ScandAsia Singapore - February 2015

FEB 2015

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Inquiry Hotline +65 6653 7907

Coming Events

Norwegian Seafood Dinner 2015 When: Friday, March 13, 2015, 7:30pm Where: Raffles City Convention Centre, The Fairmont Ballroom Restriction: Only for Norwegian Business Association (Singapore) members.

The Norwegian Business Association Singapore announces that Norwegian celebrity chefs, Mr Eyvind Hellstrom, Mr Frode Selvaag, Mr Oyvind Nesheim and Mr Markus Dybwad will be collaborating with Singaporean celebrity chef Mr Eric Teo on this occasion.

Invitations will be sent out to NBAS Ordinar y members by end of January 2014.

Price per table (10 seats) is SGD 3 300.

DABS General Meeting 2015 When: Where:

Thursday, March 19, 2015 6:30pm - 10:00pm To be announced

The President and the Committee of the Danish Business Association Singapore will convene the annual general meeting to present its report on DABS activities of the previous year and discuss future plans.

The vision of DABS is to be a leading business association in Singapore recognized for its ability to provide value-adding services for its members in close cooperation with the Royal Danish Embassy and other relevant organizations in Singapore.

Membership of DABS is open to all Danes living and working in Singapore, to Danish companies/branches/representative offices in Singapore, and in some cases to other nationals being associated with Danish companies or Danish interests 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.

Get your own FREE copy: scandasia.com Last year’s DABS Annual General Meeting. Photo courtesy of DABS

Norway Asia Summit 2015

When: Where: Photo:

Your FREE ScandAsia Magazine in Singapore

April 16 - April 18, 2015 New Delhi, India Norway Asia Summit 2015

The fifth edition of the Norway-Asia Business Summit will present opportunities for Norwegian companies in the region, as well as for colleagues coming from Norway, for a rich mix of discussions on business in Asia, Asian economics and Asian politics.

This time, in addition looking into developments in the host country, India and discussing the possible regional impacts of these and how Norwegian businesses can contribute.

While Asia continues to entice, India is currently the new appealing country on the block.

Mr Narendra Modi, India’s new Prime Minister, promises to make India the most attractive destination for business, with several new initiatives, and rectification of old challenges. Amongst them, PM Modi’s call to “Make in India” has sent out a positive message across the globe.

Of course, to top all of this, you will also get to acquaint yourself with India’s rich culture and gastronomic experiences.

Time to block your calendar for this event!

Further details will follow here and on the Summit web page.

Visit Norway-Asia Business Summit Facebook Page for news and updates about the event.

The brochure is available in pdf format to provide you the details about the program, venue and signup information.

Publisher : ScandAsia Publishing Co., Ltd. 211 Soi Prasert Manukitch 29 Prasert Manukitch Road Chorakae Bua, Lad Prao Bangkok 10230, Thailand Tel. +66 2 943 7166-8, Fax: +66 2 943 7169 Editor-in-Chief : Gregers A.W. Møller gregers@scandmedia.com Assistant Editor: Thana Poopat thana@scandmedia.com Advertising : Frank Leong frank@scandmedia.com Finn Balslev finn@scandmedia.com Graphic Designer : Peerapol Meesuwan Peerapol@scandmedia.com Distribution : Wanvisa Rattanaburi wanvisa@scandmedia.com Printing : Advanced Printing Services Co., Ltd.

News Brief

Greenwave Systems sets up R&D center in Singapore

Photo: Embassy of Denmark in Singapore

G

reenwave Systems, the global Internet of Things (IoT) software and managed services leader, on January 27 announced it is opening a new Research & Development Center in Singapore to fur ther expand its innovation capabilities for the Internet of Things.

The new facility will focus on delivering state-of-the-art IoT technologies to its media, service provider, insurance, utility and consumer electronics partners and customers globally.Today, Greenwave has over 230 employees worldwide across offices in the U.S., Denmark, Singapore and Korea.

With the opening of its new R&D Center, Greenwave expects to grow its Singapore-based

team from 80 to approximately 120 employees.

“We welcome the establishment of Greenwave’s new R&D Center in Singapore, and are pleased that Greenwave has chosen Singapore to be its platform to grow its Internet of Things (IoT) business,” said Ms Thien Kwee Eng, Assistant Managing Director at the Singapore Economic Development Board.

“With the rise of digitization and opportunities in consumer businesses, as well as media and energy management, we encourage Greenwave to continue to leverage Singapore’s talent pool, research institutions and sophisticated demand for the co-creation of advanced IoT technologies for the Asian market and beyond.”

According to a recent repor t from International Data Corporation (IDC), based upon an extensive global market study, the worldwide IoT market is forecast to grow from $1.3 trillion in 2013 to $3.04 trillion in 2020.

In addition, government mandates will drive the Western Europe and Asia-Pacific regions to outpace North America in terms of IoT revenues and installed base through 2020.

“We applaud the Singapore Economic Development Board’s vision in recognizing IoT and M2M as exciting and strategic areas to drive economic growth in Singapore,” said Mar tin Manniche, Greenwave Systems Founder and CEO. “Since Greenwave was already established in Singapore, we’ve had the opportunity to see first-hand how the nation’s focus on innovation and technology has attracted superb talent and exciting business prospects. This was key in our decision to establish an R&D Center in Singapore as we look to expand our presence not only across Asia-Pacific but also the global market.”

Greenwave’s Axon™ managed ser vices platform is the technology that global brands use to connect devices and enable network-based services for their customers.

With broad suppor t of popular wireless communication protocols, Axon integrates broad device ecosystem management with video experience to deliver a powerful wholehome network, media, control and monitoring experience.

Axon is a managed modular platform upon which services and applications can be deployed and maintained, and provides device-powered real-time data that can be used to create highly targeted revenue-generating business models.

The new Innovation and R&D Center will be located in Science Park II, Singapore.

Carlsberg to develop biodegradable wood-fiber bottles

C

arlsberg has initiated a three-year project with packaging company ecoXpac, with the collaboration of Innovation Fund Denmark and the Technical University of Denmark, to develop a biodegradable and biobased bottle made from sustainably sourced wood-fiber, to be known as the “Green Fiber Bottle”.

All materials used in the bottle, including the cap, will be developed using bio-based and biodegradable materials - primarily, sustainably sourced wood-fibers – allowing the bottle to be responsibly degraded.

Commenting on the announcement from Carlsberg HQ in Copenhagen, Andraea Dawson-Shepherd, Senior Vice President for Corporate Affairs, said: “At Carlsberg we are firm believers in the impor tance of a circular economy in ensuring sustainable future growth and development on our planet, and today’s announcement is excellent news. If the project comes to fruition, as we think it will, it will mark a sea-change in our options for packaging liquids, and will be another important step on our journey towards a circular, zero-waste economy.”

4 ScandAsia.Singapore • February 2015

WHAT IF...

T AUGU5S 201 NS

ATIO APPLIC EN OP

Middle School student Noa connects with her teacher Paula.

…THE FOCUS OF TECHNOLOGY WAS LEARNING? Would technology no longer be an end in itself? At UWCSEA, our students are surrounded by technology, with 1.2 devices available for every student. But access to devices is only the beginning. UWCSEA invests even more in training teachers in the use of technology to transform learning.

With a goal of cultivating trust and collaborative conversations, Paula’s students use apps to extend discussions, access authentic audiences, edit one another’s work online and more. Technology keeps them connected—to each other.

Take Paula Guinto and her student Noa. With the support of dedicated digital literacy coaches, Paula uses technology extensively in her English classes. But she knows that the most important connection is the one that Noa makes with her learning.

Maybe that’s why UWCSEA was named 21st Century Learning International’s School of the Year for 2013.

There definitely isn’t an app for that.

UWCSEA Dover is registered by the CPE CPE Registration No. 197000825H Registration Period 18 July 2011–17 July 2017 UWCSEA East is registered by the CPE CPE Registration No. 200801795N Registration Period 10 March 2011–9 March 2017

What if your child joins UWCSEA? Visit www.uwcsea.edu.sg to find out more.

February 2015 • ScandAsia.Singapore 5 134ADV-1415

News Brief

Singapore-based Swedish firms visit Indonesia

A

Swedish Business Delegation comprising high-level representatives from twelve companies, largely based in Singapore, visited Jakarta on 25-27 January 2015.

The event was organized by the Embassies of Sweden in Jakar ta and Singapore in close cooperation with the Swedish Business Association of Singapore. The Business Delegation was led by the Ambassador of Sweden to Indonesia, Johanna Brismar Skoog, together with Håkan Jevrell Ambassador of Sweden to Singapore.

The purpose of the visit was to identify business oppor tunities and to get a better understanding of the economic and political developments in Indonesia.

Photo: Embassy of Sweden in Singapore

Marimekko to open Singapore, Bkk stores

O Ericsson, Singtel agree to test 5G in Singapore

S

ingapore’s Singtel and Sweden’s Ericsson signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on January 27 to collaborate on testing technologies for future 5G network deployments.

The MoU covers the exploration of potential 5G network standards and likely applications to meet future demand from consumers and industries, while the Singtel/Ericsson venture will specifically study how next-generation mobile platforms can support Singapore’s ‘Smart Nation’ ICT vision.

The teams from Singtel and Ericsson will study candidate 5G technology standards including networ k architecture suppor ting Massive Machine Type Communications (MTC) and a cloud-based network, with commercial launches envisaged for 2020, the press release added.

Ericsson is not the only tech vendor the telco is partnering to explore 5G possibilities, after Singtel also launched a 5G Joint Innovation Programme with China’s Huawei Technologies last November.

The Singaporean firm is also a member of the Next Generation Mobile Network (NGMN) Alliance, which is hammering out details of a 5G white paper setting for th parameters such as performance requirements, network architecture, spectrum and intellectual proper ty rights; the NGMN paper will be presented at Mobile World Congress (MWC) in March this year.

6 ScandAsia.Singapore • February 2015

pportunities afforded by the growing consumer mar kets of Asia play an impor tant role in Marimekko’s internationalisation. Over the past three years, new markets have been opened up in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, and the Marimekko stores in Asia have doubled in number.

Marimekko is continuing its expansion in Asia.

Retailer-owned Marimekko stores will be opened in the major Southeast Asian metropolises of Singapore and Bangkok in spring 2015. The intention is to open more stores in the next few years. The forthcoming store in Singapore will be in an excellent business location in the new Capitol Piazza mall. A Marimekko shopin-shop was already opened in November 2014 at the famous Tangs depar tment store, whose international peers include, for example, Bloomingdale’s of New York and London’s Selfridges. The Bangkok store will be opened in one of the city’s biggest and busiest shopping centres, Central World, which attracts as many as 150,000 customers a day.

“In our expansion in the international marketplace, we have focused first and foremost on regions with high growth potential. The AsiaPacific region is our second-largest market area, and we already have a fairly strong foothold in East Asia. We are now aiming for two new markets in Southeast Asia as Marimekko stores are opened in Singapore and Bangkok in the spring,” says Mika Ihamuotila, President and CEO. “Singapore is a modern metropolis and very attractive to us, as it is considered one of the region’s top shopping destinations for tourists.

As an aviation gateway it also serves as an access point to many Asian countries, and the city receives an enormous number of travellers. The capital city of Thailand, Bangkok, is in an interesting stage of development from the retail viewpoint. A number of high-class malls have been opened in

Photo: Marimekko

the city recently, and it is rising to be a noteworthy rival to Singapore and Hong Kong,” Ihamuotila continues.

Half of the new Marimekko stores opened in 2014 were in the Asia-Pacific region: two in Hong Kong, one in Chengdu in mainland China, two in Seoul in South Korea, and two in Japan. In Australia, Marimekko opened a company-owned store in Melbourne. Two further shop-in-shops were opened, one in New Zealand and another in Singapore.

News Brief

Norway, Singapore seek closer ties on Arctic affairs

V Minister of State Sam Tan met Norwegian Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr Børge Brende on 19 January 2015, and presented the latter with a copy of Professor Tan Tai Yong’s “Maritime Heritage of Singapore”. Photo credit: MFA

isit of Minister of State in The Prime Minister’s Office and Ministry Of Culture, Community and Youth, Sam Tan to Norway, 18 to 22 January 2015 Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office and the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth Mr Sam Tan was in Tromsø, Norway to attend the 9th Arctic Frontiers conference on 19 January 2015. He delivered a speech titled: “State of the Arctic – Singapore’s Perspective”.

The event was attended by about 877 registered participants from 37 countries.

On the sidelines of the conference, Mr Tan called on Norwegian Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr Børge Brende. They reaffirmed the good relations between Singapore and Norway, and had a frank exchange of views on regional developments. Mr Tan also met United States Special Representative for the Arctic Admiral Rober t J. Papp Jr. to discuss possible areas of cooperation between Singapore and the United States during the latter’s Chairmanship of the Arctic Council from 2015 to 2017. In addition, Mr Tan met a Singaporean student, Mr Ian Lee, who is taking part in the University of the Arctic (UArctic) Student Ambassadors Programme at the University of Tromsø.

Universal Robots opens regional HQ in Singapore

D

anish robot manufacturer Universal Robots on Januar y 8 announced the official opening of its Asia-Pacific (excluding China and India) headquar ters in Singapore. This is its sixth global office.

This comes as Universal Robots plans to significantly expand its client base throughout AsiaPacific. The Singapore office will be responsible for the operations and expansion plans across the region as well as training regional distributors on Universal Robots’ latest technologies.

Shermine Gotfredsen has been appointed the first general manager to lead the Asia-Pacific operations.

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14/08/2014 11:567 February 2015 • ScandAsia.Singapore

News Brief

Singapore, Denmark have world’s fastest mobile networks

T

he fastest average mobile networks in the world are in Denmark 21.6 Mbit/s, Singapore 16.7 Mbit/s, and in Switzerland 16.5 Mbit/s.

In the US, the average mobile internet speed is 6.7 Mbit/s, in the UK 5.6 Mbit/s, and in Germany 5.9 Mbit/s.

These findings are from the Netradar mobile network maps created by the Internet Society and Aalto University in Finland.

Their report is based on data from ordinary Indian mobile phone users using Netradar, a free mobile application to measure mobile connections and devices. Aalto University developed the app and runs it globally. When using the application, users are presented with data about the quality of their connectivity.

Shareholders approve sale of Norway’s REC Solar to Chinese firm

A

t an Extraordinary General Meeting on January 15, REC’s shareholders approved to sell the business as the largest European supplier of solar panels worldwide and to combine with the Norway-based Elkem Group. The closing of the transaction is expected in early March 2015.

Bluestar Elkem Investment is set to acquire REC Solar Holdings AS and all of the assets and liabilities of REC Solar at a cash purchase price of NOK 4,340 million. Since 2011, the Norwaybased Elkem Group is fully owned by China National Bluestar, which in turn is a joint venture between the conglomerate ChemChina and Blackstone.

Mar tin Cooper, CEO of REC, states: “We are pleased that the shareholders have voted in favour of this transaction, in accordance with the previous recommendation by the Board of Directors. We believe that a combination with the Elkem Group will provide a strong platform to further develop REC, with added strengths and new opportunities.”

Elkem is keen to develop the existing organization of REC and to invest in fur ther growth as a leading global brand in the solar industry. According to members of management, both companies are strongly committed to maintaining the high quality of REC’s solar panels, which far surpass stringent certifications, as well as to ensure REC warranties stay reliable. The basis for this industry-leading product quality will continue to be REC’s fully-automated integrated production plant in Singapore. Perhaps most importantly, customers can expect “business as usual”.

Going forward, REC is expecting new business opportunities due to this transaction.

As the Elkem Group is a leading supplier of silicon, REC can benefit from new synergies up-stream the value chain. The company’s already strong strategic and financial position will be further strengthened thanks to improved access to financing, fur ther boosting research and development, new technologies, production capacity and penetrating new markets in Asia such as China. “The Elkem Group and REC have developed a strong business relationship and there is a good strategic match between the companies, as both have a Norwegian corporate culture and heritage. The Elkem Group has a strategic goal to grow its presence in the solar industry. The ambition is to establish a leading integrated PV player,” comments Helge Aasen, CEO of Elkem AS.

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8 ScandAsia.Singapore • February 2015

Q&A

Reader profile of the month

Jan

Jørgensen

J Finland is second in world’s do-gooder list

F

inland is ranked No. 2 on the lost of dogooder in the world!, according to The Good Country Index.

The idea of the Good Countr y Index is pretty simple: to measure what each country on ear th contributes to the common good of humanity, and what it takes away. Using a wide range of data from the U.N. and other international organisations, we’ve given each country a balance-sheet to show at a glance whether it’s a net creditor to mankind, a burden on the planet, or something in between.

It’s impor tant to explain that we are not making any moral judgments about countries.

What I mean by a Good Country is something much simpler: it’s a country that contributes to the greater good.

The Good Country Index is one of a series of projects I’ll be launching over the coming months and years to start a global debate about what countries are really for. Do they exist purely to serve the interests of their own politicians, businesses and citizens, or are they actively working for all of humanity and the whole planet?

The debate is a critical one, because if the first answer is the correct one, we’re all in deep trouble.

The Good Country Index doesn’t measure what countries do at home: not because I think these things don’t matter, of course, but because there are plenty of surveys that already do that.

What the Index does aim to do is to start a global discussion about how countries can balance their duty to their own citizens with their responsibility to the wider world, because this is essential for the future of humanity and the health of our planet. I hope that looking at these results will encourage you to take part in that discussion.

Today as never before, we desperately need a world made of good countries. We will only get them by demanding them: from our leaders, our companies, our societies, and of course from ourselves.

an Jørgensen is a 48 years Dane. He is the Managing Director of Atlas Pearls & Perfumes and moved to Indonesia in 1994 because of a job oppor tunity in the pearling industry. As a child in Nykøbing Falster he was fascinated watching and reading about pearl divers sinking into the deep blue. Jan studied Aquaculture in Perth, Western Australia, and started his pearling career in Kupang, West Timor. Now 20 years into his Indonesian adventure he lives on Bali with his wife and their two boys.

Working in Indonesia has taught me... infinite patience and religious tolerance, to the degree where I can’t see how otherwise I would ever have developed such tolerance. A major part of our operations is to develop relationships and ultimately agreements with local communities surrounding our remote pearl farms and this is very much the most crucial aspect of operating here in Indonesia.

The best thing about doing business in Indonesia is... the process of developing trust, once you have trust then you are friends and partners for life, very loyal and hardworking people.

In Indonesia I could do without.. the pollution there is so much more we can do to help steer this in a better direction.

My best advice to a newcomer in Indonesia... is to first observe and never to think that business can be done by taking shortcuts and without permits. Work within the rules and regulations and always calculate in benefits to the traditional stakeholders.

Since 1994 Indonesia has... changed in unbelievable ways, I relied mainly on ferries to get around the various islands but occasionally used airplanes which back then had open policy in terms of allowing smoking inside the cabin(not something I ever want to re live). These days flying around Indonesia

have become a much smoother experience.

To have seen the Indonesian middle class gather pace so quickly, ownership of cars, motorbikes and houses and having expendable income is an incredible achievement.

Living outside of Scandinavia has made me realize... that it takes all races, religions and beliefs to make this world go around, regardless of who we are we all have very similar needs and concerns in regards to profession, family and life in general.

Since I became an expat Danish traditions have... become somewhat limited but we do maintain traditional meals for Christmas and Bali being so packed with variety I am able to sneak in some marzipan and nougat on occasion! I have known many Scandinavians during my time in Indonesia, there have been some real characters living in very remote parts of the country and it is amazing to see how they always tend to keep a slice of their home traditions and values with them wherever they go.

In Indonesia I have picked up the habit... of drinking “mud coffee”, this is what I call it anyway using a table spoon of “kopi kapal api” and letting it settle in a large glass of boiling water and of course having a good selection of Batik Shirts when meeting representatives from the government.

I go home to Scandinavia.. hardly ever, the last time I was home I was invited by my Grandfather to stay at his home, even though this was in June I gave in after the first night and asked if I could move a mattress into his sauna, once set at 25 degrees I was able to finally sleep without freezing. I doubt I will be able to return to Denmarks climate after my time in Indonesia.

Eventually I want to leave for Australia... because my Parents are based in Perth and our 2 boys are very close to their Grandparents, Perth is where we had a home for over 10 years and have returned for holidays to visit family and friends so definitely Perth is on our radar.

February 2015 • ScandAsia.Singapore 9

Erika to teach Malays how to With a Masters Degree in International Relations and an ambition to start an NGO in Malaysia, opening a Swedish “fika” café in Georgetown might not seem like the obvious choice for Erika Teng, none the less Erika has chosen this, as a way to inspire people in Malaysia and as her first step on the road to start an NGO.

By Lasse Henriksen

10 ScandAsia.Singapore • February 2015

I

n a narrow lane of moldy looking colonial shop houses in the UNESCO heritage neighborhood of Georgetown there is a house with a fresh painted facade. At first glance this looks like any other of the few newly painted houses on the street, but if you study the small painted frieze on the building you will see an elk and what appears to be blackberries. Here in an anglo-oriental atmosphere from the 19th century the 32 year old Swede Erika Teng is opening a Swedish themed café.

“I don’t want a trendy or hyped café. I want a café with a relaxed atmosphere, a café that welcomes everyone as they are. I want to make sure local people can afford to go to, so the prices won’t be too high,” Erica says.

This approach is in contrast to a lot of the cafés in photogenic Georgetown, where you will find cafes as the #SelfieCoffee, where baristas paint pictures and logos on the coffee foam. This is a city where a lot of newly opened cafés seem to focus on interior design and where the cakes tend to look better than they taste.

Let’s talk cake Well, coffee is coffee, and even though Erika plans to sell a European rosted fair trade version, the main focus is on the pastry.

Even though the menu will be constantly changing and the recipes adjusted a bit to suit the Malay taste, some things will stay the same. There will always be sugarfree options baked with natural sweeteners, some of the pastry will be baked using whole grain flour and of course classics like Semla or the Swedish cinnamon bun will stay on the menu throughout the year.

In addition to cakes, the café will serve traditional Swedish breakfast with homemade müesli youghurt, bread with cheeses, shrimp sandwich and possibly also a cold salmon sandwich.

The light interior is inspired by the simplicity of modern Scandinavian design, but Erika have learned that with Malaysia’s bright sun, it can be blinding if every surface is painted white. When the cafe opens, there will be cards with facts about Swedish society on the tables.

The family gets it When Erika’s cafe “Fika” opened on the 17th of January, this counter was full of semla, cinnamon buns and other Swedish pastry.

The cafe is located in a shop house. Traditionally you would have a shop downstairs and live upstairs. This inspired the couple to have a cafe in their home.

But Erica has another mission, even though the café is quite stylish with a row of retro window shutters decorating a wall, simplistic white surfaces and pinewood details, she wants people to come for the social experience rather than the visual. She wants people to come for the so called “fika” experience.

“Fika is usually one of the first words you learn when you come to Sweden, it means sitting down having a break together with friends, colleagues or family, having a cup of coffee and a cake, and then talk about things. It can be just ordinary things or political, and I really feel that in Sweden the coffee break, either with your friends or at work, is where things actually gets decided and evolves,” Erika says.

small cards with facts about Sweden. A fact like there is free education in Sweden, the percentage of men that goes on maternity leave and similar information that might surprise locals and show them that there are many ways to build a society.

“It’s not about showing that Sweden is the best country in the world, and that we do it the right way. I think every country should develop its own way. But it is important that young people feel that they can make a change or difference,” Erica says.

People starting to discuss gender issues or social inequality in Malaysia, rather than taking selfies, is not going to happen by itself. The main tool to secure this is to disconnect the Wi-Fi and have chat with people that are surprised that they can’t get online.

Erika knows that she, in many ways, are more privileged than the average Malay, but she hopes that a good talk can show locals that it is possible to do things in new ways and inspire them to become active players in the society rather than spectators.

Pastry of change The good talks that Erika knows from the Fikatradition are very important to her. She wants the café to be more than a café. It should be a source of inspiration to Malays, by showcasing Swedish culture and values through posters and

Erika is married to Malay man with Chinese ancestry, and she has used his family to test what pastry they like and to see if the family approved of the “fika” concept. The family turned out to be a valuable source of feedback. Even though she felt they were being a little harsh in the beginning, her husband explained to her, that the criticism was actually a positive thing.

“The more they talk about it, the more they like it. Because then they think it can actually be improved to be really good. So they just want to hint you in the right direction. If it is hopeless they won’t say anything,” Erika says.

The family has also embraced the talking and togetherness of the traditional fika. Gathering the family is not a new thing, but traditionally they have done it over dinner and not a cup of coffee.

Erika opened her café named Fika on January the 17th and she hopes that this will just be the first step of a larger journey. It is located in Lorong Toh Aka number 20.

“When I moved here my main purpose was to do something for the society. I thought how do I start up a NGO in Malaysia from scratch, I need to know more about the place and to get in contact with people, and so I got the idea of opening up a café to start with and then it can evolve to more than just being a café,” Erika says.

February 2015 • ScandAsia.Singapore 11

Smørrebrød near Raffles Place MRT Station

B

orn out of a need for to create awareness about the new Nordic diet & paying back to Singapore, Smør decided to introduce a palatable & acceptable method in the hear t of Singapore’s centr al business distr ict by introducing Scandinavian smørrebrød delights to cater to the ever-burgeoning demand for premium quality nutritious meals at affordable prices.

The Nordic Diet emphasizes 3 tenets: 1) Breads made of whole grain rye because they contain slow-digesting fiber, which prevent sharp rises in blood sugar that create food cravings.

2) Low-temperature cooking methods, such as oven baking and boiling, to keep the nutritional value of the foods.

3) Foods from organic sources; ensuring food security without jeopardizing the environment Ever y open-faced sandwich at Smør is prepared with that vision & goal in mind.

Smør packs in not only heaps of nutrients, but also a flavourful story of an owner who spent twelve years as a Sales Director at Bloomberg in Singapore, before realizing that he needed to leave behind a culinary legacy of sorts. The corporate life, filled with its endless buffets, had taken a toll on his waistline, and he seriously questioned the perks of eating healthy. The food at Smør, is a complete nutrient meal consisting of a handful of complex carbs, a handful of protein, and a handful of fibre for each plate, showing their understanding & importance of an organic & processed-free diet.

12 ScandAsia.Singapore • February 2015

Featuring wholesome organic produce and premium ingredients imported directly from the Scandinavian region, among the cold specialties include: Norwegian Smoked Salmon, Hand Peeled Shrimps and Pickled Herring while the hot specialties include a fusion of East meets West, with their spicy Kale & Mushrooms and farm fed Herb Roasted Sirloin.

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Gattopardo Sicily in Singapore!

C

ontemporary Italian and Mediterranean restaurant, Gattopardo, located in the hear t of Tanjong Pagar, has the tagline ‘Ristorante di Mare’, which simply translates to “Seafood Restaurant” in English. The soul of the restaurant is representative of the roots of Executive Chef and Managing Director Lino Sauro’s culinary style which is heavily influenced

by South Italian seafood. A famous Celebrity Chef both in Singapore and Italy, Chef Lino still proudly considers himself a ‘traditional village boy’, as he is a son of a traditional farming family, from a tiny mountain village of South Italy. Chef Lino’s strong ties to his roots can be felt in his creations as they are made with the finest, freshest and best seasonal ingredients from Italy.

The restaurant features a two-story space to accommodate a total of 80 diners. One of its main attraction is the seafood counter on the first floor, boasting a diverse range of sustainable seafood offerings directly sourced from FRIEND OF THE SEA Sustainable Seafood-Certified fisheries from

around the world, and presented with both a South-Italian and Mediterranean flair. The other focal point of the restaurant is a beautiful Italianinspired spiral staircase which diners use to gain access to the upper level. For those seeking some privacy, two private rooms are available for parties of 5 and 20 respectively.

Food critics and fans alike rave about Chef Lino’s deliciously innovative and heritage-inspired signature dishes such as Risone Con Polipo Brasato e Midollo di Bue, a Risone Pasta with Braised Octopus and Bone Marrow; the Zuppa di Pesce “Gattopardo”, a Gattopardo’s Signature seafood stew in a Terracotta pot; and the Branzino al Sale, a salted baked Mediterranean Sea Bass.

Gattopardo rotates a set of seasonal menus throughout the year featuring dishes created with ingredients in tuned with the seasonal produce available in Italy during each of the four seasons.

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Arla establishes

new business region in Asia

A

rla chose Kuala Lumpur as location for new regional Head Quarters serving China and all of South East Asia Arla Foods is integrating its markets in China and South East Asia in a new regional market called Business Unit Asia. The regional office will be placed in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, as of March 1st 2015.

Asia is vital to Arla’s ambitions to grow and to increase earnings for its cooperative farmer-owners in Europe. As the world’s fastest growing economic region with a raw milk deficit and a total population of 2.3 billion people, Asia holds great potential for dairy export, in particular for family nutrition products.

China is a strategic growth market for Arla, while South East Asia (SEA) has been identified as a region, which could potentially become a new strategic growth market.The expectation is that revenue for the region will exceed 1 billion Euro within the next five years. The consumer needs in China and SEA have many similarities and therefore possible synergies within brand and product por tfolio, marketing and innovation.

“In close cooperation with our par tner Mengniu, we have developed our market in China. We have gained impor tant experience and insight, which will be levers to accelerate our expansion in Asia. We have strengthened our presence in several SEA countries and it’s

time to move the senior management and main leadership functions to the region,” says Executive Vice President Finn Hansen, head of Arla Foods’ business group, Consumer International.

The new Business Unit Asia management will be based in a regional office in Kuala Lumpur and will be setting the strategy for all retail and food service activities in Asia. The unit will cover the Chinese retail sales through the partnership with Mengniu Dairy China as well as the SEA market. During 2014, Arla has established or strengthened the country management in Bangladesh, Indonesia, Myanmar and Philippines, and these as well as the management in Japan and South Korea and distributor sales in SEA will all report to the regional office.

New head of Asia To head Arla’s new Business Unit Asia Jesper Colding is appointed as Senior Vice President as of March 1st. Jesper is currently holding a position in the executive management of Mengniu Dairy China as Vice President for Marketing.

From 2009 to 2012, Jesper Colding was Senior Vice President in Global Categories in Arla with responsibility for cheese and the BSM category.

Earlier in his career, he was based in Malaysia as associate director in P&G with sales and marketing responsibility for Malaysia and Singapore.

“Jesper has a broad strategic and commercial experience and an in-depth knowledge of the consumers in both China and South East

The market for one of Arla’s key products, cheese, is expanding rapidly in all the countries in Asia. It started with mozarella for pizza’s but today the taste has become much more sophisticated.

Photo: Chris Buecheler.

14 ScandAsia.Singapore • February 2015

Jesper Colding is appointed head of Arla’s new Business Unit Asia.

Asia. I am confident that he is the right profile to continue the development of China even further and to lead both the new regional team and country managers to a successful delivery of growth in Asia,” says Finn Hansen.

Jesper Colding is excited to relocate to Kuala Lumpur to take up a new challenge for Arla: “Asia holds so much potential. There is a growing affluence among people and they are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of good health and choice of nutrition. We will build on the great foundation that has been created to refine our approach to the market in order to accelerate delivery of the strategic ambition. I am fortunate to have the opportunity to lead the next phase of Arla’s journey in a region I have lost my heart to.”

Current head of Arla’s Business Unit China, Frede Juulsen, will take up a new role in Arla, which includes responsibility for TPM (Third Par ty Manufacturing), Global Infant Milk Formula and the Supply Chain in Consumer International.

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Sweden’s Ambassador to Malaysia:

“Malaysia is a bit forg

By Joakim Persson

W

hen Ambassador Bengt G. Carlsson arrived to Malaysia for his first head of mission posting, he had a re-start as beginning: the re-opening of the embassy following on a Swedish government decision to first close it down and then reopen it again.

“We arrived here in early September 2012 when just over a year had passed by since the closure of the previous embassy,” begins the Ambassador.

The new embassy is situated in an office building at walking distance from KL City Center with a slightly slimmed organisation compared to the old embassy. A new residence has also been acquired.

The Ambassador’s new deputy, Counsellor Louise Bonbeck arrived in 2014 from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Sweden. A Stockholm-based Defence Attaché also comes and goes, depending on events and activities.

“Defence trade with Malaysia goes back all the way to the 1960’s,” says Bengt G. Carlsson.

“And there are several deals on the cards and at various stages. So that’s no secret.”

Promoting the military defence systems from the SAAB Group, with the JAS Gripen fighter as an element, is naturally part of it.

“And to assist the promotion, we have a trade promoter; Jenn Lew, re-recruited from the previous embassy team.”

“This is first and foremost a trade and business promoting embassy – we should be concentrating on offensive tasks, such as supporting business activities, and of course we have a consular service.”

As for regular passport service for Swedes normally the mission in Singapore handles this these days.

“Sweden now has a policy to concentrate passport service around the world. There are other embassies in the region that can offer full service, and Singapore is not really far away,” explains the Ambassador.

“We can issue emergency passports but to Swedes living here we also recommend them to renew their passports when they visit Sweden – it is much cheaper and easier.”

Malaysia forgotten Bengt G. Carlsson also compares to the much larger Swedish embassy in Thailand, where he has also worked previously in his diplomatic career – and draws a connection: there is this big difference in visitors from Sweden, where Malaysia enjoys significantly fewer arrivals.

16 ScandAsia.Singapore • February 2015

gotten in Sweden” “Since I know both places – and without saying anything negative about Thailand; it’s a great tourist destination – I find this a bit remarkable.

Here we also have so many things to experience!

I think Malaysia is a bit forgotten in Sweden; flying under the radar.”

After two years in Malaysia the Ambassador himself feels that he now should travel more and explore the many things he has yet to discover in the Southeast-Asian nation.

“I would like to see more interest in various ways. Everyone knows Thailand and Singapore, but less the country in-between… and which is a bit of a mix as well. A lot here, such as the infrastructure, is also more modern and advanced than in Thailand, and it’s half the population.”

“I am happy to make the case for Malaysia’s variety and would welcome more Swedish tourism – and vice versa.”

The embassy promotes tourism to Sweden, as much as it can, and partake when there are opportunities to do so.

Innovation as umbrella Sweden has new recently elected government is drawing up its policies and strategies. From the Swedish Embassy we can still get a broader sense what we can expect ahead.

Innovation is a matter of the heart that the Ambassador wants to continue exploring as theme.

“The previous embassy started a broad and strategic innovation initiative in 2011. And it’s something where Malaysia now has a large interest in and where we [Sweden] have a lot to offer.

The government here is very clear with that, in order for the country to achieve its grand 2020 vision of becoming a high-income nation – now they are in the middle-income trap and treading water but working hard to reach there. Then they must become more innovative. And the government here is emphasizing this a lot and we collaborate with authorities, universities and investment agencies.”

“And by matching the different needs and talents we believe we have found a good umbrella – being innovation – to work with. And within this you can include a wide variety of things, and various sub-branches. We try to support those Swedish companies already present here. That incorporates for instance transportation where we have world-class companies established with assembly plants. Then you per default get matters of interest concerning road safety, urban transportation and planning etc. There are also “opportunities for SMEs, consultancy services etc. of interest within this,” highlights the Ambassador.

I would like to see more interest in various ways. Everyone knows Thailand and Singapore, but less the country inbetween… and which is a bit of a mix as well. A lot here, such as the infrastructure, is also more modern and advanced than in Thailand, and it’s half the population.

Within official Malaysia as counterpart the embassy collaborates first and foremost with the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI.) “This is a very important ministry here and they continue to be interested in Sweden. By nature this is the ministry to collaborate mostly with and focus on. There is also an innovation authority under Prime Minister’s Office that we have teamed up with together with Business Sweden and our companies.“ “We are, among other things, working on doing a roundtable discussion on innovation, trying to bring that up on a high level, including ministries and corporate leaders on various sides – for instance within productivity. We have Swedish companies such as SKF, Volvo, Scania, Mölnlycke etc. that could have a lot to contribute when it comes to increasing productivity in Malaysia.”

Team Sweden Bengt G. Carlsson says he has been around and done promotion work in several countries and the talk of potential is always there. But on this front he thinks that this is something that Malaysia really has.

“I think we underperform here. Swedish companies, in particular SMEs, ought to be able to have much more success here! So the challenge is to make Malaysia more visible to companies in Sweden.”

“We, in the region, have discussed having more joint promotion activities, and we are considering doing a smaller road show in Sweden in the spring, to meet the market so to speak. I think it would have larger impact if many countries do this together rather than just one.”

“We like to view ourselves as a part in ‘Team Sweden’, where there are other legs here. Business Sweden is one and then we have the companies that we are here to suppor t. All of us should be involved in this, and different companies depending on the activity what we are doing at the moment,” suggests the Ambassador.

“Then, whether it should be purely innovation-based or in a more specific sector such as health care or clean tech, I think it’s important that we work like this but stand united.”

“We do various activities and it’s of course important to have the Swedish companies along.

That has worked well. And it’s also important to involve also the academic world in this, to share research and ideas and as expertise.”

On the Swedish side the new government must find its way and decide which countries to visit in the near future.

“Malaysia is probably not on top of the government’s travel agenda; they are likely to start closer to home. But we’re hoping the new government will be interested in Asia and Malaysia; we’ve had very few ministerial visits here. Again, I think that has to do with this country being quite unknown. But this is my job to bring this to a higher level and making the country more visible back home. And not just praise and embellishment; rather giving an informed and nuanced view. However this is after all a country with many advantages, among the top in the world as far as the ‘Ease of Doing Business’ index is concerned, and a very pleasant and nice country to live in or visit, one cannot deny that!”

“In our yearly planning we submit promotion plans and present what we would like to do, and then we can apply for funding for example to do these innovation efforts and to attract attention in media and elsewhere. For us working actively with promotion and events out here, it is definitely very important to have access to these resources so we can combine them with funding and cofinancing from other stakeholders, such as our companies here. Successful promotion events are normally very costly, there is a lot of competition from other countries as well.”

February 2015 • ScandAsia.Singapore 17

Cinnamon rolls key to success for Bali-based Swedish family The Lassesson-family from Stockholm, Sweden, dreamed of a different life.

An internet ad opened the opportunity to move to the paradise island of Bali.

Nine years later they have built their dream life - and it was grandma’s recipe for cinnamon rolls that led the way.

Text & Photos: Michael Töpffer

O

n Tamblingan, the main street in the Sanur-area of paradise-island Bali, two towering blond figures are sitting comfor tably in the shade of a lush tree at a café, drinking freshly squeezed orange juice.

The name of the café is solid Swedish: Café Smörgås, or Café Sandwich. Guests entering here will see large photo-prints hanging on the walls, showing beautiful and well selected images from well known locations in Sweden, like Stockholm old town and the archipelago.

Café Smörgås is a Swedish oasis in the middle of a tropical paradise.

The two Swedes drinking juice in the shadow of the tree are Johan and Lotta Lassesson. Café Smörgås is their brainchild.

It’s somewhat hectic at the café, customers are coming in a steady stream to find a seat and place their orders. The staff are busy serving coffee and juice, sandwiches with Swedish specialities like meatballs and salmon, and also one-plate meals, like pasta and, of course, fika - the Swedish term for a cake or a bun with coffee.

Bestsellers are Swedish cinnamon rolls and Swedish style apple-pie.

Johan and Lotta look relaxed and have a healthy appearance. While Johan is wearing paradise-suitable shor ts and a t-shirt, Lotta is

18 ScandAsia.Singapore • February 2015

wearing her trainer outfit. She will soon be off to her yoga-course.

“Our café is now almost fully operated by our staff. We mostly take care of bookkeeping and payroll,” Johan Lassesson, 50, explains.

“We have a lot of family-time together, both for our hobbies and for each other. We are truly living a lifestyle we just a few years ago only could dream, says Lotta Lassesson, 48, and continues: “To take that step and to try to realize our dreams is the best thing we ever did,” she says.

Ten years ago, they were living a very different kind of life.

The family was living in the suburb of Bromma, just outside Stockholm. Johan had his own company in construction-business, with 16 staff.

Lotta was an administrator working at state owned company, Svenska Spel.

Both of them were busy with their careers, and especially Johan was suffering from constantly being under pressure as an employer.Time was always in short supply and daily life felt very predictable.

“Both of us had for long been thinking of making a change in our lives, but we didn’t know how, Johan explains.

They had been thinking of moving to a different area, or maybe selling the company to move abroad, maybe to Croatia or Mallorca for

six months, mostly for the fun and the adventure and to get a rest and to recharge.

“I always dreamed of moving abroad”, says Johan.

But somehow, their dreams never materialized.

Their first daughter, Siri, was born around that time. A comment from Lotta’s sister really hit them in the stomach.

“My older sister told me that ‘remember that children very easily get sick during their first years at kindergarten and need a lot of attention and to stay at home’. Then I felt I did not want to go through that period and having a stressful job. I really started to think that it was time to do something else,” says Lotta.

That moment came in 2005. Johan was looking at some Internet ads.

“Suddenly there was Swedish man selling s small hotel in Bali. It sounded too good to be true,” he says.

The price was the equivalent of USD226,000.

Both him and Lotta had visited Bali as tourists before, and loved the island. Johan got on the phone and called Lotta.

“I just told him: ‘Let’s buy it’,” says Lotta.

Then everything went ahead very quickly.

In the summer of 2005, they travelled to Bali to see the hotel. They made up their mind

and wrote a contract. The transfer date was set to the coming new year.

Back in Sweden, Johan sold his company, and Lotta quit her work.

They started to sell their belongings and put ad out to sell their apartment.

Many of their friends were impressed by their bold decision to leave the security and safety that comes with living in Sweden, to give it all up and throw themselves into the unknown.

By now, they also had a second daughter, Sara, to take care of.

“Some of our friends said ‘Wow, I wish I could do the same’,” but I just told them ‘just do it’,”, says Johan, who also admits that other friends made efforts to come up with excuses not to do something similar.

“They could claim they owned a horse or a dog and that this made it impossible for them to move abroad,” says Johan.

Even though the Swedish couple was preparing well, setbacks were inevitable.

In October 2005, Bali was the scene of a devastating terrorist attack. Some suicide bombers blew themselves up in the middle of the tourist area. 26 people died and hundreds were injured.

Suddenly tourists stayed away from Bali. This was definitely the wrong moment to start a hotel business. But the deal was sealed and there was

no way out for the Swedes.

“Our worst-case scenario was that we will soon be bankrupted. But should that happen, we could always return to Sweden, look for work, take a new mor tage and buy a house,” they explain.

The next setback was that it turned out it was almost impossible to sell the apartment in Sweden. The money was needed to invest in the hotel, but no one seemed interested in buying the apartment.

“Only two days before our departure to Bali we managed to sell it,” Johan says with a smile.

December 22, 2005, they left the cold in Sweden. With them, they brought three suitcases, a few CDs, computers, books and toys for the children.

Clothes they planned to buy when in Bali.

The first year they stayed in their own hotel.

It was practical and cheap and gave them time to look for a more suitable home to rent. Siri was enrolled at a kindergarten, and Sara was taken care of by a nanny. The hotel had a staff of four.

Johan and Lotta were focusing on running the hotel which only had ten rooms. But they were happy, and full of excitement for their new lifestyle.

“When we first arrived, all felt great and it kept on getting even better and better, but

after six months, reality started to set in. We got depressed and thought of moving back to Sweden, but this feeling too evaporated and soon it started to feel good again. It was probably a delayed culture-shock,” says Johan.

It also turned out that many of their hotelguests were longstayers. They could stay at the hotel for many months. That meant there was very little work for Johan and Lotta.

“They never checked out so there wasn’t much for us to do,” says Johan.

Slowly, they started to look at other business opportunities. How about something that was missing in Sanur? A Swedish cafe?

They kicked off the project and found a suitable location in Sanur. They signed a lease and started on a very small scale. The premises was tiny and there was hardly a kitchen. Instead, they prepared cakes and salads at home and had it delivered by motorbike.

Initially, sales were very slow. But success came with the Swedish-style cinnamon rolls.They became very popular in Bali. And later also their Swedish apple-pie.

“It was my mother Kerstin’s recipes. The cinnamon rolls should have granulated sugar on top, while the apple-pie should have a crusty bottom and a freshness, not like those thick, american apple-pies with a top crust,” Lotta explains.

February 2015 • ScandAsia.Singapore 19

But even now, running a hotel and a café in Bali wasn’t easy. Costs were high and revenues uncertain.

“There were times when we could hardly afford to fill up our car at the service station,” says Johan.

Lotta remembers the hard times.

“It was very stressful. We never knew if we would make it. It took us quite some time before we knew we could afford the school-fees for our children,” she says.

But the Swedes kept on working to achieve their dream.

After three years running Café Smörgås, the financial situation was so good they felt they can start to relax a bit.

In the meantime, they had had an offer to sell the hotel, which they did. That meant they were able to recoup their investment plus a profit, and could focus in running the café.

Today, Café Smörgås, is a well-known eatery and café in Bali. But competition is fierce. Almost every week, a new café or restaurant opens.

“You need to have a niche, a speciality. Ours is being Scandinavian, or Swedish, and we try to keep a high level of quality,” says Johan.

“Recently, we baked and delivered Swedish Princess-cake and Toast Skagen for a wedding party here in Bali. It was a Swedish man getting married to a woman from India. That was great,” says Johan.

Their business has now also expanded into school catering and they have a staff of 25.

20 ScandAsia.Singapore • February 2015

Most of the work is now handled by an Indonesian man who used to live and work as a chef in Sweden. He speaks Swedish and knows the Swedish cuisine and tastes.

Johan and Lotta spend a lot of time with their hobbies. Johan is into scuba diving, and Lotta loves yoga and Qi-gong.

Both are into outdoor activities.

“Sometimes I take my motorbike and my dog and drive down to the beach to go jogging. It’s great to be able to do this,” says Johan Siri and Sara have now turned 11 and 9, and both go to an international school nearby.

Apart from a nanny taking care of the children, there is one worker taking care of the swimming pool and the garden.

When housework is outsourced, there is a lot of time being with the family.

“It’s so easy to meet here. You can just make a few phone calls and people will come over.

In Sweden, you always have to plan many days, sometimes weeks, in advance, People there are so busy,” says Johan.

When Scandmedia visits the family in their nice villa, Johan and Lotta have invited some friends over for a barbeque.

At the barbeque, there are guests from Spain, Denmark, Australia and America. Some work in diving, others run their own businesses, or are able to work from home for companies located elsewhere.

Many have brought kids with them, and they soon join Siri and Sara in front of the TV.

“Our children have friends from all over the world. They speak English with them, Swedish with us and Indonesian with the nanny. It’s very fascinating,” says Johan.

Johan and Lotta have taken great care in giving their children a Swedish upbringing, with access to Swedish children’s books and TV. They have also been back to Sweden many times.

“They think that Sweden is the best country in the world. They often ask when we are going to return next time,” says Johan.

During the Lassesson-family’s time in Bali, they have seen many other Scandinavians coming to try to settle and starting a business, but most have failed. Many have the wrong strategy.

“They come here, but keep one foot back in Sweden. They might have a house or something that makes them stay connected to Sweden.Then they don’t focus 100 percent on their project in Bali and it is much easier for them to give up as they can always very easily return to Sweden,” says Johan.

“We never had that option. We had nothing to return to and were very focused on making it here in Bali. We were under pressure to succeed,” Johan and Lotta say.

A few hundred meters away, the waves from the Ocean are rolling on to the beautiful beach, where tourists are relaxing in the shades of umbrellas.

This is exactly the paradise Johan and Lotta used to dream of. Now it’s their dream come true.

February 2015 • ScandAsia.Singapore 21

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ot only is this an easy way to bake fish, but preparing salmon fillet with savory rosemary and vegetables makes this a delicious and flavorful meal. It is a known fact that seafood is healthy food and that salmon, especially, is very rich in Omega 3 Fatty Acid, which lowers our cholesterol.

Baking the fish in aluminum foil makes the clean-up easy, so this recipe has numerous benefits. This recipe is for four people.

Ingredients: 1 pound fish fillet - skin on 1 small onion, thinly sliced Fresh rosemary, chopped.

1/2 tablespoon olive oil 1/2 tablespoon lemon zest 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice Ground sea salt Coarsely ground black pepper Aluminum foil

Preparation: Brush olive oil on a large piece of aluminum foil. Place rinsed and dried fillet, skin-side down on foil. Sprinkle lemon zest, salt, pepper and rosemary

Vegetables: Broccoli florets Sliced red peppers Sliced yellow squash Thinly sliced red skin potatoes Arrange vegetables over fish. Spritz lemon juice and sprinkle ground sea salt sparingly. Fold foil tightly around the salmon fillet and vegetables and place on a baking sheet in a preheated oven at 350 C.. Bake 20 minutes.

Serving Suggestion:

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This is a great fish recipe and believe me, Norwegians know how to cook seafood.

February 2015 • ScandAsia.Singapore 23

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