ScandAsia Singapore - December 2010

DEC 2010

Singapore

Singapore’s New Master Chef ScandAsia.dk

ScandAsia.fi

2010 • ScandAsia.Singapore ScandAsia.no DecemberScandAsia.se

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Coming Events Asian Work Boat 2011 Date: 1 - 3 March 2011, 10:00 - 18:00 hrs Venue: Suntec Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Centre Asian Work Boat is the most significant international work boat exhibition in Asia. It showcases the latest and most innovative, high-quality products in the maritime industries, port technology and maritime services from throughout the world while bringing the focus back to Singapore and its neighbors. For further information, please contact the exhibition organisers at marinfo@baird.com.au or visit or www.bairdmaritime.com.

Your FREE ScandAsia Magazine in Singapore ScandAsia is the only magazine that covers all the Danish, Finnish, Norwegian and Swedish residents in Singapore.

We also publish a ScandAsia magazine in China, Thailand, and the rest of South East Asia.

Please sign up for your own FREE copy: www.scandasia.com

A Trip to BaanChivitMai Date: 28 Feb - 3 Mar 2011 Location: BaanChiviyMai, Chiang Rai, Thailand The Norwegian Seamen’s Church in Singapore organizes a trip to BaanChivitMai in Chiang Rai province in Thailand where was started by Swedish Eva Olofson. BaanChivitMai means ‘home for new life’ and is an independent, local aid ministry in Thailand that has saved several hundreds of children and teenagers from prostitution and drug traffic. Those who want to join this trip please register at info@sjomannskirken.no. For more information about BaanChivitMai, please visit www.baanchivitmai.se.

Publisher: Scandinavian Publishing Co., Ltd. 4/41-2 Ramintra Soi 14, Bangkok 10230, Thailand Tel. +66 2 943 7166-8, Fax: +66 2 943 7169 E-mail: news@scandasia.com Editor-in-Chief: Gregers A.W. Møller gregers@scandmedia.com Advertising: Finn Balslev finn@scandmedia.com Piyanan Kalikanon piyanan@scandmedia.com Nattapat Maesang nattapat@scandmedia.com Graphic Designer: Supphathada Numamnuay supphathada@scandmedia.com Distribution: Pimjai Chaimongkol pimjai@scandmedia.com Printing: Advanced Printing Services Co., Ltd.

Daily news and features here: www.scandasia.com

www.planetware.com

SWA Chinese New year Walk

OCBC Cycle Singapore 2011

Date: 26 January 2011 Location: Chinatown

Date: 4 - 6 March 2011

Scandinavian Women’s Association in Singapore will organize its weekly walk.

This week will be a walk-tour through the heart of Chinatown where a whole place is decorated and preparing for Chinese New Year Festival. Sign up not later than 21 January to sissel. warnes@hotmail.com. Members and guest are welcomed! For more information, please go to www.swasingapore.com.sg.

Let’s hit the road again as OCBC Cycle Singapore 2011 rides into town! Join for the cycling event of the year. Not sure which ride to join? See all the categories available now, for whether you’re challenging yourself to go further or cycling leisurely with your friends and family – there’s surely a ride for you! Even if you’re not cycling, you can have fun too, by cheering for others on the side lines or simply enjoying a great day out at this year’s OCBC Cycle Singapore. For any enquiries, please contact the Spectrum Worldwide at info@cyclesingapore.com.sg or call +65 6799 5909 or +65 6799 5900.

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Danish Seamen’s Church 25th Anniversary Celebration

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n Sunday, October 24, the Danish Seamen’s Church in Singapore celebrated its 25th anniversary with a festive service. Many people had showed up as the Danish Seamen’s Church in Singapore celebrated a quarter of a century on the top of Mount Faber.

Priest of the Norwegian church, Tommy Fosse, gave thank for the cooperation between the Nordic churches and remembered how much he, as a newcomer to Singapore years ago, had learnt a lot from the Danish priest at the time, Hans Vestergaard Jensen.

1. Emily, the church’s invaluable assistant for almost 20 years, had made a wonderful “Dannebrog cake” with real whipped cream and fresh strawberries.

2. Marianne Tan and Catherine Loke singing arias by Händel and Bach during the service.

Warm Christmas Bazaar in Singapore

O

n a sunny Saturday 21 November, the Danish Seamen’s Church in Singapore opened its doors to one of the biggest events of the year – the Christmas bazaar.

“We had a very lovely day and everything went just fine,” says Priest Ronald Pedersen.

The new ambassador to Singapore, Mr. Ole Lisborg, opened the bazaar with a warm thanks to the approximately 40 volunteers that had helped with the arrangements for a full week, and also with an encouragement to the visitors to spend a lot of money in the name of the good cause.

More than 1000 people visited the bazzar and enjoyed a great day with Christmas shopping at the various stalls and also loads of Danish open faced sandwiches (smørrebrød).

“The profit when we’re finished will be around 220.000 DKK and that is extremely important to the church’s survival,” Ronald Pedersen states.

1. Inside the church, visitors immediately reached the proper Christmas spirit when seeing the decorations.

2. Priest’s wife, Inge Pedersen, is helping in the preparation with the opened faced sandwiches.

3. Dansih traditional lunch - opened faced sandwiches (smørrebrød) - is ready.

6 ScandAsia.Singapore • December 2010

Canadian International School “Dare to Dream�

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n the 6th October 2010, students at CIS - Canadian International School’s’ middle school celebrated Uniting Nations.

This theme for this year was ÂŤDare to DreamÂť - and students had an amazing time. With students from over 60 countries, the day was truly

a celebration of internationalism. Celebrations included a parade of nations, educational activities with a global focus and a fantastic food fair with food from all over the world. Students were treated to delicacies that included swedish meatballs, ginger cookies, meat pies, sushi and ice kachang.

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Scholarship applications must be submiited by February 28, 2011 to: Canadian International School - Admissions Department 561 Jurong East Street 24 Jurong East 609561 Email: admissions@cis.edu.sg Phone: +65 6875 1519 Fax: +65 6875 1516 Web: www.cis.edu.sg

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December 2010 • ScandAsia.Singapore 7

ScandAsia News Brief Over 1,000 Visitors Per Day on ScandAsia.com

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total of 30,454 people visited in October the website http://www.scandasia.com/. That makes October 2010 the first month where the website was in average visited by more than 1,000 visitors per day.

Visitors has jumped 265 percent from 11,485 visitors in October 2009 to October this year 30,454.

Content: Number of pages viewed has also jumped impressively. In October 2009 the website had 28,580 page views. In October this year, the visitors viewed a total of 61,928 pages.

That makes October 2010 the first month where the number of pages viewed on ScandAsia. com has exceeded 2,000 pages per day.

More stats: The statistics below is based on Google Analytics. Results from another webanalytical program “AWStats”, which scandasia.com has for some time shared with it visitors, is published on this page: http://scandasia.com/visitors/index.htm If these figures are used, the growth is even more impressive.

First Female Danish Priest in Singapore

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he Danish Seamen’s Church in Singapore will make history when it welcomes its first female Vicar, namely Kirsten Hougaard Eistrup, 55. The Danish priest will take over from Ronald Petersen by mid February 2011.

Before Kirsten Hougaard Eistrup can say ‘hello’ to her new Church, staff and congregation in Singapore, she has to say ‘goodbye’ to her current Church in Hørsholm, north of Copenhagen, where she has been working since 1987.

“I am convinced that my working experience within the Church and the pastoral work can be useful in Singapore.

I will not arrive just to carry on and nurse what others have started, but I will also, in collaboration with the Church council and congregation seek to promote and develop new tasks to the benefit of the Danes in and around Singapore,” says Kirsten Hougaard Eistrup who has already previously visited Singapore as a tourist.

Kirsten Hougaard Eistrup is born 1956 in Ry near Silkeborg in Denmark and graduated from the University of Copenhagen in 1985.

8 ScandAsia.Singapore • December 2010

SIA and SAS to Codeshare Mr. Niels Henrik Hansen SAS Director and General Manager for Southeast Asia

S

ingapore Airlines (SIA) and Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) have signed a codeshare agreement that started on December 1.

The agreement means that SIA will add its ‘SQ’ flight prefix to SAS services from Copenhagen to Helsinki, Oslo and Stockholm. On a reciprocal basis, SAS will add its ‘SK’ flight code to SIA’s flights between Copenhagen and Singapore, as well as on selected flights between Singapore and Bangkok.

Scandinavian Airlines will codeshare on SIA’s Singapore-Copenhagen flight SQ352 as SK8000 in the SAS booking system. On the Copenhagen-Singapore sector, SAS will list SIA’s flight SQ351 as SK8001.

Between Singapore and Bangkok, Scandinavian Airlines will list Singapore Airlines’ flight SQ970 as SK8003. Between Bangkok and Singapore, SAS will list SIA’s flight SQ979 as 8004.

On the Copenhagen-Helsinki route, Singapore Airlines will list SK1712 as SQ2712 and SK6621 as SQ2721. On the Helsinki-Copenhagen sector, SIA will list SAS’ flight SK713 as SQ2713.

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Ebbe Vollmer - Singapor

Bringing Essentialist Cuisine to Singapore

By Joakim Persson

A

new star chef of high calibre has arrived to Singapore, and more precisely to the fine dining restaurant Jaan, and for once stemming from Sweden! Swissotel The Stamford Singapore has entrusted Ebbe Vollmer as its new Chef de Cuisine, expecting him to again take their flagship outlet to new heights.

So, with the promise to draw deeply from his Nordic heritage, the chance to enjoy European-style finedining with Scandinavian touches is now a reality in the Lion City.

With Ebbe at its helm, Jaan enters a new chapter where the attention turns to the uncompromising quality and passion embraced by the new chef as he sets out to redefine its concept.

After only days into his new position Ebbe was put to the test: The Miele Guide (Asia’s independent restaurant guide) came on a visit to

10 ScandAsia.Singapore • December 2010

Swissotel’s Level 70. But Ebbe’s refined cooking and culinary pedigree shone through well and Jaan was allowed to retain its ranking as the No. 4 Best Restaurant in Asia.

Ebbe arrived straight from the 3 Michelin star Gordon Ramsay restaurant in London, where he had gone to fine-tune his craft and ethos at the highest possible level. Back at that level he learned a lot about customer care.

“I felt there was more to learn, especially after running my own establishment [Bloom in Sweden] which took me away from the main reason why I opened it in the first place: to cook - that’s my passion.”

Ebbe has also learned the trade alongside Gordon back in the 1990s when the Swede at the age of 16 left for London to work at Harvey’s Wandsworth Commons – an iconic restaurant then part of London’s emerging scene.

Ebbe presents an overall different proposition to his guests. To be-

gin with, the menu is fairly minimalistic with just the main ingredients listed for each dish.

“I’m a bit cautious about intimidating people; if you write too much in the menu. And it ruins the element of surprise if you try to explain every small detail. I like the simplicity, and I am also asking my guests to trust me completely,” explains Ebbe.

All his staff knows the menu inside out, to tell the customer.

“And if you’re not happy I want you to come and tell me. When you’re running a fine dining restaurant many times it becomes too pretentious and strict - which does not give any freedom. I’d rather have the relaxed luxury feeling where you feel comfortable and happy. We’re there to make your evening the best. It always takes two to tango, but if you interact properly with the customer it shouldn’t be difficult to ensure that he is happy when he leaving.”

re’s New Master Chef

The discipline belongs in the kitchen though – which ScandAsia could conclude during a behind-thescenes look as Ebbe was firing up and urging his team for each moment to end on a high note at Jaan.

Rest assured the dining experience will be up of top class – nothing else is acceptable for this perfectionist!

“It’s a big thing for me; the kitchen is run very strict, but the good thing is that the customer will always get consistency, it’s not up to if the chef is in a good mood or not – the food will always come out on a very high level. I have many lines of defence before the customers get the food, and it’s being tasted again and again.”

“It is a big ship to turn around, a lot of staff you have to work with and explain why I want it done differently. But they are all eager to learn, it’s a good bunch,” he comments his challenge as a newcomer.

The simplicity of the menu can also be explained by his cooking

concept based on a less-is-more philosophy he brands as ‘essentialist cuisine’.

“The main ingredients are 80 per cent of the dish and the centre piece, so I focus on trying to concentrate and enhance their flavours rather than having too much garnish on the side taking too much attention. An untrained palate can taste between three and five flavours, so if I put in too many flavours and make the food too complicated, 95 per cent of my customers can’t say if it tastes so and so. It becomes too complicated to notice and then they can’t fully enjoy their meal. So I’d rather keep it fairly simple and essential, just like any Scandinavian designer would say.”

“I prefer the main thing, with not too much fuss and clarity in flavours,” says the Swede.

Subscribing to classic, painstaking cooking, Ebbe passionately cooks modern European cuisine but vastly differs from the more experimental

methods (e.g. molecular gastronomy) of some modern chefs. The Swede prefers the classics, serving up elegant, refined European dishes unburdened by the latest culinary trends.

“I have a low-tech kitchen and I am trying to get the guys to cook food rather than vacuum-pack everything. It’s more about the textures and tastes; you get so much more flavour if you caramelize the lamb or the beef in a pan with butter and keep on scooping it. You get a nice caramelized rather than a plastic-bag surface. Some of the old techniques are there because they’re damn good.”

“To vacuum pack and put it in a slow cooker, it takes five minutes to perfect that technique. I cover myself and ensure high quality products arriving to the dining room by using some of the modern techniques but at the same time I really want the guys to be taught how to do it traditionally and well rather than cheat-

ing themselves out in a way.”

“At Ramsay’s we didn’t use any modern techniques and it is painstaking work to get it perfectly caramelized, but then every flavour is so full and fragrant. And the texture is there as well.”

With a new maitre'd arriving and Ebbe full of ideas and plans, his team will be able to take things even further.

“I won’t stand still and will eventually have the team properly built and all the ingredients I can dream of. If you come back in one year’s time we’ll have developed and in two years from now even more.”

New Dawn for Solar

REC Singapore Plant Grand Opening Honoured by the Prime Minister

By Joakim Persson Photos by REC

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n 3 November 2010 was another milestone for the Renewable Energy Corporation (REC) from Norway when its mega plant for solar cells was inaugurated in Tuas, Singapore. The opening ceremony was attended by its Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, joined by Leo Yip, Chairman of the Economic Development Board (EDB) and some 500 guests.

Leo Yip, Chairman, EDB congratulated REC on the successful completion and opening of its world-class solar manufacturing plant, delighted that Singapore was made a home for its solar activities.

“EDB will continue to work with REC and other industry partners to strengthen the clean energy industry ecosystem through initiatives in research and innovation, as well as development of specialised manpower and supplier base," he said.

“We are confident that solar is here to stay and will be an important energy source in the coming years. REC’s high performance solar technology and Singapore’s global competitiveness together create a centre of excellence that will make

12 ScandAsia.Singapore • December 2010

smart energy for a cleaner future more accessible,” Ole Enger, CEO of REC commented their largest single investment so far. It is one of the largest offshore investments ever made by a Norwegian company.

Already a leading producer of silicon and wafer, REC is shaping the future of the solar energy industry, a vision that is shared by Singapore.

It is now ramping up is capacity, after a successful and earlier than expected start of the production, it is one of the world's largest complexes of its kind (could hold a production capacity of up to 1.5 GW).

Just over two years ago it had been expected that the integrated ‘green field’ manufacturing complex for production of wafers, cells and modules in Singapore would be ready to start operations in 2010.

But expectations were strongly exceeded; the facilities stood ready to install the production plant already in October 2009 after a speedy 16-month construction period. Module no. 1 million was produced on October 17 this year, well ahead of plan and before reaching full capacity.

Also, REC reported strong performance in the initial phase regard-

ing both cell efficiency and module production.

In August cell module was already up in 100 per cent capacity while cell production reached full capacity in October. Wafers was on 80 per cent capacity (and yet 63 % better than expected) while this component is also imported from their Norway plant.

The final choice fell on Singapore due to the country’s businessfriendly environment, strong manpower semi-conductor experience.

“Singapore is very much run as a well regulated corporate enterprise,” commented Pål Elstad, Head of Finance, REC Singapore. And they have a long-term perspective; wanting us to be here for the long run.”

Key components for REC were also the availability of qualified personnel and investment incentives provided by EDB. REC has good access to competent and qualified staff from relevant and highly competitive industries, and where enough personnel cannot be sourced within the country the authorities allows higher foreign quotas.

Out of today’s 1400 employees

Energy

523 come from Malaysia with an additional 286 with permanent residence mostly also from there, while 317 are Singaporeans. The competition for skilled Singaporeans is very tough, explained Pål.

Furthermore Singapore’s emphasis on becoming a leader within renewable energies played a big part. It has articulated an exciting vision and plan to develop the solar industry as a key growth area for its economy, which places REC in an advantageous position.

REC has demonstrated its further commitment by significantly increasing its R&D resources in Singapore.

So while REC’s establishment in Singapore is the single biggest investment in the growing clean energy sector here so far, it is also an exemplary showpiece of FDI in a country which also corresponds well with its goals. Clean technology is profoundly integrated within Singapore’s business activities.

This year Changi Airport chose REC as the provider to install REC panels that will offset 74 tons of CO2 annually.

Also, the Housing Development Board of Singapore (HDB) is buying

REC solar modules for rooftops of HDB homes, as the agency aims to play a key role in supporting Singapore’s commitment to sustainable development.

While REC is a relatively young company it has helped boosting the emergence and advancement also of other Norwegian companies within solar energy of which several have also followed and set up a foothold in Singapore: Tronrud Engineering has been a major supplier of equipment to REC since the start, delivering advanced production equipment and services. Prediktor is another which has specialized in Manufacturing Executing System deliveries, to become a world leading supplier of industrial IT solutions to the solar industry. Finally Metallkraft, a specialist in silicon carbide slurry recovery set up a recycling factory next door for the flurry from REC’s production.

The Singapore plant signifies a step change in volumes, costs and in the overall competitive position for REC, while the demand for solar energy is showing strong growth and is projected to rise significantly in the coming years. Installations of solar cells are expected to triple by 2013.

The potential solar energy growth

is nearly endless and would lead to enormous benefits on a broad scale.

Meanwhile it is becoming more affordable and competitive as prices have come down over 50 per cent in recent years, which has to do with research and the materials being used and improving the processes. Technology improvements are crucial for the industry and REC is now even better equipped to play an instrumental role in the sector’s very promising future.

President & CEO of REC, Ole Enger, Prime Minister Lee, Norwegian ambassador to Singapore, H.E. Janne Julsrud.

Chairman of Orkla, Stein Erik Hagen greets Prime Minister Lee. President & CEO of REC, Ole Enger behind.

December 2010 • ScandAsia.Singapore 13

Kuala Lumpur Getting

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In 2011, SWEA’s World Meeting will be hosted in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The Chairwoman, Maria Kjellberg Harkins, is doing everything possible to make the meeting an unforgettable experience.

rom March 16 to 20 2011, yet another World Meeting will be held in SWEA – The Swedish Women’s Educational Association. ”The preparations are going very well. We have come to a stage where the programme is done, so now we are ready for registrations,” says Maria Kjellberg Harkins, Chairwoman of SWEA Malaysia and main organiser of the World Meeting.

Asia debuts Almost 8000 Swedish og Swedish speaking women around the world are members of SWEA, and every single one of them is now invited to the biyearly event. Maria Harkins does not expect 8000 participants though. ”We expect to have around 200-300 guests at the meeting.

This is the first time that a member of SWEA Asia is hosting a World Meeting, so we expect a fine number of participants from Asia, but also around half of the guests from the rest of the world,” she says.

With the programme for the huge event up-and-running, the actual hard work is just about to start.

Maria hopes that Malaysia will stand together and maybe receive a bit help from the nearby countries. ”Now we are engaging and involving our local SWEA members

By Søren Lykke Bülow

ABOUT MARIA KJELLBERG HARKINS • Age: 40 years • Grew up around the world • Studying Hotel Management in Switzerland • Later running an antiques business and conference in Hong Kong • Member of SWEA since 2000

• Educated in Hotel Management • Senior years schooling in Sweden • Been working in Hotels • Part of a Private Philantropic Organisation in Hong Kong as Executive Officer • Chairwoman in Malaysia since January 2010

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14 ScandAsia.Singapore • December 2010

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Ready for Action with hosting, preparation work and trying to convince all Asian SWEA members to come. There is a lot of administrative work, and we are at the same time having the annual general meeting of SWEA International,” says Maria, who is expecting support and a great number of visitors from places like Bangkok and Singapore, says.

Exciting preparations For Maria, it is a big thing to be main organiser of such a big event. ”I feel very proud about this.

I am very happy to be engaged in the World Meeting and not just in Kuala Lumpur. It is a great way to be up close to the fantastic network SWEA is and to get together with such a big event,” she says.

Maria has now prepared the focus committee that is working on the World Meeting. All 61 members in Malaysia are working on it, and all the menus are prepared. They are now arranging the entertainment side and the gala dinner. Here, they are looking for sponsorships, and they already have loads lined up. ”Our budget is somewhat limited as a volunteer organisation, but luckily many companies have chipped in to help,” Maria says.

and more optimized way of doing it,” Maria says.

It is important for SWEA to get great support from their members in these cases. ”SWEA is a big work force.

Around 1000 women work actively in our organisation, which makes it fun. You are working with close friends, and everyone is very supportive. The preparations for at big event like this come very easy with such supportive members.

We would not have held it in Kuala Lumpur if it was not for that.”

Good for KL and Asia With SWEA Asia as the newest part of the entire SWEA, it is important for the Malaysian side to make this meeting successful. Maria feels it is great that Kuala Lumpur was selected as host city of the World Meeting. ”We got the job because we have the know-how and fiscal means to do it. It’s a great push for SWEA and the region. We know

how to arrange a nice meeting at a reasonable price,” says Maria, who also believes that it makes all the different regions more enthusiastic about future events. ”It is important that the World Meeting moves around. In this way everyone feels ownership and like being a part of the global side of SWEA.” Therefore, SWEA Malaysia has to provide all the practicalities for the World Meeting. In this way everything will be able to run smoothly for all participants. ”We provide the framework, the hotels, boardrooms, restaurants, we make name tags, lists, everything.

We will give the meeting flavour, and Kuala Lumpur is perfect for this, because it is a mix of so many different cultures. It is an exciting environment for SWEA members to travel to,” says Maria.

Big hopes Success is the utmost goal for Maria in the organising for the SWEA

World Meeting. ”I see this as a professional job, and I am happy about it,” says Maria, who has a background in the hotel management business. ”I have arranged big conferences before, so it’s about making the meetings a success. The formula for having everything gathered in one point is the word ‘possibilities’.

It makes it easier for the different chapters.”

The World Meetings is not all about sitting inside and discussing SWEA’s world policies. Social elements also play a great part in the execution of the event. During the days of the World Meeting, different activities like golf, a Malacca tour and different museum tours will be available. And when the main event has taken place from March 16 to March 20, visitors are invited to join on a trip to either Borneo or Langkawi. ”It is very important for us to add some fun and social activities to this. Some people actually come here without joining the actual meetings. Here, people meet new friends, and the social element is definitely 50 percent of the entire thing,” Maria says.

Unique event The World Meeting in 2011 will be different from the old SWEA World Meetings. For the first time, the local yearly meetings will take place at the World Meeting. This means that this year’s meeting will be quite unique. ”It is slightly more profitable to do it all at one event. When we don’t do it like this, the president will have to travel around for different destinations, so this is a cheaper

Maria Kjellberg Harkins likes to discover and try out new things. Here, she is at a tea-tasting at the Boh Tea Plantation in Malaysia.

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December 2010 • ScandAsia.Singapore 15

Course for Trailing Innovation Norway offers Norwegian Entrepreneurship Course for Trailing Spouses in Singapore.

By Joakim Persson

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orwegian corporations increasingly face challenges in enticing Norwegians to take on overseas job postings with one of the main reasons behind this being that both spouses are working, or families are working couples as the norm.

“The challenge of double careers is clearly an increasing problem for Norwegians to accept international assignments,” said Signe A. Engli, formerly with Innovation Norway in Singapore. “It just does not fit in that one wants to do something else for a couple of years, and the other would have to sacrifice.”

16 ScandAsia.Singapore • December 2010

And such spouses or partners are very reluctant to resign from their career job back home in order to follow their spouse or partner abroad, especially men. A couple of reports that were produced in Norway in 2008 concluded that especially women declined offers for an international posting.

A survey also shows that much fewer have any job after their return home from a posting abroad, again mostly women who end up being home since eight out of ten foreign positions are taken up by men.

Innovation Norway has looked at the challenges and in an effort to make recruitment to overseas go more smoothly realised the need to find something relevant for the following spouse to do while abroad.

Larger companies facing this problem have also set aside packages for spouses of employees so they can take some training courses while abroad, as part of the set-up and a stimulus, says Signe.

“Meanwhile we found that the majority of trailing spouses have an education on Bachelor level or higher here in Singapore.”

These highly-educated persons with international experience are

found to be especially equipped to generate renewal and growth in the economy, both within new or existing sectors.

Innovation Norway also wanted to utilize these people for the development of more business startups in Norway by feeding them and stimulating their entrepreneurial spirit and skills.

As a governmental institution it has specific emphasis on two areas, one being board competence training. A new law requires at least 40 per cent women in all boards in Norwegian companies so it has been holding training courses.

The other area is entrepreneurship training, in how to grow new companies – and again with an emphasis on women.

“And female entrepreneurs are not very internationally minded. So, volila! A course in entrepreneurship offered for trailing spouses who actually need something interesting to occupy their time with when they are abroad.”

“Another element was that after a few years abroad many lose contact with their profession and working life in general and find it difficult to take up their previous education.

Spouses

Then starting up an own business could be an alternative” explained Signe.

“Its main aim is to increase their competence so they are better equipped to run businesses themselves and looking into the possibility of starting up own companies already here in Singapore and spend a lot of time on concept development and the business plan,” said course leader Gro Moen from Etablererhjelperne AS, who has a track record of having guided 5000+ persons in Norway of which around 3000 started a business.

The point of departure is that they will return and then run own businesses in Norway, where the outcome from the first course held in 2009 has been successful - 5 out of 11 has already started a company, which is a better result compared to similar training in Norway. The course leader also found those in Singapore to be a more educated and resourceful group than what is usually the case back home.

“And it certainly reached some of the target groups, both being female and having international experience. To think internationally from day one when you start up a com-

pany is also a good thing to do and not many will do that in Norway. So it’s the attitude we are looking for in entrepreneurs, and we’ll have that in Singapore,” Signe pointed out.

The course was held for the second time in late October, with also Lars Thyholdt, Senior Adviser at Innovation Norway, as course leader who is an expert on problem-solving for new establishments.

Most attendants will have something in mind before the course starts – where they get all the tools and knowledge for the from-ideato-launch process: market analysis, concept and product development, business plan writing etc.

The participants also get postcourse mentoring on site in Singapore via Innovation Norway (and access to its office network in Norway), and through continuing dialogue with Gro Moen, as they continue working on business plans and individual project implementations.

“It’s important they are not left alone but can sit together in groups and do planning and triggering each other. And then Innovation Norway plays a big part in gathering them,” Claus Gaasvig pointed out.

December 2010 • ScandAsia.Singapore 17

Swedish Style

18 ScandAsia.Singapore • December 2010

e in Chinese Homes 15 years ago Eva Molina Biorck phoned home to Sweden crying tears of joy. She had landed her dream job in the sales and marketing department for Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) in Beijing, having only recently arriving in the city.

By Alexandra Leyton Espinoza

I

was confused, happy and sad.

I didn’t know if I was going to enjoy living in Beijing. Everything was so different from the life I had back in Sweden,” Eva Molina Birock recalls.

Biorck is today the co-owner of Chang&Biorck, business partner in Mosto and Modo restaurants and mother of her five months old daughter, Edda. A true career woman and entrepreneur in the city.

“Beijing is such an international city and rich on different cultures. It has an energy that doesn’t appear in many places. That’s one of the reasons why I decided to stay and build my life here,” she says.

Her first impression of the middle kingdom came when she read the book “butterfly girl”. Biorck used to fantasize of the landscapes, brightly colored gazebo houses and dazzling sunsets. It was the picture of a romantic city that was exciting and different.

After graduating from East Asian studies program in Stockholm. She moved to Beijing in 1996 and her romantic dream was not the reality.

“Beijing was not the inspiration behind who ever wrote that book,” she says with a smile. ”I had never imagined it so big, with millions of people riding their bikes on the streets. The city was so grey,” she says.

During her time at SAS, she got the opportunity to travel a lot, mostly to Thailand where the company had it’s regional office. Her interest in Asian decor grew and after 7, 5 years at SAS she decided to resign and start her own business with one of her oldest friend, India Chang from Denmark.

“I noticed how fast things were changing in China. It was such an inspirational environment and I knew many others that had their own companies. My interest in starting something on my own had grown bigger and I felt it was now or never,” she says.

Together with her business partner Chang they visited different interior stores both in Sweden and Denmark, and fabric manufacturers in China.

“We both liked the Scandinavian simplicity and form. But this can sometimes turn out to be a bit boring. So we decided to have a twist and add Asian elements and vibrant colors to our products,” she says.

The brand was created, Chang&Biorck, and the design, made by a creative trio of well respected designers in Sweden. Gunilla Lagerhem Ullberg, who creates the fabrics, and patterns in most of the designs. Marie Louise Hellgren who gives Chang&Biorcks ceramic products its forms and design and Sara Ödman, who is a young and dynamic designer and the creative mind behind Chang&Biorck Kids collection.

In 2003 they signed up for the Stockholm Design Fair and won the prize for best textile. A media boom followed and today Chang&Biorck is an up market home furnishing company on its rise with its first retail store in Beijing and exports to Europe “It fitted the Swedish market.

Clean lines with an Asian touch,” she says.

The brand have gained notoriety in the city and is also getting more popular among Chinese cli-

ents, with a growing middle class that can afford their products. Many of Chang & Biorck’s home furnishing are crafted in environmental friendly materials. They use for example organic cotton to make children’s clothes and low-impact dye in their product prints. In a country with a one child policy, were children get extremely groomed, children’s interior furnishing and clothes have become big business.

According to Biorck, the biggest challenge as a smaller company compared to giants like H&M and Ikea is to produce smaller quantities making sure they deliver to high standards.

“It can be an incredible challenge to produce orders in a small amount. If you don’t get what you asked for, they will try to convince you to still have it,” she says.

Biorck thanks her experience of dealing with Chinese custumers for SAS and with Chang&Biorck as well as Mosto and Modo, getting closer to understand the Chinese business

culture. For her it means to be patience. Whilst Scandinavian’s like efficiency, the whole business process becomes streamlined and effective.

In China you take customers for dinners multiple times before you actually talk about business. For her Guanxi, that means relationships in Chinese has never been more important since she opened the restaurants Mosto and Modo. *With the restaurants, it was the first time I really understood the value of Guanxi and what it means to do business here. You cant learn it until you experience it yourself,” she says.

She definitely believes that China is the place to be if you are an entrepreneur with something unique on the market. ”I remember when I was studying at university and I had a scrapbook were I collected news from China that I found, which was not very often. Today, you are flooded with it,” she says.

December 2010 • ScandAsia.Singapore 19

Living a Turnkey Life

H

Ari Weekku Sääski came to Bali to study wood carvings. When he decided to stay he turned lamp and anterior design into a business. Today he is one of the most in demand designers in the hospitality industry with several five star resort chains as his costumers.

By Bjarne Wildau

e went from Helsinki in Finland to Bali more than twelve years a go to study wood carving. With him Ari Weekku Sääski, 39, brought years of experience as a light engineer working for the importer of the Danish Martins Lights. And when decided to stay for good in Bali, he switched on his old profession, almost, and started to design lamps and later complete interiors.

Last their one of his projects in The Maldives won the Trip Advisors prizes of the most romantic resort in the world.

The latest work by the Finnish designer is a huge five star villa in the hills of Ubud in Bali.

The villa consists of more than 1.400 square meters under roof. I took care of the interior design, many of the furniture’s and all the light. More than one thousand lamps plus more than 400 peaces of furniture’s, has been designed, produced and delivered trough my company “Aura Lighting & Interior Design” Weekku explains.

Quite an achievement of a Finn who came to Bali as a backpacker with very little except what he could carry in a backpack.

“I arrived in Denpassar in Bali in 1998 with the purpose to study wood carving. It was absolutely wonderful. The study, the people and the international environment.

You can find what ever in Bali. Every kind of nationalities, every kind of food. Yes. You just named it” says Ari Weekku Sääski.

And he surely enjoyed his new life. Besides his study he found a French girlfriend and slowly but sure

he started to land on his feet according to make a stable life in Bali.

“I cant recall it all but it was obvious to use my experience as a light engineer when I should choose a new carrier”, says the Finnish designer.

When that decision was done and dusted inspiration was all over the place. Bali it self has lot of light traditions but at the same time the island in its position as the centre for Indonesian tourism works as a magnet for other Indonesian cultures.

“I took inspiration from everywhere. Design is not an island with no trespassing”, say Ari Weekku Sääski.

When he had something ready for sale he opened his own atelier in Ubud. Guest found his place and they liked what they saw enough to turn from guest to customer. Later he got his first jobs as an interior designer, taken care of villas or small places in the hospitality industry. It was at that time Ari Weekku Sääski also started to design sofas, chairs and other furniture’s.

“It wasn’t a huge decision to take furniture’s in. Costumers asked me to give it a try, so that’s what I did”.

And things worked well for the Finn.

“My first greater project was Four Seasons resort in Jimbaran Bay here in Bali. The costumer was happy and maybe he talks about me to other people in the tourism business”, says Ari Weekku Sääski.

At least Wekkus phone made notice a few months later. The Swedish owners of a resort in The Maldives had heard about him and they wanted Ari Weekku Sääski to find an airplane as fast as possible

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20 ScandAsia.Singapore • December 2010

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in Bali I take inspiration from everywhere. Design is not an island with no trespassing

and come to the Maldives. The payment for his trip was not an issue; the Swedes would take care of that.

“They has a huge resort and wanted me to take care of the planned renovation”, the Finn explains.

Off the autodidact designer and entrepreneur went. With inn days the biggest job until then was in Wekkus bag.

A little about the design industry in Bali and especially in Ubud where most of Indonesians painters and designers actually lives.

Just along a single road you can find 20 kilometres packed with shops and workshops doing and selling whatever to whatever from simple home or seven star resorts.

At the top of that a turnkey designer as Ari Weekku Sääski has a network of small and huge costumers but also of suppliers who design at their base in Bali but maybe hire workshops at other islands in Indonesia.

“It’s a lush environment here in Bali for design and turnkey interior design. Hardly anywhere else can you find range of materials, craftsmanship and supplies” Ari Weekku Sääski says.

Back to the Maldives and the Komandoo Maldives Island Resort – Komandoo. The job went well as

the world’s most romantic resort suggest.

So the phone kept ringing, the jobs came by from all over the region to an extremely creative Finnish designer. And as things developed Ari Weekku Sääski realized that one thing is to be successful in creativity.

Its something completely different to run a business.

“I am a designer. I am creative.

The huge challenges for me are the business side to it all” admits the owner of “Aura Lighting & Interior Design”. And with the success the designer is claiming in the region, it can only a matter of time before professional help to the administration is hired.

When all the talk about the turnkey designs are over, Ari Weekku Sääski takes up an other issue

namely a gallery Two Rivers he is running with a friend.

“We are producing huge photo placards with motives from Bali and other parts of Indonesia. Often that niece of art is quite expensive, but we have decided to provided high quality product to an affordable prices, and the tourist are happy for what we are doing” Ari Weekku Sääski says.

In the private life there have been changes too. After a relationship in Bali with a western girl or two, Ari Weekku Sääski met his Balinese wife Dewa in 2007 and they got married a year later. Together they have a 13 months old girl Maya Leena.

“Ubud and Bali is a very nice place to be also in the private life. I have been very lucky with my wife and her family. We are here to stay.

Next year we start building our own house on my family in laws land. I am sure that will be quite fantastic”, says Ari Weekku Sääski. http://www.auralights.com/

December 2010 • ScandAsia.Singapore 21

Niels Brock Opens in Vietnam

Nguyen Thi Thanh Minh, professor and headmaster of the Foreign Trade University in Hanoi and Anya Eskildsen, Niels Brock Business School at the official signing ceremony.

By Indius Pedersen, Jutland Press

N

iels Brock Business School and the Foreign Trade University in Hanoi, Vietnam, have together started a four-year Bachelor of Science in Finance.

“We are in the tenth year in the process of education in China and now we have started in Vietnam,” says Anya Eskildsen, director of Niels Brock Business School.

The forty Vietnamese students, who have now started their Danish bachelor degree, will have great opportunities in four years time when they graduate. The students will receive a Danish diploma and the proof can be used for access to training centers in Europe and the United States as the exchange system is based on ECTS - European Credit Transfer System.

Nguyen Thi Thanh Minh, professor and headmaster of the Foreign Trade University in Hanoi, is

pleased with the new cooperation: “A large number of young Vietnamese students are going abroad to get a good education to the benefit of their families and ultimately to the benefit of Vietnam. It costs a lot of money for a family to send a child away,” she says.

“By staying in Vietnam and have a qualifying education and access to Western universities for higher education is a great opportunity for us. By going into partnership with foreign training centers, we provide far greater opportunities to the youth staying in Vietnam and they continue to follow the Vietnamese economy at close range.”

Next comes HCMC Niels Brock Business School is also well advanced in plans to establish itself with a campus in Saigon. The school has already surveyed potential locations where the campus could be built.

22 ScandAsia.Singapore • December 2010

“We would like to establish a campus in Saigon where we could work also with other educational institutions for instance for engineers, nurses or similar,” Anya Eskildsen reveals.

“The vision is to create a Danish educational environment that is able to absorb Vietnamese mentality as a platform from which it will provide knowledge to Vietnamese students.”

Danish export potential Niels Brock’s export to China and Vietnam has been made possible because former Danish Minister of Education, Bertel Harder, could see the opportunities in the export of education.

“Denmark has currently a major export potential within education. A potential that could be developed to include the public system in Denmark for service programs,” Anya Eskildsen says.

“There is also a bonus in it for us. As a part of the project we need to supply a third of the teachers to the new course in Vietnam. When these teachers return they will be more experienced which will benefit our Danish students at Niels Brock.

That experience we have already achieved in China, a tiger economy through many years. And Vietnam is well on its way to achieve the same status within a decade or so.”

“Vietnam is developing rapidly and is eager to provide efficient training of its youth. An education that matches that of the Western world. A recognized education also gives families a better economy. In Vietnamese families you often see that only one child is selected for a higher education, but all the other family members have to work for it – with pride. Many of them travel abroad to get an education, but now they can save this costs.”

I Will Give the Guesth When psychologist Arild Reed came to Phnom Penh for the second time, he talked with the staff at the hotel where he stayed.

When he arrived for the third time, he bought the same people a restaurant and guesthouse. In his own name though. But as soon as the guesthouse starts earning some profit, they will get it, he says.

By Bjarne Wildau

A

rild Reed has a plan.

When the right time comes he wants to give his “Nordic House” in Phnom Penh away to his staff. No more. No less.

“I still have to go back to Norway and work hard five or six months every year. But when I can retire, I plan to retire from it all.

My job as a psychologist and as an owner of Nordic House. There is no way I will carry on working hard here in Phnom Penh, if I can avoid it”, the Norwegian is laughing.

Actually, he is not the only one smiling or even worse, having a good laugh about Arild giving his Guesthouse away. Many people inside and outside the hospitality business in Phnom Penh think aloud about a stunt to gain goodwill and publicity.

And Arild Reed rejects the negative thinking.

“My son support me in handing over the guesthouse, bar, and restaurant to the staff. I am not yet sure

how it shall be done, and when”, says the Norwegian, days after he took over the place next door, adding five more room and an extra bar and restaurant to “Nordic House”.

He continues: “I am investing more money every day, but when business has returned the investments, I will release my self by giving away the guesthouse”, insure Arild Reed, whom already while his was a young man in Oslo had a very special relationship to Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.

“During the Vietnam war in Vietnam I was involved in the political activities. Demonstrations and collecting money to the Viet Cong movement. When the war ended, I was locked up in responsibilities in Norway. I wanted to go at visit Vietnam and the other Indo China countries but I could not at that time. Later I had some very successful travels in Laos and Vietnam, but when I went to Udon Thani in Thailand five years ago to celebrate the Christmas with a Norwegian friend

24 ScandAsia.Singapore • December 2010

and his Thai family. At that time I still hadn’t been in Cambodia”.

Arild Reeds expectations to Cambodia and its capital Phnom Penh were limited. For that reason he book booked hotel for three days only.

“But Phnom Penh was much nicer than I expected. Cleaner and safer. So I stay for two weeks instead of only three days”, Arild is smiling.

Six months later the Norwegian spend four weeks exploring several of Cambodia’s provinces. Slow but surely the country became his second country.

“I was at that visit I talked a lot with the staff at the hotel where I stayed in Phnom Penh. They weren’t happy with their working conditions.

They simply wanted to have their own place. But it was only a dream, because they didn’t have the money they needed”.

At that time Arild hadn’t even in his wildest dreams thought about opening a guesthouse. But back in Oslo he started to send thoughts down that line. He even talked with some friends about supporting his “new friends” getting sort of their own place.

“When I returned for my third stay I Cambodia, I met the staff again, and they presented me for at plan opening or taking over a restaurant, maybe even a guesthouse. At that time in 2005 I sign the contract in my name. The same with all the licenses, they were all in my name too. And the deal with the staff was that they could take it all over later, when the place fruited some profit.

Otherwise I would just sell it and forget all about it”.

In the spring of 2006 Arild and his staff opened “Nordic House”.

“The first two years there was now profit. We worked with improving the quality in the restaurant and in the rooms; at after one year I had to change manager. The first one employed all her friends, and behaved towards them as a friend.

It simply didn’t work. She realized it her self and just said goodbye. I did provided her a normal job, but happily she said no thanks, because it would never have worked out”.

The current manager Hann Tran took over. And this is the time to underline, that the big boss and his Vietnamese Cambodian manager aren’t lovers or anything like that.

At that time in our conversation a guest wants to leave the restaurant. Three tuk tuk drivers are waiting outside to grab the poor guest.

But a little unusual they wait to talk to the man, until his front foot touch the sidewalk.

“Yes, it’s unusual. The tuk tuk drivers can be a very tough mach for anyone. Blocking the place with their vehicles, and yelling after guests even if they just want to visit the toilet. But I took the fight from the very beginning. The drivers are only allowed to park one tuk tuk in front of Nordic House. And I don’t want any yelling or talking with my guests.

We have guest or regulars here, who tell us, that that is one of the reasons why they always return to our place. They love the hassle free environment here”, Arild Reed explains.

And while we are talking about fighting its time to tell that the Norwegian has his very own garbage free zone just in front of Nordic House.

house Away “Every time I had a minute to spare I collected garbage in front of my place. In the beginning people were laughing at me. The stupid Norwegian guy who think he can erase pollution in Phnom Penh.

Later people turned embarrassed.

They didn’t want me to clean up the mess they made them self’s. So now we have almost no garbage at all outside our restaurant. Our guests love that too”, say Arild Reed who is now insisting on showing his new restaurant just next door.

While we go towards the new extra facility he tells that the wall between the places will remain.

“There will be one for smokers and at the same time we will try to keep that bar for the drinkers on their stools, while the other one will be more relaxed, no fighting about who get who’s smoke in there eyes, and so on”.

When we are back I the originally Nordic House restaurant, Arild round the conversation up by making sort of a status of the development or changes guest wise in Phnom Penh.

“When I came here for the first time five years ago, the typical guest was a single man fifthly plus. And you had all these bars everywhere.

But now more and more couple arrives. Still in their fifthly plus, but they are bringing money and a will to give it a go. That is a very good development for Nordic House, and bad for the girly bars” says the Norwegian, who underline that he and his staff is always ready to help guest finding another room in another guesthouse or hotel, if his 12 rooms are either to simple or too expensive.

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Giving Beijingers a Ne A tanning studio in Beijing – are you crazy?

For many Chinese, beauty - especially for women - implies pale white skin. So Phillip Wenzel Kyhl from Denmark took a big risk when he decided to open a tanning studio in one of Beijing’s oldest Hutong areas.

By Alexandra Leyton Espinoza

I

believe that the growing middle class in China will soon change their attitude to dark skin and realize you look much healthier with a tan,” Kyhl says.

He also believes that one of the reasons why Chinese women use whitening products is because the lack of knowledge of how to protect their skin from sunburn. Many of them don’t know about the dangers and worry about getting a tan rather than how to protect their skin. And don’t know that moderate sunbathing is good for you.

“We have to explain that vitamin D is good for their skin and health. And if they have skin problems it can actually be because of the lack of sun,” Kyhl said.

Most Chinese, however, still associate dark skin with menial labor, where migrant workers in China often have the darkest skin. A lighter skin, on the other hand, is a sign of affluence. A reason why the shelves in the Department stores in China are loaded with lotions and creams which will whiten your skin.

“Chinese girls will put whiten-

Hjem til jul?

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26 ScandAsia.Singapore • December 2010

23/09/10 8:32:24

ew Color Chinese girls will put whitening creams or other protection on their skin as soon as they leave their homes, trying to avoid every sun ray they can come in contact with.

You will notice a white mark from their neck up

ing creams or other protection on their skin as soon as they leave their homes, trying to avoid every sun ray they can come in contact with. You will notice a white mark from their neck up,” Kyhl says.

Sunkissed location When Phillip Wenzel Kyhl together with his Chinese girlfriend Yuki decided to open their first tanning studio in a Hutong area, Sunkissed Tanning Studio, they therefore initially targeted the expats living in Beijing.

The Hutong has been pinpointed by

the Chinese government as an official development area and is thanks to that getting a lot of attention and good media publicity.

The full address is 65 Wudaoying Hutong between the Lama Temple and Andingmen. This is the same hutong as the Vineyard Cafe, the Greek restaurant Argo and the Spanish restaurant Saffron.

“We didn’t wanna end up in a big department store as many others. This area has many small restaurant, boutiques that attract westerners but also Chinese customers,”

Kyhl says.

The stand-up sun bed in their tanning studio is from Germany, as many of his tanning products.

And you pay for every minute you get tanned, unless you don’t buy a weekly or monthly card (4,99rmb per minute). Chinese people are getting curious, trying to understand the concept of sunbathing. ”You have to explain to them how sunbathing works. Many don’t know, they never sunbathe out, let alone in a solarium,” Kyhl says.

Today most of their Chinese clients are men, that with a help of a tan can make their muscles look more defined. He hopes that during winter time people will go to the tanning salon to get in a better mood. According to him the attitude to sunbathing is changing, especially when Chinese are getting wealthier, they can afford to travel more, returning bronzed.

“It is like for us in the West, we want to look like we just arrived from a vacation,” Kyhl says.

The website of Sunklssed studio shows the prices and the time for different treatments.

December 2010 • ScandAsia.Singapore 27

Looking into the Worl

W

hen trying to comprehend the essence of the Amanresort brand, who could be more appropriate as our concierge than Liv Gussing who has been with the company since 1996? And where could be a more fitting place than the lovely wonder world of Amandari, the company’s second property and the first upscale luxury resort in Ubud on the island of Bali?

Amandari - where this General Manager of Swedish-Indian origin talks to ScandAsia - celebrated its 20th anniversary last year and is an apt reflection of the company’s central tenets: discretion, high level of service, luxury, beautiful natural surroundings, warm and elegant hospitality.

200 staff to 30 rooms On a small typical Aman property like this the staff exceeds the number of guests multiple times.

“One of the unique things about Aman is the very high staff-to-guest ratio,” Liv Gussing explains.

“We have a lot of staff - 200 staff on 30 rooms - looking after our guests, so there are lots of people around. And we’ve been able to create a wonderful sense of com-

When Amanpuri opened on Phuket in 1988, tourism to the island was just a trickle and the new Aman brand was unknown.

Today, twenty plus years later, while mass tourism has come to the island, this elite property is still its most luxurious, part of a worldrenowned portfolio of resorts worldwide. Amanpuri continues to be a draw for the rich and famous, including royalty, from far and near. The unique vision of Amanresorts, a pioneering boutique luxury resort company, introduced many firsts to the industry and has continued to expand, inspiring scores of others who look to the brand for inspiration.

By Joakim Persson

28 ScandAsia.Singapore • December 2010

ld of Aman Resorts munity because seventy per cent of them live within one kilometre of the resort.”

Some in the hospitality industry will certainly envy being able to keep staff for 15+ years, but such is the case when the resort bears the Aman brand and is situated in the middle of such a strong local culture like the one in Ubud.

Like having friends visiting “Basically our job is guest focused; it’s really like having guests and friends coming to visit you,” Liv continues. “We spend a lot of time with our guests who also want to know my opinion on what they can do, where they can go. Part of my role is to have an in-depth knowledge of what is special so I can recommend unique places, unusual shops, special ceremonies and activities to guests depending and what their interests are.”

“Typically our resorts are between 30 and 40 rooms and they’re quite simple in design. Adrian Zecha [the founder] wanted to create a place where you could completely get away from the stress and the business of any busy city, find absolute peace, and no clutter, so to speak.

So the resorts are designed with that in mind, with both interiors and exteriors being very calming.”

Aman properties are places for guests who are really inspired by lifestyle and adventure and eager to explore exciting destinations or simply relax. The company has recently even developed resorts in urban settings – of course on unique locations such as adjacent to the Summer Palace in Beijing.

“Amanresorts is a portfolio of very different properties.”

“Mr. Zecha has certainly had an impact both on how resorts are designed and the type of experiences that guests can have. The company was really one of the first to offer relaxed settings within the context of the luxury leisure hospitality experience. I think that has had a big impact on the industry.”

Reflective of the place they’re located each property is different and unique to its location, explains Liv who also has had the privilege of being part of the footprint teams that oversaw the creation and opening of several Aman resorts.

Creating the brand “One aspect which I have enjoyed tremendously which was true then and as well as now is how each of us would play a big part in creating the brand. Each opening we do is very different. We try to find local experiences, give a taste of the place

we’re in and bring nature into our resorts. All the amenities, furnishings and accessories are designed for that particular resort.”

She has been with the company for the last fourteen years and was part of openings on Java, in Wyoming as well as in Marrakech, Morocco.

“One of my favourite roles during an opening was to explore potential guest excursions with a local guide to help create something that is quite unique to Amanresorts.”

Taking a step further back, Liv actually first came to Thailand and worked with the Dusit brand, having been keen on working in Asia because of its legendary reputation of hospitality service. So she came over here, at 23, after hotel studies in the U.S and working at St. Regis in New York as a butler.

Liv began her career with Amanresorts by assisting with three property openings and spending three years at Amanpuri, the company’s flagship.

“It is a very well-known resort.

The design is absolutely stunning; with architecture that mirrors traditional Thai style.”

While certain elements and themes can be found in all properties, the overarching style of the aesthetic is simple, elegant and clean.

At Amandari, the resort is architecturally quite unique in that it takes several aspects of traditional Balinese design and incorporates them into a new and luxurious construct.

Bali up close “We really want guests to experience daily life in Bali. That’s the experience we’re offering. So even while you are in the resort, you’ve got the villagers coming through and various excursions beyond the property. For example, we offer a cooking class where we take guests to the market followed by a cooking lesson in a Balinese home. If there’s a ceremony in a village of one of the staff, we tell guests and can take them there to have a more intimate experience of what really happens on the island.”

Amanresorts has developed many loyal guests, affectionally known as Aman Junkies.

“We do have a lot of regular guests. A number of guests do go

back and visit the same place every year and then also explore our new properties.”

“What has amazed me over the years is the incredible guest mix, actually. There are obviously some older guests who have the means to visit. But we also get honeymooners, such as a couple who checked out recently who were 23 years old.

We have also seen a change reflecting the economy where we had the IT boom which brought successful young people with disposable income. So we have the whole range.”

The culture is alive In selling Bali to newcomers, Liv points out the “magical thing” that the island’s culture and traditions are still alive.

“Very few places in the world that receive so many visitors are also able to maintain a rich and deep local culture. Tourism started coming to Bali in the 1930’s and I think it is still fabulous that you can come here and see ceremonies, offerings, agriculture with its traditional terraced rice fields and more.”

“Another thing that I think is fabulous with Bali is that it offers so many different experiences; you can relax on the beach, climb a mountain, visit a painter, go for a trek in the rice fields or do rafting etc. It offers an incredible range and the nice thing is that you can drive from the beach to the mountains. Many places you have to go by plane to get both experiences.”

“People are so friendly,” she adds.

“They’re lovely, very welcoming and open. The Balinese I find have been tolerant towards all people that come here over periods of time.”

December 2010 • ScandAsia.Singapore 29

Medium

Jansson’s Temptation Jansson's Temptation or Janssons Frestelse as it is known in Sweden probably owes its name to being such a creamy and delicious, perfect winter comfort food!

Simple, but flavoursome, you can have it on its own or with a fresh salad. The anchovies give this dish a beautiful salty twist although I personally prefer to leave out this ingredient!

There are many versions of this traditional winter dish, but here's one recipe

Evil

Place the rest of the potatoes on top and season with black pepper. Pour over the cream and cook in 200C oven for about 30 minutes or until the potatoes are fully tender and the top has browned.

You can enjoy the creamy goodness on its own or with a fresh salad.

Are you done?

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photos), and place a layer of potatoes on the bottom.

Add the cooked onions and place the anchovies on top.

Jansson's Temptation 4-5 medium sized potatoes, peeled and cut thinly 2 medium sized onions, thinly sliced 2 tbs butter 80g jar of anchovies in oil, drained, but keep the oil 300ml double cream (umm yes, this is why it's so creamy) ground black pepper Melt the butter and some of the anchovies oil in a frying pan, add onions and cook until soft, but not brown (about 15 minutes). Grease an oven proof dish (perhaps use a more shallow dish than seen on my

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