THE MAGAZINE OF AUSTCHAM SINGAPORE THE MAGAZINE OF AUSTCHAM SINGAPORE
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AUSTRALIAN ADVOCACY 2016
OCTOBER / NOVEMBER
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Welcome to the latest edition of Access Asia magazine, focussing on the importance of our Australian connections and advocacy work. I’ve recently returned from this year’s Australian Roadshow where we again visited Australia to speak with businesses and government about the opportunities available
BOARD MEMBERS
in Singapore and the broader region. This year’s Roadshow also included
PRESIDENT GUY SCOTT
a strong doorknock focus and we met with various government and industry representatives to talk about what Singapore can offer business. The further developments under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Australia and Singapore announced just before the last Australian election make it even easier for businesses wanting to access Singapore and the broader Asian market. As many markets are slowing across the globe, South East Asia represents great opportunity. With the emerging economies of the Philippines and Myanmar as well as established and consistent performers
VICE PRESIDENTS IAN CUMMIN BlueScope ADAM LYLE Padang & Co HONORARY SECRETARY JOHN DICK HONORARY TREASURER SEAN STRATON
like Singapore, this region is a beacon of light amongst a forecast of gloomy clouds. Australian businesses are in prime position to take advantage of these opportunities; as it is often said, Australia has what ASEAN wants. This is the case in many industries from professional services to agribusiness. So our message to Australian businesses is that now is time to take the plunge. While this isn’t a new message for us, and as many of you know well, Asia is a growth market and the rise of the middle class in developing countries is a huge
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opportunity. But by and large Australian business has been slow to react.
DEREK MACKENZIE designphase dba
An Asian business strategy needs to be long term and it requires commitment,
BENJAMIN TAN Qantas Airways
but it comes with great potential for success. It requires commitment from the top levels of business but also the ability to execute the strategy from the people on the ground. These are opportunities available for any sized business, expansion into the Asian market is not only for large companies. We have seen
FRASER THOMPSON Alphabeta ANNETTE TILBROOK AustCham Singapore
great success from small Australian businesses who are nimble and responsive enough to seize an opportunity when it arises and make it work for them. I am looking forward to building on the work we did on the Roadshow and continuing to strengthen our voice as the Australian business community. GUY SCOTT PRESIDENT
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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE
approaching the end of the year and what a year it has been so far. Along with our ever popular social events we launched two new business series; Breakfast with the Stars thanks to City Development Ltd and Launch Pad, in partnership with the New Zealand Chamber of Commerce and thanks to our sponsor Servcorp. They were both highly successful and I’m pleased to say they will both be back next year. Our Breakfast with the Stars series is aimed at our younger business professionals, and gives them an opportunity to hear from a prominent, successful business leader. This event is held as an intimate breakfast, and allows for lots of free flowing questions and some very candid answers. This year we welcomed Grant Kelley, CEO City Development Ltd, Gabrielle Costigan, CEO Asia at Linfox, Rod Leaver, Former CEO Asia of Lendlease, Philip Green, Australian High Commissioner to Singapore and most recently journalist Ali Moore. We are working on our guest list for next year and hope to announce the line up soon. Launch Pad was another new series, this time aimed at people looking to enter the market as a start-up business. This was run in a workshop style and
CONTENTS
Welcome to the October / November issue of Access Asia. We are fast
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was hugely popular with many sessions selling out so quickly we had to offer additional events to meet the demand. We will be releasing more details about next year’s Launch Pad in the near future. But this year isn’t over yet and we have a lot of exciting events on offer before
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we begin 2017. Hope to see you at an event soon.
ANNETTE TILBROOK
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
AUSTRALIAN ROADSHOW
AUSTRALIAN DOOR KNOCK
AUSTCHAM CONNECTS YOU ACROSS ASIA
BUSINESS SURVEY
JCU NEW CAMPUS DEAN
AUSTRALIA'S FORGOTTEN ARMY IN ASIA KEY TO OUR SUCCESS
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OUT & ABOUT
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NEW MEMBERS
32 COVER PHOTO: Christopher Rees, outgoing Australian Senior Trade
FACE TO FACE WITH CHRIS REES
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MEMBERSHIP CARD OFFERS
NEWSFLASH
Commissioner to Singapore ACCESSASIA | WWW.AUSTCHAM.ORG.SG
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FACEtoFACE with
CHRIS REES
C
hris Rees is the outgoing Senior Trade Commissioner to Singapore. He was appointed to the role in February 2013 and has served overseas in Japan and Hong Kong prior to coming to Singapore. He joined the Australian Government after a career in the private sector and is taking up a position based in Queensland promoting investment in the north of Australia. Of all of the organisations you’ve worked with during your time in Singapore, do you have any particular standouts?
approach as opposed to the US where people tend to want to
I think Singapore is full of standouts to be honest. I look at some of the engineering businesses that have been here, some for 2530 years, and how many important bits of Singapore they’ve built. They’re hardly household names outside of their own industry, and yet they’ve just been doing what Australians are actually very good at doing and that is demonstrating their value by simply getting on and doing the job. And don’t necessarily make a lot of fuss about it. I think some of the smaller companies who are really taking a risk from a resources point of view are also a stand out. They’ve made that high level decision to enter the market and put the right level of executive commitment behind it not just dip your toe in the water and run away. I get very inspired by people like that.
and we are more attuned naturally to the region, I think it’s
Do you think there is a difference in approach from Australian companies entering this market?
I’ve been working for the Australian Government now since
We over characterise Australians as being conservative and risk averse and certainly there’s no shortage of examples of those kind of companies, but there are certainly no shortage of companies on the other side of the ledger. I think that Australian companies have an affinity with this part of the world that folks from the US and Europe don’t necessarily have. Whether that’s because we are a smaller country and we are more willing to adapt and modify our
of the locally engaged staff, the non-Australian staff who work
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do business their way. Maybe it’s because we are of the region probably a mixture of both. What were the three goals you came into Singapore with and how would you score yourself in having achieved those goals? One of them was to try and map out the economic ecosystem of Singapore and understand how Australia could engage. Another thing that is very important to me in my role is developing my team by helping my own people achieve their own potential. 1992 and I am blown away by the dedication and application for the Australian Government. They are every bit as dedicated to helping Australian companies as any Australian I’ve ever met. Thirdly, my goal was also very much to enjoy my posting here. I’ve enjoyed exploring the businesses, people, places and I find Singapore very stimulating in that regard.
FACEtoFACE If you’re asked by other people to describe Singapore, what would you say?
So you’re going home, to the top end. Is the aim to try and
One of my greatest bugbears is when someone says ‘Oh Singapore, that’s Asia light” and I say no, just because people speak English and things work and a number of other things doesn’t mean that this place is not particularly Asian. In fact this place is the apex of contemporary Asian development. It was a little island that had very little going for it and was as Asian as any place on the planet – whatever that might mean – and it set a goal to develop itself economically and socially. And it did so predicated upon Asian not Western values. If you look at the rest of South East Asia their goal is to be as advanced as Singapore. I consider Singapore the apotheosis of Asian development. It is what the rest of Asia aspires to be like.
that investment coming from?
How do you enjoy yourself outside of work? I have enjoyed my time out of work, I don’t have a lot of free time but it’s ok because I love my job. I have always liked just exploring cities. Walking around, watching the people and getting a sense of the heartbeat of the place and Singapore is very good for that. Obviously the food culture here is terrific and there is some beautiful nature around Singapore that people often forget unless they make the effort to go and find it.
attract investment in the top end? Where do you see the bulk of
I think there is growing interest in that part of Australia from a range of investors. One of the most obvious areas for investment is agribusiness, and China has shown a lot of interest in Australia’s agribusiness assets. I think investment will come from Singapore, also other parts of South East Asia like Malaysia and Thailand. The US is already a major investor in that part of the world, and will continue to be. I do feel that the potential role of Singapore as both a very effective logistics hub and a conduit to other growth markets puts it in a reasonably unique segment of one in terms of some of the things it can do. How long do you think you will be in Australia before you take another posting overseas? I’m really dedicated to doing this job, so I’m not sure when the next posting will be. My first goal is to take on this challenge and do something really cool with it. I don’t go in for planning too much over the horizon, something interesting will always come up.
Was there anything that stands out to you as particularly interesting in your time in Singapore?
You’ve done a huge amount with AustCham, been a great
I think almost all of last year was really interesting, because of the CSP, the 50th birthday celebrations, the election, there was so much self-reflection going on last year and a lot of that was a follow on from the death of Lee Kuan Yew. I found it very interesting to watch Singapore at that time. In particular I remember a service on the Saturday organised by the SBF. A lot of people got up and referred to very hands on things Lee Kuan Yew had done to help businesses. People don’t seem to talk much about the Lee Kuan Yew who led trade missions and engaged directly with business chambers and encouraged them. I was really interested to hear from businesses about the very direct role he played in helping those people evolve. The other thing was the response by young people, I don’t know if they’d started to take the Singapore they grew up in for granted but I think it occurred to them that none of this was an accident. It was not only planning but courage, determination and dedication. It was like the young people felt they needed a hero and suddenly realised that they’d had one all along. So it wasn’t just the pioneer generation who were celebrating his life it was also the young people. I thought that was really interesting. I think I learnt a lot about Singapore and Singaporeans by being able to observe how they went through that process.
Who would be the stand out speakers you’ve seen?
contributor to our board, we’ve enjoyed a lot of events together.
I’ve found some of the most insightful events have been the breakfast sessions with Singaporean Ministers and Government Ministry leaders, those insights have been invaluable. I think Lindsay Maxsted provided a very sophisticated and modern view of leadership, of how to build a business, how to build competencies within a business and how to be a values driven leader. I think the event we had with Julie Bishop and Andrew Robb was great too. I think the speakers were very engaged with the region and gave us an inspirational view of what Australia is capable of. I think people of that stature see AustCham as the natural platform to be able to get those messages out, and they recognise the value we add to what they try and do. A lot of your work is helping companies who want to expand into international markets – what is one piece of advice you always give? There’s a chap called John Morris from a Melbourne University. He said “There is no such thing as an export market, there is
"THIS PLACE IS THE APEX OF CONTEMPORARY ASIAN DEVELOPMENT"
only someone else’s domestic market”. It’s a quote I use often and basically it is saying you have to look at a market through the customers eyes, you need to seek to become an insider and compete on equal terms with people who feel they have a birth right to that market which is a challenge for Australian companies who often see the domestic Australian market as their real business and the other stuff as just nice to have. But you have to treat your overseas customers with as much respect and treasure them as much as you would your domestic customers. Once you start getting into that mind set you’re internationalising your business. ACCESSASIA | WWW.AUSTCHAM.ORG.SG
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TAKING THE AUSTRALIAN BRAND TO THE WORLD We all know the importance of building a brand – for your company, your product, even for yourself. But what if the task is to build a brand for your own country? This was the task given to the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade), and the result was Australia Unlimited, Australia’s inaugural nation brand program. The extent to which people trust, admire and respect a country is strongly linked to their willingness to invest in or buy its products, or to live and study there. In other words, a strong nation brand assists a country’s reputation across a number of sectors and attributes. In order to create a new brand for Australia, the first step was to evaluate current perceptions of the country. Austrade undertook extensive market research to measure Australia’s reputation, with over 14,000 interviews conducted in 14 markets including Australia. The research revealed that, while Australia regularly ranked in the top three nations in the world for its natural environment, high quality of life and friendly people, it was not so strongly associated with business, technology and innovation. Knowledge of Australia’s brands, products and services was also relatively low, and the contribution of Australians to global culture through art, science, writing, academia, sport and politics was not as well understood as it could be. Australia is seen as having an engaging personality, enviable lifestyle and high levels of social cohesion. But while we are recognised as safe, reliable and sincere, we are also seen as the ‘life of the party’ and are not always associated with ‘harder’ attributes such as business success or quality education. This does not help in driving our credentials as an innovative country with a proactive way of doing business – all of which are key reasons to engage with Australia and Australians. A new way to represent Australia was required to enhance our reputation by gaining recognition of all our strengths – not just our vibrant, friendly personality. Australia’s brand ‘footprint’ was strong but the footprint needed to ‘stretch’ by promoting the more serious attributes that were not currently associated with Australia. By telling the story of some of Australia’s capability and successes, such as inventing Wi-Fi and Google Maps or the bionic ear, Australia can be seen as more innovative and business oriented. This can be achieved without losing Australia’s reputation as a vibrant and friendly country. And this is what Australia Unlimited (www.australiaunlimited.com) is about: sharing the stories of people changing the world for the better – through their art, business acumen, scientific or humanitarian efforts. In short, making our national stories personal. It is part of a broader program called Building Brand Australia, designed to enhance Australia’s international reputation. Building Brand Australia aims to enrich Australia’s global reputation through increasing awareness of contemporary Australian skills and capability. This will, in turn, attract international buyers, investors, visitors and students. The common thread is Australia: whether it’s through a person’s place of birth or their experience of living, working or studying in the country, Australia Unlimited explores the contribution Australians are making to global issues. Visit australiaunlimited.com for compelling articles, stunning photography and engaging multimedia. For the latest news follow Australia Unlimited on Twitter or Facebook @AusUnlimited or LinkedIn.
Australian Trade & Investment Commission in Singapore Phone: +65 6418 8400 Email: singapore@austrade.gov.au Web: www.austrade.gov.au/singapore
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AUSTRALIAN ROADSHOW 2016 In August we embarked on the third Australian roadshow in three years, again partnering with DFAT and Austrade, to deliver a series of presentations around Australia promoting opportunities for Australian business in Singapore and across the region more broadly. This year the roadshow visited four Australian cities, Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney and Canberra and presented to over 400 attendees. We also had a strong focus on building our advocacy activities, and we were able to hold a number of meetings with key people of strategic importance to the chamber. These included businesses, government representatives and Ministers, industry groups and chambers of commerce and business groups. The panel was: Philip Green OAM, Australia’s High Commissioner to Singapore, Chris Rees, Senior Trade Commissioner and Guy Scott, President of AustCham. This year our Singapore partners were the Australian International School, ANZ and Vistra, and it was great to see a high level of engagement from each of them either through hosting industry round tables or interaction with attendees at the events. Our Australian event partners were: • Victorian Government • South Australian Government • TransTasman Business Circle • Canberra Business Council
The level of interest in the events and the quality of audience engagement was encouraging across the board, with an increased understanding of the opportunities available in the ASEAN region. The recent announcements regarding the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Singapore and Australia have built more awareness about Singapore’s place in the region. Each city we visited hosted the events in a style that suited their particular audience, with our event partners in Melbourne and Adelaide choosing to host a longer, open style forum and Sydney and Canberra partners opting for smaller roundtable events leading into a larger forum with q and a sessions. With between 60-150 people attending the sessions, it was great to be able to speak directly to so many people about the opportunities for them in Singapore. While each of the events were highly valuable and questions were particular to the industries and expertise specific to each city, there were a few stand out sessions. As supporting partner ANZ took up the opportunity to host business roundtable events for clients of their choosing. This year they focussed on people in their small business banking, giving them access to the fantastic expertise of our speakers. The targeted selection of the audience and their high level of interest made both the ANZ events very engaging as many of the attendees had previous experience in business in Asia. We received good feedback from the audience with a number of people saying they were really grateful to have access to experts on international business. It is an important reminder that big companies are not the only ones looking to expand into international markets and often times the smaller businesses are amongst the hungriest for information and assistance. We kicked off the roadshow with an ANZ roundtable event in Melbourne and it was great to start with a group of people who were clearly informed about Singapore and were ready to commit to implementing an Asian strategy for their business. The event in Canberra hosted by Canberra Business Council was also a highlight. With the recent upgrade of the Canberra airport and commencement of international flights direct from Canberra to Singapore we found the level of interest in the region was much stronger than previous years. Canberra Business Council hosted a fantastic series of events, starting off with a roundtable discussion with our panellists and 30 attendees, focussing on the topics of agribusiness, innovation and ICT. This was followed by a welcome morning tea as guests were registering for the next event and a theatre style forum attended by over 100 people. The forum started with an opening address from Philip Green and then insightful and well informed questions from the floor to our panel of experts. The event wrapped up with a networking lunch where we were able to talk one on one with many of the participants and it was clear there is a lot of potential in the Canberra businesses and they’re keen to capitalise on the opportunities offered by the direct international flights. 10
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AUSTRALIAN ROADSHOW 2016
Event:
ANZ roundtable
A highlight round table, very engaged discussion. Questions and discussion focussed on the following key areas: • Singapore’s role in ASEAN and what opportunities this might create for business • Understanding the best place to position operations with numerous opportunities for business across Asia
Event:
ANZ roundtable
A highlight round table, very engaged discussion. Good representation from key ANZ staff plus clients actively looking or already engaged in Asia. Questions and discussion focussed on the following key areas:
• Ease of starting business for an SME • The checklist for how to enter the market
• How to enter a retail market with a cosmetic brand
• Opportunities and challenges for Singapore in the next 5 years
• Health of the banking sector • Agribusiness and the potential for expansion
Event:
Lunch event hosted Victorian Government
by
the
Questions focussed on the following key areas: • Singapore and IP protection
• An understanding of the Fintech development space and how this might impact the funds management area
Lunch event hosted Australian Government
by
the
South
Theatre style forum including a Q & A session, with some focus on agribusiness and innovation. Finished with a networking lunch. Questions focussed on the following key areas: • Singapore’s regional hub position at risk due to the rise of ASEAN • Singapore’s well known ability to commercialise innovation and the Australian government’s plan for increasing the strength of the Australia/Singapore link • Suggestions of how to pitch for business • Singapore attractiveness as a gloabl HQ and the potential for financial services companies to move HQ’s • Opportunities for JV’s/Venture Capital investment in South Australian companies • SME’s linking opportunities
into
the
• Challenges faced by Singapore • Check list for market entrance
Event:
• How does the Australian government help to facilitate and support the relationship connection with Singapore
Event:
SYDNEY, 24 AUGUST
ADELAIDE, 23 AUGUST
MELBOURNE, 22 AUGUST
ROADSHOW PROGRAM OF KEY EVENTS
potential
supply
Forum/lunch hosted by TransTasman Business Circle
Strong turnout, questions and discussion focussed on the following key areas: • Australian government Landing Pad in Singapore • Level of skills in the upper leadership level of Singapore business • Lack of interest by Australian Fintech companies in the Singapore Fintech market • The value of building strong relationships when entering the Asian market • Lessons learnt • Quality of IP protection in Asia • Benefits of setting up in Singapore (transfer pricing)
Event:
TransTasman Business Circle innovation round table
Attendees included representatives from universities and government with a strong innovation focus. Discussion focussed on the opportunities offered in Singapore and fostering innovation. Engagement between CSIRO and A Star, ongoing engagement between universities and Australian government and the need to improve on our ability to commercialise our research in line with Singapore were also key topics of discussion.
chain
• CSP – How does the CSP change the mindset from a ‘trading link’ to a ‘strategic partnership’ • Lessons learned ACCESSASIA | WWW.AUSTCHAM.ORG.SG
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AUSTRALIAN ROADSHOW 2016
Event:
Round table – innovation, agribusiness and ICT hosted by Canberra Business Council
CANBERRA, 26 AUGUST
Excellent room of very engaged businesses, many already active in Asia. Questions and discussion focussed on the following key areas: • Labour issues with setting up F & B outlet in Singapore • Singaporeans appetite for Canberra experience • How Austrade works to support business • Polytech skills opportunities • The overall impact on Singapore of the global slowdown • Specific issues in finding suitable freight forwarders • Opportunities through renewable energy initiatives • Opportunities of access to the Innovation fund through the CSP • Tips on entering the market
Event:
Lunch event hosted by Canberra Business Council
Theatre style forum with networking lunch. Questions and discussion focussed on the following key areas: • Singapore’s view of Australian politics • Opportunities for specialist training in engineering • Tourism experiences of interest to Singaporeans
Australian Roadshow A s i a ’ s f u t u r e . Yo u r f u t u r e . 22 August – 26 August 2016 Australian businesses are standing at the edge of one of the most exciting opportunities in a generation, the rise of the Asian middle class and the strong growth of economies in the South East Asian region. Recently announced developments under the Australian Singapore Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) now make it even easier for Australian’s to do business in the ASEAN region. The CSP increases labour mobility, fosters innovation and substantially reduces red-tape, making it easier for Australians to work and operate in Singapore. Singapore sits at the beating heart of the ASEAN growth. It is the region’s financial centre, home to over 3,000 headquarters of multi-national corporations, and it is seamlessly connected to the whole region. With the CSP with Australia, Singapore is the logical springboard into the growth markets of ASEAN and beyond. For some years now the opportunities in this region have been discussed however despite Asia taking well over 65% of all our exports, only around 13% of Australia’s overseas investments are in Asia. Australia offers an abundance of goods and services in demand from Asian economies and we can do more to take advantage of these opportunities. Engage with our expert speakers on the trends emerging in the region, how other Australian firms are succeeding, and what support is available for you to grasp these opportunities.
• Sophistication of the Singapore market • Recent trends
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ROADSHOW PARTNERS
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Before you reach the Hunter Valley, we’ll serve you a taste of it in the air
Enjoy Rockpool inspired cuisine paired with some of Australia’s best wine when you fly with Qantas. 14
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Australia starts here.
This year’s Roadshow included a strong focus on advocacy, and a push to build our connections within Australia. As a Chamber representing the Australian business community we understand the value in having strong links back to Australia and the benefit these can bring to our members. We reached out to both the Australian Industry Group (Ai Group) and the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) as the peak bodies representing business in Australia, and opened up some promising lines of dialogue between our organisations. We also took the opportunity to meet with state based organisations, Business SA and Canberra Business Council recognising each of these organisations will also have members who would benefit from accessing the region and a greater connection with Singapore. These organisations are important because the stronger the ties back to Australia the better the support and access we can provide for new businesses looking to make the move into Asian markets. While these groups naturally are largely focussed on the domestic Australian market, there is an opportunity for our organisations to work together to support Australian businesses that are considering expansion into the South East Asian region, using Singapore as a regional hub. There have never been more opportunities for Australian companies in the Asian market, and while a number of companies are taking advantage of this, there are many who are overlooking
these opportunities or need more support to take the next steps. We also discussed with both Ai Group and ACCI the new initiative of the Australian chambers and business council’s based in South East Asia to establish the Australia-ASEAN Chamber of Commerce (AustCham ASEAN). This new organisation will improve business advocacy through engagement with the ASEAN secretariat and the ASEAN Economic Community, and it is important for us to ensure Australian domestic business organisations are aware of these activities. In order for this group to be most successful we need to build strong links between the Australian business community in the region and within the domestic Australian market.
In addition to meeting with business and industry groups we also reached out to members of parliament, both State and Federal, and key Commonwealth public servants. An important aspect of the work of the Chamber is advocacy, and these meetings serve to build our reputation and open lines of communication between ourselves and key decision makers in Australia. During our week in Australia for the Roadshow we met with state government representatives from each of the cities we visited, representatives from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Australian Trade Commission (Austrade) and Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny
Wong. While unfortunately the timing did not work out for us to meet with Federal Ministers we received positive responses from Minister for Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop and Minister for Trade Steven Ciobo with whom we already enjoy a strong relationship and we hope to meet with them in Singapore on future visits. In these meetings we discussed the importance of encouraging business to see Singapore and the region more broadly as an opportunity for their business. We also discussed ways that government could assist business, and the role that business chambers play in helping businesses to make the decision to expand into Asia. It is important for us to build these relationships so we can better advocate on behalf of our members, and help inform governments as they determine policies on international engagement, trade and business more broadly.
The decision to expand the door knock element of the Roadshow was made so we could continue our strong work in advocating on behalf of our members. As we finalise the process of establishing the Australian-ASEAN Chamber of Commerce these relationships with Australia become ever more important as we continue to represent the views of the Australian business community in Singapore and the region.
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Singapore is a hub for the South East Asian region, and while many companies chose to have their regional headquarters here we recognise that people often have to travel. That’s why, as an AustCham Singapore member, across a network of Australian chambers of commerce and business councils you will receive reciprocal membership benefits. If you are travelling to any of these countries: • Beijing • Cambodia • Hong Kong and Macau • Indonesia • Japan • Korea • Laos • Malaysia • Myanmar • Philippines • Shanghai • South China, Guangzhou • Taipei • Thailand • Vietnam
AUSTCHAM CONNECTS YOU ACROSS ASIA
AustCham Singapore can connect you with the relevant business chamber who will offer you member rates for up to three events a year. So next time you are travelling for work, why not let us know so we can put you in touch with the local Australian business community and help further your connections in the region. AustCham Singapore also offers support for our corporate members applying for APEC Business Travel Cards. The APEC Business Travel Card scheme is designed to facilitate the travel of business people between APEC economies. The card is a multiple-journey-visa where cardholders enjoy visa free entry and expedited immigration clearance through designated lanes at most major airports in participating countries. We can assist our corporate members in the provision of a letter of support which the Australian Department of Immigration and Border Protection has confirmed as supporting documentation when demonstrating business trade and or investment activities in the region. This can assist start-up operations to validate their business operations, and strengthens the application for existing companies. Contact us if you would like more information on a letter of support, and for further details about the APEC Business Travel Card visit https://www.border.gov.au/Busi/Trav/APEC
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AUSTRALIAN BUSINESS IN ASEAN SURVEY 2016
“AustCham Singapore has previously conducted an annual business survey looking at the Australian business in Singapore, however this year we decided to expand to look across the region,” Mr. Scott said. “This combined survey is just one of the ways the Australian business community is moving to a more regional focus. “We are also in the process of establishing a business association representing Australian businesses working offshore at the ASEAN level. “Establishing an Australian ASEAN association will give us a seat at the table for discussions on policies that will affect our members, and allow us to engage the ASEAN secretariat around matters that affect the ASEAN Economic Community. “This is an important development and shows Australian business commitment to the region.” Collaborating partners: • Cambodia: Auscham Cambodia
The Australian Business in ASEAN survey 2016 was recently released by AustCham Singapore and is a collaboration of all the Australian chambers of commerce and business councils representing each of the ASEAN member countries. For the last 2 years AustCham Singapore
• Brunei: Australian Trade and Investment Commission • Indonesia: Indonesia Australia Business Council • Laos: Austcham Lao PDR
has undertaken an annual business survey, to get a picture of Australian
• Malaysia: Malaysia Australia Business Council
business in Singapore. This year, recognising the increasing connectivity
• Myanmar: Australia-Myanmar Chamber of Commerce
across the region, AustCham collaborated with the other Australian chambers of commerce and business councils from each of the ASEAN
• Philippines: Australian-New Zealand Chamber of Commerce
members to broaden the scope of the survey to include data from each
• Singapore: AustCham Singapore
of their countries. Across the board the survey showed strong levels of
• Thailand: AustCham Thailand
business confidence and that many businesses had plans to expand in the near future. AustCham Singapore President Guy Scott said this level of business confidence was encouraging. “The data shows that over the past two years 60 per cent of Australian businesses in ASEAN have expanded their trade and investment, and most importantly 86 per cent are planning to expand over the next 5
• Vietnam: AusCham Vietnam Copies of the survey were given out at Roadshow events in Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney and Canberra as well as being sent to relevant members of Parliament and key peak bodies. The response has been very positive with businesses, politicians, journalists and public servants all saying the survey was insightful and will be of great use to them in the future.
years,” he said. “This shows Australian businesses are recognising the opportunities across ASEAN and they are planning to invest and grow into the future. “Singapore is also well positioned as a regional hub with 73 per cent of businesses based here being Global, South East Asian or Asia Pacific
Australian business in
asean s u r v e y
2 0 1 6
headquarters for the company.”Mr Scott said the close ties between Singapore and Australian governments were helping to support business. “Recent developments announced under the Singapore – Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) will make it even easier to do business here,” he said. “The CSP increases labour mobility, fosters innovation and substantially reduces red-tape, making it easier for Australians to work and operate in Singapore.” This is the first survey of its kind and AustCham Singapore as the lead organisation, was responsible for establishing the survey and
Online copy available at: bit.ly/businessInASEANSurvey-2016
interpreting the data. ACCESSASIA | WWW.AUSTCHAM.ORG.SG
17
MATH SUCCESS
2016 MATH OLYMPIAD
h w l = V
h xb
A= 2
e us .sg Ho edu . n pe sais O . at ww us t w a in Jo ter s gi Re
CELEBRATING
300+ Stamford American students proved their math ability and high ranking in the region, with top results in the 2016 Singapore and Asian Schools Math Olympiads (SASMO) and Singapore Math Kangaroo Contest for 2016. Grade 1 students received 27 of the total 31 awards given for Singapore, and Grade 4 achieved top honors with a tie for Gold in Math Kangaroo receiving full marks.
210 27 300
MEDALS WON GRADE 1 TO GRADE 10
OF 31 AWARDS FOR LOWER ELEMENTARY
OVER
STAMFORD STUDENTS PARTICIPATED Stamford American offers an outstanding international education for students from 2 to 18 years of age. We offer the rigorous IB Programme – enhanced by American standards and a focus on languages – to equip your child for global citizenship.
21/2/2016 – 20/2/2020
18
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Stamford American International School CPE Registration Number: 200823594D Period of Registration: August 10, 2014 to August 9, 2018
Inquiry Hotline +65 6653 7907
CHANGES AT JAMES COOK UNIVERSITY CHRISTOPHER WARREN
Introducing the new Campus Dean for James Cook University Singapore
Associate Professor Abhishek Singh Bhati is the Campus Dean of James Cook University Singapore campus. As Campus Dean, Abhishek leads academic initiatives to enhance JCU’s Tropical Agenda in Asia. His efforts guide the learning and teaching and academic governance of programs offered in JCU Singapore. In support of JCU’s strategic intent to create a brighter future for life in the tropics world-wide, Abhishek is responsible for delivering graduates and building strategic partnerships that make a difference. Dr Bhati commenced and completed his PhD at James Cook University in Singapore and is therefore the first home-grown Campus Dean at the Singapore Campus. Abhishek joined JCU in June 2008 and made significant contributions to the University is different roles such as Associate Dean and Acting Campus Dean. He was appointed as Campus Dean in April 2016. Abhishek sits on the management committee of Australian Alumni Singapore (AAS) and has led AAS’s successful membership drive in the past. Prior to coming to JCU Singapore, Abhishek was Course Director of TMC Business School Singapore and was responsible for Monash University and Deakin University programs offered in Singapore. His professional career started in 1997, in a public listed organization where he was responsible for sales & marketing and business development of 9 branch offices. His extensive work experience provides a rich exposure to higher education and business issues in domestic and international context. Dr Bhati obtained his Doctor of Philosophy in Tourism Management (PhD) from James Cook University (2014), Master of Business Administration in Marketing Management (MBA) from Maastricht School of Management (1996) and his Bachelor of Arts in Economics (BA) from the University of Bombay (1994). In addition, he obtained post graduate learning and teaching qualifications, Graduate Certificate in Education (Tertiary teaching) and Advance Certificate in Training and Assessment, to develop expertise in learning and teaching in higher education. He serves as a member of the WIL SIG under Australian Collaborative Education Network (ACEN) and is a member of the JCU Teaching and Learning Academy. Abhishek is an active researcher and his research has been published in a wide variety of reputable publications in the field of tourism and scholarship of learning and teaching. He has been successful in securing collaborative grants with Office of Learning and Teaching (OLT), Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC), external industry grants and several internal research grants. His current research interest is tourist behaviour management, resilience planning and scholarship of Teaching and Learning.
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19
AUSTRALIA'S FORGOTTEN ARMY IN ASIA KEY TO OUR SUCCESS There is no doubt that Asia is already an economic powerhouse and that its strong growth and emerging middle class will play a big role in economic development in our region. Equally, it is clear this is not cyclical, but rather a changed paradigm: by 2030 four of the world’s five largest economies measured in purchasing parity terms will be in Asia – China, Japan, India and Indonesia. Japan and China already make up a significant share of Australia’s inward foreign direct investment (FDI) and the proportion of FDI sourced from Asia is expected to only increase from here. However, it seems Australia is still poorly positioned to exploit the Asian opportunity. Not only has Australia not invested sufficient economic resources in Asia, but our cultural understanding of Asia is lacking. In short, overwhelmingly we simply don’t know how to do business in Asia. Australia does have the talent to succeed in Asia with our expatriate community in the region continuing to grow, however; Australia is not doing enough to engage and utilise this talent and is poorly positioned to do so in future. Currently, we have hundreds of thousands of expatriate Australians in Asia amounting to a forgotten army – overlooked by policymakers in Australia and passed over by business when they choose to return. Australians from every field are doing great things in Asia and have been doing so for some time now – from Lenovo boss Roderick Lappin running a Chinese company across Asia, to Young & Rubicam advertising executive Matt Godfrey jetting across South East Asia, to e-commerce entrepreneur Simon Henry growing his business in China. Our expatriate workforce is also rebalancing away from the US and UK towards Asia, so the good news is this community is only going to get bigger. PwC data modelling suggests that by 2030 there will be 450,000 Australians living and working abroad in Asia, representing one-third of our total expatriate community, up from approximately one-fifth of the total today. Given the paucity of available statistics on the number of Australians living and working abroad in Asia we believe this projection is conservative. Our diaspora with Asia also includes more than just our expatriates in Asia. If we add the growing number of Australians who were once expatriates in Asia and have returned home to live and work that number would be significantly larger. It is also highly likely that increases to Australia’s cultural association, business ties, and networked relationships with Asia every year will see the yearon-year growth rate of this group increase. Our student population in Asia is growing too. New Universities Australia figures show that more than 16 per cent of undergraduates now go overseas for at least part of their degree, up from just 4.7 per cent in 2007 – a compound annual growth rate of 9.91 per cent. In the six years to 2014, the number of students who had spent time overseas more than doubled to almost 32,000. 20
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Recent bilateral free trade agreements – binding the Australian economy ever closer to those of China, Japan, Singapore, Indonesia, India and South Korea amongst others – together with the proposed multilateral Trans Pacific Partnership and Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreements will also increase the movement of people between Australia and these countries. Despite this, our expatriate workforce is currently under-represented in the boardrooms and executives ranks of Australia’s major companies with just under 2 per cent of senior executive of ASX 200 companies and just over 4 per cent of directors hailing from Asia. As Lowy Institute CEO Michael Fullilove put it in a 2004 study of expatriate Australians called Diaspora: “The Australian diaspora represents a market, a constituency, a sales force and an ambassadorial corps. In recent years, Australians have become more alive to the reality of our diaspora. We should now build on these early steps and work to engage the diaspora in our national life and create a global community of Australians.” Christine Holgate, the CEO of Blackmores warns competing nations are moving ahead of us. “Europe and the US gets it...as do many other countries. I think the reason Australian business isn’t doing more in Asia is because they are afraid of the risk profile, or they are managed to quarterly reporting deadlines. The other problem is we don’t fully understand the region.” Fortunately, at an individual or personal level, things are far more positive. Multinational firms with a presence in Australia report a growing willingness among Australian employees to work abroad in Asia. It’s clear that this highly educated and global savvy expatriate workforce can be harnessed to help produce a more Asia-ready Australia, but we need leadership from the government, education and corporate sectors to make this happen. This will be a revolving population that needs to be better understood, with some staying for the long haul and others returning home for lifestyle reasons in the middle of their careers and perhaps moving back later in their careers. The Australian government should look to compile far more accurate and comprehensive statistics on the size, location, demographic profiles of Australia’s expatriate population. This could be achieved by diplomatic posts establishing a pain-free way for expats to register their presence in that country online and marrying this data with the traditional source of information gleaned from passenger movement cards. Once we have a better understanding of this community we must consider how to capitalise on the new skills, contacts and opportunities these individuals have formulated in Asia, and help those returning to reintegrate into the Australian corporate landscape in a way that takes full advantage of their newfound capabilities and knowledge. At PwC, we believe this would be best achieved through a bipartisan national plan that sets out a vision for our place in Asia and lays out a path to derive value for the country, the corporate sector and our education and cultural institutions from the experiences and activities of our expatriate community. With a bipartisan national plan in place our diaspora in Asia will have the potential to be the springboard with which Australia can shrug off its timidity and begin to expand into Asia. Better educate boards and senior management on the Asian opportunity
Australian leaders should publicise the achievements of our expatriates in Asia
Language is only part of the story
Immerse yourself in local communities
Author Jason Hayes PwC Australia Partner and Japan Practice Leader
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OUT&ABOUT AUSTCHAM SPECIAL BREAKFAST: WHY ASEAN AND WHY NOW Tue 26 July 2016 We hosted a special breakfast at the Grand Hyatt, where a panel of experts discussed key benefits of ASEAN integration for Australian business, understanding the impact of the ASEAN integration, translating it into a company strategy and taking advantage of the ASEAN Economic Community.
UPCOMING EVENTS
UPCOMING EVENTS BUSINESS CONNECTS OCTOBER THU 20 OCTOBER 2016 SPONSOR
1.
Panel discussion with Christopher Rees, Gabrielle Costigan, Fraser Thompson and Karl Hamman
2.
Philip Forrest and Tham Lai Leng
3.
Derek Mackenzie and Stephen Clarke
4.
Michael Feller and Graham Lee
XMAS DRINKS FRI 2 DECEMBER 2016 SPONSOR
ANZ AUSTRALIA DAY BALL 2017 SAT 4 FEBRUARY 2017 EVENT SPONSOR
GOLD SPONSORS
1
AUCTION SPONSORS
BAND FLOWN BY
PHOTOGRAPHY SPONSOR
3
WINE SPONSOR
2
22
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4
OUT&ABOUT
BUSINESS CONNECTS JULY Thu 28 July 2016 Our sold out Business Connects July was held at the Straits Bar, Tower Club. Thank you to Westpac Australia for partnering with us for this networking evening. With over 80 guests attending this event, it was a great opportunity for networking and building connections. 1.
Belinda Fraser and Tim Raes
2.
Marten Zaman
3.
Vikram Nimkar, Christopher Rees and Tom Fitzgerald
2
EVENT SPONSOR
2
3
1
3
BREAKFAST WITH THE STARS HE PHILIP GREEN OAM, AUSTRALIAN HIGH COMMISSIONER TO SINGAPORE Thu 4 August 2016 Our young business leaders joined our very special guest, HE Philip Green OAM, Australian High Commissioner to Singapore for an exclusive private breakfast hosted at the Tower Club. 1.
HE Philip Green OAM
2.
Elissa Maloney amd Ruth Spence
3.
Garick Kea, Sam Gibbins and Mathew Simon
VENUE SPONSOR 2 2
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1
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OUT&ABOUT
WINE & CHEESE NIGHT: A TASTE OF AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND Tue 19 August 2016 Our second legendary Wine & Cheese night for this year was phenomenal. Over 600 guests enjoyed a wide range of cheese and wine showcased by leading Australian distributers. Special thanks to all our sponsors for making this night a success.
1. 1
2
2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
3
Chrissy Owens, Scott Maclean, Richard Wetenhall and Martin French Mark Franks tasting one of the finest wine Annette Tilbrook, Alexandra and PJ Roberts Steve Rutherford, Nancy Williams, Jorgan Skibsted and Stacy Skibsted Lance Joseph Ourednik and Michelle Ourednik Kylie Fisher, Nia Jones, Kerri Ames, Simon Hyett and Kalliope Coplin
4
CO-SPONSORS
5
6
SUPPORTING SPONSOR
GOURMET SPONSOR
AUCTION SPONSOR
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OUT&ABOUT SPECIAL BREAKFAST:THE FUTURE OF WORK Tue 30 August 2016 A great crowd joined us for The Future of Work Special Breakfast. The event included insights from a panel of experts on the changing nature of work and the traditional workplace, based on a report produced by Deloitte for Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand. 1.
Rob Ward, Karen Cariss, Steve Wyatt and Mohit Mehrotra
2.
Andrew Er, Sean Straton, Rob Ward and Samantha Chan
3.
Matthew Waters, Michael Boscosuro and Anand Sachdev
SUPPORTING PARTNER
1
12
3
BREAKFAST WITH THE STARS ALI MOORE Thu 05 September 2016 Our intimate, open-forum style breakfast with Ali Moore, Journalist and Broadcaster provided our promising young talent with great insights into the media industry. 1.
Matthew Simon and Skye Nicholls
2.
Anastasia Malishev and Sally Trethewie
VENUE SPONSOR
2 2
1
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3
OUT&ABOUT
THE AUSTRALIAN NIGHT AT THE RACES Fri 23 September 2016
1
For the 4th year running, we celebrated the Australian horse racing industry at our Australian Night at the Races, held at the Singapore Turf Club, Kranji. This fabulous event is a chance to socialise and enjoy good food, wine and see the annual running of the AustCham cup.
1. 2. 3. 2
3
4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
4
Guests looking fabulous in Fashions on the Field outfits May Ong, Sophie Hancock and Jolie Torpie Andrew Creswick, Kate Creswick, David Mclnally, Danielle Mclnally and Trent Short AustCham board members with AustCham staff Best fascinator finalists Bill Castellas, Natasha Broadhurst, Elsie Lin and Nick Whalan AustCham's vice president, Ian Cummin and wife, Susan Cummin Congratulations to Night Flight for winning The AustCham Cup 2016
5
RACING EXPERT
6
7
RACE SPONSORS
VENUE SPONSOR
8
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27
NEW
MEMBERS
GOLD CORPORATE MEMBERS
CORPORATE MEMBERS
AUSTRALIAN
AUSTRALIAN
INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
SIMON LESLIE
ADAM PATTERSON
Executive Principal, Singapore
Head of Early Years, Singapore
www.ais.com.sg
www.ais.com.sg
TELSTRA
SCOTT SPEEDIE
Head of Enterprise - Asia
Managing Director & Country Head, Singapore
www.telstraglobal.com
BREAKTHRU
CHRYSLER
KELVIN YAP
PERFORMANCE
COMMUNICATIONS
Deputy General Manager,
LAUREN HOUGHTON
MARINA MATTHEWS
Moving Services
CEO
www.asiantigers
www.breakthru performance.com
Managing Director www.chryslercom munications.com
STAMFORD AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
REALYS PTE LTD
SCHIAVELLO
SOI 60 THAI
PHILIP HANNAFORD
SINGAPORE PTE LTD
ANGELIQUE DINGLE
Director www.realysgroup.com
ANDREW WILLETT
Group Marketing &
LINDSEY NORTON
Regional Head, ASEAN www.schiavello.com
Communications
Director of Admissions www.sais.edu.sg
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Manager www.soi60.com.sg
MARJET ANDRIESSE
www.commbank.com.au
ASIAN TIGERS MOBILITY
-mobility.com
28
COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA
IBIS SINGAPORE ON BENCOOLEN
BEN PATTEN General Manager www.ibishotel.com/6657
TELSTRA
PAUL TYLER Group Managing Director, International www.telstraglobal.com
CORPORATE MEMBERS
KPMG SERVICES PTE LTD
RC HOTEL (PTE) LTD
CRAIG RAWLINGS
ADRIAN OW
Partner www.kpmg.com.sg
Director of Sales
STEELCASE OFFICE SOLUTIONS PTE LTD
THE EVENT
SKYE NICHOLLS
CONNECTIONS PTE LTD
Sales Director www.steelcase.com
www.fairmont.com
GOLD CORPORATE MEMBERS
GOLD CORPORATE MEMBERS
COMPANY STAGING
PETER FULCHER-MEREDITH Director of Communication & Strategy www.eventco.com
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29
TOGETHER, THE BEST FOR EVERY CHILD We believe happy children make more effective learners. Following the Australian Curriculum, we consistently encourage students to strive for academic excellence in a welcoming and nurturing environment.
www.avondale.edu.sg Avondale Grammar School, Phoenix Park, 304/318 Tanglin Road, Singapore, 247979 T: +65 6258 8544 30
ACCESSASIA WWW.AUSTCHAM.ORG.SG Avondale| Grammar School is registered by the Council of Private Education. Registration number: 200514242C valid 14 March 2015 – 13 March 2019.
NEW MEMBERS
CORPORATE MEMBERS
TRILAKE PARTNERS PTE LTD
ZENITH INTERIORS PTE LTD
ZENITH INTERIORS
CABBEL
TIM ARGENT
DEAN ELDER
PTE LTD
PHILLIP CARLTON
Regional Sales Manager, SE Asia www.zenithinteriors.com
KAREN MIAGAO
Director
Regional Head South East Asia www.zenithinteriors.com
www.gcpapital.com.au
Executive Director www.trilake-partners.com
PM-PARTNERS SINGAPORE
KERRIANN TYSON-JONES Senior Relationship Manager www.pm-partners.com.sg
INDIVIDUALS MEMBERS
CHERYL BAILEY
RICHARD BAILEY
MARGARET DILLON
NATHALIE EMAMI
Interior Designer
President and Managing
Principal
Associate Professor
Director, Asia Pacific and
DHR International
Japan Region HP INC.
CHARLES JACKSON Consultant
ANASTASIA MALISHEV
STEVE MELHUISH
VP Design Director
CEO & Co-Founder
83 INC
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31
MEMBERSHIP CARD OFFERS PRESENT YOUR AUSTCHAM MEMBERSHIP CARD AND ENJOY THESE BENEFITS
travel QANTAS Complimentary business class check-in for you and your family at the Qantas lounge in Singapore
business services CITY DEVELOPMENT LIMITED 10% discount on facilities and services at City Serviced Offices CLIFTONS 25% discount on room bookings GEEK TEAM ASIA 20% discount off all your technology support needs LAW IN ORDER Enjoy 15% off a range of business administrative services RUNNINGSTREAM 50% discount for the first year proprietary Portfolio Program SERVCORP Enjoy one month complimentary ‘The Virtual Office’ package
education & training BRITISH COUNCIL 20% off all corporate training workshops COALFACE DIALOGUE Special members’ rates on selected professional development program GEMS WORLD ACADEMY SINGAPORE Priority discounts & preferential discounts for enrolments in the 2016-2017 academic year PM-PARTNERS Enjoy 20% off standard price of any public or in-house training course SINGAPORE MANAGEMENT UNIVERSITY Receive 5% discount on selected SMU Executive Development Programmes THE CHANGE SCHOOL Enjoy 20% off on selected corporate workshops and retreats WHITE LODGE Free trial class for your child at any one of eight centres throughout Singapore
financial services ANZ Application fee waiver for new Australian property loan (save up to USD$750) PAY2HOME Enjoy money transfers to Australia for a flat fee of $15 (save 25%) QBE SINGAPORE 20% discount on personal lines including travel coverage WESTPAC Enjoy $0 establishment fee for new Australian & New Zealand investment property loan (save up to AUD$750)
health services ALL IN THE FAMILY COUNSELLING
Enjoy special rates for counselling sessions DENTAL ESSENCE Special members’ rates for consultations
lifestyle and entertainment THE BIG BLOW Receive a complimentary Kevin Murphy Treat Me express service with every Perfect Blow Out THE BRITISH CLUB First 90 sign-ups enjoy a transferable Individual Lifetime membership at only $9,900+GST URBAN FAIRWAYS 10% off golf simulator rental and food & beverages
32
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MEMBERSHIP CARD OFFERS
restaurants and hotels ANGSANA BINTAN 30% off best available rate at Angsana Bintan BANYAN TREE BINTAN 30% off best available rate at Banyan Tree Bintan ANGSANA LANG CÔ Complimentary choice of one unlimited inclusion (golf/spa/dining) per day BANYAN TREE LANG CÔ Stay 3 pay 2 Nights with daily breakfast CAPRI BY FRASER 10% off best available room rates and dining CARLTON HOTEL SINGAPORE 20% off total bill at Café Mosaic, Tuxedo and Gravity Bar 10% off total dinner bill at Wah Lok Cantonese Restaurant COMO THE TREASURY PERTH Save over 33% on best available room rates FAR EAST HOSPITALITY 5% off best available rate with complimentary daily breakfast and WiFi 10% off best available rate at TFE hotels in Australia FRASERS HOSPITALITY 10% off best available rate when staying for two or more nights MARINA MANDARIN SINGAPORE 15% off best available room rates and hotel managed restaurants & lounge MEAT SMITH Exclusive all day happy hour drinks and 25% off all meat platters NOVOTEL SINGAPORE CLARKE QUAY 15% off total buffet food bill only at The Square Restaurant PARK REGIS Enjoy special rate for Corporate Room and Seminar Package SOI 60 10% off total bill WHITEGRASS 20% off total bill at The Bar
retail EASTERN CARPETS Up to 50% off storewide and a surprise gift with every purchase POP UP WINE Complimentary S$49 bottle of wine with every 12 bottles purchased SHIVA DESIGNS 15% discount on purchases over $99 WINE EXCHANGE ASIA $69 per bottle for cases of six Billecart-Salmon NV Champagne
transport and relocation services ALLIED PICKFORDS Two hours complimentary handyman service on moving day
visit www.austcham.org.sg for full details & conditions ACCESSASIA | WWW.AUSTCHAM.ORG.SG
33
NEWS FLASH
New Principal for Avondale Avondale has appointed Geoffrey Fouracre as the new Principal of the School. As an experienced and committed educational leader, Mr. Fouracre brings invaluable expertise to Avondale. He is a curriculum specialist, with extensive experience in designing and implementing programs aimed at improving student academic performance. Most recently Mr Fouracre was Headmaster of Oxford Falls Grammar School and prior to that he was Principal of Macquarie Anglican Grammar School. Mr Fouracre took up his role on 15th August, replacing Mr. Rob Stokoe who delayed his impending retirement to take on a short term appointment at Avondale.
The Australian Government’s Global Innovation Linkages and Global Connections Fund are now open for applications. Under the Global Innovation Linkages programme, eligible businesses and researchers will be able to access grants of up to $1 million in total per grant over a maximum period of four years to help them collaborate with global partners on leading-edge research, development and commercialisation projects. More information: www.business.gov.au/ GIL. The Global Connections Fund Bridging Grants enable Australian SMEs to collaborate with international researchers and links Australian researchers with international SMEs to seize opportunities in priority areas of importance to the strategic growth sectors of Australia. The primary partners must be a SME and a researcher. Funding of up to $50,000 per grant will be provided as seed funding capital to enable viable projects to grow in scope and scale, to test commercialisation and proof of concept activities. More information: www.globalconnectionsfund.org.
Congratulations to Dimbulah Coffee Congratulations to Dimbulah Coffee on winning the bronze medal in the International Contest of Coffees Roasted in the Countries of Origin 2016. The awards were held in Paris, France and from a field featuring coffee from more than 24 countries, Dimbulah Mountain Estate's coffee claimed the bronze medal. Dimbulah grow their beans in far north Queensland and it was the only Australian coffee recognised at the awards. Sold at over 10 locations in Singapore, there is no excuse for drinking bad coffee.
Australia’s first bank, Here in Asia. With more than 40 years’ experience in Asia, take advantage of our strong local and regional knowledge and expertise. Whether you’re investing in Australian or New Zealand property, or just need a trusted banking partner in Asia and Australasia, Westpac can help.
Speak with one of our Relationship Managers today. Singapore +65 6530 9898 Hong Kong +852 2842 9888 Visit www.westpac.asia Westpac Banking Corporation ABN 33 007 457 141 AFSL 233713, Westpac Singapore Branch holds a wholesale banking licence is subject to supervision by the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Westpac Hong Kong Branch holds a banking licence and is subject to supervision by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority. Westpac Hong Kong branch also holds a licence issued by the Hong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) for Type 1 and Type 4 regulated activity.
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Bo p gi er ok st er so na you at lt r w w w. ou r ai s
Re
Your child’s early Passport to Success
.c
om
.sg
Part 1:
Creativity
INTRODUCING
EARLY YEARS
Weekly Violin Lessons in our new specialist Music Classrooms Specialist music lessons commence from 18 months at AIS progressing to weekly violin lessons from the age of 3, developing each child’s musical literacy, understanding and creative potential.
DID YOU KNOW AIS STUDENTS ENJOY
WEEKLY VIOLIN FROM
PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES
YEARS OLD
100 16 3 MUSIC ENSEMBLES
www.ais.com.sg +65 6653 7906 Offering the best of the Australian curriculum and the International Baccalaureate for children aged 18 months to 18 years old. EDU-2-2037 19/2/2016 – 18/2/2020
Australian International School Pte Ltd is registered by the Council for Private Education. CPE Registration Number 199204405H. Period of Registration 6 July 2015 to 5 July 2019