Orient
THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE - SINGAPORE
ISSUE 59
SPECIAL FEATURES
16
IN FOCUS: DANIELLE WARNER
39
BREXIT: THE TURNING POINT
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To relax. To refresh. To leave our lounges feeling your best. To Fly. To Serve. Discover our new lounge at Changi Airport Terminal 1
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Contents
11
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
13
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE SPECIAL FEATURES
16
In Focus: Danielle Warner
39
Brexit: The Turning Point
FEATURES 24
Building Deeper Customer Engagement with Marketing Automation Tools
28
Concept-based Learning for Today’s Students
32
Key Development Indicators as a Leadership Tool
35
Putting Some Thought into your Thought Leadership
45
Ignite Double-digit Growth in your Salesforce
49
My 23–Year Journey with the British Chamber
54
Overcoming Asia’s Electricity Crisis — Opportunities in the Power Sector in Asia
BRITISH HIGH COMMISSION / DIT 58
A Statement from the New Prime Minister
AT THE CHAMBER 61
Britain in Southeast Asia News
64
Business Group News
66
BritCham New Members
68
Sterling News
71
Corporate News
74
Members’ Offers
76
Events
W W W. B R I T C H A M . O R G . S G
British Chamber of Commerce, Singapore, Sponsors GOLD AND DIVERSITY SPONSOR
GOLD SPONSOR
SILVER AND BREAKFAST CLUB SPONSOR
SILVER SPONSORS
BRONZE SPONSORS
BRITCHAM BOARD: PRESIDENT: Bicky Bhangu: Rolls-Royce Singapore VICE-PRESIDENTS: Damian Adams: Simmons & Simmons Sian Brown: Barclays Bank PLC SECRETARY: Cecilia Handel: Tanglin Trust School Ltd TREASURER: Veronica McCann, Manulife US Real Estate Mgmt Pte Ltd BOARD MEMBERS: Richard Warburton: Arcadis Annabel Moore: Diageo Singapore Pte Ltd Haslam Preeston: Jardine Cycle & Carriage Limited David Pugh: The Fry Group Mark Chowdhry: Baxters International Andrew Vine: The Insight Bureau Andrew Pickup: Microsoft Singapore Chris Reed: Black Marketing — Enabling LinkedIn For You Robert Williams: British Airways Ian Williams: HSBC Ronald Totton: BT Singapore Terence Yuen: BP Singapore COMMITTEES: Business Group: Richard Warburton Events: Sian Brown External Affairs: Bicky Bhangu Membership: Damian Adams
Editor: Lucy Haydon lucy@britcham.org.sg
Orient is a quarterly magazine published by the British Chamber of Commerce, Singapore. © All rights reserved.
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The views and opinions expressed or implied in Orient are those of the authors or contributors and do not reflect those of the British Chamber of Commerce, its officers or editorial staff. No reproduction of articles without the prior permission of the Chamber. Unsolicited transparencies and articles are sent at owner’s risk
BUSINESS GROUP CHAIRPERSONS: Diversity: Stephen Trevis Energy & Utilities: Mark Gainsborough Entrepreneur & Small Business: Jonathan O‘Byrne Financial Services: Ashley Jones (Chairperson), Sunil Iyer (Co-Chair) InfoComm Technology: Andrew Pickup (Chairperson), Chris Reed (Co-Chair) Leadership in Asia: Mike Hughes Marketing & Creative: Chris Reed Professional Services: Mark Chowdhry Property & Construction: Marcus Eckersley Scottish Business Group: Neil Mclnnes Sustainability & Responsibility: Rosie Danyluk Women in Business: Dora Lui Young British Chamber: Zoë Marmot MANAGEMENT TEAM Executive Director: Brigitte Holtschneider Membership & Communications Manager: Lucy Haydon Membership Manager: Katie Hudson Membership Administrator: Siti Hadijah Marketing & Communications Executive: Nicole Alison Lim Senior Events Manager: Alexandra Packman Events Manager: Nicola Jackson Finance Manager: Pauline Yeo Business Services Manager: Carole McCarthy Business Services Advisor: Nico Putri Safari Office Administration Executive: Anna C Garciso
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Advertorial
Early Years at the Australian International School
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he Australian International School (AIS) is the only school in Singapore to offer the best of the International Baccalaureate and the Australian curriculum for students aged 18 months to 18 years old. AIS gives their youngest learners the best start to their formal learning journey through an outstanding Early Years Specialist Program. Dedicated facilities for children aged 18 months to 5 years old include outdoor play spaces, a secret garden, a dedicated Inquiry Centre and Reggio Emilia inspired classrooms. Daily Mandarin from 18 months All Early Years children enjoy Daily Mandarin, the world’s most widely spoken language taught by a native Mandarin specialist teacher through games, stories and songs. The early exposure to language increases a child’s fluency and retention, preparing them for success as global citizens.
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nurtures children to be confident speakers with a varied and rich vocabulary from 3 years old. New state-of-the-art Early Years campus launching soon! A new state-of-the-art Early Years campus for children 18 months to 6 years old will enhance these specialist programs with a 22m swimming pool, indoor sports arena, 5 library and learning resource centres and 9 arts and language specialist classrooms. For more information on the Australian International School, book your personal tour by visiting www.ais.com.sg or call +65 6653 7906.
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President’s Message
W W W. B R I T C H A M . O R G . S G
Dear Members, A month after the referendum for Brexit, and the world is still reeling. While it is too early to foresee the consequences of Brexit, it is for certain that our economic and business environment has become a lot more interesting and dynamic. You may find David Gardner’s article ‘Brexit – The turning point’ gives good advice on how to manage your investment through this new reality. Meanwhile, Singapore, as with other countries, is watching the developments carefully. In the short term however nothing has changed for Singapore and what Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said in his interview with Channels News Asia, is reassuring: “Singapore will continue to cultivate ties with Britain and considers Britain a long–standing friend and partner.”
Bicky Bhangu
President, British Chamber of Commerce, Singapore
Whilst we wait for the dust to settle and clarity to emerge, we are working closely with the High Commissioner’s office and DIT to ensure we have a strong platform to raise issues faced by our members and businesses. We will continue to have open discussions on how member companies and industries are being impacted and explore how to further strengthen business links between the UK and Singapore. It is our hope that the UK-Singapore FTA will support our members’ ambitions and makes the best of this new reality in Singapore and the region. This month, we are especially proud to be an industry partner for Break the Ceiling, Touch the Sky 2016 – World Edition which is taking place on August 29. This unique event supports diversity and equality for women. This is a unique opportunity for leading female professionals and entrepreneurs to learn and network with prestigious international speakers from global organisations. The business case for diversity is plain. Empowering and educating girls and women to realise their full potential in the global economy, politics and society are fundamental elements of succeeding and prospering in an increasingly competitive world. Several studies* show how corporations with a higher representation of women in senior management positions financially outperform companies with proportionally fewer women at the top. In this spirit, I am pleased that this edition of the Orient includes an interview with Danielle Warner, Founder of Expat Insurance, aptly described as the ‘power woman of protection’. Finally, I hope you enjoy this issue of Orient and I hope to see you at one of our many events in the near future. Best Regards,
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Executive Director’s Message
W W W. B R I T C H A M . O R G . S G
Dear Members, I hope you enjoyed a relaxing summer break and are now in full swing preparing for the 4th quarter in 2016. Undoubtedly, one of the most important events in the recent past was the EU Referendum in the UK which resulted in Britons voting to leave the European Union. A decision which most businesses, in the UK, in Singapore and globally, did not expect, but will have to deal with. We have established a member round table gathering feedback from businesses sharing how Brexit impacts plans and decisions. The main focus of discussion and responses circle around the uncertainty the decision causes, more than anything else. Please contact Membership and Communications Manger Lucy Haydon at lucy@britcham.org.sg if you wish to be included in the round table.
Brigitte Holtschneider
Executive Director, British Chamber of Commerce, Singapore
I can report we receive a constant level of interest from companies in the UK who want to export to or invest setting up a business in Singapore. Trade relations between both countries have historically been strong and continue to flourish and develop. I spent a week touring the UK in June, together with my colleagues from the BiSEA network, promoting opportunities in South East Asia, and Singapore in particular. We covered Birmingham and Liverpool, met with a great number of companies in one–to–one sessions; the interest is strong, particularly in view of developing an alternative to China and India. Our Business Services team, led by Carole McCarthy, is now following up establishing a healthy pipeline of projects. The Chamber Board recently voted on extending the Grant Letter agreement with DIT until March 2017, and we expect to receive new business planning guidelines from a reformed UKTI (or equivalent) until September. I’ll provide an update in the next issue of the Orient. One of the Chamber’s key initiatives, the Annual Business Awards, will have been concluded when you read this magazine. We look forward to revealing the winners at the Gala Dinner on the 29th of September at the Shangrila Hotel. Our key note speaker and Guest of Honour is Minister Iswaran and the evening will be moderated by our member Sharanjit Leyl, BBC Business Correspondent. Please check out the Awards dedicated website http://www.bccbusinessawards.com/ for a detailed report about the finalists and winners. Our Business Group Committees, a core platform for member volunteering and engagement, have been actively driving the event programme for the 2nd half of the year focusing on a couple of key themes such as FinTech, Digital, Sustainability and leading in an uncertain world, to name just a few. We are currently working on revitalising and refocusing the Property and Construction Business Group Committee with the view to providing a broader and more inclusive remit encompassing a wider range of industries. We are also exploring the launch of a new Committee covering the areas supply chain, transport and logistics. I’ll provide more details in the next issue. On a personal note I would like to welcome our new team member Nicole Alison Lim, who joined us on the 1st of August, succeeding Clara Tan as Marketing and Communications Executive, reporting to Lucy Haydon, Membership and Communications Manager. I would like to thank Clara for her excellent contribution improving events campaigning, web analytics and social media footprint. I look forward to seeing you soon at a Chamber event, a Business Group Committee meeting or in a dedicated member meeting!
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/britishchamber-of-commerce-singapore Twitter @britchamsg
Best wishes,
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Sterling Members
W W W. B R I T C H A M . O R G . S G
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In Focus
In Focus: Danielle Warner By Lucy Haydon An active member of the Singaporean entrepreneur community, Danielle Warner has been highly successful in driving her startup business to growth and success; recently she led her team to win the 2016 Insurance Broker of the Year award at Asian Banking and Finance Magazine, and Expat Insurance has been acquired by MSH International. We talked about her passion for protecting employees through insurance, and her belief in excellent service standards.
W W W. B R I T C H A M . O R G . S G
How did you get started in insurance? Anyone in the insurance industry will tell you that no one chooses it. Insurance really is in my blood. Literally everyone in my family including my mother, my aunts, my cousins and even my husband have been involved in insurance. On summer school holidays I was brought into the office and began doing various internships to learn the industry.
I started in the file room at AIG, was promoted to the mail room and as I was getting ready to graduate I began to take the opportunity to meet the more senior staff in their offices. I met a gentleman who won a big promotion from New Jersey to the New York headquarters and reached out to him for my first proper job. He helped my resume be seen by the right people, and I started at AIG New York soon after.
When people ask me in what period I was at AIG, I say actually I’m a Greenberg girl!
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I worked in marketing initially and moved away from the technical underwriting side towards product development, broker relationship management, client relationships and learning from some of the best people in the industry at the time. This was in (former AIG Chairman and CEO) Hank Greenberg’s days. When people ask me in what period I was at AIG, I say actually I’m a Greenberg girl!
In Focus: Danielle Warner
My husband (then boyfriend) had also been working at AIG since out of college and when he was given the opportunity to move out to Singapore with the company about 11 years ago, I followed. How do you find the difference between the US and Asian insurance industries? New York and London markets are
When you have a lot of MNC businesses using mobility to exponentially grow business within Asia, employee benefits become a really poignant part of attracting, engaging and retaining your talent.
W W W. B R I T C H A M . O R G . S G
incredibly competitive. Here in Asia, culturally people have a less insurancebuying mentality. It is changing, but 11 years ago when we arrived it was really only the expatriates who were focused on having insurance for their businesses and employees. They could not understand why there was nothing in place here when they spend so much on it in the US or Europe in their company budgets.
There are traditionally fewer providers and a less crowded competitive market in Singapore but in the last 7 years since we started Expat Insurance this has changed substantially. The product ranges available and the competition has become much broader. When you have a lot of MNC businesses using mobility to exponentially grow business within Asia, employee benefits
become a really poignant part of attracting, engaging and retaining your talent. The challenge is when you have companies with headquarters in other countries that are dictating what employee benefits should look like in Asia without really understanding what is expected or available here. It takes education and collaboration between the different locations to achieve the desired results.
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Congratulations on the award and the recent acquisition. It has been a busy year for you so far! What advice would you give to our SME members who are keen to replicate your levels of success? Selecting a niche that you really want to target and focus on is absolutely critical. That would be my best advice to any company. Understand who your client is, their needs and their problems and create dynamic, innovative, engaging solutions that help them and speak to their needs directly. I attend many networking events in the entrepreneur community in Singapore and people will ask me “How do you grow your business…?” “Last time I talked to you, you had 25 people and now you have 35! What’s your secret?” The answer is choosing the right business model and understanding your clients.
Insurance, in my opinion, has become disconnected from its purpose and original intention. Because it is in my blood, insurance has, for me, this beautiful original intention of protection, peace of mind, safety and so much of that has been abandoned by the industry. I know that we got niching right, and as businesses move online you should look at niching and even micro-niching. When you are an MNC you can focus on products with multiple teams, but as a small business you need to hone your focus so that you don’t get overstretched. If you understand your customers’ needs and the potential market, there should be no fear of missing out on customers. Do you staff ahead of your growth or is it reactionary? Do I wish we could? Yes! But in today’s
In Focus: Danielle Warner economic environment, as a CEO, founder and now shareholder, one of my responsibilities is to create a stable... employment opportunity for my team. We are in the business of protection, so my primary responsibility is to create a safe environment and to build a culture of trust within my own team. If my team does not feel that their jobs are safe and they have long-term prospects with us, then they will leave. How close is your relationship with your clients? Given that insurance is typically an annual renewal process and contact with the team could potentially be limited as a result Our business model is totally different! With our corporate clients where we take care of their employee benefit structures we become their benefits team, like an implant. We become integrated with their team, work with the HR staff every day and try to reflect their company language and culture. Insurance, in my opinion, has become disconnected from its purpose and original intention. Because it is in my blood, insurance has, for me, this beautiful original intention of protection, piece of mind, safety and so much of that has been abandoned by the industry. It’s about paperwork, premiums and profits now. Establishing Expat Insurance was about doing it differently for me and trying to create awareness that it should, could and can be done differently. It’s important that all of my team delivers on that promise and we start to make an impact and disrupt what insurance has become to so many people. It will be important to make sure your marketing gets that passion and purpose across effectively… One of my philosophies is that I continue to personally engage with my clients, and I have been lucky enough that I have been able to build a team around me to help support our message and that desire for personal contact so that I can make a difference for them. I feel like it is my role to create a ripple within the industry, because a ripple will make people stop and think.
W W W. B R I T C H A M . O R G . S G
When we first started we were an agency so we went largely unnoticed, no one expected us to succeed or become as big as we have done. In 2013 when we got our MAS independent broking license, people started to take notice of us and I started to move the company towards corporate clients rather than only individual policies. The time when we went relatively unnoticed allowed us plenty of space to build our company culture, service standards and team. The recent award is a big recognition of what we have been able to create. We are no longer the underdog.
Selecting a niche that you really want to target and focus on is absolutely critical (to succeed as an SME) How has the employment landscape and your clients’ needs changed over the years? The 2008 financial crisis was the catalyst for a lot of change. Employees want an engaged environment to work within and to make an impact through their work. When hiring, companies now need to look for people whose personal goals are aligned with their company goals. That’s when the magic will happen. There are fewer jobs in western countries now so people look to Asia as a growth area. For example mobility has become a powerful leverage point for employees — they can say that they are willing to relocate anywhere, which is attractive to employers. At the same time we are in an age of entitlement and expectation — social media means that nothing is hidden about a company when current and ex-employees can post reviews online and you can judge the culture by how connected employees are to their company. The power is now in the hands of employees, and a lot of companies don’t know how to react to this so they freeze
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In Focus: Danielle Warner
and do nothing about the perception of their company culture rather than make a mistake. How has qualified talent recruitment been for you in Singapore? We hear common issues from our members of a lack of experience and knowledge in some sectors We have taken a very unique path and do not hire typically from the insurance industry. I decided to hire primarily on personality and soft skills rather than on technical knowledge of insurance, as this can be taught. Creating meaningful relationships with clients was a more important priority when we started, and as a result we have a variety of backgrounds in our workforce with a common desire to build strong relationships with our clients. There is a very large insurance talent pool within Singapore, but less people with excellent customer service and soft skills, which are much harder to teach. Having said that there is some great local talent here in Singapore and we are immensely proud of the team we have built. How do you anticipate the recent Brexit issues having an impact on your industry? As a local startup I don’t expect any immediate major implications. We are not governed by an overseas head office so we anticipate less challenges. This will be a very big year with the US election; only time will tell what will happen. With financial uncertainty of this scale, the employment landscape has shifted and will continue to do so. People want to feel safe and secure. In the last year, continuation of coverage and transferability has become an increasing factor in corporate packages. People want to be able to take their insurance policies with them at a personal level if they have to move on. This change is happening at an employer level, as companies want to behave responsibly if they are forced to make redundancies which is admirable.
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You recently published your book on employee benefit blueprints; what would be your key tips for companies to adopt if they are starting from scratch? The best advice I can give is to start small and build as your company grows. Don’t make the mistake of elaborate coverage based on growth projections of an SME, as it may be unsustainable. Your policies should reflect the size of your company and grow with you. If you reach renewal time and have to withdraw elements of the policy, this can have a detrimental effect on employee morale. What are the company's short and long term plans for the future? The acquisition has provided us with the financial stability to scale, which is every entrepreneur’s dream. Adding additional services we don’t currently offer and refreshing the website are both in the pipeline. I am powered by the same purpose and drive to make an impact as I was on day one... exciting times are ahead! How has the Chamber helped you as a business over the years? BritCham has been amazing. We were introduced by referral from another member and the support we have always received makes it easy to renew every year. The value of the network is in connecting businesses that can satisfy your company needs. The social and professional networking opportunities are nicely balanced which make it a fun and alluring proposition. There is a value in building your profile within a larger business community and enjoying the fruits of those connections.
means better solutions and innovation for our clients. As an independent brokerage this offers our clients more choice, which can only be a good thing.
What do you anticipate to be the future trends in the industry? I expect an increasingly competitive market in Singapore as it matures, which
I also expect a move towards technology for easier access to care and treatment, though the personal touch for us is absolutely critical to our proposition.
Exclusive offer for Orient readers Orient readers may request a free copy of Danielle’s book “Bulletproof: Building Better Employee Benefits” by emailing bulletproof@expatinsurance.com.sg
Companies want the same reassurances of ROI as they have always done, perhaps even more so now, which technology cannot provide in the case of insurance. People will always be involved. For more information on Danielle and Expat Insurance visit www.expatinsurance.com.sg
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Feature
Building Deeper Customer Engagement with Marketing Automation Tools By Suzanne Yap The importance of differentiating your value proposition and choosing the right marketing platforms to facilitate growth
T
he past 18 months have been particularly trying in the oil and gas sector but there are hopeful signs that the situation might be picking up. In this emerging environment, companies are asking themselves if their existing strategies fit the new needs of their markets. During the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) 2016 earlier this year, Fifth Ring gathered a group of C-suite marketing executives to share their experiences, hear different perspectives and expand their networks. Two key themes that would be relevant to all industries surfaced from the discussion: the importance of differentiating one company’s value proposition from another and choosing the right marketing platforms to facilitate sales growth.
What is your key differentiator?
The focus must be on the true value derived from a product or service. Companies need to re-evaluate how impactful and relevant their value proposition is in today’s market. An internal audit is useful to find out if a company’s value proposition differentiates itself from the competition and is aligned to the customers’ demands and expectations. It needs to evoke emotion, be intuitive and embedded into the organisation. Starbucks comes to mind when we talk about how important a clear value proposition could make a brand. The phrase, “live coffee” sums up what Starbucks wants to create – an experience that customers would want to integrate into their daily lives. This unique experience is also delivered through the serving staff when they speak to and take note of each customer’s name.
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While the quality of the coffee beans and ambience of the cafés are important elements of the business, the human touch to build rapport and engage with customers is just as critical. That being said, before an organisation is able to effectively convey its value proposition to external stakeholders, it must first convince its staff, specifically the marketing and sales team on the strategy, and embrace marketing technologies and platforms as the tools for success. Employees are essentially brand ambassadors and they must be ready and willing to deliver on the brand’s value.
Taking the first step
Choosing the right marketing platform starts with creating a customer journey map so that the company knows where an individual came from and what he or she wants to achieve. The information for this map can be derived from customer surveys, for example,
Feature: Building Deeper Customer Engagement with Marketing Automation Tools
to give companies a snapshot of how and when an individual decides to interact. For instance, if customers tend to enquire about and download product brochures from the main website, sending regular email updates to those interested individuals would keep their interest warm.
Deeper engagements through marketing automation
The idea is to disseminate behaviouralbased and highly targeted content to target audiences at specific timings. This can be done through marketing automation. Marketing automation is not a new platform and has been around since 1992. However, the recent surge of marketing automation tools such as Sharpspring, HubSpot and Eloqua can help companies optimise their customer engagement engine. Depending on which tool best suits a company’s requirements, the organisation will be in a position to act on their journey
Companies need to re− evaluate how impactful and relevant their value proposition is in today’s market…It needs to evoke emotion, be intuitive and embedded into the organization.
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map and create personalised content for the people who matter the most to their business. The tailoring of messages that they know would resonate with their target audience is a powerful means to keep engagements personal and enriching. Consolidating this customer-related information is just as important and forms the foundation of any outreach activity. Despite it being a tedious task, companies are increasingly investing time and effort to clean up their sales and marketing databases. As the saying goes, if content is king, then data is its queen. Both elements
About the Author Suzanne is the Head of Integrated Communications APAC at Fifth Ring and brings with her more than 16 years of experience in public relations, driving integration activities on a regional and global level. With over a decade of
need to work in tandem for outreach efforts to be effective. In today’s vibrant social era, complementing marketing automation outreach efforts by leveraging on key marketing platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Outbrain, also enables the public to interact with brands. There is a wealth of information that can be gathered from studying customers’ online habits.
It’s all in the packaging
At the end of the day, companies want to generate higher sales conversions and
professional experience across diverse industries, she has worked extensively with brands of various stripes, including regional and global players. These brands cut across a plethora of sectors such as technology, telecommunications, consumer/personal care
products, automotive, energy, aviation and pharmaceutical. Prior to Fifth Ring,Suzanne spent three years at Waggener Edstrom as the APAC Lead responsible for all aspects of Microsoft Embedded communications
ultimately more revenue. We believe that this can be done through creating exceptional customer experiences every day. Differentiating one’s value proposition through personal or virtual interactions on a daily basis adds another dimension to how a company’s target audience perceives the brand. In today’s economic climate, the difference between meeting and exceeding expectations boils down to the adaptability of companies in tweaking their long-term strategies and leveraging on tools such as marketing automation to raise awareness and increase brand recall.
strategy and execution in the region, specifically Taiwan, China, Korea, Japan and overall pan-region. She had also spent eight months as the Greater China lead for all related Microsoft accounts. For more information visit www.fifthring.com
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Feature
W W W. B R I T C H A M . O R G . S G
Concept-based Learning for Today’s Students By Sebastien Barnard What’s the big idea? Is a change in focus and approach the way forward for educators?
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veryone talks about concept-driven, inquiry-based learning, but what does it look like in practice? What curriculum architecture and programme requirements can we imagine that might lead to the desired outcomes? How do we overcome the tyranny of contentdriven classrooms and examinations? Contemporary curriculum experts agree that conceptual understanding is key for student success in school, jobs, and life. A concept-driven, inquiry-based education focuses on learners (WHO). International Baccalaureate programmes, for example, promote open communication based on understanding and respect and encourage students to become active, compassionate, lifelong learners. This type of education is holistic in nature, with the whole person in mind, concerned with cognitive development, social, emotional and physical well-being.
A concept-driven education develops effective approaches to teaching and learning (HOW). Empowering young people for a lifetime of learning, independently and in collaboration with others. Preparing a community of learners that engage with global challenges through inquiry, action and reflection. At its heart this type of education should work within global contexts (WHY). Students increase their understanding of language and culture (multilingualism and intercultural understanding) and this encourages global and local engagement, including developmentally appropriate aspects of challenges in the environment, development, conflict, rights, cooperation and governance. This type of education also explores significant content (WHAT) and provides opportunities to develop both disciplinary
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Feature: Concept-based Learning for Today’s Students
and interdisciplinary understanding. It offers curriculum frameworks and courses that are broad and balanced, conceptual and connected and finally rigorously assessed.
Concept-driven curriculum
Know and do versus know and do and understand… we have too often assumed that if students knew and did, they would understand. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Conceptual understanding adds a depth-dimension to students’ educational experience. In practical terms, educational frameworks establish a common core of big ideas that matter. These key concepts form the heart of a connected curriculum. They come from and are shared across academic disciplines. They unify students’ academic experience and provide teachers with a common vocabulary. Concepts create a culture of thinking that invites students to see connections, contradictions, alternative perspectives and different ways of thinking. At a time when adolescents are beginning to move into more sophisticated modes of abstract thinking, concepts offer students something consistent to think about over time and across subjects. Concepts are not single words, but complex ideas that can shape teaching and learning. Examples such as Identity, Logic, Perspective, Relationship and Systems can run through a typical student’s school week. Imagine how teachers of different disciplines might be able to use these big ideas as stepping stones, ladders or bridges to the facts, concepts and debates that they want students to uncover and explore. In addition to these big overarching ideas, concept-driven education structures the curriculum with discipline-specific related concepts that provide depth and focus. They narrow the scope of inquiry, while leaving enough room to integrate a wide range of content that is appropriate or required in local or national contexts. Related concepts invite teachers and students to go beyond studying facts to thinking about what those facts mean and why they are relevant.
This is an important feature of conceptdriven education. Teaching and learning needs to reflect both how knowledge is structured in the real world and how we learn. These days, facts are easily and inexpensively ‘knowable’. However they often remain distinct and without any connection to each other, except through the strategy of grouping them into topics. This is where most educational systems stop. A concept-based education goes on to ask, what do these facts mean? How are they related? To which ideas do they give us entry? We know that students learn by taking what they know and then building on it.
We know that the holy grail of education— the ability to transfer understanding from one experience or domain to another—is facilitated by discussions around concepts. We have cellular evidence that we build memories by making connections and building rich networks of associations and multiple pathways for access. Concepts help this happen; they are the superhighways of learning.
Inquiry-based learning
Concepts change the way that teachers teach and student learn. They inflect the nature of classroom assignments and assessment, both formal and informal. Concept-driven education facilitates
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classroom discussion that will focus on how things are the same and how they are different; also, how what we know about the past, for example, can help us to understand the present. Concept-driven education helps students develop structured inquiry into big ideas
About the Author: Sebastien Barnard, Regional Communications & Marketing Manager APAC, International Baccalaureate Founded in 1968, the International Baccalaureate®
that matter and then helps them to assess how much they really understand through a rich and varied programme of assessment – some of it potentially highly digital – that allows flexible choice of content that supports conceptual learning, or that is compatible with national curriculum. These are 21st
(IB) is a non-profit educational foundation offering four highly respected programmes of international education that develop the intellectual, personal, emotional and social skills needed to live, learn and work in a rapidly globalizing world. Sebastien
century requirements for teachers engaged with future students being born now who will probably live into the 22nd century. Based on presentations by Robert Harrison, (@Robert_ibmyp), Head MYP Development, International Baccalaureate
joined the IB in 2011 and has over 18 years’ experience as a marketing communications, media, public relations and brand reputation management professional. He is also an IB Diploma graduate from UWCSEA. Find out more at www.ibo.org
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Feature
Key Development Indicators as a Leadership Tool By Dr. Bob Aubrey Methods for measuring employee development, and not just performance, are increasingly important to today’s managers
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E
veryone knows what Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are for. They measure, monitor and report how individuals, teams, business units and companies perform. KPIs are important, but they are far from everything. Having worked in human development for over thirty years, I decided to propose a new concept called Key Development Indicators (KDIs) as a way to balance the important measurements that KPIs leave out. Why can’t we use KPIs for development? Company strategies need measurable goals for development – not performance – when it comes to the creation of new products and services, entering new markets or improving talent. Inside these business strategies KDIs point to indicators which KPIs cannot measure. Development requires
a different language, a different way of assessing results.
Development means that something is getting better. With KDIs you can specify what better looks like; you can set goals and indicators.
You can create milestones to track progress. You can specify what feedback you want to get. You can communicate your results. You can even define new concepts for management, such as developing identity as a leadership concept if you know how to set up the KDIs. In corporate strategy and operations, both KPIs and KDIs are needed but their purpose, indicators, measurement cycles and sources of information are different. The following table shows these differences.
KPI (Key Performance Indicator)
Purpose
Indicators
Time
ROI
KDI (Key Development Indicator)
Match business performance goals to organisational / individual objectives
Match business development goals to organisational / individual development
• Focus on actions
• Focus on learning
• Measure results
• Measure development
• Numerical assessment
• Behavioural assessment
• Short term
• Short & long term
• Linked to business cycle
• Linked to development cycle
• Performance targets
• Growth or Change targets
• Productivity
• Talent
• Profitability
• Quality & Innovation
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To see how KDIs make a difference, let’s take the example of service. Before the quality movement in the twentieth century, service was not something you measured — it was an action of economic exchange and a relationship of server to a master or a client. With the quality movement and the globalisation of services, numbers became useful to measure service quality. To manage a hotel, for example, you can make up a guest satisfaction index. But if you go into the kitchen and talk about the quality of the food then you must use words to describe what tastes good and looks appetising — food is the domain where chefs are the experts. You go to the hotel lobby or the room and want to know if the decor is inviting and beautiful. Again you don’t use numbers; you need words, colours, opinions and you have to understand the language of designers and decorators.
Feature: Key Development Indicators as a Leadership Tool Here is an example of four KDI areas that people managers can use to measure the really important job of developing people:
KDIs Areas for Leading Development
Job Learning
Coaching
Mentoring
• Job rotation
• Learning new skills
• Network building
• Job enhancement
• Self-directed learning plan
• Career aspirations
• Projects
• Cross-learning from colleagues
• Professional identity
• Feedback on development needs
• Development reviews
• Exposure to nonlinear career paths
Why managers resist KDIs
The transition to KDIs is not a new management fad — it is hard for business leaders to strategise with a new set of indicators and hard for managers to develop people and measure what they do in a new way. But companies have used KDIs for strategy and others have used them for HR and people management. But HR, talent and leadership professionals should not underestimate the difficulty in adding KDIs to the measurement mix. So ingrained is the logic of KPIs that it may seem like more trouble than its worth at first. It is only when managers see the advantages of measuring development that they will adopt it. You can compare it to introducing a new IT system, at first there is going to be some resistance.
About the Author: Dr. Bob Aubrey shared the ideas of his new book, Measure of Man, with the participants of the British Chamber of Commerce hosted event in May 2016. Bob has led a varied career as an entrepreneur, writer, teacher, business consultant and representative of
Company strategies need measurable goals for development – not performance – when it comes to the creation of new products and services, entering new markets or improving talent. Inside these business strategies KDIs point to indicators which KPIs cannot measure.
international institutions. He is Senior Advisor for Asia at the European Foundation of Management Development. As a writer, he has published 8 management books on the themes of work, learning and human development. For more information visit https://www. amazon.com/Bob-Aubrey/e/B001K7C0P0
These indicators are really useful for managers in on-the-job development, employee reviews and career development dialogues with their team members. In a recent British Chamber of Commerce roundtable event on KDIs, many of the participants agreed that two more conditions would have to be present for a successful introduction of KDIs. The first is senior management involvement. The second is putting KDIs into the bonus mix for managers along with KPIs. Many companies have begun to use KDIs, and they are clearly starting to impact the business because they have been incorporated into annual reporting.
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Feature
Putting some Thought into your Thought Leadership By Marianne Blamire How to ensure your content stands out from the clutter of corporate voices
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Feature: Putting Some thought into your Thought Leadership
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Whether you’re an ambitious sole trader or CEO of a multinational, thought leadership is likely to be on your to-do list, if it isn’t something you’re doing already. But it can be intimidating. What hasn’t already been said? What if we get it wrong? Are my thoughts fit for mass consumption? It is easy to see why more time is spent pondering the need for thought leadership rather than doing it.
Successful thought leadership ensures differentiation. The clutter of corporate voices, clamouring for the minds of an increasingly attention-deficient audience, requires a clear and compelling point of view. Successful thought leadership ensures differentiation. The clutter of corporate voices, clamouring for the minds of an increasingly attention-deficient audience, requires a clear and compelling point of view. Some 1,500 blog posts are published every minute on the web, so your carefully crafted article is unlikely to have you headlining the BBC News. Genuine agenda-setting thought leadership takes time; a marathon, not a sprint.
What makes a thought leader
Forbes defines a thought leader as an individual or firm that clients, intermediaries and even competitors recognise as a foremost authority in a selected area of specialisation, resulting in it being the go-to individual or organisation for that expertise. The Global Thought Leader Index examines the world’s most influential voices, those who shape the way we think — and how their ideas spread. “Thinkers that are known and influential beyond their own knowledge areas”. In other words, they hold a regular job in their area of expertise, but their sphere of influence extends beyond their sector. This is why the list includes authors, biologists, entrepreneurs, futurists, doctors, lawyers, politicians, statisticians…and Pope Francis in pole position. (The Dalai Lama is eighth). If you’re the head of a long-
established religious institution or a moral philosophy, the transition to “thought leader” is relatively straightforward. You are already widely known as an expert in your field; your members make for a captive audience; the issues you deal with have universal appeal. For corporates, it’s less obvious. There are the visionaries — like Unilever or EY; the problem-solvers such as McKinsey and Deloitte, or the innovators like Apple and IBM. How do you join the thought leaders?
Defining a big thought
When we work with companies to develop thought leadership programmes, we spend time upfront unearthing an issue or topic that: 1. Is directly relevant to its customers. Start with a hypothesis based on what your customers’ existential questions are and provide the most meaningful answers. Keep your audience front of mind, test your thoughts on them and find ways to involve them. To support the launch of its 2015 sustainability report, Heineken invited vocal artist Kevin “Blaxtar” de Randamie, a Dutch rap star, to transform the report into something that would engage millennials. 2. Matters to the world and could lead to lasting changes in society if realised. This is a key difference between content marketing and thought leadership. Patagonia did it when it called out consumerism gone berserk and advocated “Don’t buy this jacket.” It caught people’s attention, but it was more than just a strapline: it’s their company philosophy. A thought leader changes the business landscape, and the best way to do this is by exciting people with what you’ve got to say. 3. Can interest the media. Thought leadership needs to be worthy of widespread dissemination by others. Nothing better than an article in The Huffington Post to do so. Thought leadership only matters if people read it, and people only read and share if it has personal value to them. What’s the fresh perspective you bring to your industry?
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Feature: Putting Some thought into your Thought Leadership
4. Is being talked about now by experts or academics...but not more widely. The notion of leadership implies being ahead of the game. Social media monitoring and online listening are good places to understand where the opportunities are.
Walking the talk
Companies that “do” thought leadership well do so at all levels of the organisation — from CEO to corporate affairs, via marketing and through to customer service. When Paul Polman, CEO of Unilever, persuades shareholders that quarterly reporting is unsuitable for his long-term sustainable growth aims, this means that Unilever’s product brands such as Lifebuoy, Dove, Knorr need to deliver on sustainable purpose over short-term sales spikes, and that procurement must source ingredients with minimal environmental impact. In other words, all business decisions are anchored in the central idea of sustainability, the company’s thought leadership position. Polman is now rightly regarded as a catalyst among CEOs of the world; a thought leader making sustainability a core part of business strategy. He has also created a company focus that enables employees to become thought leaders in their own specific areas, such as sustainable supply chain.
Tips to start your thought leadership: 1. Examine your DNA and company history – what do you stand for?
2. What big issue is your industry grappling with – can you dramatise it, or answer it?
Be brave
Thought leadership is cumulative. Yes, it’s comprised of tactical elements — white papers, speaker platforms, Twitter content — but without strategic planning and a fresh insight or a big brave idea that changes how people view your industry, or indeed the world, it will never have a lasting impact. A healthy dose of bravery is required, but done with passion, it can be as valuable to your company as the product or service you sell.
About the Author: Marianne is the Managing Director of salt Singapore which she co-founded in 2012. She leads global and regional programmes to improve communications and promote sustainability, always making the complex simple and the simple
3. What topic can you revisit year on year to build momentum?
4. Can you coin a new phrase? ‘Millennials’ and ‘metrosexual’ started life small!
5. Set your objectives to measure your impact – do colleagues and bosses have the right expectations?
compelling. With 15 years’ experience working for some of the world’s biggest brands, she is passionate about driving behaviour change for complex multinationals. Recent industry awards for her Singapore team include: Best Use of Bloggers, Best Place to Work,
Best Culture, Best Employer Brand and Best Onboarding Experience. In September 2015, Marianne was voted one of “40 Under 40 Ones to Watch” by Campaign Asia. Find out more at www.salt-communications.com
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Special Feature
Brexit:
The Turning Point By David Gardner The EU Referendum result was just the prologue, now a new chapter awaits.
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he United Kingdom has held two referendums on its membership of the European Union or, in its previous incarnation, the European Economic Community. In 1975, voters overwhelmingly chose to remain on the inside. On June 23rd, however, the country chose to bring its 43-year membership to an end. What began under one Europhile Conservative Prime Minister has been handed its notice under another. Before Ted Heath led the country into the EEC in 1973, there were just six members. When the UK leaves, there will be 27 members that remain. It is undoubtedly a significant decision, with ramifications for the UK, the EU and the wider world. For the UK to leave the EU, it must first trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, and then start exit
Special Feature: Brexit: The Turning Point
negotiations in order to determine the UK’s new trade arrangements with the trading bloc. There may be immediate political implications in continental Europe. Given that recent polls show high levels of Euroscepticism in a number of major European countries, there have already been calls for copycat referendums elsewhere, albeit by those who remain outside the political centre. In short, while the referendum has supplied the answer to that first question of whether the UK remains in the EU, it has raised a whole new series of questions in its stead. Some of these will take months — perhaps even years — to answer. Mark Carney, governor of the Bank of England, said that “some market
and economic volatility can be expected as the [negotiation] process unfolds”. He went on to explain that the Bank of England has prepared for such a scenario. “As a result of these actions, UK banks have raised over £130 billion of capital, and now have more than £600 billion of high–quality liquid assets,” he said. “Moreover, as a backstop, and to support the functioning of the markets, the Bank of England stands ready to provide more than £250 billion of additional funds through its normal facilities.” Some initial adverse market reaction was to be expected, and the immediate response to the vote is likely to be the most extreme, until details emerge about what the next steps will be. In fact, once the initial shock has been absorbed by
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markets, there are reasons to believe markets may become more settled, not least because the main uncertainty has now been removed. “Caught by the unexpected, the initial reaction of the UK market was to suffer a fall and since then the market has been thinking on its feet and grasping for some thread of likely, longer term outcomes — naturally this is nigh on impossible,” said Adrian Frost of Artemis. “International investors have been more worried about Brexit than domestic investors. They are holding plenty of cash and are underweight the UK. This is worth recognising if there are more positive developments. Finally, this is not a “Lehman moment” in that there is no imminent financial crisis or lack of credit; and very unlike the credit crisis,
this time central banks are ready and waiting with fire extinguishers in hand.”
In an environment of uncertainty, it is crucial that investors keep short- term volatility in context and avoid the temptation to allow such fluctuations to influence long-term plans.
In an environment of uncertainty, it is crucial that investors keep shortterm volatility in context and avoid the temptation to allow such fluctuations to influence long-term plans. “We now face a period of uncertainty as the exact terms of Britain’s exit from Europe are negotiated,” said Neil Woodford of Woodford Investment Management. “Financial markets loathe uncertainty as amply demonstrated by this morning’s reaction across all asset classes.” Moreover, that sense of uncertainty has been heightened by the fact that markets had not expected a vote to leave.
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“Financial markets had been underpricing the risk of a Brexit for some time, even more so in the last week, which has served to make today’s moves in the broader market indices even more severe,” said Gary Kirk of TwentyFour Asset Management. We had contemplated very seriously the not unlikely prospect of a vote to exit and consequently we placed a number of hedges in the portfolios that we manage for St. James’s Place.” Investors are already turning to consider the impact on different sectors — financial companies are expected to draw plenty of attention, at least in the short term. “It is too early to say what the ultimate outcome of the referendum result will be, but even prior to this we were concerned about a weakening UK economy combined with high valuations of domestic cyclicals,” said Nick Purves of RWC Partners. “We have therefore had very low exposure to UK financials and cyclicals and were carrying a high cash balance which we should be able to put to use if share prices fall significantly. Finally, the weakness in the British pound will lead to earnings upgrades for many of our companies with significant overseas earnings and thus if their share prices are weak, that may represent a buying opportunity.” Investors need to remember that negotiations to leave the EU have not yet begun and are expected to last for years. Even the leaders of the Leave camp forecast that, in the event of a vote to leave, the UK would not end up quitting the EU until 2019 or 2020. This means that the UK’s departure from the EU, and precise details of its new trade arrangements, will emerge only gradually. The initial turmoil experienced on markets will not persist ad infinitum. Trade negotiations are a good deal less exciting for markets than referendum votes. The UK will remain a member of the EU for several years, and the rhetoric of policymakers is now likely to shift towards reassuring markets, rather than scaremongering. “We commissioned an independent report… on the economic implications of Brexit,” said Neil Woodford of Woodford
Special Feature: Brexit: The Turning Point
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Investment Management. “It concluded that Britain’s long-term economic future would be largely unaffected by a decision to leave the European Union. We stand by these conclusions. In the near term it is likely UK GDP will be lower over the next 18 months or so than if we had voted to remain but… in the longer term the trajectory of the UK economy, and more importantly the world economy, will not be influenced significantly by today’s outcome. Consequently, the portfolio strategy will not change. I remain confident the portfolio will deliver the returns we have targeted.”
Looking through the short-term noise in markets isn’t always easy, but it remains the right course for investors who know that they need to remember the long-term record of real assets in providing capital growth and income.
Of course, the economic and financial ramifications of Britain’s decision extend across the Channel too, albeit on a smaller scale.
• Inevitably, some companies will struggle in the difficult economic environment that may result, or will be unable to adapt to the new world. In contrast, strong management teams will take the necessary and potentially difficult steps to make the changes that will benefit their company — and its shareholders — over the longer term. It is the job of expert and active fund managers to identify those companies and buying opportunities.
“It’s very difficult to know the implications at this point, but in the short-term, assets will be under a lot of pressure,” said Stuart Mitchell of S. W. Mitchell Capital. “The UK accounts for only around 6% of European exports and so, while there is likely to be some contagion, the impact on European growth is not obvious. The impact of the fall in sterling will be cushioned for investors with European holdings — as a European fund, you will lose less money. We are much more focused on core Europe than on the UK.”
Investors should remind themselves of the following: • Indiscriminate market falls ignore the qualities of individual companies and provide opportunities for long-term investors to benefit by taking advantage of cheaper prices.
• Sharp market falls are always unsettling, but it is important to remember how stockmarkets have behaved in the past after such shocks. In October 2008, on the worst day of the financial crisis, the
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FTSE All-Share index lost 8.3%, yet one year later it had returned 26%. Looking longer term, after a one-day fall of 5% in February 2009, the FTSE All-Share returned 126% over the following five years. (Source: Schroders/Financial Express, June 2016. Please be aware that past performance is not indicative of future performance.) • Although there may be a temptation to seek the perceived safety of cash, the dilemma for investors is then the
About the Author: David Gardner, Partner, St James’s Place Wealth Management David spent over 6 years as a Financial Planner in the UK working for several major financial institutions before
Special Feature: Brexit: The Turning Point
difficulty of timing a move back into the markets. Furthermore, it has already been suggested by the Bank of England that a vote to leave may even prompt a further cut in interest rates. Whether or not that happens, it does seem likely that returns on cash will remain at very low levels for some years to come. • These events underline once again the value and importance of creating and maintaining a balanced and welldiversified portfolio, which should help
moving to Singapore in 2011 where he specialises in assisting international investors, particularly professionals, higher net worth individuals, senior management & executives in their financial planning. As a Partner of St. James’s
cushion investors against the worst effect of short term market fluctuations. The value of investing in global assets has already been demonstrated, as the drop in sterling will help cushion the impact of falls in the value of international holdings. The referendum result may yet alter a great deal about the United Kingdom, but it does not alter the principles of investing or the need for individuals to take action to ensure their long-term financial security.
Place Wealth Management, David is committed to building and maintaining long-term relationships with his clients by providing a source of trusted advice.
Group committee within The British Chamber of Commerce Singapore and a financial expert on a number of popular expatriate websites in Singapore.
David is the Vice Chair of the Professional Services
Find out more at www.sjp.asia/davidgardner/
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Feature
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Ignite Double-digit Growth in your Salesforce By Mark Wills A sale is not something you pursue; it’s what happens to you while you are immersed in serving your customer
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W
hile it is incredibly important for companies to have a solid sales process in place, the best sales happen not when your salespeople are following a handbook, but when the process is so deeply ingrained in them that it is in the very DNA of your company. The payoffs and additional growth potential for your organisation can be significant, when the salespeople have internalised the process, and adhere to it naturally and unconsciously. Where are we in this evolving Sales Training market? Unfortunately, most businesses have yet to develop or adopt a specific approach or methodology for engaging with their customers. There is a growing number of businesses which recognise the value in adopting a manageable, repeatable, and above all, consistent approach to customer engagement. There are quantifiable benefits that have arisen from doing so. A 2016 Sales Optimization Study by CSO Insights (part of MHI Global) examined the
Feature: Ignite Double-digit Growth in your Salesforce
Table 1: CSO Insights Sales Performance Optimization Study Percentage of Sales People Consistently using Methodology
<90%
>90%
Forecast Deals- Won
45%
56%
Forecast Deals- Lost
31%
22%
Forecast Deals- No Decision
24%
22%
Sales force turnover rate
26%
14%
impact of not only having a methodology implemented in a business, but also how this effects key sales performance metrics. The research suggests that when greater than 90% of salespeople consistently use a methodology; in other words, it is cultural
in its adoption and becomes the way a business engages with clients and is not optional, the number of forecast deals won, increases average by 11%, from 45 to 56%, as seen above. (Table 1- Sales Performance Optimisation Study).
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year, to achieve their quota. In Company A, the average closure rate is 45%, meaning each salesperson will need 44 opportunities to enter their funnel, throughout the year to achieve quota. If the sales training programme achieves the 11% boost suggested, then salespeople who now close at 56% deliver the business an extra 5 sales per salesperson (44 opportunities X 56% = 25) as opposed to 20 previously. Assuming the average case size remains at $50,000; Company A now has an extra $250,000 in revenue per salesperson, which is potentially 25% additional growth. Company A now benefits from $25,000,000 in additional sales revenue, that year all things being equal. Theoretically this all sounds nice, but what about in practice? In 2014, one such company began the deployment of a market-leading methodology into its US business (Europe and Asia soon followed). Within the first 12 months in the US alone it attributed $396,000,000 in additional sales revenue to the implementation of the methodologies. When surveyed, 92% of respondents agreed that the methodologies had been, either in full or in part, a contributing factor towards landing the additional business. What does this mean for an organisation in terms of potential growth? Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s understand this with an example: Company A has 100 salespeople, each with an annual quota of $1,000,000. The total targeted revenue for the year is $100,000,000 (100 X $1,000,000). Looking at the sales metrics; the average case size is $50,000 which means each salesperson will need to successfully sell 20 cases of business in a
Research suggests that when greater than 90% of salespeople consistently use a methodologyâ&#x20AC;Śthe number of forecast deals won increases on average by 11%.
What would it cost to take on such an initiative? Understanding how much investment is required is critical to understanding the likelihood of attaining the desired increase in sales revenue growth, as well as calculating ROI. From the data provided a spread of investment was determined, and the impact those levels of investment would have on Sales. (Table 2Investment per salesperson)
Table 2: The Business Case for Sales Training Total Training Spend (Related to Sales Skills Program Ratings)
Sales Skills Training: Needs Improvement
Sales Skills Training: Meets Expectations
Sales Skills Training: Exceeds Expectations
Annual Investment (Training per Salesperson)
$2,202
$2,489
$2,885
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The research was able to highlight a few critical data points that pointed to multiple significant benefits of adopting a sales methodology, above and beyond the 11% jump in closure rates. For instance, the number of reps meeting their quotas jumped from 83% to 91%. The number of deals lost dropped by 9%. This would impact the overall cost of sales and efficiencies of the business, as time and money invested in lost opportunities, would have reduced significantly. There was also a reduction in salesperson turnover rate, from 26% down to 14%. Reducing sales force turnover rate by nearly half can have exponential cost– saving implications.
About the Author: Mark Wills is a Sales Performance Coach and Consultant Partner at MHI Global who coaches and consults with businesses primarily in the financial services, manufacturing, real estate, telecommunications
Feature: Ignite Double-digit Growth in your Salesforce
Now returning to Company A’s situation. To get to the 11% increase in forecast deals closed, the report suggests spending $286,500 on a sales force of 100 people — not an insignificant investment. In Company A’s case, this would have generated a staggering 8,885% return on this investment, based on an increase in sales revenue of $25,000,000. Other cost benefits not factored into this simple example include greater process efficiency, opportunity resource allocation, shortening of sales cycles, cost of salesperson turnover, and more. Is it possible for other companies to replicate the successes experienced by Company A? Yes, firstly companies need to assess the development needs of its salesforce.
and professional services industries. He has more than 22 years of experience in sales leadership, enablement and effectiveness and has been living in Southeast Asia for the past 14 years. MHI Global is one of the
Through behavioural benchmarking and sales performance assessments, to identify any gaps in behaviours known to be drivers of sales outperformance. Fostering these key behaviours, through consistent coaching and training. combined with the deployment of sales enablement tools will elevate performance metrics significantly. The interesting thing about knowledge is that once you know it, you can’t “unknow” it. If your business was asked to invest in an asset that could drive a 25% growth in sales revenue, and yielded an ROI that was potentially thousands of times that of the original investment, most businesses would take a very hard look at that opportunity.
largest dedicated performance improvement companies in the world, bringing game-changing insight to sales performance, customer experience and leadership and management Find out more at www.mhiglobal.com
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Feature
My 23â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Year Journey with the British Chamber By Andrew Vine Having experienced BritCham first as a Member before becoming involved with the Committees and now serving on the Board, longstanding member Andrew Vine shares his personal perspective of how the Chamber has met his changing professional needs
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L
ast month an initially baffling burst of messages popped up on my screens from LinkedIn – twice in fact. Firstly I was being applauded for 23 years as a Member of the British Chamber of Commerce in Singapore. Next I was being congratulated on 10 years as the founder and CEO of The Insight Bureau. It hadn’t occurred to me that such milestones were really that important, yet it has certainly given me reason to pause and reflect, just at the very time when I had been invited to share my profile in The Orient and the journey that brought me here. I suppose the start of the journey was 1988: the career I had yearned for throughout my youth to be an RAF pilot
Feature: My 23–Year Journey with the British Chamber
nosedived (quite literally) mid-way through my flying training. Armed, however, with an economics degree (I knew that might come in handy one day), I resigned Her Majesty’s commission with more than a tinge of regret and set off around the world, where to and why I am not convinced I ever really knew. Bravely or foolishly — perhaps a bit of both — I did it with the utter conviction that it was simply the right thing to do. I never actually returned from that adventure — I am still on it! Although I worked in Australia and Hong Kong, the truth was that work was a way to fuel my primary objective: travel. A serendipitous meeting in a tiny village near Guilin in China of all places somehow led to my
new role at The Economist Group, based in Singapore, a job that quickly turned into a thirteen year career, at the sharpend of its conference and peer group business, perfectly fuelling my passion to be at the interface of economics, business and Asia. I had arrived in Singapore full of energy, but little else, but things quickly fell into place. I found love, joint-ventured a family and forged a thirteen year career in the world of business intelligence and networking. By 2006 “the why” that had driven me all these years at The Economist Group had started to wane and I left, to everyone’s shock, to set up a brand new business, The Insight Bureau, to represent top level professional speakers in Asia. Again,
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bravely or foolishly â&#x20AC;&#x201D; perhaps a bit of both â&#x20AC;&#x201D; I did it with the utter conviction that it was the right thing to do.
BritCham became important to me in terms of understanding the region, interacting at a more senior level, and for me to get my team involved and to network with the right people.
So as I reflect upon my time in Singapore, I am acutely aware that two institutions were there faithfully supporting me throughout this journey; The British Club and The British Chamber of Commerce. Most significantly of all, I realise how as I developed, both offered me different sets of benefits along the way. When I first stepped into The British Club up on Bukit Tinggi I was 30, single and my club life simply revolved around squash. I cared little about what happened in the main club house as everything I needed at
that time was catered for at the sports section. But things quickly changed. I married Aneetha and produced three babies in three years. Suddenly the Club for me changed; this was literally our second home and became a safe, exciting adventure playground for our three children. Progressively I became more involved in the running of the Club; Squash Convenor, serving on the Main Committee as chairman of Membership, and Secretary, before being elected President in 2011. The Club for me had changed again. Later, having stood down from Club responsibilities up on the hill to do more with the Chamber down town, and as my children were growing into young adults no longer interested
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in the Club, the Club has changed for us yet again, a place we go as a family for special occasions or to invite guests. At every turn, The Club has been constantly there as an integral part of my life in Singapore. I joke that it’s almost as if I have enjoyed three or four membership categories during that time! And the British Chamber has, in a very complementary way, been a parallel resource. I had arrived from Hong Kong, 30, and still pretty inexperienced. I was hired to grow an important executive business for The Economist Group, and I realised I needed to grow in my
Feature: My 23–Year Journey with the British Chamber
role fast, and BritCham was one of the most obvious and compelling vehicles to achieve my basic needs. Soon I got promoted, became responsible for a team across Asia, managing a major business across five cities in Asia, and I needed to step up again. BritCham became important to me in terms of understanding the region, interacting at a more senior level, and for me to get my team involved and to network with the right people. I started to get involved in some of its business groups, volunteered my time on Membership Committee, which I later chaired when I started to serve on the Board. I was also elected
to the position of Vice President of the Chamber for two years, and today remain active as a Board member. The Chamber again started to mean something different, and provided higher level networking. Along the way, I had unshackled myself from the corporate world — and unclipped the safety net — to pioneer my new business. After 13 years with a globally recognised brand, with superb intellectual resources and very loyal clients, the big challenge was to make this start-up business a success, without any of these resources. I needed to leverage my own brand, re-develop my own network without the power of the “red box”. Besides the
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challenges of this, don’t underestimate how relatively lonely this can be. Who do you turn to for advice, to get support? And so in a reasonably significant way, the Chamber again was offering me something new and valuable as an entrepreneur small business owner. And today, ten years in, we can no long be called a “start-up”
but we remain a small, ‘niche’ business. The nature of our work — placing top level economists, strategists, futurists etc. — requires me to stay abreast of global affairs, economics and business trends, and of course, networking with international business leaders, politicians and bureaucrats has also been valuable.
About the Author: Andrew Vine has been a member of the British Chamber for over 20 years and currently serves as a Board Member. He is the Founder and Managing Director of The Insight Bureau, a global resource network of speakers,
presenters and moderators who support conferences, client events and internal company briefings. Andrew is also a past President of The British Club. For more information visit www.insightbureau.com
So, in writing this profile to mark our ten year anniversary, I wanted above all to express my gratitude to both The British Club and the British Chamber as they have continued to remain relevant and valuable, and to offer different sets of benefits as I have grown personally and professionally.
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Feature
From left to right: Allard Nooy (InfraCo Asia), Alejandro Perez (the IFC), Mark Gainsborough (Shell), Jean-Christophe Philbe (EDF), Bree Miechel (Simmons & Simmons)
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Overcoming Asia’s Electricity Crisis – Opportunities in the Power Sector in Asia By Tim Rockell & Bree Miechel On 22 June 2016 at a British Chamber of Commerce event, a panel of expert speakers from Shell, InfraCo Asia, the IFC, EDF and Simmons & Simmons addressed the increasing demand for energy in Asia
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olicy support needed for power projects
Demand for energy is predicted to double in Asia over the next fifty years though electrification rates remain low across many countries in the region impacting economic growth and quality of life. A key obstacle impeding investment to expand capacity and access to the grid is lack of clear and sustainable government policy. The significant 35GW power procurement programme in Indonesia is a headline example of a regional government trying to address this issue. This is a programme that has brought successes and challenges.
A framework for investment
Inappropriate allocation of risk has impacted the development and financing of projects across the region. Key risk areas include the legal and regulatory framework, inadequate or lack of implementation guidelines, government financial support through guarantees (sovereign and subsovereign), land acquisition, FDI policies and tariff structures. The following are identified as key to underwriting sustainable investment: 1. A general policy framework and stable legal environment to facilitate industry stakeholders’ long–term investment decisions,
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Feature: Overcoming Asia’s Electricity Crisis — Opportunities in the Power Sector in Asia
2. Surety of project potential and viability with sound long–term economics and adherence to international best practice ESG standards, and 3. An internationally accepted contractual framework (BOT, BOOT etc) with Power Purchase Agreement (PPA).
Asia needs to be a participant in the overhaul of our global energy system as we transition to a more sustainable one. Multilateral organisations and agencies can play a key role advising on the development of sustainable procurement programmes, wrapping certain project risks and bringing “bankable” projects to market.
Replicating success
There is great investor interest in the power sector in South East Asia but an often cited challenge of insufficient “good” projects. Investment can be accelerated through clear policy and the replication of demonstrable projects. Some examples include: • The Thai “adder” programme under which the commercial viability of solar projects was assured with small IPP’s receiving (1) “standardised” 5-year PPAs, and (2) a solar “adder” of an additional US$0.23/kWh for 10 years (later reduced to US$0.17/ kWh) The programme has led to the deployment thousands of additional megawatts of renewables capacity in Thailand, and • IFC financing of several power plants selling to the Wholesale Electric Spot Market (WESM) system on its establishment in the Philippines, transitioning investors and lenders to support the new system and risk profile.
Is there still a need for large utility scaled generation projects or is distributed generation the way forward?
There is not a one size fits all and it very much depends on the country. Taking Indonesia as an example there is a requirement to provide base-load power for Java, Sumatra and Bali. There are still many outlying islands with small communities currently relying on expensive diesel powered generation paying up to 40 cents per
kWh. A renewable or hybrid distributed power solution could more than halve the price of electricity to the consumer. There is a concern that we could see an over-build of coal in Asia relative to what is needed to attain peak demand due to failure to price in all externalities.
Shifting away from coal?
Environmental concern is driving investors, commercial banks and multilateral funding agencies away
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has indicated it will support investment in coal fired power generation. Nonetheless, the first projects earmarked for AIIB support are renewable energy and road projects. To the extent the AIIB does fund any coal fired projects, it is anticipated that the highest environmental standards will be applied to such projects. Gas is an important contributor to the energy mix in a number of countries in the region and should be looked to for the flexibility it provides for baseload and peak demand requirements. It complements intermittent renewable energy and provides an alternative to locking in a high carbon emitting energy system for the next 25 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 40 years.
Conclusion â&#x20AC;&#x201D; more energy and a new system
There is a huge challenge to build out power in the context of reduced environmental impacts including CO2 and other particulate emissions. Simply turning the lights on is the primary objective of many emerging market governments. Distributed power projects and certain renewables technologies are becoming increasingly cost competitive with conventional solutions. The most expensive energy is also the energy that you do not have. The current power deficit could cut 25% off the Philippinesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; GDP by 2025 and renewables projects can be brought online faster than their fossil fuel powered counterparts.
from supporting coal powered generation in increasing numbers. However, development of new coal generation capacity continues to feature prominently in the procurement plans of
About the Author: Tim Rockell relocated to Singapore to launch the KPMG Global Energy Institute for Asia Pacific in November 2012. Bree Miechel is a senior energy and infrastructure lawyer with international firm Simmons & Simmons.
emerging market countries, including in South East Asia. The recently established Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)
Both Tim and Bree are members of the British Chamber of Commerce Energy & Utilities Business Group Committee, which meets on a regular basis to discuss the latest trends in the industry and to develop relevant events for the Chamber in this
sector. Member companies represented within this group include Shell, KPMG, Simmons & Simmons, Standard Chartered Bank, BG Group, BP, InfraCo Asia and Platts. Find out more at http:// www.britcham.org.sg/businessgroup-details/energy--utilities.
Asia needs to be a participant in the overhaul of our global energy system as we transition to a more sustainable one. This and meeting the desperate electricity demands of the region will need to be supported by appropriate government policy, the lead of multilateral policy banks and innovation of the private sector.
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British High Commission / DIT
A Statement from the New Prime Minister By Theresa May
“
I have just been to Buckingham Palace, where Her Majesty the Queen has asked me to form a new government, and I accepted.
In David Cameron, I follow in the footsteps of a great, modern Prime Minister. Under David’s leadership, the government stabilised the economy, reduced the budget deficit, and helped more people into work than ever before. But David’s true legacy is not about the economy but about social justice. From the introduction of same-sex marriage, to taking people on low wages out of income tax altogether; David Cameron has led a one-nation government, and it is in that spirit that I also plan to lead. Because not everybody knows this, but the full title of my party is the Conservative and Unionist Party, and that word “unionist” is very important to me. It means we believe in the Union: the precious, precious bond between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. But it means something else that is just as important; it means we believe in a union not just between the nations of the United Kingdom but between all of our citizens,
every one of us, whoever we are and wherever we’re from. That means fighting against the burning injustice that, if you’re born poor, you will die on average 9 years earlier than others. If you’re black, you’re treated more harshly by the criminal justice system than if you’re white. If you’re a white, working–class boy, you’re less likely than anybody else in Britain to go to university. If you’re at a state school, you’re less likely to reach the top professions than if you’re educated privately. If you’re a woman, you will earn less than a man. If you suffer from mental health problems, there’s not enough help to hand. If you’re young, you’ll find it harder than ever before to own your own home. But the mission to make Britain a country that works for everyone means more than fighting these injustices. If you’re from an ordinary working class family, life is much harder than many people in Westminster
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British High Commission / DIT: A Statement from the new Prime Minister
realise. You have a job but you don’t always have job security. You have your own home, but you worry about paying a mortgage. You can just about manage but you worry about the cost of living and getting your kids into a good school. If you’re one of those families, if you’re just managing, I want to address you directly. I know you’re working around the clock, I know you’re doing your best, and I know that sometimes life can be a struggle. The government I lead will be driven not by the interests of the privileged few, but by yours.
This transcript of the Prime Minister’s statement was first published on the www.gov.uk website on 13th July 2016
We will do everything we can to give you more control over your lives. When we take the big calls, we’ll think not of the powerful, but you. When we pass new laws, we’ll listen not to the mighty but to you. When it comes to taxes, we’ll prioritise not the wealthy, but you. When it comes to opportunity, we won’t entrench the advantages of the fortunate few. We will do everything we can to help anybody, whatever your background, to go as far as your talents will take you. We are living through an important
moment in our country’s history. Following the referendum, we face a time of great national change. And I know because we’re Great Britain, that we will rise to the challenge. As we leave the European Union, we will forge a bold new positive role for ourselves in the world, and we will make Britain a country that works not for a privileged few, but for every one of us. That will be the mission of the government I lead, and together we will build a better Britain.”
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Britain in Southeast Asia News
i
BiSEA News BritCham Philippines organises high-profile events that provide relevant information to members and UK businesses. We recently organised a special breakfast featuring British Ambassador Asif Ahmad where he discussed the implications of Brexit in relation to the changes in the administrations both the UK and the Philippines. We also organised a webinar on the Philippine franchise industry. Upcoming events at the Chamber include a webinar on the Philippine Electronics Industry on 31 August and a cross-sector trade mission for UK SMEs keen to do business in the Philippines from 4 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 6 October. For more information and inquiries, please email ksme@britcham.org.ph
The British Chamber in Myanmar is going from strength to strength with a network of over 200 companies as it enters into its third year of establishment. Since the launch of its business services department to assist UK businesses, the Chamber has now successfully delivered a variety of bespoke events and a market visit for British companies. The Chamber hosted a lunch event on 25th July for the Myanmar business community, where visiting VIP from the UK, Mark Garnier, MP and Parliamentary Under Secretary for International Trade, spoke about the benefits of trade between the UK and Myanmar. UK investment in Myanmar is ranked at fourth place with over 3.4 billion US dollars, amounting to 6.4% of total foreign investment, as of June 2016. The Chamber has now developed a network of over 100 Myanmar companies, interested to engage with British business. For more information visit http://britishchambermyanmar.com/
Apart from successfully leading a business delegation to the International Festival of Business 2016 to Liverpool, the BMCC held its Speed Networking event to positive gains as members and non-members alike relished the opportunity to create new business relationships in an engaging evening of corporate fun. In the coming months we look forward to organising Techgen, a new-age social networking aimed at bringing in budding entrepreneurs to share their experiences in building start-ups; followed by the BMCCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s prestigious 12th Annual Charity Rugby Dinner being the highlight of September. For these and more, visit www.bmcc.org.my
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Advertorial
Singapore Beneficiary Nominations â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Wealth Planning Made Simple
S
ingapore insurance bonds are useful for fulfilling the wealth and estate planning needs of British expatriates. As well as offering tax benefits when you return to the UK, it is possible to utilise insurance wrappers to ensure that wealth passes quickly and seamlessly to your heirs on death, and also to protect wealth against creditors during your lifetime.
There are two ways in which a policyholder can make a nomination, via a user-friendly, prescribed form that is supplied by the insurance company.
The advantage of making a nomination is that, on death of the policyholder, the beneficiaries can make a claim for the policy proceeds without the need to wait for Probate. This is particularly useful for expatriates, as their financial affairs tend to be more complex, resulting in delays in obtaining Probate, which may be required in multiple jurisdictions.
1. Revocable Nomination This type of nomination is the most simple and flexible option, in that the policy benefits can be expressed to be for anyone (i.e. not just spouse or children), and the nomination can be revoked or changed at any time. The policyholder remains in control of the bond during his or her lifetime, retaining the ability to switch investments, take withdrawals or surrender the policy. The ability to revoke the nomination at any time is particularly useful to cater for a change in circumstances, for example, getting married, the birth of a child, or getting divorced. The ability to nominate anyone is useful for leaving specific legacies, or to cater for individuals who are not automatically entitled to inherit wealth under Singapore intestacy laws (for example, an unmarried or same-sex partner).
A beneficiary nomination ensures that there will be a ready pot of money available whilst other assets are frozen pending Probate.
2. Irrevocable, or Trust, Nomination This form of nomination can be used only where the beneficiaries are the policyholderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
This is due to the fact that Singapore insurance law contains a legal basis upon which policyholders can nominate beneficiaries, which applies to insurance bonds as well as to more traditional protection policies. Such nominations are not available to non-insurance investments, such as wrap platforms of direct stock holdings.
spouse or children. The principal benefit of this form is that a trust is declared over the policy and it does not form part of the estate or debts of the insured. Therefore, it is a very effective way of protecting assets from creditors if the individual is subsequently declared bankrupt. A potential downside to this option is that, should the individual be the sole trustee, he must obtain the consent of the beneficiary should he wish to change it. This could be an issue, for example, in the event of divorce. However, the law also provides the ability for the policyholder to appoint a fellow trustee to hold the policy with him. Should he wish to revoke the nomination, he only needs the consent of the other trustee to do so. If the trusteeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s consent is not forthcoming, he retains the power to dismiss the trustee, and appoint a new one. Insurance-based solutions are simple, effective wealth planning vehicles that are well-regulated, and easy to arrange through your financial adviser. In both cases, the nomination facility allows the investor to control his wealth during his lifetime, thus retaining confidentiality, whilst ensuring quick and effective distribution to his chosen beneficiaries.
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Brendan Harper is Technical Services Manager for Friends Provident International. Scenario A: Revocable Nomination
Scenario B: Irrevocable Nomination
Mr. Smith is a wealthy investor who likes to retain control of his investments. He has US$250,000 which he wishes to invest into US stocks. He has read that the portfolio will be subject to US estate duty on his death and is keen to avoid this. He would like the ability to draw on the funds from time to time. On his death, he would like the funds to go to his daughter from his previous marriage, without complications, costs or delays.
Mr. Jones is married with 2 young children and runs his own business. He has earmarked US$100,000 that he wants to invest to be used in the future to fund his children’s secondary and university education. He would also like the option for his wife to enjoy the money, but to ensure that it goes straight to the children should they ever divorce. He also wishes to ensure that, should he ever become bankrupt, the money is not available to creditors.
His adviser arranges an insurance wrapper and Mr. Smith completes a revocable nomination in favour of his daughter.
He arranges for the money to be held in insurance bonds and he completes an irrevocable nomination in favour of his wife and children, and appoints his wife as a co-trustee.
The benefits are: • The insurance wrapper will legally avoid the liability to US estate duty • Mr. Smith has complete control and access to the money at all times • He can revoke the nomination at any time should he change his mind • He can unwind the whole structure without seeking anyone’s permission • The funds will be paid directly to his daughter without the need for Probate
The benefits of this arrangement are: • Protection against creditors should he become bankrupt, ensuring that the funds will still be available for his wife and children • Quick payment of the proceeds without Probate delay or costs on death • He can amend the nomination with his wife’s consent • If his wife refuses consent (for example, should they divorce), he can dismiss her and appoint a new trustee.
The article has been written for general information and educational purpose only by a subject matter expert. It does not constitute an offer to sell or make a product recommendation. Please refer to the local regulations on this topic and seek financial advice accordingly.
Friends Provident International Limited (Singapore branch): 4 Shenton Way, #11-04/06 SGX Centre 2, Singapore 068807. Telephone: +65 6320 1088 | Fax: +65 6327 4020 | Website: www.fpinternational.sg. Registered in Singapore No. T06FC6835J. Licensed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore to conduct life insurance business in Singapore. Member of the Life Insurance Association of Singapore. Member of the Singapore Financial Dispute Resolution Scheme. Friends Provident International Limited | Registered and Head Office: Royal Court, Castletown, Isle of Man, British Isles, IM9 1RA. Telephone: +44(0) 1624 821 212 | Fax: +44(0) 1624 824 405. Incorporated company limited by shares. Registered in the Isle of Man, number 11494. Authorised by the Isle of Man Financial Services Authority. Friends Provident International is a registered trade mark of the Aviva group.
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At the Chamber: Business Group News
Property & Construction Business Group Chairperson: Marcus Eckersley — Cundall Here in Singapore news that a 21.5kmlong North-South Corridor, originally slated as a vehicular expressway, is to be Singapore’s first integrated transport corridor, featuring dedicated bus lanes as well as cycling and pedestrian paths. The North-South Corridor is expected to be completed in 2026. Two major underpasses in the Novena area will be demolished to make way for the construction work on the upcoming North-South Corridor, which is expected to begin in 2017. Potential construction and engineering challenges will require sophisticated construction methods to ensure that existing adjacent infrastructures are not affected in particular in and around the major towns along the route.
R
ecent activity within the Property and Construction group has seen Mike Warren laying the foundations for a number of events in the coming months. With the recent referendum in the UK and the proposed exit from the EU, of course one of the topics of our up and coming events is bound to contain that very subject matter and how it may affect our built environment sector here in Singapore. It’s very difficult to predict what will be happening in the future and there’s a lot of conjecture around the subject matter regarding the UK’s exit from the EU. At this juncture we all have time to consider what may or may not happen to
our sector and some will become jaded with the current affairs surrounding the matter. Many UK businesses have seen moratoriums on recruitment and also pay rise restrictions whilst the initial decisions are made in connection with the exit. Looking at the UK’s EU exit from a Singapore standpoint, we should be looking at the exit as an opportunity. It could be said that Singapore is reasonably well insulated from the EU exit and in many respects we are. Our group will be looking at the positive opportunities to come and we hope to focus on this at one of our up and coming events.
The Property and Construction Group is growing in members and we recently welcomed Marius Toime from Berwin Leighton Paisner and Bill Jones from RICS. Both Marius and Bill are assisting Mike Warren in setting up events for the autumn. One of our planned events will revolve around RICS critically acclaimed Futures Report. The report identifies the drivers and trends that will see the built environment sector undergo unprecedented change up to 2030. We are proposing to have a panel and it will be interesting to see how the topic develops, especially when merged with a few questions regarding the UK’s exit from the EU. We would like to encourage attendance to our Property and Construction Group events and for everyone to know that events are open to all other groups. There’s always some interesting overlaps between the sectors so please do take the opportunity to come along, learn and network.
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Women in Business Group Chairperson: Dora Lui — Barclays
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he Women in Business Group aims to provide a forum for members of BritCham to promote Women in Business by focusing on three pillars: • Performance – providing opportunities for personal development and assisting women in expanding their networks; • Productivity – promoting the business case for gender diversity, sharing reports, research and best practises as well as increasing male participation in the dialogue driving gender diversity. • Policy – identifying opportunities to help bring awareness to best practice policy. Along with driving the public events that focus on these three pillars, the Women in Business Group recently supported a group of Sixth Form students at Tanglin Trust School, a British International School in Singapore, who have been investigating gender bias in Schools. The students started by looking at some of the powerful media messages including adverts such as Always #Likeagirl and UN Women Goodwill Ambassador Emma Watson’s HeForShe speech to the United Nations. Using these as a stimulus the students decided to consider subject selection by gender to see if there was any obvious gender bias. They surveyed students aged 7 – 18 to find out their perceptions of
gender bias. They found that the Junior students they interviewed (aged 7 – 11) had little bias and were confident that they could pursue all paths in the future. Senior school students (aged 11 – 18) however tended to demonstrate more gender awareness, in cases choosing subjects that fell in to stereotypes, although all interviewed felt that they had the confidence and awareness to choose freely. They also reported negative perceptions of feminism and expectations given the influence of social media.
The Sixth Formers hosted the Women in Business Group members in a presentation of their project and were subsequently invited to the British High Commission to share the findings. This led to discussion around at what age point the gender divide occurs, and indeed further stimulus for the Sixth Formers to continue their investigations. Written by Cecilia Handel, Director of Development at Tanglin Trust School Singapore
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At the Chamber: New Members
Corporate
BritCham New Members
Ultimate Performance (UPFitness) Pte Ltd Chris Richards http://upfitness.com.sg
Anaplan Asia Pte Ltd David Padgett www.anaplan.com
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Corporate SME
Overseas Corporate
Technical Publicity Asia Pte Ltd Ian Clay www.technical-publicity.com
Transformify Lilia Stoyanov www.transformify.org
Rebel & Soul Pte Ltd Kristy Castleton www.rebelandsoul.com
Sisters Grimm Pietra De Mello Pittman www.sistersgrimm.com
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At the Chamber: Sterling News Three and a half years after its return to Myanmar professional services firm, PwC, reaffirms its commitment to and confidence in Myanmar by expanding into a brand new office more than four times the size of its first. At an event marking the official opening of the firm’s new office in Myanmar Centre, PwC welcomed dignitaries and local business leaders to speak about the opportunities and potential of Southeast Asia’s rising star. Said Chao Choon Ong, Managing Director, PwC Myanmar: “Myanmar has come a very long way in a very short time. This is testament to the potential that Myanmar as an economy has to offer to the region and possibly even to the world. Over the past three and a half years, PwC Myanmar has similarly grown and has taken roots in the country. As a network of firms across the world, PwC is both global and local. We are committed to the development of Myanmar. We have invested heavily in building up a dynamic team of professionals, drawn mainly from the local talent pool. Each of our local staff is given an overseas secondment for international exposure, and works directly with a team of global specialists to gain professional experience in tax, risks and advisory fields.” Visit www.pwc.com/sg for more information.
Vistra is pleased to announce the acquisition of Intro International, a corporate services provider based in Singapore. Intro International is a boutique participant in Singapore’s corporate services industry, providing corporate secretarial, accounting and tax compliance services. It has a portfolio of international clients, many of whom are trading companies from the UK and Australia looking to establish an operation in Singapore. The acquisition fits well with Vistra’s strategy to focus on FDI-driven international expansion services and is consistent with other acquisitions carried out in this space over the last 12 months. Duncan Merrin and Yati Merrin will remain with the business for the foreseeable future, with Duncan becoming a consultant to Vistra after the transition period. Graham Harkness, currently Director at Intro International, will take up the role of Director, International Expansion Services, in Vistra Singapore, spearheading the business development effort in this area. Visit www.introinternational.com for more information.
StarHub announces plans to grow the local cyber security ecosystem at the launch of its Cyber Security Centre of Excellence (COE). Minister for Trade and Industry, Mr S Iswaran, graced the COE launch as Guest-of-Honour. The COE established by StarHub, is supported by the Economic Development Board (EDB). It serves as a hub for the cyber security ecosystem, bringing together the best of brains and expertise to tackle cyber threats, which are among other serious risks affecting economies globally today. Internationally renowned security expert Professor Yitzhak Ben-Israel has been appointed as the Advisor to the COE. For a start, five industry partners and four local tertiary institutions have joined the COE. Together with StarHub, the partners will undertake various initiatives to strengthen Singapore’s capabilities in cyber security, focusing on talent development, innovation and industry partnerships. StarHub and the COE partners will jointly invest S$200 million over the next five years to support a sustainable cyber security ecosystem. Visit www.starhub.com for more information.
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Co-working space has emerged as a new growth driver in the office market around the world, including Singapore where office vacancy is expected to rise further, with generous supply completion expected in the near term. While the demand in terms of physical space remains fairly small compared to the financial sector, there are good economic fundamentals supporting the growth of sector such as the government’s continual push to transform Singapore into a Smart Nation. The potential remains in the mid to longer term. According to JLL’s recent research paper, co-working spaces first emerged in Singapore in 2009, towards the latter half of the nation’s 4th Science and Technology Plan (2010) where the focus had turned towards building Singapore’s research and development capabilities with an emphasis on developing human capital, industrial capital and intellectual capital. There are now about 30 co-working spaces dotted all over the island with a real estate footprint of circa 250,000 sq ft, with almost 20 per cent located in the CBD area. Demand for such real estate spaces remains to be dominated by entrepreneurial entities in the form of start-ups and freelancers. These co-working spaces offer higher flexibility such as the frequency of desk usage per month and smaller work areas, which large corporations typically do not subscribe. The typical floor space currently leased by small-to-medium size co-working space operators range from 2,000 to 5,000 sq ft and could be challenging for co-working space operators to lease larger floor areas from landlords unless there is substantial demand. To view the full article visit www.jll.com.sg.
Aviva, a leading insurer in Singapore, has announced the launch of Aviva Financial Advisers, a financial advisory firm. The firm is launching with approximately 280 financial advisers. They are licensed to advise on a full range of life, health, general insurance and investment products. Mr Nishit Majmudar, CEO of Aviva Singapore said, “At Aviva, we are very excited about the launch of Aviva Financial Advisers. We hope this move will provide the catalyst for the shift of Singapore’s insurance industry towards more mature markets such as the UK and Australia, where most financial advisers offer solutions from multiple product providers. We believe customers will benefit from greater options to meet their needs.” Visit www.aviva.com.sg for more information.
Strategic thinking is the single top skill that CFOs urgently need now and in five years’ time. This is according to a new report by EY and CPA Australia, “Ready for the future economy?” The CFO’s perspective, which surveyed 88 Singapore-based CFOs on their challenges, roles and skill sets. In terms of the skills that CFOs would spend most of their time developing, strategic thinking (67%), communication and influencing (47%), and risk management (42%) emerged as the top three priorities. The dynamic changes in the business environment, catalysed by disruptive technologies, means that much more is demanded of CFOs today — way beyond their traditional finance skills. Vincent Toong, Assurance Partner, Ernst & Young LLP says: “CFOs are expected to advise the business in capturing the growth opportunities and mitigating the risks to drive financial performance, as well as communicate effectively to manage stakeholder, public and regulatory scrutiny. They are at once an adviser, scorekeeper, gatekeeper, manager, team leader and strategist. These call for CFOs to have a combination of skills to stay ahead, including strategic thinking, communication and influencing, risk management, analysis and advisory, and people management skills.” Visit www.ey.com/sg for more information.
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At the Chamber: Sterling News Australia might be experiencing some of the coldest weather for 20 years but singer Jessie J raised the temperature on 30th June at Sydney Airport with a summer party-themed gig aboard a British Airways aircraft. The 28-year-old judge of TV’s The Voice brought a taste of balmy Britain to Australia to celebrate the arrival of summer back home with a special show for celebrity special guests, VIP customers and 10 competition winners. British Airways has been flying to Australia for over 80 years and currently operates a daily service between Sydney and London Heathrow via Singapore – with return fares starting from $1,477 but for today’s gig the aircraft stayed firmly on the ground while Jessie’s voice soared. Visit www.ba.com for more information.
HSBC welcomes the Monetary Authority of Singapore’s (MAS) introduction of Outsourcing Guidelines which include the support of responsible cloud solution adoption by financial institutions (FIs). The guidelines provide the industry with expanded guidance on how to manage the risks of outsourcing, including that for cloud-computing services, which are being increasingly adopted by FIs to streamline operations in a digitalised economy. The MAS said that institutions should be aware of the typical characteristics of cloud services and take steps to address the risks associated. Institutions are ultimately responsible and accountable for maintaining oversight of cloud services and managing its related risks. Mr Rohit Joshi, Managing Director and Head of Global Liquidity and Cash Management, HSBC Singapore, said: “We welcome MAS’ Outsourcing Guidelines and its stance on cloud solutions which is the latest in a string of measures to facilitate an increasingly digitalised Singapore economy. The move towards support of responsible cloud solutions adoption will spur more innovation and speed of delivery for corporates which will ultimately assist them in cost efficiencies and potentially better profit margins. The timing is appropriate for the economic climate.” Visit www.hsbc.com.sg for more information.
Recently 48 students from Tanglin Trust School took part in the Global Round of the World Scholar’s Cup (WSC) against over 3,400 students from across Asia. In the Junior Category (Years 8 and 9) out of over 600 teams, three TTS teams placed in the top 25 overall teams. The team of Lily Green, Sasha Pond and Roshni Vachhani were 22nd and the team of Emily Cooper, Ryan Beyer and Pragya Chalisgaonkar placed 8th. The team of Kohana Ah-Teck, Yash Purohit and Ray Jerram performed amazingly, gaining 3rd place team overall. 15 Juniors were in the top 13% of debaters, 11 were in the top 13% of the "challenge" (quiz based on the WSC curriculum), 11 were in the top 13% for the essay writing and 12 placed in the top 10% for the "bowl" (team challenge). Six students were in the top 5% overall individuals. In the Senior Category (Years 10-12), out of 500+ teams, the team of Caroline Green, Nirvik Baruah and Arnav Gangal placed 3rd overall which is a fantastic achievement considering they are relatively young within their category. Three other teams placed in the top 50 teams. 14 seniors were in the top 13% of debaters, 9 were in the top 13% of the "challenge", 9 were in the top 13% for the essay writing and 9 placed in the top 10% for the "bowl" (team challenge). Four students were in the top 5% for overall individuals (Caroline Green, Ethan Sherry, Max Mann and Nirvik Baruah). Visit www.tts.edu.sg for more information.
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At the Chamber: Corporate News
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On June 9th, 2016, The Marketing Group, a holding company that currently consists of majority Singapore founded digital businesses — Black Marketing, Creative Insurgence & One9Ninety — and one UK based company Nice&Polite — listed on Nasdaq First North, Sweden to great applause and unprecedented success. The group (TMG) who entered the market with a new "agglomeration" approach and specialist, scalable growth model saw its first emission draw an oversubscription of 314 per cent and an enormous volume of shares traded — 333,000 shares traded on day one — which makes it one of the most successful IPOs on Nasdaq First North Stockholm during 2016. Jeremy Harbour, Executive Chairman, The Marketing Group, believes his new "agglomeration" model is the best approach for small businesses that want to scale but retain control of their individual operations. Companies are selected to be part of the group, only if they are free of debt, run by leaders in their fields, and have a strong reputation and impressive CV — the aim is to let businesses owners keep doing what they do best — namely be entrepreneurs. Singapore was chosen as the test bed for the agglomeration model and the base for the first phase of businesses to join The Marketing Group because the environment is hugely favourable towards entrepreneurship and business in general. Singapore has strong Government support and incentives; and the right geography — sitting between East & West — that offers companies a truly global outlook. This supportive market environment means companies have the agility, talent and strong balance sheet to make them desirable for this type of model. The three businesses chosen combine specialist digital marketing skills, ranging from expert LinkedIn positioning, video content creation, branding, brand activation and high volume lead generation. Visit http://blackmarketing.com for more information.
More than 149,000 IB students (both Diploma (DP) and Career-related (CP) Programme) around the world received their results from the May 2016 examination session. They join a community of more than 1,493,000 IB graduates in 147 countries. The number of students receiving their diplomas this year marks a 5.38% percent increase compared to last year’s exam session. In Singapore 21 school and 1,217 students completed their IB Diplomas at the May session with a 95% pass rate. The average DP total points achieved by students in Singapore was 34.84, ahead of the global average of 30.14. This was the largest exam session conducted at the IB since the introduction of the DP, with papers processed in 76 languages. Visit www.ibo.org for more information.
Embracing innovation and aesthetics, while optimising hygiene and safety, Initial Singapore has launched the new "Signature Colour" designed in 7 colours, including blue, pink, red, turquoise, green, champagne and black to influence mood behaviour, provoke emotions and create positive impact on the end users. However, it Is more than just colour. Committed in prioritising quality and efficacy assurance, Signature Colour has undergone stringent tests to ensure paint quality and durability. Tested with chemical cleaning and scratch-resistant element, colour durability and quality paint application, the units are also contains anti-microbial properties and anti-bacterial technology to raise hygiene standards. Visit www.initial.com.sg for more information
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At the Chamber: Corporate News BritCham member, Cambridge-educated Kai Joo Jason HO, Founder of the Guild of Storytellers was named “The Confucian Entrepreneur of Cambridge” in China, (61 media) on his visit, this May. “Confucian Entrepreneur” 儒商 is a distinguished honour given to one who choose ethics, before profits, inspired by Confucius (551 – 479 BC). He believed in ethical sourcing of diamonds, transparent pricing and giving, to specifically widows and orphans. The Times of India also acknowledged and congratulated Ho, by naming him as “Gujarat’s shining friend”, in the diamond-cutting state. Ho also volunteers in business consulting and entrepreneurial mentorship in England and Singapore. Visit http://bit.ly/29U37aF for more information.
Berkeley’s focus is on building a modern world-class business which is successful and sustainable in the long term. The housing market in London and the South East continues to have strong underlying fundamentals with an imbalance between demand and supply, persistent low interest rate environment and high employment levels. Berkeley is extremely well placed to deliver its previously announced targets over the next two years in this environment with cash due on forward sales in the next three years of £3.25 billion, net cash of £107 million and a longer-term land bank of some 42,858 plots comprising estimated future gross margin of £6.1 billion. The business is able to differentiate its performance through plan, Our Vision, which embeds our strategy in each of our business, and provides a focal point for our ambition to be a modern worldclass business with a focus on the quality of the homes and places we create and the way in which we do this. Visit www.berkeleygroup.co.uk for more information.
The national flag carrier Garuda Indonesia has been awarded as “The World’s Best Cabin Crew” for the third consecutive year by Skytrax, a London-based, independent global rating agency. The award was the third time for Garuda since year 2014. “The World’s Best Cabin Crew 2016” award was presented by CEO of Skytrax Edward Plaisted to President and CEO of Garuda Indonesia M. Arif Wibowo at the “Skytrax World Airline Awards” event in the second day of the Farnborough International Airshow 2016, one of the biggest air shows in the world. The awarding session was witnessed by Deputy Chief of Mission Embassy of Indonesia in London – UK, Anita Lidya Luhulima, Deputy of Business Sector Energy, Logistics, Regional and Tourism of Indonesian Ministry of State Owned Enterprises, Edwin Hidayat Abdullah, CEO of Garuda Maintenance Facilities AeroAsia (GMF), Juliandra, and other distinguished guests. Visit www.garuda-indonesia.com for more information.
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Julius Baer has announced total client assets amounted to CHF 397 billion at the end of June 2016, including CHF 311 billion of assets under management. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd., the renowned Swiss private bank with origins dating back to 1890, is the principal operating company of Julius Baer Group Ltd., whose shares are listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (ticker symbol: BAER) and are included in the Swiss Market Index (SMI), comprising the 20 largest and most liquid Swiss stocks. Visit www.juliusbaer.com for more information.
Cultural Training Asia has launched two Women in Leadership (WIL) programmes to help accelerate gender equality and the participation of women in leadership roles. The two programs — aimed at women at different levels of seniority in the workforce — will run in October and November this year. According to the McKinsey Global Institute (2012, 2015) closing the gender gap could increase the GDP in South East Asia by 11%. Research also suggests that organisations with more gender balanced leadership teams financially outperform their less gender balanced counterparts. Yet around the world including South East Asia, women remain underrepresented in leadership roles, in Singapore for example only 27% of management positions are held by women. “A lot of women are getting inpatient. Changes are very slow and organisations could do much more,” said Dr. Zsuzsanna Tungli, Managing Partner at Developing Global Leaders Asia. “The good news is that women networks are getting organised, a lot of awareness raising is happening, especially through subconscious bias programmes and panel discussions. Less is happening in "de-biasing" recruitment and promotions policies and practices or creating pay equity between male and female employees,” she added. Visit www.culturaltrainingasia.com for more information.
LAMC Productions is proud to announce the highly anticipated return of one of the most influential artists of all time, Morrissey to Singapore on Saturday, October 15, 2016 at Marina Barrage. The iconic frontman of The Smiths, Morrissey is widely credited as a seminal figure in the emergence of indie rock and Britpop. The Smiths emerged from the British independent music scene in the 1980s and Morrissey led the band to 15 studio, live and compilation albums in their short five years together. After The Smiths disbanded, Morrissey launched a prolific solo career that included 49 singles and twelve solo top-ten albums, three of them landing at #1 on the UK charts. His most recent release, World Peace Is None Of Your Business, went on to become one of the most critically acclaimed records of the year. Morrissey’s last performance in Singapore was a critically acclaimed sold out show in 2012 at Fort Gate, Fort Canning Park. The Straits Times voted it as the "Best Concert Of The Year."
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At the Chamber: Members’ Offers
To find out more about our members’ offers, visit our website under Membership -> Members Offers. Allied Pickfords
Bupa/Expat Insurance
Cultural Training Asia
Garuda Indonesia
Anagram Group
City Serviced Offices
Emirates
Harry’s
Black Marketing - Enabling LinkedIn For You
CMC Partnership
EVA Group
IMarEST
British Airways
Courts
Expat Living
IOM Singapore
British Standards Institution
Cultural Training Asia
Fairmont Singapore & Swissôtel The Stamford
Mega Adventure
2 hours free Handyman Service
1 hour training session for up to 20 people at $990 & 10% off all 1 day training workshops
Free One Hour Consultation on How You Can Use LinkedIn To Achieve Your Business Goals
10% off airfare for British Airways
10% discount on ISO certification, training services and purchase of standards
10% off Medical Insurance Plan
10% discount on facilities and services
Discount on Change Management training & certification
5% off electrical & 10% off furniture on presentation of your membership card
15% discount to BritCham Members for the 1.5 hour Lunch and Learn training session on ‘Effective Virtual Meetings’
5% off Women in Leadership Programs - Developing Global Leaders Asia
Enjoy up to 10% off Emirates fares
5% discount on training
50% off Expat Living Subscription (usual price $78)
Accommodation & Dining discounts at Fairmont Singapore & Swissôtel The Stamford
10% off Normal Airfares & 5% off Promo Airfares
15% off full price items on presentation of your membership card
10% off e-learning products
NEBOSH International General Certificate (IGC) course on 20% off
20% Off Team Building Programs
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MSIG
Quayside Isle
Singapore Cricket Club
The British Club
MSIG
Raffles Singapore
Singapore Management University
Tower Club
15% off MSIG’s Prestige Healthcare
30% off MSIG’s TravelEasy Insurance
Up to 15% off F&B
Discounts off Food & Beverage, Restaurant Bookings & Event Meetings
Up to $1000 credit for F&B for BritCham members
5% discount on SMU Executive Development Programme
Once-in-a-lifetime Membership Offer from The British Club
Enjoy a 6-week Complimentary Trial Membership at Tower Club
Open Forum Enterprise Pte Ltd
Regus
Sonru
Transformify
Pizza Express
SandBank
Survival Chic
Voxtree
Progress U
Shangri-La Hotel Singapore
The Bank Bar
Special Discounts for Britcham members to attend Open Forum Enterprise workshops
10% off the total bill on production of your membership card (terms apply)
5% off International Corporate Coaching Program
Enjoy Complimentary Membership at Regus Business Lounges
Enjoy 10% off* total bill
Special Rate for BritCham Members
10% off Annual Subscription for Corporate Members
Special Membership Offer for BritCham Members
Enjoy 15% off total bill on production of your membership card (terms apply)
Complementary Marketing for Britcham Members via Transformify
10% discount on all packages
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At the Chamber: Breakfast Club
Effective Leadership Tools: Using Key Development Indicators 19 May 2016 In this breakfast briefing, members and guests learnt how to build a strategy for long–term people development by setting measurable goals. Dr Bob Aubrey, Senior Advisor for Asia at the European Foundation of Management Development introduced a movement towards Key Development Indicators to balance the short-term financial bias of KPIs used for learning, change management and innovation.
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Dr. Bob Aubrey — Senior Advisor for Asia, European Foundation of Management Development & Chairman of HR Committee of EuroCham
The Business Case for Sustainability 20 May 2016 In this event, members and guests learnt from practitioners in the field on their direct experience around sustainable value creation.
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Rahul Kar - Director — Deal Advisory - Climate Change and Sustainability Services, KPMG Aleksandra Barnes — Account Director, Salt PR
David Kiu — Vice President, Sustainable Business and Communications, Unilever
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Ariel Mueller — Director, Asia-Pacific; Head of Futures Centre, Forum for the Future
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Whether it is for lowering costs, managing risks, creating business value by incorporating sustainability as a growth driver, or increasing trust in their products and services, companies can help finance and address sustainability challenges in the coming years. Because in an uncertain future, one thing is certain: doing business as usual will not be sustainable.
BritCham Brexit Debate: Should Britain leave the EU? 14 June 2016 Over 150 members and guests attended the BritCham Brexit Debate, where they listened to the opinions of the panel and learnt about the potential implications of either result from the upcoming EU Referendum on 23rd June 2016. The event started with a mock poll about their sentiments of the EU Referendum. Approximately 75% of participants planned to vote for the UK to remain in the EU, with 25% voting to leave. Following that, Simon Baptist the Chief Economist at The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) shared some scenarios and political and economic implications of what would happen should Britain choose to vote to leave the EU. Prior to the debate, a survey was carried out over the last month regarding our member’s understanding of the arguments and potential implications of this decision. Dr Bicky Bhangu, President of the British Chamber presented the findings of the survey. The case for remaining in the EU was articulated by Paul Landless, Partner at Clifford Chance, with the argument for leaving the EU made by Richard Whittall, Fund Manager at Alltus Capital. The event was moderated by Mark Worthington, Managing Director of Bell Pottinger. To draw the debate to a close, a second poll was conducted, and saw a shift in voting, indicating an increase in those who would vote to leave.
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From left to right:
Mark Worthington — Managing Director Singapore, Bell Pottinger Asia Richard Whittall — Fund Manager, Alltus Capital Bicky Bhangu — President, British Chamber of Commerce Singapore Simon Baptist — Chief Economist, The Economist Intelligence Unit Paul Landless — Partner, Clifford Chance
The BritCham Breakfast Club is proudly sponsored by:
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At the Chamber: Special Event
Briefing with the British High Commissioner on the Outcome of the EU Referendum 15 July 2016 Following the outcome of the EU Referendum, the British Chamber of Commerce organised an exclusive, membersonly closed-door briefing with the British High Commissioner to provide an update on the current situation in the UK, the government’s position and what this means for business and the UK’s place in the world.
H.E. Scott Wightman
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A wide spectrum of the Chamber membership was represented by the guests present, and the following areas were raised for discussion as a representation of the key factors after the outcome of the EU Referendum that are important to business in Singapore: • Concern around the talent pool and resources available within the UK to negotiate all of the required trade agreements over the coming years • What progress can be expected to be made prior to Article 50 being enforced • Impacts to the remaining countries within the EU and their reaction to British business in response • How the British government and business community can reassure potential investors from Singapore interested in the UK • Further referendums and unique agreements being tabled by other parts of the United Kingdom, for example Scotland • Impacts on business agreements with China and commonwealth countries • Whether the EU Parliament can survive in its current state without reform or further separation of countries The Chamber will continue to update members as further information is available and how the business community reacts to the result of the EU referendum over the coming months.
Sponsored by:
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At the Chamber: Evening presentation / Networking
Whisky Tasting Trail 4 July 2016 Members and guests came together for a relaxed, fun and informative evening where they tasted some of Scotland’s finest whiskies at the new Scottish restaurant and bar, UsQuBa at One Fullerton. Keith Nair, Brand Trainer at The Edrington Group “metaphorically” guided the members and guests across the length and breadth of Scotland, talking to attendees as they tasted whiskies such as The Macallan from Craigellachie, The Glenrothes from Fife and then up to Highland Park on the Isle of Orkney. Attendees then had the opportunity to taste five whiskies of different ages, one from each distillery, 5 in total.
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Keith Nair - Brand Trainer, The Edrington Group
Sponsored by:
Cocktails and Networking with “Monkey 47 ” 29 June 2016
Julien Nicolay - GM, APAC, Black Forest Distillers
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Over 50 members and guests networked and met other young professionals at the trendy and chic restaurant and bar, Club Street Social. Attendees had the opportunity to try 3 different gin-based cocktails, creatively concocted by the folks at Club Street Social, whilst simultaneously learning about the history and production of gin, particularly the botanically complex Black Forest gin, Monkey 47.
Sponsored by:
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At the Chamber: Leaders in Business Lunch
Overcoming Asia’s Electricity Crisis — Opportunities in the Power Sector in Asia 22 June 2016 In this event, a panel of leading industry experts including representatives from EDF, the IFC, InfraCoAsia and Shell discussed the challenges and opportunities in the power sector in Asia. Topics covered include: • Bankability challenges, such as lack of government guarantees, inadequate/ underdeveloped policy, land rights and fuel supply issues. • Implications of the New Sector Understanding to the OECD Arrangement on Officially Supported Export Credits and Basel III. • Which funding mechanisms project developers are tapping into. • Which projects are progressing and why. • Implications of national climate commitments in a post COP21 world. • The energy mix (including coal vs gas and large scale hydro) • The likely impact of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
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From left to right:
Allard Nooy - CEO, InfraCo Asia Alejandro Perez - Senior Investment Officer, Infrastructure East Asia and the Pacific Mark Gainsborough - Executive Vice President, New Energies, Shell Jean-Christophe Philbe - VP and Asia Director, EDF Bree Miechel - Of Counsel, Simmons & Simmons
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BritCham Quiz Night 21 June 2016 Twelve teams of 8 came together to pit their wits at last night’s BritCham’s Quiz Night, where one team emerged as a clear winner. The winning team at the British High Commission and the runner-up team at St. James’s Place walked away with the prize of a Team Challenge programme at Mega Adventure Park Sentosa Island, sponsored by Mega Adventure Team Building! Congratulations to the winners and many thanks to all who have participated and made the event a fun and exciting one!
At the Chamber: Annual Event
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BUILDING NETWORKS CONNECTING BUSINESSES CREATING OPPORTUNITIES
THIS IS WHAT WE DO BEST. The Chamber plays a strong role within the business community in Singapore, providing valuable links for businesses, whilst maintaining a focus on delivering quality support to our growing membership base. We currently represent over 400 companies across all industry sectors. The network of executives representing their companies grew substantially over the past years to now over 2,900 - a dynamic development that is continuing in 2016. Our Membership is open to all nationalities. Join us today! Visit www.britcham.org.sg
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