ScandAsia South East Asia - October 2013

OCT 2013

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KL Vikings

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Past Events

Copenhagen Solutions Exhibition in Kuala Lumpur

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n September 23, the Embassy of Denmark in Kuala Lumpur launched the exhibition “Copenhagen Solutions” together with the Malaysian Institute of Architects (PAM) and Real Estate & Housing Developers’ Association (REHDA).

Held in Wisma REHDA from September 23 until October 4, the exhibition was organized to put focus on green and sustainable cities in relation to the upcoming World Class Sustainable Cities Conference in Kuala Lumpur, according to the Danish Embassy in Malaysia.

October 2013 • ScandAsia.South East Asia

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Past Events

SSM brings Crayfish Party to town

By Ranjini T.Larsen

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ordics who craved for the traditional crayfish party thrown in their home countries got a taste of the real thing when The Scandinavian Society Malaysia (SSM) held its traditional crayfish party at the picturesque Tropicana Golf & Country Club on September 21.

At least 45 kilos of crayfish boiled in salt water and fresh dill were cooked at the on-site kitchen, with SSM playing hosts to several Malaysians who were also keen to experience the summertime tradition. The crayfish celebration was started in Sweden, and is also enjoyed in Finland. As crayfish harvesting is only allowed in late summer, the SSM aptly called the celebration as the “Late Summer Party”.

About 50-odd guests got their fingers dirty for the juicy crustaceans, accompanied by the must-have aquavits, beer and wine. Paired with the usual ‘noise’ and traditional drinking songs, the atmosphere by the greens was as jovial as a crayfish party should be. DJ Stella Nutella also kept the crowd entertained with popular Scandinavian dance songs.

Founded in 1965, the SSM offers help, support, advice as well as creates various events to ensure that expats have a truly exciting and maximized stay in Malaysia.

The guests, made up of both members and non-members, had another reason to celebrate - as earlier in the evening the SSM had successfully concluded its Annual General Meeting. Swedish national Tommy Lagerhjelm had more reason to celebrate, as he retained his title as President for another year, and gave an insight to his plans for the SSM for the coming year.

Others in the committee are: Anders Krogh, Henrik Möller, Michael Jensen – Secretary, Mats Engstrøm – Treasurer, Lena Engstrøm, and Bo Møller Pedersen “My main goal is to increase the visibility of the SSM amongst the Scandinavians and Europeans who live in Malaysia. One of the strategies is to work closely with the Business Councils of the respective (Scandinavian) countries, and try to arrange some get togethers.

I am also keen to extend the visibility to the British and Australians, as there is a good community of those nationalities currently residing in Malaysia. SSM aims to create business opportunities, apart from networking opportunities,” said Lagerhjelm.

By formulating a networking that works, Lagerhjelm hopes that the SSM can also help (new) expats settle into Malaysia smoothly. He advises expats who have just moved to Malaysia to approach the society, as it could assists them in giving them the right advice and service.

“Anything from setting-up a company, medical insurance, to maid services; the SSM is a one-stop centre and we hope that expats will leverage on this service,” he added.

With the organization of business networking events settled by collaborating with the respective Business Councils, the SSM will give increased focus on family and community type events for the coming year, the sort of events it mainly focuses on.

The SSM currently has 150 members, and those interested to be members can visit the SSM Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ScandinavianSocietyMalaysia or the forum at www.scandinaviansocietymalaysia.com for more information on signingup and membership fees.

Also, if you are keen to attend a Crayfish party in the future, here are tips to make you tackle the Crayfish like a pro:

How to eat Crayfish according to the SSM! “Suck the Head – Pinch the tail!

Break off the pincers. Take a firm hold of a pincer and snap it off at the first joint.

Suck the juice and chew the meat out of the joint if any.

Now grab the head firmly with one hand and the tail with the other at the spot under the belly where the tail meets the head. Pull and twist the tail gently, to separate from the head.

This is the time when you suck the head (this is optional). The head of the crayfish contains lots of juice and flavor that many call the “fat”. Squeeze the shell as you suck the flavor from the crayfish for maximum effect. Take off the back plate. Scrape out the ‘butter’ inside and eat it.

Suck to extract the juice in the body. Eat the crayfish eggs if any.

Split the tail open on one side. Detach the meat in one piece. Split the tail meat in the middle and remove the dark intestinal tract.

Pop in the mouth and enjoy this small heavenly treat. And don’t forget to followup with a SKAL!

4 ScandAsia.South East Asia • October 2013

News Brief

Swedish Clean Motion to produce electric 3-wheeler in Indonesia

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he Swedish company Clean Motion behind the Zbee electric 3-wheeler has established a local manufacturing partnership with PT Lundin Industry in Indonesia With the locally made electric vehicle the company is looking to enter the Indonesian market with a more competitive pricing. The estimated price stands at 80 million Indonesian rupiah (around 7,000 US dollars). The production of the first 100 units is expected to commence in the second week of September.

The urban runabout targets to replace the numerous Bajaj auto rickshaws that ply on the roads of Jakarta, the capital city of Indonesia. The Zbee was showcased in the country yesterday at the Ritech Technology Expo-18 in Jakarta. Indonesian President Mr. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono unveiled the EV. The three wheeler is powered by a 4 KW electric motor that consumes 40 Wh of electricity per km. On a full charge the Zbee can travel up to 50km. The three-seater weighs a mere 230kg and has a top speed of 45kph and is suitable for short distance urban transportation.

Just like the Bajaj rickshaw, the Clean Motion Zbee can be maneuvered with the help of a handlebar. Apart from Indonesia, Clean Motion is also looking to enter other Asian markets as well.

Danish ambassador visits Carlsberg Brewery Malaysia

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n September 3, the Danish Ambassador to Malaysia Nicolai Ruge met with some of the key persons in Carlsberg’s Asia section. The purpose of the visit was to learn about the multi-brand strategy and discuss opportunities for collaboration with the Danish Trade Council.

Besides Head of Trade Joakim Larsen, he met with Managing Director & Regional CEO in South East Asia Henrik Andersen, Supply Chain Director Kristian Dahl, and Business Development Manager Frederik Grumpel at the Carlsberg factory, which is one of the oldest Danish subsidiaries in Malaysia.

October 2013 • ScandAsia.South East Asia

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News Brief

Finnish Minister of Education Krista Kiuru visits Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore

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n August this year, Finland’s Minister of Education and Science Krista Kiuru visited Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore to share experiences from the Finnish way of running the educational system. Also, she also wished to find inspiration to how Finland can solve its future school related problems.

Her delegation included the Finnish ICT companies Rovio, who is the founder of the Angry Birds videogame, and Songhi, demonstrating the growing interest in South East Asia towards Finnish companies who operate in the education and training sector.

On Ms. Kiuru’s way around the region, she was sharply followed by officials and journalists where she gave many interviews concerning the Finnish school system and how Finland manages to have some of the best resulted primary school pupils in the world.

In Indonesia she was interviewed by Jakarta Post about how Finland manages to spend a huge percentage of the national budget on education, while the rest of Europe suffers from economic crisis. She explained that it would be stupid to cut the education budget for the future generation of the country.

Furthermore she explained that the reason why Finland does not support elite schools is that in Finland they do not believe the teachers are able to see what skills a student might develop in the future, in the early school years.

“We don’t believe that only the most highly qualified students will make the biggest difference to society. If we want to develop society as a whole, we have to educate the whole nation — even the least able,” she said to the Jakarta Post.

In Singapore Ms. Kiuru visited Rulang Primary School, where she met several Singapore officials, including Director-General of Education Ho Peng. Channel NewsAsia quoted her for saying following about exchanging educational experiences with Singapore: “I definitely believe we can learn from you (Singapore). We cannot be one of the top-class education organizers if we don’t believe that we can develop the system to meet the future challenges,” she said.

Moreover Ms. Kiuru said Finland could collaborate with Singapore on several areas, such as the sharing of Finnish educational technology expertise and exchanging tips on teacher training and group work in the classroom.

In Malaysia Kiuru was acquainted with the country’s Education Blueprint and the 1BestariNet project, and she held discussions with Malaysia’s Deputy Minister of Education P. Kamalanathan in Putrajaya.

Ministers of Education Krista Kiuru and Muhammad Nuh in Jakarta

Minister of Education Krista Kiuru and Jakarta Vice Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama in Jakarta

Minister Krista Kiuru and Agus R. Hoetman Deputy Minister of Research and Technology and Musliar Kasim Vice minister of Education and Culture

Mr. Gusti Muhammad Hatta Minister of Research and Technology and Minister Kiuru and Angry Birds creator Peter Vesterbacka 6 ScandAsia.South East Asia • October 2013

Minister Krista Kiuru with Minister Muhammad Nuh looking at portraits of the previous Indonesian ministers of education

News Brief

Malaysian kids learn Swedish cooking Palsgaard opens new factory in Malaysia

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anish emulsifier specialist Palsgaard has announced that the company’s new factory is open and ready for business.

The facility is able to produce various single emulsifiers as well as a variety of emulsifiers and stabilizer blends and has a capacity of 20,000 MT per year.

The factory is located in Nusajaya, Johor, in the southern part of Malaysia and has cost approximately US$36 million to build.

The location for Palsgaard’s new facility was chosen specifically for its proximity to the source of raw materials, such as palm oil and its derivatives. Additionally, Palsgaard says that the infrastructure is very developed and the location is great as it offers easy access to the harbour as well as to Palsgaard Singapore’s Innovation Centre for dairy, ice cream, soya, bakery, and confectionery applications.

The new factory covers an area of around 7,300 square metres, comprising a high tech manufacturing plant and R&D facility, laboratory, warehouse and administration centre. It is said to be a highly automated plant with integrated energy saving functionalities to ensure the continuation of Palsgaard’s dedication to CSR.

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s a part of the campaign “Culinary Sweden” in Malaysia the Embassy of Sweden had invited Malaysian children to learn traditional Swedish cooking at Young Chefs Academy. The children came from Rumah Kids and Rumah Hope and besides the Chef Abang Brian they were assisted by two little girls dressed as Pippi Longstocking, who is a known character from the popular children’s books written by Swedish author Astrid Lindgren.

According to the food event’s Facebook page, about 40 children participated in the Swedish cooking class and learned to cook Swedish meatballs and chocolate biskvis.

The campaign Culinary Sweden ran from September 12 – 22 in Kuala Lumpur and included a long list of other events. The purpose of this event is to profile Sweden as the new great food nation, to promote and raise awareness of the unique Swedish cuisine and to encourage cultural exchange through food between Malaysian and Swedish Community.

Photos by Michael Hoo and NZ Phang.

B a g s væ r d k o s t s k o l e gymnasium tid til talent

Sweden to help solve traffic problems in Jakarta

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he Swedish Government will introduce the Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) in Jakarta. That was the message from the Swedish Ambassador to Indonesia spoke at the JakartaCity Hall on September 13, Antara News reported.

“We come here to offer a solution to traffic jams in Jakarta through the Electronic Road Pricing system,” Ewa Polano said.

The ERP system and technology, which has been used in Sweden, is the best method to resolve the traffic problems in Jakarta, the ambassador noted after meeting with the Deputy Governor of Jakarta, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama.

“We hope to begin using this system in Jakarta, Bandung, Semarang, Surabaya and other cities in Indonesia because we have the best system and technology in the implementation of ERP,” she said.

Basuki Tjahaja Purnama is welcoming the offer from the Swedish Government.

“We are actually ready for the implementation of the ERP system along main roads in Jakarta, but we also will make every effort to increase the number of public buses,” he said.

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October 2013 • ScandAsia.South East Asia

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News Brief

The Act of Killing goes free in Indonesia

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anish film production company Final Cut For Real ApS is supporting free distribution of the genocide documentary “The Act of Killing” in Indonesia.

In a partnership with Drafthouse Films, global media company VICE, integrated digital platform VHX and the anonumous crew behind the film the Danish film production company, Final Cut Pro For Real Aps is participating in making Joshua Oppenheimer’s documentary “The Act of Killing” available for free to the people of Indonesia in perpetuity.

The announcement comes from Drafthouse Films and the documentary has been available as a free digital download geo-blocked exclusively for Indonesia from September 30, ScreenDaily reports.

As a result of the Indonesian government typically banning films that deal with human rights violations, a traditional theatrical release for The Act of Killing is not possible. This has resulted in people organising over 500 underground screenings of the film in 95 cities, including a rice field where locals gathered around a mass grave of genocide victims to watch the film on a tube television.

Drafthouse Films founder/CEO Tim League commented: “Joshua Oppenheimer’s film is a groundbreaking work that demands to be seen and the most essential audience is the people of Indonesia. We are deeply impassioned to assist in the quest to break the government’s nearly 40-year silence of these atrocities.”

Produced by Werner Herzog and Errol Morris, The Act of Killing features former Indonesian death squad leaders, who are challenged to reenact their real-life killings in the style of the American movies they love.

8 ScandAsia.South East Asia • October 2013

Norway’s Ragasco may put up manufacturing plant in Philippines

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he Norwegian company Ragasco has been invited to put up a new factory in the Philippines, its local partner says.

The world’s leading producer of composite liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders is mulling over establishing a factory in the Philippines, its local partner said, according to the Philippine news portal InterAksyon.com.

The chairman of the Eastern Petroleum Corp Fernando L. Martinez, has invited Norway’s Ragasco AS to put up its regional manufacturing hub in the Philippines.

“On the long-haul, we are now encouraging them to manufacture here so that when 2015 comes for the Asean, we will be opening the market for 500 million customers in VIP,” Martinez said, referring to Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines.

Ragasco cylinders are made out of the same material used in fiberglass. This allows the LPG container to weigh less than half the steel tanks and to have a transparent portion where consumers actually see the content. The composite tanks are also explosion-proof.

“If we manufacture it here in the Philippines as a base we will be working after one year. They need a minimum, say, half-a-million cylinders a year,” Martinez said.

The establishment of a manufacturing hub in the country would also allow the two to lower their prices in the local market, as they no longer have to pay taxes and duties for the importation of Ragasco cylinders.

Eastern Petroleum earlier inked a deal with Ragasco for the supply of LPG cylinders.

News Brief

Swedish Jonas Engwall new CEO of RTL CBS Asia

LEGOLAND celebrates first birthday

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sia’s first LEGOLAND marked a very successful year when it celebrated its first birthday on September 15. The Danish concept family theme park, which has become a key driver of tourism to Southern Malaysia, offered visitors three full days of family fun from September 14 - 16.

One year old LEGOLAND is growing up fast and plans are already afoot to transform it into a resort comprising a Theme Park, Water Park and Hotel.

Special celebrations took place around a giant LEGO® cake, which Park visitors have been helping to build in the beginning of September. It is made from over 300,000 bricks and measures three metres wide.

“It has been an extremely successful year for Asia’s first LEGOLAND. In the last twelve months we have added two new attractions and our visitors are enjoying the Park more than ever. As we celebrate one major milestone we are already anticipating another, because in October we will open our brand new Water Park,” says Siegfried Boerst, General Manager of LEGOLAND Malaysia.

A whole host of birthday entertainment included dance performances, a children’s disco party and unique 3D-LEGO fireworks displays, where bricks appeared to be falling from the sky. On Sunday September 15, slices of a birthday cake were available for sale at the café throughout the day.

All proceeds from sales of the cake would go to Merlin’s Magic Wand, a worldwide charity for underprivileged children.

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wedish executive Jonas Engwall has been appointed the new CEO of RTL CBS Asia Entertainment Network, the recently formed joint venture between CBS Studios International and panEuropean broadcaster RTL targeting the Asian market.

Jonas Engwall will be based in Singapore, reporting to the new company’s Board of Directors.

He will oversee the launch of two branded RTL CBS thematic channels — RTL CBS Entertainment HD and RTL CBS Extreme HD — in up to 29 Asian markets including Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.

The channels will combine programming from CBS such as hit series “Under the Dome” and “Elementary” with that of RTL. “This is an unprecedented partnership between two leading global broadcasters in a region with huge growth potential,” says Engwall.

“Our new channels will offer world-renowned content including exclusive first runs of some of Asia’s favourite reality programmes America’s Got Talent, Fear Factor and

The X Factor USA; dramas Under the Dome, Elementary and Beauty and the Beast and daily shows Entertainment Tonight and Late Show with David Letterman. I am very confident that these programmes will prove extremely popular across our footprint and represent a highly valuable proposition for all our partners. We have already had very positive feedback from all premier platform owners in the region.”

For the past three years, Engwall has led RTL’s expansion into India and Asia, which included the launch of RTL’s Indian channel, Big RTL Thrill, last year.

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October 2013 • ScandAsia.South East Asia

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KL Vikings ready for new exciting season With the new approaches and young new players, KL Vikings football team aims high for the Viking Cup and is up for the coming season.

By Ranjini T. Larsen

T

he Kuala Lumpur Vikings (KL Vikings) is doing everything new this coming season; playing in a brand new league, with a few brand new players, with brand new goals for the team. They will play in the Weir Veterans Football League, an expat league of eight teams. And a lineup of fresh young blood is geared to face a competitive term as part of preparations for the Viking Cup in Shanghai next year. Not a dreamy ambition at all, as the KL Vikings after all, has the bragging rights of taking home the top honours a total of 10 times – more than any other team in the competition.

The last time the boys took home the Viking Cup crown was at the 2010 edition in Singapore.

not provide an avenue for young Danes who just moved to Kuala Lumpur to be part of the KL Vikings team. This was mainly due to age restrictions imposed by the league committee.

This was certainly not in line with the vision of the management of the KL Vikings, more so as they were keen on building a team with a majority of young Danish players, to maintain the Danish Viking spirit. Currently, the KL Vikings is made up of mainly players from Denmark, Holland, Britain, Australia, France and Malaysia. Surprisingly, five other teams made the migration to the “greener” side with the KL Vikings. Just for the record, the KL Vikings were runners-up in the Cup competition, and fourth placed in the league.

The Viking Cup

Preparing for the new season

The Viking Cup has been organized at locations around Asia since 1990. Scandinavian Viking football teams from around Asia gather for three days of football, beer and good parties, usually held during Easter weekend every year. Though it sounds like a testosterone overdosed festivity, the tournament is very much a family friendly event, and it is common for players to invite their family and friends to be part of the enjoyable tournament.

Viking supporters also have no qualms flying across continents to participate in the famous event.

With Shanghai already announced as the next Viking Cup venue when KL Vikings hosted the tournament in April this year, the management of KL Vikings wasted no time in putting together a glory worthy team for the tournament. Mulling over the end of the last season, the management of KL Vikings decided that it was time for their then league to be given a boot, as the league did

With some familiar teams and new teams making up the new league, the management is hopeful that this coming season will be an exciting one, apart from greater commitment achieved from the players, fans and sponsors. More importantly, the immediate ambition of winning the team’s 11th Viking Cup glory is foremost in their minds. The team has in fact already started planning the Chinese trip, repeating the same modus operandi of mixing business with pleasure, ie taking advantage to take in some local food and culture.

As for their aspirations in the league itself, the ambition is nothing less than a walk in the park, as the boys are expected to achieve a podium finish both in the league and the cup match.

As part of preparations for this much anticipated season opener, and also to get the rust off the ol’boots, the Vikings were summoned to four pre-season friendlies with league mates KL

10 ScandAsia.South East Asia • October 2013

Galaxy, British Malaysia, British High Comm and Red Star; and produced a satisfactory result of 2 wins, a draw and a lost respectively. At the last friendly played on September 15th, the team lost 3-1 against team Red Star, whom the Vikings are scheduled to play their opening match against on September 22.

Red Star opened the game strongest and had several opportunities to score in the first 10 minutes. The KL Vikings did not look like a team that was on par, and were put under pressure.

Despite possessions and chances for Red Star, Erik Haveman (20min) scored the opening goal after a corner kick to put the KL Vikings in front. Red Star continued piling on the pressure, which paid dividends to them twice shortly before halftime, which meant that Red Star could comfortably go to the break with a 2-1 lead. In the second half, KL Vikings made some tactical adjustments, and played much better throughout the last half. Midway, Red Star scored the last goal of the game, and deservingly won the game 3-1.

the new team, strengthening the camaraderie of the team off-the-pitch is also something that the management is serious about for this term.

“This season, apart from focusing on putting out a strong team in Shanghai, we also hope that more social activities will be organized, so that the team spirit can be stronger. That was something we lacked in the last season. These gatherings will be also a great way for the new players to get to know the others in the team, discuss tactics and provide support to each other. Of course, it’s also a great way to make more friends away from home.

Even though the management has a new competitive target for the season, the main purpose of the team is still to be a social platform for expats living away from home to exercise a sport we all love, apart from being a great networking channel both locally and regionally, via the yearly Viking Cup,” said Rune.

With positive new beginnings and optimistic changes sailing towards to the sturdy Vikings, it looks like it will be an exciting and promising season ahead for Malaysia’s favourite Vikings. The season ends in June 2014.

KL Vikings’ coach Rune Larsen believes in the team’s potential Even with a bleak indicator, KL Vikings’ coach Rune Larsen remains optimistic on the potential of the team with their start in the Weir Veterans Football League.

“We are not dampened by the result with Red Star, as the new Viking team is still in the process of amalgamating with each other. I have seen hints of good play from these four matches played. I’m positive the team has what it takes to face a competitive season ahead,” he said.

With new players holding key positions in October 2013 • ScandAsia.South East Asia

11

Aiming for the best Air France and KLM’s new Commercial Director, Mr. Matthieu Tetaud, has recently moved to Singapore. He shares with ScandAsia the airline’s vision and talks about its expansion in Scandinavia.

By Wachiraporn Janrut

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IR FRANCE and KLM, the FrenchDutch airline group, on 1 August 2013 welcomed Mr. Matthieu Tetaud as its new Commercial Director for Air France and KLM Singapore, Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand.

“We cannot only be good - we have to be among the best,” says Matthieu when asked about his new role. “That’s the vision that our CEO is pushing, which I aim to bring it to the team here especially for the corporate segment. My experience at the headquarters will help make it happen here.”

Extensive experience Originally from France, Matthieu joined Air France in New York in 2003 as Business Analyst where he worked with all the departments to develop new IT applications for the airlines in the US, Mexico and Canada. In 2005, he moved back to France to manage a project for the sales and service centre there. Matthieu enjoyed his first experience in managing a team to deliver customer service. And later on, his responsibility extended to include managing Air France and KLM’s sales and service centres worldwide.

In 2009, Matthieu felt the need to be even closer to customers so he decided to work as Global Account Manager, where he managed a portfolio of Top Global Corporate Accounts for AFKL and also Delta Airlines and Alitalia. The job gave him strong sales & marketing experience as

well as allowing him to work on partnerships with other airlines. With his extensive experience, in 2012 he joined the Asia Pacific management team of Air France and KLM where he was responsible for the performances of Japan, Korea, and South Pacific routes.

“Air France and KLM offers a unique travel experience, while respecting the cultures, the environment and the people of the country where we have the chance to land our aircrafts,” Matthieu says.

Expanding the network in Scandinavia In April this year, KLM expanded its footprint in Scandinavia by adding Alesund in Norway to its network, serving a total of seven KLM destinations in Norway. Currently, the airline’s network covers seven destinations in Sweden, nine destinations in Finland and three destinations in Denmark.

“Travelling to the destinations in Scandinavia through the award-winning Amsterdam Schiphol airport is easy. Our major strengths are a strong network and two efficient hubs; one in Paris and one in Amsterdam,” says Matthieu.

With its sleek design and friendly efficient service, Amsterdam Schiphol Airport is regularly voted the best airport in Europe. It is a major transport hub with a variety of shops, services and entertainments. The famous airport annex of the Rijksmuseum houses art from the Dutch Golden Age, including paintings by some of the most famous Dutch Masters. Also, the airport is only

12 ScandAsia.South East Asia • October 2013

15km from central Amsterdam, which is accessible by train in less than 20 minutes.

“The addition of Alesund to the network further strengthens KLM’s position in Norway,” says Matthieu.

Moving to Singapore To take up the new position, Matthieu moved to Singapore with his Spanish wife and two young daughters in the middle of July 2013.

“The team and people here are very welcoming. I plan to get to know them more, and then meet as many customers as possible to better understand their needs. I also try to eat local food, participate in local activities and attend business platforms to understand the people and the business dynamics here,” says Matthieu.

Based on the east coast of Singapore, Matthieu says that his location is close to East Coast Park and the sea, which is convenient for the family to enjoy outdoor activities. The Tetaud family seems to be well-adapted and enjoys living in Singapore.

“The weather here reminds me of summer holidays in Europe. My wife plans to enjoy many social activities here, and my daughters just love the swimming pools,” says Matthieu.

Matthieu also plans to explore other destinations in the region. One of the destinations he is keen to travel to is Bali. “It’s a bonus that we have a daily KLM flight between Singapore and Bali. I’m a surfer so that’s like the holy grail for me,” he says.

SKAGEN DENMARK Boosting Danish Design in Asia

Beyond a sleek minimalist look, Danish design encompasses a mindset, a philosophy which adds new dimensions to the general perception of design worldwide.

With its distinctive Danish design, SKAGEN DENMARK aims to be a leading lifestyle brand, inspiring the global community.

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or over 24 years, Skagen Denmark has been a lifestyle brand offering engaging, elegant and superbly designed accessories to its customers at accessible prices.

Since 2003, Skagen Denmark has been available in major retailers across Asia Pacific. Today, the brand’s products ranging from watches to jewellery are sold in more than 1,600 retailers in Asia.

“We are currently working on expanding our

By Wachiraporn Janrut

14 ScandAsia.South East Asia • October 2013

sales network to 2,000 retailers in Asia in 2014,” says Anita Jensen, Skagen Denmark’s Brand Director for the Asia Pacific Region, based in Hong Kong.

Born and raised in Naestved in Denmark, Anita has been working for Skagen Denmark since 2003.

“I love Danish design and feel very privileged to work with Skagen Denmark. The past 10 years has been a truly inspiring journey for me,” she tells ScandAsia.

About Skagen “Skagen” takes its name from an old fishing village located at the Northern tip of Denmark. For many centuries, many artists have travelled to Skagen to experience and find inspiration from the stunning natural light, beautiful nature and unparalleled blue sky. Additionally, the town is full of fascinating contrasts, such as the cozy traditional yellow houses with red tile roofs located just around the corner from world class modern architecture.

Skagen Denmark Many people might not know that the logo of Skagen Demark is a symbol of ‘Kattegat’ and ‘Skagerrak’ – the two seas meeting at Skagen. The striking blue colour in Skagen comes from the salt crystals thrown into the air at the meeting point of the seas.

“With our anchor solidly planted in Skagen, our scope of inspiration is not only the beach and the sea in Skagen, but also the whole village of Skagen and its rich history and texture, as well as its duality as a remote fishing village and an international cultural epicenter,” says Anita.

“Moreover, our scope includes how Skagen Denmark is part of Denmark and how this society has spawned the institution that we know as Danish Design,” she adds.

Anita Jensen Skagen Denmark’s Brand Director for the Asia Pacific Region

Less is more

Danish design Danish design is a style of functional design and architecture that was developed in the mid-20th century. Focusing on the ideas of simplicity and functionalism, Danish design’s key element is the genuine interest in the users of a product and its functionality. The characteristics developed are user-friendliness, respect for materials, simplicity, and a desire to achieve a certain honesty and simple beauty.

“We strive to inspire our global community, showing the utmost hospitality, warmth, and respect to all,” says Anita. “Caring is the ultimate competitive advantage.”

To achieve its goal of becoming a leading lifestyle brand, Skagen Denmark continuously launches new distinctive design classics with an emphasis on unique Danish expression.

For its Fall Winter 2013 collections, Skagen Denmark offers pure aesthetics with a global influence. Anita reveals that consumers can expect the colours to be clean, the unadorned palette reflecting the simplicity and imperfection of nature.

“We are conscious of when to use colour and when to hold back. We want to reflect the Danish design with the mindset that less is more,” says Anita. “The brand will move closer to being a lifestyle brand with leathers and possibly home goods in the future. We want our fans to see us as the curator of Danish design in an array of categories.”

Skagen Denmark & Fossil Group In 2012 the Fossil Group, the S&P 500 company based in Dallas, Texas, saw a big business oppor-

tunity and acquired Skagen Denmark. For Skagen Denmark, it meant that the brand could increase its presence and expand into more markets.

“We now have access to 400 more retail locations and 13,000 employees supporting the brand venture. Next year we will reveal to the public what we have been working on in the past year. It’s a very exciting brand journey,” says Anita.

2014 will also be a big year for Skagen Denmark as it will mark the brand’s presence of 25 years.

The company plans to celebrate its 25th birthday in grand style.

“It’ll be a big celebration featuring lots of new concepts,” says Anita with excitement. “Highly anticipated, the event will have something to wow consumers all around the world.”

Skagen Perspektiv Launched in April this year, Skagen Perspektiv is a new lifestyle collection of men’s and women’s timepieces featuring an uncomplicated, minimalist design in a sophisticated style. Inspired by elements in nature, this collection presents more daring colours, distinctive materials and new evolution in Danish design.

For men, Skagen Perspektiv introduces durable genuine leather bands in an earthtone palette of stark black, soft gray, classic brown and natural green. Keeping with a sleek urban feel, watch dials are encased in a 42mm diameter matte black case with matching black faces and indicators.

For ladies, Skagen Perspektiv introduces high-quality genuine leather straps in pebble gray, dark brown, camel and burgundy. A slim case design in polished silver, ion-plated gold or rose-gold features a 34mm case diameter and 7mm depth with reflective glass dials in silver, rose-gold and gold, lending an air of clean sophistication.

October 2013 • ScandAsia.South East Asia

15

Tips for choosing the

preschool for your chi What do we, as parents, have to consider when searching for the ‘ideal school or kindergarten’ for our children?

By Nina Jagota

T

he first day of school or kindergarten will for most children - and their parents - be the day they will always remember.

The process of saying goodbye at the gate can be almost as difficult and exhausting as the weeks of deciding which school is the right school for your child’s first schooling experience.

For weeks or even months leading up to this day, the parents have been through an often difficult process of selecting which school, pre-school or kindergarten they consider the best for their child.

Location and fees When looking for a kindergarten or a pre-school, two crucial factors are the location of the school and the cost of the school fees.

So first step is to find out what international schools, kindergartens or pre-schools are available within a reasonable distance from your home. Going back and forth between your home and the school will be part of your daily life for years to come. It is important to be honest: Convenience matters!

For your child, a short distance to school certainly also offers benefits. No need to be pulled out of bed in the early hours of the day, rushed through breakfast only to sit sleepy in the car for an hour.

If you are in Bangkok, remember to count in all the opportunities along Bangkok’s excellent BTS / MRT systems. Distance is no longer just a question of kilometers, but rather a question of time.

When you have found four or five nearest options, it is time to look at the school fees.

Do not just rely only on what is posted on the websites, it is highly advisable to call the schools and kindergartens that you are considering, and ask them what your real costs will be.

Again, it is important to be honest - don’t go shopping for a Benz if all you can really afford is a bicycle.

Now you are probably down to two, maybe three options without having exhausted yourself too much. This is important since you will for sure need all your energy for the next crucial step – your visit to the school or kindergarten.

The classroom teacher What should you be looking for exactly at each kindergarten or school visit?

Meeting the classroom teacher is a must.

Your child will be spending several hours per day

under the supervision and care of this person.

Notice how she is interacting with the other children in her class - she will be interacting with your child in the same way.

Do you hear the other children talking, laughing, singing, asking questions, and expressing their ideas, expressing their preferences and points of view? Do you hear the teacher speaking warmly, kindly, and respectfully to the children?

Do you hear the teacher inviting the children to make choices, decisions, and be a part of the activities in progress?

The teacher should emphasize on promoting open-ended questions, prompting the children when interacting. This can encourage the children to experience new ideas, and furthermore, enable them to be creative, critical, reflecting to new ideas and enhance their problem solving skills.

Overall, the one thing well-qualified teachers do have in common is that they are usually attentive listeners. Children are very expressive, and a teacher with good understanding would be acting upon the children’s verbal and non-verbal cues in the process of constructing an enjoyable learning experience for your child.

Smaller classes help. It is significantly easier to give one-on-one attention and be responsive to each child in the room when there are fewer children in a class. At your school visit, you can ask about this ratio in your child’s class.

The relationship that you would be having with the teacher once your child enrols in the school should be a strong, trustworthy, respectful and honest relationship.

In the process of finding the right school, it is also suggested that the school you are visiting should have a welcoming gesture towards you to encourage your involvement as parental inputs in your child’s class.

Every child has a unique background both culturally and sociologically. It is impossible for the school and the teacher to understand and know the children fully if they exclude the parents and family from the child that they are working with in the class.

The environment Another important factor to consider when visiting a kindergarten is the overall environment.

A stimulating and creative classroom environment can help children to progress effectively in their development.

The learning environments that stimulate

16 ScandAsia.South East Asia • October 2013

children’s physical and social experience could be both outdoor and indoor but there should be rich resources that are flexible and easy to use. The environment should also be filled with activities that stimulate critical thinking skills. For example, the activities and the toys should be inviting to the children as well as providing opportunities for interaction, hands-on play and exploration.

The recommended learning environment for children in the early years is learning through play. The kindergarten should have centre play areas such as, easel painting, art table, science, books, puzzles, play dough, blocks, and water/ sand play. This means that activities should be well organized in clearly defined areas in the classroom, and most importantly, should be accessible to children.

Having papers, markers, and blocks on shelves that children can reach would help build their independence. A quiet reading corner and dramatic play area are also important to encourage their concentration, creativity and imagination. A corner as simple as a dramatic play area is more essential than it may seem. Studies have in fact shown that the imaginative play in the form of daily ‘pretend play’ actually improves emotional and behavioural skills, which could lead to improved academic performance later in their schooling years.

Outside play should also be a part of a typical day. The outdoor area should be where children can run, climb, walk, explore, and participate in other types of play with their friends. There is a direct correlation between the gross motor skills practice that children achieve through outdoor physical play to their long-term health.

No “perfect recipe” The perfect recipe for choosing the ‘ideal’ school for your child does not exist. Many parents simply go by their own parental instincts. This is natural, and there is certainly nothing wrong in trusting your own instinct in the process. After all, you should feel comfortable and confident in leaving your child at the school gate in the mornings.

However, the few professional tips and suggestions above should give you some ideas about what to look for when making up your mind. Keep in mind the important role you are taking in deciding the right choice for your child’s first school will contribute to your child’s progress toward a crucial foundation and an enjoyable first schooling experience.

right hild

October 2013 • ScandAsia.South East Asia

17

Medium

Homemade bounty bars

By Sine Neuchs Thomsen Evil

Ingredients • 15 oz milk cooking chocolate • 3 cups shredded coconut • 1 cup sweetened condensed milk

Directions • Mix coconut and sweetened condensed milk to make a thick and sticky paste.

Shape the paste to the wished size. If you use your hands, make them a little wet before, so the paste will not stick on your hands.

• After shaping the bars put them in the freezer for at least 20 minutes. It will make it easier to dip them in chocolate.

Are you done?

W

hen you have completed the above puzzles, please send your solution by fax to +66 2 943 7169 or scan and email to puzzles@ scandasia.com. We will make a lucky draw among the correct answers. Five lucky winners will receive a ScandAsia polo shirt.

Name:

___________________________________________________

Age: ________________________

Mobile:

___________________

Address:

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

Email:

__________________________________________________

Deadline for submitting your solution is 15 November 2013 18 ScandAsia.South East Asia • October 2013

• Meanwhile you melt 2/3 of the chocolate (avoid contact with water and steam whilst melting). Add the remaining 1/3 chocolate and keep stirring until it is fully melted. This process is called tempering chocolate which allows the chocolate to have a glossy texture and the right “crack”.

• Now you can start dipping. Use two forks and roll the coconut rectangle to cover all sides with chocolate. Lift the bar from the chocolate and place it on a baking sheet covered with baking paper. Put it back in the freezer and the chocolate will get “shocked” and get stiff.

• Your homemade bounty bars will keep fresh in up to five days in an air tight container.

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