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FebruaryScandAsia.se 2011 â€˘ ScandAsia.Singapore 1

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Coming Events Norwegian & Danish Artist Exhibition at Singapore Biennale 2011 Date:

13 March - 15 May 2011

The 3rd Singapore Biennale is organized by the Singapore Art Museum and supported by the National Arts Council from 13 March-15 May 2011. The artist from Norway and Denmark has been confirmed for the festival - Duo Elmgreen & Dragset and Superflex. Danish Michael Elmgreen and Norwegian Ingar Dragset have worked together since 1995. Their work is known for its subversive humor, and the artists often challenge social stigmas through their artistic expressions. SUPERFLEX is a Danish artists’ group founded and directed by Jakob Fenger, Rasmus Nielsen and Bjørnstjerne Christiansen. They have been working since 1993 on a series of projects related to economic forces, democratic production conditions and self-organization. Check for updates at www.singaporebiennale.org.

Your FREE ScandAsia Magazine in Singapore ScandAsia is the only magazine that covers all the Danish, Finnish, Norwegian and Swedish residents in Singapore. We also publish a ScandAsia magazine in China, Thailand, and the rest of South East Asia.

Please sign up for your own FREE copy: www.scandasia.com Publisher: Scandinavian Publishing Co., Ltd. 4/41-2 Ramintra Soi 14, Bangkok 10230, Thailand Tel. +66 2 943 7166-8, Fax: +66 2 943 7169 E-mail: news@scandasia.com Editor-in-Chief: Gregers A.W. Møller gregers@scandmedia.com Advertising: Finn Balslev finn@scandmedia.com Piyanan Kalikanon piyanan@scandmedia.com Nattapat Maesang nattapat@scandmedia.com Graphic Designer: Supphathada Numamnuay supphathada@scandmedia.com Distribution: Pimjai Chaimongkol pimjai@scandmedia.com

Norwegian Documentary Yodok Stories at NUS Arts Festival Date: 20 March 2011, 20:00 - 22:00 Location: UCC Function Room 2, National University of Singapore This year’s NUS Festival of the Arts will feature the Norwegian documentary Yodok Stories, a film that has received several awards and much attention internationally for its unique portrayal of the lives of prisoners inside a North Korean concentration camp. Few survive the barbarity of North Korea’s concentration camps, but a small group of escapees decide to make an extraordinary musical about their Yodok concentration camp experiences. Despite death threats, the musical becomes a tour de force for the refugees, inspiring others to protest the existence of the camps. Queries and feedback are welcome at nusartsfestival@nus.edu.sg. Don’t miss the opportunity to watch Yodok Stories here in Singapore.

www.flickr.com

SBAS Luncheon with Robert Bergkvist Date:

28 March 2011

The Swedish Business Association (Singapore) - SBAS invites members and friends to the monthly luncheon with Robert Bergkvist, SEB Group’s Chief Economist. Robert Bergqvist, born on March 21, 1963, is the SEB Group’s Chief Economist. He has been employed by the SEB since July 1997. In previous positions, Bergqvist has been responsible for the SEB’s market and trading oriented currency, interest, and credit analyses. As Chief Economist, Bergqvist is managing the SEB Research team. Further inquiries about the luncheon and register please contact swedbiz@singnet.com.sg.

Norwegian Seafood Dinner 2011 Date: 1 April 2011, 19:30 Location: Raffles Ballroom, Raffles City Convention Centre, Fairmont Singapore

Printing: Advanced Printing Services Co., Ltd.

Daily news and features here: www.scandasia.com

4 ScandAsia.Singapore • February 2011

The Royal Norwegian Embassy and the Norwegian Business Association (Singapore) - NBAS co-organize the Norwegian Seafood Dinner 2011. An annual event is executive for Norwegian community in Malaysia. The event will be held on 1 April 2011 at the Raffles City Convention Centre. Ticket and registration will be announced at www.nbas.org.sg and www. norway.org.sg.

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Niko Brought Christmas to Children in Singapore By Tuomas Vesterinen, Embassy of Finland Photos by Tuomas Vesterinen and Kirsi Siira

he Embassy’s annual film screening had a delight to offer this year: A Finnish animation movie called Niko – The Way to the Stars. The movie was shown to a selected group of open-minded experts at the Great World City on Wednesday December 8. The audience that comprised of children from various schools in Singapore was touched by the warmhearted Christmas spirit that Niko brought about. The movie tells the story of a reindeer boy called Niko, whose greatest dream is to learn to fly like his father. Niko has never met his father but thinks that he is one of the world famous heroes of the Santa’s Flying Forces. In order to fulfill his dream, Niko has to embark on a dangerous journey to Santa’s Fell with a clumsy flying squirrel called Julius and a cheeky girl weasel called Wilma. Following them just a few footsteps behind is the notorious Black Wolf pack. As the plot unfolded the audience’s concentration grew and was interrupted only by the occasional relief laughs. To some the sight of snow was an exciting thing in its own right.

1. Siblings Lucas and Lexia thought the movie was very good. 2. Children from CHIJ school waiting to see the movie. 3. Plenty of popcorn to be handed out.

Finland’s Independence Day Reception By Tuomas Vesterinen, Embassy of Finland Photos by Tuomas Vesterinen and Gai Kit

he traditional Finland’s Independence Day Reception in Singapore was held at the Shangri-La Hotel on Monday December 6. Some 400 invited guests (Finns, Singaporeans and diplomats) attended the celebration of the 93rd anniversary of the independence. Followed by the customary speeches and national anthems, the guests had a chance to listen to a local choir and enjoy Finnish cuisine and drinks. In their speeches both the Ambassador of Finland Satu Mattila and the guest of honour Professor Koo Tsai Kee (Minister of State in the Ministry of Defence) emphasized the excellent relations and unique similarities that the two counties enjoy. Followed by the national anthems, the audience was enchanted by the beautiful vocals of Vox Camerata. The group performed two pieces representing Nordic nature and spirit: Northern Lights by Ola Gjeilo and Finlandia by Jean Sibelius. After the official program was over, the guests indulged in socializing and enjoying the food. The importance of the Independence Day was expressed by many expatriates as it offers an opportunity for remembering and fostering the homeland.

1. Vox Camerata singing Finlandia-hymn. 2. First guests arriving. 3. Heather Goh having some delicious Finnish food.

6 ScandAsia.Singapore • February 2011

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ScandAsia News Brief

Nordic D Tankers Teams With Singapore Based Womar Swedish Defense Minister Visits Singapore and India

wedish Defense Minister Sten Tolgfors visited Singapore and India from 25 to 28 January 2011. The first two days of the trip were dedicate Singapore where Mr. Tolgfors held bilateral talks with his coleague, Singaporean Defense Minister Teo Chee Hean. Afterwards he traveled to India to hold talks with the Indian Defense Minister AK Anthony. On the agenda are issues such as materiel cooperation and security policy issues.

Nordic Tankers Chief Executive Tommy Thomsen will be chairman of the new company.

anish shipping group Nordic Tankers and Singapore-based tanker operator Womar have agreed to form a joint tanker pool management company initially with a total of about 40 vessels, Nordic Tankers said. The new company, dubbed Nordic Womar, will be managed from Singapore and will start operations Feb 1, Nordic Tankers said in a statement on Wednesday. “Nordic Womar will initially manage two pools of coated chemical tankers with a total of approximately 40 vessels in the 10,000 to 25,000 deadweight tonnes segment,” it said. The new venture is an extension of the joint marketing that Nordic Tankers and privately owned Womar started on June 1 last year with coated chemical tankers in the range of 10,000 to 17,000 dwt, Nordic Tankers said. “Based on a constructive co-operation in this initial phase the entering into joint pool management was a natural next step, and the parties have even increased the scope up to 25,000 dwt,” it said. With the establishment of the joint pool company, Nordic Tankers will operate a total of about 100 chemical tankers, combining the fleet already under operational management with the fleet of Nordic Womar, it said. “This agreement is in line with our strategy of prudent and profitable growth with a target of operating more than 150 vessels in 2013,” Nordic Tankers Chief Executive Tommy Thomsen, who will be chairman of the new company, said in the statement.

Reception for Singapore Submarine Sailors

Photo: Sara Wallin Embassy of Sweden, Singapore 8 ScandAsia.Singapore • February 2011

mbassador Ingemar Dolfe hosted a reception at the Swedish Residence for around 60 Singaporean submarine sailors involved in the close submarine collaboration between Sweden and Singapore. The majority of the submariners lived, together with their families, in the Swedish naval town of Karlskrona during their training. In his welcome address, the Ambassador emphasized the significance of the strong bilateral ties in the area of marine equipment and training, and expressed his hopes for a close continued cooperation between the two countries. As a token of the close and long co-operation, the squadron leader presented a small gift to the Embassy. Sweden and Singapore have for many years had a comprehensive collaboration in the area of maritime and naval technology. In October this year, the latest addition to the Singapore submarine fleet was launched at a naming ceremony hosted by submarine manufacturer Kockums in Karlskrona.

Vestas D Awarded Top Environmental Prize

anish wind power company Vestas has been awarded what it describes as the “largest and most prestigious award” in the field of renewable energy. The company was awarded the Zayed Future Energy Prize 2011 from a field of 391 other entrants, a Vestas press release stated. The award was presented by Abu Dhabi’s crown prince, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, in the presence of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon “For over 30 years, Vestas turbines have been among the most innovative in the world” Jury Chairman and former Nobel Laureate Dr. RK Pachauri, said. “Not only has the company - almost single-handedly - been a pioneer in the wind power industry, it succeeded in spite of the fact that it is established in a small country.” The prize was received by Vestas CEO Ditlev Engel who said: “We only have one thing on our minds - and that is to continuously develop the technology in order to make wind energy as cheap as possible for both our customers and end users worldwide. Last year the prize went to Toyota for the third generation of the fuel-efficient hybrid Prius.

Swedes from Singapore Visit Malaysia

Swedish Business Delegation comprising of high-level representatives from 15 companies (most based in Singapore) visited Kuala Lumpur 23-25 January. The event was jointly organised by the Embassies of Sweden in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. The Business Delegation was lead by the Ambassador of Sweden to Kuala Lumpur Per-Arne Hjelmborn and the Ambassador of Sweden to Singapore Ingemar Dolfe. The programme for the Business Delegation included meetings at the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI), the Performance Management & Delivery Unit (PERMANDU) at the PM’s office, MDEC, MIDA and Khazanah. The well known news anchorman Kamarul Bahrin Haron from the TV-channel Astro Awani also met with the delegation and shared his views of the political and economic situation in Malaysia. The Business Delegation started off their visit with a dinner reception at the Ambassador’s residence. The visit provided first hand insight into the economic reform programme in Malaysia and gave the companies important information for future investments.

Alfa Laval Buys Aalborg Industries

lfa Laval – the Swedish world leader in heat transfer, centrifugal separation and fluid handling – has agreed with the Danish Aalborg Industries Holding A/S to take over the company for SEK 5.0 billion from its current owner, Altor 2003 Fund, LD Equity and the Company’s current management. When the acqusition has been approved by the authorities, the merging of offices and staff of the two corporations start on the local level. Aalborg Industries's activities in Asia are concentrated in China, Vietnam and Singapore. In Singapore, Aalborg Industries Pte. Ltd. in Jurong is active not only in Marine Boiler Sales, but also FPS and Industrial After Sales Service, GOSFERN™ Burners, Control & Safety Systems. As for Alfa Laval, the activities are much more wide spread. In Asia alone, Alfa Laval is currently present in Brunei, Cambodia, China, East Timor, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea South, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam. Alfa Laval, listed on the stock exchange in Stockholm, Sweden, has approximately 12,000 employees Lars Renström, President & CEO of Alfa Laval, says: “The acquisition of Aalborg Industries will be a significant boost to Alfa Laval’s position in the field of heat transfer. This will give Alfa Laval a position as global market leader within an attractive business segment that includes boilers, thermal fluid systems and inert gas systems. We are very much looking forward to welcoming the management and employees of Aalborg Industries to Alfa Laval.” February 2011 • ScandAsia.Singapore 9

New Danish Am Mr. Ole Lisborg has taken over his assignment as Danish Ambassador in Singapore after serving as Danish Ambassador in three different European countries since 1999. By Thomas Lykke Pedersen

ver since finishing his university degree in Copenhagen back in 1973, Ole Lisborg has had only one employer. The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A long and interesting career has taken him around Europe, most recently serving as Ambassador to Luxembourg. Now, in Singapore, Ole Lisborg wants to continue the great work of his predecessors to the post, promoting Denmark and Danish Business in South-East Asia.

Strong Danish community With a long background in Europe it was quite a change of culture for the newly appointed Ambassador Ole Lisborg to be posted to the Far East and it took some preparations. “You don't just arrive and say: 'So, this is Singapore,' and then take it from there,” he says. “From the time I knew about the new job to my arrival, I read everything I could find on Asia, be it about economics, culture, history or whatever.” Besides going through a whole book shelf of Asian literature, Ole Lisborg also contacted his predecessors to the job as well as diplomatic colleagues in order to be as well prepared as possible. The newly appointed Ambassador visited Singapore once before when he in the mid 80's was there as Head of Department in the Danish Foreign Ministry, negotiating air traffic. Arriving once again some 25 years later has been nothing but positive. “The expectations I had have been fully fulfilled. It's a very vibrant environment and the Danish colony here is active and lively and I've been well received with people being very positive towards me. Maybe if I don't do my job properly,

the tune will change, we'll see,” Ole Lisborg says with an underlying tone of Danish irony. According to Ole Lisborg, it was obvious from the very first second that the Seamen's Church is the gathering point for Danes in Singapore. At the beautiful church on Mount Faber he found a community very much in peace with itself. “In Luxembourg there were also Christmas bazaars and other events at the Danish church. But nothing like here. You get a feeling that the Danes here are truly closeknit,” he says. Besides the church, the Ambassador also mentions the Danish Business Society (DABS) as an important factor and benchmark, as business is one thing that the vast majority of the Danish colony have in common. The Embassy continuously receives many inquiries from Denmark and Danes thinking about setting up a business in the small Asian city state. And the message from Ole Lisborg is clear – business opportunities are nothing short of great in Singapore.

Business heaven “Singapore see themselves as the spearhead in several areas of business and development. And with good reason. It's completely deliberate politics, as the money is set aside to hold this position,” says Ole Lisborg, and offers a tangible example, telling that Singapore has four universities, but only in one of them the Dean is from Singapore. “They want the best and if the best is not available in Singapore, they will just seek elsewhere and produce the means to get it here,” the Danish Ambassador says and gives a proposal as to why the Asian countries are marching on (Singa-

10 ScandAsia.Singapore • February 2011

pore expecting a growth of overwhelming 15% in GDP in 2010) while the Western world experiences somewhat of a stagnation. “In the EU I saw first hand how the decision making process is often very long and problematic, while out here, I'm of the conviction, they tend to come straight to the point. There's no doubt that this is where it's happening, and if we are not careful, Denmark could end up as a museum where the Asians come and visit and see how business was run in the 'old days',” he laughs. Fortunately it is not all that bad as Ole Lisborg explains how there is quite an interest in some of the things Denmark can offer and that Singapore sees some competencies that can be learned. Especially Danish design is becoming increasingly popular in Asia. Every Saturday the newspapers, which by the way are also thriving in Asia as the only place in the world, are filled with adds showing off new and extravagant apartment projects. And often there is a Danish touch to it. “You always see a Svane chair or a P.H. lamp in the pictures. With all the money floating around out here, the trend is that everything expensive and Western they just have to own,” he says.

Not all work In Singapore, on a small piece of land best described as rainforest, Ole Lisborg and his wife, Else, live in an old English officers building. One of the famously known 'black and white houses' dating back to colonial times. “If you ask me, our house has a lot more charm than the new high-rise buildings being build all over town. But with that charm also comes a lot of maintenance,” the Ambassador says.

The fact that the old house is situated in the middle of the “jungle” has some rather unusual side effects. “Every night we hear strange animal sounds from outside. It takes some getting used to, that's for sure,” says Ole Lisborg with a smile and immediately continues on, explaining that the sounds are the least of it. Every now and then the Ambassador house is visited by some very special guests. The type you do not invite in for tea, though. “It's quite an experience when 15-20 monkeys come by in some rampage going through the trash as well as the flower beds leaving our garden in ruins,” he says rather amazed. Staying in the animal universe, when asked about his recreational time, Ole Lisborg tells that the family recently got a new member. After their Vizsla dog through 15 years passed away in Luxembourg they agreed that the time was right to get a new dog – a new Vizsla that is. “It's the most expensive dog ever as we ordered it from Australia to avoid quarantine, but Else has promised to train and take care of it so it's going to be quite the spare time project.” On Ole Lisborg's account he has come to the conclusion that there is probably no way around picking up the game of golf again. “I haven't played in many years but I'm constantly invited to this or that, and it always takes place on a golf course. One would think that Singapore couldn't really be able to run as efficiently as it does – considering how much golf is being played. If it's green out here, it's a golf course,” Ole Lisborg laughs out.

mbassador If we are not careful, Denmark could end up as a museum where the Asians come to visit to see how business was run in the â€˜old days

H.E. Ole Lisborg born 29th of January 1948 Married to Else Nepper-Christensen, 2 daughters Speaks English, German and French 1973 1973 1980 1983 1988 1993 1999 2003 2006 2010

MSc (Econ.) University of Copenhagen Ministry of Foreign Affairs 1st Secretary, Danish Embassy Bonn, Germany Head of Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Counsellor, Danish Representation at the European Communities, Brussels Head of Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ambassador, Riga, Latvia Ambassador, Bucharest, Romania (also accredited Chisinau, Moldova) Ambassador, Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg Ambassador, Singapore and Brunei Darussalam

February 2011 â€˘ ScandAsia.Singapore 11

Innovative Meetings and

Under the management of Kristina Gardin, 8th Wave is specialised in being a one-stop service for companies in delivering memorable experiences with ‘infinite possibilities’. By Joakim Persson

ooking for quality assistance for your corporate events and conferences? Yearning to think out of the box and get something extraordinary? A Scandinavian operator has a very interesting concept within this field! With a name that symbolizes energy, forward motion and nature the Event Management Company 8th Wave operates in Asia Pacific. This Singapore based company could provide the ideal solution for your next corporate event.

Kristina Gardin Under the management of Kristina Gardin, 8th Wave is specialised in being a one-stop service for companies in delivering memorable experiences with ‘infinite possibilities’. Over 37 years of living and working in Asia has translated into a broad network, which means the company can offer maximum customization of

12 ScandAsia.Singapore • February 2011

events according to the client’s taste. “We often produce exciting events which has a lot to do with that we have very intimate knowledge about the places where we do events,” says the Swede. Within incentive trips and conference management they can manage all stages of an event in Asia Pacific, which usually involves creating something extra that becomes a value add for the client’s branding. These could include adding sustainability concepts or CSR to events, which can be included in the company annual report. “We can bring in the concept of green events. This is finally coming to Asia. It has been very slow.” Kristina recognises. “But it’s coming; a few certification companies are aggressively pushing this in Southeast Asia and really aiming at five star hotels where many are signing up. I think this is encouraging.”

Multinational clients Until now, 8th Wave has mainly organized events for multinational companies such as Novartis, Hewlett Packard and Bank of America. The recent addition of Karl Safvelin, who has a business degree from Handelshögskolan in Stockholm and previously worked in the private banking industry in Sweden, is a move to reach more Scandinavian companies. Clients groups coming from outside Asia are also increasing as the rumour is spreading about what this special event company is accomplishing. “By having our regional network we are able to do these unique things. Some large marketing companies in Singapore outsource to me because they don’t have the capability to tailor-make offers to their clients,” explains Kristina. Their events combine business conferences with meaningful fun

Events by Eighth Wave activities, exotic experiences and inspiring locations. Though, it should be added, they try to avoid mass marketed features and places, focusing on providing a true and more genuine experience. “The surroundings in Asia are beautiful; outside you have warm weather, nice beaches or rain forests and cultural activities to combine with the five star conferences. There is a lot one can offer.”

Events onboard yachts Picture a dinner with traditional entertainment in a private temple on Bali or in Cambodia, or a branding event on board a yacht in the turquoise waters off Phuket. 8th Wave also recently started organizing events in conjunction with the annual Formula One Race in Singapore. “We probably have the largest directory of yachts in the region for day cruising rentals. On yachts we do cocktail parties, launches and incentives. From Hong Kong and all the way down to Indonesia we of-

Kristina Gardin has had so many exotic personal experiences that she can create the truly unique events for her clients. Here she is riding a camel in India. fer the whole range of boats taking up to 200 people. So there we’re growing quite a lot. We are not only doing the charter but also offer the whole package [food, wine, transfers etc.] It’s a very interesting sector.” When it comes to guiding a cli-

ent about ideas and choosing any specific place accessibility plays a crucial part. Kristina explains: “Attendants do not usually want more than one transfer. And very often when having a conference it’s rare that companies want to compromise on quality and comfort

regarding the conference as such. Then you also have the security aspect and if too odd a place you will not have many flights.” “There aren’t that many exciting destinations that are unexploited and at the same time has a combination of accessibility and security. Finding those rare places is one of our key strengths and there are options out there. One place I feel is coming up is for example Kota Kinabalu, West Malaysia” As for the demand it is growing with the economy. “The willingness to spend is back. It has loosened up a lot this past year and especially in the past six months it has really taken off. Take a thing like yacht cruises – there’s strong demand for that, which wasn’t the case before. Just the idea of spending money on something that could seem luxurious was just not on the map. But suddenly now it’s O.K.”

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White Labels and Investm

Lasse Reinhold, Head of Private Sales, Saxo Capital Markets, Singapore

Already established on the Singaporean market, Saxo Capital Markets have experienced regional success with their award winning investment - and trade platforms, as well as an increased interest in their white label products. By Lars Pinnerup

14 ScandAsia.Singapore â€˘ February 2011

n Singapore, Saxo Capital Markets is no longer to be considered the new kid on the block. Without making too much noise, the subsidiary of Saxo Bank has created a strong foothold on the Singaporean investment market through its platforms offering trade -and investment opportunities for expats - as well as local residents. A recent addition to the Saxo Capital Markets Rooster has been offices in other Asian cities. Saxobank is not a bank in Asia. Without a banking license it is not possible for Saxobank to use the word bank in its name, and that is why the Danish Bank goes under the name Saxo Capital Markets in Singapore. But despite the difference in the name, Saxo Capital Markets more or less offer the same services as its mother company back in Denmark. In connection with an Investors Seminar held by Saxo Capital

Markets for potential and already existing customers, ScandAsia asked Lasse Reinhold, Head of Private Sales, Saxo Capital Markets, Singapore, to elaborate on what has caused the company to experience a success and growth that normally is relatively hard to come by for foreign banks and investment companies trying to penetrate the Asian markets.

Strong product According to Lasse Reinhold, regional competition in Asia consists mainly of local banks offering the same products as Saxo Capital Markets, and despite the presence of other Danish banks in Singapore, Lasse Reinhold states that they are not seen as competitors. â€œOur customer segment consists of everything from expats to local residents who feel there are benefits attached to using our services. Just like in Denmark we are

ment Platforms offering services within trading of stocks, CFD’s, Future contract etc., and we are quite strong when it comes to currency trade.” Now and in the future, Saxo Capital Markets sees a growing potential and demand for CFD’s or Contracts for Differences, especially when it comes to online trading in CFD commodities, where the smaller lot sizes compared to for example futures provides opportunities for a more diverse portfolio, even for smaller investors. Saxo Capital Markets opened their office in Singapore in 2006 and since then representative offices has been opened in Australia, Japan and Hong Kong. And the latter, Hong Kong, can strategically prove very important to Saxo Capital Markets. “There is no doubt, that China is an extremely attractive market, but it is also a market with very steep entrance barriers. The biggest challenge and hurdle is the legislation covering this field of business,” Lasse Reinhold says. But, restrictions and legislative hurdles are not new to Saxo Capital Markets. Getting established in Singapore was a difficult task as well, where the company faced laws and barriers higher than what they were used to in Europe. The demands and regulations on this kind of business are a lot stricter and tougher in Asia than in Denmark and Europe and there are many protectionist laws that make it difficult for an outsider to penetrate the market, Lasse Reinhold explains, who although agrees that once established on the market, this barrier also serves as a competitive advantage as well.

Innovative platform One of Saxo Capital Markets strengths and advantages is their innovative and award winning investment and trading platforms. The concept is simple but elegant. It offers the customers the opportunity to gather all their different kinds of investments and trade opportunities on one platform. This gives the customer a better overview, and more choices, in terms of for example providing guarantees when making new investments. Recently, Shares

Magazine awarded Saxo Capital Markets with “Best Online Trading Platform 2010”. “We have been in front for a long time, when it comes to technology. Our platform is an application based platform with an internet browser based product that also is applicable with cell phones,” Lasse Reinhold explains and continues; “One platform - One company to deal with, is clearly an advantage investment wise. It provides the customer with a more efficient use of capital. You can use your capital from one investment category as a guarantee for other investments in other investment - and trade categories,” Lasse Reinhold elaborates. So far, Saxo Capital Markets platform has been based on Microsoft technology, but Lasse Reinhold reveals that the company would like to include applications applicable to Iphones as well.

Other banks use the platform One of Saxo Capital Markets backdoors to the Asian markets is through their praised trading and investment platforms that not only are used by the company’s own customers, but also by a string of banks in Asia, who, under own colors and logos, use the platform concept of Saxo Capital Markets. This practice, known as white labeling, has turned out to be a success for Saxo Capital Markets. In 2010 the company won the World Finance’s FX award for “Best White Label Solution”. One of the major players on the Asian market, who has decided to use Saxo Capital Markets platform, is City Bank. “It is a huge achievement and compliment to our product that we now are having somebody like City Bank using our technology, and even though we do not use it directly in our marketing, it is definitely something that increases our credibility in the eyes of potential customers, private and corporate. We might not be offering our services directly on all Asian markets, but still, our product is, under different colors, already available in many places,” Lasse Reinhold smiles.

February 2011 • ScandAsia.Singapore 15

Eleven Good Years in

I Actually, we have no plans of going back to Denmark again. I’m enjoying my life fully at the time, we are enjoying the diversity and possibilities here, but of course you always develop new interests

Erik Lund is the Danish General Manager behind the successful Sunquick product line manufactured by Barkath Co-Ro in Butterworth. By Søren Lykke Bülow

16 ScandAsia.Singapore • February 2011

o far, it has been eleven good years. That is how Erik Lund describes his time in Malaysia. He lives on the island of Penang, close to the Thai-Malaysian border, together with his Danish wife and one of their three kids. On the mainland, in the city of Butterworth, he is General Manager of Barkath Co-Ro, the company that produces the well-known fruit-drink Sunquick. ”In the beginning Sunquick was seen as a typical Ramadan product, a product that celebrates the end of the fast,” Erik explains about the immediate success that Sunquick had when it was introduced in Malaysia 40 years ago. The company had to crack the nut and make Sunquick an everyday product. ”We started up some extremely intense campaigns where we for instance gave away free stuff – like drinking bottles. This paid off, and now we are an all-year product.” ”Sunquick is known as a high quality product, and that has a lot to do with it as well,” Erik explains.

Long CO-RO history Barkath Co-Ro is a joint venture of equal shareholding established in 1992 between the Malaysian company Kumpulan Barkath Sdn. Bhd. and the Danish Co_Ro Food A/S. Apart from Malaysia, Sunquick is manufactured in 17 countries and sold in 105 countries. ”One of the reasons for the success is the diversity of Sunquick. It is used not only for drinking. It is also used in cooking food, the lemon flavour is for instance popularly used in the ‘lemon chicken’ dish, and it is also used for ice cream and cakes,” Erik explains. Barkath Co-Ro has also achieved some big awards for its presence and work in Malaysia. The one, Erik Lund is most proud of, is the 2003 National Productivity Award. But Barkath Co-Ro has also entered the ‘Enterprise 50’ as the 27th best company in Malaysia and the Best Joint Venture Award, which was handed over by Malaysia’s Prime Minister. The management of the company has also received prizes for

Malaysia among others its team building efforts at the Malaysian based factory. ”Our factory is running on team spirit, and we have done a lot to gather groups here. This has made it easier to deploy different optimization initiatives,” Erik says. For instance, everyone in the production facility have been given Truck Certificates. This has made each employee less dependent on specific staff. The staff in the warehouse and maintenance has also been instructed to run the machines. This means that they can succeed during breaks and when there is a shortage of staff. ”This optimizes our process much more. We reach some goals we never would have been able to, if we didn’t optimize,” says Erik.

Annual team building Once every year, Erik brings his team on a team building course. This has had a clear effect on the staff. According to him, one of the best trips were when they climbed Mount Kinabalu, the tallest mountain in Malaysia. ”People trained for eight months in advance, and we had a training session on each Saturday. Except for two persons, everyone participated. It led to courage and a better team spirit,” Erik says. At another point, Erik wanted them to learn snorkeling. Something that tourists always do, but at the same time a thing, no member of the staff had ever tried. Once again, it happened over a period of time, starting with basic training in a swimming pool and ending up with a regular team building course on the east coast. ”It’s all about getting them to break some boundaries,” says Erik. ”They are absolutely terrified at the beginning, but still it creates a great feeling of unity, and it creates a feeling of achieving something. This, I believe, has really affected the entire factory.”

three years old when the family left Denmark in 1999. He has been brought up in Malaysia, but will move to Denmark next summer to be part of a football camp and live at a boarding school. And although it is now 11 years since Erik left Denmark, he is not acting completely as a native Malaysian. ”In the beginning I learned quite a lot Bahasa Malay, but I must – with shame – say that I can’t speak it. I never use it, because at the factory everyone speaks English, and between friends it’s always Danish or English. So I have quietly forgotten it,” he says. tomers,” he says. ”We were not hit by the global economic crisis. Sunquick is a product many people switch to when money is low. Instead of buying ready-to-drinks like Coca-Cola, it is cheaper with Sunquick.” ”Actually, we often see prosperity when crisis hits,” he states.

From good to great The 57-year-old Erik Lund started his career with Ro-Ro in 1982 as a Chief Engineer at the company’s factory in Saudi Arabia. After four years there, Erik came to the Danish headquarters, where he among other things worked as head of productions, head of packaging and ended up as Project Manager abroad, which fitted in perfectly

with the possibilities of getting the job in Malaysia. It might seem as quite a big jump to move from Denmark to Malaysia. But for Erik Lund it was not that big a problem. ”I think that when you already have been posted far away once, you and your family have already reflected upon many of the things that need to be considered,” says Eric. ”Of course, your family has to be willing to make that offer and move with you, but my wife and I agreed that it would be exciting to try. Besides, two of our children were of an age where they would be moving away from home,” he says about his now 32-year-old daughter and 30-year-old son. Their youngest son was only

Whatever the future brings Erik Lund is currently living a good life, but at the age of 57 he knows that job wise it might very soon be his last chance to try something new. He has no plans of changing the current situation though. ”Actually, we have no plans of going back to Denmark again. I’m enjoying my life fully at the time, we are enjoying the diversity and possibilities here, but of course you always develop new interests,” he says. ”For now I have chosen to engage myself in the board duties of the Chamber of Commerce down here. You get very useful information and excellent opportunities for networking there.”

Keeping costs low ”We have a tight organisation in the factory, we are only 43 people here in Butterworth,” says Erik. ”Because we can run with such a narrow organisation, we can also keep our prices low. Our fixed costs are at a relatively low level. This is important - for us as well as our cusFebruary 2011 • ScandAsia.Singapore 17

Skipper Niels Shares Sail I think most people who come really for sailing they don’t really want to party but it’s more the sponsors who want to party cause they get something out of it there

Danish Skipper Niels Degenkolw is the right person to consult about everything regarding sailing in Thailand. By Joakim Persson

anish Skipper Niels Degenkolw shrugs his shoulders when reading this dramatic report from the last race day of the 2010 Six Senses Phuket Raceweek:

Niels cancelled to race his own boat, Phoenix, during this regatta. He was not able to find enough qualified crew. And with untrained sailors on board you often end up with damages to the boat, he says.

boats end up together that should not be racing against each other; big boats ending up with small boats etc. “You have to live with that here.”

Qualified sailors welcome

‘An enormous storm descended on Phuket bringing with it 30 to 35 knot gusts and lashing rain… descended over the race course and all hell broke loose in torrential rain and zero visibility.’ ‘… Boats had already taken deep reefs in their mainsails and were carrying small head sails but the boats that couldn’t were completely overpowered and out of control on the race course.… brand new Phuket 8 Surf Patrol was the first casualty when the boat almost capsized in over 30 knots and in doing so, lost two crew members.’ ‘Dismasted near the start line… they were attempting to sort out the mess of rigging and sails dragging in the water on their port side…’

Niels Degenkolw welcomes qualified sailors to join him on his boat in the many regattas taking place around Phuket and the Andaman Sea. However, only the experienced sailors need apply. He takes the competition side of these leisure events seriously and is not in favour of too much partying each night of the races. “The combination does not work very well. We’ve had problems before where I had to speak very harshly to crew members. They can party on the last day or in some regattas you have a lay day, so they can drink the day before lay day.” “I think most people who come really for sailing they don’t really want to party but it’s more the sponsors who want to party cause they get something out of it there,” he adds. Another issue with the regattas is when there are sometimes not enough boats in a race class and

As for sailing around Phuket it is not much to write home to Scandinavia about, thinks Niels Degenkolw. And with his strong track record sailing sailing in Phang Nga bay and the Andaman Sea, he is definitely the right person to talk to. “Not in terms of wind which always shifts during high season due to high pressure over Mongolia. If the high pressure is very high there we have more wind here.” “In a day there is very little wind; if one wants to sail here come in low season May to July, when you’ll get days with rain but with much greater chances of wind. The islands are fantastic and anchorage is very good.” There is actually a guide book available showing all the anchorages and which one is good for the night in high and low season, says Niels who has more knowledge about sailing than most people. With Phoenix he has attended regattas during the past four years after having found the boat in Ma-

In his opinion, the mess was not due to the weather - these kinds of conditions are by no means unusual in the West - it was because the boats had inexperienced crews onboard. It was for this very reason that 18 ScandAsia.Singapore • February 2011

Not much to write home about

ling Insights from Phuket laysia and doing needed refurbishing. Among them he thinks the Samui Regatta is good and that Raja Muda in Malaysia is well organised: “you have only one night on anchor while the other nights are in a marina.”

long Farr on which his skilled crew of craftsmen painstakingly replaced a couple of million baht’s worth of teak, in addition to other refits.

Going ashore

Exciting odyssey

When meeting Niels Degenkolw, any sailing enthusiast will be thrilled to hear him recall his exciting odyssey on the seven seas. He left Denmark in 1993 on his First Vision, wanting to sail around the world. This boat was designed and also sailed by no other than Paul Elvstrøm – the legendary Danish Olympic sailor – initially winning all the regattas in Scandinavia with him as skipper. Niels has not returned since and after lengthy sailing journeys and stays on various places around the world (including Brazil, Haiti, Trinidad-Tobago etc.) he arrived to Phuket in late 1999 with his then Brazilian lady and decided to stay on. Before then he had built boats back in Denmark, working for Elvstrøm among others and in col-

laboration with shipyards in Poland. The plan was to stay only two months in Thailand but there was no wind to continue the journey and having all the time in the world he decided to stay (though the Brazilian eventually returned home) and has been here ever since, except shorter trips to Malaysia. Initially he successfully started doing charter for a few years on his own boat, getting a lot of Danish

clients through a charter company. Following on that he started Vision Yacht which he still runs today doing repairs on bigger yachts and mega yachts. “Meanwhile I raced as skipper. I had a lifestyle that was extremely good. I could go sailing all the regattas and my staff looked after work when I was away.” His latest assignment was an extensive renovation of a 72 feet

Having no intention to leave Phuket, at 65, his life is about to change in one aspect though. Having acquired some land overlooking Phang Nga bay he intends to build a house for himself. “I think it’s time to change my lifestyle. I will still race by keeping the small boat. I still like the racing and as long as I can I will continue. One gets older… but it’s very difficult to get off because I lived on board First Vison for 24 years. It’s a big part of my life.” The design of his forthcoming house will have a marine theme though, shaped as a boat, so he will still feel like if staying on the water.

February 2011 • ScandAsia.Singapore 19

Banking in China Working with corporate finance in Asia and being able to see the new China develop from a financial point of view under 20 years has been a fantastic journey and a fun experience

Text and photo: Alexandra Leyton Espinoza

redrik Ektander first came to China in 1991. He was then based in Hong Kong as Regional Head of SEB Trading Capital Markets, responsible for the North East Asian markets including China. He recalls his first visit to the Agricultural Bank of China, (ABC) Head office and a meeting with the Head of the International Department. “He was dressed up in an old green uniform with Mao and Chinese flag badges. He talked about the rice harvest, the latest 5 year plan, the Party and Mao’s thoughts. He was not at all discussing banking. My first reaction after the meeting was, “this will never work”, he says. 20 years later, China has become the world’s second largest economy both in nominal and PPP terms and Ektander has been able to follow that development very closely, as Head of Trading and Capital Markets in Hong Kong from 1991 to 1994, the same position in Singapore from 1994 to 1998 and since 2006 as Chief Representative for SEB in Beijing. “Working with banking in Asia and being able to see the new China developing in a financial perspective under 20 years has been a fantastic journey and an interesting experience,” he says. According to Ektander, many Swedes, and other foreigners for that matter, either don’t understand

what’s really going on in China or have preconceived ideas of the country. All they see is a big and dangerous communist state with poor human rights conditions, large environmental problems and corruption. However, that is only part of the description. “China has during the last 30 years transformed its planned economy to a fast growing state capitalist country based on a one-party system with a mix of capitalism, market economy, socialism, all with “Chinese characters”. It has also lifted 400 million people out of poverty. This combined with enormous FX reserves and a relatively stable financial position has created a platform for China to regain its former position as the world’s largest economy, a position it had some 400 years ago,” Ektander says. According to Ektander, Chinese political leaders have the benefit of studying other countries’ political and economic systems when developing their own. They are also closely studying political and financial crises that have occurred and are occurring, such as the banking crisis in South East Asia in 1997, the ongoing financial and economic problems in Japan, the Swedish banking crisis in 1993 and of course the development in the US and Europe in during the last three years. “The Chinese banking system is

20 ScandAsia.Singapore • February 2011

very central in the domestic economy and the Chinese people save a very large part of their income in banks, hence a banking crisis in China could have very serious effects on the whole system,” Ektander says. “The fast growth of the economy that to a large extent has been export driven has resulted in the world’s by now largest foreign exchange reserves. These represent 30 years of public savings that today predominantly are used to finance other countries growing deficits. We should however expect more strategic foreign direct investments in different fields in the future such as high tech companies, commodity producers, financial institutions, etc. China will need to invest heavily in developed and developing countries around the World to secure future supplies of raw materials, commodities and technology.” “One of the future challenges for China will be to rebalance its domestic economy from export and investment based to more private consumption based. This will require improvements and huge investments in the social and pension systems and healthcare services. Another challenge will be to move 200 to 300 million people from the countryside to cities during the coming 20 years.” “Sweden has a special role in China. It was the first western country to establish diplomatic relations

with the People’s Republic in early 1950 and has since had good relations with the Middle Kingdom. Sweden’s highly developed social welfare system, high tech companies and environmental protection industry have served as a models for Chinese politicians planning for China’s future reforms.” So how do you succeed in China’s booming economy? According to Ektander it is to ask yourself why you are here and what your unique selling points are and to understand the Chinese consumer. “Ikea and H&M have been and successful showing good growth in China. The Danish fashion group Bestseller with brands such as Vero Moda and Jack and Jones is another example of a successful foreign player on the fast growing domestic consumer market,” he says. In addition to his role as Chief Representative of SEB in Beijing, Fredrik Ektander is also devoting time for the Swedish Chamber of Commerce where he holds the position of Chairman of the Beijing Chapter as well as the European Union Chamber of Commerce Banking Working Group where he is Vice Chairman. “In my different roles I get the benefit of seeing and learning a lot of what is happing in the Chinese society, and that is very interesting,” he says.

Staffen Herrström’s Time Cut Short while the consulate and the trade council in Ho Chi Minh City will not be influenced by the budget cut.

Frustrations

Staffen Herrström, newly appointed Ambassador of Sweden to Vietnam, is frustrated that his embassy will be closed down. By Anh Le

our months working in Vietnam as ambassador is a short time, but Staffen Herrström, newly appointed Ambassador of Sweden to Vietnam, has already gained a lot of popularity among Vietnamese inside and outside of Vietnam. With his enthusiasm and vast experience from his previous positions as a politician, state secretary, deputy director general for the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) and ambassador to Tanzania, it did not take him long time to take control of his new posting as ambassador of Sweden to Vietnam. Then suddenly came the surprising message that the government had decided to close down the embassy. The closure will take place in the second half of this year,

Staffen Herrström came to Vietnam together with his wife, Karin Herrström and their two daughters; Sofia and Amanda in September 2010. The Ambassador has so far enjoyed his stay in Vietnam where all of his thought are centered around the staff and the work. It frustrates him that he will have such a short time together with his staff and that many of the things he had planned to do will now not be possible to carry out. Among other things projects related to children rights and the rights of lesbian and gay people. “I would have liked to put more effort into the issues around children’s rights not to suffer from violence and domestic abuse and the issue of the rights of the lesbian and gay people,” he says regretfully. He also regrets that he will not be available for the many Swedish companies in Vietnam if they should need his assistance in the coming years. This prominent presence of Swedish companies in Vietnam is something that makes him feel proud as a Swede. “We have many great companies here. Take Ericsson, Oriflame, Ikea ect and they take care of social responsibility for the workers and introduce green solutions.” He has no doubt that the pres-

ence of Swedish companies in Vietnam and their working concept make the Vietnamese companies more competitive.

Alternative ways The presence of the Swedish embassy in Hanoi as well as the many Swedes and Swedish companies in Vietnam has somehow become a matter of course as Vietnam has such a good and long-term relationship with Sweden. “There are so many Swedes here that are really close to Vietnam, not just foreigners coming and going, but really at home here, - and there are so many Vietnamese seeing the relationship to Sweden as in a category of its own.” “It is important that we find alternative ways to nurture and to build something that can keep this special relationship.” “During the coming months we will explore alternative forms for representation. Should there be a consulate in Hanoi or not is something we need to find out very soon,” Staffen Herrström says. When he heard the bad news, his first thoughts were about his staff. How would they be doing then and how would their future be affected? “I will do everything possible to take care of my staff and to maintain the relations with Vietnam during the time remaining for me in Hanoi,” he says.

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February 2011 • ScandAsia.Singapore 21

40 Years of Serving

Mary Narayanan with all ‘her’ Ambassadors to Singapore, from left to right: Ambassador Vibeke Rovsing Lauritzen, Under-Secretary for Foreign Trade and Investment. Ambassador Klavs Holm, Centre for Public Diplomacy. Ambassador Niels Dyrlund (sadly he passed away on 14/11/2010). Ambassador Jens Peter Larsen (retired). Ambassador Jørgen Holm (retired).

Mary Narayanan has served as an assistant to the Danish Embassy in Singapore since 1970. On November 1, 2010 she was awarded The Silver Medal for her lifelong effort helping Denmark and Danes in the small South-East Asian state. By Thomas Lykke Pedersen

n the newly renovated spaces of the Danish Embassy in Singapore, Personal Assistant Mary Narayanan enjoys her new private office. Even though she is truly a people's person, she also likes the fact that she is now able to close the door behind her and focus on the tasks ahead. But when the door is opened Mary's warmth immediately rushes towards anyone coming in contact with the neat, little lady with the characteristic curly hair, black as ebony. On her desk lies a little, red leather notebook. Time has taken its toll on the book, and the back is

supported by several layers of tape. From inside, dozens of yellow 'post it' notes are peeping out showing names and numbers, as all of the pages are already full, and have been for quite some time. For 40 years that little, red notebook has been Mary's faithful helper at the Danish Embassy.

Forever grateful For four decades, Mary Narayanan has served as an assistant to seven different Danish ambassadors in Singapore. Back in the 70's before it was even a real embassy, she was there. Last year on the 1st of November Mary was honoured for her lifelong

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22 ScandAsia.Singapore • February 2011

Denmark effort helping Denmark and Danes in South-East Asia, at a reception held at the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Copenhagen. Here, she was given the Silver Medal awarded by Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II and presented to her by former Ambassador Vibeke Rovsing Lauritzen or “lady boss”, as Mary also calls her. “The medal is a lifetime achievement for me. It's a real meaningful milestone of which I am so happy and grateful,” Mary says in a tone of voice filled with emotions and also pride. Vibeke Rovsing Lauritzen was also the one who had arranged and hosted the reception where former colleagues and Ambassadors came from all over Denmark to celebrate their highly appreciated assistant, something that almost overwhelmed Mary. “They came for me. Solely. I could not believe it. The reception was a moment I will always treasure,” says Mary. Among the guests were Niels Kaas Dyrlund who was the ambassador to Singapore from 1994 to 1997. Sadly he passed away only two weeks after the reception, but despite being fatally sick, he came to greet Mary. Back in Singapore, Mary's current colleagues of course also acknowledged her admirable achievement, even though under somewhat less formal circumstances. A 'pizza party' was thrown at the office, and also in Singapore the celebration meant seeing old friends. Among others, Priest at the Danish Seamen's Church, Ronald Pedersen showed up talking about old days. Mary was there, you see, when Ronald Pedersen and his wife, Inge, came to Singapore for the first time to set up the Danish church 25 years ago.

Diplomatic among diplomats As in any career, Mary has had her ups and downs. The, over time, countless business delegations have always meant a lot of extra hours behind the desk coordinating this and that. Most recent in connection with the Youth Olympic Games held in Singapore, where the Danish Embassy hosted a reception for all the Danish athletes. “I can only take it one day at a time, and the many hours simply come with the territory. If I did not like my job, I would probably not stick around for 40 years,” says Mary. And the job has always liked her as well, so today there is still a strong bond between Mary and several of the former Ambassadors. “If there's a mutual respect you will work great together professionally and often socially as well. But that respect has to be earned from both sides. Over the years I came to respect all of my former bosses,” she says. But when asked to mention some of the best moments from the 40 years, Mary is reluctant. She hesitates to speak about specific incidents because that would not be fair to the other ambassadors not mentioned. That is the kind of woman Mary Narayanan is. Still, there is no doubt that one of the longest serving ambassadors Jørgen Ørstrøm Møller, holds something special with Mary. Today the former ambassador works as an adjunct professor at a Singaporean university within South-East Asian studies and is widely known around the world. And Mary and him speak to each other as often as their busy schedules allow it. “He is just wonderful. You will tell

him one thing that he already knows, and he will tell you two things that you don't know, and at the same time he is one of the most humourous persons I have ever met,” says Mary with a smile. But humour is not the only Danish characteristic, Mary is fond of. “Danes are always very open minded, and say what they mean. In Asia it is very important to save face. Danes don't really care about that. If they make a mistake they don't think to much of if, but move on and learn from it. I like that,” she says.

spare time Mary is also involved as a volunteer in an orphanage project in Cambodia. An activity she hopes to put a lot more hours into, when she eventually leaves the Danish Embassy. So Mary has a lot to tend to in her “retirement” but she would not have it any other way. “Life is short and I shall enjoy my life to the fullest. The challenge is to remain young at heart, always,” she states.

A kind of retirement At the end of this year, Mary Narayanan was supposed to retire after her long and glorious career at the Embassy. But that is not entirely what is going to happen. Mary has been asked to stay on for a part time gig training a new assistant, and she did not hesitate for long before deciding. “This part time job offer fits perfectly with my wish to stay forever young. I can't just quit like that, I would miss it to much, and I think maybe the Embassy would miss me to,” Mary says with a twinkle in her eye. Even though still on the job market, Mary is beginning to look at things to do when it is all over, and the first priority will be her family. As a hobby project she is preparing a scrapbook of her 40 years of service, where former colleagues and their wives have to contribute. “I am e-mailing to the wives of the ambassadors asking them what pictures they have gathered over the years. I think I will have better luck asking the wives, and I look forward to making this book of memories,” she says. Besides the scrapbook, in her

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For Sale

February 2011 • ScandAsia.Singapore 23

Aava Resort & Spa Ready to Roll The high season in Thailand is fully flowing, and the same goes for Finnish resort, Aava Resort & Spa in Khanom. The new resort was fully booked since December 13th and the owners Kati Häkkinen and Atte Savisalo will be busy for months to come. By Søren Lykke Bülow

ati Häkkinen and Atte Savisalo are currently enjoying their lives in Khanom, on the main land close to Koh Samui in the south-eastern part of Thailand. In September, their new resort, Aava Resort & Spa, celebrated its Grand Opening, and now the Finnish couple for the first time are facing the challenges of Thailand’s high season. ”Right now it’s going pretty well. Khanom was affected by all the floods in the autumn, and our basement was destroyed because of the water. We lost our server, had some electricity black outs and such things. But we were soon up and running again,” Kati Häkkinen says.

Positive reactions Aava Resort & Spa has actually had visitors since December 2009, although it didn’t inaugurate officially before February 2010. The visitors,

who have stayed at the resort so far, have mostly left the place with great satisfaction, says Kati. ”98 percent of the customers have seemed very happy about Aava Resort & Spa,” says Kati based on feedback from her guests. She sees another type of customer going to Khanom than for instance to Koh Samui. ”Most of the people who come here have already travelled a lot in Thailand. They have seen most of the tourist places, and now they are looking for a more relaxed area, and in that sense Khanom is a bit of a paradise.” The Finns have all-in-all found a place where not many foreigners normally go, but in an area that has great potential. ”The Khanom area is simply wonderful. When you look around in the area there is just such an abundance of beautiful beaches, and as it turns out, more and more

people ask for prices of land here,” Kati says.

Quickly attractive The minimalistic Avaa Resort & Spa has quickly become a success in Khanom, and with fully booked rooms, interest has been growing increasingly and fast. ”We have been mentioned in media all over the world which has been great for us. But one of the important ways for us to promote ourselves is by promoting Khanom. We never promote only Aava Resort & Spa,” Kati says. ”That is because Khanom is such a different place from most of the places that the tourists normally go to. If we only promote only Aava Resort & Spa, then a customer might think that they might arrive at a place like Phuket or Hua Hin. So our focus is on the area, the beauty and how natural Khanom is,” she explains as one of the reason for the success.

Co-watching the area Kati Häkkinen emphasises the area’s ability to always think of what is best for the surroundings as an important part in the development of Khanom. ”The local community really follows the instructions and regulations put in place here. The society is waiting for the development of Khanom, but everyone is focused on not ending up as Koh Samui for instance,” she says. ”Khanom people are proud of the area, and there is a mutual respect around here,” Kati mentions 24 ScandAsia.Singapore • February 2011

as one of the important reasons that Khanom will keep its spirit and not ‘sell-out’ too much to tourism. She believes that people in Khanom have learned a lot from Koh Samui, where the development suddenly took a ‘wrong turn’, as she calls it. The population of Khanom is really focused on the originality and quality of the area. The feeling is that the local population will not succome to modern mass tourism.

The high season The first really challenging tasks for Kati and Atte has been the high season that started before Christmas and continues long into the spring. ”We have high hopes for the high season. We were fully booked from 13th of December and all the way until the 15th of January. Then we had a few weeks off with some rooms left, and the we are fully booked again for the rest of February. It looks very good for us,” Kati says. The customers are not only from Finland. Many different nationalities come by. ”We have had many Thai companies coming and, as it turns out, many Thai families do trips in the weekends, so we have had a lot of Thai customers. But now we are in the season, where many Scandinavians will come.” ”Around Christmas time, 98 percent of our customers were Finns, but the rest of the time it is a mix of all types of people,” says Kati Häkkinen.

Scandinavian Ideas and Initiatives Benefit Expatriates in Hanoi By Anh Le

1. Alfred Poulsen and Christian Jensen as the pirates with the Danish stall in the background 2. Ruben Lykkegren at the Danish stall

t is not easy to be a foreigner living in a country with a totally different culture. This is where Hanoi International Women Club (HIWC) makes a big difference as a gateway to the integration in Vietnam. The goal of the club is to provide the expatriate women a better quality of living in Hanoi, which makes them feel at home and welcomed when they have to stay in the country. People can share their different findings, just from where to buy a blue cheese to how to get around the city most conveniently. Hanoi International Women Club was founded in 1986 by a group of about 30 diplomatic women in Hanoi. The number of member increases gradually as more expatriates are coming to Hanoi and today the club has about 250 members from more than 40 countries, 25 of which are Scandinavian. The club provides its members with many monthly arrangements such as coffee morning, newcomers welcome, helping hand and cocktail evening and also Luncheon four times a year. Outdoor activities like

3. Norwegian stall 4. Commercial Table of Song 5. From the left: Enzo Filoni, Kristian Dahl, Susanne Jepsen, Urzi Filoni at ther Danish stall

6. Swedish stall with Coordinator Eva Borchgrevink, Anne McElroy & Ruth Clewett, 7. Charity Tables Coordinators at the Charity making Dreams Come

True’s tent. 8. Finlands stall was well staffed.

golf and tennis are also available; for Hanoi’s newcomers, HIWC offers a lot.

responsibility of each field, for instance, there is one coordinator to take care of the organization of the club, one for the magazine, one for the membership, etc. The club has throughout many years been a place for expatriate women meeting and establishing a strong network. The club has a lot to offer also for those who has been in Hanoi for several years. Ms Merete Dahl from Denmark tells about her relation to HIWC: “Even though I have been an expatriate as well as a member of the club for three years, I still think I can gain a lot from the club,” she says. “It remains a pleasure to join the club’s luncheon or coffee morning and say “hello” to new members. Merete is actively joining the club as a web coordinator. Scandinavian people are well-represented. It can be due to the Scandinavian socioculture that they always participate actively in the society. Many positions on the HIWC’s board are filled by Scandinavian and they will normally be there until they no longer stay in the country.

Charity Bazaar The biggest event of the club is the Charity Bazaar, which is held once a year in the last Sunday of November. The participants are divided in five main groups: country table, corporate sponsor, commercial table, charity table and visitors. The income of the bazaar mainly comes from the Country table group, which is representative of different countries paying for a stall to sell their traditional food and stuff. Through the bazaar, the club has been able to bring together different cultures and show its diversity. All the proceeds of the bazaar are used for charity purpose such as supporting aid projects, helping disadvantaged women and children in primary Northern Vietnam. The profit from last year has, for example, been used to support the eye operation. The HIWC is being run by the effort from many voluntary coordinators. The coordinators arrange the activities and have their own

Facts HIWC started in 1986, 25 years anniversary in 2011. 250 members from 45-50 countries, 25 of this is Scandinavian countries Monthly arrangements: Coffee mornings, newcomers welcome, helping hand and cocktail evenings + 4 luncheons yearly. Outdoor activity like golf, tennis, mahjong, cooking classes, book clubs etc. HIWC is managed by a board of 14 coordinators, each has its own field of responsibility Charity Bazaar every year Charity Projects is running by the Community Aid Commitee CAC.

February 2011 • ScandAsia.Singapore 25

Medium

Baked Salmon Fillet in Foil

Evil

ot only is this an easy way to bake fish, but preparing salmon fillet with savory rosemary and vegetables makes this a delicious and flavorful meal. It is a known fact that seafood is healthy food and that salmon, especially, is very rich in Omega 3 Fatty Acid, which lowers our cholesterol. Baking the fish in aluminum foil makes the clean-up easy, so this recipe has numerous benefits. This recipe is for four people.

Ingredients: 1 pound fish fillet - skin on 1 small onion, thinly sliced Fresh rosemary, chopped. 1/2 tablespoon olive oil 1/2 tablespoon lemon zest 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice Ground sea salt Coarsely ground black pepper Aluminum foil

Are you done?

Preparation: Brush olive oil on a large piece of aluminum foil. Place rinsed and dried fillet, skin-side down on foil. Sprinkle lemon zest, salt, pepper and rosemary

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Vegetables: Broccoli florets Sliced red peppers Sliced yellow squash Thinly sliced red skin potatoes Arrange vegetables over fish. Spritz lemon juice and sprinkle ground sea salt sparingly. Fold foil tightly around the salmon fillet and vegetables and place on a baking sheet in a preheated oven at 350 C.. Bake 20 minutes.

Serving Suggestion: Place serving platter on top of the foil-covered salmon fillet. Turn platter over and remove foil. Remove skin from fillet. Garnish with tomatoes, parsley sprigs and lemon slices.

This is a great fish recipe and believe me, Norwegians know how to cook seafood.

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FiSK

by snorre food

Scandinavia in Singapore Snorre Food has just opened the doors of its much anticipated Scandinavian specialty seafood showroom and distribution facility, FISK. Sourced from the pure and cold oceanic coast of the North Atlantic, FISK brings you a unique and wide assortment of the finest seafood The North Sea has to offer, in dainty portions, choice cuts and fillets. Available fresh, frozen, or marinated, we carry an extensive range of rare and delectable seafood, perfect for any dinner party or special occasion. Choose from Cod, Plaice, Turbot, Halibut, Lobsters, Langoustines, King Crab, Scallops, Mussels, Greenland Shrimps, Caviar and our delicious variety of seafood salad and selection of Herring. We also have an enticing collection of sauces and condiments that is sure to make you feel at home. Come and see for yourself. We bring in fresh fish and seafood from Scandinavia every Tuesday and Friday. To avoid any disappointment, please call Ken at 6265 9659 a day in advance to find out if your preference of fresh seafood is available at our 25 Fishery Port Road facility. Also, be sure to enquire about our seasonal range of seafood. You can now have a slice of Scandinavia in your home. Opening hours | Tuesday - Friday: 11am - 6pm | Saturday: 10am - 4pm | Closed on Sunday, Monday & Public Holiday

25 Fishery Port Road, Jurong, Singapore 619739 tel: +65 6538 3303 fax: +65 6538 0104 email: fisk@snorrefood.com.sg