FOCUS
The Magazine of the French Chamber of Commerce in Singapore
May 2014
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www.fccsingapore.com
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CULTURE LEISURE MOVE
The Little Red Dot’s Lifestyle Revolution | Bringing the Best of France to the Stage | The Art of Photography | Singapore: A Global Sports Hub | Entrepreneurs in Leisure
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CONTENTS
May 2014
GUEST EDITOR’S NOTE
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SHORT NEWS
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PATRON MEMBERS’ SPOTLIGHT
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COVER STORY - CULTURE AND LEISURE ON THE MOVE
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FCCS BUSINESS SERVICES
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FCCS CLUB EVENTS
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BNP Paribas Opens Asia Pacific Training & Development Campus in Singapore Solvay Opens Flagship Innovation Centre in Singapore Alcatel-Lucent and Sea-Me-We 5 Strengthen Singapore-France Ultra-broadband Undersea Connectivity World’s Most Advanced Air Traffic Management System LORADS III Goes Live in Singapore ATR Bags 48 Orders the 2014 Singapore Airshow JAAN Three Times a Winner More Authentic French Crêpes in Singapore France’s Habitat Signs MFA for Asia Pacific
AIR FRANCE KLM in Asia
Singapore: City of Arts and Heritage Art Stage Singapore: We Are Asia Galeries Bartoux’s Asian Chapter The Art of Photography At the Intersection of East and West Publishing with Heart The Little Red Dot’s Lifestyle Revolution Improvisation as a Tool for Innovation Discovering Singapore, French-Style A Touch of French in Singapore Bringing French Culture to Singaporeans The Musical Touch Passion for French Theatre Singapore: A Global Sports Hub Swim Stars to Make a Splash in Singapore Sharing True Passion Accrobranche for All Bringing the Music Closer to the Fans Exploring Asia’s Gaming Potential Leading the Mobile Gaming Gold Rush New Playing Field for Ankama
Newly Set-Up Companies They Rely on Us... and Testify on Our Services Fourth French Pavilion @ IDEM 2014
Aeronautics, Space, Defence & Security Committee Asia Committee Banking & Finance Committee Entrepreneurs Committee Legal & Tax Committee Luxury & Premium Retail Committee / Business Women Committee Human Resources Committee ICT Committee ICT Committee / Marketing & Communication Committee R&D Committee Energy / Infrastructure Committee Sourcing & Supply Chain Committee / Sustainability Committee Smart Cities Committee We Organise Your Event! Pétanque Tournament FCCS Events New FCCS Members FCCS Privilege Card
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FCCS PATRON MEMBERS
FOCUS MAGAZINE
May 2014
The French Chamber of Commerce in Singapore would like to thank its Patron Members for their continuous support.
FCCS Focus Magazine is published by the French Chamber of Commerce in Singapore (FCCS). The views and opinions expressed in its columns do not necessarily reflect those of the FCCS members and management.
director of publication Carine Lespayandel chief editor Nicolas Avril editorial contributors Ouahiba Aissat Caroline de Villèle Jonathan Meur Anne Validire design & layout Jonathan Meur advertising Ouahiba Aissat Nicolas Avril Jonathan Meur
colour separation & printing Toppan Security Printing Pte. Ltd.
May 2014 4,000 copies MCI (P) 198/06/2013
The French Chamber of Commerce in Singapore 541 Orchard Road #09-01 Liat Towers Singapore 238881 Tel: +65 6933 1350 Fax: +65 6933 1398 www.fccsingapore.com info@fccsingapore.com
FOCUS MAGAZINE
GUEST EDITOR’S NOTE
May 2014
Creative Ties between France and Singapore n 2015, Singapore will celebrate its 50th birthday. For the past three decades, this young nation mainly cemented its identity on economic growth. If this search for competitiveness remains at the core of the national project, arts and culture have been progressively gaining attention both in public and private space.
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Obviously, the desire for culture and leisure is a traditional outcome of economic welfare, particularly when the latter is based on a high level of education, as is the case here in the city-state. A new generation of artists is emerging in various fields. Perhaps the most emblematic, director Anthony Chen saw his movie Ilo Ilo praised around the world with awards from various festivals. In Singapore, this natural trend is strongly supported by a political will with a dual perspective: • the ambition to become a cultural hub in South-East Asia; • the domestic purpose to develop culture and the arts with a view to build the identity of the nation.
common conviction was clearly shared: culture is a key area of public policy, as it impacts long-term development and fosters respectful globalisation. But cooperation is not only a top-down initiative. It flourishes from promising bottom-up partnerships too, between institutions, organisations, and artists themselves. Private initiatives are developing, galleries are opening every month, and some creative industries show interesting prospects, such as video games, backed by a recent MOU. From April to June 2015, Singapore will have the opportunity to express its cultural identity and directly touch the French public. This visibility is essential, as the richness of cultural links between two countries is truly measured by their lasting impact on the people. That is the reason why the French Embassy and Institut Français wish to elevate their cultural offerings to the level of excellence of our institutional cooperation.
Interestingly, the ministry in charge of culture also oversees communities, youth and sports. Indeed, many projects are designed to promote Singaporean excellence on the international scene and to serve a real social purpose and benefit the community at large. That is true of museums and cultural events.
In this spirit, we want to work with all interested parties and, in conjunction with our Singaporean partners, to organise an annual rendezvous around French culture. This project, from spring 2015 onwards, is to propose to the Singaporean public a festival displaying all the diversity of French culture.
Singapore clearly has assets to fulfil its cultural ambitions: its multiculturalism, its central geographical location in the region, and its vision. Moreover, Singapore chose France as a privileged partner and, in 2009, signed a bilateral agreement on cultural cooperation. It is an honour and a responsibility to fulfil the expectations of our Singaporean friends.
We strongly believe that this combination of a close cooperation and a dynamic programming is the proper mix to contribute to the development of a cultural offer in Singapore and to promote our economic interests and influence in the city-state. This cultural diplomacy requires a collective mobilisation and every contribution will make a difference.
When Jack Lang, President of the Institut du Monde Arabe and former Minister for Culture and Communication was invited by Minister Lawrence Wong to come to Singapore in January, a
Bertrand POUS Counsellor, Culture, Science and Education Director, Institut Français de Singapour French Embassy
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SHORT NEWS
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French Companies in Singapore
May 2014
BNP Paribas Launches Asia Pacific Training & Development Campus in Singapore Strategically located in Singapore, the campus is BNP Paribas’ first training and talent development facility in the region. This investment is a key component of the Group’s Asia Pacific growth plan. Enhanced employee and talent management practices through the delivery of some of the world’s leading training and development products are a cornerstone of the group’s regional strategy. “The region plays a key role in the group’s 2014-2016 global business development plan. We are committed to investing more in talent both here in Singapore and in Asia Pacific. In partnership with the Singapore Government, we have built this world-class facility, which underlines our ambitions for both Singapore and the wider Asia Pacific region,” said Eric Raynaud, Chief Executive Officer of BNP Paribas Asia Pacific. BNP Paribas will train 3,200 employees each year from Singapore, Asia Pacific and some of its 75 countries worldwide,
with a range of programmes specifically designed to cover eight key paths: Talent Development, Leadership & Management, Individual Skills, Risk & Credit, Compliance & Regulatory, Product & Technical Proficiencies, Diversity & Inclusion, and Corporate Culture & Citizenship. Supported by the Singapore Government, BNP Paribas has invested SGD24 million to restore two conservation buildings that house the BNP Paribas Asia Pacific
Campus. The restoration work started in 2012 and was successfully completed within 15 months. The Campus covers a total surface area of 14,120 m2 and is strategically located close to Singapore’s Changi International Airport. The facility is an exciting investment in Learning & Development in Asia Pacific, offering state-of-the-art training and conferencing facilities, underlining BNP Paribas’ commitment to both Singapore and the Asia Pacific region. F
Solvay Opens Flagship Innovation Centre in Singapore now established as a key knowledge and innovation hub in the Asia Pacific region,” said Pierre-Franck Valentin, Vice President & General Manager of Solvay Novecare Asia Pacific. “Basing one of our global Research & Innovation centre in Singapore will allow us to benefit from the country’s research capabilities, ready infrastructure and strong intellectual property protection”.
Solvay announced in February the opening of a new Research & Innovation center in Singapore, which will be the Group’s core innovation ground for its Consumer Chemicals growth engine in the region. Located in Singapore’s Biopolis research hub, the 1,100-m2 laboratory will lead worldwide innovation projects primarily for Solvay’s business unit Novecare,
which is active in the fields of Home & Personal Care, Coatings, and Oil & Gas. It will also be a regional hub in developing sustainable agrochemical solutions and provide technical support to Solvay’s regional customers as well as plants in the region. “Singapore has undergone an important transformation in recent years and is
With strong support from the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), Solvay invested close to €2 million in the laboratory and expects to invest another €5 million in the next five years to boost its capabilities, including the hiring of extra researchers. Solvay is committed to being part of the global innovation eco-systems in Asia. Out of 2,000 researchers, more than 250 are based in Asia and their number is expected to double by 2016. F
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SHORT NEWS
May 2014
French Companies in Singapore
Alcatel-Lucent and Sea-Me-We 5 Strengthen SingaporeFrance Ultra-broadband Undersea Connectivity Alcatel-Lucent has signed a contract valued at several hundred million US dollars with the South East Asia-Middle East-Western Europe 5 (SEA-ME-WE 5) consortium of 15 leading telecom operators to deploy a new 100 gigabit per second undersea cable system.
The SEA-ME-WE 5 system will span 20,000 km from Singapore to Europe and will deliver ultra-broadband capacity and faster access to consumers and businesses. Broadband traffic is growing exponentially as the appetite for new applications
like cloud computing and on-demand video, where consumer appetite is becoming limitless. Furthermore, the demand for new connectivity reflects an enduser and business environment in which ultra-broadband access is essential for sustainable growth and development. F
World’s Most Advanced Air Traffic Management System LORADS III Goes Live in Singapore The system was handed over to the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) in May 2013 and has now assumed full control of Singapore’s airspace following a successful deployment programme. LORADS III marks a generational shift in Air Traffic Management (ATM) technology. Building on previous successes in the region, including nationwide deployment in Taiwan and ongoing enhancements and upgrades to The Australian Advanced Air Traffic System, it will play a critical role in enabling CAAS to manage significant future air traffic growth in a safer, more efficient and environmentally friendly way. The system is ideally suited for Singapore and the region as, not only is Changi Airport the busiest hub in South East Asia, but Singapore is also at a strategic geographic junction, making its airspace one of the busiest in the world for long range air traffic en-route to hundreds
of destinations. The country therefore requires a sophisticated system that effectively manages the balance between air traffic on approach to Changi and traffic to other destinations. LORADS III is
based on the Thales TopSky-ATC system, in service in over 130 of the world’s busiest air traffic control centres, making it the most successful ATM system for busy airspaces. F
ATR Bags 48 Orders the 2014 Singapore Airshow European turboprop manufacturer ATR boosted its order book with 48 aircraft, including 28 firm orders at this year’s Singapore Airshow. These contracts totalled nearly 1.2 billion dollars. This strong start to 2014 confirms the company’s success in 2013, a year which ended with a total of1 95 aircraft sold (including 89 firm orders). The new contracts consist of three orders: 40 ATR 72-600s for UAE leasing company
Dubai Aerospace Enterprise, eight ATR 72-600s for operator Bangkok Airways and six ATR 72-600s for Spanish company Binter Canarias. ATR Chief Executive Officer Filippo Bagnato said that he was “very satisfied with ATR’s commercial results after the Singapore Airshow. This quantity of orders, just 45 days after the beginning of the year, puts us on the right track for achieving our 2014 business objectives.
We are very pleased to see that the ATR -600 series has consolidated its position as the principal reference in the field of regional aviation. Whether it is for developing new networks, updating fleets to current tastes and cuttingedge technology or allowing lessors to develop their regional portfolio, the ATR -600 series perfectly fulfils all of these demands. These new sales, just one and a half months into the year, are the best proof of this.”. F
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French Companies in Singapore
May 2014
JAAN Four Times a Winner JAAN has reason to celebrate. The restaurant was named Indoguna Restaurant of the Year and Chef de Cuisine Julien Royer was awarded KitchenAid Chef of the Year at the World Gourmet Series Awards of Excellence this April. Days later, the restaurant was appointed “Best Dinner Experience (Western)” at the G Restaurant Awards 2014. In May, Restaurant Magazine ranked Jaan 100 th best restaurant in the world. In its 18 th year, the World Gourmet Series Awards of Excellence marked the closing of the World Gourmet Summit, an annual food and wine event in Singapore. The awards honour the best in the culinary scene and are regarded as one of the most notable accolades in the regional F&B industry. Presented to the most established figures in the F&B circle, this year’s awards saw more than 700 entries and 14,000 votes from the public, before
a respected panel of experts shortlisted and selected the final winners. JAAN won two coveted awards, including the Indoguna Restaurant of the Year, cementing its position as one of the best in Asia. Chef de Cuisine Julien Royer made his mark as KitchenAid Chef of the Year, as chosen by a select group of F&B professionals and connoisseurs. JAAN also won “Best Dinner Experience (Western)” at the G Restaurant Awards 2014. In its fifth year, the prestigious award is conferred by a team of local food critics and organised by luxury title The Peak Selections: Gourmet & Travel. Organised by Restaurant Magazine, the annual World’s 50 Best Restaurants list ranks not just the 50 Best Restaurants, it also recognises a selection of dining establishments positioned from 51-100. It is compiled by a panel of over 900 of
the world’s leading food journalists and industry influencers. Ranked 100 th, JAAN was one just 17 restaurants in Asia to be recognised on this global list and one of only fi ve in Singapore. F TOP Chef de Cuisine Julien Royer (left) and Jaan Manager Frank Philippe at the 2014 World Gourmet Series Awards of Excellence
New Authentic French Crêperie in Singapore Le Comptoir has opened its doors in Circular Road, making French crêpes available in a stylish environment in Singapore. It is the creation of Parisian duo Antoine and Marie Rouland, following the success of their traditional French wine bar, Ô Batignolles on Club Street. Le Comptoir offers guests a chance to
indulge in the good life: deliciously simple food, affordable and accessible wine, accompanied by great music. The 90-seat restaurant and bar is open for lunch from 11am and it comes alive at night with fabulous cocktails and live DJ sets until 2am. F
France’s Habitat Signs MFA for Asia Pacific Habitat, a French manufacturer and specialist in designer homeware and interior decoration since 1964, has signed a 15-year Master Franchise Agreement (MFA) for Asia Pacific. Habitat signed the agreement with Furniture & Furnishings Pte. Ltd. (F&F), a subsidiary of Singapore Exchange Mainboard-listed TT International, which is currently developing Singapore’s largest mega retail warehouse, BIG BOX. The agreement signed covers Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, Fiji, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Timor Leste, and Vietnam.
Under the MFA, F&F will: • Open four stores in Singapore, Indonesia, Taiwan and Brunei by the end of 2015; • Double the number of stores over the subsequent two years; • Gradually extend the scope of the franchisee stores across the region with launches in the remaining countries. The first Habitat store in the region is scheduled to open by the end of 2014 in
BIG BOX – the last and largest of four warehouse retail projects approved by Singapore’s Economic Development Board under the Warehouse Retail Scheme. F
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SHORT NEWS
French Companies in Singapore
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PATRON MEMBERS SPOTLIGHT
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Interview with a FCCS Patron Member
May 2014
AIR FRANCE KLM in Asia Interview with Matthieu Tetaud, Commercial Director for Singapore, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand and Malaysia, AIR FRANCE KLM
ACCORDING TO YOUR EXPERIENCE, WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES AND CHALLENGES FOR COMPANIES IN THE ASIA PACIFIC REGION? Overall, our region has a healthy economic environment compared to Europe and the demand for air travel is still growing. But there is a rapid capacity increase between Europe and Asia, which is mainly driven by the Gulf carriers. Singapore is a top business destination and attractive for tourism. Changi Airport is an important and efficient hub for our Asia Pacific region and it allows Air France and KLM to serve innumerable regional destinations including connections to Australia. It is a perfect fit for the AIR FRANCE KLM group’s strategy as a global player with a
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Changi Airport is an important hub for Asia Pacific and it allows Air France and KLM to serve innumerable regional destinations including connections to Australia.
global network and two efficient hubs at Paris Charles de Gaulle and Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. COULD YOU DESCRIBE AIR FRANCE KLM’S STRATEGY IN ASIA? It is exciting to be here in Singapore at this moment. Air France will be introducing daily flights between Singapore and Jakarta from 10th July and, during the summer of 2014, Air France will operate an additional three flights a week between Singapore and Paris. With the introduction of a daily Air France flight to
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Jakarta, the AIR FRANCE KLM strategy here in Singapore will be a unique one. Both Air France and KLM will have transit stops in Singapore, enabling Air France customers who wish to travel to Bali to connect the KLM flight to Bali while KLM customers travelling to Jakarta will be able to connect to Air France. Our goal is to increase our share among corporate traffic and develop our business to North America, from Singapore. That is why we are exploring a joint corporate agreement with our partner Delta Airlines.
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PATRON MEMBERS SPOTLIGHT
May 2014
COULD YOU SHARE WITH US THE LATEST EXCITING NEWS FOR AIR FRANCE KLM? Both Air France and KLM invest in their customers. But I will highlight Air France developments for now. For Air France, comfort, attention to detail and pleasure are the three convictions and three priorities that underpin our commercial strategy and its Best and Beyond upmarket positioning. The Best and Beyond project consists of over EUR500 million in investments to place Air France at the best level of products and services. We are introducing new fully ergonomically redesigned seats in economy class, with more legroom, a new seat cushion, more comfortable headrests and a wider tray table. As for entertainment, we will have new wide, high-definition touch screens that will offer 1,000 hours of music, movies and TV series. The new Air France business class seat is full flat, has direct aisle access regardless of the seat’s location in the cabin and its enveloping curves provide a true bubble of privacy in the sky. In total, 2102 seats will
Interview with a FCCS Patron Member
be gradually installed between June 2014 and summer 2015 on Air France’s fleet of Boeing 777s. Singapore will be one of the first routes equipped with those new seats. Finally, families, particularity children, are at the heart of Air France’s attention. We will offer organic produce adapted to the tastes of infants and young children. We will also get new tableware and offer a selection of new games so that families can enjoy the flight in a fun way.
IN YOUR OPINION, WHAT MAKES A GOOD LEADER? DO YOU HAVE SOME CAREER ADVICE TO CLIMB TO THE TOP? I still consider myself to be on a learning curve and I am convinced that even if you are a natural leader, experience is what gives a strong body to a strategic vision. Leading by example is key to getting people to follow you. You must also really believe in your strategy and vision to make them happen. WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO IN LIFE?
AS A STRONG SUPPORTER OF THE FCCS, HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE ROLE THAT THE FCCS SERVES TODAY FOR FRENCH COMPANIES IN SINGAPORE? The FCCS plays an important role for both French companies that are well established in Singapore and those looking to open new business in the country. It is a major vehicle that allows the French business community to connect and share through numerous networking events and business meetings. Upon arriving in Singapore, I found the FCCS’s events to be useful for me to get to know many of my main customers in a short time.
I am optimistic by nature, so I like this quote from Orison Swett Marden: “There is no medicine like hope, no incentive so great, and no tonic so powerful as expectation of something better tomorrow.” F
LEFT Matthieu Tetaud, Commercial Director for Singapore, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand and Malaysia, AIR FRANCE KLM RIGHT Air France’s new business class seats, to be gradually installed between June 2014 and summer 2015 on Air France’s fleet of Boeing 777s
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COVER STORY
May 2014
Culture and Leisure on the Move
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COVER STORY
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Culture and Leisure on the Move
May 2014
Singapore: City of Arts and Heritage By Yeo Whee Jim, Director, Arts and Heritage Division, Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth
Singapore’s exciting arts and culture calendar has something for everyone.
Singapore. Five million persons on an island state that is a little over 700 km2 – less than 5% of the size of the Paris metropolitan area. We are regarded as one of the world’s easiest places to do business. We have one of the world’s highest smart phone penetration rates. Our children study in one of the world’s best performing school systems and we are seen as one of the best places in the world to work, live and play.
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Not bad for a nation that celebrates its 50th year of independence next year.
Our national performing arts centre, Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay, was recently rated by the CNN as having one of the 15 most beautiful concert halls in the world.
PUSHING AND EXPANDING Here’s another perspective of Singapore. Geographically, Singapore is at a convergence of rich and diverse cultural influences that have blessed us with a traditional yet contemporary outlook. We are a multiracial, multi-cultural society. There are
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more than 20 arts performances, and almost 50 exhibitions happening every day. We are home to more than 1,200 arts companies and more than 50 museums – incidentally, Singaporeans enjoy free access to all our national museums and heritage institutions.
Later this year, our Grand Old Dame – the Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall – will be ready to re-emerge into our arts scene, fresh from an extensive refurbishment, or shall I say, facelift.
At the end of next year, we will open yet another crown jewel in our string of exquisite cultural pearls: the National Gallery Singapore. The Gallery will be the world’s first and only museum that focuses on the research and exhibition of Southeast Asian art from the 19th century onwards. Housed in two important national monuments (the City Hall and former Supreme Court), the Gallery itself will be a work of art that will feature a distinctive glass and metal canopy supported by tree-like columns – the result of a collaboration, no less, between Singapore’s CPG Consultants and France’s Studio Milou Architecture.
MYRIADS OF ART EVENTS As someone who grew up witnessing Singapore’s transformation from the 80s, I can say for sure that Singapore’s arts and cultural scene has come a long way. Today’s exciting arts and culture calendar has something for everyone, as we create the environment to make quality arts and cultural experiences a part of the lives of all those who call Singapore home. And we believe that it is never too young to start. Taking place during the June school vacation, the Children’s Season sees our museums rolling out special programmes designed especially for kids from the ages of three to seven. This year, Children’s Season is designed to encourage families to actively participate and respond to various installations and works that are inspired by the experiences of one’s childhood. The months of August and September will offer a picking of arts programmes and festivals, including the Singapore International Festival of the Arts, and the ever-popular Singapore Night Festival. This year, as part of the Singapore Night Festival, Night Lights will allow festival goers to indulge and experience a showcase of light installations, including
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COVER STORY
works by French artists in our natural environment within the Bras BasahBugis arts belt. The six-week Singapore International Festival of the Arts will enchant and inspire, with great artistic works and experiences that will appeal not only to the arts aficionados, but also the new and uninitiated. One of the highlights of the festival is Disabled Theatre, a powerful performance weaving dance and documentary, directed by renowned French choreographer Jérôme Bel. It exposes the vulnerabilities of professional actors with learning disabilities, yet also reveals remarkable capacity, joy and freedom.
SUPPORT FOR THE ARTS Now more than ever before, patrons and corporate sponsors can play a meaningful part in developing and shaping the future of Singapore’s arts and cultural scene. Adding to tax rebates, private patronage now enjoys a doubling of mileage through dollar-for-dollar government matching for donations to arts and heritage charities. These investments enlarge the space for sustainable and strong partnerships between the state, corporates, individuals and even our overseas friends, in developing this essential component of our culture and collective identity – who we are as a people – and in bridging crosscultural understanding.
CULTURAL EXCHANGES Indeed, as a small country plugged into the international grid, Singapore believes in the importance of the arts and culture as a means to bridge the diverse communities and as an avenue for crosscultural dialogue, understanding and appreciation. As a responsible member of the international community, we actively promote inter-cultural exchanges in the heritage and arts. Activities include artist residency exchanges such as collaborations between Singapore’s National Arts Council and the Dena Foundation in Paris. As one of such exchanges, Mr Jack Lang, former Minister for Culture and for Education, and current President of the Institut du Monde Arabe, visited Singapore in January 2014, engaging Singapore’s public through a conference and lively debates. Singapore has plans to invest more in cultural exchanges to boost
Culture and Leisure on the Move
development and training opportunities available to the arts and heritage sector, and to create more opportunities for all our overseas friends to enjoy Singapore’s creative and cultural assets. It is in this spirit that Singapore will present a slice of contemporary Singapore to our friends in France in 2015. The Singapore Festival will offer greater insights into the breadth and diversity of Singapore’s contemporary artistic creation. With an exciting line-up of activities for everyone, our friends in France can look forward to experiencing various aspects of Singaporean culture in the visual arts, performing arts, design, film, fashion and culinary arts.
BRINGING THE ARTS TO THE PEOPLE I am sure we can all agree that culture and heritage are not – and cannot be – confined to the walls of our Museums, theatres and cultural institutions. They spill into and emerge from the community, from ordinary lives, from everyday places, from unexpected locations. Singapore wants to take the arts closer to the community. As Mr Lawrence Wong, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth puts it: “Good public art opens a window into the character of a city. It transforms the spaces around us, and the way we engage with the environment. We want the streets of Singapore to stand out not only for their skyscrapers, but also for their beauty and creativity.” For this reason, Mr Wong announced that Singapore will set up a Public Art Trust. The Trust will partner industry patrons and corporations to commission and maintain art in public spaces, to have more people encounter and enjoy quality works of art in a variety of public spaces such as housing estates, outdoor spaces, and even at train stations and the airport.
13 © studioMilou Singapore 2013/ National Gallery Singapore
May 2014
Singapore is also developing cultural nodes in neighbourhoods. These centres of activities provide greater access to the arts, integrate the arts into community living and invite all Singaporeans to participate in arts and cultural activities. It also provides community platforms for Singaporeans to pursue their passion in the arts. Through these cultural nodes, families, friends and neighbours can come together to enjoy and experience the arts with one another. For those who have yet to uncover this other side to Singapore, we invite you on a cultural journey and experience that promises to amaze and leave you wanting more. F OPPOSITE PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP Family activities at the Malay Heritage Centre as part of the Malay CultureFest 2013 / One of the performances at this year’s Huayi – Chinese Festival of Arts 2014 / An art installation at the Esplanade for the Kalaa Utsavam – Indian Festival of Arts 2014 THIS PAGE Artist rendition of the National Gallery Singapore, to open in 2015
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Culture and Leisure on the Move
May 2014
Art Stage Singapore: We Are Asia Interview with Art Stage Singapore
WHAT IS ART STAGE SINGAPORE ALL ABOUT? Art Stage Singapore is the only Asian art fair connecting the world to the best of Asian contemporary art. With a deep understanding of Asia’s dynamic visual arts scene, Art Stage Singapore presents the diversity of contemporary art rising from the region. Presenting carefully selected galleries from Asian and Western countries that complement each other, Art Stage Singapore promotes dialogue not only between the East and the West but also between countries within Asia itself. Art Stage Singapore’s consistent support of Asian galleries, artists and art practices positions the fair as the region’s international voice, representing the interests of Asian contemporary art in the global arena. Besides being a market platform, Art Stage Singapore is a rendezvous point for discourse and exchange of ideas on the ever-evolving Asian art scene.
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As the gateway between East and West, Singapore is the ideal location for an international art fair with an Asian identity.
Rudolf. Since its inception, Art Stage Singapore has grown to be one of the leading art fairs in Asia. The 4th edition of Art Stage Singapore in 2014 welcomed 45,700 visitors over five days, presenting art in context through a new innovative format that was well received by art professionals and enthusiasts alike. Exhibitors reported significant sales as well as valuable connections made at the fair. WHAT MAKES SINGAPORE AN ARTFRIENDLY DESTINATION?
HOW DID IT START AND HOW HAS IT EVOLVED?
Art Stage Singapore’s deep roots in Singapore further strengthens its Asian core. Known as the region’s leading financial and wealth-management centre and the gateway between East and West, Singapore is the ideal location for an international art fair with an Asian identity.
Art Stage Singapore was founded in 2010 by veteran art fair organiser Lorenzo
In recent years, Singapore has also earned a reputation as a thriving centre for the
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arts with the international success of Singaporean artists and the development of new museums such as the National Gallery Singapore, the Gillman Barracks gallery cluster and state-of-the-art facilities such as the Freeport. WHAT NEXT FOR ART STAGE SINGAPORE? Happening within this flourishing ecosystem that serves to drive Singapore’s art scene as well as the region’s, Art Stage Singapore is well poised to play its role as one of Asia’s premier contemporary art destination for collectors, curators, dealers, galleries and art enthusiasts. The next edition of Art Stage Singapore will take place at Singapore’s iconic landmark Marina Bay Sands from 22 to 25 January 2015. F LEFT Love Me by Choi Jeong Hwa, Galerie Vanessa Quang RIGHT Artwork by Seunghyo Jang, Space BM
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May 2014
Culture and Leisure on the Move
Galeries Bartoux’s Asian Chapter As told by Robert Bartoux, Co-Founder, Galeries Bartoux More than one year after the opening of its first gallery in Asia, this new actor in Singapore’s art scene continues to impose its distinctive style.
With its strong family heritage in the contemporary art scene, Galeries Bartoux has come a long way from its very first gallery in Honfleur back in 1993. There are now 15 galleries across the globe with plans for new openings in London and Hong Kong next year. With its expansive showrooms and influential clientele, Galeries Bartoux pursues its mission to democratise contemporary art by showcasing selected works by numerous masters who have made significant contributions to the 20th century movements that are surrealism, cubism and pop art. Managed by Isabelle, Robert, Jean-Guy, Alexandre and Charles Bartoux, the philosophy of the close-knit family group behind Galeries Bartoux, is to interact with the public by raising awareness and sensitivity towards international art while providing a window into new and exciting cultural values. “Our galleries are open spaces for both buyers and visitors. It is a place of exchanges and encounters with other cultures, at the fringe, compared to some other galleries. All creative, genius artists are welcomed and have had a place in our galleries for 20 years”, says Robert Bartoux, Co-Founder of the Galeries Bartoux. Some artists supported by Galeries Bartoux have seen
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FROM HONFLEUR TO THE WORLD
Singapore represents a first anchor point in the large Asian art market.
their work find a place in private or public collections by institutions, museums or even companies.
FORAY IN ASIA When we ask Robert Bartoux why he decided to open a gallery in Singapore, he simply replies that the city-state represents a first anchor point in the large Asian art market. “We always wanted to open a gallery in Asia and realised that Singapore was the perfect choice with its easy access to the rest of the world. When we decided to open our first gallery here in Singapore, it took us more than two years to find the location in ION Orchard. After its first year, the response has been simply overwhelming. I am particularly fond of the vibrancy and spirit here; Asian artworks are full of thinking and intelligence,” said Robert Bartoux. True to that spirit, Galeries Bartoux managed to spread its appreciation and passion for contemporary art not only within the gallery but also throughout the city. From shoppers to tourists, everyone can admire French artist Etienne’s sculpture dubbed The Flight outside Raffles City Mall or
Julien Marinetti’s famous pandas outside ION Orchard, Interlace Condominium and Westgate@Jurong East. By working with many exciting French as well as Asian artists from Singapore, Hong Kong and China, Galeries Bartoux aims at establishing a stronger foothold in the Asian contemporary art scene and intends to push even more exciting new artists to the forefront of the local art scene. F
BARTOUX MILESTONES
1993 1995 2003 2007 2012 Coming Soon
Opening of the first gallery in Honfleur Opening of galleries in Saint-Paul de Vence Opening of the gallery in Paris Opening of the gallery in New York City Opening of the first Asian gallery in Singapore Second gallery in Paris, new openings in London and Hong Kong
THIS PAGE Galeries Bartoux at ION Orchard, #01-12A/13, Singapore
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The Art of Photography Interview with Jerome Touchard, Managing Director, YellowKorner Singapore WHAT IS THE PHOTOGRAPHY INDUSTRY LIKE IN SINGAPORE? In comparison to other countries where photography is part of the culture, we consider Singapore a new market but the city-state is learning really fast. The number of photography enthusiasts in Singapore is growing and we see more exhibitions, more galleries, and more photography-related events. I see even more passionate and talented photographers here.
figures, demand is higher for the following categories: nature, landscape, urban and fashion. Abstract photography, close to painting in its artistic composition, is also much appreciated by Singaporeans. DO YOU SEE SINGAPORE AS THE ASIAN CITY OF CULTURE AND ART?
CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT THE TRENDS HERE? WHAT KIND OF PICTURES SELL BEST IN SINGAPORE?
Singapore’s art scene is still building its foundations and will need more time before it can be considered a cultural destination.
This is a very tricky question. Taste and sensibility to art are very personal and our observations are based on a very short time period since we opened our gallery last November. Based solely on sales
Still, Art Stage Singapore and Affordable Art Fair are two very successful events, and the number of arts companies has almost tripled and the number of museums doubled over the past few years.
Singapore should continue its efforts and investments in supporting local artists and seducing artists from all over the world in order to bring the creativity needed to be turn it into an arts hub. Singapore could definitely be one of the most important Asian art scenes in the future by keeping this positive trend. F
At the Intersection of East and West By Marie-Pierre Mol, Partner & Co-Founder, Intersections Born from the meeting of two business partners that share the same passion for art and an in-depth knowledge of Asian cultures, Intersections was founded in 2012. Based in Singapore, where East meets West, its vision is to bridge cultures through art as a universal language, and to participate in Singapore’s metamorphosis from an efficient, primarily business-oriented city, into a cultural and creative hub.
FROM RAFFLES’ VISION TO THE RENAISSANCE CITY PROJECT When Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles landed in Temasek in the early 19th century, the future he envisioned for Singapore went far beyond the successful entrepôt that
it became fairly quickly. Raffles wanted to design an ideal city in the spirit of the enlightenment philosophy. At the turn of the 21st century, while Singapore had certainly accomplished economic miracles, it was behind in terms of cultural indicators. Thus, Singapore authorities decided to launch the Renaissance City project in order “to position Singapore as a key city in the Asian renaissance of the 21st century and a cultural centre in the globalised world.”
FLOURISHING ART EVENTS With the fourth edition of Art stage, the premier art fair focusing on Southeast Asia, the opening of Gillman Barracks, an entire complex dedicated to art galleries, and a fourth edition of the Singapore Biennale, 2014 will be remembered as a milestone. In 2015, Singapore will celebrate its 50th anniversary and the opening of the National Gallery Singapore, a sizeable museum of modern art that will certainly help the city-state become an unrivalled artistic and cultural hub in the region. F LEFT Corporate events in an arty atmosphere
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Publishing with Heart Interview with Olivier Burlot, CEO and Publisher, Heart Media
I arrived in Asia in 1994 and worked at Hachette-Filippachi, the publisher of ELLE magazine, for seven years. There, I learned all the basics of publishing. In 2001, I started my own publishing company, ADKOM, which I sold in 2011 to SPH, and then looked for new opportunities in the publishing field. In 2013, with a pool of other shareholders, I acquired Heart Media, a Singapore-based publishing company that hat comprised at that time of three magazines and 18 employees.
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We see Singapore as a great platform to appreciate the best of the region in terms of creativity, art and new trends.
WHAT ARE YOUR NEW AMBITIONS FOR HEART MEDIA? Today, we operate in Singapore and Malaysia, and we have also developed licences in Indonesia, Vietnam, Hong Kong and, soon, Thailand. In total, 20 magazines are published under the Heart Media umbrella.
After just a year, we now publish eight magaziness in Singapore and we ope-rate seven websites while le also organising high-end nd events. The company has grown significantly as we now have 45 employeess in total, a fast growth in a rather ther dormant publishing market ket in Singapore dominated by two giants, SPH and Mediacorp.
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TELL US ABOUT YOUR STORY AS AN ENTREPRENEUR AND HOW YOU BECAME ONE OF THE LEADING MAGAZINE PUBLISHER IN SINGAPORE?
REPUBLIK in 2013, which has generated amazing buzz in the market among art collectors and galleries. We didn’t want to publish a magazine perceived as pedantic or arrogant, which is often the case of art publications. ART REPUBLIK is pleasant to read and provides a full coverage of what is hot p and happening in the art scene in this part of the world. We print 20,000 copies of each issue of the magazine and we update w w w. a r t re p u b l i k . c o m on o a daily basis. We are exhibiting at the Affordable e Art Ar Fair in May and during Art Ar Stage Singapore at the end en of the year. DO YOU SEE SINGAPORE AS A AN ASIAN CAPITAL OF CULTURE? HOW DO YOU C EXPECT IT WILL CHANGE E OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS? O
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY SETS HEART MEDIA APART? We have chosen to operate in niche markets that the two publishing giants in Singapore have not entered. Our magazine WOW, for instance, is the leading title among watch collectors while L’OFFICIEL is perceived as more edgy and international than the existing fashion magazines in the market. FORM is a favorite among designers and architects; MEN’S FOLIO has a strong number of loyal readers among men in their 30s and PALACE deals with real estate issues with a global approach.
I am an art lover and was disappointed when I couldn’t find any substantial magazine about arts when I arrived in Singapore in 2012.
We always ensure that the positioning of each of our title is unique in the market and relevant to the local audience.
Based on our experience of the publishing market and our extensive network among advertisers, we decided to launch ART
Our ambition is to be recognised for the quality of our editorial content, for the high standards of our layouts and photo shoots, and for our dynamism in the fastmoving publishing world. TELL US MORE ABOUT THE LAUNCH OF YOUR NEWEST TITLE, ART REPUBLIK.
Singapore has already S changed a lot over the past ch 15 years, and for the better. It is now a city firmly recognised for its art events, museums and galleries on the global map. The art scene is vibrant. We see Singapore as a great platform to appreciate the best of the region in terms of creativity, art and new trends. From Vietnam to Indonesia through Burma and Malaysia, we witness a great deal of artists choosing Singapore to exhibit their latest artworks. This is a major achievement. Through ART REPUBLIK we wish to encourage such creative energy and the emergence of new talents. F THIS PAGE A selection of Heart Media’s publications
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The Little Red Dot’s Lifestyle Revolution By Christophe Ferreira, Director, Survival Chic Pte Ltd
In April this year, I happened upon some of the oldest Survival Chic (SC) newsletters, from 2010, when we had just launched Singapore’s first Lifestyle Membership.
FROM HUNDREDS TO THOUSANDS Sent out to our first few hundred SC Members, these weekly newsletters were meant to give a selection of and insider access to the most sought-after events in Singapore including food and wine, arts and culture, fashion and branding, as well as lifestyle and leisure. Frankly speaking, I was a bit appalled. The list was beyond selective: it was actually just short. Also, the variety of events was decidedly underwhelming. Comparing the most recent SC newsletters, sent out to more than 18,000 Singapore-based executives and expats, the difference is mindboggling. The 30 to 35 events and invitations for SC Members per week now range from VIP access to the Singapore Yacht Show to
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Without a doubt, the Lion City’s lifestyle scene is on the rise.
free Comedy Fringe Festival tickets, from special invitations to the World Gourmet Summit to a discussion of modern Japanese sculpture, from an Argentinean wine pairing event to French-Singaporean theatre or a private launch with a top London tailor.
THE EVOLVING LIFESTYLE SCENE OF THE LITTLE RED DOT It would be tempting to credit SC’s growth for this drastic improvement in what we offer our members. In reality, the change is inextricably linked to Singapore’s evolving lifestyle scene. In the four years since our launch, we have seen several distinctive trends: • Major lifestyle suppliers, from Art Stage to Michelin-starred chefs, from Formula One to yachting giants, have begun to see Singapore as an up-andcoming dining, arts, and entertainment playground, worth investing in;
• New local interest and involvement in the arts, culture, F&B, and entertainment scenes, with a mix of government incentives and organic change that have started making these fields increasingly attractive for Singaporean suppliers and clients; • A new taste for experiences... While material goods like cars and designer handbags remain a staple for affluent Singapore residents, recent years have seen increased investment in more ephemeral and less tangible indulgences such as food pairing events with top chefs, live art performances, fine cognac tastings, or yachting outings with friends in the waters around Singapore, with musicians and a sommelier on board. Without a doubt, the Lion City’s lifestyle scene is on the rise. Our challenge at Survival Chic is to keep our members ahead of the fast-changing curve. F
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Improvisation as a Tool for Innovation By Sabrine Cazorla Reverre and Quentin Bernard, Directors and Co-founders, Quest Interactive QUEST interactive is a Singapore-based learning and training company. Our mission is to engage and accompany people and companies toward more well-being, creativity and efficiency by leaning on proven techniques of experiential learning. Our clients include Danone, Air France, ST Micro, AXA, Remy Cointreau, and F&N. on experiential learning and powerful because, when it comes to learning, humans are divided into three groups: those who react with their mind and need to be fed with ideas and analysis, those who react with their feelings and those who need action. Experiential learning always addresses these three learning dimensions.
ABOUT EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
IMPROVISATION IN BUSINESS
Cross-cultural environments, the obligation to innovate, the need to re-invent working methods, the adaptability to change, co-creation, and the development of collective intelligence are some of the major challenges the corporate world faces today.
Theatrical and singing improvisation is a tool that helps us design very powerful programmes because, beyond the fun of the activity, they can be seamlessly transposed to the corporate world. For example, Post It, Teflon, Potato Chips and Velcro are all famous brands that have one thing in common: they are all born from a mistake or a failure. Mistakes are bound to happen. One of the many things that we have learned from improvisation
Improvisation brings simple and powerful answers to these issues. Simple because, like all our interventions, they are based
is to look at a mistake and ask “what can we do with that?” rather than focus on the negative. It is one of the first steps towards innovation. Improvisation also teaches how to be present in the moment, how to engage, how to actively listen. But more than that, improvisation develops creativity and co-creativity skills. Participants learn to create and to collaborate with others within a framework (company values, deadlines, targets, etc). Improvisation helps provide a learning experience that is dynamic and works well as a collective, group, or team undertaking. It is built on trust and requires taking care of the team. In the end, the results can prove amazing with increased mind flexibility, collaboration, creativity, team togetherness, charisma, and leadership. F
Discovering Singapore, French-Style By Ariane Nabarro, Founder and Managing Director, Singapour Sur Seine Ariane Nabarro is Singapore’s only native French tourist guide licensed by the Singapore Tourism Board. DISCOVERING HIDDEN GEMS OF SINGAPORE IN FRENCH Singapour Sur Seine offers unique tours that highlight the city’s unique features and story as well as its connections to France and French culture. Singapore Sur Seine not only offers themed walks, which anyone can enjoy, the company has also developed several specific tours for the business community. There are indeed several condensed tours, such as “Singapore, A Vertical Urbanism”, “Finance and Architecture” or “The Spirit of Singapore,” designed for busy executives on a stopover. Tours can also be fully customised according
to the client’s needs. For instance, a tour entitled Femmes Célèbres, Femmes d’Influence de Singapour (Famous and Influential Women of Singapore) was born of a request from the FCCS Business Women Committee. This tour will take participants from the Supreme Court to the Esplanade, where they will discover exceptional women.
SINGAPORE AS ATTRACTIVE AS EVER TO FRENCH VISITORS Singapore, with its new attractions and its cultural heritage, continues to attract an increasing number of visitors as can be seen from the statistics of the Singapore Tourism Board.
Even though most visitor arrivals are from Asia, France is the third most important European country of origin with 124,573 visitors in 2013. This figure, in addition to the growing French community based here, proves the growing interest in Singapore. On a personal note, as a tourist guide, to live in Singapore is a real joy. This city is constantly changing and Singapour Sur Seine and the tours it offers reflect this perfectly. F
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A Touch of French in Singapore By Emmanuel Lainé, Deputy Director, and Claire-Lise Dautry, Executive Director, Alliance française de Singapour
Alliance française de Singapour has been offering French classes and cultural events related to France and the Frenchspeaking world since 1949. Its mission has always been to promote and diffuse French language and culture. More specifically, its goals are to offer unique opportunities to all kinds of audiences to expand their linguistic and cultural consciousness by offering French classes using innovative, state-of-the art methodology and material as well as by programming art events in all disciplines to showcase the richness and diversity of cultures with the French-speaking world.
A DIVERSE COMMUNITY The Alliance française community of members is very diverse and gathers a multicultural and multilingual crowd of Singaporean citizens (50%) mixed with French, Japanese, Indians and more than 30 other nationalities. Most of our public is young (between 18 and 35 years old) and largely female (70%). The young public has grown tremendously over the past few years as we now welcome more than 600 children under the age of 15.
A CULTURAL LANDSCAPE IN BLOOM For many years, Alliance française has been offering a great array of performing art events in its theatre as well as various visual arts exhibitions in its gallery. At a time when the local cultural scene was not as vibrant as it is today, Alliance française managed to become a cultural destination for concerts, musicals, theatre plays and movies. Almost 30 years ago, it launched a French Film Festival that attracted a great audience eager to attend Singapore premieres of French movies presented by French actors and directors. After Singapore became a major financial hub and an important tourist destination, the government also started
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Besides a particular focus on cinema, Alliance française also offers social events where the public can enjoy a taste of French flavours.
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PROMOTING LANGUAGE AND CULTURE
implementing an ambitious programme to turn the city-state into a cultural centre, both regionally and internationally. Many great venues have been developed to welcome world-renowned artists as well as festivals, art fairs and local productions. A cultural landscape has bloomed, which is now very rich, accessible and affordable, with both conservative cultural products to edgier and more avant-garde ones.
THE ALLIANCE FRANCAISE’S OFFERINGS In this evolving cultural landscape, Alliance française also needed to review its cultural offerings, to specialise more as it is now extremely difficult to be generalist. The yearly cultural programming is now articulated around three major events related to the world of cinema: the renowned RendezVous with French Cinema in December, the Francophone Film Festival in March and the French Animation Film Festival in May, all jointly organised with the unfailing support of Institut Français Singapour and the French Embassy in Singapore. On top of these major events, several other events are organised: the Music Fest in June, Bastille Day in July, the CinéClub (every Tuesday night) and the CinéKid (one Sunday afternoon per month to offer children good quality cultural programs). Besides a particular focus on cinema, Alliance française also offers social events where the public can enjoy a taste of French flavours while using French language, whatever their level. Alliance française’s cultural programming is extremely rich but coherent in achieving its goal: to make France desirable. F
TOP Alliance française is the leading French language institution and cultural centre in Singapore with more than 4,000 students per year CENTRE A recent concert by Brigitte at Alliance française BOTTOM Make-up session with L’Oréal International Women’s Day
to
celebrate
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Bringing the Best of France to the Stage The French business community in Singapore has been growing rapidly for several years now. In light of this, several organisations such as Sing’theatre, French Stage and Arsmedia have successfully showcased various aspects of French culture in Singapore. We have interviewed Nathalie Ribette from Sing’theatre, Emilie Borrel from French Stage, and Sabrina Zuber from Arsmedia who shared with us their views on Singapore’s cultural landscape.
Bringing French Culture to Singaporeans Interview with Nathalie Ribette, Artistic and Executive Director, Sing’theatre WHAT DOES SING’THEATRE DO AND HOW DID IT GET STARTED? I launched Sing’theatre in 2006. This would not have been possible without the support of Singaporean artists who really believed in me for years! Our goal is to build a bridge between French and Asian cultures. I am convinced that we can understand each other better by sharing our cultural legacies, strong universal emotions or a good laugh. To do so, we work with professional English-speaking Singapore artists who help us reach out to Singaporeans. IS THE MADE-IN-FRANCE FACTOR A PLUS IN THIS INDUSTRY? I would say it is. We are moved to see how Singaporeans consider the French
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Our goal is to build a cultural bridge between French and Asian cultures.
sophisticated and trustworthy people when it comes to artistic matters.
HOW HAS SINGAPORE’S CULTURAL SCENE EVOLVED OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS?
WHAT ARE THE MAIN CHALLENGES TO SUCCESS IN SINGAPORE?
The cultural scene has evolved a lot, bringing to light many more performing arts groups and venues. Offerings are richer, spanning a wide range of genres, making it more interesting but also more difficult to survive in this context. Considering the efforts put in by the government, we could imagine Singapore becoming the Asian capital of culture. F
As far as performing arts are concerned, our biggest challenge lies in the fact that cultural offerings developed rather recently and the audience is still quite young. We must make sure we produce shows that reach an audience even if they draw on aspects of French cultural heritage that Singaporeans might not have encountered before. Production costs are so high that we can’t make programming mistakes if we want to survive.
BOTTOM, LEFT Sing’theatre Artistic Nathalie Ribette
and
Executive
Director
BOTTOM, CENTRE AND RIGHT Musical shows such as A Singaporean in Paris or A French Kiss in Singapore are perfect examples of the cultural sharing that Sing’theatre proposes.
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The Musical Touch Interview with Sabrina Zuber, Managing Director, Arsmedia and Bellepoque
Singapore’s cultural scene has been growing and changing really fast.
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1890 to 1940. We also aim to offer a new expressive platform for emerging talents. HOW HAS THE CULTURAL LANDSCAPE IN SINGAPORE EVOLVED OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS? I have been living in this country for 10 years now. Singapore’s cultural scene has been growing and changing very fast. More art venues have opened, festivals have multiplied, and so have production companies. It is becoming very dynamic and exciting.
Since 2011, I am also the founder and director of non-profit music theatre company Bellepoque. Under it, we produce shows that introduce the Singapore public to the European music repertoire from
Nevertheless, I still think that the country has to get more mature in order to develop its own
cultural identity and artistic vision. As of today, I feel that there isn’t a homogenous direction behind all the events organised. I would like to see more creative shows than commercial ones. For me, it is not about quantity but more about the content of the shows. DO YOU SEE SINGAPORE AS THE ASIAN CAPITAL OF CULTURE? Singapore certainly has the will and means to become just that, but it is still a young nation. I think it will need more time and reflection. Still, when I see how some local companies work on defining their mission and how they fight to establish themselves, I am confident that the Singaporean scene will grow stronger and be able to expand beyond its geographical limits. F
Passion for French Theatre Interview with Emilie Borrel, Artistic Director and Sponsor Relation, French Stage WHAT DOES FRENCH STAGE DO AND HOW DID IT GET STARTED? It was a question of chance and timing. In 2011, I met a bunch of passionate people who really missed performing in French. We realised together that we could make it happen here in this city and so we did. We have over 20 members today, actors, directors or even producers, and we are currently working on our 9th show. Since 2012, we have staged different kind of shows: comedies, modern theatre but also classic French plays. WHAT ARE THE MAIN CHALLENGES TO SUCCESS IN SINGAPORE? We aim to share our passion for French theatre with as many people as possible and working with local talents is essential to making it a cross-cultural experience.
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The arts and culture industry has boomed.
We rely mostly on volunteers although sponsors’ generosity is key to helping us face this industry’s high operating costs. This context allows little room for risk-taking and long showprogramming. There are no cheap venue options in Singapore, which can be really challenging, but we try to keep our shows very accessible. We have managed so far to fill our seats and our audiences do ask for more. IN WHAT WAYS HAS SINGAPORE’S CULTURAL SCENE EVOLVED OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS?
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I am the director of Arsmedia, a consultancy agency that I founded in 2004. Since then, I have been working as a consultant and providing artistic and educational services to various cultural institutions in Singapore (including foundations, schools, theatres, and museums), as well as à la carte events for corporate clients and entities.
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COULD YOU EXPLAIN IN A FEW WORDS YOUR ACTIVITY?
In the span of six years, it is plain to see how much the arts and culture industry has boomed, orchestrated by a massive government policy to make Singapore the Asian arts and cultural hub. The Lion city now hosts several international art fairs, theatre plays, music and dance festivals and also large-scale exhibitions and events. Also, the National Art Council had made great efforts to boost creativity by helping smaller companies and community initiatives. Competition is now increasing, and it’s a fierce but healthy one. F
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Singapore: A Global Sports Hub By Singapore Sports Hub The Singapore Sports Hub is set to be Singapore’s premier sports, entertainment and lifestyle hub with integrated community programmes. Consisting of a unique cluster development of integrated world-class sports facilities within the city, it will play a critical role in accelerating the development of the sports excellence and participation.
In recent years, we have witnessed an increasing and powerful influence of sport on Singapore, with standout events like the Singapore Grand Prix, Singapore Open and Youth Olympic Games. The Lion City has come to value the importance of these events and appreciate the positive impact on its growth. Today, Singapore is leading the region in many areas and its Vision 2030 plan, together with the opening of the Sports Hub in 2014, will strengthen the City State’s position as the region’s hub for sports. Singapore’s MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferencing, Exhibitions) industry is set to receive an unprecedented boost and it will set Singapore as a
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The Singapore Sports Hub will provide a platform to elevate the Singapore sporting ecosystem on a regional and global scale.
leader in Southeast Asia, driving growth in the sporting landscape and allowing for positive and tangible rewards for its economy and the community.
SPORTING STATE-OF-THE-ART INFRASTRUCTURE The Singapore Sports Hub will be a state-of-the-art, fully integrated sports, entertainment and lifestyle hub that will allow everyone in Singapore to watch,
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support and take part in sports and entertainment events. This project is on track to become a leading destination in the region for sports and entertainment events, and enable elite athletes and world renowned artistes to enthral both local and global audiences. Opening in 2014, the Singapore Sports Hub will feature a cluster of affordable
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lifestyle facilities including a retail mall, restaurants, a skate park, a lawn bowl green, a climbing wall, a beach volleyball court, tennis hard courts, a sports library and a museum.
Sports Hub will bring world-class sporting events such as World Club 10s in June, a Singapore vs. Malaysia football match in August and the AFF Suzuki Cup at the end of the year.
With a series of integrated world-class sports facilities on the rise within the city, the Singapore Sports Hub will act as a catalyst for the emergence of sport in Singapore and will provide a platform to elevate the Singapore sporting ecosystem on a regional and global scale.
Sports enthusiasts can also look forward to other regional-scale events such as the Southeast Asia Swimming Championships, the 9th Asian Netball Championships, the OUE Badminton Open, along with marquee events including the Singapore Swim Stars and the Women’s Tennis Association Championships.
Located on a 35-hectare site in Kallang, the Singapore Sports Hub is well-connected to the Mass Rapid Transit network, with connecting pathways and major expressways that will offer Singaporeans low-cost, hassle-free access to everything the hub has to offer.
PUTTING SINGAPORE ON THE GLOBAL SPORTS MAP Singapore will be hosting many local and international sporting and entertainment events throughout 2014. With the support of the Football Association of Singapore and the Singapore Rugby Union, the
Music fans can expect a diverse range of entertainment events ranging from artists like American sweetheart, Taylor Swift, to Taiwanese superstar, Jay Chou, who will light up the stage for the first time at the National Stadium, along with the highly acclaimed Singapore Chinese Orchestra, among many others. Most events will take place from the second half of the year. Sports Hub Pte Ltd Chief Executive Officer, Philippe Collin Delavaud, says, “As we enter the final stages of this iconic development, we are pleased to
share an exciting line-up of events that offers something for everyone. Beyond spectator events, the Singapore Sports Hub will offer community programming, sports experience initiatives and public facilities open to all, young and old. For those looking forward to international entertainment acts, the Sports Hub will soon host some of the biggest names at our world-class facilities. We are looking forward to opening our doors to the public and showcasing all that the Sports Hub has to offer.” Singapore aims at becoming a unique leisure destination and this goal will be soon achieved thanks to this world-class facility, which will definitely set the City State as a premiere sports and leisure venue in Southeast Asia. F
OPPOSITE PAGE Artist rendition of the Singapore Sports Hub THIS PAGE Artist rendition of a selection of sporting events that the Singapore Sports Hub is set to welcome, in disciplines including diving (top left), ping pong, gymnastics, volleyball, basketball (top right), rugby (bottom right) and football (bottom left)
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Entrepreneurs in Leisure With the government’s ambition to promote the leisure sector, Singapore has created different schemes to attract investment in this industry. We interview three French entrepreneurs who have set up their own leisurerelated businesses.
Swim Stars to Make a Splash in Singapore By Harald Eltvedt, Co-Organiser, Singapore Swim Stars
This innovative event was developed by a team of former French swimmers – Stephan Caron, several-time Olympic medallist, Harald Eltvedt and Laurent Neuville – together with Sophie Reinauld, from Revsquare agency. Similar to the Diamond League concept in athletics, it will offer an outstanding show combining performance and fight, competition and stars, with community components for the public. On top of the elite competition, the three-day programme will also include open water, synchronised swimming and diving shows. “The format will be very unique and innovative and we have already partnered up with many of the world’s top swimmers” says co-organiser Harald Eltvedt.
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Singapore Swim Stars will contribute to the city-state’s ambition to position itself as a sports hub in the region.
their participation to the first edition of this major international swimming meet, which is set to become the biggest in recent years in Singapore. Other top athletes taking part include France’s Florent Manaudou, who won the men’s 50m freestyle at the 2012 London Olympics, 2013 men’s world 100m freestyle champion James Magnussen of Australia, and Denmark’s Jeanette Ottesen, the 2011 women’s world 100m freestyle champion.
MEETING SWIMMING CHAMPIONS
SHOWCASING SWIMMING IN A NEW LIGHT
Elite swimmers will be facing each other in the unique setting that is the Sports Hub Singapore’s brand new aquatic complex. Olympic champions Ruta Meilutyte, Cesar Cielo and Anthony Ervin have confirmed
“The idea came from the fact that elite swimming is not attractive to a large public in its current format. There is too much time spent before the actual finals and it is can be difficult for the public to
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stay focused. Thus, this new concept enhances the athletic performance while setting the public on fire” said Stephan Caron, who partnered the event’s organising committee. Singapore Swim Stars will contribute to the city-state’s ambition to position itself as a sports hub in the region. This will not be a one-off operation as the organising committee and the Singapore Sports Council have agreed to hold the event for five years in Singapore. F TOP, LEFT TO RIGHT Singapore Swim Stars will welcome world swimming champions, including 2013 World Medalist and 200m Breastroke Record Holder Rikke Møller Pedersen, 2013 World Champion and 2012 100m Freestyle Silver Medalist James Magnussen, 2013 100m Breastroke World Champion Rūta Meilutytė, 2012 50m Freestyle Olympic Champion Florent Manaudou and 100m Freestyle 2011 World Champion Jeanette Ottesen
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Sharing True Passion Interview with Pierre Rico, Managing Director, Football Passion
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Futsal, which is football for all, has significantly grown in the past decade.
WHY SET UP A FOOTBALL ACADEMY IN SINGAPORE? DID YOU HAVE TO OVERCOME ANY OBSTACLES?
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I have been living in Asia for over 23 years. After spending several years in Singapore and having a huge passion for football and for kids, I started coaching in 1998 for a large Australian-New Zealand organisation on a voluntary basis. I got more and more involved and, after eight years, I decided to set up my own academy.
which is expensive here, whereas it is known elsewhere in the world as a popular and rather inexpensive sport.
The local school calendar is one of the main challenges as it is very different from the one for international schools. It makes it very complicated for our academies with many non-local players to compete in local leagues. Therefore, and in association with two other academy founders, we launched our own Alliance Youth Soccer League in 2011, a vibrant competition featuring approximately 1,000 kids and teens aged five to 17. The second challenge for us has to do with the costs associated with the activity,
HOW IS FOOTBALL PERCEIVED IN SINGAPORE? Football, mostly the English Premier League, is very popular in Singapore. Futsal, which is football for all, has significantly grown in the past decade, with Futsal pitches popping everywhere in the city. This beautiful game is the most popular sport in the world and Singapore is no exception.
Over the years, we managed to strengthen our cooperation with the French business community, schools and associations. Working closely with the French community helped us grow as one of the premier academies in Singapore. Today, French players make up approximately 65% our academy. F
IS THE FRENCH TOUCH AN ASSET IN THIS FIELD? I started coaching activities in Singapore in the late 90s and we all know how good the French National team was back then. Being French was definitely an asset.
Accrobranche for All Interview with Stephanie Besse, Managing Director, Forest Adventure
Commonly known as accrobranche in France, Forest Adventure is an aerial course built in trees comprising ladders, bridges, swings, nets, trapezes and slides where participants move unaccompanied, from tree to tree, five to eight meters above ground. It is a fun and recreational outdoor activity for families and friends as wells as school or corporate groups.
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WHAT DOES FOREST ADVENTURE DO?
We built a recreation destination that people were craving.
HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THIS IDEA? We didn’t create a need. Rather, we built a recreation destination that people were craving. Working in advertising, I was very aware of social trends and could see emerging interest from young adults to experiment more, get out there and try new things. HOW HAS THE LEISURE INDUSTRY EVOLVED IN SINGAPORE RECENTLY? The last five years have seen massive developments in the leisure industry, driven mainly
by the Integrated Resorts. These have helped Singapore evolve from a hub to a true tourism destination. At the same time, and thanks to low cost airlines, there has been a significant increase in the outbound travel, with local Singapore residents becoming more demanding as a result of their experience abroad. Consequently, the leisure industry has had to up its game while also dealing with manpower shortages and increasing operating costs. Overall, Singapore remains a place where starting a business is easy but doing business is not so easy anymore. “Survival of the fittest” is probably the best description of the current marketplace. F
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COVER STORY
FOCUS MAGAZINE
Culture and Leisure on the Move
May 2014
Bringing the Music Closer to the Fans By Dona Inthaxoum, Head of Label Relations of Deezer for Asia and Oceania
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The evolving digital infrastructure and mobile uptake in Asia offer hugely exciting growth potential.
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FROM FRANCE TO ASIA Deezer is a global music streaming service that was first launched in France in 2007. However, we wanted to take music to the world and break down the barriers of the old music distribution system wherever we go, replacing it with a new, virtual world of music that is no longer confined by country. In 2013, we launched our service in Asia because we saw real passion for music in this region and had no doubt that Deezer’s strong focus on local music and editorial recommendations would resonate with fans here. Streaming is still in its relative infancy in Asia, but we’re seeing music fans embrace it at a rapid pace since we first launched in this region. Singapore was chosen as our regional hub for Asia because of its strategic location in the region as well as its fantastic infrastructure. There is a growing music scene here as well, as local artists such as Kevin Lester, Monster Cat, Charlie Lim and The Sam Willows – to name a few – who are starting to rise in prominence and gain global popularity.
SHOWCASING LOCAL MUSIC In Asia, we work very closely with local and regional artists to create innovative content that helps further enhance the relationship between artists and fans. As well as Deezer4Artists – which provides artists and record labels with a unique space to connect with their fans, and rebuild engagement with music – we launched Deezer Sessions, giving music fans the chance to see bands and artists performing stripped-down sets recorded in London and in Deezer’s own studio in Paris. We’ll be looking to hold similar sessions in Southeast Asia in the near future to provide Deezer fans a
unique and intimate experience with their favourite artists.
REGIONAL PARTNERSHIPS Partnerships are also part of our strategic approach to sustain engagement with consumers, ultimately adding value to their everyday lives and positioning Deezer as the can’t-live-without music service. These partnerships in Asia include those with mobile providers such as M1 in Singapore, DiGi in Malaysia, DTAC in Thailand and, most recently, SMART in the Philippines. We have also tied up with music festivals, media publications and e-commerce sites. What we aim to achieve with all of our partnerships is to put Deezer in the hands of as many music fans in this region as possible, allowing them to access their favourite music in an easier and more affordable – and, in some cases, free – manner.
THE ASIAN POTENTIAL Asia is definitely a very important market to us – the evolving digital infrastructure and mobile uptake in Asia offer hugely exciting growth potential for our service. More importantly, Asians are big music fans. The number of music festivals in this region has increased fourfold in the past two years, which is a clear indication of how passionate Asians are about music. As we continue to broaden our reach within the region, we make sure that we deliver the most interesting and engaging local content and services, tailored to each market, so that we offer music fans a music experience that they will not be able to live without. F LEFT, FROM TOP TO BOTTOM Deezer represents an additional platform for local artists like Singapore acts (from top to bottom) Charlie Lim, Monster Cat, Kevin Lester and the Sam Willows
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COVER STORY
May 2014
Culture and Leisure on the Move
Exploring Asia’s Gaming Potential Interview with Olivier de Rotalier, Managing Director, Ubisoft Singapore Ubisoft, the French video games publisher has been based in Singapore for more than five years now. It has just officially launched its free-to-play game Ghost Recon Phantoms, which was developed entirely in their studio in the Fusionopolis area.
WHAT DOES UBISOFT SINGAPORE DO?
WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO SET A STUDIO IN SINGAPORE? Singapore is a very attractive place: the level of education is one of the best in the world, the quality of the infrastructure is very high and the country offers great quality of life. Since we set up the studio in 2008, the video games industry has developed rapidly, mainly thanks to the vision, action and determination of the Singaporean government. In the past five years, we have seen new companies specialised in tertiary education courses get attached to local universities and polytechnics. Of course, Singapore is not Canada yet, where the video games industry is truly blossoming but the Singaporean government is a steady and trustworthy partner, aware of existing challenges like competitiveness. WHAT WAS UBISOFT SINGAPORE’S INITIAL OBJECTIVE WHEN THE STUDIO WAS CREATED? The initial objective was to expand our production powerhouse status in order to
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We adapt every production to different cultures, and we are considering creating projects specifically for Asian gamers.
prepare for the upcoming challenges of our industry. With the first projects, we wanted to develop two kinds of expertise: leveraging Ubisoft’s know-how in highquality games and putting online games at the heart of our development. After five and a half years, I am very proud of what the teams have been able to achieve. We are still learning but we have also proven that we were able to innovate. WHAT WILL THE NEXT STEPS BE FOR THE STUDIO? Ubisoft Singapore has a unique positioning in both high-quality and free-to-play online games. This is quite exciting, as the industry is moving towards more connectivity. In addition, our teams are more and more experienced, which is very positive for the future because innovation also comes with self-confidence. The more expertise and self-assurance you develop, the more you enable innovation. I think this is a good recipe for great results.
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Ubisoft is the third most important independent video game publisher worldwide with annual revenues worth USD1.6 billion. Ubisoft’s specificity is that we develop our games mostly inhouse, thanks to a wide network of 26 studios across 19 countries. Among them is Ubisoft Singapore. The studio is nearly 300-people strong and celebrated its fifth anniversary last July. Despite being a young studio, it is already the biggest production studio in Southeast Asia. We recently launched Ghost Recon Phantoms, a unique free to play thirdperson shooter, which was developed entirely in Singapore and that was a big achievement for the studio.
LOOKING AT THE INDUSTRY NOW, WHERE DO YOU THINK THE GAMING INDUSTRY WILL BE IN THE COMING YEARS? WHICH ROLE WILL UBISOFT PLAY IN THAT FUTURE GAME MARKET? The industry is moving fast but it is too early to see where the new-gen consoles are going to bring the industry to. I think games will definitely be more connected and immersive. Moreover, I am confident that we are moving towards more personalisation. With data-driven services like Uplay, Ubisoft will be able to adjust and tailor games to quickly suit players’ habits and meet their needs. We will be able to create games adapted to the way gamers want to play. Finally, Ubisoft will continue to integrate models like free-to-play options and micropayments into new-gen games. F
THIS PAGE Still from the recently launched Ghost Recon Phantoms, which was developed entirely by Ubisoft Singapore’s local studio
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COVER STORY
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Culture and Leisure on the Move
May 2014
Leading the Mobile Gaming Gold Rush By Gonzague de Vallois, Senior Vice-President, Publishing, Gameloft Michel Guillemot, a true visionary, created Gameloft in 2000 with the foresight that mobile phones would one day become the most widespread gaming platform in the world. Today, Gameloft’s philosophy and top priority on this fast growing platform is to fulfill the need of great games for people living anywhere on the planet.
A POWERFUL PLAYER IN THE GAMING INDUSTRY With 27 studios spread around the globe, Gameloft has the ability to create games for players of all types. This unique creative force has enabled the company to build its own established successful
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We adapt every production to different cultures, and we are considering creating projects specifically for Asian gamers.
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rights holders. This has allowed the company to provide the very best in mobile entertainment in a variety of genres based around the some of the world’s most famous brands, such as Despicable Me, Ice Age, Spider-Man and UNO. Gameloft operates the most complete distribution network in the digital game industry with direct partnerships with all major online app stores (including Apple App Store, Google Play, Windows Store and Amazon), with leading mobile phone, smart phone and tablet manufacturers as well as smart TV and set-top box manufacturers. As a key player in the industry, which is expected to grow rapidly in the coming years, the company employs over 6,000 people around the world and its sales exceeded USD315 million in 2013.
franchises such as Modern Combat, Order and Chaos, Asphalt and Dungeon Hunter, and to adapt games to each market. Gameloft also boasts the most established partnership network with major
fastest-growing region for mobile games with key markets like China, Japan and Korea. Those huge markets are also very specific and different from each other. To better understand them and create the right products for each of them, it was critical for the video game developer to increase the number of people in the region. Strong creation and distribution offices were set up in those markets but the company wanted to build a strong team in Singapore able to support all the Asian offices. Singapore is perfectly located to support emerging mobile gaming markets like Thailand, Indonesia, and India as well as more mature markets like Australia where the smartphone and tablet penetration is very high. Major hardware manufacturers are also based in Asia, from China to Korea. The strong team in Singapore supports Gameloft teams in those countries as the partnerships with hardware manufacturers are key in a fast-growing environment. Being active in innovative markets like Japan and China is a good way to stay at the top of the trends and industry developments.
TAKING ON ASIAN MARKETS VIA SINGAPORE
From marketing people to data analysts and sales managers, Gameloft has managed to have diverse profiles in its operations to support all its Asian initiatives. F
The French company opened its business office in Singapore in 2008, which became its regional hub in 2012. Asia is the
THIS PAGE Minion Rush, a game developed by Gameloft and based on the Despicable Me movie franchise
FOCUS MAGAZINE
COVER STORY
May 2014
Culture and Leisure on the Move
New Playing Field for Ankama Interview with Quentin Staes-Polet, Director Asia, Ankama
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We adapt every production to different cultures, and we are considering creating projects specifically for Asian gamers.
Ankama was created in 2001 as a web agency and is now known as a video game publisher and leading company in the creation of transmedia content. We are celebrating the 10th anniversary of our flagship IP (original game) DOFUS this year.
now and has created animation series, live action series, numerous video games on PC and mobile, books and comics, board games and we are now in the process of creating our first movie.
It all started with a passion for video games, which has led us to the success story of the firm. Ankama has several IP
WHAT ARE THE FACTORS THAT SET YOU APART FROM OTHER GAMES PUBLISHERS?
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ANKAMA IS CELEBRATING ITS 10-YEAR ANNIVERSARY. TELL US ABOUT THE JOURNEY SO FAR.
Listening to our fans’ desires and doing our best to propose something even better than what they have already imagined is our leitmotiv. That’s another way we have a different approach. For instance, our fans expect us to develop new stories around the Krosmoz universe. So we stay close to them to make their wishes come true by producing community-driven content. This is our greatest strength. WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT STRATEGY TO EXPAND IN ASIA? We are developing our business in Asia thanks to a dedicated team in Singapore and a partnership with SpeedyBird in China. The main objective of this approach is to tailor our productions to local needs. We do not simply transpose or translate them. We adapt every production to different cultures, and we are considering creating projects specifically for Asian gamers. Our next step is to take collect our fans’ feedback to develop the best possible game, one that meets their expectations. That is one of the reasons why we strategically partnered with Speedybird. We needed a local player who knows how to adapt the game play mechanics to Chinese habits. Developing our brands with teams close to the community is a strategic plan that has worked in Europe. We want to apply this way of thinking for our expansion in Asia. And to that end, our first step in the region is within the gaming sector, but we also have big plans regarding our TV series and others productions. I can’t say too much for now... but that’s already news! F THIS PAGE Wakfu, a MMORPG – Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game – by Ankama
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FCCS BUSINESS SERVICES
FOCUS MAGAZINE
French Companies in Singapore
May 2014
They Rely on Us... and Testify on Our Services The FCCS Business Support department provides personalised support and can help: • Facilitate your access to the Singaporean market • Prospect and approach the local market • Set up a company in Singapore • Optimise your presence at regional trade shows in Singapore In the last few months, the FCCS Business Support team carried out several business missions for French companies in Singapore and helped others with their implementation in Singapore. Here, some of these companies provide testimonials of our services.
I would like to thank the French Chamber of Commerce in Singapore for the services provided during the Exploratory Business Mission we benefitted on 22 and 23 January 2014. Ipanema Technologies has strong growth ambition and the APAC region is key for us to accelerate our worldwide breakthrough. In a world that moves at the speed of the Web, enterprises need to easily manage
the increasing complexity of their IT capacities and make sure their business applications receive the expected performance to protect their productivity. Companies in Europe, North America and APAC all have the same concern to manage new uses while protecting IT investments and business applications. Handling this is in Ipanema Technologies’ DNA and we can help them. Thanks to the French Chamber of Commerce in Singapore, we were able to quickly and efficiently obtain business meetings with targeted companies
in Singapore. During this Exploratory Business Mission, we had relevant, highlevel iterations with C-level people in large companies struggling with growing IT complexity and it was key for us to better understand the APAC market, needs and specificities. Throughout these meetings, it was clear to see that these companies appreciated the FCCS’s professionalism. F Contact: Xavier Charbonneau, VP APAC & MEA Website: www.ipanematech.com
Newly Set-Up Companies Over the last few months, various French companies have benefited from the FCCS Business Support’s services for their setup process in Singapore. Let’s welcome, among others:
technology, then frozen to maintain all of the original flavours. They are assembled by our experts according to methods inspired by champagne-making in order to guarantee the consistency of our products all year long.
Les vergers Boiron offers chefs, bartenders and pastry chefs the best ready-to-use frozen fruit and vegetable purees, in over 70 countries.
Les vergers Boiron innovate day after day. We constantly work with new fruit – green melon, watermelon or sliced pineapple for example – and our packaging evolves for enhanced convenience.
Our fruit and vegetables are selected from the best producing areas, harvested at maturity, processed using adapted
In 2011, we extended our know-how to vegetable purees – tomato, cucumber and red pepper – to satisfy the demands
and fuel the creativity of pastry chefs, ice-cream and chocolate makers, and confectioners, who have trusted us for years, as well as chefs, caterers and barmen. We assist food professionals with passion, offering value-added products but also service and advice. Our brand is imported and distributed by Euraco Fine Foods in Singapore. F
Contact: Mr. Matthieu Naudy, Asia Pacific Sales Manager Website: www.my-vb.com
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FCCS BUSINESS SERVICES
May 2014
French Companies in Singapore
customers leading quality brands such as Monbana Chocolate, Teisseire Syrups and Fruit Republic Juices catered to the food service, hospitality and leisure markets.
GREYYS PTE LTD provides full service distribution to fulfil the high expectations of the Singaporean F&B market. GREYYS is proud to offer to its loyal
Our beverage experience is strengthened by our collaborative efforts with international experienced baristas in order to always offer trendy and innovative beverage solutions.
The GREYYS team is dedicated to and focused on building customer satisfaction and striving to maintain the highest standard of excellence. Because, here at GREYYS, we believe that “Distribution shall always come with service.” F
By using our own logistic capabilities and resources we are able to optimise our supply chain and offer a fast and
Contact: Mr. William Scheffer, Managing Director Website: www.greyys.com.sg
of experienced professionals who develop and guarantee solutions designed to suit our clients’ needs.
e-commerce sites. Net-Veille analyses the entire market on the Web on a daily basis. It gives both manufacturers and distributors a competitive advantage over others by delivering a B2B product where the information delivered is automated intelligently.
Net-Veille provides its innovative services to both national and international key accounts of e-commerce players in France, Spain, Belgium, Italy, Holland, UK and Germany.
Established in 1998 in France, Net-Veille has developed the first professional tool for monitoring online markets (assortments and prices). With our knowledge, we are able to provide solutions within all the sectors that we are active in. Our teams consist
The development of e-commerce and the possibilities that it confers to consumers for comparing prices call for an automated monitoring solution. To this end, Net-Veille allows for a competitive market benchmarking analysis using data collected from original sources and in real time on
installed in most space telescopes and high-energy physics experiments in laboratories around the world. PHOTONIS is the world’s leading multinational company in innovations of photo-sensor imaging technologies. It tops the night vision market globally, leads the industry through its innovations in digital low-light imaging products, is a key player in the mass spectrometre detector market, and has products
YellowKorner is an innovative photography gallery that seeks to make art
reliable delivery service (within 24 hours) to consistently meet our customers’ expectations.
PHOTONIS innovates and engineers excellent quality components used in the detection of ions, electrons and photons. Products are used in a variety of applications, such as night vision optics, digital cameras, mass spectrometry, physics research, space exploration and
This tool gives an overview of the product references and prices in all markets that are operational online. It allows our customers to plan and implement timely and effective pricing strategies for promotion and merchandising based on competitive intelligence. F Contact: Mr. Gregoire Prier, Deputy Chief Representative Website: www.netveille.com
many others. PHOTONIS operates in four state-of-theart facilities in Europe, USA and Asia, and closely cooperates with its customers to continuously improve ready- and custommade products that are renowned for excellent performance. F Contact: Mr. Frederic Hosatte, Asia Pacific Sales Director Website: www.photonis.com
less intimidating and more accessible by providing high-quality, limited-edition works at affordable prices.
in Paris, have since grown to over 50 locations worldwide. F
YellowKorner galleries, initially founded in 2006 by two photography enthusiasts
Contact: Mr. Jerome Touchard, Director Website: www.yellowkorner.com
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Trade Shows
May 2014
Fourth French Pavilion @ IDEM 2014 For the fourth time, the French Chamber of Commerce in Singapore (FCCS) put together a 135-m2 French pavilion at this year’s edition of IDEM. 16 exhibitors presented their worldclass products and services at this regional trade show, showcasing France’s
excellence in dental equipment and services. IDEM is a choice platform for many exhibitors to launch new products in Asia and sometimes worldwide. The diversity of activities represented under the pavilion clearly illustrates the dynamism in the field of innovation and technologies of companies from France.
This year, IDEM brought together more than 500 exhibitors from 38 countries. Breaking all past records, this dental show welcomed 7,842 participants and was the first trade show to fill both exhibition and conference floors at Suntec Singapore Convention and Exhibition Centre. F
Biomatlante is a French manufacturer of bisphasic bone grafts made of MBCP™ technology, with over 30 years of background, more than 650 scientific, clinical publications. MBCP+ granules, In’Oss putty, EZ cure membrane.
Itena Clinical Products is consolidating its position as a leading manufacturer of dental reconstruction products and materials by offering innovative products at the cutting edge of modern aesthetic dentistry.
Since 2000, Easy System Implant conceives, manufactures and markets a complete range of dental implants, prosthetic components and surgery instruments. They provide to their customers innovative products, always compatible with main market standards.
Medventiv is specialised in designing and manufacturing of innovative medical devices in the orthodontic field. “TWICARE” is an active, adjustable device designed for preventive and interceptive orthodontic treatment.
Elsodent is a French manufacturer of consumable products for gene-ral dentistry and implantology: composites, silicones, temporary resins and cements, and silicones with unique clinical features. Designed with dentists for dentists.
Nichrominox x is a leading dental products company. A full range of innovative and quality aluminum and stainless steel products including endodontic stands, sterilisation cassettes, implantology kits, divided cassettes, photography mirrors and retractors.
Euroteknika Group offers global solutions for implantology: Euroteknika implant solutions, Teknika3D (Digital solutions), TeknikaLab (Cad-Cam solutions) and TeknikaTraining (Training solutions).
Owandy Radiology y is renowned for manufacturing dental radiology systems and developing imaging software. In addition to its range of products and services, Owandy Radiology strives to contribute to the improvement of oral health and well-being of patients
FFDM-PNEUMAT manufactures dental implant drills according to customer’s specifications, root canal instruments, steel burs and various cutting surgical in-struments (dental trephines, drills, burs …).
PRODONT-HOLLIGER is a French manufacturer of dental instruments for dental practice and laboratory. A subsidiary of Nadia Industrial Group, it has worked for more than 60 years in more than 90 countries.
HMCE is the first French producer of sterilisation autoclave, ultrasonic di-sinfector, thermal disinfector, and temperature/pressure probes for sterilisation/disinfection.
French dental specialist company Prophytec offers a very handy chair whitening system including small light and a positioner with saliva suction.
ICP-Texinfine laboratories recently inaugurated a new era in the treatment of periodontal disorders: Phonontherapie®, a biomimetic approach based on the attraction of progenitor cells by a signal similar to the frequency naturally emitted by young teeth.
SCORPION is a French company specialised in the design and manufacturing of dental scaling instruments. SCORPION has developped a whole range of universal and periotips adaptable on main scaler devices.
IONYX X is a French manufacturer specialised in endodontic treatments. Since 1993, IONYX has developped a unique range of products aimed for omnipractionners dedicated to improve the confort and quality of the endodontic treatments.
Since 1985, STABYL specialises in manufacturing and marketing of technical products for Dentistry such as high precision systems of endodontic drills and posts, suitable for all work techniques or Syringe with incorporated filling system for the injection of impression materials.
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FCCS BUSINESS SERVICES
Trade Shows
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FCCS CLUB EVENTS
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| Aeronautics, Space, Defence & Security Committee
May 2014
Aeronautics, Space, Defence & Security Networking Event The FCCS invited its Aeronautics & Defence committee members to a focused networking evening. This event, which gathered professionals from the
Aeronautics, Space, Defence & Security sectors, represented a unique opportunity for our members to broaden their network and to exchange ideas with like-minded
professionals. Look out for our next Aeronautics, Space, Defence & Security networking event on our website at www. fccsingapore.com. F
Asia Pacific and presented the adaptive MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul) solutions.
This committee meeting gave attending members an overview of Air France’s activties in the region. F
Air France in Asia Pacific For this Aeronautics, Space, Defence & Security committee meeting, we were pleased to welcome two guest speakers from Air France KLM. Mr Matthieu Tetaud, Commercial Director at Air France KLM, first introduced Air France’s main activities, and then shared the group’s strategy and latest development news in Singapore. Mr Yann Peyrot, Regional Service Center Manager at Air France Industries, then focused on the industrial strategy in
opened in February 2012 at a cost of S$700 million, it significantly increases Rolls-Royce’s global manufacturing capacity, and provides greater proximity to the group’s growing customer base in the Asia Pacific region.
Site Visit: Rolls-Royce Seletar Campus
Thanks to Mr Paul Williams, Operations Manager, Modules and Final Engine Assembly and Mr Stewart Cameron, Production Leader, Fan Blade Singapore, our members could learn more about Rolls Royce’s strategy in Asia-Pacific.
Located at Seletar Aerospace Park in Singapore, the Rolls-Royce Seletar Campus
After the presentation, our members were invited for a tour of the facilities. F
integrates advanced manufacturing, training and research facilities. Officially
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FCCS CLUB EVENTS
May 2014
Asia Committee|
Sodexo’s New Business: A Performance Partner We were pleased to welcome Mr Michel Landel, CEO of Sodexo, who shared the success story of the Sodexo Group, a global leader in the services sector whose development and performance rely on putting people at the heart of its mission. Founded in 1966 by Pierre Bellon, Sodexo is the global leader in services that improve quality of life, an essential factor in individual and organisational performance. Operating in 80 countries, Sodexo serves 75 million consumers each day through its combination of on-site services, benefits and rewards services, and personal and home services. Sodexo’s success and performance are based on its independence, its sustainable business model and its ability to continuously develop and engage its 428,000 employees throughout the world. F
AXA’s Ambitions and Strategy in Asia AXA has been ranked first insurance brand worldwide for the fifth year in a row but it is still aiming for better performances in Asia. Building on its success in Europe and in the US, AXA has put Asia as a
priority in terms of development, aiming to become number 3 in life insurance and number 1 in general insurance among regional players. Mrs Gaëlle Olivier, CEO, AXA Asia General Insurance,
talked about the firm’s ambitions and the journey ahead for it to reach leadership in Asia in general insurance. This breakfast talk was a great success with over 45 participants. F
Discussing Opportunities in Australia As a sophisticated, modern economy, Australia offers overseas investors diverse business opportunities across a broad range of world-class industry sectors. The FCCS organised personalised
meetings with Mr Olivier Deschang, General Manager of the FrenchAustralian Chamber of Commerce & Industry, to discuss opportunities in the Australian market.
This initiative was greatly appreciated by our members and it pushes us to move forward and organise similar B2B meetings with other French Chambers in the region. F
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| Banking & Finance Committee
May 2014
Prospects for Singapore’s Financial Sector Growth As a vibrant city-state situated in the heart of Asia, Singapore offers global investors unparalleled access to global markets. Strategically located to serve Asia Pacific, one of the world’s fastest-growing regions, Singapore’s well-established business infrastructure, global connectivity and trade linkages enable investors to access the approximately four billion-strong Asian market within a radius of seven
hours’ flight time. Singapore continues to be well-regarded as a triple A-rated economy with strong growth potential, a sound and stable location for business expansion as well as for investments. In this context, the Banking & Finance committee welcomed Mr Leong Sing Chiong, Assistant Managing Director (Development & International) at the
Monetary Authority of Singapore, for a breakfast talk on the growth prospects for Singapore’s financial sector. Moderated by Mr Pascal Lambert, CEO of Societe Generale Corporate & Investment Banking, this talk brought together more than 80 professionals from the bank and finance industry to discuss Singapore’s financial markets and future trends. F
Project Finance and Market Update Project finance, also known as limited- or non-recourse finance, is a proven method of funding projects in which repayment of debt is based on the revenues generated by that project based on its viability. It is mainly used for new construction projects such as infrastructure, power, oil & gas, etc. Project finance is a prevailing sophisticated method of development finance
and it attracts private investments into viable projects in developed, developing and emerging countries. It is a preferred financing options for corporations, sponsors as well as governments that seek offbalance methods of financing while requiring rigorous risk analysis methodology for bankers and insurers. Thanks to our three speakers, Mr Philippe
Collin Delavaud, Chief Executive Officer of SportsHub Pte Ltd, Ms Carine Galtier, Energy & Infrastructure Group – Director / Head of infrastructure for Asia at Crédit Agricole CIB and Mr Bill McCormack, Partner at Shearman & Sterling, this breakfast talk showcased the different experiences of a sponsor and developer, a banker and a lawyer in Project Finance. F
Singapore Budget Briefing 2014 For this breakfast talk organised in partnership with the SingaporeanGerman Chamber of Industry, the French Chamber of Commerce invited its members to gain insights into the budget 2014 and
understand how it would affect their business. Mr Choo Eng Chuan, Partner, International and Corporate Tax Services and Ms Sim Siew Moon, Head of Tax in Ernst & Young Solutions LLP in Singapore
provided participants with highlights of the Budget. On top of the informative talk, our members enjoyed a unique opportunity to broaden their network with the members of the German Chamber. F
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FCCS CLUB EVENTS
Entrepreneurs Committee|
Experience Sharing with a Successful Entrepreneur: Heart Media As part of the series of casual talks launched by the FCCS Entrepreneurs Committee where entrepreneurs can mingle and share their experiences and tips, we invited Mr Olivier Burlot, CEO & Publisher of Heart Media Group, to share his insights and entrepreneurial experience. As a serial entrepreneur, Olivier Burlot, who has been in Asia since 1994, told us all about his new venture, Heart Media, and the building of a high-end magazine media group in the highly competitive market that is Singapore. He offered some dos and don’ts, and discussed the challenges, the skills required, the lessons learned and tips for future entrepreneurs as well as brands looking reach the right consumers. This talk, followed by an informal networking session, gathered entrepreneurs looking to exchange views and experiences. F
Experience Sharing with a Successful Entrepreneur: Teledirect Mr Laurent Junique, CEO, Teledirect Pte Ltd, founded Teledirect in 1995, a company specialised in outsourced telecommerce with exemplary talents, excellent tools and expert technology. Today, Teledirect operates four contact centres in Asia (Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Hong Kong), offering 1,500 fully computerised workstations in state-ofthe-art premises. To date, Teledirect has implemented over 4,500 successful programmes interacting with our clients’ customers around the world and a customer acquisition track record of over 3 million. The Entrepreneurs committee invited Laurent to share his successful entrepreneurial story during a casual talk where our other entrepreneurs’ members could get some tips and advices. F
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| Legal & Tax Committee
May 2014
Personal Data Protection Act: Application, Enforcement, Compliance Strategies for Organisations
The much anticipated Personal Data Protection Act 2012 (“PDPA”) was passed in
Parliament on 15 October 2012 and became law on 1 January 2013 in an effort to safeguard individuals’ personal data from misuse while promoting proper management of personal data in organisations. The PDPA establishes a data protection law that comprises various rules governing the collection, use, disclosure and care of personal data.
Mr Sherwin Lee, Legal Associate of Cotty Vivant Marchisio & Lauzeral (CVML), provided insights on data protection and what the PDPA seeks to regulate. As organisations are given a transitional 18 months to comply with the PDPA, this talk not only allowed participants to understand the legal obligations imposed by the PDPA, it also provided practical approaches to implementing data protection compliance strategies within an organisation. F
New Shanghai Free Trade Zone: Pilot Case for Future Reforms in China? new regime now available and outlined in the FTZ for setting up companies or developing businesses, and what it means for the future reforms of companies’ operations, control of foreign exchange, further opening up of the service industry and improvements of the Chinese business and investment environment. F
In 2013, Chinese authorities released several regulations for the establishment of the Shanghai Free Trade Zone (FTZ). For this Legal & Tax committee meeting, we invited Ms Anne Severin and Mr Hubert Bazin, Partners at DS Avocats Shanghai and Beijing Offices, to discuss the
Famille et Patrimoine: Transmission et Protection Focusing on the French living abroad, this presentation aimed at explaining the French and international laws related to the family and the protection and transfer of assets.
Even though Ms Caroline Chazard and Ms Marion Longin from Fidal AsiAttorney mainly focused on French couples, they also touched on other issues that may concern to binational couples.
This successful Legal & Tax committee meeting was fully booked and concluded with an insightful discussion between our guest experts and the 30 FCCS members in attendance. F
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Luxury & Premium Retail Committee / Business Women Committee|
The Market for Premium Spirits in Asia The global spirits market has been growing at a healthy pace over the past 10 years, driven in particular by emerging countries in Asia. Which brands have benefited from this trend? Local brands or imported ones? Known for their taste for brown spirits, Asian consumers are getting increasingly knowledgeable about spirits categories. What are the most recent category dynamics? Is the relative slowdown in China telling of the future of these categories? These questions and others were tackled by three speakers from Rémy Cointreau, Mr Xavier Desaulles, Managing Director, Southeast Asia Middle East India, Ms Elisabeth Tona, Marketing Director, Southeast Asia Middle East India and Mr Christophe Bourrié, Prestige Channel Development Director, Southeast Asia Middle East India, who shared with our 50 attendees their vision on the premium spirits market in Asia. F
Recipe for Success: Stand out as a Woman in the Hospitality and F&B Industry in Asia This committee meeting was about the various advantages and challenges that young women looking to go on long-term expatriation in Asia may encounter.
Mrs Hélène Lauras, Managing Director, Petit Pois Consulting, was invited to share her experience and views on adapting to the Asian mindset while working in
a male-dominated field and building a family. This committee meeting ended with a long and passionate discussion among our members. F
Success in Business: Communicating with the Five Senses Mr Jean-Loup Fayolle from Wholistic Communication was invited to share practical demonstrations on several topics: • How can you hear truth in the voice? • How can you better listen to the person listening to you? • How can you increase your EQ (Emotional Quotient) and use your right brain effectively?
• What can you hear in the voice when anyone introduces him/herself in one minute in any language? Our members learned how to use eight key affirmations to restore themselves in challenging situation and how to optimise their communication in public, in business and in their private life. F
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| Human Resources Committee
May 2014
Is Repatriation One of the Challenges of Expatriation? employees during the expatriation period. Based on this observation, we invited two speakers, Mr Jerome de Grandmaison, Vice President HR at Alstom and Ms Aude Beneton, Coach at Harmony & Mobility Consulting, to share some challenges of repatriation faced by expatriates and companies.
A significant proportion of expatriates quit their companies one year after their
repatriation, despite a high and mutual commitment between companies and
During their presentation, they tackled the following points: • Is repatriation an under-evaluated phase of the expatriation scheme? • What challenges do companies face when their expatriated employees repatriate? • How do the ex-expatriates experience the new situation in their home country? • What can be done to keep ex-expatriates on board? F
HR Club: Performance Management in Asia Pacific The purpose of the HR Club is to build an active and dynamic professional network covering the local, regional and global HR challenges. For this meeting, we welcomed Mr Philippe Bonnet, Vice President, Global Head Learning & Education, Human Resources, Essilor International, as guest speaker.
Despite a general understanding that talent is a source of competitive advantage, establishing effective performance management programmes remains a challenge for most. Just 3% of organisations worldwide report that their overall performance
Capitalising on Corporate Fundraising For this talk, we were joined by a representative of Children of the Mekong, an NGO whose mission is to educate, train and support the children and youth in Southeast Asia. Through various examples, Mr Guillaume Mariau, in charge of partnership and communication at Children of the Mekong shared with MNC and SME managers on the following topics: • Helping team building and increasing staff motivation and retention through charity fundraising • Sharing and charity as a motivational and commercial performance leverage • Sharing and charity as a value proposition for clients. F
management system provides exceptional value. Regardless of this focus on the front-end of the performance management process, many Asian countries try to quantify performance in terms of behaviours and goals to support potential need in high-growth markets. F
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May 2014
ICT Committee|
e-Waste Management in Singapore Electronic waste (e-waste), which includes items such as mobile phones, cable modems, laptops and lithium-ion batteries, accounts for over 70% of the toxic waste in landfills and this improper disposal leads to serious pollution and health problems. Yet, there are very few avenues for individual consumers to recycle their e-waste, unlike for paper, plastic, metal and even glass. For this breakfast talk organised by our Sustainability and ICT Committees,
three talented speakers from StarHub, HP and Tes-Amm were invited to share their company’s environmental policy, the lifecycle of products, the benefits of e-waste recycling programmes, and the technical and financial aspects of e-recycling among other things. Mr Kok Wah Boey, Environmental Management, Asia Pacific and Japan, HP, first shared his expertise on the lifecycle of products, end-of-life management and asset recovery service.
Mr Adam Reutens-Tan, Corporate Communications & Investor Relations, StarHub, then presented how they launched Singapore’s first mass e-waste recycling programme targeted at individual consumers. Last but not least, Mr Eric Voisin, Business Development Manager, Tes-Amm, shared with the audience the technical and financial aspects of e-waste materials recycling, as well as the regulatory requirements and the re-use options for IT assets. F
How to Leverage the PIC Scheme to Grow your Business up to SGD120,000 per year based on their investments for eligible activities covering the purchasing and leasing of IT and automation equipment, training, IP acquisition and registration, R&D and design.
This ICT committee meeting gave our participants an overview on the Productivity and Innovation Credit (PIC) scheme, which aims to support
company investments in innovation and productivity increases. Businesses can get tax deductions of up to SGD9.6 million per year and cash payouts of
During this session, Mr Jean-Baptiste Morin and Ms Christelle Gervasoni of GAC Group presented the latest PIC updates in line with the 2014 budget announcement, shared with our members a few tips to optimise and secure their PIC, and discussed how to leverage the PIC to grow their business. F
Experience Sharing: Doing Business in Asia, Best Practices in IT Doing business or managing IT teams based in in the Philippines, Thailand or Singapore, finding the right IT partners, outsourcing IT functions... What are the pitfalls to avoid and the keys to succeed? This roundtable aimed to answer these questions and share best practices and experiences. We welcomed two speakers, Mr Franck Lespayandel, Regional Director, One Access, and Mr Jeremi Joslin, Co-Founder, Collabspot, to share their own experiences and get a discussion going. F
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| Committee / Marketing & Communication Committee ICT
May 2014
ICT Networking Evening We invited our ICT Committee members for a great evening of networking with the ICT group of the British Chamber of Commerce and the members of SiTF. This inter-chamber event allowed our members to meet their peers, fellow stakeholders in the exciting on-going technology revolution, and those focussed on using technology for their business advantage in 2014. With more than 60 participants, this evening was a great platform for exchanges. F
Steer and Improve your Project Management Performance Where a large majority of companies are exposed to economic and product performance constraints, project management represents an enabler to optimise time, cost and quality. BC Consulting and its partner, Planisware, were invited to present their skills and experiences in pro-gramme management within a complex industrial context. This committee meeting allowed our members and speakers to share their experience in P&PM implementation. F
Improving the Digital Customer Experience improve digital customer engagement to deliver an experience that is consistent with customer expectations and enable highly targeted and relevant treatment strategies to be executed through digital media. He also addressed these key questions: • How do we prioritise the different types of digital channel enhancement? • How do we ensure that the digital channels match our customers’ needs, behaviours and expectations? • What are some of the best practices and what are the operational capabilities required to develop successful digital channels? In this Improving the Digital Customer Experience committee meeting, Mr Michiel
van Selm from PwC discussed with our members the areas that can be used to
This committee meeting was fully booked with 30 attendees. F
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May 2014
R&D Committee|
Site Visit: Solvay-Novecare R&D Activities in Singapore Solvay recently opened a new research and innovation centre in Singapore, which will be the group’s core innovation ground for its consumer chemicals growth engine in the Asia-Pacific region. Located in Singapore’s Biopolis research hub, the 1,100-m2 laboratory will lead worldwide innovation projects primarily for Solvay’s business unit Novecare, which is active in the fields of home and personal care, coatings, and oil & gas. It will also be a regional hub in developing sustainable solutions for agrochemical business and provide technical support to Solvay’s regional customers as well as plants in the region. During this visit, Mr Galder Cristobal, AP R&D Manager, Solvay-Novecare, first introduced Solvay’s activities and then focused on its R&D activities in the region and in Singapore. After the presentation, our members were invited for a tour of the lab. F
Nestlé’s Position Statement on Plastic Bans and Degradable Packaging Nestlé also promotes recovery and recycling, using recycled materials wherever possible. They choose materials with an inherently lower impact on the environment, such as materials from sustainably managed renewable resources. In considering the impact of packaging on the environment, the company looks at several indicators including carbon footprint, water usage, non-renewable energy use and solid waste generation. Nestlé strives to reduce the environmental impact of their packaging while ensuring their packaging protects their products effectively.
The company has been systematically reducing the weight of its packaging since 1991, with a reduction of over 500 million kg to date.
Mr Yves Soppelsa, Packaging Platforms Leader, Nestlé R&D Singapore Centre, was invited to elaborate on all these points. F
This R&D event organised in partnership with the R&D Committee of the Singaporean-German Chamber of Industry dealt with the industry 4.0, also known as the Internet of Things & Services (IoTS).
Innovations & Technology’s activities in Singapore, then touched on R&D before inviting our members to a tour of the facilities.
Site Visit: Bosch
Mr David Tan from Bosch Software Innovations presented Bosch Software
This meeting was also a great opportunity for our R&D members to connect with their German counterparts. F
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| Energy / Infrastructure Committee
May 2014
Evolution of the Gas Market in Asia-Pacific: New Opportunities and Challenges After a successful first seminar on unconventional gas in Asia, the Energy / Infrastructure Committee organised a second edition. This exceptional seminar, organised in partnership with the British Chamber of Commerce, brought together 80 participants to discuss the “Evolution of the Gas Market in Asia-Pacific: New Opportunities & Challenges”. For this unique talk, introduced and moderated by Mr Hugo Virag-Lappas, Managing Director, StormHarbour Securities and Co-President of the FCCS Energy / Infrastructure Committee, we had the pleasure of welcoming the following speakers: • Mr Georges Groslière, Venture Director/ Manufacturing Director, ExxonMobil, shared the perspectives of the developer and operator in Singapore of one of the world’s largest ethylene steam crackers; • Mr Yves le Bail, Vice President, Total E&P Asia Pacific, explored the perspectives of a producer of unconventional natural gas in and outside Asia; • Mr Tony Taylor, Research Director & Advisor, IHS, presented the macroeconomic developments of the gas market and gas price trends in the region. These three presentations were followed by a roundtable with the speakers and an active audience on the opportunities and challenges of the regional gas market.This seminar was an excellent opportunity for the representatives of the Oil & Gas sector to understand and share their insights on the gas market in Asia. F
The Fundamentals of Contract Management Any contract management dedicated to international industrial projects has to be driven by three fundamentals: • To protect the initial margin against threats; • To recover it in case of losses; • To improve it thanks to opportunities. Through several examples, Mr Bruno
Gomart, COO, MAREEX, explained and reviewed these fundamentals and gave some tips on how to optimise contract management. This insightful Energy / Infrastructure Committee Meeting concluded with a lively Q&A session between Mr Gomart and participants. F
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May 2014
Sourcing & Supply Chain Committee / Sustainability Committee|
Procuring with the Times: How Procurement has Evolved in Asia and What Lies Ahead The Sourcing & Supply Chain Committee welcomed Mr Philippe Ruffier, Regional Director, Global Source, External Manufacturing, Johnson and Johnson Asia, who tackled the following topics: • The Total Value of Ownership, a new business model for challenging times; • The four generic pillars of the supplyside supply chain;
• How much of your value chain should you outsource to suppliers; • From supply chain to network chain, a reflection on whether integrators are always the best answers. F
Total Indonesia Foundation: Sustainability through Culture Preservation We welcomed Mr Eddy Mulyadi, Total Indonesia Foundation’s Chairman, for this Sustainability Committee meeting to present the Foundation. It was founded by Total E&P Indonesia, the biggest gas producer in Indonesia, which has been in operation in Indonesia for more than 45 years.
Mr Mulyadi shared with our attendees the vision and mission of the foundation, which focuses on: • Preservation, development and promotion of the rich cultural heritages of Indonesia; • Community development; • Social and economic empowerment of communities; • The Foundation’s various programmes, its achievements and its future plans. F
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| Smart Cities Committee
May 2014
The FCCS Launches its Smart Cities Committee! French companies in Singapore have a lot of expertise in the field of Smart Cities and the FCCS realised that four of its Committees (Energy/Infrastructure, Sustainability, ICT and R&D) were already actively involved on this concept of intelligent city. In this light, the FCCS decided to create a collaborative platform for these companies to meet, exchange, federate and develop synergies and initiatives on this strategic concept for Singapore. The first roundtable held in December 2013 gathered representatives of FCCS member companies that are active in the field. During this first session, participants briefly introduced their companies’ areas of activities in terms of Smart City. Following the success of this roundtable, a steering committee was put together in order to define the objectives and action plan of this new FCCS Smart Cities Committee. A group was formed with represen-tatives from five board member companies involved in Smart Cities: Alstom, Bouygues, Schneider Electric, Thales and Veolia. From a discussion with the steering committee, six key workshops within this Smart Cities Committee have been set up to understand/map the relevant expertise of our members to promote it to the agencies and become part of their vision of Singapore: • Energy • Transportation / Mobility • Integration • Public Services and Security • Green Building • Environment. F
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May 2014
We Organise Your Event!|
Let Us Organise Your Event! Benefit from our experience and network to reach new customers and gain exposure!
All-Inclusive Offer! The French Chamber of Commerce in Singapore can organise your event for you and guarantees a qualified audience. In addition, you will benefit from great visibility on our website and e-newsletter, and the invitation to your event will be emailed directly to our members’ database.
For more information, please contact us at 6933 1350 or by email at info@fccsingapore.com.
Integrating Business Travel Management in Global Corporate Strategy
Business travel is essential to building relationships and crucial to driving growth. But it is complex to manage
due to the multiplicity of distribution channels and ever-evolving prices, and demanding because of the energy
needed to manage expenses and satisfy the travellers’ needs. Companies can meet these challenges by defining a well-managed strategic travel programme. Mrs Brigitte Jakubowski, Founder of JK Associates Consulting, shared her expertise in front of 30 participants and detailed the following points: • The impact of a travel programme on business organisations; • How to set up efficient and measurable travel policies and purchases; • The tools available to complete the process; • The return on investment to expect in financial terms and CSR. This talk welcomed over 20 attendees. F
What Will Future Talent Look Like? Training the New Generation of Managers The students in today’s business schools are the talent that companies will be hiring tomorrow. Business schools need to be sure that the managers they are producing correspond to the needs of those companies. The acquisition of business fundamentals is no longer the main objective of a management programme. Knowledge and information
through Massive Open Online Courses is readily available on the internet and, moreover, it is free. Business schools need to go beyond knowledge acquisition. With an aim to train the future generation of managers with the skills and competences needed by companies to remain competitive in the global
marketplace, Grenoble Ecole de Management is adopting innovative ways of learning that put the emphasis on action-based learning with a holistic approach. This presentation was a great success with participants mostly from French MNCs established in Singapore. F
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| Pétanque Tournament
May 2014
A Fun and Sunny Edition for the FCCS Pétanque Tournament 2014! First of all, we would like to thank all the players for their sporting attitude, team spirit and fair play at this year’s edition of the FCCS Pétanque Tournament! Our 130 players enjoyed a day-long tournament on a hot and sunny day outdoors in a relaxed atmosphere. This tournament took place on Saturday 22 March at Mana Mana, East Coast Park. Everyone was very motivated, making this event a real success.
We would also like to thank Pernod Ricard for sponsoring the tournament’s energy drink all day long!
Despite the challenge, players still found time to enjoy a few glasses of Ricard, some snacks and drinks all day long to keep going strong through the whole afternoon. They also enjoyed a well-deserved buffet lunch break by the sea.
And, once again, competitors played with pétanque balls kindly offered by SDV Logistics.
We take this opportunity to also thank our main sponsors for their support: AGS Four Winds and SDV Logistics.
This year, our winners enjoyed numerous gifts sponsored by the generous contributing sponsors below. The FCCS looks forward to welcoming you to the next thrilling edition of the Pétanque Tournament! F
PÉTANQUE TOURNAMENT 2014 WINNERS MAIN TOURNAMENT WINNERS:
PLATE TOURNAMENT WINNERS:
1st - Quakers nd 2 - Les Tontons Flingueurs 3rd - Sabine’s Basket 4th - L’Angelus
1st - Luminy 2 - The Rolling Balls 3rd - You Can’t Touch This 4th - Vam Must nd
The Fair Play prize went to Les Frangipaniers.
PRIZE SPONSORS
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| FCCS Events
May 2014
French Grandes Ecoles Networking Event The FCCS invited its members and friends to a great networking night organised with all alumni from the French Grandes Ecoles. We kicked off the event with a short presentation by Mr Jerome Remeur, Co-founder and Managing Director of Morgan Philips Executive Search, on career change challenges in Singapore
Business + Gastronomy = FCCS Monthly Luncheons Every first Friday of each month, the FCCS organises a business luncheon in a French restaurant, every time in a new venue with a different menu. These informal networking sessions create excellent opportunities to develop new contacts and exchange ideas on business issues while enjoying some great French food. Our last luncheons took place at Chez Petit Salut @ Holland V, PAUL Bakery @ Tanglin, and Il Cielo. Visit our website www.fccsingapore.com to see our next business luncheons and broaden your network. F
and the evening continued with an informal networking session. With more than 120 participants, this event represented a great opportunity for alumni and members to mingle over drinks. We take this opportunity to once again thank the French Grandes Ecoles network and the French Alumni for their active participation in this successful event. F
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FCCS MEMBERSHIP
May 2014
New FCCS Members|
New FCCS Members We are very pleased to welcome the following new members who recently joined the French Chamber of Commerce. Please visit www.fccsingapore.com for more details.
CORPORATE MEMBERS ANKAMA ASIA PTE LTD
FICOFI PARTNERS HOLDING PTE LTD
Contact: Mr. Quentin STAES-POLET, Director Asia Website: www.ankama.com Sector: Video Games / Toys
Contact: Mr. Philippe CAPDOUZE, CEO Website: www.ficofi.com Sector: Wine & Wine Shops
AOS SINGAPORE
GALDERMA (S) PTE LTD
Contact: Mrs. Chloe NOURRY, Senior Consultant Website: www.aos-studley.sg Sector: Real Estate
Contact: Mr. Jean-Sebastien RICARD, General Manager, SEA Website: www.galderma.com Sector: Biomedical
BOIRON FRERES Contact: Mr. Matthieu NAUDY, Regional Representative, Asia Pacific Website: www.my-vb.com Sector: Food
LA MAISON DU WHISKY PTE LTD
CHRISTIAN DIOR (SINGAPORE) PTE LTD
MENINVEST
Contact: Ms. May CHOONG, General Manager Website: www.dior.com Sector: Luxury Goods
Contact: Mr. Marc MENASE, CEO Website: www.meninvest.com Sector: e-Commerce
CONTROL RISKS PTE LTD
MORGAN PHILIPS SINGAPORE PTE LTD
Contact: Mr. Dane CHAMORRO, Managing Director, South-East Asia Website: www.controlrisks.com Sector: Consultant
Contact: Mr. Samuel TAMAGNAUD, Managing Director Asia Website: www.morganphilipsexecutivesearch.com Sector: HR Consulting Group
EGETRA LOGISTICS PTE LTD
ONE9NINETY PTE LTD
Contact: Mr. Remy POITEVIN, CEO Website: www.egetra.com Sector: Logistics
Contact: Mr. Laurent VERRIER, Founder & CEO Website: www.one9ninety.com Sector: Media / Communication
EGIS RAIL PTE LTD
SAF-ISIS
Contact: Mr. Bruno VANTU, Director Website: www.egis-group.com Sector: BTP / Environment / Transportation
Contact: Mr. Samuel RAISON, Chief Representative Website: www.lesaffre.fr Sector: Biomedical
Contact: Mr. Julien NICOLAY, General Manager Website: www.whisky.sg Sector: F&B / Catering / Hospitality
EUTELSAT ASIA PTE LTD Contact: Mr. Ken LOKE SIEW, CEO Website: www.eutelsatasia.com Sector: Satellites
EYEKA ASIA PACIFIC PTE LTD Contact: Mr. Alexandre OLMEDO, Co-founder & Global VP Sales Website: www.eyeka.net Sector: Media / Communication
SILAB SEA Contact: Mr. Jean-Philippe COSSON, Marketing & Sales Director Website: www.silab.fr Sector: Biomedical
SOFTEAM SINGAPORE Contact: Mr. Janusz PASZKOWSKI, Senior Manager, Territory Head Website: www.softeam.fr Sector: Services for the finance industry
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May 2014
More New FCCS Members CORPORATE MEMBERS TAYLOR VINTERS LLP Contact: Mr. Henry GOODWIN, Partner Website: www.taylorvinters.com Sector: Law Firm
ZENITHOPTIMEDIA (PUBLICIS GROUPE) Contact: Mr. Gerry BOYLE, Chairman Asia Pacific Website: www.zenithoptimedia.com Sector: Media/Communication
WENDEL Contact: Mr. Bruno FRITSCH, Director Website: www.wendelgroup.com Sector: Investment Firm
ENTREPRENEUR MEMBERS ABACI HOLDINGS PTE LTD
LE PETIT DEPOT PTE LTD
Contact: Mr. Jerome BACO, Founder & CEO Sector: Environment / Recycling
Contact: Mr. Frederic DOUVILLE, Director Website: www.lepetitdepot.com Sector: Online Retail
ATHEN DEVELOPMENT PTE LTD Contact: Mr. Christian DUHAIN, CEO Sector: Advisory and Consultancy Services
BE AQUA Contact: Ms. Vanessa GANDOLFI, Managing Director Website: www.beaqua.com.sg Sector: Consumer Goods
LOZENGE COMPANY ASIA PTE LTD Contact: Mr. Olivier VINCHON, Director Website: http://lozenge-co.com Sector: Consultants
LUXE D’CO PTE LTD Contact: Ms. Joyce KOH JAMILLOUX, Director Website: www.luxe-dco.com Sector: Decoration / Interior Design
BLOSSOM ADVISORS PTE LTD Contact: Mr. Jean-Francois BILLOT, Director Website: http://blossom-advisors.com Sector: Legal / Audit / Consultants
ONE B WINE Contact: Ms. Natacha VOLAND, Managing Director Website: www.onebwine.com Sector: Wine & Wine Shops
CK PARTNERS ASIA LTD Contact: Mr. Christian DUHAIN, CEO Website: www.ckpartner.com Sector: Consulting firm
EAST WEST INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS Contact: Mr. Patrick VERON, Director Website: www.ewis-asia.com Sector: IT
PETIT POIS CONSULTING Contact: Mrs. Hélène LAURAS, Managing Director Website: www.petitpois-consulting.com Sector: Consultancy for Hospitality and F&B Professionals
SINGAPOUR SUR SEINE Contact: Mrs. Ariane NABARRO, Director Sector: Tourism
ELITE COACH PTE LTD Contact: Mr. Christian ANSEAUME, Founder and Managing Director Website: http://elitecoach.com.sg Sector: Sports Coaching
SYMPHONY W&C PTE LTD
GREENWISE SOLUTIONS
THE FRENCH CELLAR PTE LTD
Contact: Mr. Gilles BEAU, Managing Director Website: www.greenwise-asia.com Sector: BTP / Environment / Transportion
Contact: Mr. Vincent MORELLO, CEO Cofounder Website: www.thefrenchcellar.sg Sector: Wines
Contact: Mr. Jean-Baptiste COUTY, Founder Website: www.lefromager.com.sg Sector: F&B / Catering / Hospitality
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May 2014
New FCCS Members|
ASSOCIATE MEMBERS ACG GLOBAL
LA CORNUE
Contact: Mr. Simon LITTLEWOOD, President Website: http://acgrowthdelivered.com Sector: Management Consultancy
Contact: Mr. Ronan LE MESTRE, Senior Territory Manager Website: www.lacornue.com Sector: Consumer Goods
AËXOR Contact: Ms. Carine VIGNOLLES, Manager Website: www.aexor.eu Sector: Engineering Firm
ANZ BANKING GROUP, SINGAPORE BRANCH Contact: Mr. Philippe TOUATI, Head of Institutional, Singapore, Malaysia & Thailand Website: www.anz.com/singapore Sector: Bank / Finance / Investment
NOVELVY RETRAITE Contact: Mr. Bruno RENARDIER, Director Website: www.novelvyexpat.com Sector: Services
STAMFORD LAW CORPORATION Contact: Ms. Lois WONG, General Manager Website: www.stamfordlaw.com.sg Sector: Law Firm
TANYE GROUP PTE LTD BEL VIETNAM COMPANY LIMITED Contact: Mr. Chafiq HAMMADI, General Manager Asia Pacific Division and Vietnam Website: www.belvietnam.com Sector: Food
DAD Contact: Mr. Olivier LEFEVRE, Founder and Managing Director Website: www.dad-agence.fr Sector: Media / Communication
IDEALWINE.COM
Contact: Mr. Lucas TAN, Director Sector: Retail and Distribution
TES-AMM (SINGAPORE) PTE LTD Contact: Mr. Eric VOISIN, Business Development Manager Website: www.tes-amm.com Sector: Recycling Solutions
WING SIANG LONG PTE LTD Contact: Mr. Richard TRAN, Business Development Sector: Retail and Distribution
Contact: Mr. Cyrille JOMAND, CEO Website: www.idealwine.com Sector: Wines
JAY GEE ENTERPRISES PTE LTD Contact: Mr. Ramesh DHINAKARAN, Managing Director Website: www.jaygee.com.sg Sector: Retail and Distribution
ASSOCIATE MEMBERS Ms. Sophie MAZE, Options & Derivatives Trader, Integrated Supply & Trading - Eastern Hemisphere, BP SINGAPORE PTE LTD Sector: Oil & Gas
Mr. Marc TASSILLY, Senior Vice President, EFG BANK
BECOME A MEMBER! Joining us brings you directly to the heart of the French Business Community in Singapore. Our lively membership of more than 540 reflects French expertise across a wide range of sectors, both industrial (Technology, Electronics, Telecommunications…) and services (Banking, Insurance, Marketing, Advertising...).
Sector: Bank
Mr. Alan GAZIELLY, Regional Finance Controller, DRAGER
Join us and benefit from a wide range of advantages, such as a greater business exposure, an easier access to people and information and many events and business services.
Sector: Biomedical
For more information, please contact us at 6933 1356 or by email at membership@fccsingapore.com.
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FCCS Privilege Card
May 2014
FCCS Privilege Card
Terms & Conditions apply. Visit www.fccsingapore.com for more details. AGS FOUR WINDS
GLOBIBO
- Up to 30 days free storage rent in Singapore - Groupage offer to Paris from S$440/m2
- 6% off translation nslation services - 10% off interpretation services, corporate language courses and corporate training course
AIR FRANCE - Priority Check-In At Changi Airport - Priority Baggage Label from Singapore - Business Class Lounge Access (Singapore) - Flying Blue Bonus Miles
GRAND MERCURE ROXY HOTEL - 15% off at selected restaurants - 10% off best available rate for guest rooms
HEDIARD ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE - 5% off any non-private tuition - 10% off tuition at the company’s premises
- $25 gift certificate at Hediard Café with a min. spend of $100 at the Hediard Boutique
IBIS HOTEL SINGAPORE BENCOOLEN ARKADIN - 2 Free Arkadin Video HD Desktop Licenses for 30 Days
- 30% off set menu - 10% off best available rate for guest rooms
JOËL ROBUCHON RESTAURANT ASIAN-VILLA - S$50 off when you book a private villa
- 10% off at L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon - 15 % off at Joël Robuchon Restaurant
BALZAC BRASSERIE
LAURENT BERNARD
- 15% off à la carte orders
- 10% off chocolate boxes with $60 min. spend
BEAUTY BY NATURE
LE PETIT DEPOT
- 10% off regular priced items
- Free delivery with your first order
BETJEMAN & BARTON
LOMIG & THE FRENCH GROCER
- 10% off any regular -priced items - 20% off corporate gifts
- 10% off all wine and champagne orders with a min. of 6 bottles - 1 free 75cl bottle Philipponnat champagne for orders worth $1,000 or more
BISTRO DU VIN & AU JARDIN - 10% off at Bistro du Vin and Au Jardin (Botanic Gardens)
PETIT BATEAU - 10% off regular-priced items
CAFÉ & BRASSERIE GAVROCHE - Complimentary glass of Rose wine with every tartine ordered
CITROËN TT SINGAPORE
RAFFLES HOTEL, SINGAPORE - 20% off best available rate for all suites - 10 to 20% off at selected restaurants, and meeting and seminar packages
- €50 off each rental Citroen TT car
SURVIVAL CHIC LIFESTYLE MEMBERSHIP COMPASS - 4-hour meeting room access for free
- 10% off a full 1-year Survival Chic Membership giving you 30% off at 50 Restaurants
EDITIONS DIDIER MILLET (EDM)
THE RESILIENCE INSTITUTE
- 20% off on specific titles with free delivery, or 40% off on specific titles with self-collection
- 1 complimentary diagnostic
FOREST ADVENTURE
- 15% off at Cafebiz & Ah Hoi’s Kitchen
TRADERS HOTEL - 10% off individual tickets and birthday packages
WINES2U FRASERS HOSPITALITY FRENCH TOAST LANGUAGE CENTRE
- 15% off on Champagne Moutard with a min. order of 6 bottles per purchase -10% off all other wines for a min. order of 12 bottles per purchase
- 10% off group classes held at French Toast - 10% off tailored corporate courses - Free 1-hour private tuition trial
- 15% off all items
- 10% off best available rates
ZWIESEL KRISTALLGLAS