ASIA OUTLOOK ISSUE 6

w w w. asiaoutlookm ag .com

YEARS

AND COUNTING

m+w group surpass 100 years as a specialist provider in technology related construction

MErX CONSTrUCTION P34 merx ensure dedication and perfection in all their construction projects

PACIFICLIGHT

POWEr P58 Pacificlight Power are becoming contenders in the power generation industry

INvESTMENT

PrOFILEP26 asia outlook takes an inside look at south korea’s investment potential

INDIA INTL INSUrANCE P52 india international insurance strive to be to leading general insurance provider in singapore

ASIA OUTOOk ISSUE 06 A L S O T H I S I S S U E : S O C C E r E X A S I A N F O r U M | S O C H I 2 0 1 4 N E W S | M W C 2 0 1 4 N E W S

W E l C O M E welcome to asia outlook with the chinese new year well and truly underway, the year of the horse - a symbol of energetic and financial volatility and impulsiveness promises to be one that sees some of asia’s companies become globally recognised. while it is true that financial instability has been a problem worldwide, asia has seen a resurgence in growth over the last 12 months and promises to build on an already strong growth this year. our front cover interview with m+w group showcases a company who have truly seen a regenerated and reinvigorated approach to their business model pay off over the last year. the m+w group, who celebrated their 100 year anniversary in 2012, are well placed to become leaders in both asia and the global markets. also featured in this issue is an interview with william forwood, managing Director of merx group. merx are singapore’s leaders in independent project consultancy with specialisms including project and cost management in both the real estate and construction sectors. we have an impressive feature on current advances in technology, which promises to be an invaluable read for all the tech lovers out there and a look back at asia’s medal haul in the sochi winter olympics. finally, this new year brings with it a new editorial team to outlook Publishing. i proudly step into the editorial hot seat and i am accompanied by emily, my sub-editor and Daniel, the new Production manager. we hope you enjoy this edition and look forward to the forthcoming issues and the year ahead.

Matt Bone Be not afraid of growing slowly, Editor, Outlook Publishing be afraid only of standing still.

EDITOrIAL Editor: matt Bone matthew.bone@outlookpublishing.com Sub-editor: emily Jarvis emily.jarvis@outlookpublishing.com

PrODUCTION Production Manager: Daniel george daniel.george@outlookpublishing.com MAGAZINE DESIGN: optic Juice ltd martin mitchell, alex cole, nick Bond, Katherine robinson

BUSINESS Sales Director: nick norris nick.norris@outlookpublishing.com Sales: eddie clinton eddie.clinton@outlookpublishing.com Sales: Donovan Projects Director: smith James mitchell donovan.smith@outlookpublishing.com james.mitchell@outlookpublishing.com ProjectsManagers: Project Director: James mitchell james.mitchell@outlookpublishing.com arron rampling arron.rampling@outlookpublishing.com Project Managers: Ben wigger sheridan halls ben.wigger@outlookpublishing.com sheridan.halls@outlookpublishing.com Donovan smith stuart shirra donovan.smith@outlookpublishing.com stuart.shirra@outlookpublishing.com sheridan halls tom cullum sheridan.halls@outlookpublishing.com tom.cullum@outlookpublishing.com stuart shirra Ben wigger ben.wigger@outlookpublishing.com stuart.shirra@outlookpublishing.com arroncullum tom rampling tom.cullum@outlookpublishing.com arron.rampling@outlookpublishing.com

ACCOUNTS Finance Manager: suzanne welsh suzanne.welsh@outlookpublishing.co Office Administrator: Donna redpath donna.redpath@outlookpublishing.com IMAGES: getty DIGITAL & IT: hamit saka HELPDESk: James lemay

OUTLOOk PUBLISHING Managing Director: Ben weaver ben.weaver@outlookpublishing.com Chairman: mark weaver CONTACT Asia Outlook / Uk 22 wensum street, norwich, uK, nr3 1hy Sales: +44 (0) 1603 559 551 Editorial: +44 (0) 1603 559 144 Fax: +44 (0) 1603 559 553 SUBSCrIPTIONS Tel: +44 (0)1603 559 144 matt.bone@outlookpublishing.com

www.asiaoutlookmag.com Follow us on Twitter - @AsiaOutlookMag

www.asiaoutlookmag.com

3

C

O

N

T

E

N

T

S

10

44

58

52 4

www.asiAoutlookmag.com

18

12

34

22

26

06

In this issue of Asia Outlook...

06 10

neWs all the latest news from across asia

CONSTrUCTION FOCUS

sport

proJeCt ManageMent neVer looKed so good merx ensure dedication and perfection in all their construction projects

sochi 2014 Highlights asia outlook takes a look at the medal standings teCHnology

12

Current advances in technology a selection of tech news from across the continent

34

Centennial anniVersary MarKs a ContinUed one-stop serViCe m+w thailand celebrates 100 years in providing technology-related construction solutions

44

FINANCE FOCUS

sport

18

soccerex Unites the World of football in Jordan to Help develop asia

the soccerex asian forum provides a platform for the businesses of football

52

rESOUrCES FOCUS

MWC 2014

22

Highlights from Mobile World Congress

asia outlook takes a look at the highlights from february’s mwc 2014 inVestMent profile

26 32

soUtH Korea asia outlook takes an inside look at south korea’s investment potential

tHe ayes HaVe it india international insurance strive to be to leading general insurance provider in singapore

eleCtrifying tHe CoMpetition Pacificlight Power are becoming contenders in the power generation industry

58

64

eVents outlook highlights upcoming events on the continent

sHoWCasing leading C o M pa n i e s tell us your story and we’ll tell the world

www.asiaoutlookmag.com

5

N

E

W

S

Technolo gy

Donation Lays Foundation for Centre’s Future Growth As mentioned in our sister publication Africa Outlook, Toshiba Corporation has donated 12 Toshiba AT300 tablets to the Language Centre at the University of Zambia in Lusaka, expanding the centre’s capacity to teach foreign languages to its students, with a focus on its Japanese language course run in association with Hokkaido University in Sapporo, Japan.

“The Toshiba tablets are the first and single most important use of technology for teaching at the Language Centre,” said Dr Sande Ngalande, acting assistant Dean of the university’s School of Humanities and Natural Sciences, and its Department of Literature and Languages.

“We are using the tablets as teaching and learning tools, as well as for identifying online resources

to further assist us in our work,” he adds. “This has allowed us to use our time more efficiently and, importantly, to attract more young people to our language programme.”

In addition to seven local Zambian languages, the Centre teaches Japanese, English, American Sign Language, Arabic, French, German, Portuguese, Swahili and Spanish to the university’s students, and to government and foreign ministry officials who engage with foreign nationals in the course of their working day.

Finance

Singapore Residential Prices Could Fall Again Property prices in Singapore may fall by 10 – 15 per cent this year, according to DBS Bank’s CEO Piyush Gupta. This is a result of Government cooling measures and mortgage curbs continuing to affect the property market.

The Government has rolled out a series of measures to rein in property prices since 2009, and the impact has begun to show. In the fourth quarter of 2013, private home prices saw their first decline in nearly two years, falling by 0.9 per cent from the previous three months.

6

Mr Gupta said he is hopeful that property prices will correct by 10 to 15 per cent in 2014, with high-end homes taking the biggest hit. His

“Our donation of the 12 Toshiba AT300 tablets, facilitated by Hokkaido University and the Japanese Embassy in Lusaka, is part of Toshiba Corporation’s commitment to skills development in Africa,” says Chika Yamada, of the Toshiba Corporation in Johannesburg, who co-ordinated the donation of the tablets.

“We were happy to support the University of Zambia’s language programme, as it will surely foster more positive working relationships by bridging communication gaps through the learning of languages.”

The ultra-thin, ultra-tough Toshiba AT300 is one of the thinnest tablets in the world, and offers HDMI, USB, Bluetooth and SD card connectivity. A powerful NVIDIA Tegra 3 Quad Core processor, Ultra Low Power GeForce Graphics with 1GB of RAM will run the most demanding Android apps – and the tablet comes loaded with Toshiba Media Player, File Manager, and a host of exclusive apps on Toshiba Places. views are harsher on the marketplace than most property analysts, who only predict a decline of 5 to 10 per cent.

Gupta states that it is difficult to predict the extent of correction as it is dependent on a number of factors such as interest rate, environment, economic conditions and housing supply situation.

DBS Bank saw a 30 to 35 per cent mortgage application reduction since last June, this was a result of the Total Debt Servicing Ratio framework. This means that more borrowers are taking on fixed rate loans to protect themselves from a rising interest rate environment.

go to www.asiAoutlookmag.com/news for all of the latest news from asia

34.3% for transportation

RESOURCES

Korea aims to cut emissions by 30 per cent

25% for the public sector.

The Korean government strive to cut the country’s greenhouse gas emissions by 30 per cent by 2020, in an attempt to delay the effects of global warming. The Ministry of Environment said the plan aims to reduce 776 million CO2 equivalent tonnes by 233 million by the end of the decade.

According to ministry officials, the target was originally set in 2011 by former administration president Lee Myung-bak. The new document features more detailed reduction policies and measures for

5.2% for fishery sector

12.3% for waste management and agriculture

seven different sectors. The plan is expected to generate about 3000 jobs through to 2020.

The reduction aims are: 18.5% for industry 26.7% for energy conversion and generation 26.9% for the building sector

Technolo gy

The Rise and Fall of Vietnamese Flappy Bird Flappy Bird, the Asia-based app phenomenon, became a number one app in the iOS App Store in over 100 countries in early February, overtaken the game sensation Angry Birds. The app comes from a developer based in Vietnam’s capital, Hanoi.

What’s more, the game was designed by one Vietnamese man, beating likes of Supercell and Rovio single-handedly. Many developers have tried to duplicate Angry Birds, releasing new levels, adding a threepoint star system, buying packages for more levels and making a fullblown brand new franchise with the Star Wars versions. Others have taken the principles of the game and applied it to their own games. However, Rovio paved the way, defining and packaging the principles of mobile gaming success in the same way that King did with Candy Crush.

Angry Birds was the 52nd game produced by Rovio, so it comes as a surprise that Flappy Bird made it in such a tough marketplace first time. Some say the game’s success was a fluke; that lone developer Dong Nguyen struck lucky. However, the game brought a whole new set of lessons (and addictions) for casual gamers.

The smartphone-tapping sensation is not the only game

by Nguyen that reached the top ten app charts, Super Ball Juggling and Shuriken Block also have top

Korea is the ninth-highest producer of carbon emissions and reported an increase in gas emissions in 2010, the largest increase in 17 years. With environmental authorities planning to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 5.1 per cent to 65.9 billion CO2 equivalent tonnes, it is imperative that these targets are adhered to. Korea are enforcing an emission cap, those exceeding the cap will be fined while those emitting less will be able to carry the difference through to the next month. spots. Additionally, there are also three more games on his website that may be coming to devices soon including Smashing Kitty, Droplet Shuffle and Ninja Assault.

A mere two weeks later, Flappy Bird creator Dong Nguyen tweeted that he would remove the game from Android and iTunes marketplaces. “I am sorry Flappy Bird users, 22 hours from now, I will take Flappy Bird down.

I cannot take this anymore,” the owner tweeted. True to his word, the game was removed.

The game was free and supported by advertisements, with Nguyen reportedly earning $50,000 a day. Recently, there have been criticisms relating to the originality of the game, the intended audience and the origin of its suspiciously Super Marioinspired visual styling. It is said this is why the game was taken down, but in a reply to a follower, Nguyen also stated it was because people were “overusing” and “addicted” to the app.

go to www.asiaoutlookmag.com/news for all of the latest news from asia

7

N

E

W

S

RESOURCES

Asia Pacific Resources International Ltd (APRIL) goes green Indonesia’s second largest pulp (paper) company are pledging to change their ways as the forestry sector comes under increasing pressure from the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) to implement more environmentally friendly methods into manufacturing.

WBCSD put the paper company’s membership on probation after it was suspended from its Forest Solutions Group. APRIL was given 12 months to show proof that it will meet the green targets, changing its policies on deforestation or face sanctions and complete expulsion technolo gy

Google and Samsung announce major patent deal For an undisclosed price, Google and Samsung will remain long term partners after signing a ten year global patent cross-licensing agreement, lasting until 2024. This is a notably lengthy time to partner up, suggesting that both companies have innovative plans together in the long term.

“We’re pleased to enter into a crosslicense with our partner Samsung” said Allen Lo, Deputy General Counsel for Patents at Google. “By working together on agreements like this, companies can reduce the potential for litigation and focus instead on innovation”.

The deal extends beyond the smart phone category into the thousands of products produced by both parties. These include operating systems, household

8

from the Forest Solutions Group.

The company announced in February that it would stop buying materials from any suppliers found to have sourced products from High Conservation Value Forests (HCVF), those classed as rich in socio-economic biodiversity in specific areas. “We are mandating our suppliers who supply

wood and fibre to go through an HCVF assessment” explained APRIL president Praveen Singhavi, “we will not buy from those who do not.”

Part of this process involves the company setting up a committee, consisting of forestry groups and business lobbies, who will oversee the policy. Forestry campaigners see APRIL’s new policies to be very positive, but stress that implementing their claims will be key to meet their discussed plans.

According to the UN, 70 per cent of carbon emissions in Indonesia are caused by deforestation, the world’s third-biggest emitter. APRIL will reforest a 20,450 hectare patch of forest in Pulau Padang, Sumatra as part of a 10-year $17 million forest restoration programme started in May 2013. appliances, search platforms and advertising platforms.

“This agreement with Google is highly significant for the technology industry” explained Dr. Seungho Ahn, Head of Samsung’s Intellectual Property Centre. “Samsung and Google are showing the rest of the industry that there is more to gain from cooperating than engaging in unnecessary patent disputes.”

Although this may be seen as a positive step to avoid any possible future patent disputes, there are thousands of software patents already in existence from other industry giants, so the deal may complicate things as Samsung, Google, Apple and Microsoft continue to sue each other.

This deal could be a potential game-changer. Integrating Google software into the hardware of household products made by Samsung will secure their place in the tech industry and give them an edge on the competition.

go to www.asiAoutlookmag.com/news for all of the latest news from asia

CONSTRUCTION

CapitaLand Mark 20 Years Construction in China with 145 Properties

construction

World’s Longest Undersea Tunnel Plans for China The blueprints to the world’s longest undersea tunnel are to be submitted to the Chinese Government by April of this year.

If approved, Chinese engineers could start work as early as 2015 or 2016, reports the China Daily newspaper. Spanning more than twice the length of the current record holder that links Japan’s Honshu and Hokkaido islands, the tunnel will be 76.4 miles long (123 kilometres) and will look to be completed by 2026.

The structure will run from the port city of Dalian in North East Liaoning province to Yantai city in Eastern Shandong, significantly reducing travel time between these provinces down to 40 minutes from the current 1,400km eight-hour ferry ride alternative.

The tunnel plans were originally announced in 1994, at a cost of $10 billion, with completion set before 2010. However, 20 years on the project remains stuck in the planning stage. China Daily stated that the project has been proposed every year since 2009 at the annual session of China’s parliament.

China is one of CapitaLand’s two core markets and the Group’s largest market outside Singapore, accounting for 39 per cent of the company’s total assets.

As the company marked its 20th anniversary last month, CapitaLand Limited announced that it currently owns or manages 145 properties in 45 Chinese cities, worth over S$42 billion.

Since CapitaLand began investing in China in 1994, the business has grown into a leading real estate developer, boasting a diverse real estate portfolio of homes, offices, shopping malls, serviced residences and mixeduse developments.

With one of the largest real estate fund management businesses in China,

the company has 12 private equity funds and two Singapore-listed real estate investment trusts (REITs) that hold a strong presence in China.

By the end of September 2013, CapitaLand’s China business accounted for 39 per cent, or S$14.2 billion of the Group’s total assets. Mr Lim Ming Yan, President and Group CEO of CapitaLand said: “2014 marks a significant milestone for CapitaLand. As one of the first foreign developers in China 20 years ago, we are honoured to have contributed and benefitted from the country’s economic development and phenomenal urbanisation programme.”

The company has built more than 40,000 mass to high-end residential units across China, has a pipeline of over 60,000 homes and remains committed to address the housing needs to Chinese residents. 50 per cent of CapitaLand’s global staff originate from China, with over 7000 staff in the country, 95 per cent of which are local.

finance

China ‘Credit Crunch’ sees Investors Purchase Gold en Mass Gold traded on the Shanghai Gold Exchange has reached a threemonth high as uncertainty grows over China’s ability to sustain the rapid rates of economic growth seen over the past decade.

Concerns over China’s high level of debt in the “unfolding credit crunch” is having an unforeseen and dramatic impact on gold prices, as investors urgently stock up on the precious metal.

This is being seen as a form of financial insurance against high levels of debt.

“Gold lost 30pc and silver nearly 40pc last year,” cites Adrian Ash,

head of research at gold trading platform BullionVault.com. He adds: “The world economy will struggle to deliver all the good news priced in by that crash. But China’s unfolding credit-crunch looks central right now.”

Gold prices have unexpectedly shot up more than 10pc to surpass $1300 an ounce for the first time since November 2013, against the prevailing forecasts for weaker demand made by many industry experts at the beginning of 2014.

go to www.asiaoutlookmag.com/news for all of the latest news from asia

9

3 S O C h i

2 0 1 4

aSiaN COUNTRiES

RaNK iN TOP 25

SOCHI 2014

asia outlook takes a look at the highlights of asian countries in sochi 2014 winter olympics Writer Emily Jarvis

CHina 1 2 TH P L A C E WITH 9 MEDALS 3 Gold – x2 Short track skating, speed skating 4 Silver – Freestyle Skiing, x3 Short track skating 2 Bronze – Freestyle skiing, short track skating

China Highlights L I J I A N r O U W I N S 500 M E T r E SHOrT TrACk SkATING china’s best day at sochi was the day before Valentine’s Day, when li Jianrou won the 500-metre short-track skating event and Zhang hong won in the 1000 metres speed-skating. china’s final gold was secured by one of its female skaters on the 15th february, when Zhou yang retained her 2010 olympic title in the 1500 metres short-track race.

10

www.asiaoutlookmag.com

S

P

O

R

T

soUtH Korea 1 3 TH P L A C E WITH 8 MEDALS 3 Gold – Speed skating, x2 short track skating 3 Silver – Short track skating, figure skating, speed skating 2 Bronze – x2 Short track skating

South korea Highlights

although south Korea had more last-place finishes than any other country, they still achieved an impressive eight medal total placing them behind china in the overall standings. the country’s two biggest stars were Park seung-hi and shim sukhee, who both won three medals, including gold in the 3000 metres relay on the 18th february. lee sang-hwa also won gold in the 500 metres speed-skating, retaining her 2010 olympic crown and breaking the olympic record in the process.

Japan 1 7 TH P L A C E WITH 8 MEDALS 1 Gold – Figure skating 4 Silver – nordi Combined, Ski jumping, x2 Snowboarding 3 Bronze – Ski Jumping, Snowboarding, freestyle skiing

Japan Highlights yUZUrU HANyO BrEAkS WOrLD rECOrD IN FIGUrE SkATING Japan’s teen sensation yuzuru hanyu broke the world record on the ice in the men’s figure skating, boasting a score of 101.45. the 19 year old has become the first man to ever break 100 points in the short programme. the sight of hanyu becoming the first Japanese man to win olympic gold in figure skating was a definite high for Japan, as was watching 41-year-old noriaki Kasai become the oldest ski jumping olympic medallist in history, securing a bronze for the country.

www.asiaoutlookmag.com

11

C U R R E N T

12

a d V a N C E S

www.asiaoutlookmag.com

T

E

C

h

N

O

l

O

g

y

TEChNOlOgy Writer Emily Jarvis

freebie offers free Call tiMe in eXCHange for adVertiseMents

tHailand hailand has over 90 million mobile subscriptions and yet, has a population of 66 million. as a consequence of the mobile penetration rate exceeding the

population, companies across the world begin to consider the new and innovative prospect of trading advertisements in exchange for free minutes for the customer.

Partnering with thai telco ais, freebie offers free minutes on phone calls for users who opt in to listen to adverts. customers can dial *115 to listen to a voice ad in exchange for two minutes of free calling. for the brands that take part, it is a chance to gain exposure that is specifically targeted at particular demographics. freebie is not the only service of this kind. there are developments across the world looking at similar methods, including replacing the ringing dial tone with an advert in exchange for up to 15 minutes of free air time. Korea-made adlatte launched in thailand last year, a service that gets people to watch ads

on their mobile, who convert them into a variety of rewards. launched in october 2013, freebie reached 200,000 subscribers in the first three months, with over 100,000 ad views daily by the end of last year.

15 to 20 brands are now participating, including those involved in banking and food and drink sales.

www.asiaoutlookmag.com

13

C U R R E N T

a d V a N C E S

apple offer bUybaCK sCHeMe for ipad Mini that it will buy back old iPads and macbooks in india for 5000 rupees (us$81) or more when customers choose to purchase the new iPad mini. the offer ends march 29th and follows January’s offer; giving iPad mini buyers an 18-month instalment plan, with a 5000 rupees (us$81) down payment. with a price of 21,900 rupees (us$353) for the most basic iPad mini in india’s retail market, Bgr india reports lower prices are needed for apple to compete with the quality and affordable nature of android tablets that have flooded the market. in early february, apple decided it would resurrect the discontinued iPhone 4 specifically for india, indonesia and Brazil. this is the first time apple have

india n a desperate attempt to break into the indian market, apple announced in mid-february

ever restarted production of a discontinued phone. Perhaps this demonstrates america’s eagerness to be able to offer a cheaper, entrylevel device that can compete in the toughening android market. with an ever-growing demand for smartphones around the world, this could be a key strategy to modernise the devices available in the asian market.

sMart edUCation raises $4.5Million to laUnCH global CHildren’s e-learning apps

Japan

14

mart education are a tokyo-based developer of child-friendly apps who are on their way to success after raising 550 million yen ($5.4 million) from cyberagent’s fujita fund and infinity Venture Partners. this cash injection comes after they had already secured 75.3 million yen ($750,000) from shinsei corporate investment in may of 2013. ceo of smart education, Diago ikeya explains how the most recent partnership will be valuable: “when looking at our users, we found characteristics very close to those of ameba users (cyberagent’s blog platform). so we thought that partnering with cyberagent could

www.asiaoutlookmag.com

create a synergistic relationship in the future. But more importantly, this partnership lets us benefit from the advice of cyberagent.” with the gocco series of apps seeing a global expansion, smart education apps are showing good numbers of acquisition overseas. surpassing 6.4 million total downloads, the company hope to reach 10 million downloads by the end of the year, with an eventual domestic/international ratio of 50/50. “it has been said that our apps are designed to suit Japanese preferences, and have not been accepted in the overseas markets.

But our gocco brand targets the global audience and has been seeing

T

E

C

h

N

O

l

O

g

y

lg sets reCord for nUMber of sMartpHones sHipped in 2013

soUtH Korea fter releasing its fourth quarter financial figures for 2013, lg announced in february that it

good results. if we can keep going at this pace, we may catch up with other developers in this space, such as sweden’s toca Boca. their apps are currently making money through in-app purchases, but they plan to shift it to a monthly, subscription based system, as they do with their apps targeting the Japanese domestic market, which may contribute to more rapid growth in downloads as well as revenue,” explains ikeya. the company are doing more than simply developing apps, they are making efforts to educate the parents on appropriate usage of apps for infants, based on discussions with experts in the educational sector. recently,

sold a record number 13.2million smartphones, with a whopping 47.6million shipped in 2013 as a whole. it should be noted that these figures are shipping figures, not sales numbers. each quarter is as follows: first Quarter: 10.3million second Quarter: 12.1million third Quarter: 12million fourth Quarter: 13.2million these numbers are up 54 per cent from the fourth quarter of 2012. the company has seen most of the growth in shipping numbers on 4g/lte phones, which are up 110 percent year-on-year. this is thanks to its flagship lg g2 and strippeddown nexus 5.

Despite this success, the Korean giant saw a net loss of $59.3million in the fourth quarter,

where they secured $13.8 billion in sales revenue. in their quarterly report, lg claim this is a result of “higher brand marketing expense and intensified price competition in the market.” lg expect the smartphone market to grow at a continuous rate throughout 2014, especially the lte phone market. however, they recognise that the overall market competition will be intensified due to diversifying consumer’s needs and intensifying price competition as a result of the smartphone’s extension into the mass market. additionally, lg predict that the oleD tV market will pick up in 2014, gradually replacing the leD tV market, with ultra hD tV to penetrate more into the mass market.

smart education announced one of their apps will be adopted by 250 nurseries in Japan; their intention is to get infants using the apps as they would an illustrated book.

“By sorting out a curriculum focussed on digital creation, and giving children opportunities to learn through picture-drawing apps, we expect to help kids create

something by taking advantage of it skills,” ikeya adds: “we expect kids to experience this concept in their childhood, and we would like to help them grow as cosmopolitan-minded people through our business.” smart education have plans to launch a full-scale service in 2015, after spending this year creating manuals for their curriculum.

www.asiaoutlookmag.com

15

C U R R E N T

a d V a N C E S

n e W t e C H f U n d r a i s e r s t o W at C H

CHina eyo braCelet

tHe sMart plUg

ith the smart watch trend in its early days, the eyo Bracelet is a promising contender. with an independent operating system separate from your smartphone and a curved 3D display, this watch uses a dual cPu that switches to a single cPu when not being actively used. in turn, this increases battery life to 15 days without Bluetooth enabled, and 7 days with it on. you can make hands-free calls using the device, plus the usual health monitoring functions that most smart watches come with.

he smart Plug is an ordinary-looking universal power adaptor that does more than it may first appear. By being wirelessly tethered to an app on your smartphone, it can remotely control your appliances. every appliance that you plug into a smart Plug can be turned off via the plug’s app, such as a computer, air conditioning and so on. and what’s more, it is also a wi-fi signal booster and if you use it to charge your phone, it will intelligently monitor the power levels, saving your energy and prolonging the life of your phone battery.

16

www.asiaoutlookmag.com

safe Call his Bluetooth headset is made up of two parts: a charger and an earpiece. with the former plugged into your cigarette lighter socket, and the latter fitting snugly into the top of the charger until you need it. therefore, the device charges your phone and earpiece simultaneously when not in use. the device will come in a wide variety of colours.

T

E

C

H

N

O

L

O

G

Y

SCIENCE AND DISCOVERY

Jade Rabbit

COMES BACK TO LIFE or those of you who don’t know the story, the Jade Rabbit was China’s first Moon rover, which was declared dead in space earlier this year because it could not be restored to full function.

The Jade Rabbit, or Yutu, ran into technical difficulties on the Moon’s surface, and “came back to life” just hours later. Although the rover is still malfunctioning, Pei Zhaoyu, spokesman for the lunar programme, stated: “At least it is alive so it is possible we could save it.”

Jade Rabbit was designed to spend three months on the Moon looking for natural resources. It is believed that the Moon could offer solar power generation as well as being the home of uranium, titanium and other mineral resources. The

Symbol of the country’s growing global stature, increasing technological influence and reversing the fortunes of the once-impoverished country”

rover’s name was chosen in an online poll of 3.4 million voters.

The lunar landing was on December 15th last year and Jade Rabbit was able to send images back to Earth mere hours after, however it ran into technical problems in the last month of its service. The “mechanical control abnormality” was caused by the complicated lunar surface environment, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

China is only the third country to complete a lunar rover mission, following on from the US and Soviet Union. Yutu came a decade after China sent their first astronaut into space. Sky news stated that the Jade Rabbit was seen as a “symbol of the country’s growing global stature, increasing technological influence and reversing the fortunes of the once-impoverished country.”

WWW.ASIAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

17

S O C C E R E X

The King Hussein Bin Talal Convention Centre, located on the banks of the Dead Sea, Jordan, will hold the Soccerex Asian Forum

Osvaldo Ardiles, HRH Prince Ali of Jordan, Duncan Revie and Sunando Dhar (I-League) taking part in a press conference ahead of the Forum

18

www.asiaoutlookmag.com

S

P

O

R

T

Soccerex Unites

tHe football indUstry in Jordan to Help deVelop asian football

occerex, the global leader for the business of football, is coming to Jordan in may 2014 to hold the second edition of the soccerex asian forum, the first to take place in the middle east. the conference will provide a meeting platform for businesses from the west and east, allowing for an exchange of ideas and knowledge. Jordan, due to its location, represents the perfect place to hold what will be the gateway to the asian market for the rest of the global football industry.

Jordan is also becoming a key player in the asian football scene, and will be hosting the fifa women’s u-17 world cup in 2016, one of many major events taking place on the continent over the next few years including the afc asian cup in australia in 2015, the fifa u-17 world cup in india and fifa u-20 world cup in south Korea, both in 2017. this, along with the 2020 olympic games in tokyo and the

The conference will provide a meeting platform for businesses from the West and East, allowing for an exchange of ideas and knowledge”

fifa world cup 2022 in Qatar, will lay emphasis on asia’s requirements in terms of development, across a variety of key sectors including infrastructures, commercial activities, coaching and player development, social improvement and women’s football. this development is underlined by the work done by fifa VicePresident for asia, hrh Prince ali Bin al-hussein of Jordan, who is also founder of the afDP (asia football Development Programme), a not-forprofit youth commission that aims to grow the game across the continent in a fair and transparent way. the asian forum will dedicate a significant part of its conference programme to cover all these development issues, with the help and participation of a host of iconic legends of the game. on wednesday, march 5th, during a press conference organised at the marriott hotel in amman, Jordan, soccerex announced the latest confirmed speakers and

www.asiaoutlookmag.com

19

S O C C E R E X

Soccerex asian forum 1 3 - 1 4 M ay, K i n g H U s s e i n b i n ta l a l C onVe ntio n Cen tre, tHe d ea d sea

ViPs for the event, including moya Dodd, afc Vice President and fifa executive committee member, who, accompanied by singapore fa general secretary and afc executive committee member winston lee, will be speaking on both the future of football in asia and the development of women’s football.

Joining these two leading football administrators in the line-up will be argentine football legend and world cup-winner osvaldo ardiles, who will share his experience in playing and coaching in asia and winning the world cup, as part of a host of football legends that includes Bryan robson and John Barnes as part of a special panel discussion at the event. the press conference also saw in attendance the ceo of the i-league, sunando Dhar, who discussed the all-india football federation’s involvement in the soccerex asian forum by way of its general secretary, Kushal Das, as well as the confirmation of the marriott hotel Jordan Valley as official event hotel

20

www.asiaoutlookmag.com

FIFA Vice-president for Asia and founder of AFDP HRH Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein at the press conference

FIFA President Joseph Blatter visiting the Qatar 2022 Bid exhibition stand in Johannesburg in 2009

S

P

O

R

T

ABOUT THE EvENT

the soccerex asian forum will take place on 13-14 may at the King hussein Bin talal convention centre, by the Dead sea in Jordan. the two-day event, featuring a conference and exhibition, will bring together over 1000 senior decision makers from the football industry across asia and the rest of the world, providing a platform for networking and knowledge sharing, with the aim of developing football throughout the continent. for further details about the soccerex asian forum please go to www.soccerex.com/asia or contact soccerex on +44 208 987 5522.

ABOUT SOCCErEX

for the forum and the announcement of soccerex’s new global partnership with leading international law firm Pinsent masons. “i’m delighted to be here in amman, a hidden gem in this historically beautiful country of Jordan,” said soccerex ceo Duncan revie, “to announce the latest developments with the soccerex asian forum. my thanks goes to his hrh, and to all those participating in this unique event, in this unique setting. we will truly be bringing the world of football, not just asia, to this wonderful country.” “the asian forum,” added hrh Prince ali Bin al hussein, “is a platform for all the major asian leagues, clubs and other stakeholders to get together and discuss the development of football across the continent; to share best practices in coaching development, stadia development, women’s football and most importantly for me, social development. soccerex is the best platform for this.”

established in 1995, soccerex is the leading provider of business events for the global football community.

Bringing together key industry decision makers from the world of football, soccerex provides a unique commercial environment where delegates can benefit from exclusive business opportunities, networking and bespoke educational content. since its launch 18 years ago, soccerex has hosted over 33 events across five continents. the soccerex portfolio includes an annual global convention complimented by regionalised forums.

ABOUT AFDP

a non-profit youth commission founded and chaired by hrh Prince ali Bin al hussein and headquartered in amman. afDP focuses its needs-based support on strengthening football development as well as promoting social development through football across asia. with the support of its official Partner Pepsico, afDP aims to cement its place as the leading football development and football for development platform and organization in asia. for more information on the asian football Development Project please visit www.the-afdp.org.

www.asiaoutlookmag.com

21

M W C

2 0 1 4

2014

Highlights from

M o b i l e World Congress

The Mobile World Congress is the world’s biggest mobile show, which took place in 24th-27th February in Barcelona, Spain. This trade show looks at the current state of mobile and where it might go next. The four days were filled with brand new announcements and mobile handset advances as Firefox, Samsung, Huawei, LG, Microsoft, HP, Lenovo and many others showcased their best products and services.

Writer Emily Jarvis

01

Airtel CEO wants sub$100 4G devices

Gopal Vittal, CEO of Bharti Airtel – the largest operator in India – flagged up the high price of 4G devices as one of the main barriers to LTE rollout in India.

Vittal said that until prices drop below $100, LTE would not be significant.

“We look at LTE and the opportunity, but it’s still some time away. The vast majority of mobile users are on 2G.” Airtel’s CEO pointed to other “infrastructure challenges” holding back 4G. Vittal added that while India has 900 million mobile customers, only 130 million have mobile internet access. And of that smaller number, there are only 67 million smartphones.

22

www.asiAoutlookmag.com

tec

h

no

l

o

BlackBerry Launched the Z3 Smartphone

BlackBerry announced new enterprise solutions, partnerships and Smartphone models, to enable enterprises and individuals to maximise their productivity, communication and collaboration.

The launch of these solutions is seen as the company’s efforts to deliver technologies across the entire mobile spectrum-from the enterprise to the end user.

g

y

02

“We have engineered a new strategy to stabilise the company and restore our customers’ confidence in BlackBerry.”

- John Chen, the Executive Chairman and CEO at BlackBerry.

The Z3 handset is an all-touch Smartphone designed for customers in Indonesia and is the first product to come from the company’s strategic partnership with Foxconn. This 5” mobile comes with the new BlackBerry 10 OS version 10.2.1.

“The Z3 embodies all that BlackBerry 10 offers, with its exceptional productivity features and reliable communications.”

BlackBerry also announced the Q10, which will combine the classic ‘QWERTY’ keyboard with the new OS and a 3.5” touch screen.

“This is only the beginning of what we know will be a long and fruitful partnership between Foxconn and BlackBerry.”

-Terry Gou, Founder and Chairman of Foxconn

03

Nokia announced BlackBerry Messenger, Nokia X and Nokia X+

As expected, the Nokia X and Nokia X + were made known as their first line of Android phones. Coming with a host of MS services, the phones are built on the AOSP platform, meaning the phones are open source with their own Nokia and Microsoft services on top. Additionally, the Nokia XL was revealed; a much bigger device that comes with a 2 megapixel front facing camera.

“The Nokia X is about the people who look for budget-for growth markets like India.”

-Stephen Elop, Ex-CEO for Nokia.

The Nokia X is $122, the X + is $135 and the XL comes in at an affordable $149.

With affordability seeming to be the name of the game, the Nokia Asha 230a was also announced, costing just $61.

www.asiAoutlookmag.com

23

M W C

2 0 1 4

04

Samsung Unveiled the Galaxy S5

The evening of the first day saw the reveal of Samsung’s flagship mobile device: the Galaxy S5.

Specs: 1080p Resolution 5.1” Super AMOLED display USB 3.0 charging port Waterproof and dust resistant IP67 rated 2.5 GHz quad-core processor 2GB RAM 4K video capabilities LTE 4G Built-in heart sensor

Global launch on 11 th April

24

www.asiAoutlookmag.com

tec

h

no

Mark Zuckerberg launches SocialEDU Initiative

Amongst other tech news discussed at Mobile World Congress was the rollout of a pilot online education program in Rwanda, as part of Facebook’s pitch to bring the internet to the unconnected world. Dubbed SocialEDU, the new initiative comes today from the social media giant’s founder Mark Zuckerberg, who gave a keynote speech at congress.

06

l

o

g

y

05

Telefonica, LG, Samsung, Sony Ink Wearables Alliance

Telefonica announced a plan to collaborate with LG, Samsung and Sony Mobile to integrate services, and therefore be compatible, with the smart wearables of the device makers.

“Experts and analysts now point to these devices as a technology trend with the greatest market, and Telefonica wants to participate and lead the development, integration and support of services in the wearables.”

-Marieta Rivero, global marketing director of Telefonica.

www.asiAoutlookmag.com

25

i N V E S T M E N T

P R O f i l E

inVestMent profile 26

South

Korea asia outlook takes an inside look at south korea’s investment potential Writer Emily Jarvis Source: KOTRA

www.asiaoutlookmag.com

f

i

N

a

N

C

E

the road to recovery

Just 60 years ago, Korea was a country devastated by war and poverty. the elements that have made korea a key player in the international economy include aid from the international community, Koreans devotion to work, the steady efforts of successive governments to open up its economy and corporate efforts to innovate and enhance their international competitiveness. Between 1970 and 2013, Koreans gDP grew by more than 147 times, from $8.1 billion to $1.1975 trillion. Between 1961 and 2013, Koreans gDP per capita grew by more than 290 times, from $82 to $23,837. so far this millennium, from 2000 to 2012, Korea has achieved an

www.asiaoutlookmag.com

27

www.investkorea.org

ith a population of about 50 million and gDP in the range of us$1.19 trillion as of 2013, Korea has a huge market. its gDP per capita is $23,837, and the population has very strong purchasing power. in fact, the highend korean market is recognized as the global trend-setter. its response to new products affects many companies’ marketing strategies for not only china, Japan and asean member nations, but also for europe and other parts of the world. northeast asia has now become one of the three global economic powerhouses, along with the united states and europe. geographically, korea is situated at the centre of air and maritime transportation networks in northeast asia. there are 51 cities with a population of more than 1 million within a 3-hour flight from seoul. also, Korea, Japan and china boast a combined gDP of about $15 trillion. their total population exceeds 1.53 billion, or 22% of the global population, and their trade volume is $6.6187 trillion, or 18% of total world trade.

i N V E S T M E N T

P R O f i l E

average annual economic growth rate of approximately 2.5% and maintained strong economic vibrancy. the seoul summer olympic games in 1988 helped Korea become known worldwide. in 2002, Korea co-hosted the world cup with Japan. and in 2018, Korea will play host to the winter olympics. all of these are indications that korea has emerged as an important player in the international community. korea also held the 2010 g-20 summit in november of 2010, leading discourse about global political and economic issues. in the same year, Korea joined the oecD Dac (Development assistance committee), becoming the first country to go from being a foreign aid recipient to an aid donor.

and their trade volume is $6.6187 trillion, or 18% of total world trade.

trading and neighbouring markets

korea has signed free trade agreements with the eu and the u.s., and they went into effect in 2011 and 2012, respectively. as of 2014, Korea has signed ftas with 49 countries including asean, the european free trade association (efta), india and Peru, while fta negotiations between Korea and china are underway. the economies of the countries with which Korea has signed ftas account for 61% of the total global economy and are home to 36.2% of the world’s population. northeast asia has now become one of the three global economic pillars, along with the united states and europe. geographically, Korea is situated at the centre of air and maritime transportation networks in northeast asia. there are 51 cities with a population of more than 1 million within a 3-hour flight from seoul. also, Korea, Japan and china boast a combined gDP of about $15 trillion. their total population exceeds 1.53 billion, or 22% of the global population,

28

www.asiaoutlookmag.com

a smart education system

Of the top seven countries that invest heavily in R&D, Korea is number one in terms of the ratio of R&D investment to GDP”

koreans are famous for their passion for education. korea’s illiteracy rate was 2.1% as of 2013. every year, approximately 470,000 college graduates join the workforce. in 2013, Korea’s college entrance rate was 70.7%, the highest in the oecD. the country’s college graduation rate in the 25-34 age group is 65%. such a strong passion for education in a stable educational system explains korea’s continuous supply of high-quality human resources, which in turn enhance the competitiveness of companies and help them constantly innovate. as of 2013, the number of Korean students overseas stood at 227,126. the korean student communities in the u.s.a., china and Japan are among the largest in those countries. koreans engaged in lifelong education are estimated at 18 million. most notably, 42.1% of the workforce work and study at the same time to obtain certificates, study a foreign language, earn an mBa

f

i

N

a

N

C

E

of the top seven countries that invest heavily in r&D, Korea is number two in terms of the ratio of r&D investment to gDP. Because of korea’s favourable conditions for r&D, a number of global companies have set up their r&D centres here. such centres include the microsoft mobile innovation lab, iBm ubiquitous computing laboratory, google engineering r&D centre, Kimberly-clark innovation centre asia, siemens medical research & Development centre, Dupont nano r&D centre and institut Pasteur Korea, a world-famous biotech research institute that opened in korea in 2004 and has been very active in r&D.

company Powerhouses

or other master’s degree and for other varied reasons. koreans are diligent and faithful to their work. their average annual working hours as of 2012 were 2,090, the highest among oecD countries. the labour productivity index is also steadily on the rise. setting the index of the year 2010 as 100.0, the index recorded 103.5 in 2012. it was 54.2 in the year 2000.

technological innovation

enterprises and society Pursuing innovation according to cologne institute for economic research, korea ranks third in terms of technological innovation, after finland and switzerland. such an innovation-oriented social and corporate atmosphere leads to attractive results for the foreign companies in korea. according to a report by wiPo (world intellectual Property organization), the number of Korea’s Pct (Patent cooperation treaty) applications in 2012 is 11,848, or 6.1% of the cases in the world (194,400).

Korea ranked fifth in terms of Pct applications after the usa, Japan, germany and china.

Korea has a number of global companies in various industries including the electricity and electronics, automobile, chemical, steelmaking, shipbuilding and IT industries”

korea has a number of global companies in various industries including the electricity and electronics, automobile, chemical, steel-making, shipbuilding and it industries. samsung electronics, lg electronics, hyundai motor company, Kia motors, Posco and sK telecom are a few of Korea’s worldfamous companies.

transport and economy

the international competitiveness of korea’s logistics infrastructure is showing continuous improvement. according to an evaluation of global airports’ services conducted by the airports council international, incheon international airport has been ranked the best airport in the world for nine consecutive years. its fast and meticulous cargo-handling system and simplified customs clearance process help make it the best airport in the world. as a peninsula country, Korea has a number of modern sea ports including Busan, incheon, gwangyang, Pyeongtaek/Dangjin, Daesan, gunsan, mokpo, Jeju, masan and ulsan. the port of Busan, the largest in Korea, lies on a major global shipping route

www.asiaoutlookmag.com

29

i N V E S T M E N T

P R O f i l E

linking Korea to north america, asia, the middle east, europe and latin america. as of 2012, Busan was the fifth largest container port in the world, with a handling volume of about 17.04 million teus (twenty-foot equivalent unit) per year.

Korea is a well-connected country in terms of railways and road networks. the Korea train express, or KtX, is the world’s fifth bullet train system and can reach the farthest point in the country within three hours. ktX has increased korea’s passenger transportation capacity by 340% and its cargo transportation capacity by 770%. Besides KtX, Korea has 37 highways and well-maintained national and regional roads running across the country.

Korea’s electricity supply is well known for being highly affordable and stable, and citizen satisfaction with city gas is very high. the supply of industrial water and potable water is highly stable as well. Plus Korea’s high connectivity ensures that you can get connected within 24 hours wherever you are and whatever kind of service you need, whether it’s wired, mobile or high-speed internet services.

health and tourism

korea’s public security is very highly regarded among the international community. it is safe to walk around at night, and there are plenty of places to shop, including department stores, discount stores, brand-name shops and traditional markets, some of which are open 24 hours a day.

Korean cities feature welldeveloped, cheap and convenient mass transportation. subways are available in many metropolitan cities and buses run to almost all corners of Korea. in addition, because the fair calculation system between different carriers is well established, most cities offer the public significant

30

www.asiaoutlookmag.com

f

i

n

transfer discounts between all types of mass transportation.

Because Korea offers world-class medical care at low prices, the number of people who come from the U.S., China and Southeast Asia, in particular, to receive medical care is rising steadily each year. Across the country, private clinics offer first-class medical services even in small towns. There are a great number of general hospitals in many cities across the country where foreigners don’t have to worry about the language barrier.

So far, 52 foreign and international schools have been established in Korea, including 26 for North American or British education, 18 for Chinese education and the rest for Japanese, Turkish, Mongolian and Norwegian education.

Korea features a well-integrated cultural life drawing on the best from Korean and Western cultures.

Traditional cultural performances are available in many theatres and performance facilities. Movies, local or foreign, are popular in Korea, so there is a multitude of big screens throughout the nation. World-class musicals and operas are performed in many places, particularly in Seoul. Culturally, Korea offers a more varied and rich experience than most countries. Foreign residents engage in diverse recreational and sports activities in Korea and also join clubs, which are very common in Korea and can be found easily online, including clubs for Latin dance, musical instruments, hiking, you name it. You can also relax or bike in one of Korea’s many parks or along the rivers across the country, such as the Han River in Seoul, which is a great place to sail.

Almost any hobby or sport can be enjoyed in Korea.

Promoting Foreign Investment

Invest KOREA (IK) was established as the national investment promotion

a

nce

Korean cities feature well-developed, cheap and convenient mass transportation.

Subways are available in many metropolitan cities and buses run to almost all corners of Korea”

agency of Korea to support the advancement of foreign companies into the country.

IK provides foreign investors with a free, one-stop consulting service encompassing initial investment counselling, determination of business sites, establishment of companies, investment reporting and investment benefits application. Its Foreign Investment Ombudsman, who is appointed by the president of Korea, works to resolve the grievances of foreign investors. By dispatching investment counsellors overseas, IK provides local companies with counselling services and the information necessary to invest in Korea.

Korea’s central government, in conjunction with its provincial and municipal governments, works consistently to overhaul regulations and systems related to foreign investment in terms of law, taxation, labour, financing and accounting, and strives to upgrade them to the level of international standards. Also, Korea seeks always to improve education, medical care and housing-related matters for foreign residents. Above all, Korea is open to the opinions of foreign chambers of commerce and foreign companies here to constantly improve the domestic foreign investment environment.

Korea offers foreign investors various incentives based on the Foreign Investment Promotion Act. They can receive tax breaks for a maximum of seven years for corporate tax and income tax, for example, and local taxes (such as acquisition tax, registration tax and property tax) for a maximum of 15 years. Korea also offers foreign investors cash grants and can also provide free land, such as plant sites, or loan it to investors at low prices.

To find out more, visit: www.investkorea.org

www.asiAoutlookmag.com

31

L e a d i n g C o m p a n i e s sia outlook is a leading business to business publication that promotes and showcases the leading companies on the Continent. The digital and print publications are aimed at boardroom and hands on decision-makers in a wide range of industries, reaching over 175,000 business executives every month. With over 11,000 unique visitors to our website on a weekly basis asia outlook is the platform to promote your business success. each month we feature leading companies and business executives by profiling their operations in their own words. Covering all aspects from supply chain, investments and developments, best practice, innovation, growth plans and future project and products we aim to promote all that is good about industry, economy and business. producing business profiles across all sectors and regions of asia we give companies the opportunity to tell their story to our readers.

Read on for this month’s profiles!

Emily Jarvis Sub-Editor

w

w

w

.

a

s

i

a

o

u

t

l

o

o

k

m

a

g

.

c

o

m

If you want to enjoy the exposure and coverage we can offer please feel free to contact me and we can discuss the opportunity at length. Tell us your story and we’ll tell the world.

emily.jarvis@outlookpublishing.com

M ER X

34

C ONSTR U C TION

www.asiAoutlookmag.com

C

o

n

s

t

r

U

C

t

i

o

n

sogood proJeCt ManageMent neVer looKed

with the project management market only just emerging in asia, merx are always looking for ways to achieve smarter productivity Writer Matt Bone Project Manager James Mitchell

www.asiaoutlookmag.com

35

M E R X

C O N S T R U C T I O N

erx is an independent consultancy business formed in 2001, in Singapore. Merx is a specialist project management company that also has strong competencies covering construction management, cost management and client representation. Merx provides professional services to support clients and deliver projects across the construction and real estate sectors.

Merx has wholly-owned offices located in Singapore, Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur and operates throughout Asia.

Since 2001, Merx has gone from strength to strength. In the early days, there were many hours spent explaining to clients that their

36

www.asiAoutlookmag.com

We make sure that we maintain our integrity, passion and drive for every project we undertake no matter the size”

services as project managers were necessary, as this type of services was unheard of in Singapore. Over time, Merx has built up a great reputation as a reliable provider of integrated project management and client services and have become an industry leader in Asia. Some of Merx’s recent clients include global companies TAG Heuer, J.P. Morgan and Porsche Design.

William Forwood, Managing Director of Merx said of the company’s rise to market leader: “For me, we have grown over the last few years because we remained true to our founding ethos; independent with a 100 per cent customer focus. We make sure that we maintain our integrity, passion and drive for every project we undertake no matter the size.”

M E R X

C O N S T R U C T i O N

STEELCASE

f

or more than 100 years, steelcase inc. has helped create great experiences for the world’s leading organizations – whatever work happens. steelcase and our family of brands offer a comprehensive portfolio of furnishings, products and services designed to unlock human promise and support social, economic and environmental sustainability. we are globally accessible through a network of channels, including approximately 670 dealers. steelcase is a global, industry-leading and publicly traded company with fiscal 2013 revenue of $2.9 billion.

Steelcase WorkLife Singapore 57 mohamed sultan road sultan-link #02-05, singapore 238997

Tel +65 6738 5225

www.steelcase.asia

Building on solid growth

2011 provided merx with a very good financial basis from which they have proceeded to push ahead with new cornerstone projects over the last 2 years. “with the great company performance we saw in 2011, we have now been able to diversify the company with long term plans being put in place and have started working in pure construction related projects as well as adding retail and hospitality clients to our portfolio of projects.” one such large scale project is telco in Burma, where merx is currently outfitting the clients new retail spaces across the country.

“Burma is an emerging market and has a very young population who want to be on par with the rest of asia. we choose our clients and projects very carefully; our work with telco took us about 5 months of planning. we are very dedicated to ensuring everyone and everything is

38

accounted for,” explains forwood. he went on to mention that merx feel like “pioneers in Burma”, as they are the first company to offer their specialist services in that area.

clients and competition

merx provides clients complete independent management of their entire construction project. the company’s approach to projects greatly benefits clients by offering them an in-depth knowledge of all aspects of the project life cycle: initiation, management of consultants and design, procurement of the supply chain, on site delivery and project close out. at the heart of merx’s project management lays a core strategy, which is to focus on forging longterm relationships with clients. to achieve this, forwood and his team strive to ensure that a client’s project is always approached in a

www.asiaoutlookmag.com

FACILITy LINk PTE LTD

f

acility link is a leading commercial office fit-out specialist in singapore, with a portfolio of over two million square feet of high-specification, grade-a office space successfully constructed. a pioneer in the local sustainable interior construction industry, facility link has garnered several accolades in the green construction arena, including the first ever Bca green mark for office interiors Platinum award. our projects are marked with a seal of distinctive quality, a holistic approach to environmental management and customer service without compromise. regardless of project size or complexity, facility link delivers fully upon our commitments to our clients. we maintain an extensive in-house factory, certified to iso and ohsas standards, to deliver the highest standards of precision workmanship, quality assurance and cost control.

Tel +65 64382822 Email enquiry@facilitylink.com.sg

www.facilitylink.com.sg

C

O

N

S

T

R

U

C

T

I

O

N

Proudly constructed by Facility Link

Proudly constructed by Facility Link

BUILDERS AT HEART, FUTURE IN MIND FACILITY LINK PTE LTD A: 4 Sungei Kadut Crescent, Singapore 728688 E: enquiry@facilitylink.com.sg T: +65 6438 2822 F: +65 6438 2411 www.facilitylink.com.sg ww

www.asiAoutlookmag.com

39

M E R X

C O N S T R U C T i O N

SCA DESIGN

s

ca design is one of singapore’s leading corporate solution providers since 2001. we are a multi-disciplinary commercial interior design and office fit-out company, providing innovative and effective workspace solutions for the corporate business market. we have excelled in creating quality, timeless environments that stimulate and enhance productivity, using groundbreaking design solutions. with our greatest asset, our team, we have collectively designed and built over six and a half million square feet of corporate office space in singapore.

flexible manner. “we always try to make sure that we remain agile and flexible when we facilitate our clients’ project needs. for example if they want to have a specific italian leather to do their upholstery, then we endeavour to arrange for that specialist to come on board. if the client wants us to be at the very crux of every decision or alternatively just be an overseer, then we will be happy to oblige.” given the varying level of involvement merx provides based on client needs, the on-going support in the form of independent advice for any of the client’s project, construction and property needs will always at the highest level. the business consultancy market has seen a rise in the number of companies offering similar management services

40

www.asiaoutlookmag.com

we are space planners, interior designers, architects, green mark managers, project managers, quantity surveyors and 3D visualisers. our thoroughness and attention to detail ensure we deliver solutions that satisfy and exceed all expectations.

If the client wants us to be at the very crux of every decision or alternatively just be an overseer, then we will be happy to oblige”

in 2011, sca integrated with the ong&ong group - a powerhouse that has earned an unparalleled reputation for incorporating skilled architecture, interior design, engineering, branding and landscape design over the course of the last 42 years. this strategic alliance puts us at the forefront of providing integrated solutions and reinforces our commitment to the design and delivery of corporate interiors in singapore.

Tel +65 6258 8666 Email info@sca-design.com

www.sca-design.com

M E R X

C O N S T R U C T i O N

Kudeta

over the last few years. mr forwood has seen the asian market grow in the number of competitors but he remains very confident of merx’s capabilities as a market leader: “we have seen a rise in the market players, but i don’t think that necessarily means that there is more genuine competition, just more people trying to compete. many companies throw their hat into the ring and see if they can do what we do. we always strive to work with clients who want a quality service and value for their money, we generally put a bid in for the right projects, but if we feel the client just wants the lowest bid then we will re-evaluate how we approach those tenders, we are not a win at all costs company. that is just not how we work.”

“our suppliers have great reputations”

Chartis, Shenton Way Tower

Porsche Design

42

www.asiaoutlookmag.com

when your business is to ensure a project runs as smoothly and succinctly as possible, one of the biggest assets you can have is a strong database of suppliers. william forwood is proud of the amount of quality suppliers, who have stellar reputations, as potential contractors on a project. “the suppliers we work with are always of the highest quality, whether they are local or ones we have brought in from abroad. if the project requires a bespoke design and we do not have such a contractor in our database, we will scout out a new one with a great reputation who fits the bill. we are always looking out for new suppliers to work with, it keeps our designs fresh and our clients’ projects are never the same.” with merx utilising a plethora of talented suppliers, they have seen their portfolio of work grow substantially in the last year. linklaters, the international law firm, contracted merx to provide project and cost management services for

C

O

N

S

T

R

U

C

T

I

O

N

the fit out of their new offices in Singapore. It is this type of high profile project that Forwood believes will become the standard for Merx: “We are always proud to be hired to oversee such prestigious company’s projects, and we hope to use these as a platform to showcase our level of work. On the flip side of this though, we will still give our all to smaller projects as well, every client is as important as the next.”

“There is no secret to our success”

When it comes to success, Merx has certainly had their share. In the last 5 years, they have seen the company propelled to become one of the market leaders in project management and become a strongly recognised brand. When asked about the key to this success, Forwood has a simple answer: “There is no secret; it is about hard work and a little luck. We try to put in more time, resources and work than our competitors and as for the luck side of things, just like golfer Gary Player said The harder you work, the luckier you get and it couldn’t be truer for us.”

Mr Forwood has set his sights on developing long term relationships and nurturing those Merx already has to ensure that clients will come back with repeat work on bigger scales. That said, he still remains aware that if needed, he will jump into the trenches and get his hands dirty: “I have no problem in working on projects myself, it sets a good example to the teams that I want to lead from the front and not just sit back and watch.

It also gives me the opportunity to see firsthand the amazing work our company is working on for the clients.”

Although Merx have become leaders in their field, the industry is always changing and Forwood is quick to recognise that you cannot rest on your laurels: “The Asia market is really emerging in the project management sector, there have been huge jumps in smart productivity, by means of finding new ways to get the same results in less time.

Merx is always looking at new ways to leap frog the learning curve and work smarter, mainly via training and technology.”

With this keen eye on the future, direct approach to business and hard work ethos pushing the company forward, the next twelve months will see Merx continue on its target to become one of the top rated project management companies in Asia.

www.asiAoutlookmag.com

43

M + W

g r o U p

CENTENNial a N N i V E R S a R y MarKs a ContinUed one - stop serViCe

44

www.asiaoutlookmag.com

C

o

n

s

t

r

U

C

t

i

m+w group recently celebrated 100 years of providing technology-related construction solutions for international clients Writer Emily Jarvis Project Manager James Mitchell

o

n

+w group is the leading global engineering, construction and project management company in the fields of advanced technology facilities, life science and chemicals, energy and environment technologies and high tech infrastructure. from concept development to turnkey services, the company manages projects of all sizes ensuring rapid realisation, high quality standards and cost-effective completion. with its competence to link process and automation technologies and complex facilities to integrated solutions, m+w group primarily focuses on leading companies in the fields of electronics, photovoltaics, life science, chemicals, energy, automotive, security, it and telecoms, as well as research institutes and universities. 2012 was an excellent year for the company, generating an order intake of €3.58billion and a revenue stream of €2.38billion, in addition to celebrating its 100th anniversary; growing from a small outlet in germany, into a major international player. m+w thailand are a significant player in m+w group. they are a major global international company providing a full range of consultancy services; from project inception through to concept design, site selection detail design, specialised processed designs, construction management, testing and commissioning. asia outlook spoke to the current operations manager for m+w thailand, Brain Doyle.

“the true m+w way”

over the last two years, m+w group have re-focussed the thailand sector of the business, moving from a more localised trade towards targeting international clients in what Doyle calls the “true m+w way.” generally, Doyle has found that these clients will have a specialised engineering and construction requirement as he

www.asiaoutlookmag.com

45

M + W

g R O U P

MIAC AUTOMATION

m

iac automation is a prominent supplier of complete industrial automation solutions. these include the production of electrical control panels and switchboards, the development of software for control and monitoring systems and the development of Pc software for industrial it applications. at miac automation we understand your needs, and know that automation helps to secure the long term perspective of your investments in new process equipment. all over the world increasingly stringent requirements for safety and traceability, makes automation one of the most important part of your process. miac automation supplies well documented and fully functional automation systems, based on open standards and accessible platforms.

We have the solutions and answers to specialist construction, which other construction companies do not have”

46

explains: “we have moved back into thailand and have seen a significant growth in our revenue, specifically from american and european clients. we are beginning to feel the benefits of these investments from last 18 months at present.” m+w thailand pride themselves on being a specialist provider in the high tech industry as Doyle highlights: “we provide our customers with a one-stop solution from concept design, right through to testing and commissioning.” more often than not, the company finds that when it comes to specialised design construction requirements, they fit the bill better than their competitors: “this is where m+w step in, because we have the solutions and answers to specialist construction, which other construction companies do not have.”

www.asiaoutlookmag.com

realizing the need of a reliable panel and automation supplier in south east asia, we have our own production of control panels, produced according to iec 60439-1 and iec 60 204-1 standard, under supervision of people trained and educated in Denmark. generating improvement, miac automation is a company in constant development. we seek to be one of the market leaders in industrial automation solutions and to live up to our customers’ natural demand for technological innovation and solutions that generate active improvements in the industrial processes. m.i.a.c automation co., ltd.

82/2 moo 4 soi watsantikham nongplalai Banglamung chonburi 20150, thailand Tel: +66 (0)3 817 0718 Fax: +66 (0)3 817 0717 Managing Director henrik Janssen: hja@miac-automation.com Technical Director soren holm: shc@miac-automation.com

www.miac-automation.com

M + W

g R O U P

industry-wide challenges

in the last year, the company have been most successful in making this transition to developing an international client base by securing and implementing profitable projects. “over the last 12 months, we have been developing a more competitive service for our clients,” cites Doyle. as a consequence of this, the m+w thailand subsidiary have been able to continue to grow their thailand operations, increasing their staff levels in this country by 40% over the last year. the group as a whole currently boasts an impressive 7500 employees worldwide. recently, there has been an industry-wide challenge affecting construction business operations in thailand, which is a consequence of a

48

www.asiaoutlookmag.com

We want all of our employees and others working on our projects to go home safely every day”

series of political tensions. “the result of this is that foreign investors are more reluctant to give the go-ahead on projects. however, we would like to stress that we are not seeing people withdraw their investments, business with these clients is just slowing down,” Doyle emphasises. it is a known fact that the construction industry is suffering from a shortage of skilled labour and staff, with an aging demographic and the lack of a younger workforce to take their place. “it is getting harder and harder to find engineers in particular that have a good qualification,” says Doyle. “most of our labour is made up of local domestic labour. a problem for us is that all contractors in thailand look for labour in the same area, which makes it more difficult

C

O

N

S

T

R

U

C

T

i

for everyone in the market to source good quality labour.”

a competitive service

as with any business, securing a professional, reliable and well-trained workforce is a key part of being competitive. m+w thailand like to make their own mark in securing local employees: “we use a mixture of expatriates and local staff, the idea being that we can have the expatriates train the local staff in the m+w way and teach them. we send staff to our centre of excellence in singapore, where we can provide the relevant training, depending on their role within the company.” in recent years, the company has seen significant growth in the health and beauty, food and beverages

It’s all about the long term; it’s developing not just for today, but for tomorrow, the next year and further down the line”

O

N

and energy and environment sectors. “these sectors have good opportunities for us to offer our m+w expertise, we can leverage our existing international relationships to offer clients complete solutions to what they are looking for,” Doyle comments. supply chain is always very important to m+w; in terms of securing local partners and subcontractors as Doyle states: “if we don’t have strong relationships with these groups then we won’t be competitive, if we are not competitive we are not going to secure projects.” the company’s global operations help significantly with international procurement in thailand, where m+w are constantly developing their network of suppliers and local

www.asiaoutlookmag.com

49

M + W

g R O U P

TEO HONG SILOM GrOUP

t

eo hong silom group, established since 1974, celebrating its 40 years of trust, a milestone to be proud of and one made possible due to its solid business foundation built around strong management principles and business ethics. the group consists of 5 business units.

1. mechanical & electrical systems (supply and install of mechanical and electrical system) 2. construction material solutions (high quality construction material for interior, architectural and engineering projects) 3. information & communication technology (one stop supplier of integrated solutions to a customer’s operations) 4. Property Business (Bangna convention centre, oakwood resisdence and the garden tower) 5. special Business (consist of medical equipment and noritake tableware) Tel +66 2 312 0045-69 Email m&e@teohong.com

www.teohong.com contractors to get the best quality and keep them competitive.

Doyle assured us that before anything else, m+w take safety and quality seriously: “we want all of our employees and others working on our projects to go home safely every day. a high number of the awards that we win are safety and quality related.” therefore, delivering projects in a safe manner and to a high quality are a key priority and the awards are a demonstration of the fact this value runs right through the company and their ethos.

future projects

for the year 2014, m+w are looking at working with a number of repeat international clients who are looking at investment opportunities in thailand. what’s more, they are already in discussions with them about these projects, with a view to be their “one stop solution,” as Doyle emphasises: “in other words, we want to be the

50

www.asiaoutlookmag.com

We want to be the company who provides their design, procurement, construction, testing and commissioning all the way through from start to finish”

company who provides their design, procurement, construction, testing and commissioning all the way through from start to finish.” with a clear target for the next year to focus on projects that Doyle believes will suit m+w’s needs, and the client’s needs simultaneously, the company’s goal is to look at maintaining quality rather than quantity. an ongoing target is to secure quality staff that they can train and secure for the long term, in turn, developing their relationships with local partners and suppliers. “it’s all about the long term; it’s developing not just for today, but for tomorrow, the next year and further down the line,” Doyle affirms “and one of the ways we make this happen is through listening to our customers. we understand what their needs and wants are, and we deliver this in a costeffective and timely manner,” Doyle signs off.

C

O

N

S

T

R

U

C

T

i

O

N

www.asiaoutlookmag.com

51

i n d i a

i n t e r n a t i o n a l

i n s U r a n C e

india international insurance celebrates 25 years of underwriting and maintaining a superb claims record Writer Emily Jarvis Project Manager Sheridan Halls

52

www.asiaoutlookmag.com

F

i

n

a

n

c

e

THE AYES HAVE IT

www.asiAoutlookmag.com

53

i n d i a

i ntern a t i on a l

i nsur a nce

ndia International Insurance, or III was incorporated in Singapore in November 1987, by amalgamating the four Indian state run Non-Life Insurance companies, which were operating independently in Singapore for decades. In his in-depth interview with us, CE and MD of III, Mr Ravindra Kumar stated that “this was certainly a more sound and viable option to pool resources to create a robust unit with a strong market presence.”

III is now owned by the five Indian Government-run General Insurance companies, namely GIC Re, New India Assurance, National Insurance, Oriental Insurance and United India Insurance, and continues to grow from strength to strength.

A quarter of a century later, the company is exploring new avenues to cater to the ever-changing Insurance market environment. Kumar states that they are “evolving to stay ahead of the competition.” in 2012, posting an overall profit of S$ 29 million, S$ 17million respectively.

Financial Strengths Kumar is positive about the results for 2013: “We hope to continue the Kumar emphasises that “our main trend and post a net profit of around financial strength is that we have S$25 million for 2014.” been rated by Standards & Poor as In 2013, the company made a A-with a stable outlook. For the past conscious decision to consolidate few years, this achievement has its position by pruning business provided us with the much needed which did not meet with its market edge over our competitors.” underwriting criteria. “We are keen III has a very strong Capital on consolidating our position in the Adequacy Ratio (CAR) of 300, which market without losing our focus on is much higher than the regulatory the bottom line. Rather than going for requirement. Today, III’s total assets blind growth, we made this strategic are valued at S$700 million, with a decision which I am sure will reap rich shareholder’s fund of over S$300 dividends in the coming years.” million and investible funds of about III can attribute its success to: S$650 million.

The experienced, qualified and A History of Success dedicated work force.

Over the last few years, III have seen The company’s good risk retention a positive growth pattern. The Gross capacity, being able to underwrite a Written Premium (GWP) for 2011 was wide spectrum of risks.

S$ 183 million rising to S$ 195 million Ability to take decisions in

54

www.asiAoutlookmag.com

We are keen on consolidating our position in the market without losing our focus on the bottom line”

f

i

N

a

N

C

underwriting and claims matters locally thereby saving on time. its philosophy in maintaining a strong and continuous relationship and providing high standards of service to all its business partners and customers.

tackling the competition

one of the major issues facing any insurance company in the singapore market is intense competition as Kumar cites: “overall, the market is relatively small, the rates being very soft and with adequate capacity available, resulting in serious competition.” Due to limited growth in this market, the singapore insurance fund (sif) business is quite challenging. iii has seen rapid developments in terms of technology, which is now a crucial part of any insurance business. “we are striving to issue

In such a fiercely competitive market, it is your ability to reinvent yourself and think outside the box that sets you apart”

E

selective online policies to support our business development. this means customers will soon be able to download policies straight away.” it is a constantly evolving and ongoing process and iii are doing everything possible to keep up with the challenges in the market. in a highly competitive market, it is crucial for iii to forge a close relationship with its business partners to deliver comprehensive products which are competitively priced. needless to say, handling claims fairly and promptly gives an added edge. mr kumar reiterates: “in such a fiercely competitive market, it is your ability to reinvent yourself and think outside the box that sets you apart.

Being quick to monitor market trends and developments to meet the needs of the consumer and adapt your products to the changing needs is one of the mantras of survival.”

www.asiaoutlookmag.com

55

i N d i a

i N T E R N a T i O N a l

i N S U R a N C E

UIB ASIA rEINSUrANCE BrOkErS PTE LTD a subsidiary of uiB holdings uK ltd uiB ltd uk is an independent lloyds insurance and reinsurance broker headquartered within the london market uiB asia singapore is the regional headquarter for asia Pacific uiB provides insurance and reinsurance expertise and risk management in over 110 countries uiB asia specializes in both conventional and non-conventional reinsurance solutions in the constantly evolving insurance and reinsurance marketplace we are determined to maintain the highest standards of innovation, flexibility, professionalism and service Tel +65 6324 3031 Email general@uibasia.com

www.uibgroup.com

singapore with more than 40 per cent of our gross written Premium coming from this segment. myanmar and indonesia and a few others are probably the new markets to watch out for.”

consolidating the gains of 2012 and Beyond

for the completed year 2012, for which last final audited statistics are available, iii was the seventh largest non-life insurer in singapore. Kumar states: “we have been targeting only those businesses which meet with our underwriting criteria and we have achieved fairly good results. moving forward, i want to continue this trend to ensure that the bottom line is not compromised on and the top line is gradually increased by writing more quality business.” kumar spoke about the future market opportunities for iii as he considers the overseas insurance business as a growing market with great potential. “currently, we write Property and casualty business overseas primarily from the asean region. we are of course among the top marine hull underwriters in

56

www.asiaoutlookmag.com

Catching and moulding youngsters early on is always an investment for the future”

2014: a year of strengthening the Business

for the current year, iii has set itself a target of s$203 million gwP as Kumar affirmed: “we plan to broaden our distribution network and focus on small and medium enterprises (sme) and retail personal lines such as travel, home, private car and personal accident insurance. the overseas insurance business will probably see only a marginal increase as this market carries a potentially higher risk.” in marine hull, iii has created a niche market for itself in singapore and is charting a path of steady growth by increasing their lines on

F

i

n

a

nce

www.asiAoutlookmag.com

57

i N d i a

i N T E R N a T i O N a l

i N S U R a N C E

TAN kOk QUAN PArTNErSHIP

o

ur insurance Department is one of the largest non-marine insurance practice groups, comprising lawyers with experience in almost all classes of insurance, from Property & casualty to motor insurance. we service both local and international brand names in the world of insurance. our mantra is to provide sound advice and strong representation taking into account legal merit and commercial considerations. we have regularly been entrusted with providing defence for corporate policyholders, because we always look to address the needs of the corporate customer, big or small. By our reckoning, your individual policyholders are just as important. when a risk event occurs, we understand that your client’s peace of mind comes from having the right insurer behind them, and the right law firm to protect them.

Tel +65 6496 9527 Email teowengkie@tkqp.com.sg

www.tkqp.com.sg lucrative accounts and breaking into new and profitable markets wherever possible. “as i mentioned earlier, there are quite a few emerging markets in asia which present endless opportunities to expand into.” a key aspect for the company’s success is the standard of services provided. improving turnaround times for underwriting quotes and faster claims settlements go a long way in strengthening our market presence.” kumar recognises that some of their personal lines of insurance products are slightly outdated and they are working hard to change this. “we need to improve our relationship with business partners and third party service providers and have on offer more competitive policy. in short, we need to be very innovative and come out with tailored products to meet the expectations of the customer.” with plans for expansion in the pipeline, Kumar aims to strengthen his

58

existing team by stepping up training programmes and recruiting new talent, as fresh hands mean getting new ideas to the table. “catching and moulding youngsters early on is always an investment for the future.” with this in mind, iii has in the recent past been participating in the general internship Programmes (giP), conducted by the general insurance association (gia) of singapore to train local undergraduates. iii by virtue of its s&P rating of A- with stable outlook, together with its ability to take decisions on almost all underwriting and claims matters, fairly and promptly, reflects the very ideologies on which its building blocks were laid. in conclusion, mr Kumar states: “iii will continue to raise its level of performance in all spheres of activity without compromising on core values and strengths. as the great aristotle said: we are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.”

www.asiaoutlookmag.com

UNITED LEGAL ALLIANCE LLC ulallc is a leading boutique practice dealing with insurance related litigation matters we offer dedicated and quality legal services to our clients we constantly strive to innovate and position ourselves to offer best solutions to any insurance related dispute our lawyers are dynamic and are able to meet challenges to satisfy our clients’ legal needs to meet our clients’ expectations, we recruit the best people to work for us so that they can perform at the highest level we care for our staff and provide a family friendly work environment Tel +65 6338 2477 Email michael@ulallc.com

www.ulallc.com

F

i

n

a

nce

Tan Kok Quan Partnership 8 Shenton Way #47-01 AXA Tower | Singapore | 068811 | Republic of Singapore Telephone: (+65) 6225 9333 | Email: mail@tkqp.com.sg Website: www.tkqp.com.sg

Our Services Include: Arbitration | Building & Construction | Commercial Litigation | Corporate | Family Law & Matrimonial Insolvency & Restructuring | Insurance | Probate, Trusts & Estate Planning | Real Estate

Meeting the needs of the present... Setting to meet the challenges of the future

www.asiAoutlookmag.com

59

P a c i f i cL i g h t

P o w e r

Electrifying the Competition

With their brand new state-of-the-art electricity power plant, PacificLight Power Pte Ltd, together with its retail arm PacificLight Energy Pte Ltd, are in the process of securing a bigger customer base and the brand recognition they deserve Writer Emily Jarvis Project Manager Ben Wigger

60

www.asiAoutlookmag.com

r

e

s

o

u

r

c

e

s

acificLight Power Pte Ltd is an electricity power generation company that owns and operates an 800MW Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) plant with an investment value of over SGD$1.2bn. “We have one of the most efficient combined cycle plants operating in Singapore and this has enabled us to compete effectively in the liberalised electricity market,” explained Yu Tat Ming, the CEO of PacificLight Power. The plant, located on Jurong Island in Singapore, is one of the highest efficiency plants in the region.

Critical to the plant’s operation is a continuous supply of fuel, namely natural gas. PacificLight Power has a long term fuel supply arrangement with BG Singapore Gas Marketing Pte Ltd for its supply of LNG and is currently the largest consumer of LNG in Singapore. BG delivers LNG to the recently built LNG terminal that is operated by Singapore LNG Corporation Pte Ltd. The terminal was completed in May 2013 and to date the supply chain has worked seamlessly. “Having a reliable and proven fuel supply from BG gives us comfort that the supply chain will remain strong.”

PacificLight Energy Pte Ltd is a licensed electricity retailer selling electricity to eligible consumers in Singapore. Currently, any nonresidential consumer whose consumption is at least 10,000 kWh per month can buy electricity from a licensed retailer. The company’s existing customer base includes manufacturing companies, small and medium sized enterprises and service companies. “We enhance our value within the market by providing our customers with a customisable electricity package that can be tailored to meet their individual needs,” stated Mr Yu.

www.asiAoutlookmag.com

61

P a c i f i cL i g h t

P ower

PacificLight Power is majority-owned (70%) by FPM Power Holdings Ltd (FPM Power), with the remaining stake held by PETRONAS Power Sdn Bhd. FPM Power is a 60:40 joint venture between First Pacific Company Ltd and MERALCO PowerGen Corporation respectively.

Liberalised Electricity Market

Singapore operates a liberalised electricity market, the current market has been operating successfully since 2003. The market is underpinned by transparent policies and rational market players.

There is currently 12,800 MW of installed generating capacity in Singapore which means that PacificLight’s plant represents 6.2% of the total installed capacity. Over 21% of the installed capacity in Singapore consists of older plants that are not used regularly due to the low efficiency levels. The majority of plants in Singapore (76%) use either piped natural gas or LNG.

Jurong Island Power Generation Facility

The Jurong Island plant commenced construction in June 2011 and was built by a consortium of Siemens and Samsung, commencing its commercial operations in the first quarter of this year. Throughout the construction process PacificLight maintained an excellent relationship with the construction contractor: “The plant they have delivered to us is proving to be extremely efficient and reliable,” remarked Yu “we were able to complete the plant on time, and within budget.” Furthermore, they achieved almost 7.5million man hours without a lost time incident during the plant’s 2 ½-year construction period. In recognition of this safety record, the contractor received an award in 2013 from the Singapore Workplace Safety

62

www.asiAoutlookmag.com

ISS Consulting

I

SS Consulting is a Management and Technology consulting company, specializing in SAP enterprise solutions. Founded in 1997 and headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, our commitment is to bring the best SAP solutions to our customers. We take pride in our consulting and implementation expertise honed since 1997. It is our belief that our employees are our greatest assets and strive towards the continuous development of our consulting capabilities.

ISS Consulting offers a comprehensive range of solutions in Enterprise Resource Planning, Supply Chain Management, Business Intelligence, Analytics and Mobility.

OUR STRENGTHS Regional Presence Implemented more than 200 SAP projects in 18 countries Offices in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand Large consulting team of more than 150 SAP consultants Highly experienced team in regional roll out projects

Industry Knowledge Expertise in Manufacturing, Distribution and Utilities Strong ABAP development and BASIS capabilities SAP Value Added Reseller SAP Partner Centre of Excellence Our Commitment Deliver projects on time and on budget Mobilize the right team for the job Achieve total customer satisfaction Establish long term relationship with our customers and partners Continuous upgrading of skills Tel +65 6887 3418 Email marketing.sg@issconsulting.net

www.iss-consulting.com

P a C i f i C l i g h T

P O W E R

& health council for their health, safety and environment (hse) policies. the company continues to get the Jurong island plant off the ground, after securing a sizable retail customer base before they started operations. “the transition from construction to the operation phase went without any hitches which made it easier to secure customers, thereby helping in terms of our finances.” the company’s primary focus in 2013 was to establish the retail arm of their business and to ensure mr yu’s team was adequately prepared to take over the daily operation of the power plant. Both of these objectives were successfully met due to the hard work of the whole team. with 110 staff across Pacificlight Power and Pacificlight energy, the company handpicked and recruited an extremely capable and experienced team of professionals who are very familiar with the singapore market, as yu cited: “all of our management team are energy industry veterans with a combined experience of over 110 years. we have done everything to make sure we have the most capable people to manage Pacificlight and the future of the company. a competitive remuneration package and a conducive environment are vital to retaining staff.”

yu. “what we offer is something that could possibly be replicated by our competitors. however, what sets us apart is that we are continually upgrading to stay ahead.” operating in a very competitive market requires Pacificlight to continuously look for ways to improve efficiency, increase value and reduce costs. the accomplishment that mr yu is most proud of is the progress the company has made in such a short span of time. “when we first started we had absolutely nothing at all; we had no policies, procedures or staff. since then, we have defined our business process, mapped our strategic direction and prepared all the policies and procedures with minimal help from third parties . this has placed us in good stead for the future,” affirmed mr yu. the company’s immediate target is to improve their reach to the market. “we continually look at ways of increasing our competitive edge. with

the competitive nature of the market in singapore

singapore has always been a competitive marketplace, so it should come as no surprise that Pacificlight is dealing with a capacity issue. “this puts pressure on all power generation companies in singapore but we take this in our stride. we are always looking for ways to improve the operations of the company to reduce cost, at the same time, tailoring a more unique service to customers that will make us stand out from the crowd,” emphasized

64

www.asiaoutlookmag.com

PACIFICLIGHT ENErGy

P

acificlight energy Pte ltd is a one-stop energy partner who can provide your business with:

customised pricing packages optimized to meet your business needs Knowledge to make informed energy choices by sharing our market insights flexibility to cater to your specific requirements a dedicated key account manager and a customer service team to assist you with your account and provide market updates.

Tel +65-6603 5959 Fax +65-6533 3502 Email enquiries@pacificlight.com.sg

www.pacificlight.com.sg

resources

the further opening up of Singapore’s electricity market in 2014, consumers will expect better customer service and competitive prices. PacificLight is well-prepared for this new landscape and is committed to providing value through tailored energy solutions for our future customers.”

Through the exchange with Mr Yu, it became clear that he wanted to highlight his desire to share the benefit of competitive pricing with customers: “As a newcomer, it will take some time for the industry to recognise us. We are in a fortunate position in that our shareholders are very well known and financially secure. The next step is to achieve higher brand recognition.”

State of the Art Power

With the ambitious aim to become the preferred electricity retailer in Singapore, Mr Yu is confident that PacificLight can demonstrate their strong competitiveness in the

PacificLight is well-prepared for this new landscape and is committed to providing value through tailored energy solutions for our future customers”

market, underpinned by their state of the art generation plant and a focus on providing tailored energy solutions demonstrative of excellent customer service. The company’s plan for the next five years is to establish PacificLight as a credible and responsible player that offers electricity consumers in Singapore the best service. “The secret to our success is our group of committed staff who work tirelessly to ensure PacificLight achieves its maximum potential for both the power generation and electricity retail businesses. Their faith in us reflects the confidence in our company, and I am indeed very fortunate,” highlighted Mr Yu. The CEO and staff at PacificLight are aligned and driven towards a common goal of ensuring the success of PacificLight. “All of us are clear about what needs to be done and how each of us can contribute to the success of the organisation.”

www.asiAoutlookmag.com

65

events China Sourcing Fair: Electronics and Components Asia World Expo Hong Kong

Metal and Metallurgy China CIEX Exhibition Centre China

19-22 May 2014

12-15 April 2014

www.mm-china.com

Semicon Singapore

Indonesia’s 10th International Water, Wastewater and Recycling Technology Event

www.chinasourcingfair.com

Marina Bay Sands Expo Singapore

23-25 April 2014 www.semiconsingapore.org

Grand City Convex Surabaya Indonesia

21-23 May 2014

Green Technology and Eco Friendly Products Exhibition

www.indowater.com

Also appearing: Inamarine Jakarta International Expo Jakarta Indonesia

Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre Malaysia

13-15 May 2014

www.inagreentech-exhibition.com www.inamarine-exhibition.net

Soccerex Asian Forum King Hussein Bin Talal Convention Centre Jordan

1 3 - 1 4 M AY 2 0 1 4

ICA-Facon Exhibition 27-29 May 2014 www.faconex.com

WasteMET Asia Marina Bay Sands Expo Singapore

2-4 June 2014 www.wastemetasia.sg

25th Malaysia Internation SIGN and LED Putra World Trade Centre Malaysia

19-22 June 2014 www.malaysiasign.com

International Industrial Machinery Exhibition (IIME) Also appearing: Vietnam International Construction and Building Exhibition (VICB) Saigon Exhibition Convention Centre Vietnam

26-28 June 2014

www.construction-vietnam.com

Luxury China Show Beijing Exhibition Centre Beijing

4 - 6 J u ly 2 0 1 4 www.luxurychina.com

Asia Pacific Conference for Deans and Directors Kuala Lumpur Malaysia

2 9 - 3 1 Oc t o b e r 2 0 1 4 www.mbaworld.com

66

www.asiaoutlookmag.com

LO G I ST I C S