EDITOR’S NOTE

It is with clarity that Peter Fitch, founder of Segamat Panels Board (Malaysia) delivers some hard truths about the current state of the global economy and how it may pan out for the timber industry.

“We were living in what many have termed the ‘Goldilocks Economy’; expanding economies, near full employment, low interest rates, bullish stock markets, exuberant funding liquidity from central banks and reasonable geopolitical stability,” Fitch writes. (Pg.68)

HIU YAN | Editor

“In fact, we were fooling ourselves that this was a sustainable economic model. When in fact, this was not sustainable environmentally, economically, fi nancially and politically in so many diff erent ways,” Fitch continued.

At a time when it is easy to be distracted by the growing occurrence of spats and disputes across the globe, Mr Fitch’s words cannot be a more timely and brave reminder to not lose sight of the bigger picture and the long-term impact for every decision we make in the present; we must not lose sight of the kind of path we are paving for our next generation.

Especially in the business world, it is easy to only want to see and talk profi ts.

Which is why I am grateful that Mr Fitch has started the diffi cult conversation here on what it means to be sustainable. Sustainability must not become a word that is tossed around too lightly and casually to temporarily quieten people’s anxiety or to give them the illusion that enough is being done. More must be done, while bearing in mind that more may never be enough.

In this issue of PFA, several stories surely have one thing in common – an ability to see the light in challenging times.

DIEFFENBACHER’s Areas Sales Manager in Southeast Asia, Holger Ries, unlocked challenges with diversifi cation as the key. (Pg.27)

SCM’s software product manager, Manuela Adreani, shared her team’s journey in developing the company’s IoT platform from scratch. (pg.34)

With Commune introducing Singapore’s fi rst cloud-based, omni-channel retail solution, we hear about how Commune took the plunge to be the fi rst in Singapore to invest, develop and test-and-trial this bold solution. The leap of faith is already paying off . (Pg.32)

As 2019 draws to a close, may we end the year with more humility and capacity to ask the harder questions.

Singapore MICA (P) No. 079/05/2019

Editor | Szeto Hiu Yan hiuyan@pabloasia.com

Editor | Pang Yanrong yanrong@pabloasia.com

Graphic Designer | Edwin De Souza edwin@pabloasia.com

Business Development & Marketing YanJun Pang yanjun@pabloasia.com

Admin & Circulation Manager | Shu Ai Ling circulation@pabloasia.com

Associate Publisher | Pamela Buckley pamela@pabloasia.com

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