Orient Issue 60

Orient MCI

Connecting Business Creating Opportunities WWW.BRITCHAM.ORG.SG

109/11/2016

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE - SINGAPORE

SPECIAL FEATURES

ISSUE 60

Building Networks

17

17TH ANNUAL BUSINESS AWARDS

41

IN FOCUS: TERRY O’CONNOR, CEO, COURTS ASIA

ISSUE 60 / DEC 16

HE THINKS

FUN. YOU KNOW HE’S LEARNING.

HE’S JUST HAVING

Opening in July 2017 - the new early learning campus at the Australian International School Our Reggio Emilia inspired teaching philosophy celebrates and acknowledges the importance of the environment in which your child learns. And that’s why every detail of our new Early Learning Campus has been designed with young learners in mind.

From innovative and creative play spaces, to clusters of classrooms each with their own connected outdoor play areas, to thoughtfully selected resources and furnishings, this is a place where your child will love to be and love to learn.

Designed by award-winning architects with expert advice from educational and environmental psychologists, our brand new campus is built with a simple goal in mind - every child happy, every child learning.

For more information or to speak to our admissions team please call +65 6653 7906 or email us at admissions@ais.com.sg

www.ais.com.sg

+65 6653 7906

EDU-2-2037 19/2/2016 – 18/2/2020

Australian International School Pte Ltd is registered by the Council for Private Education (CPE). Registration number 199204405H. Period of registration 6 July 2015 to 5 July 2019.

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EARLY LEARNERS

Accelerated English Program Personalized Assessment -

Daily & Bilingual Language

Measures of Academic Progress

Instruction - Mandarin or Spanish

(MAP) for Math & Reading

Specialist Physical Education

200+ co-curricular activities &

under SMART Steps & Perceptual

90 competitive sports teams

Motor Program

International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma or High School Diploma with Advanced Placement (AP) credits or both 40+ IB courses 20 AP courses College test preparation - SAT I, SAT II, ACT, PSAT

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Stamford American offers an outstanding international education for students from 18 months to 18 years of age. We offer the rigorous IB Programme – enhanced

by American standards.

Introducing our new Early Learners Campus.

Pioneer Class August 2017. Enrollment now open.

21/2/2016 – 20/2/2020

Stamford American International School CPE Registration Number: 200823594D Period of Registration: August 10, 2014 to August 9, 2018

+65 6653 7907 │ sais.edu.sg

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Building Networks Connecting Business Creating Opportunities

8

Contents

11

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

13

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE SPECIAL FEATURES

17

17th Annual Business Awards

41

In Focus: Terry O’Connor, CEO, Courts Asia

FEATURES 23

BritCham Case Study: Aligning Sponsorship Values and Increasing Engagement with Barclays

27

Preventing a Leadership Crisis in Asia’s Talent Pipeline

30

Rule Britannia? The Past, Present and Future of Singapore — United Kingdom Trade Relations

33

Focus on Health: Why Sleep is a Necessity, not a Luxury

36

Meeting the New Guidelines for Sustainability Reporting

38

Why is Asia a Hotbed of Mobile Payment Technology?

46

Socially Responsible Recruitment: Why you should Expand your Inclusion when Hiring

49

Inspiring Teamwork — Singapore’s Double Success at the Rio 2016 Paralympics

54

The WELL Building Standard

58

Self-Driving Cars: Removing the Roadblocks

AT THE CHAMBER 64

Britain in Southeast Asia News

66

Business Group News

69

Business Services News

70

BritCham New Members

72

Sterling News

75

Corporate News

78

Members’ Offers

80

Events

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

British Chamber of Commerce, Singapore, Sponsors GOLD AND DIVERSITY SPONSOR

GOLD SPONSOR

SILVER AND BREAKFAST CLUB SPONSOR

SILVER SPONSORS

BRONZE SPONSORS

SUPPORTING PARTNER

BRITCHAM BOARD: PRESIDENT: Bicky Bhangu: Rolls-Royce Singapore VICE-PRESIDENTS: Damian Adams: Simmons & Simmons Sian Brown: Barclays Bank PLC SECRETARY: Cecilia Handel: Tanglin Trust School Ltd TREASURER: Veronica McCann, Manulife US Real Estate Mgmt Pte Ltd BOARD MEMBERS: Richard Warburton: Arcadis Annabel Moore: Diageo Singapore Pte Ltd Haslam Preeston: Jardine Cycle & Carriage Limited David Pugh: The Fry Group Mark Chowdhry: Baxters International Andrew Vine: The Insight Bureau Andrew Pickup: Microsoft Singapore Chris Reed: Black Marketing — Enabling LinkedIn For You Robert Williams: British Airways Steven Cranwell: HSBC Ronald Totton: BT Singapore Terence Yuen: BP Singapore COMMITTEES: Business Group: Richard Warburton Events: Sian Brown External Affairs: Bicky Bhangu Membership: Damian Adams

Editor: Lucy Haydon lucy@britcham.org.sg

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

Co-Editor: Nicole Alison Lim alison@britcham.org.sg

© All rights reserved.

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

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

BUSINESS GROUP CHAIRPERSONS: Built Environment: Marcus Eckersley Diversity: Stephen Trevis Energy & Utilities: Tim Rockell Entrepreneur & Small Business: Jonathan O‘Byrne Financial Services: Ashley Jones (Chairperson), Sunil Iyer (Co-Chair) InfoComm Technology: Andrew Pickup (Chairperson), Chris Reed (Co-Chair) Leadership in Asia: Stephen Wyatt Marketing & Creative: Chris Reed Professional Services: Mark Chowdhry Scottish Business Group: Neil Mclnnes Sustainability & Responsibility: Rosie Danyluk Transport, Logistics & Supply Chain: Simon Petch Women in Business: Dora Lui Young British Chamber: Zoë Marmot MANAGEMENT TEAM Executive Director: Brigitte Holtschneider Membership & Communications Manager: Lucy Haydon Membership Manager: Katie Hudson Membership Administrator: Siti Hadijah Marketing & Communications Executive: Nicole Alison Lim Senior Events Manager: Alexandra Packman Events Manager: Nicola Jackson Finance Manager: Pauline Yeo Business Services Manager: Carole McCarthy Business Services Advisor: Nico Putri Safari Business Services Advisor: Meiling Aw Office Administration Executive: Anna C Garciso

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

Contact: Simon Cholmeley, simonc@novusasia.com

Designed by:

Creative Services: Kwan Gek Lian, gek@novusasia.com Pearlyn Kwan, pearlyn@novusasia.com

www.novusasia.com

Design: Erika Wong, erikawong@novusasia.com Khairunnisa, khai@novusasia.com Content Lead: Alison Marshall, alisonm@novusasia.com

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Advertorial

Every child happy, every child learning

T

he task of choosing a preschool just got easier for parents living in Singapore. The Australian International School has built a brand new early years centre on its campus at Lorong Chuan. Designed by leading architects with expert advice from environmental psychologists and early learning specialists, the new campus promises a purpose-built environment where children are happy and learning.

The Australian International School’s teaching philosophy is inspired by the principles of Reggio Emilia, which acknowledges that an environment that is built for the child is better for the child.

That’s why every detail of the school’s exciting new early learning campus has been designed with young learners in mind.

Light and airy classrooms feel like a home away from home When you’re building from scratch you can create the ideal environment for children.

Classrooms are spacious and flooded with natural light. Each one connects directly to its own covered outdoor area, where children might discover a sandpit, a creativity project table or sensory play equipment. They are free to wander to the outdoor space via an inviting child-sized door, so they’ll feel right at home.

Clusters of classrooms promote collaboration and social skills From their safe and secure classroom

environments children are encouraged to play and collaborate with fellow students thanks to a unique clustering design. Groups of classrooms are positioned together to forge feelings of community and sharing. There’s also a class-buddy program, which prompts younger learners to engage with older students for easier transition into the next stages of learning.

Enjoyment and learning beyond the classroom To encourage play and learning beyond the classroom the new campus offers a range of exciting facilities. Learning to swim is a rite of passage for Australian children. The school’s 22-metre swimming pool is designed specifically for teaching youngsters with a series of concealed resting platforms. Sprawling outdoor play areas with shade protection give children ample space to play and explore. Each cluster of classrooms has its own mini-library and teaching kitchen. Shared across the campus are a range of other shared multi-functional pod areas, a library/inquiry centre and a multipurpose hall for sports, dance, performance and play. Children have a wide choice of places to learn life skills and follow their imaginations.

children to explore ideas and discover their world.

The IB Primary Years Programme is introduced from 3 years old and provides a foundation for success in Prep and beyond.

Bringing parents closer to the child’s education From the family observation deck at the swimming pool, to a café where parents are welcome to linger and relax, to a parent workshop program that brings parents and staff together to share ideas, expertise and experience, the new campus offers a number of ways for parents to get more involved in their little ones’ early education. And since life isn’t getting any less busy, there’s also an option for parents to design the school week around their family needs so they can spend more time with their children.

The parent-teacher link is vital to the success of the child and the design of the new campus actively encourages it.

For more information or to arrange a visit to Australian International School, please call +65 6653 7906 or email admissions@ais.com.sg

A curriculum inspired by Reggio Emilia The school’s teaching philosophy is inspired by the principles of Reggio Emilia, which emphasises the importance the environment plays in education. Inquiry based learning, coupled with thoughtfully designed spaces, encourages

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President’s Message

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

Dear Members, As we near the end of the year it seems like a good opportunity to reflect on 2016 and the progress the Chamber has made as a strong voice for British businesses in Singapore. My first seven months as President have been packed with a variety of exciting and informative events and I’m pleased that we’ve had a good mix of focused events alongside networking and socialising.

We’ve had the opportunity to hear from a range of highly prominent speakers from discussing the impact of Brexit on global business operations and corporate culture, to Singapore’s Smart Nation Initiative; to developing professional critical skills in today’s increasingly complex and volatile work environment.

Bicky Bhangu

President, British Chamber of Commerce, Singapore

The 17th Annual Business Awards was a huge success, celebrating outstanding achievements from across all industry sectors. Our Guest of Honour, Minister Iswaran, Minister for Trade and Industry, delivered his keynote speech emphasising that innovation and partnerships are key to sustaining the competitiveness of Singapore’s economy. Another important theme highlighted was to further build and strengthen Singapore and the UK’s longstanding and robust bilateral relations. This year also saw the inclusion of an exciting new category recognising excellence in collaboration between the UK and Singapore — congratulations once again to our winner Dyson.

As the global economy and business continues to evolve, we too at the Chamber have continued to adapt this year, having streamlined our Business Groups in order to focus on subjects that matter most to our members in today’s climate.

Looking ahead our key priorities will be to continue to strengthen relations between the UK and Singapore, to develop greater engagement with the region to benefit from the economic opportunities in ASEAN, and to maintain and improve our strong relationship with Singapore business and government. Building on these areas will enable us to continue to identify new opportunities, ensure the right global agreements and policies are in place to help businesses thrive and celebrate business success.

The many events that take place throughout the year are only possible thanks to the commitment and enthusiasm of the board, management team, business group chairs and committees, and of course, our members. Thank you all for being part of a successful 2016 and I wish you all a very happy Christmas and prosperous new year.

I look forward to seeing you all in 2017.

Best Regards,

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Executive Director’s Message

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

Dear Members, A busy, exciting and challenging year, 2016 is drawing to a close!

Your Chamber looks back to a diverse programme of events, networking and engagement opportunities to come together, exchange, learn and connect with other stakeholders such as the British High Commission, the Department for International Trade (formerly UKTI), the Ministry of Manpower, colleagues and visitors from our Britain in South East Asia network as well as other Chambers of Commerce.

Brigitte Holtschneider

Executive Director, British Chamber of Commerce, Singapore

Here are a few of the highlights: • An International Woman’s Day Panel discussing how “Men Make Equality Real” • The BritCham Energy Debate • Our Rugby Networking Night with Stirling Mortlock and Ollie Phillips on the eve of the inaugural Rugby 7s tournament • A high profile Women in Technology Panel discussion • Leaders in Business Lunches featuring British actress Jane Seymour, KPMG UK Chairman Simon Collins and Ho Kwon Ping, Executive Chairman of Banyan Tree Holdings • Our traditional F1 Networking, this year back at the Cricket Club • Country Briefings on Myanmar, Vietnam and Indonesia • Several Brexit Briefings and Member roundtable discussions • Back to Work Networking bringing members together after the summer break • Our 17th Annual Business Awards Gala Dinner welcoming Minister Iswaran as Guest of Honour and celebrating 9 proud winners • Our first event featuring Fintech at Aviva Digital Garage • Two Open Houses at our offices in Robinson Road • And the grand finale…. the BritCham Ball in December celebrating A Very British Christmas!

Our Business Group Committees, the ‘engine room’ for member engagement as well as programme creation and development, progressed further, with many committees on-boarding more members and fostering closer links and collaboration.

We have been running 14 different committees from the start of the year and are adding our 15th, Transportation, Logistics and Supply Chain, in Q4.

This new Business Group Committee aims to provide members and the wider Singapore business community with a forum in the transportation, logistics and supply chain sectors • To meet and develop contacts • To share information and know-how • To create a channel of communication to the Singapore Government • To share and highlight key trends and • To provide relevant insights for businesses to benefit and learn Internally, we strengthened the Chamber team by upskilling and adding resources to better support our members and manage our communication channels. With this we have laid the ground work to continue to deliver value and support in a continuously challenging and uncertain economic environment. Our Business Services team, led by Business Services Manager Carole McCarthy who works with Business Services Advisors Nico Putri Safari and Meiling Aw, continues to successfully collaborate with the Department for International Trade by supporting UK SMEs with their export and expansion plans into Singapore.

In closing, I would like to thank you for your loyalty, contribution and commitment and look forward to seeing you in 2017. I wish you and your families a peaceful and relaxing Christmas break and a happy and healthy New Year.

Warm regards,

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

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Sterling Members

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

COULD FOOTSTEPS EVER LIGHT UP OUR CITIES?

Explore how your business can partner with us at this festival, which will feature a business symposium, technologies of the future, high-energy interactive exhibits, live science shows and free performances. Learn more at www.shell.com.sg and email us at makethefuturesg@shell.com

Singapore A FESTIVAL OF IDEAS & INNOVATION FOR ASIA

MARCH 16 – 19, 2017

CHANGI EXHIBITION CENTRE

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Special Feature

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

17 Annual Business Awards th

T

he 17th Annual Business Awards initiative culminated in a Gala Presentation Dinner on 29 September 2016 attended by almost 300 guests at the Shangri La Hotel. The Awards were presented to the winners by our Guest of Honour Minister S. Iswaran, Minister for Trade and Industry (Industry), Chamber President Bicky Bhangu and His Excellency Scott Wightman, the British High Commissioner. The BBC’s Sharanjit Leyl presented the Awards for the 11th year.

Congratulations to all of this year’s finalists and of course to our worthy winners! We received a record number of entries this year across nine categories representing signicant themes in the current business environment, with some excellent examples of successes, initiatives and future plans from all organisations involved.

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Special Feature: 17th Annual Business Awards

Here are the winners in each category: Outstanding UKSingapore Collaboration

WINNER:

COMMENTS FROM THE JUDGE, HIS EXCELLENCY SCOTT WIGHTMAN, BRITISH HIGH COMMISSIONER Dyson have developed a strong collaborative relationship between their world class team of engineers and scientists in the UK and their R+D team in Singapore. This has been instrumental in the launch in the last 12 months of Dyson’s new Supersonic hairdryer, conceptualised in the UK and developed by the cross-functional Singapore-based team, working across electronics, mechanical and design engineering. This is a great example of UK-Singapore collaboration at the cutting edge of technology and design, contributing to economic growth and high quality jobs in both countries.

L-R: H.E. Scott Wightman, British High Commissioner, Minister S. Iswaran, Minister for Trade & Industry (Industry), Scott Maguire, Global Engineering Director for Dyson, Dr. Bicky Bhangu, President of the British Chamber of Commerce

>

FINALISTS:

Category Sponsor:

Colour Codes: Grey - #3a3a3c Orange - #e28336 Blue - #45b0bf Green - #aad270

Customer Engagement

WINNER:

COMMENTS FROM THE JUDGE, RUSSELL ANDERSON, MANAGING DIRECTOR APAC FOR JAGUAR LANDROVER Rolls Royce were able to clearly and succinctly demonstrate that Customer Satisfaction and Engagement are being placed at the heart of their plans while at the same time demonstrating their customer service improvement and the measurement of the success of their Customer Engagement.

L-R: H.E. Scott Wightman, British High Commissioner, Minister S. Iswaran, Minister for Trade & Industry (Industry), Dr. Bicky Bhangu, President of the British Chamber of Commerce, Lee Brough, Manufacturing Executive at Rolls-Royce

FINALISTS:

>

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

Excellence in Innovation

WINNER:

COMMENTS FROM THE JUDGE, STEVE LEONARD, CEO OF SG INNOVATE Lloyds have clearly articulated their business story, their challenges, how they are tackling those challenges and how they are committed to future initiatives around innovation. The Lloyds story is powerful because “innovating” in a 300 year old institution is much more difficult and the Lloyds chairman has made public statements about their commitment to continuous innovation and this reinforces their commitment to the future.

L-R: H.E. Scott Wightman, British High Commissioner, Minister S. Iswaran, Minister for Trade & Industry (Industry), Michelle Cockrill, Regional Head of Marketing & Communications APAC for Lloyd’s of London, Dr. Bicky Bhangu, President of the British Chamber of Commerce

>

FINALISTS:

Category Sponsor:

Technology Transformation

WINNER:

COMMENTS FROM THE JUDGE, WYNTHIA GOH, CHIEF DIGITAL DIRECTOR FOR AVIVA ASIA Kaer’s story and achievement in its business journey demonstrates the impact of technology transformation on itself, its customers and its customer’s customers. They have changed the business and process model of how air conditioning systems should be managed. Kaer’s business leaders understand the value of transformation, successfully executing their business and technology transformation with clear, measurable results.

L-R: H.E. Scott Wightman, British High Commissioner, Minister S. Iswaran, Minister for Trade & Industry (Industry), David Mackerness, Director of Business Development for Kaer, Dr. Bicky Bhangu, President of the British Chamber of Commerce

>

FINALISTS:

Category Sponsor:

Sponsored by:

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Special Feature: 17th Annual Business Awards

Here are the winners in each category: Sustainability Initiatives

WINNER:

COMMENTS FROM THE JUDGE, ESTHER AN, CHIEF SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER FOR CITY DEVELOPMENTS LIMITED DBS has demonstrated a firm commitment to CSR. It has an executive strategy to embrace its CSR initiatives to its business to create an impact and add value to its business. The extent of its initiative and outreach is impressive and it is a deserving winner.

Mythili Mamidanna, Vice President , Group Strategic Marketing & Communications for DBS Bank

>

FINALISTS:

Category Sponsor:

Investing in People

WINNER:

COMMENTS FROM THE JUDGE, SU YEN WONG, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE HUMAN CAPITAL LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE Even as a relatively young organisation, Salt has implemented a holistic approach to the business, including structured processes and systems, to enable future growth. Salt’s emphasis on creating a culture and instilling behaviours that enable business performance stand out. Salt demonstrated that regardless of company size or stage of development, there is a compelling case for investment in people. And, there are specific initiatives that can be implemented to attract, retain and develop talent.

L-R: H.E. Scott Wightman, British High Commissioner, Minister S. Iswaran, Minister for Trade & Industry (Industry), Sarah Cragg, Senior Account Manager at salt Communications, Dr. Bicky Bhangu, President of the British Chamber of Commerce

FINALISTS:

>

Category Sponsor:

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

Embracing Diversity

WINNER:

COMMENTS FROM THE JUDGE, DR TANVI GAUTAM, DIRECTOR OF THE DIVERSITY & INCLUSION PROGRAMME AT SINGAPORE MANAGEMENT UNIVERSITY (EXECUTIVE DEVELOPMENT) The way the British Council has woven itself into the local fabric is impressive. Their approach to education and arts and a view to the future is inspirational.

L-R: H.E. Scott Wightman, British High Commissioner, Minister S. Iswaran, Minister for Trade & Industry (Industry), Yeok Nguan Tan, British Council, Roland Davies, Director of the British Council, Dr. Bicky Bhangu, President of the British Chamber of Commerce

>

FINALISTS:

Category Sponsor:

SME Excellence

WINNER:

COMMENTS FROM THE JUDGE, CALLUM LAING, PARTNER AT THE MARKETING GROUP AND UNITY GROUP It is clear Capital Springboard have credibility and authority in their industry through the team and other businesses. Capital Springboard are addressing a very real problem for small business owners and creating an opportunity for investors. Capital Springboard clearly demonstrated their success and their ability to scale up the solution.

Roger Crook, CEO of Capital Springboard

Colour Codes: Grey - #3a3a3c Orange - #e28336 Blue - #45b0bf Green - #aad270

>

Category Sponsor:

FINALISTS:

Colour Codes: Grey - #3a3a3c Orange - #e28336 Blue - #45b0bf Green - #aad270

Sponsored by:

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Special Feature: 17th Annual Business Awards

Here are the winners in each category: Outstanding Young Professional

WINNER: Rosanna Trigg, Gym With Me & The Yard

COMMENTS FROM THE JUDGE, GOH SWEE CHEN, CHAIRPERSON, OF SHELL COMPANIES IN SINGAPORE Rosanna is a young lady who combines what she loves with a business venture that she single-handedly built. She is tenacious in pursuing her dreams, brings creativity into what she does and importantly, works tirelessly to improve the lives of many who share her passion. She has made a broad impact in the Singaporean sports and fitness scene.

FINALISTS:

> >

Naomi Lewis, Director of Sports & Activities at Tanglin Trust School

> Category Sponsor:

David Gardner, Partner at St James’s Place Wealth Management

Rosanna Trigg, Owner, Gym With Me & The Yard

Sponsored by:

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Feature

BritCham Case Study: Aligning Sponsorship Values and Increasing Engagement with Barclays

By Sian Brown Barclays has been a supporter of the British Chamber for many years, both as a Member and as a Sponsor. By repositioning their sponsorship agreement, Chamber Vice President Sian Brown has transformed the Barclays sponsorship from a high cost, disengaged relationship to one of medium cost with high involvement. In this article, Sian provides her view on developing a model of how, in a time of cost rationalisation, you can extract greater value by aligning a sponsorship to your own corporate values, and in doing so take a meaningful leadership role in the local business community

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

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Feature: BritCham Case Study: Aligning Sponsorship Values and Increasing Engagement with Barclays

W

hen I was first approached to be the British Chamber of Commerce Board Representative for Barclays, I was unaware that Barclays was even a member of the Chamber. As a result my first priority was to understand the structure and workings of the Chamber, and what it could offer us as an organisation.

The marketing benefits of the sponsorship agreement were clear to see, placing Barclays name and logo prominently in all BritCham communications and as a Gold Sponsor at key flagship events throughout the year. What became quickly apparent were the potential benefits to both the Chamber members and to Barclays of having volunteers from across the Bank join the relevant Business Group Committees. For example, by having a senior IT representative join the Information and Communications Technology group, we were able to identify the opportunity of an event to share the work we had been doing to enhance the customer experience and account security through the use of voice biometrics. This provided a fantastic platform for a Barclays employee to showcase the project and to build their profile, as well as allowing us to reach a broad audience of senior professionals.

Ultimately, we decided to maximise our opportunities with the Chamber by adopting a Gold sponsorship package that placed Barclays as the Chambers Diversity sponsor — ­ a first sponsorship of this type across the BritCham ASEAN Chambers.

This has allowed us to focus the promotional opportunities in events and content on our key interest of Diversity and Inclusion. We have also helped facilitate leadership development conversations, providing leadership as Chairs of both the BritCham Diversity and the Women in Business Group Committees.

Once our sponsorship priorities and committee involvement had been repositioned, I focused upon the employee engagement opportunities. As a Sterling member of the Chamber, Barclays is entitled to add all Singapore employees to the membership at no additional cost, giving them access to various Member Offers and

discounted rates on events, even if they had no additional time to volunteer.

The opportunities for our employees are clear: • All Singapore employees are encouraged to sign up for membership at no additional cost, which entitles them to Member Offers covering various deals with other member organisations. As a result, colleagues have stopped me in the office and thanked me for getting them 10 percent off their fridge at Courts or 10 percent off their flight with British Airways!

• Opportunities to participate as a volunteer in Business Group Committees of interest providing diverse network

and thought leadership in areas of expertise (e.g. Diversity, ICT, Financial Services, Property, Young British Chamber, Sustainability) • Access for all employees to attend Chamber events at a discounted rate, something I continue to receive excellent feedback on • To provide networking and closed-door event opportunities which help our business/government relationships This approach has led to many benefits, with over 350 Barclays Singapore employees signed up as members, more than any other in the Chamber’s Sterling membership group, and an

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

identify areas of synergy where working with the Chamber helps us to reach an internal objective for Barclays. For example, we were able to raise awareness on Sustainable Letters of Credit through the work of the Chamber’s Sustainability and Responsibility Business Group. In the second half of this year, the Chamber’s Diversity Business Group has produced a “Celebrating Diversity” photography

This approach has led to many benefits, with over 350 Barclays Singapore employees signed up as members competition for school age entrants and upwards, which Barclays has sponsored in the form of costs for printing a 2017 desktop calendar of the finalist’s images.

This will allow the D&I messages to remain prominent throughout the year.

This initiative is culminating in a prizegiving event in partnership with the British High Commission. We are also planning to partner with the Chamber, other prominent member companies and the British High Commission for an event around the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

Annual Business Award in 2014 for the Community Star category, recognising Andrew Colyer, Director, Legal, for his efforts in bringing the Wheels for Change cycling event to Asia from the UK and raising more than SGD$110,000 in the process.

Barclays also frequently sponsors tickets for employees to attend relevant events, which enables access to a broad spectrum of networking and knowledgesharing opportunities in a cost effective way that would not be otherwise available through Barclays itself. Our member employees self-fund the majority of the events they attend, and

are appreciative of the opportunity to use the discounted member rates. More than 200 Barclays Chamber members attended almost 50 events over the course of the last three years, several of which were hosted by Barclays Diversity Group Leads, including the Co-Chair of the Women’s Interest Network (WiN) and Co-Chair of Reach, our disability network.

It is important for any programme such as this to continue monitoring engagement, which we achieve by holding a regular working group within Barclays to bring the Barclays Chamber representatives together with other relevant internal leads and internal communications teams to

In summary, by engaging with the Chamber in ways that support our company culture and internal goals we have been able to: • Enjoy multiple marketing opportunities in our priority focus areas • Build relationships at various levels: corporate and personnel, business opportunities, professional networks and friendships • Allow Barclays employees to attend a broad range of events, generating positive feedback • Extend discounts across a broad range of suppliers to all Barclays Singapore employees • Allow access to visiting speakers, business leaders and dignitaries • Offer opportunities to engage as a volunteer in Business Group Committees

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This has been achieved by: • Reaching out to colleagues to get volunteers interested in representing Barclays at various Business Groups • Holding a working group within Barclays to bring the Barclays Chambers representatives together with other relevant internal stakeholders • Leveraging our internal communications channels to promote Chamber

Feature: BritCham Case Study: Aligning Sponsorship Values and Increasing Engagement with Barclays

membership to employees • Having a champion who will be a point of contact if people have questions or want to sign up • Communicating Chamber events internally on our intranet and promoting the availability of the limited complimentary tickets received as part of the Sterling membership and sponsorship agreement

About the Author: Sian Brown is the Head of Chief Controls Office, Asia Pacific at Barclays Investment Bank, Vice President of the Board at the British Chamber and Chair of the Events Committee. Prior to becoming Vice President, Sian served as Chair of the Women in Business Group Committee.

For more information on the Chamber’s Diversity Business Group visit http:// www.britcham.org.sg/business-group-

details/diversity, and for the Women in Business Group visit http://www. britcham.org.sg/business-group-details/ women-in-business.

Sian has 20 years of change management and leadership experience within Investment Banking across Asia, Europe and North America. Her banking career began in London in 1997 with Credit Suisse. She moved to Japan in 2006

• Having controls agreed with the Chamber management team to ensure that members sign up using Barclays email addresses and that this is validated on a regular basis • Promoting the personal development opportunities as well as the opportunity to have fun and meet a great diverse population of people through the various engagements.

with RBS to build the FI and Equities business, later transferring to Hong Kong to manage the ABN integration, before moving to Singapore in 2010 to build out a Business Change team before moving into her current role with Barclays in early 2015. Sian holds a BSc degree in Computing and Accounting and is CIMA qualified. For more information visit https://www.home.barclays/aboutbarclays/around-the-world/singapore.html.

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Feature

Preventing a Leadership Crisis in Asia’s Talent Pipeline

By Charles Moore & Rosemary Goater Why are MNCs operating in Asia particularly at risk, and what can they do about it?

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uccession planning and developing a pipeline of prospective leaders are both vital to any company’s people strategy. Turning to the talent pool to plug leadership gaps at the last moment is a high-risk move that could cause damaging uncertainty if critical positions are left unfilled, even temporarily. Worryingly, there are signs that the talent pipelines of some multinational corporations (MNCs) in Asia are inadequate for the challenges ahead.

The Asian Talent we Need

As Asia’s economies mature, businesses will require more adept and locally informed leaders who can succeed in complex organizations in larger, slower-moving economies. Senior management teams and boards need to better understand the landscape and unique attributes required of leaders in the region. However, demand

Feature: Preventing a Leadership Crisis in Asia’s Talent Pipeline

is outstripping supply. Instead of relying on expatriates and returnees, MNCs must develop local talent pipelines capable of taking on senior leadership roles in order to succeed in the longer term.

The Evolution of Asian Leadership

The overall quality of local executives has improved significantly over the past 30 years ­— education and language ability have progressed, MNCs have entered various markets, and local companies have increasingly gone global. Inevitably, some industries can better manage the talent pipeline challenge. For example, companies that can sell generic products globally with minimal differentiation have had little incentive to develop local talent with the cultural insights necessary to develop market-specific business lines. Yet, low-margin businesses have been forced,

for reasons of cost, to develop local talent, rather than rely on expensive expat or returnee managers.

Visionary MNCs that recognise the increasing importance of Asia to their businesses are adopting the following strategies to ensure an adequate supply of future talent: Put Leadership on the Management Agenda MNCs must ensure that developing talent with a view to filling future senior leadership roles is a boardroom agenda item for both the global CEO and the Regional Chief Executive. Our research shows that in this hyper-connected, continually changing world, CEOs must attract top talent from various backgrounds and countries to build a truly diverse senior team.

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Rejuvenate Internal Talent Programmes Visionary companies in Asia are adopting innovative strategies to rejuvenate their internal talent development programs: 1. Fast-track and Enhance Management Training Accelerated, personalised management training that includes an element of geographical and operational mobility is vital to build a robust leadership pipeline and address talent gaps. Asian leaders will increasingly need to run global operations, and will require sufficient experience to do so.

2. Develop Leadership Metrics On an operational level, it is vital to define metrics to identify highpotential talent. This could include creating a robust pipeline by identifying the necessary skills for talented staff, identifying talent gaps, and providing training to help upskill prospective leaders.

3. Provide an Inspiring Career Path The key to retaining and developing high-potential employees in Asia is to ensure that their ‘view to the top’ is clear. Consequently, some organisations are trying to build clearer career paths and are focusing on developing highpotential people to address their lack of local leaders.

Our research shows that in this hyper-connected, continually changing world, CEOs must attract top talent from various backgrounds and countries to build a truly diverse senior team.

4. Build Diversity in the Workforce To identify the potential of highachieving employees, talent management executives must look broadly, and deepen the pipeline in terms of gender diversity, ethnic diversity and diversity of thinking.

Revamp External Talent Programmes Ensuring that talent searches outside the company are sufficiently innovative is also crucial to addressing pipeline deficiencies in Asia. This begins with expanding

About the Authors: Charles Moore is Partner-in-charge of the Singapore Heidrick & Struggles’ office, leading the Healthcare and Life Sciences Practice for the Asia Pacific and Middle East region.

Rosemary Goater is a Partner in Heidrick & Struggles’ Hong Kong office and a member of the Financial Services Practice.

For more information visit www.heidrick.com

graduate recruitment programmes, while visionary companies are also adopting the following innovative strategies: 1. Look Beyond Traditional Markets For markets where potential talent shortages are of most concern, graduate recruitment could focus on overseas universities to develop potential returnee talent. For example, some 20,000 Malaysians go to Australia each year to study, suggesting targeted recruitment programmes at universities there could pay dividends for the Malaysian leadership pipeline in the future.

2. Identify Strategic Mid-career Hires Current economic conditions in Asia give companies an opportunity to bolster their leadership pipelines with qualified mid-career talent. For example, astute companies can hire experienced mid-career talent when their competitors scale back certain business lines and operations in Asia, and staff become available.

3. Cultivate Rehires It can be beneficial to formally track mid-career employee alumni as they progress through their careers, with the view to potentially approaching them for senior leadership positions when they have obtained relevant experience. A dedicated alumni programme can reap long-term leadership pipeline benefits.

4. Investigate Crossover Hires Monitoring and mapping potential talent should not be restricted to a company’s core industry sector.

Sourcing ‘crossover talent’ could be another viable solution to the leadership pipeline challenge, especially given the likelihood of increasing career mobility for senior executives in the current economic conditions.

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Feature

Rule Britannia?

The Past, Present and Future of Singapore – United Kingdom Trade Relations

By Mark Matthews There will always be an affinity in Singapore, towards Britain

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n the surface, the subject of Singapore – United Kingdom economic relations does not appear to be one that can be further expanded upon.

Over 1,000 British companies conduct business in Singapore, with many choosing to operate their Asian or Southeast Asian headquarters here. British brands are by far one of the most visible international brands in Singapore. While the UK exports over S$10 billion into Singapore however, this number pales in comparison to its exports to Germany which are almost 60 times larger. In addition, the UK has a trade surplus with Singapore, a welcome but small offset to the country’s otherwise large current account deficit.

In any relationship, including an economic one, there are both “hard” and “soft” dimensions. The hard ones, stated above, are the easy ones to quantify. The soft ones are much less so, but they are sometimes even more powerful and long-lasting. In the case of Singapore–UK relations, the “soft” dimension of the relationship is the legacy of 140 years of British rule.

First, there is the economic legacy. During most of the British time, Singapore’s largest partners were China and India, with the British in the middle. It can be said that the mercantile nature of the British East India Company lives on in Singapore.

Second, there is the institutional legacy.

As former Singapore Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew said in an interview with Die Zeit newspaper in 2012: “On the whole, the British left institutions behind them, including in Singapore. We had the rule of law, we had statutes, we had the English language and we were wise enough not to change any of that. They have helped us to grow.”

A significant portion of Singaporeans have a strong affinity with Britain. Singaporeans deeply value the British education system. The educational aspect is the most important one, because when people spend time in a foreign country in their formative years, it tends to have a lifelong and positive impact on them.

Of the roughly 200,000 Singaporeans who live abroad, over 40,000 are living in the UK.

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Feature: Rule Britannia? The Past, Present and Future of Singapore–United Kingdom Trade Relations

Only Australia has a larger number of Singaporean residents, at 50,000.

our economy is run, our institutions and culture, are more British than American.

Despite the fact that China and the USA are the second and fourth largest trading partners of Singapore respectively, there are only 20,000 Singaporeans living in China, and 27,000 living in the USA.

Although America, Japan and Korea may be important to Singapore from a trade perspective, they do not have that special connection. In a way, the relationship has more longevity, because people who appreciate the benefits of British culture are likely to try to see that their children and grandchildren benefit from it too.

This is what American political scientist Joseph Nye terms “soft power” the ability to shape the preferences of others through attraction, rather than coercion. As a Canadian, I feel I can understand this. America is our largest trading partner. But the way

Whereas, who knows what the future will look like? We are probably only three or four years away from another major boost in technology, with implications as far or farther reaching than smartphones and

About the Author: Mark Matthews is Head of Research Asia for Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd., an appointment he has held since June 2011.

With over 23 years of experience in finance and investment, Mark has held senior research and sales positions in various financial institutions, including

ING Barings Securities, Standard & Poor’s and Merrill Lynch.

Currently based in Singapore, he has lived in Asia for most of his life, including in Hong Kong, Thailand, Taiwan and Sri Lanka.

He is often quoted in the media and invited regularly by CNBC Asia and Bloomberg TV to

apps. Electric cars may not be Japanese; the Internet of Things may not have a visible Korean component and more.

It is also conceivable that as a result of technology, company-to-company relationships, or country-to-country ones, will not be as important as they are today. Instead, there will be much more emphasis on personal relationships.

In conclusion, we should not be nostalgic about a legacy. Culture runs deep, and is a vibrant and living thing, whereas trade is a fickle thing. There will always be an affinity in Singapore, towards Britain.

appear on their programmes.

Mark holds a Masters of Business Administration (Finance Major) from the Schulich School of Business, York University and a Bachelor of Arts (History Major) from Université Laval, Quebec City, Canada. He is fluent in French and Chinese. For more information visit www.juliusbaer.com

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Feature

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Focus on Health:

Why Sleep is a Necessity, not a Luxury

By Chris Richards All too often we skimp on sleep, thinking that we can “catch up� later, but the result is a negative impact on your health, productivity and body composition

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Feature: Focus on Health: Why Sleep is a Necessity, not a Luxury

leep is in scarce supply with the work culture in a city like Singapore.

We all too often skimp on it thinking that we can “catch up” either by weekend lie-ins or ride the fatigue wave out with caffeine and sugar. The harsh truth however is that it’s a zero sum game. You need what you need when you need it and cannot make it up later without a negative impact on your health, productivity and body composition.

How do you define how much sleep you need? You should wake up feeling refreshed without the need for an alarm clock. That’s probably something that very few of you ever achieve. It doesn’t have to be eight hours though for some it will be more and others can function optimally on much less.

Whatever your own sleep sweet spot is, you must never forget that it is one of the key non-negotiables to optimal living.

In very simple terms not getting enough sleep plays havoc with: 1. Testosterone production: go a few nights on a 60 percent measure of sleep and see where your libido is at. Possibly a teenager or young man in his 20s won’t feel this, but wait until the 30s and 40s hit.

2. Insulin/Cortisol “see-saw syndrome”: your tired mind (never forget how significant the brain is in these things) and body needs boosts in cortisol to get it going and is also more insulin resistant, meaning it is much more likely to store glucose in the fat cells. What sort of foods do you reach for when you are sleep deprived? The worst kind. Forget meat and vegetables and think croissants and candy. You do this for a hormonal reason and it will send you into a negative spiral of worse food, lower “real” energy, mental fog and fat accumulation.

3. Growth Hormone (HGH) production: we release a lot of our HGH during certain cycles of sleep. Miss these cycles out and you can’t play “catch up”.

How to Improve Sleep Quality

1. Keep regular hours.Go to bed at the same time every night and dispel this notion that you can play “catch up” at weekends.

2. Sleep in a cool temperature. By decreasing body temperature and regulating room temperature, you can create an environment that will sustain REM sleep.

3. Make your bedroom a Batcave! REM sleep can be easily be affected by noise pollution and light interference so make your bedroom as dark and as quiet as possible.

Go as far as switching off electrical devices that have standby lights on, and if you travel a lot use hotel towels to block out the light that often comes through from hotel corridors. Light interference can easily create a sensory marker in the brain that disturbs REM sleep, therefore it is vital to establish the best sleep environment.

Even the slightest light contact with the skin will reduce the quality of REM sleep, so the darker the bedroom, the more likely one is able to gain quality REM sleep.

4. Use Magnesium. This mineral is vital in aiding cortisol management and it therefore assists deep wave sleep by resetting insulin sensitivity. Magnesium is also a catalyst in re-establishing adrenal health through the cortisol/insulin connection.

Light interference can easily create a sensory marker in the brain that disturbs REM sleep, therefore it is vital to establish the best sleep environment.

5. Californian poppy extract is a great herbal adaptogen that relaxes brain waves into deep wave sleep. It also acts as a liver detoxifier and has a secondary pathway in slowly aiding the removal of toxins that affect the sleep cycle.

6. Our diets also have a significant impact upon the sleep cycle. Foods that are

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high in carbohydrates may increase serotonin production (the neurotransmitter responsible for a calm, happy, and relaxed state of mind), but the downside is that once blood sugar levels decline the body will go into a natural hunger mode and it is possible that you may wake up as a natural reaction to low blood sugar. Foods that are high in essential fats will aid in establishing a constant blood glucose level, which is beneficial as the body will be able to go into a fasting state while slow-release energy is being made available for metabolic function. Therefore, one option to try is to

stay away from carbohydrate-rich meals at least two hours before bed and try to include a meal rich in essential fatty acids.

7. If you are waking up after 2-4 hours’ sleep you may benefit from a protocol that will assists your liver’s ability to detoxify.

About the Author: Chris Richards is a motivated body composition expert and manager with a results-driven record of changing individuals’ quality of life and physique.

He has worked with a wide range of personal training clients including CEOs and

For example: i) Increase fibre intake and consider a morning and evening addition of a high quality fibre supplement ii) Glucuronic acid is vital in unbinding phase two detoxified substances for

celebrities and his personable results driven approach ensure clients feel value in the service they invest in. Through his experience of previously running his own business and as Operations Manager at Ultimate Performance’s Mayfair gym, Chris is now

removal from the GI tract. Take two calcium d-glucarate capsules three times daily for 16 days iii) Use an estrogen control protocol for 16 days iv) As an ongoing liver support formula mix one to three tablespoons of a good quality greens powder with 1.5ltr water and consume daily: maintaining pH levels will aid not only GI detoxification but also positively influence proper cortisol management.

General Manager at Ultimate Performance Singapore. He is able to both manage and mentor the trainers working in the gym alongside the behind the scenes operations that are required for an effective service. For more information visit http://upfitness.com.sg/

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Feature

Meeting the New Guidelines for Sustainability Reporting

By Chin Chee Choon From the end of this year, new annual Sustainability Reporting rules come into effect for SGX listed companies

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s defined by the Brundtland Report of 1987, sustainability is meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. As responsible business owners and companies, we have to look beyond financial assessment when running businesses. Reports have also shown that companies which disclose their sustainability reports, increase the investor’s confidence and values of the companies.

Principal Benefits of Sustainability Reporting

Besides being an important aspect of holistic disclosure by listed companies, the core benefits of sustainability reporting are good corporate governance and improved stakeholder communications. When done right, it is a powerful tool for companies to describe how they create long-term value

by progressively managing its Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) risks and leveraging related opportunities that may be presented to the organisation.

Good Corporate Governance

Stakeholder interests often take centre stage in the arena of corporate governance. Therefore, by encompassing the objectives of accountability and corporate performance, the practice of systematic sustainability reporting will give stakeholders a well-rounded report on a listed company by tracking and disclosing issues relevant to the environment and social performance, amongst many other important reporting considerations.

Improved Stakeholder Communications

By expanding disclosure beyond merely

financial disclosure to include ESG factors, sustainability reporting will help to improve stakeholder communications in its objectives to provide a broad-based, non-financial perspective on the organisation.

Sustainability Reporting Guidelines

by SGX

The Singapore Stock Exchange (SGX) issued a “Guide to Sustainability Reporting for Listed Companies” in 2011. Subsequently on 5 January 2016, a consultation paper was issued on “Sustainability Report: Comply or Explain”, where primary listed issuers on both SGX Mainboard and Catalist need to issue their sustainability report on a comply or explain basis from financial year ending on or after 31 December 2017. The affected issuers must issue their Sustainability Report on an annual basis within five months of the end of their financial year.

5 Primary Components SGX has proposed 5 Primary Components to be included in the Sustainability Report: Material ESG Factors

• Identify materials enviroment, social and governance (ESG) factors • Describe the reasons for and process of selection

Policies, Practices and Performance

• Set out issuer’s policies, practices and performance in relation to ESG factors • Provide descriptive and quantitative information on each identified ESG factors • Performance should be described in the context of previously disclosed targets

Targets

• Set out issuer’s targets for forthcoming year in relation to ESG factors

Sustainability Reporting Framework

• Select and state the reasons for selecting a framework to guide its reporting and disclosure • Selected framework should be appropriate to the business model and industry

Board Statement

• Board needs to state that it complies with these primary components or describe and explain the issuer’s alternative practices

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SGX has further suggested the phased implementation approach: Primary Component

Phase 1

Phase 2

Phase 3

Material ESG Factors

Identify four most critical factors

Review, assess and identify three more factors

Review and assess all seven factors

Policies, Practices and Performance

• Minimal description of how issuer manages these factors • No previous target for comparison • One metric per factor • Plans for improved reporting

• Includes specific policies and practicies for each factor • Quantitative metric and qualitative description for each factor • Compare and disclose reason for the differences

• Includes specific policies and practices for each factor • Quantitative metric and qualitative description for each factor • Compare and disclose reason for the differences

Targets

Qualitative commitments, if no quantitative targets

Short- and long- term qualitative targets and some quantitative targets

• Short -and long -term qualitative and quantitative targets • Include peer/sector benchmark • Link to KPIs

Sustainability Reporting Framework

In line with suitable international framework

Follow suitable international framework

In line with suitable international comprehensive framework

Board Statement

Compiled

Compiled

Compiled

About the Author: Chee Choon has more than 16 years of collective experience in Risk Advisory, Internal Audit, External Audit and Sarbanes-Oxley areas with PricewaterhouseCoopers, Deloitte and Touche and two US Multinational Corporations (MNC) prior to joining Nexia TS.

Chee Choon heads Corporate Governance, Risk Advisory and Internal Audit services for NexiaTS and has been involved in the internal audit reviews of companies listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange, Government Agencies and also non-profit organisation. Other than internal audit, he was also involved in special projects such as Enterprise Risk Management, pre-IPO internal control

reviews, fraud investigation and review of internal control manuals. Chee Choon is also the engagement director for the audit of companies from various industry and sizes including companies listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange.

He was involved in IPO projects where the firm functions as reporting accountants. For more information visit www.nexiats.com.sg

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Feature

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Why is Asia a Hotbed of Mobile Payment Technology?

By Phil Pomford Nearly 75 percent of Asian consumers use a smartphone, with a large proportion using their device to pay for goods and services. What does the future hold for this tech-savvy region?

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n Asia we have seen the meteoric rise of apps such as WeChat and Alipay, which have made mobile payments mainstream by integrating the technology into the daily lives of Asian consumers.

Mobile penetration in Asia is very high; nearly 75 percent of Asian consumers use a smartphone, and the majority use their mobile device to pay for goods and services.

With the likes of Tencent and Alibaba offering a one-stop-shop for commerce and payments, e-wallets offer an unrivalled level of simplicity and convenience, which has helped drive innovation within this space.

Mobile growth across the region is driven by two main reasons. Firstly, the region has leapfrogged years of legacy technology, which has created an environment ripe for innovation and technological development.

Secondly, the young Asian population is very tech-savvy, which has resulted in the rapid adoption of new technologies. Businesses such as LINE, WeChat and Kakao have undoubtedly played an important role in bringing technology to the heart of Asian consumers’ daily lives.

It’s also important to remember that Asia has traditionally been dominated by cash, and that many consumers still prefer non-card payment methods. In China, for

instance, we’ve seen people jump directly from cash payments offline to a robust mobile payments economy. Worldpay’s Global Payments Report found that more than 60 percent of online transactions in China are made using a non-card method.

What are the most exciting, new and inventive mobile payments innovations in Asia?

One of the most exciting things we have seen in Asia has been the rise of the “super-apps,” which have become the gateway to a host of consumer services, including payments, a trend which WeChat has pioneered in Asia.

Although this trend has been quite unique in Asia until now, we are also starting to see Western companies adopt this philosophy.

Facebook, for example, has been working to expand its services around Messenger, including integrating P2P payments and Uber services into the messaging interface.

I also see invisible payments as one of the most exciting trends to look out for. Internet of Things technology is reaching the point of ubiquity, which means payments will follow. Smart cars, smart houses and smart offices all have the potential to contain a payments element. Recently, Alibaba unveiled its connected car, enabling drivers to pay for parking, gas and coffee without

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leaving the vehicle. This has been a relatively untapped market thus far, but I see this as a huge opportunity moving forwards.

What emerging economies are next?

With a population of 250 million, Indonesia’s sheer size and rank as one of the world’s top 20 economies indicate that it is primed for a mobile payments explosion.

The Philippines is also an exciting market.

More than half of the country’s 100 million inhabitants is English-speaking and it’s not hard to imagine it following in the footsteps of Thailand, the only other Asian nation that ranks among the world’s top 20 countries by English-speaking population. However the real story here is the continuing dramatic growth of SEA as a whole to become one

Feature: Why is Asia a Hotbed of Mobile Payment Technology?

of, if not the, largest e-commerce markets in the world overtaking Europe, US and China.

What other kinds of digital payments should we expect soon?

We can expect more integration between social media apps and payments. Messaging apps have become a true hub for internet activity in Asia. WeChat and LINE have integrated both the supply and demand for goods and services in their applications, so it’s only natural for these companies to close the loop by bringing payments into the ecosystem as well.

We are also starting to see Asian companies look at how they can capitalise on micropayments. Online businesses like Japan’s

About the Author: Phil Pomford leads the Worldpay Global e-commerce team across Asia Pacific which operates from three offices in Singapore, Japan and China, as General Manager. Phil has over 12 years of experience in financial services in payments,

acquiring and credit card issuing with companies including Citi, Diners Club, American Express and Worldpay. Having lived in Asia for 19 years, he has held diverse management roles across Asia Pacific and developed key strengths

Hangame have been successful by letting users play for free and just charging them a fee to customize their in-game avatars. These impulse-driven micropayments add up quickly.

South Korea’s Nexon Corp. attributes all its profits to in-game micropayments and is now valued at $266 billion .

We will also see micropayments become more aligned with cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, which are virtual, instantly transferrable and allow users to mask their personal details.

Bitcoin ATMs are already popping up across Asia, the Bitcoin Philippines Corporation launched its first two-way ATM in Manila in 2015 and ANXBTC Bitcoin, Alitobit and the Bitcoin Group Hong Kong all introduced Bitcoin ATMs to Hong Kong in 2014.

in customer development, strategy, financial planning, and new market entry. He has a degree in Accounting and Law and is currently completing an MBA with Manchester Business School.

For more information visit www.worldpay.com/global

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In Focus

Terry O’Connor, CEO, Courts Asia

By Lucy Haydon With over 20 years’ experience in Asia, Terry O’Connor has overseen the complete overhaul of Courts Asia into the empire it is today. Along the way he has been a key figure in many British organisations, including serving as President of the British Chamber. We talked to Terry about his journey, his community work and future retail trends in Singapore

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What initially brought you to Singapore, and what led you to stay?

I started out in the consumer electronics industry with Colourvision in the UK. During that period I met and married my wife and had two ties to the Far East, one through business and purchasing, and one through my wife. After a few years I realised I needed to go out and be someone else’s imported, experienced talent. I started looking for work in Hong Kong, and was introduced to Courts who were looking for talent in Singapore.

Courts was a furniture retailer at the time, trying to spearhead a more serious push into the electric retail space. I arrived as Buying Director for Electricals in 1993 with the intention of only staying for three years. I was promoted to Commercial Director at the end of this period, eventually becoming Managing Director in 2000. I expected again to leave after a few years, but fate took a turn when the UK business went into administration in 2004.

On the day when you find out you have no parent company, only one thing is going to hold the company together. I needed to look my team in the eye and say - I’m going nowhere, this is an opportunity. Let’s stick together, we will find a new owner, and we will make it work.

I believe the only way you can stay fresh and serve one company for 23 years is if you are involved in voluntary and leadership learning for NGOs. Exposure to multiple industries and CEOs leads to lifelong learning opportunities and makes you a better leader How has the business evolved since you first arrived?

There have been dramatic changes, with most of the competitors from 1993 no longer in business. As the Singaporean Government improved the infrastructure around the island, we capitalised on this regionalisation by closing smaller stores and opening new, better ones in areas with improved surrounding infrastructure.

In Focus: Terry O’Connor, CEO, Courts Asia In the late 1990s I took the risk of introducing computers into our retail plans, and by the early 2000s we were the largest IT retailer in the country. Digital cameras also became a lucrative opportunity for us around this time.

After we became independent in 2004, we decided to take the risk of leading with consumer electronics rather than our traditional furniture focus. Every store that we changed quickly put an extra 15 percent on their turnover, and we rolled it out over a two-year period across all stores. Concurrently we signed up for the Tampines flagship big-box store under the Government’s Warehouse Retail Scheme in collaboration with Giant and Ikea, opening the store in time for Christmas 2006.

The opening of this flagship store and corporate offices gave us a good position for negotiations with potential investors. Barings and TII came on board in 2007 acquiring the majority stake in Courts Singapore, Courts Malaysia and a smaller legacy business in Indonesia, which was ultimately closed. From here we rebranded and rebuilt Courts Malaysia, closing 26 of 72 stores but reinvigorating the remaining stores to much higher margins and lower costs, ensuring the staff were taken care of. We worked on regional supplier contracts for equalisation of terms, and as a result, by 2010 we went from heavy losses to reasonable profitability, giving us the basis for a listing of Courts Asia. We tested the market in 2010 and realised we needed to show some stronger numbers. By 2012 we had improved profitability by another 50 percent and were able to secure a listing on the Singapore Exchange. Since then we have used the capital to have a second iteration in Indonesia.

Courts Singapore has been on an extensive multichannel journey and we will push out those learnings to the region soon, although the regional e-commerce industry is still in its infancy. Even in Singapore, online retail represents less than 6 percent of total spend (less than 2 percent in the other markets). It will always be a smaller market than in Western countries, as shopping is less of an irritant here and more of an experience. The natural trend of ecommerce will settle in time and we have the ecosystem to support this.

We also monitor engagement. How people hover over certain items online and whether this results in an order, what behavioural

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cues occur in the store, etc. The current retail landscape is tough, so our current policy is to set ourselves up for the next growth phase by improving our supply chain management and solution selling. Along with strong customer service levels these efforts have ensured our net promoter score is high, relative even to the largest multinational companies.

With turnover just short of $800m, the next milestone is the $1bn mark. That will be a personal milestone, as the business I came into was around $50m at the time.

How important has your local community work been to your success, personally and for Courts?

I have always had three aspects to my life: business, family and community. I realised after a couple of years of working here that I had not built a social life beyond the office, and

In Focus: Terry O’Connor, CEO, Courts Asia

decided to make this a priority. I quickly became a regular at the British Club and expanded my circle. After a while I was asked to get involved in their Committees, and by 1999 I was President of the Club.

In 2001 we sadly lost a family friend to breast cancer. We had a Christmas party planned that year at the house, and had initially thought to cancel, but decided to turn it into a fundraiser in her honour. We raised $22k that first year, and our Courts Chairman asked us to do another event for a local charity, followed by others. In the third year of the fundraiser event we raised $63k. So far we had deliberately not been seeking publicity, but over the years we expanded and gave media access post-event, and it has grown from there into a hybrid of corporate and personal contacts. Millions of dollars have been raised over the years, benefiting around 15 different charities.

I was invited to get involved with the British Chamber as a Board Member and to chair the 50th Anniversary committee for 2003/4.

From there I chaired the Events Committee and became President. Since my term ended I have focused on leadership programmes and committees, both locally and regionally.

I believe the only way you can stay fresh and serve one company for 23 years is if you are involved in voluntary and leadership learning for NGOs. Exposure to multiple industries and CEOs leads to lifelong learning opportunities and makes you a better leader.

Where do you see the future retail trends, and what can your customers look forward to?

I think we have to be open to a combination of stores being retail fronts and some fulfilment centres. Rapid fulfilment will be important.

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Omni-channel is going to be a prerequisite. If retailers don’t acquire strong digital skills they will not survive, but physical positioning for retail will remain critical.

We must shape our activity around customer behaviour and be customer obsessed. Your management team needs a combination of scientists and artists. People who are really good with analytics, really good with being driven by this data and also people who can dream up the new and the different. Use rapid testing and failure until you find things that delight people.

What words of advice and encouragement would you like to share with our readers?

Fundamentally, dream big. It may be a clichĂŠ but think about your three to five year goals.

That will set the tone for what learnings, what exposure, what development you will need to achieve these goals. If you are only ever thinking about the next 12 months, you will limit your options.

Scaling your career is important, but so is making sure that you are operating at a

About Courts Asia: Listed on the Mainboard of the Singapore Exchange in October 2012, Courts Asia Limited is a leading electrical, IT and furniture retailer in Southeast Asia that offers superior value and experience to its customers. For more information visit www.courts.com.sg BritCham members are entitled to a 5% discount on electrical goods and a 10% discount on furniture at all Courts stores. Simply show your membership card at the point of purchase.

level that is above your pay grade. I always say to people be knowingly underpaid or knowingly be over delivering so that you get noticed as someone who is a differential. Think differently, offer more.

To build your career you need three things: ability, knowledge and commitment. Eventually you want to move from being the star striker to the head coach, and your source of pride should not be from what you do, but how you influence others.

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Feature

Socially Responsible Recruitment: Why You Should Expand your Inclusion When Hiring

By Lilia Stoyanov Talent may be spread equally around the world, but what about opportunities?

H

ave you ever considered that getting a job can increase purchasing power, help send children to school and may completely change the lives of those in greater need, such as:

• people living in high unemployment areas • people less able to move • people living in post-war zones • women in the Middle East • single parents • working moms • people on the Autism Spectrum For lots of people in Asia, holding a job is not easy and requires hours of daily commute.

According to a 2015 New York Times article

by Ian Johnson: “As Beijing becomes a supercity, the rapid growth brings pains. Some of the new roads and rails are years from completion. For many people, the creation of the supercity

so far has meant ever-longer commutes on gridlocked highways to the capital.

Every morning at 5:30, Liu Desheng joins a dozen retirees waiting for the express bus to central Beijing from this small city in Hebei Province. Around 6:30, their adult children arrive. The line, now snaking down the street, has become an hour-long wait.

“There’s not much I can contribute to the family anymore,” Mr. Liu, 62, said as his son waved goodbye from a bus window.

“He is exhausted every day, so if I can help him get a bit more rest, I’ll do it.”

More worrying for many Yanjiao residents is the dearth of hospitals and schools.

“The services are bad,” said Zheng Linyun, who works in a sales company in Beijing and commutes about five hours a day.

His 6-year-old son just started elementary school and has more than 65 children in his class. “All we see are more and more people coming here.”

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Lots of regular jobs could be transformed into remote jobs. By encouraging this the business has access to talent regardless of their location, and those in need of a job are employed.

According to a survey conducted by the London Business School, 50 percent of the workforce will work remotely by 2020. A recent survey by FlexJobs and WorldatWork found that only 3 percent of the organisations surveyed were actually trying to quantify the return on investment for job flexibility or remote work.

Sara Sutton Fell, CEO and founder of FlexJobs, said of the survey’s findings “That’s shocking to me, because it says

Feature: Socially Responsible Recruitment: Why You Should Expand your Inclusion when Hiring

loudly and clearly that employers and management believe flexible work only benefits the employee; they don’t even think it will benefit the broader organization.”

Being a socially responsible company means being willing to transform jobs in an attempt to revitalise local communities and change people’s life for good, while getting access to great talent worldwide. Having access to talent worldwide may optimise cash flow and minimise costs while doing good for the society at large. Open roles could be filled quickly to boost productivity. At the same time, people in need will receive a chance to get a job and provide for themselves and their families which in turn revitalises local communities and helps to manage

About the Author: Lilia Stoyanov is currently CEO at Transformify. Previously she was Director PTP at Coca-Cola, General Manager and CFO at Skrill/Paysafe. She holds a post-graduate Diploma in Financial Startegy from Oxford University.

For more information visit www.transformify.org

unemployment driven immigration. The creation of virtual jobs does not require risky investment and opening of a rep office or a subsidiary in a new country. Investors business activities are governed by the applicable law in the country of domiciliation.

The virtual contractors are responsible for their tax and social security payments. There are many remote contractors worldwide, but you could find a single trusted outsourcing partner that can manage it all, including the payments to contractors worldwide and the legal arrangements.

Remote work may be the future for some, the convenient choice for many, and the only possible option for millions of people around the world.

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Feature

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Inspiring Teamwork – Singapore’s Double Success at the Rio 2016 Paralympics

By Emily Shaw Dulwich College (Singapore) could not be prouder of their Head of Swimming, Mick Massey. As well as managing a challenging full time job, Mick is also the Head Coach and mastermind behind Singapore’s amazing double gold and bronze Paralympic medal winners, Yip Pin Xiu and Theresa Goh. In this article, Mick discusses with his colleague at the College how teamwork and dedication led to success this summer in Rio

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Feature: Inspiring Teamwork – Singapore’s Double Success at the Rio 2016 Paralympics

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or the last nineteen months, Yip Pin Xiu (or PX as Mick and her friends refer to her) and Theresa Goh have been training three times a week at the new Aquatic Centre at Dulwich College (Singapore). As the girls themselves will tell you, having the Headmaster, Nick Magnus and the College as a whole embrace and welcome them to use the facilities was one of the pivotal moments in the story of their success. If you ask Mick what else was critical to the success of these two girls at the 2016 Paralympics, he will tell you it was having the right team in place.

In 2014, Mick moved to Singapore to take up the chance of a lifetime — to build from scratch a world class swim program within the College. The vision was to build the best school’s sports teams in Asia and in the space of his 45 minute interview, Mick was convinced it was the right move and challenge for him. “It’s not an opportunity many coaches get — to build a team and a swim program from scratch; to start with nothing apart from a muddy hole in the ground”. His promise to Headmaster Nick Magnus was to provide him with the winning swim team for the 2019 Dulwich Olympiad in London, in time to celebrate the College’s 400th Anniversary.

Most people would think that was enough of a challenge, but soon after Mick’s arrival he was approached by Richard Gordon, Director of High Performance Sport in Singapore, and Henry Tan from the Singapore Disabilities Sports Council. “They told me they had two girls who had the potential to go to the Paralympics in Rio,” says Mick. Despite his commitment to the College they were determined they wanted Mick for this role. They told him if he was willing to take it on, they would work with the College to ensure he would be able to perform both roles.

“My philosophy is always the same when given a challenge, say yes and then go away and work out how you can achieve what you just signed up for. One of the things I have taken a lot of credit for in my career is building great support teams. My priority in January 2015 was to build the girls’ support team and prepare them for the challenge ahead,”Mick says. He cites this huge focus on the team surrounding the girls as the key

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Feature: Inspiring Teamwork – Singapore’s Double Success at the Rio 2016 Paralympics

to success in Rio. At the time in Singapore, the concept of having a specific team of people, purely for two athletes and a coach, was unheard of. “With complex physical disabilities, you need a team that knows the athlete inside out”. Mick finally managed to convince the Singapore Sports Institute to allow him a unit to drive the girls forward. This approach was ground-breaking in Singapore.

Over a period of four to five months Mick built this team — with himself as head coach along with a team manager, physiotherapist, physiologist, biomechanist and nutritionist. “I lead the team and my experience makes me a successful leader. I want my staff to be able to come to me with crazy ideas, to be unafraid of challenging me. You have to give people in a team autonomy in their area and not quash their enthusiasm. I may say no to an idea but we look together at which bits of that idea we can take and build something else.”

The next and most crucial stage was to bond this team together. The team spent a lot of time training outside of Singapore away from the stresses of media, family and friends. “To go away with the whole team was seen as highly unusual” says Mick. “But I was emulating the situation we would be in in the holding camp before Rio. We could see what worked and what didn’t and the team had quality time to bond”. This is what years of experience had taught him. Even the accommodation they stayed in was crucial. “We all stay in one apartment and eat, sleep and train together. This is central to team bonding. To be successful, all members of a team have to communicate well. The better you know each other in and out of work, the better the team functions and performs. It sounds simple, but it’s not that common in sport”.

Over a period of 19 months the team trained and developed as a tight unit and the girls were on a steep upward curve of improvement. “We left for Rio in great shape.

The initial goal had been for Theresa to reach the final and for PX to stand on the podium.

By the time we reached Rio we believed we could do better than that” says Mick. And he was right. Yip Pin Xiu won gold in the Women’s S2 100m backstroke and broke two world records. She then went on to win a second gold medal in the 50m backstroke.

Theresa Goh, who despite being the most decorated athlete of any sport in the ASEAN

Paralympic Games, had never won a medal at the Paralympics in a 16-year career. Finally in Rio she achieved her dream and won a bronze medal in the SB4 100m breaststroke.

So what now for Mick? “I came to Singapore in 2014 to build a swim team for Dulwich College (Singapore) and that is my number

one priority” says Mick. “We have some tremendously talented young athletes here in the College and my challenge is to nurture that talent through to their youth years. It requires a lot of training and commitment but I am very fortunate to work with a highly experienced, committed and passionate team of staff and that is the key to success”.

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About the Author: Emily Shaw is Marketing and Communications Manager at Dulwich College (Singapore). The College opened its doors in August 2014 and is the first British independent school to open in Singapore. The global Dulwich family of schools is one school across many campuses and its ethos is inspiring

the children of today to take a leading role in tomorrow’s world. Built on nearly 400 years of innovation, Dulwich College (Singapore) is an academically selective school balancing traditional academic rigour with a modern learning approach within a structured and inspirational framework. Emily has over thirteen years of global experience in

events marketing, communications and sponsorship management within investment banking and education.

Emily has been in Singapore for three years with her husband and two children who also attend Dulwich.

For more information visit www.dulwich-singapore.edu.sg

DETU R

P O N S MU

NDO

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Feature

The WELL Building Standard

By Marcus Eckersley We spend around 90 percent of our lives indoors and the workplace is where we spend many of our waking hours. There is a real opportunity to increase human health by the way we design the built environment and maintain the quality of our internal environment

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here we live in Asia, with a growing middle class economy and urbanisation, has an increasing human and environmental impact. For example, Type II diabetes in China has increased substantially over recent decades and in China alone is estimated to affect one in 10 Chinese adults.

In 2015, a report by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) revealed that the little red dot of Singapore has the secondhighest proportion of diabetics among developed nations, when compared with the UK, where diabetes affects about one in 20 adults. Many of the changes in lifestyle and diet are a direct result of increased economic development and urbanisation, leading to a more sedentary lifestyle.

Another side-effect of increased development in Asia is air pollution. In Hong Kong when the wind blows from the north the smog rolls into town. Most people now have apps on their phones tracking the air quality. Here in Singapore we suffer from annual episodes of transboundary haze in addition to everyday air pollution developed

by cars, buses and industry. On the worst days you can actually taste the by-product of these processes.

So what has this got to do with buildings?

We spend around 90 percent of our lives indoors and the workplace is where we spend many of our waking hours. This has a lasting impact on our bodies, our minds and can even affect how we sleep. Interestingly, the air quality inside, in most cases can be worse than the outdoor air quality.

Therefore, there is a real opportunity to increase human health by the way we design the built environment and maintain the quality of our internal environment.

The WELL Building Standard, a scheme which has been developed by built environment professionals and doctors together, gives us a framework which we can use to assess how ‘healthy’ a building is for the occupants. WELL is also complementary to all existing sustainable building standards (Green Mark, LEED, BREEAM, Green Star etc.). These systems have been in the market place for a number of years and assess a building’s impact predominantly on the use of environmental

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We spend around 90 percent of our lives indoors and the workplace is where we spend many of our waking hours. This has a lasting impact on our bodies, our minds and can even affect how we sleep.

resources and to a lesser extent the indoor environment and human health.

Considering a WELL certified building alongside one of the existing frameworks, we now have more information to develop buildings that look after both the environment and the humans within.

Photo Credit: Dirk Lindner

This is not a new concept as for years we have considered occupant comfort and health in buildings as the basics of good design. The big difference is to test and verify that the installation is actually achieving the design intent by physically verifying the prerequisites. Compliance requirements for WELL fit into seven key areas: air, water, nourishment, light, fitness, comfort and mind. Each category is scored out of 10 and depending on the total achieved a silver, gold or platinum rating is awarded.

The detail of how and what is tested is quite remarkable: use of natural materials with low volatile organic compounds, recycled materials, air quality, how many staff can eat together, which oxygenating plants can be used and to best effect, standards to which water is supplied, how the spread of germs is limited like choosing a brass worktop for the kitchen for its antimicrobial qualities, how staff are incentivised to exercise and how their food choices are healthier as a result of positive peer pressure. Everything is covered — even how the office is set out to achieve a space that people can work and socialise.

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Feature: The WELL Building Standard

Photo Credit: Dirk Lindner

Building Networks Connecting Business Creating Opportunities

Making the workplace a better environment to be in has a positive impact on health and wellbeing. We could also say that it assists with the recruitment and retention of staff. Attracting the right staff and retaining them is made easier by having a workplace that is certified healthy. Candidates are becoming savvier on the choices they make in their careers, and are looking at how their workplace environment is going to treat them.

These frameworks however do not co-exist without some tension and it is imperative that we do not take our eye off the ball by

improving health and well-being at the expense of the wider environment.

What provides a healthier workplace for a person may come at negative impact to communities or the planet at large. For example, providing increased air quality and quantity could result in higher ventilation and air purification energy consumption which, if taken from the electricity grid, means higher greenhouse gas emissions. A solution to this problem would be to use passive measures to reduce pollutants in the air such as green walls.

With increased human impacts, and the development of the WELL building standard, we are currently in the midst of a paradigm shift in the way we view our interaction with the built environment, which is a real opportunity to have wide ranging positive impacts particularly given the issues discussed earlier, and which also apply to most countries globally.

One thought we should consider is how we ensure we can incorporate both the sustainable design methods that we have spent over a decade perfecting, and the WELL standard concepts, concurrently and

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not in isolation of one another. We should all design buildings that are good for us, and for the world we live in.

At Cundall, the London office at One Carter Lane is the first project in Europe registered

About the Author: Marcus Eckersley is the Director of Cundall Singapore Pte Ltd and chair of the British Chamber’s Built Enviroment Business Group Committee. A Chartered Building Services Engineer, Marcus has

to receive the WELL Building Standard certification (http://www.cibsejournal. com/case-studies/a-picture-of-health-wellbuilding-standard-at-cundall/). Because of this great success, with incredibly positive feedback from staff, they are also reviewing

worked with Cundall for ten years, first based in their Manchester office before opening their Singapore office in 2012. Marcus has extensive experience across a number of sectors including workplace, data centres and hotels.

their office in Singapore and Hong Kong to see if the same principles in what is best for people and what is best for the environment can be applied. A more in depth look at the WELL Building Institute can be found at www.wellcertified.com.

Cundall were recently shortlisted for two Annual Business Awards by the British Chamber, in the Investing in People and Excellence in Innovation categories.

For more information visit www.cundall.com

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Feature

Self-Driving Cars: Removing the Roadblocks

By Nicola Willey With both Singapore and the UK pushing forward in this area, there is much we can learn from each other

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n the global race to develop selfdriving cars, both Singapore and the UK are in the running. For Singapore, smart cars are part of the Smart Nation future. What better example of a technology that can enhance the lives of citizens, and make smarter use of city infrastructure, than autonomous vehicles?

It is no coincidence that self-driving cars were name checked in Prime Minister Lee’s National Day Address as an example of disruptive technology. For Singapore, as for the UK, the vision is for self-driving cars to help us use our roads and public transport in a smarter way. By taking our hands off the wheel, we can help improve road safety, make better use of land, and give people more access to transport.

The UK comes to the race from a unique starting point. We have some of the largest car manufacturers in the world, with Jaguar Land Rover a manufacturing force in the Midlands, and Nissan expanding in the north. We have a long history of motoring glory. We are the nation that nurtured Jackie Stewart and Lewis Hamilton, the home of Silverstone, and a country where TV car programmes are prime time viewing. But we are also a country where new technologies are being produced at a rate that was inconceivable when our motoring revolution began.

From our world class universities, to our booming digital technology sector, to our recognised strengths in innovation, the UK is a leading global player in technology.

With these background conditions in place to support the development of self-driving cars, testing is being carried out in the UK. And what makes the UK and Singapore stand out is the way in which we are both focussed on helping this technology to get out onto the streets.

In the UK, autonomous shuttles are running in a two-year pilot, the GATEway Project, in Greenwich, South East London; lightweight pods and cars are being tested in the cities of Milton Keynes and Coventry as part of the UK Autodrive Project; and the VENTURER consortium is testing a BAE Systems Wildcat driverless car in Bristol. Funding supports the development of the industry; earlier

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this year GBP 20 million was awarded to projects which will drive technological development, and the next competition will award GBP 30 million for the research and development of innovative connected and Autonomous Vehicles technologies.

One of the most interesting elements of our approach in the UK is how we are setting the ground for future real world trials — which will provide the data and the learning on the road to help driverless cars to succeed. In 2015 British Ministers announced the world’s first code of practice that sets the rules for testing of driverless cars, with safety at the forefront. This code of practice gives industry a non-mandatory

Feature: Self-Driving Cars: Removing the Roadblocks

framework to test their technologies safely, without the need for a bond or permit, and paves the way for British cities to become test beds for the vehicles of the future.

Taken together, the funding and frameworks that have been put in place over the last two years in the UK show strong commitment to removing the roadblocks to full scale deployment of self-driving cars. The aim? To realise the potential of self-driving cars, and to position the UK at the forefront of the burgeoning intelligent mobility market.

Singapore too has seen exciting developments. We watched with interest

About the Author: Nicola Willey is the Regional Director for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s Science and Innovation Network. She is responsible for promoting science and innovation cooperation between the UK and countries in South East Asia. Before to moving to Singapore, Nicola spent three and a half years in Beijing as Head of the FCO’s China Climate Change and Energy Network.

For more information visit http://www.gov.uk/fco

as Nutonomy announced the world’s first self-driving taxis. We’ve seen footage of visitors travelling through Gardens by the Bay in driverless shuttles, and of the trials at one-north business park and Nanyang Technological University. There is much that we can learn from each other’s experience, both in the trials as well as the wider issues that need to be addressed, like driving licenses and insurance.

The UK takes pride in our motoring heritage as well as in our science, and our capacity for new and exciting innovation. With our partners in Singapore we have a unique opportunity to work together to accelerate towards deployment of self-driving vehicles.

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Britain in Southeast Asia News

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BiSEA News The BBGV, in partnership with Department of International Trade in Vietnam, is pleased to launch our first edition of the “Inside out UK-Vietnam Trade” e-newsletter. The ultimate aim is to provide businesses with updates and briefings on trade issues between the two countries. Our Chairman’s presentation Vietnam Economic Briefing 2016 is provided here complimentary for our readers. The e-newsletter will be a handy and up to date resource when considering doing business in Vietnam. To make sure you do not miss our regular updates, please subscribe http://bbgv.org/newsletter-business-centre.html

In the past eventful months, the BMCC collaborated with MATRADE to host ‘Brexit & Malaysia: A New Opportunity’ featuring H.E Vicki Treadell, High Commissioner to Malaysia and YB Dato Sri Mustapa, Minister of International Trade and Industry. Recently, we also hosted our 12th Annual Charity Rugby Dinner, with three former players David Campese, Kyran Bracken and Craig Chalmers entertaining 400 guests with their stories and experiences playing at the highest stage of world rugby. In the coming months we look forward to several collaborative events with Standard Chartered, Jo Malone, TMF and Amcorp, along with our Annual Corporate Christmas Luncheon. For more information visit www.bmcc.org.my

BritCham Philippines had the honour of hosting a meeting between the British Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to the Philippines Richard Graham, Department of Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez, and UK-Philippine businesses in August. The Trade Envoy addressed top business executives and affirmed the strong bilateral trade and investment relationship between the two countries. Events of the Chamber included a Cross-Sector Trade Mission to the Philippines from 18—20 October and a webinar on the Philippine e-learning industry on 26 October. For more information, please email uksme@britcham.org.ph or visit the website http://www.britcham.org.ph/uksmesphilippines/

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The Chamber’s Business Services team visited the UK between 31st October and 11th November 2016 to meet with British companies interested in doing business in Myanmar.

The team will be visiting a variety of regional UK locations as part of a Britain in South East Asia (BiSEA) regional Chamber tour. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, State Counsellor and Leader of the National League for Democracy (NLD) and Myanmar’s elected government, made a monumental trip to London, following landmark democratic elections in 2015. She spoke of “Britain’s friendship and support” to Myanmar, signifying Myanmar’s importance to the UK as a trading nation. The Chamber has key business services to assist companies with market entry in to Myanmar. These are partner identification and business matching, market visit programmes and bespoke events to showcase products or services. For more information visit www.britishchambermyanmar.com

With a consistent 7 percent annual growth, the construction industry has become the most dynamic engine of economic growth in Cambodia, accounting for more than 10 percent of the gross domestic product. From 1—2 December, Cambodia’s biggest construction Expo will bring together key industry players, including project owners, contractors, designers, distributors, developers and investors, and ministries. The British Chamber of Commerce in Cambodia in partnership with the Department for International Trade, UKASEAN Business Council and British Expertise will be organising a Trade Mission for British companies looking to explore business opportunities in Cambodia. We will be linking you up to key local partners in market. For more information please contact businessservices@ britchamcambodia.org

Thai-UK 2016 was a four-day show celebrating the Thai-UK partnership and the 70th anniversary of the British Chamber of Commerce Thailand. It took place on Wednesday 7 to Saturday 10 September at BITEC with an opening ceremony presented by H.E. Brian Davidson, British Ambassador. The main attractions at the show were a classic original London Routemaster bus from Jesada Technik museum, vintage cars, a Rolls-Royce Corniche, Austin Healey and two E-Type Jaguars. A pictorial display of the History of UK-Thai relations, 1996 State Visit of HM Queen Elizabeth II to Thailand and History of the BCCT with dual language captions were also on display. For more information visit www.bccthai.com

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At the Chamber: Business Group News

Diversity Business Group Chairperson: Stephen Trevis — Barclays

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he Diversity Committee has been very busy in the second half of this year with a variety of ideas and events to keep us motivated.

Many of us were at the Pink Dot celebration in June, which was put on to record numbers of attendees. As always it had a really festive, party atmosphere, some great speeches and interesting and informative stalls.

For some time now we had been talking about putting on a short training course on unconscious bias in the workplace. Broadly speaking this is where people unconsciously favour those similar to themselves or unintentionally exclude those not similar to themselves. Clearly this could touch on any and all of gender, LGBT, disability, culture and generation, so a very topical subject for a Diversity committee event.

We were very pleased then that we were able to organise, jointly with the Women in Business committee, a breakfast event

at the Shangri-La hotel on 23 September, hosted by Anna Britton of the British Council. Turnout was good at around 60 people, which allowed for a more lively discussion, and Anna had us discussing the issues in our groups more or less from the first couple of minutes. An informative event that we very much hope to repeat.

Incidentally we also collaborated with the Women in Business group on an event on resilience which they organised on 20 October and which was also well attended, so going into next year we will be looking for further opportunities to work together with other groups from the Chamber.

Most ambitiously of all our recent activities we launched a photo competition in June with the theme of “Celebrating Diversity”.

We had quite a large number of entries by the time the competition closed at the end of September, and the Committee and judges had a hard time to select the finalists. The final order of the winners

was due to be announced as Orient went to press, at an event at Eden Hall. Please look out for announcements on this. In the meantime we have selected 12 of the best photos across a range of diversity themes to be included in a calendar for 2017, so we are proud to be able to recognise more of the entries than just the top three plus the voters’ favourite, who will comprise the winners of the competition itself.

Last but not least we will be holding a lunchtime event in support of the the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. The day itself is always on 3 December, but this year that falls on a Saturday so we will have the event on Friday 2 December. Once again we are imposing on the good graces of the British High Commission and Eden Hall who will host the event. We’re planning on having a number of Paralympians come in and talk about their lives and achievements, so we are very excited about that!

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Entrepreneur & Small Business Group Chairperson: Jonathan O’Byrne & Miles Gooseman — Collective Works & The Fry Group

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he Entrepreneur and Small Business Group (ESBG) is cognisant that it is representing one of the fastest growing areas in Singapore and, for that matter, the region — entrepreneurship and SMEs. This is a global phenomenon — spurred on by the interest in disruptive technology and innovation.

open co-working spaces. This new type of working environment (largely modelled on tech companies like Google) provides infrastructure such as meeting rooms, Wi-Fi, receptions and kitchens. This allows businesses to be established without having to pay for costly infrastructure, while providing flexibility to grow or contract.

This trend is particularly relevant to Singapore with some of the major pillars of its economy impacted by the general global malaise — shipping/trade, oil and gas/offshore services, finance and banking, commodities, etc. People from these industries are finding they often need to reinvent themselves — as their chosen sector is contracting — often as an entrepreneur or a small business owner.

It is also about collaboration and networking. These types of co-working spaces provide the network to find clients, service providers and complimentary businesses.

SMEs are playing an increasingly prominent role in the economies of the region — in sectors previously dominated by either governments or large family dominated business groups.

People are choosing Singapore as their preferred base to develop businesses either because they came here in another role and stayed on, or decided to move here keen to take advantage of the potential in Singapore (and the region) for disruption and innovation. In some cases, it is to fill a niche that is left unattended or unfulfilled by some of the more established players in a sector.

The dynamic growth in entrepreneurship and small businesses in Singapore has kept the ESBG business group on its toes and we constantly throw around ideas as to how to evolve with the trend and best service this business area of the Chamber.

On the theme of networking, we have organised two well attended speed networking nights — the small business equivalent of speed dating — where each participant is given a limited time for his “elevator pitch” before the bell rings. We

plan to hold more of these events next year as the feedback has been very positive.

The ESBG committee membership reflects the sector itself and is quite dynamic. We are fortunate to have four new members to the committee this quarter, three of whom were finalists in the Chamber’s 17th Annual Business Awards — one of which won the SME category. They are: Jan-Arie Bijloos, Head of Business Development, Otomonos; Kristy Castleton, Founder and Managing Director, Rebel and Soul Pte Ltd; and Scott Mitchell, Director of Sales, Capital Springboard (the winner). We were also joined by new member, Norris Capsie, Sales Director AlphaNova Pte Ltd. We are looking forward to another year of strong growth in this sector and have already begun organising an interesting event calendar to support it. For more information visit http://www.britcham. org.sg/business-group-details/ entrepreneur--small-business.

Written by Mark Florance, Managing Director, S.E.A. Strategic

Which brings us to another trend.

Entrepreneurs and small businesses are not developing in isolation — they are working in communities. Gone are four walls and cubicles and in their place

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This trend is supported by the Singapore government through initiatives such as small business grants and the creation of hubs such as Fusionopolis and Block 71.

Co-working space at the new Capital Tower offices by Collective Works

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At the Chamber: Business Group News

Built Environment Business Group Chairperson: Marcus Eckersley — Cundall

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he New Year started with a challenge for all sectors and here we are approaching the end of that year whilst preparing for the next.

Oil prices and China’s slowdown have both had corrective impacts on the global economy. Meantime, we have had Brexit to consider and how this will develop in the coming year. It has been an interesting year to say the least and one which seems to have passed at great pace.

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Leafing through Singapore’s construction news finds some interesting projects ahead of us for the coming year and well into the future. The little red dot will see its fourth and newest airport terminal completed next year and once open will be immediately used by six airlines.

Kinetic Rain at Singapore’s Changi Airport

Whilst this happens planning for the fifth terminal is underway. By the time the fifth and largest terminal is completed by the late 2020’s Changi airport will be able to handle 135 million passengers per year — up 66 million from now. And still the projection is that this available capacity will have a potential shortfall by 2032.

Meantime on the ground, Singapore’s stressed water resources are to see construction of the fourth desalination plant being rolled out. The plant is expected to supply a further 137,000 cubic meters of desalinated water a day into the NEWater supply system. It is expected that desalination plants will support 85 percent of Singapore’s water needs by 2060.

Within the Chamber, the Property and Construction Group has been considering what may be classed as a rebrand to its title to a more encompassing title with a view to growing its members. The new title for the group, Built Environment, is more aligned with our discussions and goals. After all the built environment affects us all, so watch this space!

In other news our group also had a number of companies nominated at the Chamber’s Annual Business Awards along with a winner. Finally, we will be rolling out some fresh breakfast presentations in the coming months, so please feel free to come along and join in.

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As we go to press, the Business Services team is about to embark on a mammoth tour of the UK along with seven of the BiSEA British Chambers of Commerce, bringing ASEAN to the UK. The trip will take in 10 cities and counties including: • London • Manchester • Sheffield • Liverpool • Staffordshire • Birmingham • Thames Valley • Hull • Surrey

Business Services News

The BiSEA Chambers will be bringing a huge wealth of knowledge on doing business in the region and Singapore through presentations and one-to-one meetings. A highlight is our attendance at the British Chambers of Commerce Global Business Network Live event on 1st November, an annual international trade event designed to help UK business grow through: • Expanding knowledge of the practical aspects of exporting, such as logistics and financing payments • Introducing New Markets such as South East Asia through insightful breakout sessions led by in-country experts

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• Giving access to dozens of overseas British Chambers from all corners of the globe who will be present on the day The Business Services team at the British Chamber in Singapore provides a range of services to UK SMEs looking to do business in Singapore which include market research, organising inward trade missions, offering B2B/B2G webinars, arranging tailor made visiting programmes, partner identification and matching, and support setting up a representative office.

For more information contact our Business Services Manager Carole McCarthy at carole@britcham.org.sg

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At the Chamber: New Members

Sterling Bellerbys Educational Services (The Study Group) Gary McIntosh

BritCham New Members

William Grant & Sons Jeff Tan

Corporate Plus Herbert Smith Freehills Lauren Ball

Corporate Singapore Cricket Club Chovin Ong The Energy Institute Peter Godfrey Heidrick & Struggles Charles Moore BAE Systems Ryan Ives

Singapore Cricket Club Established 1852

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Scott Dunn Asia Victoria Hogg

Networkers Technology Scott Tunnell

The Glasgow School of Art Chris Hand

Eastwest Public Relations Jim James

Hawkins & Associates David Rose

Overseas Corporate Corporate SME

Coronis (International) Julian Bruce

Capital Springboard Scott Mitchell Capital Consulting International Trudie Moeller CFO Centre Steve Settle Total Health Chiropractic Timothy Errington Tom Roche & Associates Tom Roche Accorrus International Joan Cheng

Alphanova Serge Beraud Colour Codes: Grey - #3a3a3c Orange - #e28336 Blue - #45b0bf Green - #aad270

OpenGenius Liz Oseland

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DETU R

P O N S MU

NDO

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At the Chamber: Sterling News

Dulwich College (Singapore) is the seventh College to join the Dulwich family of schools and the first British independent school to open in Singapore. As one school across many campuses, our ethos is a shared and simple one: we believe in inspiring the children of today to take a leading role in tomorrow’s world. As an academically selective school, we achieve this through placing equal emphasis on our students’ intellectual and personal development. From Early Years (DUCKS), our pupils are immersed in daily Mandarin programmes as part of our dual-language approach, orchestral music programmes, sporting opportunities and subjects that develop their problem-solving skills and feed their hunger for knowledge and exploration. From the age of five our students follow the enhanced English National Curriculum, leading to an enriched three-year IGCSE syllabus that will best prepare them for the challenges of the IB Diploma Program.

Built on nearly 400 years of innovation, we balance traditional academic rigour with a modern learning approach within a structured and inspirational framework. To make a booking for an open day, visit www.dulwich-singapore.edu.sg

British Airways pilots have developed a new photo app for customers to take away a souvenir cockpit picture from their flight. All British Airways’ 4,000 pilots will have the ‘View From The Flight Deck’ app loaded onto their iPads to take photos of customers visiting the cockpit before take-off or after landing.

The app automatically sends this special photo, which includes a graphic showing facts from their flight, to customers so they have an instant, unique memento of their trip. The information on the photo includes the Captain’s name, route travelled and distance flown, as well as the aircraft type and registration. There is also an image of the aircraft to help budding young future pilots to recognise individual plane types the next time they fly. British Airways’ Head of Flight Operations, Captain Charlie Maunder, said: “As pilots we love flying and naturally want to share that with everyone, so we all enjoy welcoming customers up to the cockpit whenever possible. We’re always looking for new ways to make sure everyone has a memorable flight every time they fly and our new souvenir photo flight app is a great way to help us do just that.” For more information visit www.ba.com

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Stamford was honoured to welcome Global Mentor, Dr. John Francis, on campus recently.

The environmentalist Planetwalker and UN Ambassador spoke with students and planet walked with our International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) students during the week. “Thank you for being here,” said Dr. Francis at the start of each of his sharing sessions, the very same words that he first uttered when he ended his 17 years of silence on Earth Day 1990. He told the assembled crowd, “Environment is about how we treat each other.” After witnessing the 1971 San Francisco Bay oil spill, Dr. Francis stopped riding in motorised vehicles and walked for 22 years including the length of both North and South America. He earned three university degrees while silent. Unique to Stamford American, the Global Mentor Programme invites inspirational minds, industry leaders, artists and athletes to engage with students, inspiring and motivating by sharing their life experiences. For more information visit www.sais.edu.sg

A new Global State of Information Security survey completed by PwC highlights the emergence of phishing as the top security threat to organisations in Singapore.

According to the survey of more than 10,000 executives, phishing is the most-cited vector of cybersecurity incidents this year, with 42 percent of businesses in Singapore reporting phishing incidents. 74 percent of respondents said they have increased IT security spending as a result of digitisation of their business ecosystem. The top three safeguards organisations have implemented relate to talent, employing experts such as Chief Privacy Officers (CPO), Chief Information Security Officers (CISO), and ensuring employees receive and complete the required cyber security training. To explore the full survey findings in Singapore, visit www.pwc.com/sg/gsiss

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At the Chamber: Sterling News

Flying faster than the speed of sound at over 48,000 feet, the Red Arrows BAE Systems Hawk aircraft are powered by Rolls-Royce Adour engines. As part of their 2016 tour of Asia Pacific and Middle East, the Red Arrows were in Singapore in October to excite and inspire the country’s future engineers and technologists, and took some time out to speak to local students at an event hosted by Rolls-Royce. “Being a fast-jet pilot is all about quick decision making,” says Flight Lieutenant Toby Keeley. “Every single trip we fly, we’re making mathematical choices by applying what we’ve learned in school, airborne.” Watching dynamic airshows in the UK sparked Lieutenant Keeley’s love for aviation. Now, by interacting with Singaporean students, he hopes to encourage them to pursue their goals. Part of Rolls-Royce’s global commitment to reach six million people through STEM-related activities by 2020, Generation Aerospace is one our key initiatives to inspire Singaporean youth to enter an industry with a truly global impact.

“The world is evolving as are our products and services,” says Bicky Bhangu, Director Singapore at Rolls-Royce. “It’s our responsibility to inform young people about the choices they have, so they can make empowered decisions about the opportunities that lie ahead… Science is not about reading a book and absorbing it,” says Bicky. “It’s real, and it’s fun. We tend to miss out the fun in the things we do. Today, we brought it back.” For more information visit www.rolls-royce.com

Businesses today face a rapidly evolving landscape including regulatory change, the adoption of more sophisticated approaches by revenue authorities and swift advances in technology. As operating models, organisational priorities and corporate cultures vary from business to business, the right solution for one may not be the best fit for another. Deloitte’s Business Process Solutions (BPS) can help companies identify that unique approach by assessing operational effectiveness, identifying opportunities to enhance strategic insight and operational efficiencies, and developing an incremental path to improvement by leveraging alternative resource models. Our approach assists businesses in improving the management, oversight, and control of their accounting, tax, and human resources processes through a flexible mix of in-house and external resources. The Deloitte BPS practice has the capabilities to provide services in statutory accounting/bookkeeping, payroll processing, accounts payable and receivable processing, invoicing, ERP system design and implementation as well as company secretarial services. Visit www.deloitte.com/sg for more information.

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At the Chamber: Corporate News

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Aetna International has been awarded the coveted “New Insurance Product of the Year” title for each of its products, Aetna Summit and Aetna Pioneer, at the inaugural Insurance Asia Awards 2016 in Singapore. Aetna Summit and Aetna Pioneer are innovative new products incorporating the best elements from Aetna’s existing products with new and improved features added to meet client needs, launched in January 2016. Unique benefits of the proposition include clinician support 24 hours, 365 days a year to help members navigate unfamiliar health care systems, country risk information and on-the-ground emergency services from red24 to enhance clients’ physical security, as well as an employee assistance programme offering telephone and in-person counselling. For more information visit www.aetnainternational.com

DUAL Asia has launched a new Cyber Liability and Data Protection insurance product, underwritten exclusively for MSIG Insurance. The product covers exposures companies face in the event of cyberattacks, security and data breaches, and cyber extortion. A recent report showed that in Singapore alone, businesses suffered nearly S$2 billion in losses in 2014. While major corporations have the financial strength to implement sophisticated technology, often SMEs face challenges in protecting themselves. In the event of a cyber incident, the insured has access to a 24-hour hotline with a response team who will investigate the cause of the loss. This team comprises IT forensic investigators, forensic accountants, PR consultants and specialist lawyers. The policy also covers loss of net income, data restoration costs as well as third party claims related to compensation. For more information visit www.msig.com.sg

With Premier Inn’s expansion to Singapore, holidaymakers will now be able to enjoy Premier Inn’s quality accommodation at affordable prices. General Manager, Pedro Mendes said: “Singapore remains a top commercial and holiday destination and we’re confident that our new hotel will set a definitive benchmark, becoming the preferred choice for value conscious travellers.”

Premier Inn Singapore Beach Road is a 300-bedroom hotel located near the Singapore Sports Hub, Esplanade and a 15-minute drive from the airport. Bus and train stations are located within a short walking distance. Facilities cover all essentials: complimentary Wi-Fi, rooftop swimming pool and multi-cuisine restaurant. For more information, visit www.global.premierinn.com

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At the Chamber: Corporate News The CFO Centre welcomes a new CFO Principal on board. Fawziah Jainullabudeen has 23 years of experience in the areas of external audit, internal audit, commercial finance and general management.

Starting her career in KPMG Peat Marwick Singapore and continuing there for five years, Fawziah conducted and managed external audits covering a wide spectrum of industries including construction, manufacturing, banking and stockbroking.

Fawziah has 16 years of commercial finance experience in the retail industry and was one of the key players in the development of Sephora in Singapore and Malaysia from seven shops to 25 shops. She was also the Local Project Manager for the SAP implementation for Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. Fawziah is a member of the Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants and the Institute of Public Accountants in Australia. For more information visit www.cfocentre.com.sg

Coronis (International) Ltd has been established for over nine years and offers very cost effective Evacuation & Repatriation insurance policies underwritten by Lloyd’s of London. Our policies have the option of including associated medical expenses and are available to both local nationals and expatriates worldwide. We are pleased to confirm our policy also includes access to the services of the Blood Care Foundation, which can make a potentially lifesaving difference through the supply of blood and blood products in emergencies, as well as the provision of rabies vaccine and Human Rabies Immunoglobulin in case of an animal bite. For more information visit www.coronisinternational.com

Hawksford Singapore is a leading Singapore-based corporate services firm providing a one-stop solution for starting and managing a business in Singapore. Our team consists of seasoned professionals with extensive experience in Singapore’s legal, financial, tax and regulatory frameworks.

Hawksford Singapore provides services for: • Incorporation of local companies • Registration of subsidiaries and branches of overseas companies • On going statutory administration of companies • Bookkeeping and payroll services • Tax filing for companies and individuals • Application for work passes for expatriate staff and business owners • Application for business licenses • Application for IP and Trademark • And other related corporate services As part of Hawksford, we draw on the global expertise of a wide network of leading professionals and advisers. Today we have a global footprint across the UK, Asia and the Caribbean. For more information visit www.guidemesingapore.com

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Budget pressures, technology and globalisation have changed the way businesses use property. More companies want greater flexibility; fewer companies want to operate from fixed offices that they hold on a long lease or own; and fewer employees work at the same office location every day. Instead, businesses are migrating to more flexible arrangements, which can also significantly reduce costs. At the forefront of that change has been Regus, the world’s largest provider of flexible workplaces. Its workspace helps over 1,000,000 customers to work more productively and efficiently, using products such as fully-equipped offices, co-working spaces, meeting rooms, video-communication studios, business lounges and virtual offices. Regus operates 30 locations Island-wide in Singapore and over 3000 globally. Visit www.regus.com.sg for more information.

The CIPD continues to work with organisations and individuals to champion better work and working lives in Asia. This year we have delivered short courses, in-house qualifications, and assessed the experience of HR professionals working in Singapore, Myanmar, the Philippines, Brunei, Laos, Malaysia and Indonesia. For experienced professionals SMU has recently launched a CIPD accredited Master of Human Capital Leadership. Our CEO, Peter Cheese visited Singapore and Hong Kong in November to discuss the world of work and the future of the HR profession. While Peter was in Singapore he conferred a CIPD Honorary Fellowship on Ms Yong Ying-I, Permanent Secretary of the Public Service Division, Prime Minister’s Office. Finally, our latest research offers a glimpse into potential futures for Singapore, so don’t forget to go to www.cipd.asia to explore The Future of Talent in Singapore 2030 and our exciting thought leadership agenda for the New Year.

On 1 November, international law firm Simmons & Simmons launched its new Joint Law Venture (JLV) in Singapore: Simmons & Simmons JWS. The JLV’s establishment responds to the growing financial services industry in Singapore and means the firm can now offer an integrated service to clients across its key areas of focus, particularly asset management and investment funds, and financial institutions. The launch reflects Singapore’s increasing importance as a commodities, asset management and financial institution hub, and the JLV will form an integral part of Simmons & Simmons’ business in Asia alongside offices in Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai and Tokyo. For more information visit www.simmons-simmons.com

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At the Chamber: Members’ Offers

To find out more about our members’ offers, visit our website under Membership -> Members Offers.

Allied Pickfords

Bupa/Expat Insurance

Emirates

Garuda Indonesia

Anagram Group

City Serviced Offices

EVA Group

Harry’s

Black Marketing - Enabling LinkedIn For You

CMC Partnership

Expat Living

IMarEST

British Airways

Courts

Fairmont Singapore & Swissôtel The Stamford

IOM Singapore

Garner International (s)

Mega Adventure

Two hours free Handyman Service

One Hour Training Session at $990 and 10% off all one-day training workshops

Free One Hour Consultation on How You Can Use LinkedIn To Achieve Your Business Goals

10% off airfare for British Airways

British Standards Institution

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

10% off Medical Insurance Plan

10% discount on facilities and services

Discount on Change Management training & certification

5% off electrical & 10% off furniture on presentation of your Membership Card

Cultural Training Asia

5% off Women in Leadership Programs - Developing Global Leaders Asia

Enjoy up to 10% off Emirates fares

5% discount on training

50% off Expat Living Subscription (usual price $78)

20% off food bill on Sunday Vintage Brunch

FREE: Two Hours Consultation with Garner International Executive Search & Recruitment Services

10% off Normal Airfares & 5% off Promo Airfares

15% off at Harry’s on presentation of your Membership Card

Up to 75% off Sustainable Maritime Operations degrees

NEBOSH International General Certificate (IGC) course on 20% off

20% Off Team Building Programs

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MSIG

Progress U

Singapore Cricket Club

The Bank Bar

MSIG

Quayside Isle

Up to 15% off F&B

Singapore Management University

Tower Club

Open Forum Enterprise Pte Ltd

Raffles Singapore

Sonru

Transformify

Pizza Express

Regus

Spaces

Ultimate Performance (UP Fitness)

15% off MSIG’s Prestige Healthcare

30% off MSIG’s TravelEasy Insurance

Special Discounts for Britcham members to attend Open Forum Enterprise workshops

25% off at Pizza Express on presentation of your Membership Card

Premier Inn Enjoy a 10% discount off room rates and F&B a la carte menu at Premier Inn

5% off International Corporate Coaching Program

Discounts off Food & Beverage, Restaurant Bookings & Event Meetings

15% Discount for all Britcham Members on all products

SandBank

Enjoy 10% off* total bill

Up to $1000 credit for F&B for BritCham members

5% discount on SMU Executive Development Programme

10% off Annual Subscription for Corporate Members

Special Membership Offer for BritCham Members

Survival Chic

Special Membership Offer for BritCham Members

Enjoy 15% off* total bill on presentation of your Membership Card

Enjoy a 6-week Complimentary Trial Membership at Tower Club

Complementary Marketing for Britcham Members via Transformify

10% off personal training packages with Ultimate Performance

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Back to Work Networking 25 August 2016 The British Chamber organised our annual Back to Work networking evening exclusively for members at The British Club on 25 August.

We retreated from the hustle and bustle of the CBD to the Treetops Terrace where attendees had the opportunity to connect, catch up with friends, expand their network of contacts and strengthen existing business relationships.

At the Chamber: Annual Event

Sponsored by:

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At the Chamber: Annual Event

Rev-up & Go @ The BritCham F1 Networking 15 September 2016 Against the backdrop of the 2016 Formula One Singapore Grand Prix, the British Chamber organised a networking session for over 150 guests at the Singapore Cricket Club, a day ahead of the race weekend.

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We networked and enjoyed the atmosphere, buzz and excitement of the upcoming Singapore Grand Prix at the elegant Padang Restaurant, which boasts one of the best vantage points looking out onto the thrilling ‘Turn 10’, also aptly known as the ‘Singapore Sling Curve’. Free-flow wine, beer and canapés were served to keep everyone entertained throughout the night.

Guy Lovett, Innovation Manager, Shell Motorsport

Sponsored by:

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At the Chamber: Leaders in Business Lunch

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Singapore’s Smart Nation Initiative with Mr Tan Kok Yam 6 October 2016 Singapore’s Smart Nation initiative is a whole-of-nation effort towards better living, creating more opportunities and fostering stronger communities by harnessing networks and data.

Mr Tan Kok Yam is at the forefront of this initiative and presented the details of the project to 100 of our members and guests over a three-course meal at the Grand Hyatt Hotel.

Mr Tan also took time to answer questions from the audience present.

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Tan Kok Yam, Head of the Smart Nation Programme Office in the Prime Minister’s Office

Sponsored by:

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At the Chamber: Leaders in Business Lunch

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Leaders in Business Lunch with Simon Collins, UK Chairman and Senior Partner, KPMG 21 October 2016 Even as businesses adjust to the unexpected outcome of the EU referendum, society is demanding a different deal from businesses, with the CEO community acknowledging that a loss of public trust resulted in Brexit.

The fallout has sparked wider discussions and might force fundamental changes in corporate culture and behaviour.

In this Leaders in Business Lunch, we welcomed Simon Collins, UK Chairman of KPMG, where he shared his opinions on what the future might hold for the UK and global business.

This event was moderated by Andrew Vine, Board Member of the British Chamber.

Simon Collins, UK Chairman of KPMG

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Sponsored by:

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At the Chamber: Country Briefing

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Myanmar Country Briefing 2 September 2016 At this popular event our colleagues from the British Chamber of Commerce in Myanmar briefed around 120 guests on the viability of Myanmar as a regional expansion option.

Peter Beynon, Chairman of the British Chamber in Myanmar covered the practical aspects of doing business from his position of leading the Jardines Group into the country. Stephanie Ashmore, Executive Director of the British Chamber, provided an update on the rapidly evolving business environment and subsequent opportunities for British companies.

Building upon his experience advising multinational corporations and financial institutions with their entry into the country, Romain Caillaud (FTI Consulting) highlighted the political, integrity and compliance risks associated with doing business in Myanmar and how such risks can be mitigated.

Sponsored by:

BUILDING NETWORKS CONNECTING BUSINESSES CREATING OPPORTUNITIES

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

We currently represent over 400 companies across all industry sectors. The network of executives representing their companies grew substantially over the past years to now over 2,900 - a dynamic development that is continuing in 2016. Our Membership is open to all nationalities.

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

TAKE A STROLL to the lounge

EMIRATES FIRST AND BUSINESS Stretch your legs and relax in our spacious onboard lounge, offering a range of drinks, canapés and snacks.

Hello Tomorrow