swissnex Singapore Annual Report 2012

singapore
Initiative of the State Secretariat for Education and Research
Platform of the Embassy of Switzerland
Swiss Knowledge Network with outposts in
Bangalore, Boston, San Francisco, Shanghai and Singapore
2012

contents
2 greetings from Federal Councillor Schneider-Ammann
3 foreword
4 at a glance
8 highlights 2012
14 visits & programmes
18 regional activities
19 finances
20 media & communication
22 partners & sponsors
26 team
28 outlook
1

2
greetings from Federal Councillor Schneider-Ammann
My visit to Singapore and China gave me the opportunity to learn more about
how swissnex initiates, nurtures and promotes new collaborations of scientists
and innovators from Switzerland with their stakeholders in cities of the future. At
interdisciplinary events fostering cross-fertilization of ideas in a vibrant and conducive
environment, I had the chance to interact with outstanding members of the swissnex
community.
The swissnex network is crucial at a time when science and innovation become key
drivers in international relations. Their bridging activity between education, research
and innovation is particularly relevant in today’s challenging economic environment.
I am therefore particularly proud to welcome the swissnex network in the newly set up
Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research, which will allow for
an even closer pathway between a research concept and the disruptive innovation.
Federal Councillor Schneider-Ammann
Minister for Economic Affairs, Education and Research
swissnex singapore 2012 greetings from federal CounCillor didier Burkhalter / foreword

foreword
Dear Reader,
During his official visit to Singapore, Federal Councillor Schneider-Ammann, Minister for
Economic Affairs, Education and Research, took the opportunity to attend a Swiss Alumni
event which hosted a debate on the synergies between education, research, innovation
and economy. In particular, the Swiss dual education system was set into discussion and
the crucial role of education in the increasingly challenging economy explored.
2012 also saw the official opening of the Singapore-ETH Centre and its Future Cities
Laboratory by Federal Councillor Alain Berset, paving the way to an exponentially growing
number of research activities of the ETH and its Swiss partners with the local and regional
players. Similarly, the St. Gallen Institute of Management in Asia was set up to host
sabbaticals, students and alumni, as well as to develop a variety of programs including
executive education.
Delegations, particularly from the Universities of Applied Sciences, following the
pioneering steps of the State of Vaud, have ventured to Singapore to explore and
initiate partnering opportunities. Inspired by HEC Lausanne, the School of Business and
Engineering Fribourg has posted its first Junior Ambassador at swissnex. Last but not
least “Born Global” start-ups from Switzerland have enjoyed our support and expanded
their networks in the Lion City.
We look forward to welcome more of such initiatives of Swiss players intensifying their
activities in Singapore and thank you for your continuous support!
Dr. Suzanne Hraba-Renevey
Executive Director
swissnex Singapore
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4
at a glance
Academic Programs and Student Support
The traditional welcome event for exchange students from Switzerland organized in collaboration with the University of St. Gallen
was hosted for the first time at the National University of Singapore in the form of a Swiss Evening@NUS, allowing the participants to
network with their local counterparts, as well as other players from the academic and business communities.
The continued interest in the Federal Scholarships for Foreign Students demonstrated the demand for the Swiss Educational
Landscape and its highly-ranked programs.
The truly international students of the Executive Master of Science in Communication Management programme, jointly organized
by the USI-Università della Svizzera Italiana, SMU-Singapore Management University and UCLA Anderson School of Management
in Singapore, were welcomed in Singapore at the ambassador’s residence. swissnex will award the best final paper during the
graduation ceremonies in Singapore and Lugano.
The flagship Summer Universities of the Board of Higher Education of the State of Vaud (DGES) gave students and faculties from at
least three continents the opportunity to experience a highly rewarding program, while collaborations grew stronger in the fields of
music, health, teacher’s education, public administration, computer science, engineering and post-compulsory education.
University of Geneva hosted students from the National University of Singapore for a Language Immersion Program, allowing them
to improve their French and discover the internationally networked city, host of United Nations as well as numerous international
organizations and NGOs.
Throughout the year, student and professor delegations, namely from EPFL, the Music Conservatory of Zurich and HEIG-VD University
of Applied Sciences were welcomed. They were hosted and connections with local institutions and stakeholders were bridged.
swissnex singapore 2012 at a glance

Education & Research
The Singapore-ETH Centre (SEC) was officially inaugurated by Federal Councillor Alain Berset and
moved into the Campus for Research, Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE).
The University of St. Gallen has launched its St.Gallen Institute of Management in Asia in Singapore,
offering students and professors a new research environment, strengthening academic partnerships
with local players and facilitating joined, exchange and executive programs.
“Building as a System” was presented by the Programme Director of the Sustainable Energy
Systems Program of the Lucerne School of Engineering and Architecture.
To actively put Switzerland on the map of top academic destinations, the third edition of the Swiss
Education Fair was organized in collaboration with the Swiss Business Hub ASEAN. The event
hosted 30 Institutions of Higher learning and welcomed local, regional, and expatriate students.
Swiss educational excellence was further promoted at Study in Europe and numerous Education
Fairs in Singapore and the region.
Organized in the UBS auditorium, “Risk Management and Responsible Finance” presented by HEC
Lausanne allowed the audience to discover a new econometric approach to measure systemic risk
in Europe while learning about risk management on a challenging financial landscape.
The Swiss Alumni Event was organized on the occasion of the official visit of Federal Councillor
Johann N. Schneider-Ammann and his delegation of high ranking representatives of the Swiss
economy. Inspiring speeches were held under the overarching theme “From Education, Research
and Innovation to Economy” by active Swiss academic players in Switzerland and Singapore.
“Please accept my word of “Thank you” for all the suggestions you have made in the preparation of
our 3-day series of events in the opening ceremony, for the support you have granted, and also for
bearing half the cost of the big Gala Dinner which HSG and swissnex Singapore could jointly host to
serve the community here in Singapore. I am looking forward and I am deeply grateful for the enabling
and supporting functions swissnex Singapore was always and is providing.”
Klaus spremann
professor and founding director, the st. gallen institute of management in asia pte. ltd.
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swissnex singapore 2012 at a glance
Science & Technology
The A*STAR-EPFL-Dundee Research Symposium presented topics related to Molecular
Medicine and hosted speakers from the Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL),
including the Dean of the School of Life Sciences.
At the Singapore Airshow 2012, swissnex joined University of St. Gallen, ETH Zürich, Lucerne
University of Applied Sciences and Arts, members of the Swiss Aerospace Cluster, to
promote aerospace related research.
The Chairman of the Medtech Summit provided a perspective on the Future of
Medical Technologies during a lunch talk organized in collaboration with the Swiss
Business Association.
The 4th International Singapore Lipid Symposium, led by Professor Markus Wenk (National
University of Singapore, University of Basel) brought together commendable international
researchers in the field of Lipid research.
Swiss companies showcased their products and services at the Swiss Pavilion of the
BioPharma Asia Convention 2012, set up in partnership with Swiss Biotech.
The 25th Annual Conference on Computer Animation and Social Agents (CASA 2012)
organized by the Institute of Media Innovation, led by Prof. Nadia Thalmann (Head of
MIRALab, University of Geneva), facilitated knowledge exchange and networking.
A partnership with Singapore-ETH Centre (SEC) led to the setting up of the Swiss Pavilion
at the World Cities Summit 2012 and the Singapore International Water Week, showcasing
research activities, innovations, products and services by players from Switzerland.
Within the context of a collaboration mandate between swissnex and Swiss Re, a Conference
on the Future of Human Longevity was held at the Value Lab of the Singapore-ETH Centre
and broadcasted live, allowing experts to present and discuss latest findings in cancer
related research.
swissnex joined the Swiss Pavilion at the Asia Future Energy Forum to allow academic players
to showcase their research activities and new technologies in the field of sustainable energy.
Prof. Patricia Holm presented her research conducted at the University of Basel in the
Department of Environmental Sciences during the talk Microplastics - an Emerging Problem
for Aquatic Life held at NUS Environmental Research Institute.

Entrepreneurship & Innovation
SIMTech, CSEM (Centre Suisse de Microélectronique et Microtechnique) and swissnex
joined forces for the fifth time to organize the Swiss-Singapore Workshop on Microfluidics,
where attendees gained valuable insights into the latest trends in microfluidics from technoentrepreneurs
in Singapore and Switzerland.
Relevant consulting, visibility and the opportunity to rent a plug-and-play workstation at
swissnex is offered to born global start-ups that seek local collaboration opportunities with
researchers, investors, business partners and government representatives with an aim to
launch their business in Singapore.
As an example, Creaholic, an innovation powerhouse founded by the co-creator of SWATCH,
was given the opportunity to present its innovative products at the Swiss Pavilion of the
Singapore International Water Week, where a presentation given to pertinent stakeholders
allowed for networking opportunities, in addition to formal meetings with local government
agencies, entrepreneurs and R&D players.
Art
At the traditional swissnex Christmas Party, the X’MAS-XBIT showcased the upcoming
Digital Art Weeks (DAW) 2013, introducing guests to interactive 3D art creations. Music
performances by students of the Haute Ecole de Musique, Lausanne and Yong Siew Toh
Conservatory of Music were accompanied by visual creations from Singapore-ETH Centre,
while MIRALab/Institute of Media Innovation glamorized the inspiring evening with a live and
virtual Fashion Show.
“Thank you very much for organizing this event for us and all the personal
meetings. You are really rolling out the red carpet for us!”
christoph nabholz
head business development, swiss re centre for global dialogue
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highlights 2012
“Many thanks to you and the swissnex team for the organization. What I
heard from Gerhard Schmitt, the Swiss Education Fair was a great success.”
anders hagström
head academic marKeting, eth zurich
swissnex singapore 2012 highlights
A*STAR-EPFL-Dundee Research Symposium
18 to 20 January 2012
A*STAR’s Institute of Medical Biology welcomed the University of Dundee and EPFL
for a research symposium on topics related to Molecular Medicine, especially on stem
cells, cancer and skin biology. The symposium hosted five speakers from each Institute,
including Prof. Didier Trono, Dean of the School of Life Sciences, EPFL. A networking
dinner at the Swiss Club took place at the end of the symposium, co-organized with the
British High Commission.
Future of Medical Technologies
16 February 2012
Organized in collaboration with the Swiss Business Association, the lunch-talk by Dr. Brian
Hashemi, Chairman of the MedTech Summit 2012, focused on the future of medical
technologies in Switzerland and provided a deeper understanding of the medical technology
sector and its opportunities for investors.

BioPharma Asia Convention 2012
19 to 21 March 2012
The Swiss Pavilion at the convention was set up in collaboration with Swiss Biotech. Bachem,
Biopôle, B’SYS and Lonza, together with more than a hundred leading companies
from the international pharmaceutical and biotech industry, presented their innovative
products, solutions and services at Marina Bay Sands.
Building as a System
- a Perspective for Singapore?
22 March 2012
The Programme Director of the Sustainable Energy Systems Program presented
research activities of Lucerne School of Engineering and Architecture. The close
collaboration with the Singapore-ETH Centre (SEC), developing sustainable concepts
which meet the standards of a zero energy building, was highlighted.
Swiss Education Fair 2012
25 March 2012
Following the growing interest in Swiss education, the collaboration with the Swiss
Business Hub ASEAN was pursued with the third edition of the Swiss Education
Fair. The event hosted over 30 institutions of higher learning from Switzerland, which
showcased their outstanding programs for undergraduate, Master and PhD Students.
Risk Management and Responsible Finance
18 April 2012
Hosted by UBS, the talks “System Risks in Europe” and “Risk Management in a
Challenging Financial Landscape” were a great opportunity to welcome Singaporean
universities representatives, business partners and HEC Lausanne Alumni, while
increasing HEC Lausanne’s visibility in Singapore. The event was organized in
conjunction with the promotion of the HEC Lausanne Asset and Wealth Management
Executive MBA program (AWEMBA).
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swissnex singapore 2012 highlights
World Cities Summit &
Singapore International Water Week 2012
1 to 4 July 2012
A Swiss Pavilion was set up in partnership with the Singapore-ETH Centre at the two
concurrent events. Holcim Singapore, ingenious switzerland and the City of Montreux
showcased their products and services to a wide range of visitors at the World Cities
Summit. Creaholic SA, a successful innovation powerhouse developing internationally
well-known products, together with TallyFox Social Technologies AG, building
sector-focused Knowledge Networks for professionals in selected industries, made
contributions to the pavilion of the Singapore International Water Week.
Swiss Evening@NUS
4 September 2012
The 8th edition of the traditional welcome and networking event took place for the first
time at the Shaw Foundation Alumni House at the National University of Singapore. By
joining forces with swissnex, St.Gallen University and Switzerland Tourism proposed a
networking exchange program for students from Switzerland, who were able to mingle
with NUS undergraduate students learning French and German, as well as alumni of an
immersion/exchange program.
Future of Human Longevity: New Approaches to
Healthcare and Cancer 2012
20 September 2012
As part of the mandate with Swiss Re, the expert roundtable held at the Singapore-ETH
Centre focused on cancer epidemiology and innovative cancer treatments. Being streamed
live, it allowed the general public to interact and obtain insight into the evolution of cancer on
a global and Asian-specific scale.

Swiss Alumni Event
1 November 2012
The Swiss Alumni Event was organized on the occasion of an official visit by Federal Councillor Johann Schneider-Ammann
and his high ranking economic delegation. Under the overarching theme “From Education, Research and Innovation to
Economy”, thought-provoking talks were given by Professors Stefan Morkötter from University of St.Gallen, Dominique
Turpin, President of IMD and Gerhard Schmitt, Director of Singapore-ETH Center. These presentations prepared the
ground for a fruitful panel and Q&A session, which inspired the guests in their discussions during the networking event.
“Let me congratulate you for this very successful event!”
dominique turpin
president, imd business school
11

“What a wonderful surprise to hear about all the activities of swissnex Singapore! Great job, congratulations.”
raymond baer
honorary chairman, banK Julius baer
12 swissnex singapore 2012 highlights
swissnex Singapore Christmas Party
6 December 2012
The traditional Christmas Party organized to thank all partners and supporters was
an opportunity for key Swiss academic players in Singapore to showcase their
achievements through interactive displays and presentations. The virtual exhibition
X’MAS-XBIT was presented as a preview of Digital Art Weeks 2013. The creative mood
was enhanced by the performance of tango music by Christel Sautaux, accordionist
and master student from the Haute Ecole de Musique, Lausanne together with Adelya
Nartadjieva, master student at Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, NUS. This
performance was made possible thanks to the strong and developing collaboration
between the Board of Higher Education of the State of Vaud (DGES) and local academic
institutions in Singapore. The musical show was accompanied by visuals created by
VJ Stefan Mueller Arisona from the Singapore-ETH Centre. Professor Nadia Thalmann,
Director of MIRALab, University of Geneva, and the Institute of Media Innovation of the
Nanyang Technological University, together with her colleagues glamorized the event
with a live and virtual fashion show.
“swissnex is an excellent connector for us in Singapore. But they do not only connect and
support with contacts, but also participate at our activities either as sponsors or even actively.
swissnex is open for all requests and supports us perfectly.”
andreas wittmer
managing director, centre for aviation competence, university of st. gallen

visits & programmes highlights
14 swissnex singapore 2012 visits & programmes
Visits to Singapore
Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL)
16 to 20 January 2012
Professors from EPFL including the Dean of the School of Life Sciences came to
Singapore to bridge connections with the Agency for Science Technology and Research
(A*STAR) in the field of PhD studies.
Federal Councillor Alain Berset
16 to 19 March 2012
The Head of the Federal Department of Home Affairs and former Minister of Education
and Research, was in Singapore with his delegation to open the Singapore-ETH Centre
and discover the local R&D and health landscapes. He also met the Minister for Health,
Gan Kim Yong and the President of the Republic of Singapore Tony Tan. This was his
first international trip since his appointment as interior minister.

The Board of Higher Education
of the State of Vaud (DGES)
March 2012
In the frame of the initiative of the Board of Higher Education of the State of Vaud (DGES)
delegates from the School of Engineering and Business, Yverdon-les-Bains and the
Lausanne University of Teacher Education explored connections with institutions of
higher education in Singapore.
Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts
(HSLU)
22 to 26 March 2012
Individual representatives from HSLU were in Singapore for internationalization purposes
and to garner interests for partnerships and programmes with the local institutions
of higher education in the areas of Business and Accounting/Finance, as well as to
promote the Bachelor in Business Engineering Sustainable Energy Systems conducted
in English.
Swiss Parliamentarians
14 to 16 May 2012
A group of ten parliamentarians, consisting of active and former members of the Swiss
Parliament, more specifically part of the economic and monetary policy working group
(WPA), explored the political, economic and scientific landscapes in Singapore.
“Avec mes félicitation à toute l’équipe du swissnex Singapour pour l’engagement et pour la visite organisée le 16.Mars 2012!”
alain berset
swiss federal councillor, head of the federal department of home affairs
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16 swissnex singapore 2012 visits & programmes
Visits to Switzerland
School of the Arts (SOTA) to Zurich
5 to 16 November 2012
SOTA students discovered the Musikschule Konservatorium Zurich and participated in a
chamber music programme and master classes, reciprocating a visit by the Swiss students
and professors to Singapore.
Hwa Chong Institute (HCI) to Geneva
21 to 24 May 2012
As part of a research programme initiated by Hwa Chong Institution (HCI), Business and
Economic students, along with their teachers, enjoyed a 10-day European trip that included
Switzerland. An organized visit to Genève Place Financière was an opportunity for the
delegation to discover how the city developed in a financial hub.
Permanent Secretary of National Research and
Development
28 to 29 June 2012
Permanent Secretary Ms. Yong Ying-I visited Switzerland to gain insight into the Swiss
R&D ecosystem and policies. Visits were made to ETH Zurich, government institutions and
multi-national corporations.
“swissnex Singapore helped to arrange the visit to Genève Place Financière. I would rate the visit as
one of the most enriching learning experience for our students. Our students had many questions to
ask after the talk, showing the amount of enthusiasm that was generated.”
leong cheong fatt
teacher, hwa chong institution

18
regional activities
The OCSC International Education EXPO 2012
27 to 28 October 2012
The Office of Civil Service Commission (OCSC) International Education Fair provides advice
on overseas education and serves as an information centre to students. Support was given
to the Swiss Embassy in Bangkok with the presentation of Swiss Universities and their study
programs. Over the 2-day period, close to 30,000 people attended the event and many
came to the Swiss booth to enquire on various higher education programmes, living lifestyles
and scholarships. Three exchange students from St. Gallen University were also on-site to
answer questions pertaining to their Alma Mater.
Vietnam Education Forum
19 September 2012
swissnex singapore 2012 regional activities / finances
?
The interactive forum organized by the Swiss Embassy in Vietnam facilitated the discussion
on education related to the local Swiss business activities. The positive and concrete
involvement of the Swiss and local academia and government, as well as the keen interest of
the Vietnamese government in the Swiss Education system and research, more specifically
in Life Sciences, Engineering and Hospitality, was highlighted during the forum.

finances
The State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) covers the operating budget as well as the
core events cost of swissnex Singapore.
swissnex is a public-private platform and the mandate by SERI requires that projects and events are financed
with at least 2/3 by third-party contributions.
Thanks to numerous partners and sponsors who contributed with cash and in-kind donations, swissnex events
were financed by more than 2/3 of third-party contributions in 2012.
Budget 2012 (CHF)
SER Running Costs 398,240
SER Projects 83,800
3rd Party Projects 223,480
3rd Party Operational & Mandates 71,740
Total 777,260
Projects 2012 (CHF)
SER Projects 83,800
3rd Party Projects cash 108,200
3rd Party Projects in kind 115,280
Total 307,280
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media & communication
swissnex singapore 2012 media & communication
Keeping up to date with fast evolving trends, social media tools have been employed
increasingly as a means of communication. A new video draws interest and eases the
communication of activities related to science, education and innovation in Switzerland and
Singapore. Moreover, successful media coverage of particular events such as the official
inauguration of the Singapore-ETH Centre by Federal Councillor Alain Berset also highlighted
the activities of swissnex Singapore.
The quarterly newsletter continued to be instrumental in the dissemination of information
and updating stakeholders on the activities organized by swissnex Singapore. With the new
improved look, it aims to draw the interest of readers and make it a pleasurable read. This
compliments the interactive website which draws increasing visits and functions as the main
channel of communication.
News related to topics ranging from research to innovation in Singapore and the region
were contributed to the monthly Science-Asia Newsletter, together with the Swiss Science
& Technology Offices in Beijing, Seoul, Tokyo, Canberra and the Trade Office of Swiss
Industries in Taipei.
“I would like to send my personal kudos for your recent newsletter with its distinguished design and
eclectic choice in colours, the excellent overview, and the interesting topics. Very well done!”
gabriel burgener
business manager, the st. gallen institute of management in asia pte. ltd.

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partners & sponsors
swissnex Singapore partners with a variety of stakeholders, namely Institutions of Higher learning, research institutes, economic
promoters, governmental offices, business associations as well as consulting services.
swissnex Singapore is a member of the Swiss Business Association and the European Chamber of Commerce in Singapore.
The Board of Higher Education, State of Vaud (DGES) pursues its mandate of having a dedicated project manager hosted at - and
shared with - swissnex Singapore to establish and deepen academic relations with partners in Singapore in the fields of music,
health, teacher’s education, public administration, computer science, engineering and post-compulsory education.
Following collaborations between swissnex Boston and Swiss Re in 2011, the mandate was extended to San Francisco, Shanghai
and Singapore in 2012. A conference on the Future of Human Longevity was held in September with a main focus on cancer
epidemiology and innovative cancer treatments. Swiss Re envisages pursuing this close cooperation in future events.
HEC Lausanne, Faculty of Business and Economics of the University of Lausanne has fruitfully collaborated with swissnex Singapore
since 2010. To further cultivate this rewarding partnership, swissnex Singapore regularly hosts HEC students for an academic
internship as HEC ambassadors, allowing them to gain experience in project and visit organization, as well as HEC brand building.
The School of Management Fribourg (HEG Fribourg) is Switzerland’s leading institute for research and teaching in management,
entrepreneurship and internationalization. Collaboration with swissnex Singapore via a junior Ambassador facilitated construction of
synergies and international opportunity-recognition for future research and universities partnership throughout South-East Asia.
swissnex singapore 2012 partners & sponsors

Agency for Science, Technology
and Research (A*STAR)
Amara Hotels and Resorts
Asia 360
Bachem AG
Biopôle SA
Boncafé International Pte Ltd
B’SYS GmbH
City of Montreux
Creaholic
CSEM SA
Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL)
Embassy of Switzerland Thailand (OCSC)
Graduate Institute of International Studies
(IHEID)
Helvetiq
Holcim (Singapore) Pte Ltd
Huber’s Butchery
ingenious switzerland
International Institute for Management
Development (IMD)
Les Roches-Gruyère
University of Applied Sciences
Lonza Group Ltd
Lucerne University
of Applied Sciences and Arts
Lufthansa/Swiss International Airlines
Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts
National University of Singapore
Ricola AG
Singapore Institute of Manufacturing
Technology (SIMTech )
Singapore-ETH Centre for Global
Environmental Sustainability (SEC)
Swiss Biotech Association
Swiss Business Association
Swiss Dreams Singapore
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology
Lausanne (EPFL)
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology
Zurich (ETH Zurich)
Swiss Graduate School of Public
Administration (IDHEAP)
Swiss International Air Lines Ltd
Swiss Re Ltd
Switzerland Tourism
TallyFox Social Technologies AG
T-Link Management AG
UBS AG
University of Applied Sciences
and Arts Northwestern Switzerland
(FHNW)
University of Applied
Sciences HTW Chur
University of Basel
University of Bern
University of Fribourg
University of Geneva
University of Lausanne
University of Liechtenstein
University of Neuchâtel
University of St. Gallen
University of Zurich
Victorinox AG
Zurich University of Applied Sciences
(ZHAW)
“Un dernier grand merci pour votre soutien et travail, tous deux très appréciables et d’excellente qualité ! Ces
deux semaines étaient intenses, très bien organisées et ont permis de rencontrer de très bons interlocuteurs!”
luc amgwerd
partner and advisor, creaholic
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24 swissnex singapore 2012 partners & sponsors
Local Advisory Board
Bertil Andersson
President, Nanyang Technological University
Soo Boon Koh
Managing Partner, iGlobe Partners
Alex Matter
CEO, Experimental Therapeutic Centre (ETC) at the
Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)
Nico de Rooij
Director, Institute of Microengineering IMT, EPFL Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
Gerhard Schmitt
Director, Singapore-ETH Centre for Global Environmental Sustainability (SEC)
Swiss Advisory Board
Mauro Dell’Ambrogio
State Secretary, State Secretariat for Education and Research
Josiane Aubert
National Councillor, Committee for Science, Education and Culture
Philipp Egger
Executive Director, Gebert Rüf Stiftung
Dieter Imboden
President of the Board, Swiss National Science Foundation
Thierry Lombard
Senior Partner, Lombard Odier & Cie
Antonio Loprieno
President, Rectors’ Conference of the Swiss Universities
Mauro Moruzzi
Head Bilateral Research Cooperation, State Secretariat for Education and Research
Olivier Quillet
Head of Strategic Marketing, Swisscom AG
Giancarlo Kessler
Head of Political Division, Federal Department for Foreign Affairs

Swiss community in Singapore
The Swiss Business Hub ASEAN (SBH) advises small and medium-sized Swiss companies
willing to develop their international activities in Southeast Asia. A tighter collaboration has
developed over the years in areas of business consulting, where the SBH and swissnex
Singapore offer complementary services and events organization. SBH has been a major
partner in the organization of the successful Swiss Education Fair.
swissnex Singapore, being member of the Swiss Business Association (SBA), has made
numerous swissnex Singapore events open to SBA members and organized common events.
The Swiss Association aims at providing a common platform for the growing Swiss community
in Singapore. Many of the swissnex Singapore events are open to its members.
Part of swissnex Singapore events are organized at the Swiss Club and advertised or
reported in the Relax magazine, which reaches out to the Swiss Club members.
swissnex Singapore facilitates talks and visits at the Swiss School for iconic events and gets
assistance from the Swiss School in all matters regarding primary/ secondary education in
Switzerland.
Following a long-term partnership with swissnex, the University of St. Gallen opened its
Singapore hub, the St. Gallen Institute of Management in Asia Pte. Ltd. (SGI), in March 2012.
In addition to engaging research and educational activities, SGI also maintains the dynamic
HSG alumni network and strives to encourage a symbiotic relationship with stakeholders
and corporations within the region. Collaborative efforts involved co-organization of various
events and talks, development of academic partnerships with local players and facilitation of
exchange and executive programs.
In early 2012, the joint effort between ETH Zurich and Singapore’s National Research
Foundation (NRF) led to the official opening of the Singapore-ETH Centre for Global
Environmental Sustainability (SEC) and its flagship program Future Cities Laboratory. The
Singapore International Water Week and the World Cities Summit are two out of many close
collaborations between SEC and swissnex Singapore.
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26
team
swissnex singapore 2012 team
Suzanne Hraba-Renevey, Founder and Executive Director
Lisa Kobel, Executive Coordinator
Chin Hui Yu, Project Manager
Academic Interns
Nurulhuda Izyan European Studies, National University of Singapore
Damien Pajic Business Administration, University of Geneva
Jessica Ulloa Management, HEC Lausanne
Maxime Palazzo Political Science, University of Geneva
Arnaud Cottet Tourism and Entrepreneurship, HEG Fribourg
Vince Moens Physics, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
Severin Meier International Law, University of Geneva
Veronique Salvi Management, HEC Lausanne
Simon Pelletier Media and Communication, University of Geneva
“Thanks a lot Suzanne, without your help I wouldn’t be professionally nor academically as fulfilled as I
am. An internship in Singapore can really change one’s life.”
valentina Janner
former Junior proJect manager (intern) at swissnex singapore

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outlook
swissnex singapore 2012 outlook
Digital Art Weeks will undoubtedly be one of the highlights in 2013. At the crossroads of
Art and Science, this Festival originated at the ETH Zurich will engage local communities
including the general public, in an interactive bonanza addressing the senses.
Swiss Re has reiterated its mandate in the field of longevity and the 2013 edition of the expert
roundtable will focus on translational medicine. A growing number of corporate, academic
and innovation partners leverage on our support to expand their networks in Singapore and
the region.
In 2013, we will welcome Jessica Ulloa, previous HEC Lausanne Ambassador, in the position
of project manager, as well as Sébastien Monnet, freshly graduated in Entrepreneurship from
the School of Business and Engineering Fribourg, as the new Executive Coordinator. We
sadly bid farewell to Lisa Kobel, thank her for her outstanding commitment and wish her well
in her future master studies.
We will expand our team, thanks to Nurulhuda Izyan, newly appointed as communications
officer, thus testifying the key role of sharing our activities and the highlights of the education,
research and innovation landscapes in Switzerland.
We look forward to a continuously engaging spirit of enterprise with the new swissnex team.
Meet us at the next swissnex Singapore events!
The swissnex Singapore Team

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swissnex singapore
60 Biopolis Street, #01-01/02 Genome, Singapore 138672 t: +65 6774 9360 f: +65 6774 9365 www.swissnexsingapore.org