Orient Issue 30

T HE OFFICI AL MAG A ZI N E OF T H E B RIT IS H C H A M B E R O F CO M M E RC E - S IN GAP O R E

25,(17

I S S U E 30 • A P R I L  M AY 2011

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HEADLINE INTRODUCING THE NEW HIGH COMMISSIONER  ANTONY PHILLIPSON

ECONOMIC AND BUSINESS INSIGHTS

FEATURE

SME’S: TAKING THE

CHALLENGE

building networks connecting business creating opportunities

SINGAPORE BUDGET 2011  A GATEWAY FOR GROWTH AND PRODUCTIVITY

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

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8

Presidents Message

8

Headline

Q

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Introducing the New High Commissioner – Antony Phillipson Sterling Member Dinner 2011

1 2 A p r i l Fe a t u r e – S M E ’s : Ta k i n g t h e C h a l l e n g e

Headline: Introducing the new High Commissioner – Antony Phillipson

Q

Q

Q

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Gaining a Competitive Advantage – CfBT Education What it Means to be an Entrepreneur – Novus Media Solutions SME’s Building Market Share in the Construction Industry – a C T a The Importance of Corporate Training – LSBF

20 Inside Britain

Q

Discover the world of UK Life Sciences - UKTI

22 Economic & Business Insights

12-19 12 19

Feature: SME’s: Taking the Challenge

Q

Q

Q

Q

Q

Happiness: The new yardstick – ABE Beating the business travel budget blues – BBC World News On the theme of ‘straight bananas’ – The Fry Group Singapore Budget 2011: A gateway for growth and productivity – KPMG UK Budget 2011 Summary – British Chamber of Commerce, Singapore

32 Corporate Social Responsibility

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Big lessons from the British Council – British Council

34 Out of the Box

22-30

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Fredrik Haren: More creative than you think – The Insight Bureau All roads leads to your website – Matador

38 High Commission News

Economic & Business Insights: Singapore Budget 2011, UK Budget 2011

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British High Commission News April / May 2011

40 Chamber News

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Q

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Chamber News – April / May 2011 Events Calendar BritCham Members offers

4 4 B r i t C h a m Yo u n g Pr o fe s s i o n a l s

34-36

Out of the Box: Fredrik Haren: More creative than you think

EDITORIAL

Q

Introduction & Interview with Committee Member

46 The BritCham Membership

Q

Sterling News

Orient is a bi-monthly magazine published by the British Chamber of Commerce.

EDITOR: Akansha Gupta Wahi & Loong Yong En

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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. All rights reserved.

No reproduction of articles without the prior permission of the Chamber.

Unsolicited transparencies ad articles are sent at owners’ own risk and the Chamber accepts no liability for loss or damage.

building networks • connecting business • creating opportunities

CONTENTS 48 BritCham Events

Breakfast Clubs Q Floating Liquefaction: How it is Changing the LNG Industry Q (Almost) One year on: The UK’s Economic Growth Strategy Q The UK Bribery Act 2010 – How Best to Manage the Risk of Prosecution Q Common Pitfalls in Making Shipping and Trade Contracts Q Gateway for LNG Supply to Singapore Q Make Your Key/Critical Meetings Effective & Productive Q What’s on your CEO’s Human Capital Agenda

BritCham Networking Q BritCham New Members Night

48

BritCham Events: Breakfast Club – (Almost) One year on: The UK’s Economic Growth Strategy

52 The BritCham Membership

Q

Corporate News

58 Sports

64-65

Sports: London Olympics Countdown 2012

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London Olympics Countdown 2012

59

Arts & Culture

Q

Q

Q

Oh Boy: Why Buddy Holly still matters – British Theatre Playhouse Reflections from London – The British Council Interview with Audi Fashion Festival Director Ms Tjin Lee

64

Sports

Q

66

Travel

Q

68

Wine Club

London 2012 – Olympic and Paralympic Games - UKTI Living like a Maharaja – The Leading Hotels of the World

BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, SINGAPORE SPONSORS PLATINUM SPONSORS

SILVER SPONSORS

BRONZE SPONSORS

BREAKFAST CLUB SPONSOR

Expert tax and financial planning since 1898.

Expert tax and financial planning since 1898.

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building networks • connecting business • creating opportunities

P RES I D EN T ’S M ES S AG E Dear Members, It’s with a heavy heart that I am writing this message. For while our business community here in Singapore is thriving, elsewhere we have seen devastation, first in Christchurch, New Zealand and then recently on such a huge scale in Tohoku, Japan. Many of our members have business interests in Japan, many have friends there, and some also have family. The vast devastation and loss of life, following the earthquake and tsunami, has shocked and saddened us all and we sincerely hope the affected communities and the country as a whole recovers swiftly and fully.

The theme for this issue of ORIENT is “SME’s taking the challenge”.

Many of our members are SME’s and we strive as a Chamber to provide value to the SME business segment, in part by holding events where members can network and in part by holding events with a focus on professional development. Over the past year we have held a series of lunches at Host in Clarke Quay specifically for small businesses and these have proved a particular success. Of course we plan to do more in that vein. We are also exploring the possibilities of making the new Chamber website available for business-to-business exchange and making it easier to use the website to search for business services provided by members.

We’ve 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 where experience can be shared. Coming up in the programme is a Leaders in Business lunch on April 8th with Jeremy Browne MP, Minister of State at the Foreign Office, and we expect more visits from senior leaders this year as the focus of world trade continues its shift to Asia. Also it’s not too early to mark your diary for our coming AGM on May 26th, which as in

previous years will be held at Eden Hall. Our AGM will be a first opportunity for many members to meet and get to know Antony Phillipson, who from the end of April will be our new British High Commissioner.

Last but not least booking has now opened for our ever popular Annual Corporate Golf Tournament on June 2nd sponsored again

by Barclays. This will be followed swiftly by an event that promises to be special, a Rugby Dinner – Dining with Legends on June 8th. It’ll be quite a week for lovers of sport.

Whatever your business, SME or big corporate, we thrive on your diversity and dynamism and I look forward to your continued engagement with the Chamber.

Steve Puckett, President, British Chamber of Commerce

BRITCHAM BOARD:

COMMITTEES:

PRESIDENT: Steve Puckett - Tri-Zen International VICE-PRESIDENTS: Chris Claridge – The Consulting Partnership Pte Ltd Hugo Walkinshaw – Deloitte Consulting SE Asia TREASURER: Peter Allen - Pacific Century Regional Development HONORARY SECRETARY: Damian Adams - Watson, Farley & Williams LLP EX-OFFICIO: Amanda Brooks - British High Commission Mark Howard - British Council

Events: Philippe Touati Membership: Andrew Vine Corporate Social Responsibility: Steve Puckett External Affairs: Terry O’Connor Marketing & Communications: Stephen Mangham

BOARD MEMBERS: Roman Scott - Calamander Capital John Horsburgh - Rolls Royce Singapore Pte Ltd Alan Goodyear - The Royal Bank of Scotland Charlie MacLean - Barclays Bank PLC Pek Hak Bin - BP Singapore Pte Limited Philippe Touati – Standard Chartered Bank Nick McGlynn - British Airways Richard Burn - Diageo Ingrid Child - HSBC Andrew Vine - The Insight Bureau Pte Ltd Emma Boyd - Ernst & Young Solutions LLP David Macdonald - Skandia International Stephen Mangham - Ogilvy & Mather Singapore Pte Ltd

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BUSINESS GROUPS: Energy & Utilities: Damian Adams Entrepreneur & Small Business: TBA Financial Services: Patrick Donaldson IT and Communications Technology: Richard Richardson Professional Services: TBA Media & Marketing: TBA Shipping, Transport & Logistics: Neil Johnson Young Professionals: Miles Gooseman MANAGEMENT TEAM: Executive Director: Brigitte Holtschneider Membership Manager: Katie Hudson Marketing & Communications: Akansha Gupta Wahi Business Events & Business Group Relations: Tiffeny Kua Business Enhancement & Events Development Manager: Erica Seo Accountant: Sabitha Munnangi Marketing & Communications Assistant: Loong Yong En Office Administration & Membership Support: Emi Hosono

building networks • connecting business • creating opportunities

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ST ERL I NG M E M B ER S

BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, SINGAPORE STERLING MEMBERS

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building networks • connecting business • creating opportunities

HEADLINE

INTRODUCING THE NEW HIGH COMMISSIONER

ANTONY PHILLIPSON I

was delighted to be invited to write a short piece for the Orient magazine to introduce myself to you all as the next British High Commissioner to the Republic of Singapore. I hope that I will get an early chance to say hello in person but this is an opportunity to tell you a bit about what I have been thinking as I prepared for this posting, and what I hope to focus on when I take up my post.

Although I started my career in the Department of Trade and Industry in the early 1990s my last two jobs have been very foreign policy focused, as Head of the Iran Group in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and, before that, Private Secretary to the Prime Minister for Foreign Affairs. Both were fascinating and challenging in equal measure. They gave me the chance to work on issues that went to the heart of the UK’s core national security interests.

What drew me to Singapore was the chance to do the same in a part of the world that is moving back up the agenda in the UK as we seek to place greater emphasis on delivering economic prosperity and to enhance the work of overseas networks in pursuit of this agenda. Although the Foreign Secretary has challenged the FCO to play a leading role in delivering this new emphasis on “commercial diplomacy” this is an effort that encompasses the whole of Whitehall.

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For many in the High Commission this is, of course, core business. UKTI have won plaudits for their work supporting British companies looking to export, and we have consistently punched above our weight when it comes to attracting inward investment to the UK, not least from Singapore and other parts of SE Asia.

What is new, though, is the scale of the challenge and the need to achieve a return to economic prosperity on the back of export driven growth, and a much more strategic approach to attracting high quality investment and matching it to our infrastructure requirements.

It is this nexus of issues that I will be looking to take forward on my arrival in Singapore.

The recent Trade and Investment White Paper, the Growth Review and the Budget have all set out some of the key building blocks. But the real test comes next – putting it into practice, and quickly.

I am clear in my mind that to deliver this is going to require a much greater degree of dialogue and partnership between business and government if we are both going to achieve our objectives; and at the end of the day it is no different for you than it is for us – it will be results that count and against which we will be judged. It will be business that delivers success by winning business overseas and creating the jobs in the UK that will lead us back to financial health and

stability. The test for Government will be whether we can be agile enough, informed enough and genuinely able to help you.

When I was asked to write this piece I was urged to “write without restraint”. You will have to tell me whether you think I have done so – and I invite you to challenge me on it – but what I can assure you is that I write this with honest commitment and a genuine belief that we can be successful and win together.

In Singapore of all places it will clearly be essential that the British High Commission continues to deliver on behalf of UK business, by offering high quality services on both a national and regional basis. I see the relationship between the High Commission and the British Chamber of Commerce as the lynchpin of this effort.

It needs to be frank, honest and results oriented.

For my part, I want to be clear that the door will always be open to you and your members. I start with the enormous benefit of the excellent relations between the Chamber, its members and the teams in the mission, and I look forward to building on this platform as we go forward.

building networks t connecting business t Dreating opportunities

www.britcham.org.sg

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HEAD L I NE

STERLING MEMBERS AND SPONSORS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT DINNER Thursday 17th February 2011 • The Sentosa Resort & Spa

T

he Chamber hosted this year’s Annual Sterling Member and Sponsors Acknowledgement Dinner on the 17th February in the lush surroundings of the Sentosa Resort and Spa Hotel. The Chamber’s Board Members, Sterling Members, Sponsors and their spouses enjoyed a relaxing networking evening in the lush surroundings of the hotel.

This annual event acknowledges the support Sterling Members, Sponsors and Board members provide to the Chamber as main pillars of the community.

ED Brigitte Holtschneider welcomed all guests by giving an overview of the Chamber’s development in 2010 also highlighting a few key initiatives such as the Shanghai Business Mission lead by HE Paul Madden and the complete overhaul of the website reflecting the modern and dynamic organisation the Chamber now is.

As the final highlight of the evening acting High Commissioner Amanda Brooks presented the Patron’s Award 2010 to John Horsburgh for his leadership and commitment to one of the Chamber’s key business

Chamber President Steve Puckett thanked all Chamber sponsors for their support in 2010. They are: Annual Sponsors 1. Platinum Sponsor – The Royal Bank of Scotland 2. Platinum Sponsor – Barclays Capital 3. Silver sponsor – Allied Pickfords 4. Silver Sponsor – British Airways 5. Silver Sponsor – HSBC 6. Silver Sponsor – Standard Chartered Bank 7. Bronze Sponsor – Courts Singapore 8. Bronze Sponsor – The Leading Hotels of the World 9. Bronze Sponsor – Royal Skandia 10. 2010 Breakfast Club Sponsor – Meyado Other sponsors 1. BritCham Ball Gold Sponsor – Audi 2. BritCham Ball Spirits Sponsor – Diageo 3. Wine Sponsor – Rubicon 4. Economic Briefing Sponsor – Jupiter Asset Management 5. CSR Seminar – BP Singapore 6. Rugby Dinner – The Henley Group

initiatives, the British Chamber Business Awards, as chairman of the organising committee in 2009 and 2010.

Following the official parts of the evening members continued to enjoy Sentosa Hotel’s hospitality until late.

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building networks • connecting business • creating opportunities

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F EATU RE : SM E TAK I NG T HE C H A LLE N GE

GAINING A COMPETITIVE EDGE

by Kari M Lawson, Director, CfBT Education

A

competitive edge is an advantage over competitors that is gained by offering consumers and customers a product or service that is more attractive, has greater benefits or offers better value.

In today’s economic climate and aggressive business world every advantage counts in establishing your business at the top of the industry. However, gaining a competitive edge takes strategic planning and extensive research.

It is tempting to think firstly about the great product or service that you have and then find the market but the first steps to gaining a competitive edge involve knowing your customers and knowing your competitors. Once you have achieved this knowledge you will be in a position to develop and offer a product or service that is different and in doing so gain that crucial competitive edge.

Know your customers Your target market or customer is the specific group of consumers at which a company aims its product or services. They are often distinguished by socio-economic, demographic and common characteristics.

For example, young professionals aged between 20 and 30, with income over $80k and children.

Knowing and understanding your customers needs is at the heart of every successful business. Once you have this knowledge you can use it to persuade potential consumers that buying your product or service is in their best interests.

What you need to know about your customers • Who they are • What they do • Why they buy • When they buy • How they buy • How much money they have to spend • What makes them feel good about buying • What they think about your competitors The more you know about your customers, the more effective your sales and marketing strategies will be. Finding out what your potential customer wants is simple; just ask them. You can learn a great deal about your customers by talking to them. Ask them why they are buying and if not what would make them more likely to buy, what would make it a better experience and what has influenced their choice. In today’s crowded marketplace, consumers are often spoiled for choice. You can be ahead of the game, by knowing what they want and predicting

future trends or offering something that is different from your competitors.

There is a huge amount of market information and data available to business research and development teams. Much is overlooked. The internet is one source of information but try the local Chamber of Commerce, UK Trade and Investment, local business reference libraries, market research polls and information publishers and newspaper or magazine articles. To gain information that is specific to your business try employing a market research agency or freelance researcher but make sure that their brief is clear or you run the risk of getting information that could be ambiguous.

Understanding what customers want can help you improve or refine your product or services to better suit their needs and desires. In order to gain and maintain a competitive edge successful businesses are constantly upgrading or improving their services in order to attract new customers, whilst keeping the ones they already have. Think of the mobile phone industry and how it continues to thrive because consumers want the latest devices.

Know your competition Knowing who your competitors are and what they are offering can have numerous benefits; you can use the information to improve your products, services and marketing and it will enable you to set your prices competitively and help you respond to rival marketing campaigns with your own initiatives.

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In order to find out what everyone else is doing and what sets you apart from the competitors ask these questions: • • • • • • • • • • •

Who are the major competitors in our field or industry?

What products or services does each one offer?

What are the specific strengths and liabilities of each competitor?

Who is their target market?

What are their marketing strategies?

What are they charging?

Are they expanding or growing?

How do they distribute and deliver?

Do they have innovative business methods as well as products?

How do they use IT and what is their online presence?

How do they use media?

Once you have this information act on it.

Evaluate the data and look for gaps in the market that you can exploit or which maybe indicate saturation on some areas. If your competitors are doing something better than you, you need to respond and either make changes or seek out alternatives or less competitive niches. Try to innovate rather than imitate and look for products or services that are better, different or give greater value for money. Don’t be complacent about your own strengths or areas where you and your competitors have a similar approach. Remember, they are likely to be monitoring you.

Differentiate the product or services The product or service is paramount to your company’s success. You can have the best location, the lowest prices and the slickest operation but if you don’t have something people want to buy it just won’t work.

Today’s business world is fast changing and fluid and the key to winning market share is to differentiate your company by providing products, services or solutions that consumers will find more desirable than what is offered by your closest competitors.

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Every business needs a reason for their customers to buy from them and not their competitors. This is called a unique sales proposition. Successful businesses are innovative and offer products or services that have unique benefits such as:

Maintaining a competitive edge Once gained you need to hang onto that competitive edge over your competitors.

This can take a lot of effort and energy and complacency can be the downfall of a previously successful company. Staying

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Higher quality Image and prestige Desirability Customer support Superior service Wider product availability Better performance Increased intelligence Greater durability New technology Lower cost Faster delivery

ahead of the competition requires a number of key elements and strategies that make monitoring your competitors sound easy. Broadly speaking these are the ‘crystal ball’ forecasts that will help you keep up with changes and may help your company maintain a competitive edge • •

It is important to remember that without differentiation businesses selling the same product or service have to compete against one another.

•

Of course, companies are always seeking to improve a product, just think of the number of times you see or hear the words ‘improved’ and ‘new’ or ‘better than ever’ in advertising campaigns. However, small companies do not always have the budget for continual research and development of new products but with a little bit of imagination you can make subtle changes to a product or service that can attract a whole new market. Ask yourself what new spin you can put on an old or familiar product or can you think of new packaging ideas or features? Some experts believe that business differentiation is one of the most effective marketing tools available to SMEs today. If you can say what sets your business apart it is likely that your customers will be able to say the same thing.

• •

Forecast new trends and the likelihood of them staying or fading away.

Lifestyles change with time so try to predict lifestyle trends for the next ten years.

Technology changes all the time and it is crucial that you keep up with it. Not just the hardware but also the software and what is happening on the internet and with social networks.

Keep a close eye on economic trends.

Keep tabs on what the lawmakers are up to because like it or not the government will be involved in your business to a certain extent.

Finally, it’s a good idea to check your market and competitors regularly if you want to maintain that competitive edge.

Remember that this week’s ‘must have’ could be next week’s ‘old hat;’ no business wants to be in that position.

Kari M Lawson Director CfBT Education pte Ltd

building networks • connecting business • creating opportunities

F EATU RE : SM E TAK I NG T HE C H A LLE N GE

WHAT IT MEANS TO BE AN ENTREPRENEUR

by Rosemarie Wallace, CEO Novus Media Group

I

had been in the publishing business for over 25 years. I spent all of them in multinational organisations, and the last 10 years or so I ran the Asia operations of a global publisher. I finally decided to set out as an entrepreneur in late 2009 when my now business partner came to me with what turned out to be an irresistible idea in the custom content business. Against a backdrop of shakeouts in bigger companies, then retrenchments accelerated by the recession of 2008/9, the thought of a fresh start had considerable appeal.

So a start-up is where I find myself. Fifteen months in, and my business partner and I are experiencing the first pains of rapid growth, as a strategy that combines organic growth with acquisitions throws up a number of the textbook situations, including ensuring that we stay focused, managing costs but finding talent, and raising money. To add to this, I also accepted this invitation to write an article – “something along the lines of Top 10 Tips for Entrepreneurs.”

After blithely responding with a “yes”, I had a few moments of post-acceptance panic.

My start on this particular adventure is relatively recent, and I am sure there are many readers who have been at this at lot longer than I have, so a ‘Do’s and Don’ts of SME Leadership’ would be somewhat inappropriate. I have not discovered the next great widget, launched a budget airline, nor come up with a particularly novel idea on how to make a lot of money (and actually done it). What this assignment did get me focused on though is standing back and putting some perspective on the journey so far.

What’s in a Word?

We use the word “entrepreneur” all the time and entrepreneurs – the successful ones of course – have assumed a kind of business hero status. It’s certainly a sexier title than ‘small business owner’, but what does it actually mean? For a start, I wasn’t sure that I could apply the term to myself. True, I am a co-founder of a new and fast-growing company that now employs some 80 staff PAG E 1 4

across three businesses. But ‘entrepreneur’ had – at least for me – a slightly negative connotation - implying cowboy rather than serious businessperson.

Students of French will see that the word itself comes from two words: ‘Entre’ (between) and ‘Prendre’ (to take) – which explains why there is a mild connotation of exploitation: the entrepreneur as middleman who takes a percentage. But this is not the full meaning. The definition provided by the Concise Oxford Dictionary 1964 edition (the version I have at home mainly for the purposes of Scrabble) is surprisingly very similar to current online definitions: “Person in effective control of commercial undertaking; contractor acting as intermediary.” Not quite what I think most people mean when they use the term to describe someone who starts a business based on a moneymaking idea.

Fortunately, there are other definitions that go beyond the literal meaning and not only make me happy to apply the label to myself, but which get to the heart of the word.

Wikipedia tells us that a 18th Century IrishFrench economist was the first person to introduce the term to the English language, meaning a person “willing to launch a new venture or enterprise and accept full responsibility for the outcome.” That sounds very 21st Century to me.

The definition, however, that I think gets to the heart of what it means to be an entrepreneur is this: “the owner or manager of a business enterprise who, by risk and initiative, attempts to make profits”. This, quite rightly, disabuses us of any notion that starting something automatically equates to success. For the entrepreneur, there really are no rewards for efforts. Only results matter.

Age, Energy and Passion Now that I had defined the word, did I possess the qualities to become it?

Previously, I had always assumed that youth was a pre-requisite for entrepreneurial enterprise. Not so. I, and thousands of

others are living proof that you don’t have to be young to start a business. We are arguably better qualified to do so, having learned a few things along the way. In the course of my own research I found a number of websites dedicated to helping those in the over-40 age bracket navigate entrepreneurship.

In a post-recession world with ageing demographics, “mid life entrepreneurship” is quite a phenomenon.

Perhaps the perception that starting a business is a young person’s game came about because of the sheer amount of energy required. Fair point – it is timeconsuming and energy draining but quite honestly, in my experience of the past 15 months, it is also totally energising. There is a palpably different quality to the time and energy expended on your own behalf when compared to that expended for an employer – however humanitarian. It’s much easier to be passionate and energised in an environment that you are creating for yourself. Being close to customers feels good too, after so many years spending most of my working time in internal meetings or dealing with distant and remote HQs. In my new work world, my business partner and I have far more immediate relationships with staff, suppliers and customers, because we rely on them all.

Networking in Numbers A third observation is entrepreneurship does not mean “going it alone”. I started on my journey with a trusted business partner without whom I honestly don’t think I would have taken the leap. Having a business partner whom one trusts implicitly and who also preferably possesses a complementary skill set and shared vision makes a big difference. No one is infallible, but due to our close collaboration, I think we have both made better decisions and had the confidence to see those decisions through. A partner in the business keeps you focused on making it successful.

Perhaps it would feel easier to let yourself down than to let your partner down, so we both strive to succeed for each other.

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A further, but related, observation is about using your network. From the outset our strategy was “buy to build”. We were fortunate in this to have a close friend with a corporate finance background, who took an interest in our plans. This informal advisor has since become a non-executive director, adding a different perspective to our appraisal of opportunities and helping us with financial decisions. One year in, and two acquisitions later, I don’t think we would have been able to make the same level of progress without their help.

Using your network means, for us, actively seeking, preferably pro bono, advice from knowledgeable social contacts.

Our professional networks are in Asia, and, although both of us are British nationals, making the decision to start our business in Singapore was a no-brainer. Could we have done this anywhere else? That’s very hard to answer. I can say quite honestly that starting a business in Singapore’s

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business-friendly environment is not only administratively very straightforward, but the large and talented pool of outsourced service providers, mobile staff and freelancers allows you to get your operation up to speed at a remarkable pace.

and need to drive results. Giving shape to something and turning ideas and relationships into business is incredibly stimulating. There are frustrations of course, but the payback in job satisfaction far exceeds my expectations.

Setbacks and Success Our biggest hurdle and disappointment has resulted from our need to source outside financing. This is where the biggest gap between promise and reality lies. I won’t name all the banks we encountered that profess to offer support to SMEs, but where the reality is very different. Financing is really the only significant challenge we have faced, and even here, we have been fortunate enough to find alternate solutions.

About Novus Media Solutions Rosemarie Wallace is CEO of Novus Media Group, a fast-growing group of media related businesses that individually offer clients innovative content and creative options and together, an exciting range of communications solutions and platforms ranging from custom publishing -print, digital and mobile- through to large format design, printing and installation for OOH media.

Email address: rosemariew@novusasia.com

So in conclusion, my perspective on the journey so far is that one of the key aspects of entrepreneurship is the interplay between freedom and responsibility,

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F EATU RE : SM E TAK I NG T HE C H A LLE N GE

SME’S BUILDING MARKET EXPO: SHARE FOR THE UK AT SHANGHAI BUILDING ON THE PAST, SHAPING OURIN FUTURE PROFESSIONAL CONSULTANTS CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY IN INDIA

By Stephen Coates, Owner and Principal, aCTa international

S

ME’s have a distinct advantage over larger organizations trying to establish sustainable business in the Professional service industry in India- put simply its their size.

With the cost of construction typically about 10% those of Singapore for example, it follows that fee levels in India are significantly lower. But this need not be a barrier to the foreign Consultant to provide a Professional service to Indian developers who are looking increasingly overseas for world class ideas and solutions and who are willing to pay in their eyes, a premium.

Like all Clients, they want the best talent and ideas, and many foreign professional consultancies have accepted invitations to provide services. Some use these opportunities to have set up successful and sustainable businesses there, but this is the exception rather than the rule.

There are a number of obstacles that prevent the Professional Service from building sustainable presence there- fee levels, project funding structure, project timescales, lack of transparency and clear systems- and this is where the SME Professional Service Provider involved in the Construction Industry has an advantage over their larger competitor.

Beyond the few national Real Estate developers in India, there are a significant number of regional medium size companies who want to engage international Professional advisors to gain competitive advantage in the market.

Although some are attracted to the largest

global Consultancy brands to add kudos, increasingly developers are turning to the SME for better service- they know that the larger consultancy move their best talent to higher fee paying projects elsewhere.

Indian businesses in the Real Estate sector are largely privately owned and managed.

And often, the business owner takes a very close, hand on involvement with the decision making process during the design process and later during the construction stages. It follows that they like to do business with similar business owners, be it a design consultant, such as an architect or engineer, and they would expect them to be closely involved and have an intimate working knowledge of their project..

Therefore, for the foreign SME providing a creative service in India, the opportunity and the challenge is the same- how to satisfy the Client’s expectations for the best personal service possible and the best end result, with the business needs to ensure efficiency of resources for cash flow and

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profit. In other words how do you leverage the SME capabilities without the Client becoming disenchanted when he perceives he is no longer getting undivided personal attention! …and yet they still expect the kind of organizational infrastructure which generally only comes with larger organizations.

We are asked constantly to open local representative offices in India to service the projects we have across the country. It would indeed seem logical to set up offices in India to better serve the Client and lower costs. We have hesitated having witnessed much larger and better resourced companies fail. If they couldn’t make it work, what chance do we have?

The key issues in setting up a local representative office are getting good staff and staff you trust.

Of course, once you have Indian office, then the argument begins that Indian prices and standards should apply, but Client still

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expects your international standards and attention If conversely you stay offshore to maintain quality, then costs are much higher and challenges still remain on the pricing structure. Singapore is ideally placed to service India, and our Clients, especially those on the East side, are only too willing to visit us here on the basis that it is easier than getting into downtown Mumbai for example.

If you decide that you do not want to set up a local representative office, then the only way to bridge between the offshore work and local needs is to partner with people to help you that you have worked with on a few consecutive projects and built up that trust and comfort. The huge advantage if you decide to go this route is you will minimize your contract period and so potentially improve profitability.

However, in allowing someone else to take charge of your design, be prepared to accept some level of compromise of quality more than you would otherwise. You have to be careful to maintain core standards and what you put your name to. It will stand as a testament to your capabilities and if you let the design or implementation run away from you it can have further reaching effects.

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On the contract front, whilst you may prefer to have one drawn in Singapore, typically your Indian Client will prefer to have one drawn up in India. To take advantage of the DTAA between Indian and Singapore and the tax benefits it gives your Client, your business should have a Permanent Account Number in India so that Tax can be deducted at source (TDS).

Insist on payment up front and in staged manner, especially with people you work with for the first time. It may be prudent to assume that you may not receive final payment so front load the penultimate payment.

Having said all this, attitudes are changing, with a younger generation of business owners who are bringing more international standards of doing business but this will likely take a generation before real change can be seen on a broad scale Do not expect success quickly. Be prepared for the long haul and to make mistakes.The end game for providing a service in India is to achieve competitive costs with local providers, but with international standards which more than justify a level of higher costs . Working out your route to that point and finding the right equilibrium is the challenge.

Indian clients are in my experience some of the most hospitable people and wonderful hosts but tough – even ruthless negotiators. But success awaits the SME that can provide best international quality service at competitive fee levels

Accept that what your Client wants or has asked for will inevitably change, but claims for variation fees are seldom tolerated .

Love what you do or provide as your resolve will be severely tested

Stephen Coates Owner and Principal, aCTa international pte ltd, #05-01, 25 Seah Street, Singapore 188381 www.acta.com.sg

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FEATU RE : SM E TAK I NG T HE C H A LLE N G E

HOW CAN CORPORATE TRAINING IMPROVE SMES’ PERFORMANCE?

by London School of Business and Finance

A

ll businesses today face a number of competing challenges, putting pressure on the people at the heart of the business. These challenges can be categorised as follows: • Market – competition, informed consumers, recession, debt, unemployment, reduced consumer confidence • Technology – innovation, e-commerce, instant access to information • Society – social responsibility, regulation, enhanced ethics

Businesses need well-trained, high performing individuals who can work effectively, both within the organisation and externally with customers and stakeholders. Solid leadership skills need to be cultivated alongside effective decision making skills, whilst ensuring that people have the soft skills, like interpersonal skills and communications skills that are associated with good business partnering.

Increasingly in the SME market, people need to be agile and flexible but also be empowered to deliver results. Talent management is vital for future success.

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The benefits of corporate training include improved employee retention, greater job satisfaction for employees and even improved employee performance (in the shape of enhanced revenues or profitability). All such outcomes indicate a positive return on investment (ROI).

The other measure used in learning and development circles to determine the value of training is termed Return on Expectation (ROE). It not only links the outcomes regarding results but also examines changes in behaviour, the general feedback and reaction to the training. ROE also

measure whether the learning outcomes were achieved and if organisations were getting the best out of their people.

However, it is not just about training and development but this must go hand-inhand with organisations, which inspire and value people within the whole ethos of their operating model.

In the past, where jobs were scarce and when there were fewer skilled and talented workforces, organisations often rely on technological advancement and strategic locations as their competitive edge. However, in todays’ situation and as

per research by McKinsey, the key factor that contribute to organisational success is human capital.

Organisations need to understand that talented people are highly mobile and in high demand. Therefore, it is a challenge for organisations of all sizes to attract and retain the right people, who contribute to the achievement of organisational success.

(Source below based on research done by McKinsey)

The Old Reality

The New Reality

People need companies

Companies need people

Machines, capital and geography are the competitive advantage

A talented workforce is the competitive advantage

A more talented workforce makes some difference

A more talented workforce makes a huge difference

Jobs are scarce

Talented people are scarce

Employees are loyal and jobs are secure

People are mobile and their commitment is short term

People accept the standard package they are offered

People demand much more

This shift from the past to the present reminds us of the children’s school phrase of ‘Finders Keepers’ – ‘Losers Weepers’. Organisations that adopt the people-oriented management style and empower the employees with decentralised decision making process will likely to retain employees. On the

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other hand, organisations that neglect the contributions of their employees and adopt centralised decision making process will suffer talent drain.

Human resource is an important asset to any organisations and has always been one of the highest costs to any business. Hence, it is of upmost importance that businesses ensure optimum returns on the cost of investing in their human resources.

In summary, effective training is about: • improving competency amongst your workforce • enhancing the quality of the work • developing stronger internal controls within in the business • fostering partnering and collaboration skills • fully incorporating training into your company’s ethos

FINDERS… KEEPERS

LOSERS… WEEPERS

Develop and communicate a gripping vision that is endorsed by all

No vision and worst of all, a strong vision that is not implemented

Exercise strong leadership. Recognise generational differences and exercise leadership appropriate to the situation (situational leadership)

Continue to apply 20th century control and command management principles in the 21st century

About London School of Business & Finance

Institute meaningful mentoring and coaching structures. Follow through

More concerned with operations, allowing no time for leaders to mentor or coach staff. May promise mentoring and coaching, but there is no follow through

Provide continuous challenge and excitement

Routine jobs with little scope for change

London School of Business & Finance is the destination of choice for an innovative, dynamic and relevant business education, offering postgraduate, undergraduate and professional programmes; in business, management, marketing, finance, law and accountancy.

Empowered staff to be part of the business

Decisions are made by leadership and staff only get to implement without any attached meaning

Foster an innovative culture

Operational culture

Reward output, not input. Nurture and encourage work-life balance

Still driven by 9-5 desk job syndrome

Our programmes reflect the modern global marketplace, preparing students for leadership roles and giving them an invaluable step up in their careers. We also offer customised and personalised corporate training, which has benefited corporations around the globe.

Institute employment arrangements based on trust and common understanding

Extensive, restrictive contracts to keep staff in place

For more information about corporate training, please visit LSBF.org.uk or contact us on EnquireSG@LSBF.org.uk

Recognition for effort (monetary and non-monetary)

Hard work goes unnoticed. Everyone is too busy to notice. Effort is taken for granted and goes unnoticed

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INS I D E B RITAI N

FIVE OF THE WORLD’S TOP 20 MEDICINES WERE DISCOVERED IN THE UK;

DISCOVER THE WORLD OF UK LIFE SCIENCES T

he UK boasts one of the world’s strongest and most productive life science economies in the word, with over 400,000 employees working for companies in this sector. The facts are staggering.

Five of the world’s top 20 medicines were discovered in the UK – and the UK prides itself on its expertise in neurosciences, oncology, infectious disease management, vaccines, monoclonal antibodies and stem cell technology, as well as biopharmaceutical processing. In 2007, the UK exported pharmaceuticals worth £14.6 billion (approx S$30 billion), creating a £3.4 billion (approx S$7 billion) surplus for the UK economy. UK companies launched 18 new products in 2007, including treatments for mental illness, diabetes, cancer and kidney disease. Although the UK represents 3 per cent of the global pharmaceutical market, it attracts 10 per cent of all R&D.

in the UK including Viagra (Pfizer), Augmentin (GSK), Nolvadex (AstraZeneca), Zyprexa (Eli Lilly) and Maxalt (Merck Sharp & Dohme).

The NHS is the world’s biggest health service and is the fourth largest employer in the world, employing 1.5 million people. It purchases medicines worth £15 billion (S$30 bn) each year. A new government organisation – the Office for Life Sciences – was created recently to oversee the life sciences industry. Among the duties of the group is working with other government departments to make the UK an attractive base for clinical trials, marketing the industry on the global stage and championing innovation in the NHS.

The then Science and Innovation Minister, Lord Drayson, claimed life sciences is “one of the key strategic sectors of the future.”

The 2008-09 to 2010-11 Science Budget is almost £4 billion (approx S$8 billion).

Around half of which will be used for medical research to fund both basic and transnational research. The UK’s life science sector – comprising biotechnology & pharmaceuticals and healthcare & medical technologies – is the largest in Europe and second globally only to the US.

AWARD WINNING UK COMPANIES: Bio-IT World recently announced the winners of its 2009 Best Practices Awards program. Grand Prize winners within eight life sciences awards categories included UK companies Amgen, GlaxoSmithKline and Wyeth Research. Established in 2003, Bio-IT World’s Best Practices Awards Program recognises organisations for their outstanding innovations and excellence in the use of technologies, practices, and novel business strategies that will advance drug discovery, development, biomedical research, and clinical trials.

Biotechnology, healthcare and pharmaceutical industries in the UK together generate more than £23 billion S$26 billion) a year in revenue and employ more than 400,000 people. All of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies have R&D and/or manufacturing facilities in the UK. 15 of the world’s 75 top-selling medicines were discovered and developed

UK REGIONAL SPECIALISMS: • Oxfordshire has over 142 biotech and healthcare companies, with 87 entities in drug discovery and 56 compounds in clinical development. The region boasts 23 Nobel Prizes for medicine and chemistry since Florey and Chain developed penicillin there in 1945. The

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new £250 million Diamond synchrotron light source at the CCLRC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory provides a world-leading scientific resource for Oxfordshire’s bioscience community.

• North West England has 200 biomedical companies including seven multinational pharmaceutical companies, employing 20,000 people.

It is the third largest bioscience cluster (£3.4 billion or S$7bn). Manchester Biomedical Research Centre is a new £35 million (S$70 million) hub for world-class clinical research supported by the government. It involves pharma companies including AstraZeneca, Renovo and GlaxoSmithKline, and the Wellcome Trust.

• In Scotland, the life sciences industry is made up of more than 620 organisations with over 31,000 employees and adds over £3 billion (S$6 billion) to the Scottish economy annually. It is home to 20 per cent of the UK life sciences

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INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS: At Ninewells Hospital in Dundee, a £11.6 million medical research laboratory houses up to 120 staff, who work on developing new drugs and treatments. This world-class facility for the development and validation of biomarkers of disease can be used to accelerate the discovery of experimental medicines by bridging a critical gap between preclinical and clinical studies.

companies.

Scotland’s universities, research institutes and colleges attract about £410 million of research funding for life sciences per year (S$800 million) – 13 per cent of the UK total. Major

developments in the life sciences sector include the start of the construction of the new £60 million (S$120 million) Scottish centre for Regenerative Medicine at the University of Edinburgh.

Closer to home, UKTI took a stand at BioMedical Asia in March 2011. The following UK companies were all represented and are active in the Asia Pacific Region: Specialising in:

Cambridge Research Biochemicals

Polyclonal Antibody Production Monoclonal Antibody Service Peptide Synthesis Fluorescent Labelling Radiolabelled Peptides Peptides PepArrays Stable Isotope Labelled Tryptic Peptides

Intertek

Protein Analysis

Agenda Marketing Services Chemviron Carbon (Cloth Division) The supply of Pharmaceutical, Medical and Healthcare chemical products

Whyte Chemicals Limited Basildon Chemicals Co Ltd

US biotechnology firm Champions Biotechnology established a UK subsidiary in April after seeing a sharp increase in European business activity.

The company, which specialises in the development of cancer treatments, has been set up to expand the personalised oncology sector of the business.

Pharmaceutical Services

Greyhound Chromatography and Allied Chemicals

Medex UK

Cellartis, one of the world’s most advanced stem cell companies is commercialising pioneering stem cell technology through Scotland’s ITI Life Sciences. Working with three of Scotland’s leading universities, Cellartis will produce large volumes of highquality, human embryonic stem cell lines, which has the potential of driving unprecedented innovation in drug discovery and regenerative medicine today and in the future.

Antifoams for food & pharmaceuticals Silicones for personal care

TTP LabTech has announced a 25 per cent increase in total revenue for the last fiscal year. Bucking the trend, TTP LabTech’s products have sustained continued growth within the last 12 months, generating revenues of £9.1 million (S$18m) compared with £7.3 million (S$14.6m) from the previous year. As a result, there will be a 20 per cent increase in R&D spend for the coming year.

GlobalMSDS Alpha Biologics

A Global Contract Biomanufacturing Company

Harlan Laboratories Ltd

Research

Blanson Ltd

Bio-Pharmaceutical Chromatography Column Tubes

MEL Chemicals

Speciality Zircomium Chemcials Manufacturer

M-Scan Ltd

Expert Analytical Services

KiB Ltd

Infection Control

BioToolomics Ltd

Purification Process

ProSynth Ltd

Practical Organic Synthesis

AGMA Ltd

Cleanroom and Pharmacy Disinfection Products

Regulatory Resources Group

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GlaxoSmithKline, the UK’s largest pharmaceutical group, has stepped up its growth into emerging markets by acquiring 16 per cent of Africa’s largest generic drug company, Aspen Pharmacare. The company has recently concluded a number of vital deals, including the creation of a new £1.6 billion (S$3.3bn) HIV company with US rival Pfizer and a £2.4 billion (S$4.8bn) deal for skincare specialist Stiefel Laboratories.

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ECONOMIC & BUSINESS INSIGHTS

HAPPINESS : THE NEW YARDSTICK

by Lydon Jones & Penny Hood

B

ritainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Prime Minister, David Cameron, has told his Ministers to use the happiness of voters as a yardstick before deciding on new policies. Current practice has been to test policies for economic, social and environmental impacts, together with their eďŹ&#x20AC;ect on gender and race equality. The new set of indicators of Gross National Wellbeing will include whether the policy will increase â&#x20AC;&#x153;the sum total of human happinessâ&#x20AC;? or make people more miserable and unfulďŹ lled.

In 2009, a global ranking for combining a happy and a long life with limited environmental degredation was published.

Costa Rica, tops the list for the good life with a number of other Latin American countries, such as Honduras, scoring highly.

A number of South American countries were also ranked highly, this being attributable to non-materialistic aspirations and strong social capital amongst friends and relatives rather than the emphasis on ďŹ nancial capital. On the ranking table,

´LW FRXQWHG SROOXWLRQ FLJDUHWWH DGYHUWLVLQJ QXFOHDU ZDUKHDGVÂľ EXW QRW VXFK WKLQJV DV WKH VWUHQJWK RI PDUULDJH ZLVGRP WKH EHDXW\ RI SRHWU\ Proposals of this type are not new. Simon Kuznets, later awarded a Nobel prize in economics, warned the US Congress in 1934 that: â&#x20AC;?The welfare of a nation can scarcely be inferred from a measure of national incomeâ&#x20AC;?, whilst in the 1960s, Robert Kennedy was critical of Gross National Product. He argued that â&#x20AC;&#x153;it counted pollution, cigarette advertising, nuclear warheadsâ&#x20AC;? but not such things as the strength of marriage, wisdom, the beauty of poetry.

Today, President Obama and President Sarkozy are amongst those expressing interest in using a happiness index to gauge a countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wellbeing. Whilst Bhutan, whose mission was to measure gross national happiness was the trendsetter for it introduced a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Gross National Happiness Indexâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; in 1972.

Some would argue that this emphasis on happiness has a much longer history.

For example, the nineteenth century philosopher, Jeremy Bentham, argued that what is right is to increase the happiness of the greatest number.

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South-East Asian countries followed. As regards European countries, these were the middle rankers. Germany was 51 in the table, France 71 and the UK 74. The USA fared poorly in 114th place, whilst languishing at the bottom in 143rd place as the unhappiest country was Zimbabwe.

In the UK, the index of the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s happiness will be compiled by the OďŹ&#x192;ce of National Statistics (OMS) which will spend ÂŁ2m to devise the index. A list of questions have been published that will be used for the measurement of how people think they are happy. For example, people will be asked to rate â&#x20AC;&#x153;their own self of wellbeingâ&#x20AC;? by judging a number of factors such as whether they have a good relationship, health, spirituality or religion, job satisfaction, good connections with friends and relatives. Whilst, In France, factors such as long holidays and access to high quality healthcare are included.

situation and emotional balance which prompts the question â&#x20AC;&#x201C; How do you access the balance between positive feelings and negative ones?

In the case of job satisfaction, it may be argued that factors impacting to a marked extent on this will, to a large extent, be determined by the individualâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s managers, in which case should the management be asking â&#x20AC;&#x153;what can we do to increases employer experience of happiness at workâ&#x20AC;? or should management encourage employees to ask themselves â&#x20AC;&#x153;What can I do to increase my experience of happiness at work?â&#x20AC;?.

In short, in the UK and many other countries, the happiness agenda is now embraced by government and opposition alike, which may trigger the thought that through positive psychology, this is the route to Aldous Huxleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Brave New Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; rather than popping soma pills. If so, many would prefer this option to George Orwellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;1984â&#x20AC;&#x2122;.

Lyndon Jones CEO and Chairman The Association of Business Executives Penny Hood Director of International Partnerships Anglia Ruskin University

It could be argued that Gross National Wellbeing has two major components, namely the life satisfaction aspect which would embrace such things as family and community relationships, ďŹ nancial

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ECONOMIC & BUSINESS INSIGHTS

BEATING THE BUSINESS TRAVEL BUDGET BLUES  A ROAD WARRIORS GUIDE

By Mike London, Editor, fast:track, BBC World News

A

gainst the backdrop of an uncertain globalised economy, where world events such as an oil crisis in the Middle East can trigger shock waves through the stock market and send costs spiraling out of control, keeping a close eye on cost is very much a priority for every company, particularly business travel which is regarded now as a necessary but expensive business cost.

While savings on airline travel and hotel stays are obvious solutions, for many companies the responsibility to reduce corporate travel costs, now fall on the business executives whose expenses come under scrutiny, and now have to grapple with keeping the expenses in check while they are out there on the road. For many, PAG E 2 4

this can become get quite a complicated process, especially when the trips involve travelling within different currency zones.

So while banks have invented all manner of ways to help us access our money when we travel, foreign ATMs, bureau de changes and pre-loaded cards all come at a price.

Mike London, Editor of BBC World News travel show fast:track finds out why this is all so expensive, and how executives can find their way around the financial minefields of paying for business travel whilst on the road.

Traditionally, corporate credit cards have always been the business traveller’s best friend, however it’s worth remembering that your familiar flexible friend isn’t always the most cost-effective way of covering

your costs while you’re on the road, as companies start to tighten their belts “Bill shock” when they get home whenever they return from an overseas trip is one of the most common subjects most viewers contact us about, not to mention the hefty mobile phone bill that arrives a few weeks later. My simple response to them is that ignorance is no longer bliss and if you are happy to sit back and not explore pre-paid phone cards, international SIMS and internet based services such as Skype and TruPhone, then you have no one else to blame other than yourself. That is also my response to many business travellers who contact us demanding that we crossquestion the banks about the hefty service charges they levy whenever they use their

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corporate credit card to pay for a business lunch or settle the bill for their hotel.

many dollars you will get in exchange for your money.

Delivering the convenience of access to money anytime and anywhere, it is important to also remember that global financial institutions are hardwired to squeeze out as much money as possible for every transaction. Frequent business travellers can make for rich pickings – with their minds on presentations, sales meetings and racing for their next connecting flights – getting the best exchange rate or avoiding hefty bank charges whilst they are away is not always at the front of their minds.

However, don’t rule out those that do charge commission, as their rates can still be more competitive. Minimum charges make it difficult to change small amounts of money but flat fees can offer good value when it comes to changing larger sums of money.

There are a few basic choices when dealing with foreign money. You can convert all your money into foreign currency before you go, you can get travellers cheques or you can use your credit or cash card.

Cash is the easiest to use but, at the same time, it is risky and the easiest to lose or get stolen. Therefore, it is best not to take more than your travel insurance will cover. Also, sometimes it is hard to get a cash advance from your company before you travel.

Speculating on a currency before they travel is a option that some consider. If you know it is going up or down you can get your money ahead or delay it until right before you go. Alternatively, there are some companies that allow you to fix the price ahead of time so you can secure a good rate now. The main problem with this approach is that, although it is a good idea to try this if you know you will be travelling on holiday in a month or two, most business travel is done at short notice.

Online is a good place to research where to get the best rates. The worst place to exchange money is at the airport last minute, because you will pay a high exchange rate – sometimes at least 10 percent higher.

Some companies don’t have commission charges – so if their exchange rate is competitive they are worth a look.

However, commission-free does not automatically mean you are going to get a great rate. In most cases you will be offered a worse exchange rate than the bureau itself receives, allowing them to make profit that way. The only way to tell is to ask how PAG E 2 5

Traveler’s cheques might be a better alternative for executives, as carrying around large wads of cash might be risky.

The cheques can be converted to cash as needed. This way, if you lose them or if they are stolen, you can get them replaced and continue your travels. Also, they require matching signatures and photo identification, so it would be difficult for someone else to cash in the money in the event they end up in the wrong hands. They are also a good alternative to cash if your business travels are likely to take you across borders and currencies during your trip.

If you have a credit card then watch out for immediate interest charges, particularly for cash withdrawals. If you use your credit card in a cash point machine, you will be charged a loading fee and a high interest rate. These incur interest when your balance is not repaid in full.

Despite the potential charges, there are some fantastic credit cards to use overseas that do not carry loading charges and have low ATM fees, which are worth considering when you are deciding on corporate credit card schemes.

An alternative type of card that companies can also think about – a modern version of the traveller’s cheque – is the prepaid card – which allows companies to load up credit to the user in advance, and is accepted by most retailers around the world.

the game right so follow our tips when travelling to save money.

Notes to Editor: The BBC attracts a global audience of 241 million people to its international news services including BBC World Service and the BBC World News television channel.

BBC World News, the BBC’s commercially funded international 24hour news and information channel, is owned and operated by BBC World News Ltd, a member of the BBC’s commercial group of companies. BBC World News attracts 71 million viewers a week, is available in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide, and reaches 306 million households and more than 1.8 million hotel rooms. The channel’s content is also available on 81 cruise ships, 46 airlines, 39 mobile phone networks and a number of major online platforms including bbc.com/news. For further information on how to receive BBC World News, download schedules or find out more about the channel, visit bbcworldnews.com.

Issued by: Dunbar•Jones & Associates On behalf of: BBC World News For more information, contact: Raena Aihara Cheong / Coleen Tan Dunbar•Jones & Associates 1 Goldhill Plaza #03-45 Podium Block Singapore 308899 Tel: (65) 6356 2830 Fax: (65) 6254 8971 Email: rcheong@dunbarjones.com.sg ctan@dunbarjones.com.sg

The advantages of prepaid cards are numerous as they offer increased safety. If you are buying online or on the phone and your card is used fraudulently you will be able to get your money back. There’s no chance of having the card cloned when paying for a business dinner and you can get a prepaid card without having to worry about your or your company’s credit history.

Remember you can turn the tables on the financial giants if you know how to play

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ECONOMIC & BUSINESS INSIGHTS

ON THE THEME OF ‘STRAIGHT BANANAS’...

By Aidan Bailey, General Manager Singapore, International Division, The Fry Group

A

nother example of bizarre European bureaucracy was recently revealed when the European Court of Justice (ECJ) announced that it is no longer lawful to charge men and women different insurance premiums or apply gender related annuity rates on the basis that using gender as a risk factor was discrimination and against European equality principles.

To me, this is bananas as, factually, young male drivers are a greater risk and, factually, women tend to live longer than men. This isn’t discrimination; it is a logical pricing of risk.

So how will this affect you?

Car insurance in the UK has no bearing on what we do in Singapore but, for anyone with children in the UK or who are considering moving back to the UK, it is significant.

Men currently pay higher car insurance rates because statistically they are involved in more severe accidents and make more insurance claims. Despite that, because of this ruling, young male drivers could see their insurance premiums fall by perhaps 10% or so. Young female drivers could see their rates jump by 25%-30%.

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In actual fact, because men are still deemed to be risky drivers and insurance companies aren’t backwards in coming forwards when it comes to identifying profit opportunities, what may in fact happen is that insurance premiums for men will stay the same and the cost to women drivers will simply rise to match.

The ECJ decision will also affect the cost of other gender influenced policies such as life insurance and pensions.

With such policies, gender is used as an indicator of mortality or life expectancy. In the case of life insurance, because women generally live longer than men, they enjoy cheaper insurance. By the same token, because men tend to have shorter life expectancy, when buying pensions, they will receive favourable annuity rates.

Today’s court ruling will see life insurance premiums and pension payments made unisex – in other words, women are going to end up having to pay more for life insurance and men will receive a smaller annual pension in retirement (as if annuity rates weren’t low enough already).

What can you do?

None of this is going to happen overnight

and the ECJ has given insurers and pension providers until 21 December 2012 to adjust to these requirements. In the meantime, there a few things you can consider to help reduce the impact of these changes. For example, with car insurance, keeping your car locked up overnight and/or simply adding an older, more experienced driver to the policy can help reduce costs.

For life cover, the obvious thing is to get fit!

Insurance premiums will grow in line with your waistband so, if you shape up and get healthy, you could see your rates go down.

Non-smokers also enjoy lower premiums.

Last but not least, although annuity rates for men seem set to worsen, recent proposed changes to pension legislation mean that it may no longer be a requirement to buy an annuity at all. Of course, it isn’t as simple as that and it is important to be aware of the pros and cons of avoiding the purchase of an annuity but the option does exist.

Expert tax and financial planning since 1898.

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ECONOMIC & BUSINESS INSIGHTS

SINGAPORE BUDGET 2011  A GATEWAY FOR GROWTH AND PRODUCTIVITY

By Gordon Lawson, Tax Partner, and Graeme Reid, Tax Partner, KPMG Advisory LLP.

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fter two years of global financial turmoil, Singapore’s economy grew by a record 14.5 percent in 2010 with unemployment down to pre-crisis levels.

In his Budget 2011 speech, Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Minister for Finance, said that the Government expected Singapore’s economy to grow by between four and six percent this year.

This is still above the estimated trend growth of three percent to five percent for the next 10 years, and reflects the continuing momentum in Singapore’s economy. One cloud on the horizon is inflation, which is expected to hover around three to four percent this year. Mr Tharman outlined several measures to moderate this. They include managing the Singapore dollar exchange rate policy of the Monetary Authority of Singapore, and fiscal policies focused on providing greater subsidies and benefits to those who need it most.

Corporate initiatives Some businesses will feel the double hit of higher employer Central Provident Fund (CPF) contributions and foreign worker levies. The overall impact of the Budget will vary, of course, from company to company. For the small and medium enterprises (SMEs), the Budget is more of a mixed bag. The impact of the CPF employer contribution and foreign worker levy hike would be more significant for them.

Certainly, these increases could deal a blow to businesses just recovering from the downturn. That said, the impact of these increases is cushioned by a corporate tax rebate and an enhanced Productivity and Innovation Credit (PIC) scheme.

Innovating businesses The PIC plays a pivotal role in the Government’s drive to encourage productivity-led growth. This is essential for Singapore since it competes in the global marketplace on quality and innovation rather than cost. Explaining the need for productivity-led growth, Mr Tharman said that “In the next decade, productivity needs to contribute two-thirds of our economic PAG E 2 8

growth. Otherwise we will fall short of the three percent to five percent economic growth that we are aiming for.” The PIC scheme announced by the Finance Minister is now more pervasive and geared towards all enterprises, both big and small.

Overall, we believe that the Government has responded to industry feedback quickly by liberalising the PIC scheme both on the quantum of tax benefits as well as the scope of coverage. This is a generous measure that will deliver long-term economic benefit for Singapore, and make Singapore a compelling location for R&D. Furthermore, having a 400 percent tax deduction under the PIC scheme is an aggressive move to encourage innovation. Coupled with the proposed increase in foreign worker levies, it is not difficult to understand what the motivation is behind these moves – to do away with the reliance on foreign workers and push productivity growth.

An enhanced regional hub In the area of developing Singapore as a global Asia hub, the Government has certainly taken a step in the right direction.

There are some welcomed measures which enhance Singapore as a gateway to Asia such as the investments in the Economic Development Assistance Scheme (EDAS), and the withholding tax exemption for banks. The latter move will help to widen the funding base of banks operating here.

Traditionally, the interest payable from non-bank funding sources has not been tax-exempt. This latest exemption shows the increased maturity of the local banking scene. However, there may have been a missed opportunity to elevate Singapore to be the premier holding-company location in the region. The foreign tax pooling measure while helpful is not as attractive as the full exemption system found in some locations such as Hong Kong and the Netherlands.

tax exemption rule for foreign income and creating more certainty on tax treatment on disposal of long term investments.

Strategic industries While the government continues to focus on new enterprise development and innovation, it did not ignore the importance of some of its more strategic industries.

Budget 2011 laid out plans to continue supporting Singapore’s position as the leading transhipment hub in Asia with key refinements to the numerous incentives for the shipping industry, now streamlined under a new consolidated Maritime Sector Incentive. However, somewhat surprisingly, there was little mention on Singapore’s targeted development as a leading aviation hub in Asia, a topical issue now that Singapore has signed a progressive double tax treaty with Ireland, the world’s leading hub for aviation business.

Conclusion What we have for this year’s Budget is very much focused on priming the growth for local enterprises and promoting productivity. In addition, Budget 2011 represents a step forward in Singapore’s desire to be a Global Asia Hub. The measures bring to life the strategies that will position Singapore as a gateway to Asia while enhancing its attractiveness as a regional hub for MNCs. Key Measures • Enhancements to the PIC scheme • Increase in the employer CPF contribution rate and CPF salary ceiling • Further increase in foreign worker levies (manufacturing, services and construction industries) • Commitment to help high-growth enterprises in overseas expansion • Specialised institution to address gaps in the provision of project finance established • $2.5 billion over the next five years under EDAS to enable the Economic Development Board to strengthen Singapore’s proposition as an Asian hub • Exemption of withholding tax on payment of interest by banks • Consolidation of maritime sector incentives

In addition, more could have been done to boost Singapore’s competitiveness in terms of attracting foreign investments. This could have been achieved by refining our

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ECONOMIC & BUSINESS INSIGHTS

UK BUDGET 2011 SUMMARY AND HIGHTLIGHTS

By Akansha Gupta, British Chamber of Commerce Singapore

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he Government’s economic policy objective is to achieve strong, sustainable and balanced growth that is more evenly shared across the country and between industries.

The Budget sets out the action the Government will take in three areas: • A strong and stable economy; • Growth; and • Fairness.

A Strong and Stable Economy The Government has set out a strategic policy response to the UK’s exceptional economic and fiscal challenges: The economy is forecast to grow by 1.7% in 2011. This mainly reflects higher-thanexpected inflation this year, as a result of recent global commodity price shocks, and the weak weather-affected final quarter of 2010.

• Public sector net borrowing will decline from its peak of 11.1% of GDP in 200910 to 1.5% of GDP in 2015-16 • The cyclically-adjusted or ‘structural’ current deficit will be eliminated by 2014-15, with a projected surplus of 0.4 per cent of GDP in that year Growth The Government has already taken decisive action to reduce the deficit and restore economic stability, the essential foundation for rebalancing the UK economy.

First, to create the most competitive tax system in the G20 the Government will: • Reduce the main rate of corporation tax by a further 1%. From April 2011, the rate will be reduced to 26% and, by 2014, it will be reduced to 23% • Implement its Corporate Tax Road Map, including introducing new Controlled Foreign Company (CFC) rules to allow groups based in the UK to compete more effectively with those based overseas, and consult on the Patent Box. Second, to make the UK the best place in Europe to start, finance and grow a business the Government will: •

•

•

•

Introduce a moratorium exempting micro-business and start-ups from new domestic regulation for three years from the 1st April 2011; Reform the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) and Venture Capital Trusts, including raising the rate of EIS income tax relief to 30 per cent from April 2011; Increase the SME rate of R&D tax credit to 200% from April 2011 and 225% from April 2012; Invest £100 million in science capital development.

Third, to encourage investment and exports as a route to a more balanced economy, the Government will: • Provide £200 million of new funding for rail projects and £100 million for local authorities to repair potholes; • Establish 21 new Enterprise Zones; and reform the stamp duty land tax rules applied to bulk purchases for residential properties and make Real Estate Investment Trusts easier to set up and more accessible to investors.

In addition the Government will introduce a carbon price floor for electricity generation

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from 1 April 2013, to drive investment in the low-carbon power sector.

Fourth, to create a more educated workforce that is the most flexible in Europe, the Government will: •

Fund an additional 80,000 work experience places for young people, ensuring up to 100,000 places will be available over the next two years; • Fund up to 50,000 additional apprenticeship places over the next four years; and expand the University Technical Colleges programme to establish at least 24 new colleges.

Fairness Fairness is integral to the Government’s fiscal strategy and to sustainable growth.

The Government will: • Increase the personal allowance for under 65s by £630 in April 2012, with the higher rate threshold unchanged • Change the underlying indexation basis for direct taxes to the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) from April 2012 • Cut fuel duty by 1 pence per litre on Budget day. The fuel duty escalator will be replaced with a fair fuel stabiliser that increases tax on North Sea oil production when oil prices are high • Reform the state pension system for future pensioners so that it provides simple, contributory, flat-rate support above the level of the means tested Guarantee Credit • Reform the taxation of non domiciles, including an increase in the annual charge or non domiciled individuals who have been in the UK for more than twelve years • Reduce the rate of inheritance tax to 36 per cent from April 2012 for estates leaving 10 per cent or more to charity • Charities will also be allowed to claim new Gift Aid on up to £5,000 of small donations per year

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CO R P O R AT E S O C I A L R E S P O N S I B I L I T Y

BIG LESSONS FROM BRITISH COUNCIL

by Andrea D Woolhead, Part-Time Teacher, British Council Teaching Centre

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ou might not have heard of “Teachers’ Kits” but in Primary Schools all over Thailand they are all the rage. A teacher from Chang Mai Province raves about them, saying that all the materials are very useful and they help students to enjoy their English classes more. This is praise indeed.

Teachers’ Kits are only one small part of a big project run by British Council that enables teachers in state schools in the region to deliver quality English language lessons.

What is Access English?

The project, Access English, started in 2008, currently encompasses ten countries in East Asia comprising Burma, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, South Korea and Vietnam.

Access English has a tag line, “Transforming the Teaching and Learning of English in East Asia”. That is precisely what it has been doing but in so many different ways across so many countries. More ways than just the highly commendable “Teachers’ Kits” which provide Thai primary teachers with lesson plans and resources linked to the national curriculum, all with Thai language support.

In demand in Thailand Native Thai teachers are thankful for the support of British Council. The Thai Ministry

of Education had recognised the need for support for their Primary 1-3 teachers, and also that teachers did not have the confidence to teach English as they had not had the opportunity to learn the language themselves to a proficient enough level.

Added to this, these primary teachers did not have ready access to resources to teach English that had been written in their own language or, indeed, easy access to professional development. The result was that English was on the curriculum but in some areas it wasn’t being delivered. A school director from Suphanburi Province said, “Last year our school didn’t teach English to both Primary 1 and 2 classes since our teachers didn’t think they could do it but the problem was solved after we start using the Teachers’ Kits. Our teachers are more confident now and our Primary 1 and 2 students are really enjoying their English lessons.”

High Level policy makers from the Ministry on Education in Thailand acknowledged this and have been working closely with British Council to improve the level and quality of English teaching across the whole country. British Council sees their role as supportive and advisory.

Myanmar, Indonesia, South Korea, Japan, Philippines, Malaysia, Taiwan, Singapore and Vietnam. The challenge will be to maintain support at the current level, especially as China and Hong Kong will be joining the project later this year. Project leader, Samantha Grainger, is actively seeking out new partnerships to help fund the work. She sees mutual benefits for media companies like Singapore Press Holdings, and blue chip companies like Microsoft, who are already on the ground supporting the project.

Seeking partnerships Similar things are also happening in The background As with all great things, seeds had to be planted. The seeds for this big project were sowed and sprouted in Primary Innovations; an initiative set up by British Council in 2006 to establish links with decision makers in Ministries of Education within the region.

The Ministries had realised the importance of English language teaching and were aware of the levels of support needed at primary school level for delivery of this area of the curriculum. Regional trends and focus on English at a younger and younger age encouraged us to focus on primary, so the natural focus to enhance teaching was directed towards the primary sector.

Primary Innovations linked up with decision makers in the Education Ministries in the region and through consultation provided expertise in the form of trained teachers. To reach a wider cohort, “Master

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Trainers” were developed from within the native countries to cascade the training.

As the project developed a need was seen to provide more than just teacher training for teachers of English language. Easier access to resources and moreover, for many teachers in rural areas, access to training to help them on the job was required.

Naturally, British Council stepped in and worked with Ministries of Education to provide this support.

This project was successful but not wide ranging enough hence Access English, which has taken the mantle from Primary Innovations and has widened the scope of the operation. Access English not only helps with primary education, it also supports secondary and even pre-service teacher training across the ten countries. This is undeniably a mammoth undertaking.

One region, many needs Despite all the countries being in Asia, these countries have very different needs. Take Singapore for instance. Singapore is unique in so far as English as a foreign language speakers are in the minority. English in the Singaporean classroom will inevitably be delivered very differently from how it would be in an Indonesian classroom yet the physical divide is a few meters of open sea. The needs of Singaporean primary school teachers are also without doubt very different. Singapore is at the cutting edge of internet technology and all schools are wired up. In contrast, countries like Indonesia because of their sheer size still have isolated communities whose status can only be described as “no-tech”, leave alone “low tech”.

Having said that, it is clear that Indonesia is keen to move forward. The Director of Pustekkom, Ir. H. Lilik Gani, MSc, PhD, says that he backs the initiative for the newly launched Indonesian teachers’ portal, similar to an online staffroom, and will ensure the agency fully supports the provision of the necessary infrastructure. So for Indonesia the future looks rosy.

Anticipating issues like internet access, the project has made resources available to support teachers in almost any situation.

Caroline Meek, one of the project managers working on Access English, says that anything available on the internet can be accessed through resource packs suitable PAG E 3 3

for a “low-tech” classroom, where the teacher can use a CD player or photocopy, or a “no-tech” situation, where the teacher literally has no resources.

A lot of the resources have been adapted from British Council websites such as LearnEnglish Kids, http://learnenglishkids. britishcouncil.org, LearnEnglish, http:// learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en and TeachingEnglish, www.teachingenglish. org.uk. These are open access sites for anyone who wishes to browse. The content is a mixture of learning and teaching resources created by devoted British Council teachers from around the globe plus some commissioned input from English teaching specialists.

Not only are these vast resources open for the whole world to use, British Council have also linked up with Barclays Premier Football League to provide another English language site; http://premierskills. britishcouncil.org/ which feeds the world’s enthusiasm for British Football and at the same time provides a vehicle for English language learning.

Recognising that teachers within the region are not confident enough to use these sites as the content is in English, British Council have worked with Ministries of Education to set up online portals in a number of countries in the project. Myanmar, Indonesia, Korea, Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam have already launched their own sites with Taiwan and Malaysia going live in the very near future.

While all this is affecting the quality of language learning in the region on the ground, Access English has many more irons in the fire. For teachers and teachertrainers there is a DVD of six 45-minute, themed programmes: Motivating Learning.

This resource, showcasing local teachers teaching English, comes with a manual for training and a self-access booklet.

Other resources include state-of-the-art apps such as Sound Right – an interactive phonemic chart; and podcasts like Big City – Small World and Elementary Podcasts with many more coming soon.

An exciting future for Access English So with all this currently up and running, what does the future hold? Well, In July, 2011, in Kuala Lumpur there will be a symposium targeting Assessment and Evaluation for decision makers and professionals responsible for exam design.

These ideas alone will challenge everything that happens in the classroom and could be a spark that ignites a new revolution in the English classroom.

Looking beyond that, in the pipeline there is planned a conference in the Philippines looking at technological solutions for teacher development. I can only imagine the range of ideas that this area encompasses and the challenges ahead for teacher educators and the Ministries of Education. Mobile phones, use of video, video conferencing, webinars are just a few ways to reach teachers throughout the region.

So despite the challenges of training, financing, providing on-going support and resources to name but a few; the project looks set to evolve and grow. It is testament to the saying that, “one size doesn’t fit all”.

The diversity of activities within borders and across the region is simply mindboggling.

For more information on Access English, visit our website: www.britishcouncil.org/ accessenglish or contact Caroline.Meek@ britishcouncil.org.sg

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OU T O F TH E B OX

FREDRIK HAREN  MORE CREATIVE THAN YOU THINK A

if it is better, the other one dies. Whatever nature tries (and works best) survives. For me, that’s creativity; doing something in another way that is better than what you were doing before. That’s how you get constant improvement.

s part of the Café Club series of interviews with inspiring speakers, The Insight Bureau recently caught up with Fredrik Härén, author and expert in the area of creativity and idea generation.

Would you say technology is fueling or starving creativity?

How did you become the expert on creativity and how was this seed planted in your career?

I wrote my first two books about The Internet in 1995 and 1998. I was also making speeches around that time but soon felt I had to switch focus because I realized that I wasn’t really talking about the Internet, I was talking about how to use this new thing called the Internet. That’s when I understood that I should be talking about ‘new ways of doing things.’ I love the Internet Revolution because when it came it forced companies to think about how they were doing things and more importantly how they could do things differently.

You have dedicated your life to talking about innovation and creativity -- companies all say they want to be this, people say they would like to be more creative -- but what’s the truth, are we really as creative as we’d like to think we are?

“You’re less creative than you think but more creative than you can imagine!” I think that more or less sums it up! Everyone has creative potential but we are not all using it. As an optimist you could say that there’s huge potential; imagine if everyone was using even a portion of their creative capacity, think how many problems we could solve. That’s why I’m interested in creativity. For me, creativity is a problemsolving mechanism. It’s very much like nature. Nature does something in a specific way and then, once in a while, it tries it a different way -- and that is called a mutation. And if that mutation is not better than what it was doing before, that dies. But PAG E 3 4

I absolutely think that technology is helping creativity. For example, my next book is a novel and I need a spider with a cross on it, and I couldn’t find the name of the spider I was looking for so I went on Google and within thirty seconds I found what I was looking for and I could carry on writing. Before the Internet, what would I have done? I would have stopped, gone to the library, asked for a book, they might not have had it, I would have had to order it, etc... It could have taken me eight hours to find the name of that spider. Now with technology, I have eight hours more to be creative and do other things so in that sense I absolutely believe that technology has the power to fuel creativity. The problem arises when we start to use technology as productivity tools, yet fail to take the time we’ve save by using these tools to sit down and think!

We may just do more ‘stuff’, without thinking. It’s like running faster without knowing where you’re going. For me creativity is stopping, looking at the map and asking, where should I go? For example, we invented the motorcycle so we could drive faster but we don’t stop and use the time we have saved to think about where we are going; we just end up driving faster, perhaps in the wrong direction. You need to find the right balance, when you need information it’s very simple to find, but you also need the time to reflect,otherwise you’re not going to be creative. Used correctly, technology is a wonderful creativity tool, but unfortunately, most people don’t use it in the right way.

Is creativity something you are born with, or can it be learned? Can you really

take an uncreative person and get them to start being creative?

I think it can be learned. Let’s take music; can you teach someone to become a Jazz player? Some people would say no. I would say yes. You can teach someone to play music, i.e. you can tell them this is how you blow into the flute and these are the notes, and so on. Then people would argue that you are only teaching them the skill and that you’re not teaching them how to create. I would argue that you are, because once you learn something and once you become better at it, you start looking at other people and you start taking bits and pieces from them and that’s when you start to create. A good teacher will inspire you to do things in a creative way. The best way to teach creativity is by inspiring creativity, otherwise you get a “dragon Mom” who will tell her daughter she cannot go to the toilet unless she can play the piano perfectly.

That would not be a creative teacher.

Some people are born with a skill and others can learn it. The biggest problem we have is not that the uncreative people are not practicing their creativity but that the creative people are not practicing their creativity. The architect, the designers, the artists -- these people take their creativity for granted. The most difficult people I find to talk to about creativity are advertisers because they think, “oh this is easy, I can do this with my eyes closed” and they don’t try.

Imagine if you had a really creative person who applied himself, that’s like having a tall person who applies himself to basketball -you get a Michael Jordan.

Do you see yourself more as artistic or as entrepreneurial?

Andy Warhol said “business is the finest of art forms”, and he was a terrific business man. I say that I’m a thinker. That’s how I would describe myself. I spend a lot of time traveling around the world -- that’s the great thing about being a professional speaker. Yesterday I learnt about the latest trends in healthcare, the next day I might

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be learning about what’s happening in the banking industry for a Swiss bank. I get a lot of insights from experts across many different fields. That’s why I take these weeks off to reflect. Whatever interests me most, I start speaking about and whatever gets the best response from the audience, I write a book about. That’s how I do it.

You have some very inspiring stories of your own, especially the brilliant concept being The Idea Book which has been nominated as one of the best business books of all time.

Ho di How H did d you o come up p with ith tthe he conce concept ptt for the idea book?

There’s an official version and an unofficial version, which one do you want? The official version is that I’m a genius! Ha! The unofficial version is that I once did a creativity talk and the client asked me if I had any documentation? I said no, but that I had a book. She said she’d buy 200 copies. The only problem was that I didn’t have a book! So I cancelled my vacation plans and spent the whole summer writing like crazy! I put all my best examples into one document and when I was finished I thought, “this is too thin, what should I do?”

So I stuck some blank pages in between, printed it, gave it to the client and she was very happy. She had a book of insights and space for people to make notes. I printed 400 copies, 200 for the client and 200 extra which I managed to sell, and I thought, yes, this is going to work! I then went back and redesigned it to hard cover and suddenly The Idea Book was born.

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Creativity can also be understanding what you have just stumbled upon. That “Eureka!” moment comes from paying attention, about being curious and about questioning things.

Sometimes people become successful by first making a series of mistakes. Is that an example of creativity?

Most entrepreneurs don’t talk that much about their mistakes. That’s actually my dream, to have a Mistakes Conference, where everyone is only allowed to talk about their mistakes. And I want to do it in Iceland. The founder of IKEA, one of the richest men in the world, says “I’m the biggest screw-up there is; I have failed so many times.” But his attitude is not to focus on this but to just keep trying things until they work. We don’t call nature a failure when 99.9% of the things nature tries fail.

It’s about whatever survives! Of course, we shouldn’t encourage people to fail; we should encourage them to try, which is an absolutely different approach. Encouraging people to fail is dangerous because it becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy. The biggest mistake is to fail and not learn from it. If you fail but don’t learn, then you are making a mistake.

It’s quite common to hear that Asia lacks innovation and creativity and that many of the great technological innovations have come from the West. Is this true?

Are western companies more creative?

I don’t agree with this on many levels. I had an interesting discussion here last week in Singapore and people were saying, “we’re not creative here in Singapore.” I asked them to define “here in Singapore”. If you talk about New York or Silicon Valley, it’s not the people that were born in these cities that we’re actually talking about, it’s the people that live here and a lot of people that live in these cities are not originally from there.

There are creative people from around the world, including Asia, who live in New York and San Francisco. Creative people are drawn to a creative hub. But Americans draw the wrong conclusion from this and claim that Americans are more creative -- the correct conclusion is that creative people are drawn to America. Before, if you were interested in fashion you would go to

Paris or Milan. Nowadays, a young fashion designer might be drawn to Mumbai or Shanghai.

You have a much greater potential to be a truly creative person if you think globally. That’s what I write about in my second book “The Developing World”, how people in developing countries may have a creative advantage over those in the developed world. However, you cannot be creative unless you have confidence in your creativity. If you don’t think you can do it, you’re not even going to try. You need confidence, however not too much! With too much confidence you don’t question enough. People in Asia have not had the confidence until now. Now they do. They know that Asia is making an impact and that Asia is the next big thing. For me creativity is about combining things. I would say if you live in the developing world you actually know more because you probably also know about the developed world too. The classic example I like to use is cooking; if you’re a Frenchman, you may only know French cooking so you can only cook French food. If you’re Singaporean you may cook Hokkien, Malay, Indian, etc. but then you might start combining things and you get fusion -- which is where I think cooking gets very interesting!

Do you think emerging economies should be leading the way in terms of innovation and creativity of new products?

I’m absolutely convinced that they will. The buyers in developing countries are saying “let’s build a carbon neutral city in Abu Dhabi”. They may be using technology from the West to do it, but they are the actual drivers behind this innovation, they are the buyers of creativity. What I am saying is wait for the next wave, the next generation.

Right now the young generation they are not CEOs, they are not Marketing Directors, they are marketing assistants and research assistants. But just wait five to ten years.

It sounds like the world would be a richer more dynamic place if more people embraced creativity. What is the spark that ignites change, that gets someone to move towards being more creative?

Can you do it yourself or is it something that someone else needs to do for you?

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OU T O F TH E B OX The spark is inspiration. If you want to be creative, you first have to be inspired in some way. Like an engine, the sparks starts the combustion, but after that it continues.

It’s the same thing with creativity; when you get inspired by the idea you just had and it becomes like perpetual motion, and one idea triggers another one, which triggers another. People in Singapore often say that their school system is too rigid and that they cannot be creative. I tell them, don’t worry so much about your school system – it has given you a lot of knowledge, now just give them that spark. Go out into the world, travel, meet interesting people, find what your passion in life is and that will be your spark, apply all the knowledge that your school has taught you and apply it to your passion. It’s not that school killed your creativity, it just hid your creativity-- it’s still there!

My equation for this is C=K+I: Creativity equals Knowledge plus Information, or Inspiration or Input. I strongly feel that you cannot be creative unless you also have knowledge. A very young person

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with all this energy and inspiration but with no knowledge doesn’t have the potential to be creative. Of course, kids can overcompensate that by having so much inspiration and so much curiosity, but the most creative people may not be children but older people who are still curious.

These by far are the most creative people in the world because they have so much knowledge that they can tap into to be more creative.

A common concern for the future is that the world as we know it is not sustainable and it’s easy to think that the world must be in decline because we don’t have the answers to the problems we are face. Do you believe in man’s ingenuity?

Yes, I believe in man’s ingenuity, but I don’t believe in man’s ability to change quickly enough! I’m pessimistic actually because what people don’t understand is how quickly the world is changing. The negative side-effect of the developing world “catching-up” is that the speed of growth is much faster than the speed

of innovation to make things more environmentally friendly. Even with really good technologies to provide cheap, abundant solar energy, for example, will we be able to implement it all quickly enough?

If you look at it that way I feel we have to put much more emphasis on creativity now than ever before and if you ask me, we should ask governments to put more people onto projects to solve these types of problems. Promoting entrepreneurship which is great, they never did that before, but they should be promoting sustainable and moral entrepreneurship.

Fredrik Härén is a speaker based in Singapore and represented by The Insight Bureau providing speeches at conferences and briefings for corporate executive teams.

To learn more about Fredrik and The Insight Bureau visit www.insightbureau.com

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ALL ROADS LEAD TO YOUR WEBSITE

by Ezra Sulicipan, Public Relations & Marketing Executive, Matador

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hese days, every self-respecting enterprise is either creating a profitable online business or marketing their offline businesses online. Needless to say, we live in an age where it is unthinkable for a company to operate outside of the information superhighway. So youve managed to get your companys website online, now what?

The next step is to maximize targeted traffic to your website. The most popular way to do this is by performing search engine optimization (SEO) or utilizing a search engines advertising platform like Googles AdWords. Usually, this plan involves relying heavily on search engines like Google as the primary source of traffic.

Google has been a lot of help for sure, but putting all your eggs in one basket by depending on search engines alone is not the wisest course of action. Especially if said basket can change the rules governing search results without external regulation (Google has recently changed their search algorithm to evaluate content quality causing a fundamental shift in search ranking). This is why companies must look to other sources of traffic or other ways to boost their search results ranking to have more control over how their website hits are generated. Here are a few tips: Create a Facebook page for your website.

This encourages online interaction with your consumers which will eventually reflect on your search result rankings. In fact, it has been reported that Googles new algorithm now takes into account information from social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. Best to take advantage of this by promoting your company via such sites.

Follow the influential Twitter users in your market (read: the ones with the most number of followers) and try to get them to tweet about your business and/or your website.

Make sure that the content/articles on your site are of the quality that is usually linked back to on social networking devices without any artificial encouragement.

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Keep your content timely and relevant. Do your best to flatter your back-linkers by consistently providing impressive content.

optimization (SEO) for your site is taken care of, it is a good idea to invest in expert service from technical solutions providers.

Setup auto responder software to distribute valuable content from your website to your contacts. Make use of the email addresses you obtain in your daily business dealings.

If they give their email to you, its pretty safe to assume theyre interested in your business. You can send out a sample of your newsletter automatically just to give people an idea of the information you share in it. They will be more likely to subscribe if they see the value of the information you disseminate.

The objective behind these measures is converting the traffic you attract into subscriptions. Next to actual service or product purchases, subscriptions are the best indicator of your impact on consumers.

Build trust with your consumers through efficient communication and you will be rewarded by investment returns on your products or services.

Have a simple and efficient user interface to make information easy to find on your site.

The more fluid the data exchange is on your site, the longer a visitor will stay.

To optimize search results, make sure that your website is search engine-friendly by including the right meta tags. Meta tags are titles or keywords that describe the document.

About MATADOR With a track record spanning 10 years and a regional presence covering 11 countries across Asia Pacific, MATADOR is strategically positioned to help you achieve your business goals. We are a dynamic team of individuals from diverse backgrounds and fields of expertise, providing services and solutions that focus on the three keys to any successful business: Technology People Creativity. For more information, please visit www.MATADORhub.com

Increase the average number of pages viewed per visitor by interlinking to relevant posts on your site.

To make sure that all search engine

building networks • connecting business • creating opportunities

HIG H CO MM I SS I O N NE W S

BRITISH HIGH COMMISSION NEWS APRIL/MAY 2011

T

he ďŹ scal year for the UK, and for us at UK Trade & Investment in Singapore, has come to a close. It has been a stellar year for my team â&#x20AC;&#x201C; weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen a 60 per cent year- on- year increase in British companies exploring this market, and a 75 per cent increase in Singaporean companies expanding to the UK. Considering that the same time last year the UK was just recovering from the throes of a ďŹ nancial crisis, this is a strong showing indeed.

As part of its objective to attract more foreign investment into the UK, and to further encourage UK companies to grow internationally, the UK Government has launched Catalyst UK, a global network of business leaders who will champion the UK as the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best international business partner. UKTI launched the scheme with 100 members but intends to increase the network to 500 in two years. I am pleased to see that a number are based in Singapore and indeed are some of BritChamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more active members. Many thanks to you all.

I mentioned in the previous issue of The Orient to look out for the UK Governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Trade and Investment White Paper, which has now been published. Particular emphasis will be placed on supporting small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to expand and export. Measures include: 1) Improving and expanding the trade ďŹ nance and insurance products oďŹ&#x20AC;ered by the UK Government; 2) Increasing UKTIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s focus on emerging markets as well as launching a series of new UKTI services; and 3) Lobbying European partners to radically improve the regulatory environment in the Single Market for SMEs. The Trade and Investment White Paper also announced four new Export Credits Guarantee Department (ECGD) initiatives to support exporters, particularly smaller companies. These initiatives are: 1) setting up a Bond Support Scheme; 2) extending its existing short term credit insurance product to cover a broader range of exports; 3) launching an Export Working Capital Scheme; and 4) developing a Foreign Exchange Credit Support Scheme. In addition, the Department for Business will set up an Export Enterprise Finance Guarantee Scheme to oďŹ&#x20AC;er export ďŹ nance for contracts under ÂŁ1m to SMEs. I am sure, by now, most of you will have read about the UK Budget that was announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 23 March 2011. For those of you who havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t, here is an overview of what this means for business: 1) The main corporation tax rate will be reduced to 26 per cent from April 2011, with further yearly reductions of one per cent until it reaches 23 per cent in 2014; 2) The rate of R&D tax credits for SMEs will increase from 175 per cent to 225 per cent

by April 2012; 3) There will be funding for 21 new Enterprise Zones, so as to focus growth in speciďŹ c parts of the UK; and 4) A total of ÂŁ3 billion will be provided to fund a Green Investment Bank, which will start operating in 2012.

AMANDA BROOKS DEPUTY HIGH COMMISSIONER DIRECTOR OF TRADE AND INVESTMENT

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For more information on any of the above, you can follow us on Twitter (UKTI_Singapore) or visit us at our website http://ukinsingapore.fco.gov.uk.

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CHA MB ER N E W S

April-May ’11 Dear Members, Firstly I would like to reiterate Steve Puckett’s wish for a swift and complete recovery of Japan’s earthquake and tsunami affected areas. We particularly admire the personal dedication and courage of the workers in the Fukoshima Nuclear Power Plant who knowingly risk their lives to prevent an even bigger catastrophe.

We are indeed privileged to live and work in a geologically safe country like Singapore with a dynamically growing economy.

Singapore is committed to sustain the growth momentum enjoyed in 2010 and addressed this in the Singapore Budget 2011. The continuation of the Productivity and Innovation Credit, the enhancement of the cap for each activity and the increase of tax deduction to 400% of expenditure is certainly a key message to larger companies to continue to invest in this market.

SME’s will benefit from the SME Cash Grant amounting to up to 5% of their revenues, subject to a cap of $ 5,000.

To highlight and inform about options of how to benefit from budget measures we are going to address your main areas of concern, such as increase in cost of doing business, attracting, developing and keeping talent as well as taxes and tariffs in dedicated events and briefing sessions throughout the next months. Please log on to www.britcham.org.sg to keep yourself updated.

Internally we are currently in the process of preparing our membership directory 2011/2012 and the team will be in touch to ensure all member information is up to date and ready for print in May. I am delighted to inform you that our Chamber team is now complete again with Ms Akansha Gupta joining us as Marketing and Communications Manager on March 1st and Ms Erica Seo having arrived on April 1st taking on her role as Business Development and Events Enhancement Manager. Akansha has a strong marketing background and has worked with Hewlett Packard and Reader’s Digest in the past. Erica has considerable experience in event management both on the corporate and the agency side; she has worked with Starwood Hotels & Resorts and Pacific World.

Following our objectives, plans and ideas to step up our game in the communications area the board approved an additional resource to support Akansha. Loong Yong En, who worked with us since September 2010 as intern took on a permanent role as Marketing and Communications Assistant effective April 1st.

With this we are well equipped to continue driving and improving your Chamber’s services.

I hope to see you all at our AGM on May 26th.

Brigitte Holtschneider Executive Director British Chamber of Commerce www.britcham.org.sg

Best wishes

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building networks • connecting business • creating opportunities

www.britcham.org.sg

CHA MB ER N E W S

2011 BRITCHAM EVENTS ry a i D r u o Y k Mar

Young Professionals BritCham Mentor Series With John Horsburgh of RollsRoyce Aerospace Thursday 28th April 2011

BritCham Annual Golf Tournament 2011 British Chamber of Commerce, Singapore Thursday 2nd June 2011

Royal Wedding Evening British Chamber of Commerce, Singapore Friday 29th April 2011

BritCham Rugby Dinner 2011 British Chamber of Commerce, Singapore Wednesday 8th June 2011

BritCham Breakfast Clubs (May – June 2011) Energy & Utilities LNG series Thursday 5th May 2011

BritCham Business Awards 2011 British Chamber of Commerce, Singapore Wednesday 5th October 2011

Implementing Sustainable Business Transformation Tuesday 10th May 2011 Retirement and Succession Planning Thursday 23rd June 2011

BritCham AGM 2011 British Chamber of Commerce, Singapore Thursday 26th May 2011

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BritCham Ball 2011 British Chamber of Commerce, Singapore 18th November 2011

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

BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE MEMBERS OFFERS AVIS Car Rental & Leasing As a member of the British Chamber of Commerce you can receive up to 20% discount off standard rates on your car rental booking. Visit http://www. avis.com.sg/bccs/ today.

Bobby’s Taproom.Grill.Ribs • 15% off a la carte food and drinks menus • Privilege Valid At Bobby’s @ Chijmes AND Bobby’s @ Cuppage • Valid until 30 Jun 2011 Terms and conditions apply: Please present your chamber membership card prior to payment British Club British Club offers a 15% discount (= S$ 600) for their 1 year membership* which retails @ S$ 4,000 to members of the Chamber who are not yet members of the Club. *For more information please contact: membership@ britishclub.org.sg CITYGOLF Save $500 off the membership fee at CityGolf. Join the exclusive Citygolf Personal Membership at a special rate of S$1,000 (usual rate S$1,500), limited to the first 50 BritCham members only.

T&Cs apply. Please call 6536 4846 for enquiries and bookings.

Courts 5% off electricals and 10% off furniture.

Please show membership card to obtain discount.

Damai Spa - Grand Hyatt Singapore Grand Hyatt, Damai membership for $280 (plus GST) per month with no annual fee (one year contract. Annual fee is normally $2000). Enjoy all the benefits of being a Damai Member for less than $ 10.00 a day. 20% discount at Oasis restaurant 20% discount on all Spa treatments.

Expat Living FREE THREE month subscription to Expat Living magazine (Usual annual price $60 for Twelve monthly issues). Expat Living is full of great ideas for making the most of living in Singapore. Take a peek inside the homes of your fellow expats and read their personal referrals on living, shopping, dining, traveling and keeping fit and healthy. Whatever you need to know about expat life here, our monthly magazine will put you on the right track! Usual annual price $60 for Twelve monthly issues plus five annual guides worth a total of $108 delivered to your door. Call us on +65 6259 0058 or email circulation@expatliving.sg to subscribe for a longer period or to sign up a friend. For more information on Expat Living visit http://www.expatliving.sg Harry’s Bar 15% discount rate for Chamber members when you present your membership card.

MSIG Insurance (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. UPTO 15% DISCOUNT FOR HEALTHCARE 10% discount for British Chamber of Commerce member purchasing a new individual Prestige Healthcare policy directly from MSIG Insurance (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. Additional 5% family discount* apply.

Email to service@sg.msig-asia.com * Terms and Conditions apply.

Raffles Hotel, Singapore Britcham members will be entitled to: 15% discount of all Food and Beverage outlets of Raffles Hotel, Singapore 15% discount off meeting and banquet packages at Raffles Hotel Singapore Please present your BCC membership card on payment to receive your 15% discount Shipping Business Fundamentals 15% discount for British Chamber Members If you are in trading, shipping firms staff working in operations, risk management, finance/banking professionals who would like to be successful in this growing industry…You should Register now! Quoting “British Chamber of Commerce’ to receive your discount or email Mariza msantos@smu.edu.sg This is an entry-level course designed for those who need to have an understanding of the shipping and shipchartering business in their daily job function.

Register now and enjoy an additional 30% Course Fee Subsidy from MPA *terms and conditions apply Singapore Cricket Club The Singapore Cricket Club are offering Chamber members their special Term Membership (1 year term) at a rate of SGD2,500 (usual rate $3,500). Contact snow@ scc.org.sg *offer available for Britcham members only The Insight Bureau Sign up for a one-year subscription to GEMS and receive 2 additional months free (equivalent to a 17% discount) Keep your finger on the pulse with The Insight Bureau’s Global Emerging Markets Service The Insight Bureau is pleased to offer members of BritCham two months free on its new Global Emerging Markets Service for senior executives. Sign your organisation up for a subscription to GEMS and receive monthly business intelligence reports for 5 nominees around the world, get access to 4 CEO forums a year and on-line access to our chief economist.

For more information, visit www.insightbureau.com/ GEMS.html or contact gems@insightbureau.com Vanda Boxing Club Free trial session for Boxing training and Muay Thai.

Plus (exclusive for Britcham members) join for 6 months and receive one month free.

Join for 1 year and also receive a free pair of gloves and wraps worth $100 upon joining.

No joining fee (usual joining fee is $250) For full details contact Nick Dance nick@ vandapromotions.com Tel 63052288

For more information on member offers visit www.britcham.org.sg

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building networks • connecting business • creating opportunities

B R I TCH BRI TC H A M

Y YO O UN UNG PROFESSIONALS

Mission M i statement

Young British Chamber of Commerce

To pr provide ro a unique and ever evolving platform through which the young professionals of Singapore can meet, learn and have fun.

Singa ap

Terry O’connor: Terry T O 24th Nov The 24 24th of December brought the first of the young professionals mentor series with Mr Terry o’Connor, OBE and Chief C Executive Officer of Courts Asia. This event gave future business leaders the chance to be inspired en and receive guidance and e encouragement from a leading figure in Singapore’s British community. Terry’s story started in Liverpool at the age of 23 and took th the 30 strong audience through his career’s peaks and troughs to his current role as CEO and being awarded the title of Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE). As well as being a significant business figure, Terry is also an inspiration when it comes to his work with the wider community in Singapore, being an active member in public and community service. His work with numerous charities and as a regular commentator in local and regional media is extremely admirable alongside such a successful career. This successful event allowed a broad spectrum of young professionals to mingle but also be exposed to the wealth of experience brought by some of the more senior figures that attended. An event well received, a very big thank you to Terry.

Starlight Ball: 11th Dec The Starlight Ball was held this year on the 11th of December, with the first official presence of the Young British Chamber. 3 tables gratefully sponsored by Standard Chartered and Diageo allowed 30 young professionals from all backgrounds and industries to enjoy the hugely popular event. Tuxedos and Ball gowns combined with a witty MC, generous charity donations, delicious food & wine, and a fantastic band provided an evening enjoyed by all. The yearly gathering is labelled a social event rather than being business orientated, however many new relationships were forged and existing relationships cemented providing a win for the Young British Chamber in our goal to inspire and help our members grow into future business leaders.

John Bittlestone: 27th Jan Thursday 27th January brought terrific mentor John Bittleston and his business partner Denise Pang to the young professionals mentor series. John and Denise run a company called Terrific Mentors making it an ome of easy sell to fill the venue HOST, the home Rubicon wines in Singapore. With an intimate atmosphere boasting a great selection of wines, the evening provided an opportunity for likeminded young professionals to exchange ideas and network.

John Bittleston is a business leader with 30 years in Singapore, so he knows a thing or two about how to selll e in the Pacific region. His core theme d was the simplicity of what you need to do to win in this part of the world but e also the determination you need to achieve it. The group of 15 participants was wowed with success stories based on breaking all the accepted management rules, whilst constantly being asked to contribute with their own personal perspective. In the end,, change of experiences and the evening turned out to be a unique exchange thoughts rather than just a listening exercise. Bittleston and Pang provided a thoroughly enjoyable evening with an electric vibe, leaving those that attended feeling stimulated and enlightened. Another unique and successful Young British Chamber event transpired, leading to new members and much anticipation for upcoming events.

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

MILES GOOSEMAN - YBCC COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN YBCC Dragon Den’s Business Challenge 1st July 2010

$JH ZLWK D IHZ JUH\ KDLUV DQG D UDSLGO\ UHFHGLQJ KDLUOLQH -RE WLWOH $UHD 0DQDJHU 5R\DO 6NDQGLD What prompted you to join the Chamber?

Being a Sterling Member, Royal Skandia made the initial introduction to the Chamber of Commerce. Starting out in a new job in a new country, I did wonder what benefit I will stand to gain from getting involved in the Chamber. However when you’re new the manager tells you “you’ve been volunteered as the Chairman of the newly formed YBCC” then you do it. It did become obvious, however, that high quality events that are unique to the BCC had a definite benefit. I also had a particular interest in the Economic Briefing, which I feel is invaluable due to the nature of my role in RSK. Being new to the city, it also looked like an ideal way to meet likeminded professionals with many different levels of experience.

BBC Y g n i m o c p U s....

2011 Event 11 8th April 20 Thursday 2 tor Evening en M ssionals Young Profe 11 8th July 20 n Thursday 2 toring Sessio en M il and Twighlight Sa 2011 5th August Thursday 2 ness Tour si u B s ssional Young Profe 2011 7th October Thursday 2 tor Evening ssionals Men Young Profe

What does your role as YBCC Committee Chairman involve?

I lead a team of young professionals who have volunteered to be on the Committee.

Our primary function is to come up with ideas for events that are informative and yet appealing to a comparatively younger audience. These events include mentoring sessions with high profile speakers like M Mr. Terry O’Connor, providing a platform to network & socialise over a glass or two o of wine. Other events so far involve: onsi site tours, informative talks (Myths of FFreemasonry) with plans to run speed n networking events & other innovative e educational sessions in the future.

W Why should young professionals in S Singapore join the Chamber?

M My answer to this is: why wouldn’t you?

Ev Everyone comes to Singapore for a reason, aand whatever that may be, YBCC can help to get you to the end-game or enhance yo your experience of getting there. It’s not aalways just a case of what you know, but w who you know in Singapore. Not many o organisations offer the unique opportunity fo for advancement in both, like what the C Chamber offers.

Grimsby are the Haddock & chips & the quickest (only) road out. i li Hobbies: Squash, running & cycling… to create a little bit of a life balance, good food, good wine & good music Favourite film: Too many to choose from, but if pushed I’d make it a tie between The Pianist & Scarface.

Most embarrassing moment: I have a tendency to sleep walk. This is especially the case when I’ve had too many drinks. A few years back, I was staying @ the Hilton Hotel in Leeds for a night out on the pop with my employer. Anyway, after a late night I made it back to my hotel room - The next thing I knew I was standing in the hotel corridor with no clothes on, having slept walked out of my room – Of course hotel doors lock automatically, so there was no way back into the room – I decide to hide in the fire exit corridor for about an hour, but it was winter so this was a short term strategy – Eventually I plucked up the courage to get into the lift and made it to reception - You can probably guess what their reaction was! I never made it to breakfast.

If you could have an hour to chat to anyone in the world, who would you choose and why?

Michael Palin, never a dull moment. I prefer to listen than to tell stories & with Michael Palin I could listen all day. I love the way he could connect with ANYONE regardless of their age, nationality, language etc.

In my opinion, ‘Around the world in 80 days’ is one of the best TV Miniseries ever produced.

If you were to be stranded on an island and could only take 3 things with you, what would you take and why?

1. Marietta, she’s my karma, 2. My iPhone because it has everything you need to keep you occupied.

3. And a guide on how to build a 2011 version of the Swiss family Robinson Treehouse

A ABOUT MILES Nickname: “The Goose…..or Gooseman” N Hometown: Grimsby & I’ll say it before anyone else does…two best things in PAG E 4 5

building networks • connecting business • creating opportunities

MEMBERS - ST E R L I N G N E W S

ANGLOINFO IN DUBAI

A

ngloINFO Dubai has recently launched, bringing the total number of sites to 55 in 20 countries. AngloINFO blogs, launched last October is growing in popularity which means that people with interesting blogs about the region can use AngloINFO to give their blog more exposure. If you would like to produce and write your own blog please get in contact.

No cost involved.

AngloINFO are having a soft launch of the first AngloINFO app. It is now live and can be found on the iTunes App Store. Our tech guys and willing volunteers are currently testing it. Currently it does not include any enhancements (like the existing mobile platform) but we plan to introduce this (for both platforms) in Version 2. AI will also look into introducing Android and Blackberry versions of the application.

AngloINFO Singapore had over 2.8 million page-requests (pageviews) in January, a growth of over 1 million page views for the same month, a year ago in January 2010. singapore.angloinfo.com

CLIFFORD CHANCE ESTABLISHES SIGNIFICANT PRESENCE IN AUSTRALIA AS PART OF AMBITIOUS GROWTH STRATEGY

C

lifford Chance is merging with Australia’s two leading boutique law firms, Chang, Pistilli & Simmons (CP&S) in Sydney and Cochrane Lishman Carson Luscombe (CLCL) in Perth.

14-partner capacity for Clifford Chance in Sydney and Perth. The mergers will take effect from 1 May 2011, although all three firms are already working closely on client projects.

The mergers are among the first steps in the delivery of an ambitious growth strategy for Asia, with plans to double regional revenues for the Firm through investment in new offices, talent and practices.

The new Australian operation will be known as Clifford Chance, creating an immediate

Clifford Chance’s new Asia strategy builds on the Firm’s existing reputation in key Asian markets, with the aim to double revenues in four years. “With over 30 years’ experience in the region, the Firm has a strong foundation on which to build an enhanced network, capable of servicing the growth in business out of and into Asia,” said Peter Charlton, Clifford Chance’s Head of Asia. “We’ll be investing in people, places and new client relationships to ensure we can support the region’s growth with quality talent that truly understands Asia business.” www.cliffordchance.com

NEW BOOK BY DELOITTE GLOBAL CEO ADDRESSES TIMELESS LEADERSHIP CHALLENGE

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eloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited (DTTL) recently published a groundbreaking new book on leadership, As One: Individual Action, Collective Power, addressing one of the most daunting challenges facing business leaders today: creating an environment for large groups of people to work together toward a common purpose.

Co-authored by Jim Quigley, CEO, DTTL, and Mehrdad Baghai, Managing Director of Alchemy Growth Partners, the book reveals that there are multiple styles of leadership, some or all of which may lead to more

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effective strategy execution, depending on the situation.

The inspiration for this book came, in large part, from conversations with CEOs and senior leaders. In these conversations, the theme that consistently resonated was the challenge of collective leadership – how to get large numbers of individuals to work together effectively to achieve a shared purpose.

You can find more information about the As One Collective Leadership initiative at www.asone.org.

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

LLOYD’S HEAD OF ASIA PACIFIC NOW IN SINGAPORE

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loyd’s, the world’s leading specialist insurance market, has moved its head of Asia Pacific from Sydney to Singapore, signalling the growing importance of its operations in the region.

Kent Chaplin is the new head of Asia Pacific, managing Lloyd’s operations across

Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand. Lloyd’s business in Singapore has grown dramatically since 2000 when One George St became its underwriting base in the reinsurance hub of Asia. And as the size of the insurance market in Singapore grows it will attract the larger and more complex risks that Lloyd’s specialises in.

Currently more than 220 people work in the Lloyd’s Asia market which is moving to new premises in Asia Square at the end of the year to allow for further expansion. www.lloyds.com

LONDON SCHOOL OF BUSINESS & FINANCE COMES TO SINGAPORE

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e are delighted to bring London School of Business & Finance to Singapore.

London School of Business & Finance is the destination of choice for an innovative, dynamic and industry relevant business education, offering postgraduate, undergraduate and professional programmes; in business,

management, marketing, finance, law and accountancy.

Our programmes reflect the modern global marketplace, preparing students for leadership roles and giving them an invaluable step up in their careers. We also offer customised and personalised corporate training, which has benefited corporations around the globe.

Our students, who come from over 150 countries, have the option to study in the

UK, Canada, online and now in Singapore.

London School of Business & Finance operates under the patronage of HRH the esteemed Prince Michael of Kent GCVO, who works closely with the school to offer a number of scholarships; seeking to recognise and nurture the talent of up and coming entrepreneurs from across the world. www.lsbf.org.uk

NEW EXECUTIVE CHEF APPOINTMENT AT THE SENTOSA RESORT & SPA  RYAN SONSON

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e are pleased to announce the appointment of Mr Ryan Sonson, 39, as the new Executive Chef at The Sentosa Resort and Spa. With 16 years of experience in the hotel and restaurant industry under his belt, Ryan joins us from the Fairmont Nile City in Cairo, Egypt where he was formerly Executive Sous Chef and part of the opening team. Prior to his stint in Cairo, Ryan held senior positions in The Mandarin Oriental Hotel, San Francisco and

the Four Seasons Hotel, Newport Beach.

“We are pleased to welcome Ryan to the team and I am confident that with his background and experience, he will be a great asset in pushing our destination dining restaurants - The Cliff and The Garden, to greater heights!” said Mr Adam Haywood, Director, Food and Beverage Department. www.thesentosa.com

STANDARD CHARTERED SINGAPORE POSTS RECORD INCOME AND PROFIT FOR 2010

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tandard Chartered Bank in Singapore delivered a record operating profit

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of US$718 million (S$978 million) and a record income of US$1,738 million (S$2,369 million) for the financial year ended 31 December 2010 due to strong income growth for both businesses. The Bank continued to invest in Singapore, a core market for its businesses, to sustain business momentum and strengthen its market position. Ray Ferguson, Regional

Chief Executive, Singapore and Southeast Asia, Standard Chartered Bank, said: “Singapore is a strategic and core market for the Bank. It continues to be the third largest contributor to Group income and profit and is the operational hub for our global Consumer Banking and Wholesale Banking businesses”. www.standardchartered.com.sg

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BRITCHAM E VENTS

FLOATING LIQUEFACTION HOW IS IT CHANGING THE LNG INDUSTRY

by Philip Field, Chief Executive Officer FLEX LNG Ltd Thursday 10th February 2011 • Shangri-La Hotel Singapore

(ALMOST) ONE YEAR ON: THE UK’S ECONOMIC GROWTH STRATEGY

by Martin Donnelly – Permanent Secretary, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills Tuesday 15th February 2011 • Pan Pacific Singapore

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

THE UK BRIBERY ACT 2010 – HOW BEST TO MANAGE THE RISK OF PROSECUTION

by Oommen Mathew – Partner, Eversheds Head of Dispute Resolution Asia Steven Cannon – Senior Associate, Eversheds LLP Wednesday 23rd February 2011 • The Tanglin Club

COMMON PITFALLS IN MAKING SHIPPING AND TRADE CONTRACTS

by Michael Collett – Barrister /Arbitrator, 20 Essex Street Thursday 24rd February 2011 • The Tanglin Club

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BRITCHAM E VENTS

GATEWAY FOR LNG SUPPLY TO SINGAPORE

by Ron Duke, Director Commercial Operations Graham Holland, Director Strategy & Risk Thursday 10th March 2011 • Pan Pacific Singapore

MAKE YOUR KEY/CRITICAL MEETINGS EFFECTIVE & PRODUCTIVE

by Ray Bigger, Managing Director – Think 8, Chris Durkin, President – Meeting Sciences Thursday 17th March 2011 • Shangri - La Hotel

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WHAT’S ON YOUR CEO’S HUMAN CAPITAL AGENDA?

by James Clemence, Partner, PwC International Assignment Services (Singapore) Pte Ltd Tuesday 22th March 2011 • Shangri - La Hotel

BRITCHAM NEW MEMBERS NIGHT Thursday 24th February 2011 • Host, Clarke Quay

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AEG POWER SOLUTIONS RECEIVES €36 MILLION ORDER FOR DELIVERY OF POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS FOR POLYSILICON MANUFACTURING PROCESS

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elecke, Germany February 1, 2011- AEG Power Solutions (AEG PS) and GCL-Poly Energy Holdings Limited, Hong Kong, signed at the end of 2010 a contract for Thyrobox™ M power supply systems to support GCL-Poly in achieving its goal to expand its position as one of the leading polysilicon and wafer suppliers in the world. The value of the contract totals €36 million.

AEG Power Solutions, wholly-owned by 3W Power Holdings S.A. (Euronext Amsterdam 3WP, Frankfurt 3W9, ISIN GG00B39QCR01, WKN A0Q5SX), is a global provider of premium power electronics. GCL-Poly is delivering high quality and low cost silicon products to the solar industry and is headquartered in Hong Kong with its principal business operations based in mainland China. www.aegps.com

AMBITION PROMOTES GUY DAY TO GLOBAL CHIEF EXECUTIVE

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mbition, the leading global boutique recruitment business, has appointed Guy Day as Chief Executive of the company. He will oversee Ambition’s operations across Singapore, Hong Kong, the UK and Australia from his office in Singapore.

In his new role, his remit will extend from Asia and the UK to include Australia, specifically Sydney, Melbourne

and Brisbane, where the company derives a substantial proportion of its revenues from.

Day has been with Ambition since January 2001 when he launched the company’s Asian operations in Hong Kong. He has lived in Asia for 14 years. www.ambition.com.sg

BBC.COM LAUNCHES ENHANCED ASIA BUSINESS NEWS

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ingapore 3 March 2011 – BBC.com, the international version of the BBC’s website has just launched a new business section, designed for audiences interested in Asian business stories. The Asia Business Index will deliver 24hr Asia-focused business news coverage, exploring the impact of global and pan-regional business issues across the region. Editorial content will also interpret how business issues in the region affect the global economy.

BBC.com has recruited a team of BBC journalists based in both Asia and the UK to deliver the new Asia Business Index. Editor Ben Richardson and his team will be based in Singapore, using the BBC network of journalists across Asia to provide localised knowledge from experts on the ground. www.bbc.com/asiabusiness

BRITISH AIRWAYS SETS NEW GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS TITLE FOR “HIGHEST STANDUP COMEDY GIG”

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ritish Airways has set a new Guinness World Records title with comedians Dara O’ Briain, Jack Whitehall and Jon Richardson, for hosting the ‘highest standup comedy gig in the world’.

The smile high gig will raise almost £100,000 ($208,000) for Red Nose Day, as part of the airline’s partnership with Comic Relief.

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The comedians performed for 45 minutes at 35,000ft, to a crowd of 180 guests and prize winners, to set the new world record. The comedy gig was hosted on flight BA9230c, on a dedicated British Airways A321 aircraft from London Terminal 5, flying over the UK for two and a half hours. www.ba.com

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CABLE&WIRELESS WORLDWIDE APPOINTS CHARLES KENNAWAY AS VP FOR ENTERPRISE SALES IN APAC

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ingapore, February 24 2011: Cable&Wireless Worldwide, the mission critical communications provider, today announced the appointment of Charles Kennaway as its vice president for enterprise sales in Asia Pacific. Before joining C&W Worldwide, he was the general manager, ASEAN, at Orange Business Services, responsible for driving sales within South-East Asia.

Nick Lambert, Managing Director for Global Markets, Cable&Wireless Worldwide said: “Charles is amongst the most respected business leaders in the industry today. His extensive knowledge, skills and experience will be of benefit to C&W Worldwide as we continue to expand our presence in the region and focus on winning strategic new business.” www.cw.com

CFBT EDUCATION LAUNCHES A NEW CORPORATE PROGRAMME ENGLISH FOR BUSINESS

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aving worked in Singapore for some years, we recognise that many communications between client and company fail because of difficulties in speaking, reading or writing good English. Our aim is to use 43 years experience of teaching English to help companies improve the English skills of staff at all levels. The English for Business programme is easily adapted to suit any size or type of business and focuses on the essential functions of customer relations, internal communication and performance management. www.cfbt.com

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CHARTERED INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTANTS

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IMA international conference from 24-25 October 2011 will be held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre in South Africa.

The theme for the 2011 international

conference is ‘Business in Tomorrow’s World – a sustainable future’. The conference will showcase organisations and people who have successfully emerged as leaders within their respective industries, who have showed success in transparency,

sustainability, leadership, enterprise governance and management accountancy.

500-600 finance decision makers from local and international companies are expected. www.cimaglobal.com

CLIFTONS HAVE DOUBLED IN SIZE IN SINGAPORE

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liftons Singapore has opened a new facility at 108 Robinson Road, effectively doubling the space previously available for our clients. Conveniently located in the heart of the CBD and

featuring 13 premium seminar, computer and multi-function training rooms with multiple breakout areas, Cliftons Singapore is now positioned to service the upsurge in our clients’ training demand locally and

regionally. Contract rooms, project space, scheduled or ad hoc training – Cliftons now offers even more room to learn. www.cliftons.com

CROWN SINGAPORE SUPPORTS FUN FAIR FOR THE DISABLED

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rown Singapore showed the spirit of responsible corporate social responsibility in the recent Family, Food and Fun Fair organized by Singapore’s Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA).

Thirty-two volunteers from various departments participated in this fun-filled event, facilitating various activity booths including a hat-fitting booth, goodie-bag distribution booth, RDA games stall, food and beverage stall and a face painting booth.

Being the main partner, Crown Singapore invited expatriate clientele to the fair for a day of fun. Many of them showed up and each visitor received a Crown goodie-bag and a ticket for a raffle, at only $10 each. www.crownrelo.com/singapore

FINNAIR LAUNCHES SCHEDULED FLIGHTS BETWEEN SINGAPORE AND HELSINKI ON 30TH MAY

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innair will be the only airline to offer a daily connection between Singapore and Northern Europe with a timetable tailored to the needs of business passengers.

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Finnair’s Singapore flight will also be the fastest connection between Northern Europe and Singapore, offering quick onward travel for passengers continuing to more than 50+ destinations in Europe.

Singapore is Finnair’s 10th destination in Asia. For years, Finnair has been renewing its fleet to bring you the latest in technology, comfort and fuel efficiency. Be the first to fly with us. www.finnair.com

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NEW SENTOSA BOARDWALK  ANOTHER MILESTONE PROJECT COMPLETED BY GAMMON

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ammon, jointly owned by Jardine Matheson and Balfour Beatty, has recently completed the 700 metre long boardwalk linking Sentosa Island and VivoCity Promenade.

The S$70 million project is South-East Asia’s first-ever garden themed walkway, featuring five different native landscapes of Sentosa, i.e. mangrove, rock garden, terrain and hill, coastal flora and rainforest gardens. The boardwalk is

packed with green spaces, rest stops and great views. Walking along the boardwalk, visitors enjoy unblocked views of Sentosa Bay and cruise ships docking at the Cruise Center. At night, the boardwalk is illuminated with ambient lightings which enhance the precinct and offer a fantastic experience to the visitors. www.gammonconstruction.com

HALLIN MARINE BUILDING COMPACT SEMISUBMERSIBLE ‘DERWENT

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allin Marine, worldwide provider of integrated subsea solutions in the oil, gas and renewable energy sectors, is building the compact semi-submersible ‘Derwent’ to meet today’s and tomorrow’s demands from the subsea industry. The Derwent responds to the need for greater operational flexibility and is designed to provide cost-effective service in subsea projects

and well intervention. The diesel-electric powered Derwent will have a 200 tonne module-handling system and a 150 tonne active-heave crane, both operational to depths of 9,800 feet, along with an optional saturation-diving system and two deepwater construction class ROVs. The Derwent is a lower-cost alternative to large DSVs and traditional semisubmersibles. www.hallinmarine.com

HOME ENTERTAINMENT COMPUTER & GAMES MOBILE PHONES CAMERAS HOME APPLIANCES FURNITURE BEDDING

BUY FOR YOUR HOME, FROM HOME. Choose from a wide range of the latest Electronics, IT gadgets and Furniture on the new Courts webstore. For an online shopping experience that clicks, log on to courts.com.sg today.

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INK RAISES THE BAR IN TRAINING ITS SALES TEAMS ACROSS THE GLOBE

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nk has been certified as an ISMM (The Institute of Sales & Marketing Management) approved centre to deliver their in-house developed training course “The Knowledge - Foundation Course in Media Sales”. Endorsement of this course by the ISMM represents Ink’s public

commitment to excellence, quality and integrity.

For years, Ink has trained its sales teams in how to effectively sell in the ever-changing media industry. Ink’s Foundation Course in Media Sales gives them the skills, tips

and confidence needed to sell, build lasting client relationships, solve customer problems and ensure that they achieve their customers marketing and sales objectives. www.ink-global.com

IPAC FINANCIAL PLANNING SINGAPORE ANNOUNCE NEW INITIATIVES

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n staff movement, Ivan Ossa joins ipac as our new Head of Investment Research.

With experience in wealth management and investment research in Singapore and the United States, Ivan’s mandate is to structure and develop the investment framework

and processes for portfolio management, investment analysis and research.

Additionally, we are strengthening our offer to the UK community through partnerships with established providers of UK financial services, including Friends Provident and

Royal Skandia.

Finally, ipac Singapore has also recently added on Universal Life capabilities, expanding our existing insurance and risk management services. www.ipac.com.sg

50 PERCENT MAS SUBSIDY TO ATTEND FINANCE IQ CONFERENCES

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nnually, Finance IQ educates 5,000 high-level executives, and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) wants to further develop financial sector expertise in the country.

With the Financial Training Scheme - a training initiative launched by the MAS – attendees to Finance IQs comprehensive face-to-face conferences will receive a 50 percent subsidy of the qualifying costs.

The scheme is for executive level staff physically based in Singapore, who wants to attend unbiased, specialist forums organised by Finance IQ, where they will gain best practices insights to do their job better. www.iqpc.com.sg

JCP MARINE ANNOUNCES NEW OFFICES IN LONDON AND MANILA

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CP Marine is a fast growing marine consultancy firm with offices worldwide. Established in 1992 by Capt Julian Brown the company now also provides Arbitration and Mediation services to the shipping industry.

JCP Marine provides a range of technical services to oil majors, ship owners, marine law firms, charterers, H&M underwriters, syndicates and almost all the P&I clubs worldwide.

In its 19 years of operations, JCP Marine has grown to over twenty surveyors worldwide in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, China, Korea, Australia and USA. We are now pleased to announce the recent opening of two new offices in London and Manila. www.jcpmarine.com

LOGICALIS ON THE ACQUISITION TRAIL

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ogicalis, headquartered out of the UK, is one of the largest ICT solution providers in the world with operations in Europe, North America, South America

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and APAC. To complement substantial organic growth, Logicalis has been on the acquisition trail in 2010. In APAC, Logicalis acquired both Netstar and, subsequently,

Touchbase in Asia. The combined power of the three organisations has created the leading, independent ICT provider in Asia. www.logicalis.com

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MEYADO PRIVATE WEALTH MANAGEMENT SINGAPORE ANNOUNCES 500% INCREASE IN NET PROFITS

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eyado Private Wealth Management Singapore has seen a 500% increase in net profits and a dividend to shareholders against a backdrop of a booming Singapore market place.

Mark Paine, Managing Director of Meyado says, “In 2011, Meyado aims to increase its revenue 30 – 40% by focusing on quality improvement, sustainable growth and creating a better client offering. We are

also planning to invest in our local business through new offices and recruitment.” www.meyado.com.sg

SAXO BOOSTS APAC PRESENCE WITH THE LAUNCH OF SAXO CAPITAL MARKETS HK LIMITED

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axo Capital Markets, the Singaporebased headquarters and Asia Pacific subsidiary of online trading and investment specialist Saxo Bank A/S, is pleased to announce the launch of its Hong Kong office, Saxo Capital Markets HK Limited (SCM HK). Saxo Bank now operates in more than 15 countries globally, with offices in U.K., Denmark and the Middle East. This is the Group’s fourth office in Asia.

SCM HK boosts its presence in the region with the extension of its multi-asset online trading platform to meet growing institutional and retail trading demand.

SCM HK offers both institutional and retail investors forex and equities trading on its award-winning multi-asset trading platform, SaxoTrader. sg.saxomarkets.com

SENSEI LAUNCHES GROUNDBREAKING HUMAN PERFORMANCE INDEX™

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ward-winning global consultancy Sensei International successfully launched their innovative and unique Human Performance Index™, enabling leaders to examine, evaluate and evolve their organisation’s ability to create top-performing individuals and teams.

Strategic Business Results = Company Assets x Human Performance. This is the winning formula to measure

and enhance human performance, to convert assets into capabilities that will drive business growth and to give an organisation a rare and exciting competitive advantage.

Sensei helps organisations worldwide to deliver strategically significant results by improving human performance and optimising the value of team and leadership interactions. www.sensei-international.com

SCRUMPTIOUS SHELLFISH AND SAVOURY SAUCES AT KOPI TIAM

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opi Tiam promises shellfish lovers a selection of shellfish and sauces that will leave them thinking about their dinner long after leaving the restaurant. From 24 March, Swissôtel The Stamford’s restaurant dedicated to authentic local cuisine— Kopi Tiam—will start their much-awaited

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Shellfish Promotion. Chef Ng Kwong Hee, the man behind this seafood treat, wanted to have an opportunity to showcase the variety of shellfish available in Singapore, as well as the diversity of sauces that help define the local cuisine. www.swissotel.com/singapore-stamford

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NEW GENERAL MANAGER

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he British Club has recently appointed Mr Sean Boyle as its new General Manager.

Sean started with the British Club in late 2010 and is no stranger to the hospitality and Club industry in Singapore having arrived here from the UK in 1995.

Sean, a ‘Brit’, has quite a vast and global experience in

the hospitality industry, managing hotels and private clubs, developing loss making entities into profit making quality businesses.

Sean made it a point to join the Chamber as soon as he was settled and now assists on its Membership Committee. www.britishclub.org.sg

THE PLANET GROUP JOINS THE BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN SINGAPORE

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stablished in 1997, The Planet Group is a global marketing services and solutions company offering a fully managed outsourced channel process solution to help technology companies increase return

on partner value, reduce cost, and improve ROI. We have offices in Singapore, North America, and EMEA Headquarters in the UK.

We are proud to announce that The Planet Group is now a member of the British Chamber in Singapore. www.the-planet-group.com

THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO BOOTH SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

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ounded in 1898, the University of Chicago Booth School of Business - a Nobel Prize winning powerhouse - created the world’s FIRST Executive MBA program in 1943 to provide senior managers with the most-up-to-date management education.

The same EMBA program which connects

high powered international executives and which is taught only by Chicago faculty is available in our Asia Campus in Singapore as well as in our European (London) and American (Chicago) campuses. www.chicagobooth.edu

BRITCHAM MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY 2011/12: FOR ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES CALL +65 6222 3552 OR EMAIL AKANSHABRITCHAM.ORG.SG

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OH BOY: WHY BUDDY HOLLY STILL MATTERS “BUDDY VS THE KILLER”  WORLD PREMIERE “Buddy vs The Killer” – World Premiere Produced by British Theatre Playhouse Raffles Hotel, Jubilee Hall Theatre, 4 – 6 May, 2011

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ave this date! Friday 6 May, 2011 - BritCham and British Theatre Playhouse Charity Gala in aid of Viva Foundation for Children with Cancer For tickets, contact the Charity Gala committee members Carolyn Lints (M:97321632), Duncan Merrin (M:98175388), Ray Bigger (M:97506751) or Cecilia Leong-Faulkner (M:98156230).

When Buddy Holly, Richie Valens (La Bamba) and The Big Bopper (Chantilly Lace) died in a plane crash, February 3, 1959 became known as ‘The Day The Music Died’ and inspired legendary singer-songwriter, Don McClean to write ‘American Pie’ (he was a newspaper delivery boy when he learnt of the plane crash). Remember some of the lyrics which go like this:

But february made me shiver With every paper I’d deliver. Bad news on the doorstep; I couldn’t take one more step. I can’t remember if I cried When I read about his widowed bride, But something touched me deep inside The day the music died.

So bye-bye, miss american pie. Drove my chevy to the levee, But the levee was dry.

And them good old boys were drinkin’ whiskey and rye Singin’, “this’ll be the day that I die. “this’ll be the day that I die.”

Billy Geraghty (Buddy Holly and Jerry Lee Lewis)

Kevin Oliver Jones (Carl Perkins, Bill Haley)

Tom Connor (Jerry Alison)

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Sometimes it is hard to believe that Buddy wrote all those hits, achieved so much so young and was only 21 when he died (Everyday, It’s So Easy, Peggy Sue, Oh, Boy!, Raining In My Heart etc).

Buddy was an innovator who wrote his own material and was inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986.

Keith Richards and Sir Paul McCartney (McCartney owns the publishing rights to Buddy’s music) once said, “If it wasn’t for Buddy and The Crickets, there wouldn’t be any Beatles or the Rolling Stones”.

Bruce Springsteen says before he goes on stage, he plays Buddy Holly music in his dressing room because it keeps him honest.

“As Producers of the show, John and I are influenced by Buddy’s achievement (we saw “Buddy” in the West End many years ago) and multi-talented British actor/ singer/musician/writer, Billy Geraghty and Kevin Oliver Jones who devised the show managed to convince us to produce the world premiere of “Buddy vs The Killer” in Singapore,” says Cecilia Leong-Faulkner.

Killer. The show will feature the music, work and life of Holly and Lewis.

Great British talent is at the heart of this British production of “Buddy vs The Killer”.

The show promises to be excellent and offers a double treat (you get both Buddy Holly and Jerry Lee Lewis in one show!). It would have all the prestige and originality of a West End show and John is directing it,” says Cecilia.

The show will open in Singapore on the 4th May, 2011 until 8 May, 2011 before it goes to Kuala Lumpur and then back to England for a UK production.

With an all-British cast performing LIVE on stage and hits like Everyday, It’s So Easy, Peggy Sue, Oh, Great Balls Of Fire, La Bamba, Chantilly Lace to name a few, the show should leave you singing and humming all the way home.

Visit www.britishtheatreplayhouse.com for full show and UK cast details.

“Billy is the West End star of “Buddy” and “Great Balls of Fire”; he will play Buddy Holly and Jerry Lee Lewis, two iconic Rock n’ Roll legends in “Buddy vs The

Tara Nelson (Myra Gale Lewis)

Adam Keast (Joe B. Mauldin, Johnny Cash)

Ally Holmes (Maria Elena Choreographer)

Dan De Cruz (Elvis Presley, Ritchie Valens)

Jason Blackwater THE DIRECTOR ( MC, Big Bopper) John Faulkner

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REFLECTIONS FROM LONDON (28th January to 8th February) – by Ng Yi-Sheng

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g Yi-Sheng is a full-time writer whose controversial literary works have garnered much critical acclaim. In 2008, YiSheng won the Singapore Literature Prize for his debut poetry collection, last boy, while his non-fiction book, SQ21: Singapore Queers in the 21st Century, went on the 2006 bestseller list. His plays have been staged to acclaim by various theatre groups such as TheatreWorks, Toy Factory Theatre, W!ld Rice and Musical Theatre Singapore. YiSheng is on the Writers’ Panel for Writing the City (http://civiclife.sg/writingthecity/), a platform created by the British Council for writers to share their work.

From 28 January to 8 February, Singaporean writer Ng Yi-Sheng visited London to promote his books “last boy” and “GASPP”. What follows are his reflections on the trip.

I went to London at the coldest time of the year, sold fewer books than expected, and remain a grant-application limbo, waiting to see if the National Arts Council will reimburse me for my flight expenses.

But bugger all that; I’m really glad I made this trip. As one of my friends told me, you don’t need a reason to go to London; you just go. It’s soul-enriching and mindPAG E 6 0

expanding and good for you, not unlike a recreational drug.

London amazes me every time I visit.

Remember, folks of my generation have been indoctrinated with the belief that the 21st century is the Asian century. We take it for granted that the world capitals of this age will be Shanghai, Mumbai, Dubai, Taipei, Singapore, Jakarta, or maybe even some emergent conurbation we haven’t heard of yet.

Saddled with this dogma, even my decision to go to university in New York feels a wee bit retro – after all, it’s a world capital city only of the 20th century, an iconic nexus of taxicabs, pizza parlours and Sex and the City locations. Sure, it’s cosmopolitan, but it’s also infuriatingly steeped with the ideology that the whole world should and will eventually become culturally American.

As for London, it’s always represented the distant past: a world capital city of the 19th century, the centre of a once-mighty empire that we (and half the world) liberated ourselves from, a landscape of ladies in corsets and gentlemen in frock coats, gathered in the cobblestone streets for a glimpse of Victoria’s coach.

But as I’ve learned several times, the real London’s different. One step into the train out of Heathrow Airport and one senses the telltale heartbeat of a contemporary city, just as much and probably more a good deal more 21st century than ourselves.

In Singapore, we love to boast of our multiculturalism: Chinese-Malay-IndianOther, we cry. But how can we compete with a city where folks in the train carriage regularly spout languages and accents from at least five continents: WelshNigerian-Bengali-Ozzie-Californian? As for the gaudy postmodern superstructures so characteristic of this century, our Marina Sands, Esplanade and Singapore Flyer are at least matched by the Gherkin, Millennium Dome and the London Eye (smaller than our wheel, but offering more photogenic views).

The conundrum is that London’s also managed to hold on to its 19th to mid-20th century charm for all us history fetishists.

Amidst the chavs, the dapper men and coiffed women display a layered, serene sense of style inherited from their Victorian forebears. I developed an obsession for eating classic baked goods in antique buildings: bread-and-butter pudding in

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the Kensington Gardens Orangery, Cornish pasties in Paddington Station, hot buttered scones in an Old Compton Street café.

Delicious.

Thus London is as much a city of the past as it is a city of the present. It’s glorious not just because of its much-vaunted multi-ethnicity, but for its multi-chronicity: how it’s provided a setting where different epochs may thrive side by side. One can wander into the Victoria and Albert Museum and encounter a house DJ and a remotely controlled robot amidst the Golden Jubilee and Ming Dynasty artefacts.

It’s simply part of the culture.

And as a Singaporean, this makes me a little mad. Remember, we come from a country where we were instructed to destroy our old buildings, villages, roads, occupations, languages and cultures, all for the purported sake of modernisation.

We did so and hurrah, hurrah, the project was a success, and as our reward we gained a glittering contemporary physical and cultural landscape, barely recognisable to our childhood selves.

The example of London suggests that the sacrifice wasn’t necessary; that we could’ve kept more of the past even as we forged ahead into the future. And as a young globally mobile product of national policy, I can assure you this decision to leave our past behind has had its costs.

But maybe there’s something else drawing creative folks to this city. Perhaps it’s the persistent atmosphere of heritage fused with the modern; a sensation that drives you to question your own culture, and to excavate what you know about your nation, your history, your identity.

Mine is a fundamentally rootless generation, unable to speak our national language of Malay or our ancestral Chinese dialects.

In the university writing class I teach, I’ve found that the kids can barely conceive the idea of setting stories in Singapore, because they see this is as a place where nothing interesting happens.

This atmosphere may not be good for integration. As David Cameron’s noted, many immigrant communities of London remain separate and hostile to the idea of giving up their treasured cultures for the sake of a unified British identity.

Nonetheless, it’s certifiably good for the Singaporean artist abroad: as soulenriching and mind-expanding as my friend assured me.

This brings me to another intriguing London phenomenon: the presence of an entire tribe of Singaporean artists and writers. It makes some sense that they’d settle there: the city’s more exciting than Melbourne or Perth, more Anglophone than Shanghai or Berlin, and more genuinely understanding of our postcolonial complexity than New York or Los Angeles. They get access to the British Library, the Tate Modern, and a formidable array of Singapore-Malaysian restaurants. What’s not to like?

What puzzles me now is the question of what we can do in Singapore to give us as much historical depth as London.

Admirable efforts have already been carried out in this century in the fields of architecture conservation and museums, but a few restored art deco shophouses and batik exhibitions can’t undo fifty years of damage.

I suppose what we must do is transform our people, to nourish them with a consciousness of our cultural legacy. This is maybe where my task as a writer lies.

Denizens of a 21st century city deserve to know where they came from, so that we may know who we are.

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INTERVIEW WITH AUDI FASHION FESTIVAL DIRECTOR MS TJIN LEE Tjin Lee is the Managing Director and founder of Mercury marketing & Communications, Singapore’s top lifestyle event company specialising in fashion, lifestyle and luxury events. In 2009, she founded the Audi Fashion festival brining in shows by international designers such as Vivienne Westwood as well as upcoming fashion darling Gareth Pugh who attended the event. Mercury is also a partner in Blueprint Group with the Textile and Fashion Federation of Singapore and MP Asia, an exhibition company.

Questions: This year Asia Fashion Exchange (AFX) is an 11 day event, what are the main objectives that you are hoping the AFX will achieve for 2011?

The plans are to continue to focus on Asia as an engine of growth and to roll out more and exciting programmes under the four AFX pillars to attract foreign buyers, industry players, tourists and media.

Increasingly, content will be tailored to an Asia-centric sensibility without sacrificing its international appeal.

Apart from bumping up the hardware components, there is also a need to build on the buzz that was started last year. In time, we hope to make AFX synonymous with fashion in Asia, no matter what part of the industry you belong to – whether you are a fashion consumer, a buyer, a marketeer or a designer - and no matter which country you are from

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Building on the rapid economic momentum that Asia has been enjoying in the last two years, as well as the buzz generated by the opening of the two Integrated Resorts last year, the world’s focus will continue to be on Asia and on Singapore. In the West, more and more Asian names like Phillip Lim, Alexander Wang and Jason Wu are becoming bonafide fashion stars, celebrated in international fashion glossies.

So the time is right for Singapore to stake its claim on the world’s fashion radar, not only in producing its own design talents, but also promoting itself as a one-stop fashion hub for all things Asian and for all aspects of the fashion industry, including trade and networking. AFX will leverage on the continued partnership between the government, the private sector and the fashion community to grow in strength this year.

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The AFX is a comprehensive initiative with four key pillars; Audi Fashion Festival, Blueprint, Star Creation and Asian Fashion Summit. What key highlights can consumers expect within each pillar?

Expect a longer Audi Fashion Festival spanning seven days, with international stars. Blueprint, the trade show component of AFX, will also be bigger and better with more than 100 exhibitors, double that of last year. Star Creation, the talent search content has also attracted more than double the entries from last year, from countries like Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia, and even Nepal and Myanmar. Asia Fashion Summit will welcome speakers from Lane Crawford and LVMH, among others.

Blueprint returns with a more impressive showing with a four-day trade exhibition, what was the main objective of opening the doors to the public as Blueprint Emporium?

Blueprint Emporium, on the last two days, has been created, not only to make the trade show relevant to the masses, but also to educate them on how to spot and appreciate fashion finds, to create a buzz around fashion collectibles, and to make fashion an accessible and fun lifestyle concept. With the increasing number of tourists coming to Singapore because of the IRs, and because of Blueprint 2011’s location at MBS, Blueprint Emporium will also provide a unique shopping experience for them, while at the same time exposing them to new and exciting Asian fashion labels.

The Audi Fashion Festival has seen the appointment of a new chairman Dick Lee what influence and impact do you predict that Mr. Lee will have?

Dick Lee has been instrumental in promoting Singapore and Asian fashion since the early 1980s when he returned from his fashion studies in London. With

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his business partner then, he started the Society of Designing Arts (SODA) together with Tangs Department Store. There was an annual SODA show and he even opened a mini-store for young local designers called Hemispheres. As chairman of AFF, he will guide and inspire the team and continue focusing on developing local and Asian talent, coming up with innovative platforms within the AFF to showcase new ideas from the ground up.

One of these is AFF (Day), the sunny precursor to the glamorous night-time shows of the Audi Fashion Festival proper.

It will showcase fashion inspirations and creative energy across different varied platforms. An example of this is a show which features the debut capsule collections of last year’s three winners of Star Creation, an Asia-wide talent competition. All three have spent a year working at FJ Benjamin as part of their prize and they will be sharing the AFF(Day) stage with this year’s finalists.

The Audi Fashion Festival has become one of the key events under the inaugural Asia Fashion Exchange, what can consumers expect from the show this year?

This year, there will be a more pronounced Asian focus, in keeping with our objectives to make Singapore the fashion gateway of Asia. For the first time, a non-local Asian brand, will be taking to the stage – Greyhound, a Thai brand with a cult following in Asia, including Singapore. Its creative director Bhanu Inkawat will also be in town. Another international Asian talent is Nepalese Prabal Gurung, who was born in Singapore and is currently the darling of the New York fashion scene, having designed outfits for Demi Moore, Oprah Winfrey and even American First Lady, Michelle Obama.

This year, the opening and closing shows are just as glamorous as ever. On May 13, the house of Missoni will open the AFF, in

the presence of founder Rosita Missoni, together with her daughter, creative director Angela, and Angela’s daugher, Margherita. Closing the AFF on May 19 is Ungaro, with creative director Giles Deacon, who has rejuvenated the classic fashion brand. In between, Antonio Berardi will dazzle fashion lovers with his creations.

In previous years the Audi Fashion Festival showcased collections from world-known brands, can you tell us about the selection process for the local and foreign designers in 2011?

Every year, we try to up the ante with an exciting mix of international labels which appeal to all fashion fans – from the traditional big names to the more cutting edge labels which are on the verge of mega-stardom. To give you an idea of the variety of designers the AFF has hosted In 2009, one of the most popular shows was by avantgarde British designer Gareth Pugh, who has designed outfits for Lady GaGa and Kylie Minogue. In 2010, we had Italian legend Roberto Cavalli showcasing outfits from 40 years of his career. So, as you can imagine, the selection process is a whole lot of fun, even as it is a challenge to coordinate all the logistics that come with a huge enterprise like this. As the AFF becomes bigger and more well-known, I can only imagine the process becoming even more exciting and challenging. I can’t wait!

Consumers are waiting to immerse themselves in high fashion during the 11 day event are there any surprises that consumers should be keeping a watch out for?

It won’t be a surprise if I told you, so all I can say is keep checking back on our website www.asiafashionexchange.com.sg for more details. You can also visit www.sistic.com for ticketing details.

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SPOR TS

LONDON 2012  OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC GAMES Tickets and Competition Schedule 10 million tickets are now available to spectators: The application process for London 2012 Olympic Games tickets is open. Applications for tickets can be made anytime from 15th March 2011 – 26 April 2011. All applications will then be processed and, if successful, payment will be taken. Where demand exceeds supply a ballot will be used. A notification will be sent to confirm which tickets you have been allocated.

Tickets are available at a wide range of prices starting from £20 (approx S$40).

There are special prices available for young people and seniors across all Olympic sports. Young people who are aged 16 or younger (at 27 July 2012) will ‘pay their age’

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for a ticket. Seniors aged 60 and over (at 27 July 2012) will pay £16 (approx S$32).

These ‘pay your age’ ticket prices and senior ticket prices will be available in more than 200 sessions. The price of a ticket for a wheelchair space includes a companion seat located next to it.

There will also be a number of events that do not require a ticket, including Athletics – Marathon, Athletics – Race Walk, Cycling – Road (Road Race), Cycling – Road (Time Trial) and the Cycling element of Triathlon.

Some viewing areas will be ticketed and these are indicated in the full competition schedule. Big screens at Live Sites across the UK will also screen the sporting action.

Each ticket for a Games event in London or at outside London venues will receive a one-day ‘Games travelcard’ for the day

of that event along with their event ticket.

The Games travelcard will entitle you to travel within zones 1–9 in London and by National Rail between London and the recommended stations for some venues outside London (Eton Dorney, the Lee Valley White Water Centre and Hadleigh Farm).

Residents outside the UK and designated European countries need to apply for Olympic Games tickets through their local National Olympic Committee or Authorised Ticket Reseller. For Singapore, the Authorised Ticket Reseller is: Kingdom Sports Group PO Box 41 1800 Ashfield, Sydney, NSW Australia +61 2 9797 2992

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Website http://www.kingdomsg.com Applications for London 2012 Paralympic Games tickets will open on 9 September 2011 and follow a similar process.

The full schedule of events is available at http://www.tickets.london2012.com/ olyschedule.html so that you can decide what, when and where to watch. It includes the full details of every Olympic sporting session, in every venue, on every day and at every price. It also includes details of the opening and closing ceremonies on 27th July and 12th August respectively.

In addition to the Olympic Village – which will host athletics, aquatics and cycling events – events will be hosted in sites across

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the capital and country including: Rowing at Eton; Sailing in Weymouth; Gymnastics in the O2 “Millenium Dome” arena North Greenwich; Football at Wembley; Tennis at Wimbledon; archery at Lords Cricket Ground; and equestrian in Greenwich Park.

In total the London Games will entail 26 world championship level sports events happening simultaneously, from football to water polo and archery to mountain biking; with up to 150 heads of state or government arriving from across the world; a concurrent cultural festival on a par with any major festival anywhere in the world; and a major gathering of world business leaders and the world’s media. This will all be followed 2 weeks later by another 20 world championships, with sports ranging

from boccia to wheelchair basketball.

• 300 Olympic events across 26 sports and 471 Paralympic events across 20 sports in 28 days of competition.

• 205 countries expected to send athletes – from Azerbaijan to Zambia and the British Virgin Islands to Belgium • 15,000 athletes and 10,000 officials to be accommodated, with events at 27 venues across the UK, 30% outside London • Global television audience in the billions is expected.

• 70,000 volunteers will be involved at the Games.

Don’t miss out. Make your ticket application before 26 April 2011

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T R AV E L

LIVING LIKE A MAHARAJA

by The Leading Hotels of the World

TAJ FALAKNUMA PALACE, HYDERABAD, INDIA Once In A Lifetime Experience The Taj Falaknuma Palace in Hyderabad, is located atop a hillock, overlooking the 400-year-old city and is a testimony to the famed life and times of the Nizams of Hyderabad. preserve of visiting royalty like King Edward VIII and the last Russian Tsar, Nicholas IIII. Falaknuma Palace is also known as the ‘mirror of the sky’ because at 2000 feet, it was built in the clouds and reflects the ever-changing moods of the sky. Discover the newest jewel in the Taj collection of authentic palaces with this Once in a Lifetime Experience.

As a new member of The Leading Hotels of the World, Taj Falaknuma residence, a 60 room private palace from 1884, offers discerning guests a glimpse of the regal and luxurious lifestyle of the Nizams who governed the legendary city of Hyderabad.

After ten years of meticulous restoration, it resumes its status as Hyderabad’s most exclusive address, which was the sole

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arrived at the Palace. Sink into a world of unprecedented excesses, complete with a swimming pool during your 2-nights stay in the Nizam Suite (Presidential Suite). The Suite is a self-contained oasis of luxury, a declaration validated by the presence of a private Jacuzzi, ornate furnishings and soothing marble fountain. With exclusive access to the Jiva Spa, get pampered with a lavish spa treatment amidst uninterrupted views of the most exquisitely manicured lawns.

The best way to kick-start the morning is having breakfast at Jade Terrace, to traditional Hyderabadi, Turkish and South Indian dishes. Your personal butler will pay attention to the smallest, most intricate detail; in the same way as visiting royalty was served decades ago.

Taj Falaknuma Palace was recently featured in “Tatler’s 101 Best New Hotels 2011” in UK Tatler Travel Guide Upon arriving at the airport, step into a beautifully preserved luxury Jaguar and be driven in style to a fairy-tale palace, followed by a horse-drawn carriage ride which is symbolic to the way the Nizams

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The Sajjan Niwas Suite, built around 1880

by Maharana Sajjan Singhji, retains an oldworld charm with traditional cloth fans, intricate mirror-work on the doors and fine glass mosaic inlay; while the stylish Amrit Sagar Bar was once the private audience hall of the Maharana.

A world of indulgences is revealed...

Move on to a private champagne tour with the Palace Historian (who has been at the Palace since 1995), who has immense knowledge of the Palace’s, history, restorations and artefacts. A unique dining experience by the Executive Chef awaits you under the original stained-glass gazebo.

Otherwise, a “Khansama” or “Household Chef” trained under one of the legendary chefs who worked in the Nizams Kitchen, could also present authentic Hyderabadi and Deccan food in a contemporary manner.

• • • • •

Executive Chef under the stain- glass gazebo Personal shopper A 2.5 hour signature treatment for two at the Jiva Spa Private yoga session with instructor Two-way limousine airport transfer Arrival in a horse-drawn carriage

Be fulfilled physically, spiritually and mentally the next day, with a traditional style of Bihar yoga with a personal yoga instructor. Customized sessions are catered to guests based on their needs.

THIS PROGRAMME INCLUDES: • 2 nights in the Presidential Suite – Nizam with private pool, jacuzzi, private bar and exclusive access to Jiva Spa • Daily breakfast on the Jade Terrace, served by your personal butler • Private Champagne tour with the palace historian • Unique dining experience created by the

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TAJ LAKE PALACE, UDAIPUR, RAJASTHAN, INDIA The Floating Palace Is A Dream Built in 1754 by Maharana Jagat Singh II, the Taj Lake Palace in Udaipur is his most notable achievement. It is said that the Maharana took umbrage at his father’s refusal to allow him to have moonlit picnics with the ladies of his Zenana (women’s quarters) at the neighboring island palace, Jag Mandir. As soon as he assumed the throne, he commissioned the construction of the Lake Palace, which remained the summer residence of the rulers of Mewar for two hundred years.

The Taj Lake Palace is the perfect choice to carry on the royal legacy of Taj Hotels and Resorts. While at the Palace, a world of indulgences is revealed. Spend your evening watching the sun go down behind the Aravali hills, while you and your spouse enjoy a serene therapy at the hands of our expert masseurs in the royal Jiva Spa boat.

Choose to spend the afterhours lazing in the soak tub under starlit sky.

Sip champagne and savor barbequed snacks as our traditional oarsmen take you on a cruise of Lake Pichola on the royal antique barge, Gangaur. While you glide on the cool waters enjoy an exclusive cultural performance and fireworks to lend the moment a mesmerizing feel. You could also choose to spend a quiet evening with your partner on the calm waters of Pichola and relax in the tranquil ambience while our master chefs create culinary delights on the Pontoon, a marble flotilla in the middle of the lake.

These are just some of the luxuries offered by the Taj Lake Palace. We welcome you to come and explore more for yourself.

- Three distinctive restaurant settings: on a rooftop terrace, by the lake and by a lily pond - Jiva spa for indian rejuvenation therapies - Vintage cars available for sightseeing and shopping tours For more information visit www.lhw.com

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WIN E CLUB

LET US BE YOUR

HOST HOST at Rubicon Reserve Wines, Clarke Quay has been specially designed for wining & dining.

Our private venue is a unique event space that can be tailored to all your needs, whether you are planning a dinner party for up to 20 people, a corporate meeting, a wine tasting or an event for up to 70 people.

* Private Dinners * Wine Tastings & Classes * Business Meetings * Networking Events * Product Launches * Venue Hire

Book your next event now Email: host@rubiconreservewines.com Tel: +65 6837 8020 PAG E 6 8

Take advantage of exclusive BritCham Wine Club offers @ www.britcham.rubiconreservewines.com

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www.britcham.org.sg

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WE LIVE BY ONE SIMPLE MEASURE OF SUCCESS. YOURS.

To achieve your vision of success, we focus on you. With Barclays Capital as your investment bank, you get a dedicated partner that delivers world-class integrated solutions. An approach that provides you access to strategic advisory capabilities, risk management expertise and a full spectrum of financial products and services at the most relevant times. Because your success is our benchmark for success.

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