and Paya Lebar, members can enjoy the convenience of Regus’s 25 locations island-wide. For more information, visit www.regus.com.sg or call +65 6549 7070.

At Avis, we try harder to give you the best. You can lease a brand-new car for a minimum of one year, and you will be spoiled for choices. But if you’re still reluctant to enter a long-term relationship when you lease a car, we have solutions that suit your needs. You can get a monthly rental car with a reasonable price and still enjoy the benefits that Avis provides. So don’t hesitate; visit our website at www.avis.com.sg or give us a call at 1800 737 1668 now to find more on what we have to offer.

Global travel search engine Skyscanner increased revenues in 2014 by 42% to £93 million, with EBITDA of £20 million.

2014 saw record visitors to the site; more than 35 million people globally planned their travel monthly on Skyscanner while visitors on mobile devices saw a 77% global increase. Mobile growth continues to be key to its strategy. In 2014, Skyscanner acquired Budapest-based app developer Distinction, accelerating its in-house mobile development capabilities. It also launched hotel and car hire apps, and established Skyscanner for Business to deliver data-led tools to the travel industry. www.skyscanner.com.sg

The Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) has enhanced its partnership with the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST) to support the professional development of sea-going engineers.

The partnership sees the RFA internal Career Level Framework for engineer officers and ratings accredited by the IMarEST, matching levels of competence and career levels to appropriate grades of IMarEST membership and professional qualifications (such as becoming Chartered).

Ben Saunders, Director of Professional Development for the IMarEST, added, “A partnership like this is really important as it also highlights that you don’t have to have formal academic qualifications to become chartered — you can use your experience.”

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OgilvyOne Indonesia (Ogilvy) has been awarded the digital marketing responsibilities for Sariwangi, Unilever Indonesia’s biggest local tea brand, following a competitive pitch.

Ogilvy will lead the 2015 digital plans for Sariwangi, developing their strategies and content, as well as executing digital campaigns across a number of social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and other emerging channels. Sariwangi becomes a 360 account for Ogilvy, which has been handling the brand’s ATL business for several years, and will now have full responsibility for the brand’s communication plans.

This follows Ogilvy Indonesia’s recent win of Unilever’s digital pitch for Vaseline.

LAMC Productions is proud to announce the return of musical YouTube phenomenon The Piano Guys to Singapore at 8pm on Monday 13 Apr 2015 at The Star Theatre, The Star Performing Arts Centre!

The Piano Guys last thrilled and captivated audiences in Singapore in Sep 2013 when they performed to full capacity at the same venue.

What began as an experiment and then exploded into an Internet phenomenon has now evolved into an incredible success story.

The premier Singapore Cricket Club’s International Soccer Sixes took place from 31 Jan – 1 Feb, with former Manchester United winger, Lee Sharpe, taking to the field at the Padang for CLA All Stars in the Masters Category. The event came to a close with some fast paced action at The Padang.

Reproducing some of the magic he once displayed at Old Trafford, Sharpe took home a souvenir for his participation, as the team took home their third consecutive Championship in the Masters Category.

Tech start-up Cashnomix, founded in the Dubai Silicon Oasis, has been fully acquired

by ApexPeak. Cashnomix recently completed a prototype credit scoring algorithm for invoices, as well as growing a deal book in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) worth US$1.2 million in small business receivable purchases.

This is part of a larger trend of shrinking capital in the market due to the slow down in the Eurozone and pretty much everywhere — hence invoice discounting is gaining prominence in providing the cashflow needed to fund the private and even public sector.

We will also be glad to share our insights on this topic.

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At the Chamber: 4LTILYZ» 6MMLYZ

4LTILYZ» Offers

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Enjoy 10% off total bill at SandBank

Free live graphic recording at facilitated meetings and conferences in Asia 2015

Enjoy 15% off total bill at The Bank Bar + Bistro

10% discount for Concert by Ole Edvard Antonsen

10% off airfare for British Airways

10% discount on ISO certification, training services and purchase of standards

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15% off British Club lifetime memberships

10% off all public courses

10% off Medical Insurance Plan

10% discount on facilities and services

5% off electrical & 10% off furniture

Reduction of 10% from Yearly Subscription Package

15% discount at Harry’s

Enjoy complimentary affiliate membership to IMarEST in 2015

Insurance Plans Discounts at MSIG

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At the Chamber

CELEBRATING 60 YEARS IN SINGAPORE:

THE GREAT BRITCHAM BALL 6 DEC 2014

2014 marked a significant milestone for the British Chamber of Commerce as we celebrated our 60th Anniversary. Throughout the year, we have been looking back at history and development since the foundation as United Kingdom Manufacturers Representatives Association, and the Great BritCham Ball was the grand finale of an eventful and exciting year!

The evening started with champagne and British-themed cocktails designed by the Library Bar, followed by dinner with a British-inspired, three-course menu created by Michelin-starred Chef Jason Atherton’s team at Pollen Restaurant, Gardens by the Bay. Jason de la Peña hosted the evening celebrations, Justin Sampson entertained the audience in the live auction, and guests danced to tunes by Tabula and a DJ till the wee hours of the morning.

The highlight of the evening was undoubtedly the congratulatory letter from the UK Prime Minister, David Cameron.

It was a night to remember and we thank our members for celebrating this momentous year with us!

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At the Chamber: The Great BritCham Ball

British High Commissioner, Antony Phillipson, reading the congratulatory message from UK Prime Minister, David Cameron

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Hugo Walkinshaw – President of BritCham

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At the Chamber: The Great BritCham Ball

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At the Chamber: Leaders in Business Lunch

Leaders in Business Lunch with Boris Johnson 28 Nov 2014 The BritCham Leaders in Business Lunch series is a platform for thought leaders from a variety of industries to discuss current business issues and trends, and their individual leadership philosophy.

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BritCham welcomed Boris Johnson, Mayor of London on 28 Nov 2014 to the Leaders in Business Lunch series where he spoke on trade, taxation, Europe, immigration, cities and population growth.

Boris Johnson – Mayor of London

Leaders in Business Lunch is proudly sponsored by:

In Partnership with

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The Rise of Creative Leadership Within The Fashion Industry 4 Nov 2014 The BritCham Leaders in Business Lunch series is a platform for thought leaders from a variety of industries to discuss current business issues and trends, and their individual leadership philosophy.

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In this lunch session, Hilary Alexander, OBE, was invited to speak on the rise of creative leadership within the fashion industry. She spoke about the impact of fashion in the UK and its reach around the world, and shared her career journey in the fashion industry.

Hilary Alexander, OBE – British journalist and former fashion director of The Daily Telegraph

Partner/Supporting Organisation:

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At the Chamber: Annual Economic Briefing

Annual Economic )YPLĂ„UN! 4VUL` 6PS 7VSP[PJZ 8 26 Nov 2014

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In his Annual Economic BrieďŹ ng, Roman Scott, Chairman of The Calamander Group, presented highlights on the Global economy and shared his outlook of what we can expect in 2015.

Roman Scott – Chairman, The Calamander Group Inc.

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At the Chamber: Special Event

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Breakfast in Support of International Day of People with Disability 3 Dec 2014

From Left – Mr John See Toh, Mr Daniel Chua, Mr John Clarke

Sponsored by:

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IDPwD is a United Nations-sanctioned day that aims to promote an understanding of people with disability. To support this, the Diversity Committee of BritCham organised a panel discussion over breakfast on support for disabled people through education, daily life and employment. The panel included speakers from SG Enable, Riding for the Disabled, Running Hour and Bizlink. The breakfast was provided by Hanis Catering Service, a catering company that specialises in employing those with disabilities.

From Left – Mr John Clarke, Mr Yew Cheong Lee, Mr Lim Puay Tiak

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At the Chamber: Breakfast Clubs

The Regulatory Challenges of 2015 for the Financial Services Industry 4 Dec 2014

Manu Anand – Senior Manager, Deloitte & Touche

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Frederic Bertholon-Lampiris – Director, Deloitte & Touche

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This session’s speakers focused on: t Changing regulatory landscape – G20 reform effort and consequences t Key Basel evolutions and trends from 2015 onwards t Changing reporting and regulatory landscape for insurance providers t AML-CFT risk management framework evolutions

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During this informative session, the speakers from Deloitte shared their points of view and offered suggestions for financial planning in the next year.

Radish Singh – Executive Director, Deloitte & Touche

Private Property Investments in Asia: ;OL 4HYRL[Z HUK [OL Tax Considerations 27 Nov 2014

Ben Pickford – International Tax Director Deloitte Southeast Asia

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What are the trends and patterns in global property markets? What are the opportunities in Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia, and what is the outlook for these markets? These questions and more were tackled by Nicholas Holt, the Head of Research at Knight Frank Asia Pacific, in this informative breakfast session on private property investments in Asia. Following that, Ben Pickford, the International Tax Director of Deloitte, set out some tax considerations for foreigners planning to invest in residential property in Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia.

Nick Holt – Asia Pacific Head of Research Knight Frank Asia Pacific Pte Ltd

The BritCham Breakfast Club is proudly sponsored by:

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9PZR4HW 9 Dec 2014

Dane Chamorro – Managing Director ASEAN, Control Risks

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Richard Fenning and Dane Chamorro, respectively the CEO and Managing Director ASEAN of Control Risks, gave a preview of RiskMap 2015, an annual Control Risks study that provides a critical assessment— both in terms of forecast and analysis—of the global and regional risks businesses are likely to face in the year ahead.

Richard Fenning – CEO, Control Risks

Building Networks Connecting Business Creating Opportunities

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President Jokowi: The Story so Far 12 Dec 2014

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On 20 Nov 2014, Joko Widodo was sworn in as President of Indonesia. As the leader of that country, Mr Widodo now faces economic, political and social challenges that he has to tackle in the future. In this country briefing, the UKTI’s Director of Trade and Investment, Lizzy Hawkins, gave an update on Indonesia’s new government and the implications for businesses.

Lizzy Hawkins – Director of Trade & Investment, UKTI

At the Chamber: Country Briefing

Building Networks Connecting Business Creating Opportunities

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Financial Services Business Group Networking Evening 6 Nov 2014 The Financial Services Business Group organised an informal quarterly networking drinks at Harry’s Bar in Boat Quay, where fellow Chamber members had the opportunity to network and learn more about the Financial Services Business Group.

At the Chamber: Evening Presentation/Networking

W W W. B R I T C H A M . O R G . S G

BUILDING NETWORKS CONNECTING BUSINESSES CREATING OPPORTUNITIES

THIS IS WHAT WE DO BEST. The Chamber plays a strong role within the business community in Singapore, providing valuable links for businesses, whilst maintaining a focus on delivering quality support to our growing membership base.

We currently represent nearly 400 companies across all industry sectors. The network of executives representing their companies grew substantially over the past years to now over 2,600 - a dynamic development that is continuing in 2015.

Our Membership is open to all nationalities.

Join us today! Visit www.britcham.org.sg