ED 47: January-February 2013

EntrEprEnEurs’ DigEst Ja n | Fe b 2013 ISSUE 47 

A PUBLICATION BY ASME 

Mr Peter Ong 

Of Bricks, Mortar and Steel 

Cover Story | Pg 28 

SPBA 2012 

Branding at its Best 

Special | Pg 13 

$6.90 (+GST) 

MICA (P)104/03/2012 

ISSN NO. 1793-0286 

JAN | FEB 2013 

ASME Business 

Symposium 2012 

Events | Pg 5 

Transcending Borders 

Commentary | Pg 24 

ASME Forum 2012 

Market Intelligence | Pg 39 

ISSUE 47

Special 

13 | SPBA 2012 BrAnding At itS BeSt 

49 deserving Winners have been honoured at the SPBA 2012 

Award Presentation Ceremony on 14 December 2012. Read 

about the Award journey from submission to celebration. 

cover Story 

28 | Mr Peter Ong – Of BrickS, MOrtAr And Steel 

Proving to be as resilient as his own products, Mr Peter Ong, 

Managing Director of Building Resources Industries Pte Ltd has 

managed to build up an impressive and trusted business in a 

niche segment of the building and construction industry. 

in thiS iSSue 

5 | ASMe BuSineSS SyMPOSiuM 2012 

Read more about this inaugural short course under the ASME 

Academy which gave participants a brief but comprehensive 

overview into the business function of branding. 

22 | Securing PrOductivity fOr yOur BuSineSS 

Find out how SMEs can bolster business productivity by 

leveraging on security solutions that entwine technological 

efficiency with traditional security. 

39 | ASMe fOruM 2012 

Organised by ASME in collaboration with e2i and ITE College East, 

the first ASME Forum featured an exhibition with talks to uplift the 

image of small and medium enterprises. 

56 | HAPPy eMPlOyeeS & MOre PrOfitS! 

Team building comes in many forms. Read about two interesting 

ways your company can engage in fun and interactive corporate 

team bonding. 

p39 

p28 

p07 

p61 

p20 

January - February 2013 

regularS 

3 | MeSSAge frOM ed 

4 | in tHe newS 

5 | eventS 

30 | MOneySMArt 

32 | PrOPerty 

34 | MArket intelligence 

60 | lifeStyle 

65 | clASSifiedS 

67 | tOP 5 

Ja n | FE b 2013 

En t r E p r E n E u r s’ Di g E s t 

1

A 

great mediator, wise and intelligent, possessing excellent 

communication skills and displaying good temperament – these 

are qualities of those born in the year of the snake, and qualities 

that many of our successful local business owners possess. What 

differentiates these successful entrepreneurs and businesses from 

others lies in the ability to turn obstacles into opportunities. 

‘Whether we want them or not, the New Year will bring new challenges; whether 

we seize them or not, the New Year will bring new opportunities’ - Michael 

Josephson. The secret for a successful business is for a company to be ready 

for its opportunity when it comes. So gear up your foundation, operations and 

financials, as well as build up your reputation along the way. You would never 

know when that rare and perfect opportunity might just come along, and do not 

be afraid to take the chance! 

As we enter the year of the Snake, many new initiatives will be ramped up, 

focusing on making the best out of the current trying business environment for 

SMEs. 

First and foremost, ASME will be spearheading an initiative to see how we can 

best help SMEs to relocate or expand. Understanding the manpower woes and 

troubles SMEs are facing, the ASME Forum 2012 was held to uplift the image of 

SMEs to the local community and help students find gainful employment. Held 

annually, SMEs can look forward to the next ASME Forum in 2013! 

A New Year also marks an upcoming Budget 2013. Recognising that SMEs form 

the backbone of our economy, an “Our Singapore Conversation” for SMEs was 

conducted in December to better understand the needs and vision of SMEs for 

Singapore. ASME has also been proactively conducting surveys and feedback 

groups to see how we can holistically and collectively work together with SMEs, 

and the various agencies to improve the business environment. 

In closing and to quote Oprah Winfrey’s words, “Cheers to a New Year, and 

another chance for us to get it right.” 

And let me just add another word at the end of her famous words – “together”. 

Have a Happy and Prosperous Snake Year! 蛇年行大运! 

Huat Ah! 

Yours through service, 

terence Wee 

Executive Director 

Association of Small and Medium Enterprises 

Message FroM 

The execuTive 

DirecTor 

New Year, 

New ChalleNges, 

New OppOrtuNities 

A PUBLICATION BY ASME 

EDITORIAL TEAM 

Managing editor 

Terence Wee 

editor 

Eunice Choy 

[corpcomms@asme.org.sg] 

Sub-editor 

James Tan 

advertising 

Celine Sim 

Luann Leong 

Sabrina Ng 

[sales@asme.org.sg] 

Design 

Wen Ye 

SL Financial Press 

publisher 

Association of Small and Medium Enterprises 

advisor 

Thomas Fernandez 

contributors 

Jeffrey Koh 

Herbert Vongpusanachai 

Mohammad Salim 

Michael Frigo 

Jacqueline Low 

Petros N. Zenieris 

Dr Calvin Chan 

Flight Centre Business Travel 

CommercialAsia 

Deskera Singapore 

MTI-PEP Secretariat 

Disclaimer 

The comments and views expressed in Entrepreneur’s 

Digest do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher. 

This publication is intended to encourage, motivate 

and assist the readers in regards to entrepreneurship. 

It is however, not a substitute for and should not 

be relied on as if it were professional advice on 

entrepreneurship, law, accounting or any aspect of 

business. The Publisher expressly disclaims all liability 

for loss, damage or expense suffered or sustained by 

any person, body or corporation arising directly or 

indirectly from action as a result of the material in this 

publication. Any reliance on material therein shall be at 

the readers’ own risk. 

Copyright 

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be 

reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, 

in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, 

photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior 

permission of the copyright owner of publisher © 

Association of Small and Medium Enterprises, 167 

Jalan Bukit Merah, Tower 4, #03-13, Singapore 

150167. Tel: (65) 65130388 Fax: (65) 65130399. 

MICA (P) No 104/03/2012. ISSN: 1793-0286. Printed 

by SL Financial Press Pte Ltd. 



3

4 

in t h E n E w s 

productivity plans to help SMes 

The Singapore Government will introduce new 

recommendations in the first half of 2013 aimed at helping 

small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to achieve their 

long-term productivity growth target of two to three per 

cent over the next 10 years. 

Minister of State for Trade and Industry Mr Teo Ser Luck 

said that the Government with work with the Singapore 

Business Federation and SMEs to better tailor the 

proposals that will be implemented. He also mentioned 

that the Government will work with the different sectors 

closely to see how best their targets can be reached, as 

well as help SMEs better tap on and utilise Government 

schemes to achieve their targets. 

Small Firms optimistic about 2013 growth 

Small Singaporean businesses are more optimistic about 

economic growth in 2013 as compared to 2012, yet less 

confident about business prospects, according to the 

CPA Australia Asia-Pacific Small Business Survey 2012, 

conducted in the first two weeks of October 2012 with 

owners or senior representatives of businesses fewer than 

20 employees. The survey found that six in 10 of the 249 

Singapore respondents believe the economy will grow in 

the coming year, showing an increase in optimism for the 

economy compared with what was expected for 2012, 

when 56 per cent of respondents believed the economy 

will grow. 

While these businesses are more confident about the 

economy in 2013 as compared to 2012, they are not so 

optimistic for their own businesses. According to CPA 

Australia, the small business confidence score fell to 51 

for 2013 from about 55 for 2012. 



Singapore economy under pressure in 2013 

Singapore may have to deal with elevated inflationary 

pressures for a third year in 2013, as gross domestic 

product fell in the fourth quarter of 2012 as compared to 

the previous quarter. A decline would lead to the nation’s 

first recession since 2009. 

Increased housing, transportation and business costs 

have contributed to one of the fastest inflation rates in the 

developed world, even as growth slows. The Monetary 

Authority of Singapore (MAS) tightened policy this year 

by allowing faster currency gains in an export-dependent 

economy at risk from a patchy U.S. recovery and Europe’s 

prolonged sovereign debt crisis. 

push for less Drastic Deficit cuts 

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and European 

Commission officials have encouraged France and its 

EuroZone partners to not fixate on deficit reduction targets 

if it would aggravate the bloc’s debt crisis. 

The head of an IMF mission in France urged officials in 

Paris to consider their 2013 budget targets “in a broader 

European context.” Both the IMF and the EU Commission 

expect the French public deficit to amount to 3.5 per cent 

of gross domestic product (GDP) next year, and are not 

confident that France can reach its 3 per cent goal that is 

the EuroZone limit without additional measures that could 

worsen an already tenuous economic situation. 

Disclaimer: All information is accurate at time of print

Businesses in Singapore face a 

web of challenges, especially 

in the contemporary business 

climate. The labour crunch, 

foreign competition and a 

host of other pertinent issues prove to be 

trials that all enterprises – entrepreneurs, 

young businesses and established 

ones – have to surmount. To this end, 

the Association of Small and Medium 

Enterprises (ASME) concluded its annual 

Business Symposium to address some 

of these critical business concerns. 

Held in the Grand Copthorne Waterfront 

Hotel on 8 November 2012, the ASME 

Business Symposium 2012 was 

organised to a turnout of about 100 

participants from a diverse swathe of 

industries. They included businessmen, 

young entrepreneurs and key decisionmakers 

of the larger companies, all 

united by their pursuit of relevant and 

current knowledge. 

In his opening address, Mr Chan Chong 

Beng, President of the ASME said that 

“The ASME Business Symposium 

has always been a solid platform for 

business owners, key decision-makers 

and entrepreneurs to share ideas, gain 

valuable insight and receive advice on 

a number of business issues.” He also 

encouraged all the participants present to 

actively take part in the panel discussions 

on government grants and assistance 

schemes that will happen later that day. 

To kick things off, Mr Thomas 

Fernandez, founder and CEO of local 

pest management firm Pestbusters 

Pte Ltd, gave a rousing presentation 

on the importance of recruiting and 

retaining talents. Drawing from personal 

experience, Mr Fernandez laced the 

subject matter with interesting video clips 

and sound bites, drawing much laughter 

and attention from the audience. 

On the heels of Mr Fernandez’s 

presentation was Mr Shiv Kumar, 

President of Deskera Singapore, who 

spoke about using better metrics and 

processes to drive more sales, cut costs 

and build a robust business. He illustrated 

his point using relevant examples 

and case studies, allowing a greater 

understanding of a broad subject. 

After a short tea break, Associate Professor 

Hooi Den Huan, Director of the Nanyang 

Technopreneurship Center spoke about 

branding for SMEs in uncertain economic 

times, before handing the time over to 

aSMe BuSineSS 

SyMpoSiuM 2012 

Ev E n t s 

Mr Lennon Tan, Business Director of the 

Enterprise Business Group from Starhub 

who shared with the participants how 

to ride through periods of downturn by 

capitalising on cloud computing. 

Government representatives from the 

Infocomm Development Authority of 

Singapore and SPRING Singapore also 

gave useful presentations on the grants 

and assistance schemes available for 

SMEs to tap on. 

The after-lunch sessions featured 

employee training in an organisation, 

a thoroughly-researched presentation 

by Mr Lim Meng Tzee, Director of the 

Business Consultancy Division of Loyal 

Reliance Pte Ltd, and a snapshot of the 

macroeconomic global economy and 

current outlook by Mr Jaideep Tiwari, FX 

Strategist for Wealth Management, Asia 

Pacific, Citibank. 

A panel discussion at the end of the 

Symposium allowed participants to field 

questions about the Max Talent Initiative 

and about Central Provident Fund (CPF) 

matters. 

An annual event organised by 

ASME rounds up the current 

issues in the contemporary 

business environment 



5

6 

Ev E n t s 

What’S 

hinDering 

your BranD 

groWth? 

An inaugural short course on branding gave 

participants a brief but comprehensive insight 

into this dynamic business function 

In the words of Sir Richard Branson, “Branding demands 

commitment; commitment to continual re-invention; 

striking chords with people to stir their emotions; and 

commitment to imagination. It is easy to be cynical about 

such things, much harder to be successful.” Indeed, the 

function of branding is more important now than ever before, 

as consumers have more spending power with an abundance 

of options to choose from, with only the most memorable and 

impactful brands rising from the sea of clutter. 

For small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), branding is that 

bit more important. The business will have to compete with both 

the big boys of the industry and also with its fellow small-to-midsized 

peers, and branding will be the critical value in determining if 

the SME is a tangible entity or merely a speck in the distance. 



Under the umbrella of the ASME Academy, the first short 

course of branding – titled What’s Hindering Your Brand 

Growth? – Nail it before it nails you – was recently concluded 

to a group of brand owners, key decision-makers and 

marketing personnel. Held across two afternoons on 16 and 

23 November, the two half-day sessions granted invaluable 

knowledge to the participants, bolstering their branding 

know-how if they have been trained prior and instilling new, 

relevant knowledge into those without formal introduction 

into the world of branding. 

Conducted by Mr Roger Loo, Director of Management 

Consulting Services at BDO Consultants Pte Ltd, the course 

was done in an interactive, workshop style. Mr Loo himself 

was passionate and engaging as a speaker, infusing his 

personality and panache into the subject matter. Although 

there were slides provided, the participants stayed glued to 

their trainer, who constantly queried them on the branding 

efforts undertaken by their respective brands, allowing all 

present to learn best practices from one another. Having 

worked with so many different companies on their branding, 

Mr Loo used his own personal experiences to illustrate his 

well-researched and brilliantly thought-out points, highlighting 

the key differences between marketing and branding, as well 

as vital trends in the branding phenomenon. 

Through comprehensive content delivered by an engaging 

speaker, even if the SME participants did not manage to find 

out what was hindering their brand growth, they went home 

with newfound knowledge on the dynamic business function 

that is branding.

Christmas, a traditional and festive season 

celebrated all over the world, is a time of peace 

and goodwill toward all man. Applied to the local 

small and medium enterprise (SME) community, 

it is also a good time for fellow SMEs to gather, 

network, exchange ideas and make new friends, embracing 

each other as all march as one to greater heights and creating 

a more conducive business environment. 

ASME held its Christmas Party 2012 at Oasia Hotel Singapore 

on 19 December 2012, the preferred venue partner for the 

festive event this year. Together with the event’s platinum 

sponsor, Maybank, strategic partner cxSurbana as well as 

supporting partner, Star Cruises, over 100 SME owners from 

various industries and sectors attended this evening of jolliness 

and purposeful fun. 

Clicking wine glasses, chatters over turkey and with “Last 

Christmas” serenading in the background, the atmosphere for 

the night was lighthearted as everyone shared their woes and 

successes, and passed on their merriment and joyous spirit to 

Mingle 

and 

Jingle 

The warmth and joy of 

Christmas brings us 

closer to each other 

Ev E n t s 

one another. The evening also included a brief game segment 

as well as an eagerly anticipated lucky draw with attractive 

prizes. SME owners and key decision-makers mingled with 

each other in the cosy setting, letting their hair down as they 

allowed themselves a short break as the year comes to its 

inevitable close. 

It has been a very challenging year for our local SMEs. 

Nonetheless, ASME will continue to strive to be the association 

For Entrepreneurs, By Entrepreneurs, and will continue to 

organise such networking events and platforms for our SMEs 

to widen their network and explore opportunities together, in 

unity. 

This year, ASME wishes for the continuity and flourish of peace 

and good will among all SMEs, that it extends to everyday of 

every year and not just on Christmas Day. 

Here’s to wishing all our members, associates and partners the 

special gifts of this holiday season - Peace, Joy and Lasting 

Happiness! 



7

8 

Ev E n t s 

autoMechanika Shanghai 2012 

caMhotel 2012 

Hosted by the Cambodia Hotels Association and the 

Cambodia Restaurants Association, together with the 

support of the Ministry of Tourism, CamHotel 2012 was 

even bigger than the inaugural event in 2010 and featured a total of 

over 150 participating companies. 

Held at the Diamond Island Exhibition & Convention Centre from 

10 – 12 October 2012, CamHotel 2012 attracted more than 

10,000 trade visitors together to network, source for new supplies 

and build business partnerships. 

This year’s show highlights include various competitions like Bed 

Making and Table Setting created for industry professionals to bring 

fun and excitement to both competitors and spectators alike, as 

well as to showcase the latest products available in the market. 

The Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (ASME) is the 

leading association for the Singapore Pavilion this year. A total of 

six companies participated, namely Ace (S) Management Pte Ltd, 

Andy Mannhart Asia Pte Ltd, Charles Wembley (SEA) Co Pte Ltd, 

Flomatic Industries Pte Ltd, JVD Technologies (Asia) Pte Ltd and 

Westlink Marketing Services Pte Ltd. Many of them look forward to 

participate again at the next installation as the show has proven to 

be a good platform for the exchanging of industry knowledge and 

obtaining fruitful partnerships and opportunities. 



Automechanika Shanghai 2012, the second largest 

Automechanika show in the world after Frankfurt, 

was held from 11 – 14 December 2012 at the 

Shanghai New International Expo Centre. This fair is the 

largest ever show and has attracted more than 4,109 

exhibitors from around the world including first-time 

exhibiting countries from Bulgaria, Egypt and Pakistan. 

Supported by the Association of Small and Medium 

Enterprises (ASME) and organised by Messe Frankfurt 

(Shanghai) Co Ltd and the China National Automotive 

Industry International Corporation (CNAICO), the fair 

covered a total exhibition space of 180,000 sqm across 

17 halls this year. Regular brands such as Bosch, Dayco, 

Continental and Delphi also participated once again in 

this renowned show. 

This year, there were a total of 12 companies participating 

under the Singapore Pavilion led by ASME. All of them 

were pleased with the turnout rate of the visitors; more 

than 70,000 show visitors attended the four-day trade 

fair and indicated their interest to participate once again 

in the upcoming year.

EDC Co r n E r 

FirSt ever Singapore 

converSation With SMeS 

“Our Singapore Conversation” (OSC) with SMEs – SMEs voice concerns 

Hosted by Mayor of North 

East District Mr Teo Ser 

Luck on 7 December 2012, 

over 160 business owners 

from 120 local small and 

medium enterprises (SMEs) attended 

the OSC held at ITE College East. Coorganised 

by the North East Community 

Development Council (NECDC) and 

the Enterprise Development Centre at 


Enterprises (EDC@ASME), the OSC is 

a national conversation targeted at local 

heartland SMEs. 

Some of the topics that were discussed 

at this Conversation include: attributes 

that will enable SMEs to succeed, 

to reach their ideals, the roles of the 

government and local stakeholders in 

achieving this vision as well as the roles 

of the merchants and SMEs in building a 

caring community. The SMEs were also 

asked for their views on how they would 

envision Singapore’s economy in year 

2030, and what they could do individually 

or collectively to achieve or prevent such 

scenarios. 

Other than the recurring themes of 

labour woes and risings costs, another 

noteworthy trend amongst these SMEs 

was their fear of being edged out by bigger 

players and Multi-national Corporations 

(MNCs). Many SME owners themselves 

voiced out that they should band together 

as a collective group for better chances 

to win contracts, while others stressed 

that there is a need for the government 

to provide more opportunities to small 

businesses for collaborative work, 

instead of choosing MNCs. Many SMEs 

are equally well-positioned to take over 

some of the government-led initiatives 

and projects. 

With the ongoing labour crunch and 

business landscape, many are simply 

worried about their survival, as the high 

costs and labour shortage makes it 

difficult for local SMEs to compete with 

bigger players who have the means and 

resources to withstand this challenging 

business climate. 

Over half of the SMEs who attended 

had fewer than 10 workers, and the 

160 SME owners came from various 

industries, including Education & Training, 

Manufacturing, Health & Wellness and 

Food & Beverage. 

During the session, SME owners from 

similar trades were grouped together 

to discuss what Singapore should 

continue to preserve and embrace or 

change and improve for the betterment 

of the economy and business landscape. 

These views were collectively reviewed at 

the end when all groups came together. 

The SMEs shared many interesting 

insights, practical solutions and 

suggestions which can help make the 

present business environment more 

conducive. Mr Teo Ser Luck, Minister of 

State for Trade and Industry, who was also 

the host of the OSC mentioned that some 

of these suggestions raised by the SMEs 

are feasible and are worth considering in 

terms of reviewing policies. 



9

10 

EDC Co r n E r 

First seminar 

For merchants 

in the north east 

District 

Jointly organised by the Enterprise Development 

Centre @ North East (EDC@NorthEast) and the North 

East Community Development Council (NECDC), the 

inaugural seminar tailored specifically for merchants 

was concluded on 6 November 2012 at the NECDC 

premises. Focusing on the Productivity and Innovation 

Credit (PIC) along with Lemon Law, the 2.5 hour seminar 

was conducted entirely in Mandarin and saw more than 50 

merchants and participants who actively interacted with the 

speakers and one another. Coming primarily from the retail 

and food & beverage sectors, participants got to know about 

the Seminar via traditional means and also through the eight 

Merchant Associations located within the NorthEast district. 

Divided into three distinct sections, the Seminar first covered the 

services of EDC@NorthEast before going into a PIC Workshop 

conducted by the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS). 

A Lemon Law Presentation by the Consumers Association of 

Singapore (CASE) gave the participants valuable insight into 

this new policy, allowing them to clarify their doubts with the 

people most suited to answer their queries. 

EDC@NorthEast, with support from NECDC, will organise more 

of such seminars and also continue to actively meet up with the 

merchants of the North East district to provide free business 

advisory services. 



held in the Mandarin Orchard Hotel on 22 November 

2012, the latest edition of the Productivity 

Management Workshop was conducted to a 

turnout of about 100 participants. Organised by 

the EDC@ASME in collaboration with Universal 

Stage and supported by SPRING Singapore, the full-day 

workshop was catered to provision relevant and credible 

knowledge to companies as well as accord practical advice to 

key decision-makers for them to formulate and then implement 

productivity-boosting programmes. 

Similar to previous iterations of the popular workshop, the 

trainer went over key aspects to note within a company that 

can hamper or impair productivity. Instead of just stating the 

apparent, solutions and recommendations were put forth by the 

trainer, and the participants eagerly engaged in discussion over 

these subjects, debating why this particular measure will not 

work for their company and vice-versa. In addition to learning 

from the trainer, the participants also learnt from each other, 

and many took the opportunity to forge new relationships. 

ProDuctivity 

management 

WorkshoP

Ca l E n D a r oF Ev E n t s 

tr a D E Fa i r s 

interSec 2013 

Date: 15 to 17 January 2013 

The largest and most comprehensive 

exhibition and conference for security, safety 

and fire protection in the Middle East, the 

2013 edition of this pivotal trade fair will be 

held in the Dubai International Convention and 

Exhibition Centre. This year, latest products 

and trends will be showcased across four 

Vertical Sections: Commercial & Information 

Security, Homeland Security & Policing, Fire 

& Rescue, Safety & Health. 

automechanika kuala lumpur 2013 

Date: 7 to 9 March 2013 

As ASEAN’s leading trade fair for automotive 

products, equipment and services, 

Automechanika Kuala Lumpur 2013 will be 

held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre 

(KLCC). Show highlights include an enhanced 

accessories and tuning area to meet rising 

market demand, a new EU Pavilion to 

encourage European countries to invest in the 

fast-growing ASEAN automotive market and 

also popular seminars/workshops offered in 

cooperation with government authorities and 

key industry associations. 

understanding lemon law 

Date: 10 January 2013 

Ev E n t s 

A collaboration between ASME and WDA, this seminar aims to 

highlight the essentials of the Lemon Law and how SMEs can better 

prepare for this regulation. Featuring two speakers, the Seminar will 

facilitate the understanding of the Lemon Law and help address the 

key effects and their impact on SMEs, in addition to a sharing about 

the various platforms business owners can leverage on to better 

prepare for the law. 

Workshop on practical productivity for Businesses 

Date: 22 January 2013 

This workshop is part of the Productivity Management Programme 

(PMP) that is supported by SPRING Singapore to provide companies 

with Knowledge, Advisory and Assistance on Productivity related 

matters. The session has been lengthened from a half-day 

knowledge-based seminar to a full-day practical and exercise-based 

workshop as a result of feedback from previous participants. 

aSMe - taFep Seminar on Fair employment practices 

Date: 28 February 2013 

Find out how you can be a fair, responsible and effective employer 

in this 3-hour seminar jointly organised by ASME and the Tripartite 

Alliance for Fair Employment Practices (TAFEP). Be among the first 

to hear of findings from a survey with more than 500 SMEs on how 

you can ascertain the readiness and ability of SMEs in Singapore to 

cope with an increasingly diverse workforce trend. Also, learn how 

employers adopt and implement fair and responsible employment 

practices in their workplaces and the benefits they reaped. 

technology of today, productivity of tomorrow - 

learning Journey to korea 

Date: 18 to 22 March 2013 

Specially designed for local SMEs wishing for a breakthrough to 

incorporate technology as part of their corporate initiatives for growth 

and to increase productivity, NTUC Learning Hub is organising a 5-day- 

4-night learning journey to Seoul, South Korea. With an impressive 

lineup of site visits including the Samsung Green Tomorrow project 

house and the SK Telecoms Ubiquitous Museum, participants can 

expect to learn from the best in the world and acquire best practices 

for the incorporation of technology into business processes. 

For event enquiries, please call 6513 0388 or visit www.asme.org.sg. 



11

12 


En t r E p r E n E u r s’ Di g E s t

Branding 

at its Best 

Like the moves on a 

checkered board, branding 

is very much akin to a game 

of chess. The ancient sport 

for intellectual sparring is 

focused on strategy and circumstance, 

pitting the wits of the players against 

one another in a bid to outlast, outplay 

and oust the other to claim victory. 

Transposing to the branding arena, the 

same can be said: companies invest 

thousands to create that one winning 

brand strategy, using market research 

and creativity to stand out from the 

clutter of the modern marketplace and 

secure consumer attention. 

Based on this timeless concept, the 

Singapore Prestige Brand Award 

(SPBA) 2012 has identified, recognised 

and honoured 49 deserving brands for 

their excellence in branding. Through 

a transparent and stringent judging 

process, these brands are the crème de 

la crème of local branding initiatives, their 

distinct identities serving as prominent 

beacons in the business landscape. The 

entire award journey taking the better part 

of almost six months, these 49 brands 

have gone through the gauntlet: from 

proposal submissions to the two rounds 

of judging and finally being honoured at 

the Award Presentation Ceremony. 

SPBA 2012 is co-organised annually by 


Enterprises (ASME) and Lianhe Zaobao, 

and this year, the Award is also fortunate 

to have CIMB Bank onboard as the Main 

Sponsor. Speaking during the Official 

Launch of the SPBA 2012 on 4 July 2012, 

Mr Mak Lye Mun, Chief Executive Officer 

of CIMB Bank Singapore said that, “CIMB 

sp E C i a l 

the 11 th Singapore prestige 

Brand award has honoured 

49 homegrown brands for 

their efforts in this critical 

business element 

Bank is proud to be given the opportunity 

by Lianhe Zaobao and ASME to be the 

main sponsor for Singapore Prestige 

Brand Award. In an economy where 

we are subject to ever changing market 

dynamics and heightened competition, 

the role of brands has never been greater. 

So there is nothing more invigorating than 

to be able to help our local companies 

grow their brands so that they can better 

compete in the global marketplace.” 

In addition to the main sponsor, the 

Award is also supported by International 

Enterprise Singapore (IE Singapore), the 

Intellectual Property Office of Singapore 

(IPOS) as well as SPRING Singapore. 



13

14 

sp E C i a l 

the Journey Begins 

What exactly is branding? By and large 

a continuous and ongoing process, 

branding – in a nutshell – is what 

differentiates one product from another, 

what drives consumers to choose this 

particular product over other similar ones 

in the market. This is especially pertinent 

in today’s cluttered marketplace and 

uncertain economic outlook, where 

consumers are spending less while 

still having plenty to choose from. The 

challenge for the branding practitioner is 

to implement an effective strategy, and 

constantly maintain it in order for the 

brand to stay relevant. 

To serve as a credible benchmark and 

a platform for future expansion, the 

SPBA 2012 was officially launched on 4 

July 2012 at the SPH Auditorium. More 

than just a standard launch, potential 

Award participants got the opportunity 

to field questions to a panel comprised 

of members from the Award Organising 

Committee, who clarified all doubts and 

shed more light on the Award submission 

procedures and the entire judging 

process. 



Despite the economic uncertainty that 

pervaded the business climate, over 100 

submissions for all five Award Categories 

were received for SPBA 2012. On the 

overwhelming response to the Award, 

Ms Audrey Yap, Chairman of the SPBA 

2012 Organising Committee, enthused, 

“I am heartened to note the quality of the 

submissions has improved. Reading the 

submissions, it was obvious a lot of work 

had gone into their preparation. These 

businesses demonstrate understanding 

the various processes that make up a 

good branding concept and are able 

to better produce appealing initiatives 

that embody the advantages of using 

a particular product or service, and 

integrating this with the company’s beliefs 

and vision.” 

With all submissions ready, the judging 

process began in earnest. Held in two 

rounds, the submissions were thoroughly 

assessed from their submitted proposals, 

scrutinized right down to the smallest 

details. The final judging round had 

the brand owners come down for a 

brief interview session with a panel of 

distinguished judges, where they talked 

in earnest about their brand philosophy, 

motivation as well as the stories behind 

their brands. As the judges sat riveted 

to their seats listening to their tales, the 

list of truly deserving brands was being 

forged.

On 6 November 2012, all 49 brands 

were revealed to the public during the 

SPBA 2012 Official Press Conference. 

The brand representatives beamed with 

pride as they received their certificates 

of achievement, and networked with one 

another after the Conference. However, 

their SPBA journey was not over, voting 

for the Most Popular Brands had just 

begun. 

For almost three weeks, the public got to 

vote for their favourite brands via SMS. 

The Winners could hardly contain their 

anticipation for the voting results, which 

will only be made known on the night 

of the Award Presentation Ceremony, 

where the Overall Winners for each 

Award Category (except for SPBA – 

Special Merit) will be announced as well. 

To make an already-exciting evening 

even more thrilling, the new inductees to 

the SPBA – Hall of Fame – a prestigious 

circle for brands that have consistently 

excelled over a period of time – will also 

be unveiled at the Award Presentation 

Ceremony. 

glitz and glamour 

The SPBA 2012 Award Presentation 

Ceremony finally came on the evening of 

14 December 2012. Held in the Grand 

Ballroom of the Ritz-Carlton Millennia 

Singapore, brand owners and associates 

decked in fine evening wear thronged 

the classily-decorated ballroom before 

event proceedings began proper. With 

the arrival of the evening’s guest-of- 

honour, Mr Teo Chee Hean, Deputy 

Prime Minister, Coordinating Minister 

for National Security and Minister for 

Home Affairs, the Award Presentation 

Ceremony kicked off with a sizzling 

performance from the Desert Roses Belly 

Dance troupe. 

In his opening address, DPM Teo 

highlighted the importance of branding for 

business success: “Over the years, many 

Singapore companies have successfully 

ventured overseas. For example, past 

SPBA Winners like BreadTalk, Crystal 

Jade and Frasers Hospitality have 

succeeded in their forays to regional 

and international markets. They have 

shown how achieving brand recognition 

is a key success factor for businesses 

in capturing market share, especially 

in new markets.” Mentioning that 

Singapore itself is a strong brand which 

has become analogous with high quality 

and reliability over time, he also stressed 

that companies must do what they can 

to “preserve and promote the Singapore 

brand” to maintain our competitive edge 

on the international stage. 

As dinner began, the brand owners for 

the winning Brands gathered outside the 

ballroom, awaiting their turn to enter as 

part of the Winners’ showcase. As they 

walked proudly into the ballroom and 

received their trophies from DPM Teo, 

their faces were flushed with joy, gently 

cradling the beautiful symbol of their 

branding excellence in their arms. It was 

sp E C i a l 

at this time that the Overall Winners and 

Most Popular Brands were announced, 

causing much jubilation within the 

gathered guests in the ballroom which 

numbered over 700. The four new 

inductees to the SPBA – Hall of Fame 

also received their polished plaques from 

the hands of the GOH, adding another 

feather of prestige to a consecutive chain 

of SPBA accolades. 

For the Promising Brands, clinching 

the accolade serves as tangible 

encouragement and motivation to perfect 

their branding techniques to achieve 

greater excellence. For the Established 

Brands, the SPBA is a testament to their 

consistent and effective branding efforts. 

For the Heritage Brands, the Award 

pays tribute to these time-honoured 

examples of branding consistence. For 

the SPBA-CIMB Regional Brands, the 

honour recognises the breakthrough 

these Brands have made in regional 

markets. For the Special Merit Brands, 

the SPBA accolade is testament to the 

universal onus on Branding, from small 

and medium enterprises to non-profit 

organisations and government agencies. 

For all Winners, the SPBA journey might 

have come to a close, but their branding 

voyage continues, renewed, refreshed 

and unabated. 

Congratulations to all Winners of SPBA 

2012! 



15

16 

sp E C i a l 

SPBA 2012 WInnerSSpBa – 



promising Brands 

Winners 

• Academy of Rock 

• amBook® 

• AOX 

• BeeChoo Origin 

• BodyPerfect 

• gavio 

• Huber’s Butchery 

• KOP Properties Pte Ltd 

• PowerPac 

• Santa Grand 

• Soverus 

• Sweetest Moments 

• T32 Dental Centre 

Overall Winner: Academy of Rock 

Most Popular Brand: gavio 

SpBa – heritage Brands 

Winners 

• CHATTERBOX 

• Dynasty Travel 

• FairPrice 

• Hock Lian Huat 福联发 

• Jason Electronics 

• Jean Yip Group 

• Lim Siang Huat 

• Meritus Hotels & Resorts 

• Ng Ah Sio Bak Kut Teh 

• Noel Gifts 

• TAI HING 

Overall Winner: Noel Gifts 

Most Popular Brand: FairPrice 

SpBa – Special Merit 

Winners 

• Ci Yuan Community Centre 

Youth Club 

• SATA CommHealth 

Note: there is no Overall Winner and Most 

Popular Brand Winner for this Award Category. 

SpBa – hall of Fame 

New Inductees 

• CAD-IT CONSULTANTS 

• NOEL GIFTS 

SpBa – established Brands 

Winners 

• Amore Fitness & Boutique Spa 

• CAD-IT Consultants 

• Ciseern 

• FANCO 

• FotoHub 

• ICHI SEIKI 

• JASON PARQUET 

• Jumbo Seafood 

• MSC CONSULTING (S) PTE LTD 

• Nature’s Green 

• Neo Garden Catering Pte Ltd 

• OrangeTee 

• Physio Asia Therapy Centre 

• PrimeStaff 

• Si Chuan Dou Hua Restaurants 

• SMILE INC.® 

• SPANNERS INTERNATIONAL 

• The Soup Spoon 

• WAN YANG 

Overall Winner: 

Neo Garden Catering Pte Ltd 

Most Popular Brand: 

Neo Garden Catering Pte Ltd 

SpBa-ciMB regional Brands 

Winners 

• CAD-IT Consultants 

• Rigel 

• SHOWY 

• TungLok Group 

Overall Winner: Rigel 

Most Popular Brand: TungLok Group 

• 

• 

RIGEL 

TUNG LOK GROUP

18 

Co m m E n ta r y 

expanSion 

overSeaS 

Why it is needed for enterprises to grow 

Even if Singapore is the 4th best country in the world to do business, 

according to a Forbes report, local firms will agree it is becoming more 

challenging as business and labor costs continue to rise. Entrepreneurs 

and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are increasingly seeking 

overseas expansion options to fuel growth. Giants like Keppel 

Corporation “continue to believe their main interests is expansion within ASEAN 

especially with successful operations in the Philippines,” according to CEO 

Mr Choo Chiau Beng. However, the smaller entities on the other hand, have 

restricted resources, scarce networks, and limited budgets to initiate growth. 

When going global, they need to be convinced that they are doing the right thing 

and have an effective plan in place. 



Why do companies expand overseas? 

• Strong Singapore Brand overseas 

In a 2011 Channel News Asia report, “39 

per cent of Singapore companies earn more 

than half of their sales income from overseas 

markets.” The role of International Enterprise 

(IE) Singapore is to drive Singapore's external 

economy through international trade. This 

is promoted by partnering Singapore-based 

companies in their international expansion 

plans. This encourages successful companies 

to invest overseas, have a good understanding 

of the market, put the right people to manage 

overseas operations and build on the strength 

of foreign partners. Utilising Singapore with 

its effective brand, design, and intellectual 

property and manpower strategies act as a key 

differentiator when competing in congested 

overseas markets. 

• Cost benefits 

To sustain any expansion strategy, improving 

the bottom line may not always keep pace with 

the growth in revenue and sales as a result of 

new market entry. Finding the manpower with 

essential capabilities remains a key challenge 

in planning for expansion. Because of this, 

Singaporean businesses can choose to take 

advantage of lowering costs in other ways. 

For example, they might move manufacturing 

plants closer to natural resources, invest in new 

and more efficient technology, or profit from 

tax structures. Expanding overseas also gives 

local firms the opportunity to extend product 

lifecycles that may be entering decline. 

• Diversify risk by increasing market 

penetration and size 

Managing overseas operations and gaining 

the right business partners are some of the 

top challenges that Singapore companies 

face when internationalising. Diversification of 

the customer base helps spread risks, and 

gives greater security in times of economic 

uncertainty. A recession in one country may 

not have a huge effect if the business is doing 

well in another country. Viewing diversification 

as a solution to market problems can be an 

unforeseen method of achieving growth. When 

businesses look into diversification to increase 

market penetration and size, they often see it as 

a way to mitigate the risks of the core business, 

by expanding into others. The Singapore 

market is limited by size and often sways the 

demand and supply equation. Opening up new 

markets overseas could rebalance and stabilize 

this equation. 

Jeffrey koh 

group Managing Director 

loyal reliance


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19

20 


Logistics as 

a gateway to 

the worLd 

Bringing value to small and 

medium enterprises 



Small and medium-sized enterprises 

(SMEs) occupy an important position in 

Singapore’s economy in terms of their 

contribution to the country’s industrial 

development, exports, employment and creation 

of an entrepreneurial base. They account for more 

than 50 per cent of GDP and about 70 per cent of 

employment. 

The durability of the SME sector means that business 

confidence amongst SMEs is high. In the wake of 

uncertain domestic demand, small business owners 

are increasingly exploring new ways of selling their 

products and services overseas. There is strong 

evidence that going global generates lucrative 

growth opportunities, and that SMEs engaged 

in international trading are reaping the benefits. 

However, doing business outside of Singapore can 

present certain logistical challenges.

Consider all that is involved with going global. 

How will the goods land on a customer’s 

doorstep on the other side of the world? 

How can a small business maintain a strong 

cash position when goods could be in transit 

for days or weeks, not to mention keep up 

with fluctuating currency conversion rates? 

What about learning trade laws and clearing 

customs? And how they do they establish 

and build relationships with foreign trade 

partners? 

Expanding overseas can seem daunting 

because of these uncertainties. However, 

with an efficient and reliable third party 

logistics (3PL) partner, SMEs in Singapore can 

avoid some of the potential pitfalls. Shipping 

is just one component of getting your goods 

to market in other countries. A continued 

trend is being observed for a complete 

range of end-to-end solutions, beyond the 

traditional capabilities of warehousing and 

transportation. Companies are turning to 

their logistics suppliers not just for these 

“standard” services, but also for expert 

advice and intelligence on target markets. 

Many SMEs view partnering a capable 

logistics partner with a broad geographical 

footprint as a strategic way to gain a deep 

understanding of foreign markets, explore 

expansion opportunities and maximise free 

trade zones. 

Having identified target markets for export or 

import, it is also important to know the rules. 

There are customs, trade and shipping laws 

that come into play. These can vary greatly 

from one country to the next, and these 

laws will not only govern how your shipment 

is received but are specific to the type of 

product you are sending. 

Confusing customs regulations, duties, and 

taxes can be a real barrier to SMEs accessing 

global markets. Something as simple as 

labeling a product as a ‘sample’ – without 

detailing what it is a sample of – can result in 

goods being held at customs and potential 

financial penalties or losses. This is why it 

is important for SMEs to thoroughly research 

customs requirements, duties, processing 

times and potential risks they would face 

when shipping to a particular market, or to 

engage customs brokers who can take this 

on for them. Automating customs processes 

by using online tools to process shipment 


documentation and developing databases 

with commodity information is also a good 

way of reducing the administrative burden on 

an SME’s logistics department (if they have 

the luxury of employing one), as well as the 

error rate and the speed in which their goods 

are processed at the border. 

At the same time, challenging and complex 

customs rules and regulations also present 

opportunities for trade development. Every 

country has its own unique customs ‘quirks’ 

which can make international trade a 

minefield for SMEs lacking in-house logistics 

expertise. Opportunities exist for local SMEs 

in the electronics, oil & energy, aerospace 

and life sciences industries in particular, 

with South-East Asian markets and the 

broader Asia-Pacific region presenting 

significant opportunities. Logistics providers 

also work closely with local associations 

and government agencies to reach out to 

budding SMEs in Singapore who are looking 

to expanding their business overseas. 

Logistics also has a large role to play in 

optimising an SME’s cash flow situation, 

particularly when it comes to shipping 

internationally. Minor adjustments to a 

company’s management of its own inventory 

can free up significant and much needed cash 

flow to cover other essential operations. For 

instance, the innovative use of time definite 

delivery services has allowed companies to 

grow through offering very high service levels 

(i.e. a very short product delivery cycle or a 

quick repair process), with little need to tie up 

working capital in buffer inventory or inventory 

in transit. 

The possibilities opened up by new 

technologies, the internet, and modern 

transportation mean that there are myriad 

overseas trade opportunities out there for 

Singaporean businesses. With thorough 

research and a well-defined logistics strategy, 

SMEs can successfully expand into new 

markets, compete with larger companies, 

and use their size to their own advantage. 

herbert vongpusanachai 

Managing Director 

Dhl express Singapore 



21

22 


Securing 

Productivity For 

your BuSineSS 

In today’s digital world, the ability to leverage on technology is instrumental in driving productivity 

& operational efficiency in business. Likewise, technology in physical security has also evolved 

and is intricately intertwined with IP (internet protocol). This technological convergence means 

security solutions now go beyond protect, and are also equipped with functions that will help 

business drive productivity and run processes more efficiently. 

Before embarking on a security solution project however, it is 

important to understand your own security requirements and 

other concerns, as there is no one-size-fits-all turnkey solution 

for each enterprise’s security. 

getting Started 

Every business has different needs in terms of the level of security 

that is required. The security needs of a retailer would be very 

different compared to a transportation and logistics company. 

The retailer business would need an access control solution to 

track time and attendance, a surveillance solution to monitor 

their point-of-sale (POS) and electronic article surveillance 

(EAS) to protect themselves against theft. A transportation and 

logistics company on the other hand would be interested in a 

vehicle tracking solution to monitor their vehicle fleets, protect 

against vehicle theft and track fuel consumption. 

Secondly, it is also important to take scalability into consideration. 

There are many security solutions out there but SME owners 

are encouraged to take a more mid-to-long term view in order 

to ensure that the security solution is able to keep pace with the 

business as it grows. 

Lastly, SMEs should be mindful about the need to integrate the 

different security systems that they need. They should consult 

security professionals in ensuring the different systems “talk” to 

each other. In the event of any breach, the necessary reports 

and/or footages can be pulled to give a holistic picture of what 

actually happened. 

an open Mindset 

Businesses need to realise that security is to be treated as 

a business issue and re-think their approach to security. It is 

critical for business to adopt an open mindset in embracing 

holistic security management for their organisation. The ability 

to respond swiftly and effectively in security emergencies will be 

critical to saving thousands of dollars in damage and loss for 

your organisation. 



The key is not to hunt for the most expensive and feature-rich 

solution but to get a correct assessment of the business needs 

before developing a security strategy. For instance, some 

businesses still have the wrong perception that it is highly costly 

to subscribe to a 24/7 monitoring service. In the market today, 

such services are available for less than $100 per month. This is 

definitely a small investment in exchange for the peace of mind 

knowing that there is a team of trained professionals who are 

looking after your business round the clock. 

Security and Business productivity 

We have a customer who is in the food and beverage business. 

The key concerns the business owner faced were whether his 

restaurant will start operating on time and to ensure that the 

hygiene levels of the kitchen are consistently maintained at high

standards. With the help of integrated 

security systems, the business owner is 

able to address the concerns through the 

SMSes received when the staff arms or 

disarms the system. In addition, having 

remote viewing via the surveillance 

system allows sanitary checks on the 

cleanliness of the kitchen area without 

having the need to deploy manpower to 

do regular checks. 

Through the adoption of security 

solutions, the head office now operates 

with better efficiency and more 

importantly, the business owner has 

complete control over all his restaurants 

without having to be physically on site, 

resulting in the achievement of optimal 

productivity. 

improvements in Security 

The concept of office security has 

gone beyond basic intrusion detection. 

Advancement in technology has enabled 

the integration of both security and Office 

IT systems. While fulfilling its traditional 

security functions, integrated security 

solutions can now make an impact to 

business growth and productivity. 

office automation 

In addition to protection of office premise, 

SME owners can control office automation 

equipment remotely thereby improving 

energy management & monitoring of 

their premise. This gives greater control 

to SME owners anytime, anywhere. 

Surveillance Solution 

Surveillance solutions have also evolved 

beyond just closed circuit television. It 

can now perform the role of a “virtual 

policeman” – security monitoring centre 

can do a situation assessment by 

remotely accessing the security cameras 

in the event of a suspected intrusion. 

Secured access 

In many instances, access to certain 

parts of the office will have to be restricted 

to selected personnel. Technological 

advancement in security is able to help 

bar access to such locations and can be 

beefed up to even point and grant access 

to a specific path, so that visitors or staff 

will have to go through a dictated route in 

order to reach the eventual meeting point. 

In addition to intrusion detection, 

today’s security functions include SMS 

Notification, Events Supervision and 

Mohammad Salim 

regional general Manager, South-east asia 

tyco Fire, Security & Services pte ltd 


even AC Power Loss monitoring which 

informs customers in the event of a 

power loss to the equipment. 

SMe Security trends 

Criminals are getting smarter and more 

sophisticated in overcoming basic 

security systems to commit crime. 

SMEs need to recognize that security 

technology must form part of their IT 

infrastructure and policy. For example, an 

access control system is not just about 

guarding against unauthorised entry. It 

can also perform time and attendance 

management to assist in managing 

overtime pay, employee productivity and 

workforce management. In short, it is 

now the digital age, and will remain so 

for a very long time. 

Finally, with the exponential growth of 

mobile devices, it is critical to leverage 

on business mobility to keep enterprises 

agile enough to respond to critical 

business situations. Business owners 

can now remotely turn on their security 

system from wherever they are, watch 

over their business premises, track the 

opening and closing hours and get real 

time notifications when any abnormality 

happens. 

An Engineer by profession, Mr. Salim has almost 30 years of experience in 

the Petrochemical, Oil & Gas and Security Industry covering Asia and North 

America. 



23

24 


transcenDing 

BorDers 

ASME Inks MOU to Strengthen 

Relations with Russia’s Enterprises 

The Association of Small and 

Medium Enterprises (ASME) 

has signed a Memorandum 

of Understanding (MOU) with 

Leaders Club of Russia to 

strengthen relations between Singapore’s 

and Russia’s enterprises. SMEs can look 

forward to greater business ties and 

exchanges with Russian counterparts! 

Newly founded this year, Leaders Club is 

a Russian non-profit organisation which 

focuses on promoting business initiatives 

for Russia. This strategic alliance between 

ASME and Leaders Club aims to improve 

the leadership qualities of enterprises as 

well as to develop and strengthen the 

economic relations between enterprises 

of both countries. 

Commenting on the partnership, Mr Chan 

Chong Beng, President of ASME said, 

“This collaboration is mutually beneficial 

for both countries’ enterprise landscape, 

and it marks the start of a positive and 

improved relationship between Singapore 

SMEs and Russia’s enterprises.” 



“Leaders Club brings 

businessmen from more 

than 40 Russian Federation 

regions and from all the 

economy fields together. 

There is much that our local 

SMEs can learn from our 

Russian counterparts, and it 

is also a good platform for local SMEs to 

globalise, upgrade their capabilities and 

expand their network,” Mr Chan added. 

In addition, this partnership seeks to 

spur exchange of business, economic, 

cultural and social ideas between the two 

countries through a series of joint projects 

and initiatives. These projects and 

initiatives will help create opportunities 

for the exchange of business contacts 

and experience amongst enterprises of 

Singapore and Russia. 

Through this successful non-commercial 

marriage, ASME and Leaders Club will 

jointly organise meetings with industrial 

experts from both countries, corporate 

events, visits and practical trainings, 

cooperative exchanges, international 

charitable projects etc. 

“ASME has been the leading organisation 

for entrepreneurs and enterprises in 

Singapore. We believe that this partnership 

with ASME will enhance not only our 

economic relations with Singapore, 

but also helps our enterprises to grow 

and tap on the unique knowledge and 

experiences of Singapore’s enterprises,” 

said Mr Artem Avetisyan, Chairman of 

Leaders Club. 

Present at the MOU signing ceremony 

on 5 December 2012 were ASME’s 

Executive Council Members, Russian 

Business Delegates of the Leaders Club, 

as well as representatives from SPRING 

Singapore.

travel smart 

Expert travel advice 

is much needed for 

growing businesses 

entrepreneurs and small-tomedium 

sized enterprises 

(SMEs) looking to expand 

into regional or international 

markets can benefit from 

using a travel provider with specialised 

business travel expertise. 

For small businesses growing into 

new markets, time is money, so having 

a personal travel consultant who is 

experienced and knowledgeable can 

save you both. Travel smarter and let a 

business travel expert organise all travel 

bookings, while the businessmen can get 

on with their core business. Thousands 

of dollars are lost by businesses booking 

what appears to be the cheapest ticket 

online, but plans change and low-priced 

online fares are often non-changeable 

and non-refundable, so this can cost a 

lot more in the long run. 

The services of a dedicated travel 

manager who will manage and organise 

all business travel requirements is 

much needed by SMEs seeking to 

venture overseas. For a start, the travel 

manager must get to know the business, 

understanding its travel needs and 

preferences before offering relevant and 

expert advice to help the business travel 

to its destination(s) in the most time 

and cost-efficient way. Ideally, the travel 

manager must also be able to tap into 

multiple fare sources, so the business will 

not only receive the best value but also 

save hours of lost productivity surfing the 

internet for the best deal. 

If the travel manager is part of a larger 

corporation, the client business will benefit 

from the global negotiating strength and 

strong relationships the main company 

has with top travel providers. This means 

that the travel manager can deliver the 

most competitive corporate rates on 

airfares, accommodation, car hire and 

more, providing a total travel solution for 

any company. This is especially crucial for 

business owners who may be unfamiliar 

with what airlines and hotels are available 

in a new region or country, and the 

travel manager can even assist with visa 

applications and arrange travel insurance 

if so needed. 

When first venturing into new markets, 

newer SMEs may not yet know the extent 

of their business travel needs. Last minute 

changes can be a part of any business 

traveler’s life and if a change is quickly 

needed or things do not go according to 

plan like flight cancellations or delays, it is 


good to know there is someone on hand 

to help. Therefore, the travel manager 

must be able to offer 24-hour emergency 

assistance, with staff always available to 

make bookings or deal with other matters 

on the business’ behalf. 

With a dedicated and competent travel 

manager tending to every travel need, 

business owners can focus their full 

attention on running and elevating their 

enterprises to greater heights. 

Flight centre Business travel 



25

26 


Over the Horizon 

Hot Countries SMEs should look out for when considering growth opportunities 

asia in 2013 – optimistic Despite challenges ahead 

With a 5.5 per cent growth in 2012, Asia’s growth is estimated to have been about 0.5 per cent below the growth figure of 

2011, despite expanding about 2 percentage points faster than the global average. Nonetheless, Asia is still positioned for 

growth as economic momentum is set to gradually pick up in 2013, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). 

Other than Myanmar, known as the last frontier of Asia and also believed by many as a country of great opportunity and 

growth, two other countries which SMEs can look to tap into to help their businesses grow and sustain are iskandar, 

Malaysia, and the land of technology, Seoul, korea. 

iskandar, Malaysia – Businesses 

looking to relocate and expand 

To curb rising cost, for sustainability and 

growth 

Vast and expansive land area, ample 

manpower and a mere stone’s throw 

away from Singapore, the up and coming 

economic zone, Iskandar – located just 

north of Singapore and highly accessible 

by both Singapore causeways, sea ports, 

airports etc. will be the next IT thing in 

2013 and beyond for local SMEs. 

With the current rising cost and manpower 

shortage situation in Singapore, Iskandar 

could be the preferred alternative for your 

Seoul, South korea – Businesses 

looking to improve productivity, 

innovation and technology of 

products 

To improve productivity through 

technology 

Amidst the government’s push for 

productivity and innovation, increasing 



business relocation or for those looking 

to expand to this growing region and 

new potential market. 

Understanding the concerns that SMEs 

do have for relocating or expanding 

to this area – such as political stability, 

security issues, and the ability to find the 

right manpower etc., the Association of 

Small and Medium Enterprises (ASME) is 

currently spearheading a project to help 

SMEs move to Iskandar. The notion of 

ASME taking the lead is to dispel some 

of the security concerns that SMEs have, 

and to help provide first hand trusted 

information about the region and areas 

that ASME is looking into. 

number of SMEs are looking into 

streamlining their operations, improving 

the productivity and technologies – 

which in the long run, aids growth and 

sustainability of their businesses. 

What better way to learn more about 

the latest, advanced and modern 

technology than our fellow Asian peer: 

South Korea. Its renowned K-pop and 

Speaking to a few potential developers 

and currently conducting a survey to find 

out the needs of SMEs in the Iskandar 

region, ASME will pick the most practical 

and highly sought after areas, according 

to the majority of its SMEs’ needs. Site 

visits, briefings and seminars have been 

conducted, and ASME will continue 

to plan this on an ongoing basis for 

interested SMEs. 

Still in its initial development, more 

information on this initiative will be 

announced and disseminated to 

members and SMEs once firmed. For 

those interested to find out more, please 

contact: corpcomms@asme.org.sg 

K-Wave are not the only internationally 

known Korean distinctive; South Korea is 

also one of the leading countries for its 

relentless modernistic city of innovative 

technology, specialising in electronics, 

telecommunications, auto-production, 

steel, shipbuilding and chemical 

production. Some of the world’s biggest 

players stem from South Korea, including 

Samsung, LG and Hyundai.

The nation’s emphasis on cutting edge 

technology encompass multiple levels 

of products – including cosmetics, 

mobile devices, cars, and consumer 

electronics. 

With a strong focus on incorporating 

technology to achieve productivity, 

a specially designed Advanced 

Management Programme will be 

organised for SMEs who are looking to 

incorporate technology as part of the 

corporate initiatives for growth, as well as 

to increase productivity. SMEs will get to 

learn from one of the best in the world in 

terms of its technology and acquire best 

practices in terms of the incorporation 

of technology. You will get to visit big 

international players such Samsung, SK 

Telecoms, LG, Kia Motors, Hyundae 

Steel and Pyeong Taek Port during the 

Learning Journey. 

the learning Journey is also eligible 

for claim under the productivity and 

innovation credit (pic) Scheme. 

For more information and registration, 

please contact: 

Ms lim lee Mei 

DiD: +65 6471 7283 

Mobile: +65 9751 8489 

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28 

Co v E r st o r y 

Of Bricks, 

MOrtar 

and steel 

Proving to be as resilient as his own products, 

Mr Peter Ong, Managing Director of Building 

Resources Industries Pte Ltd has managed to 

build up an impressive and trusted business in a 

niche segment of the building and construction 

industry 

By James Tan 



the building and construction 

industry encompasses many 

elements: from the workers 

with safety helmets who 

toil tirelessly, to the towering cranes 

responsible for all the heavy lifting of men, 

materials and everything in between. Yet, 

there is one element that brings all the 

others together, the glue which binds 

each aspect of construction into one 

cohesive whole. It is a very niche segment 

that most entrepreneurs shy away from 

due to its complexity, but Mr Peter 

Ong, founder and Managing Director of 

Building Resources Industries Pte Ltd 

has managed to construct a successful 

enterprise from bricks, cement and other 

building materials. 

Dealing primarily in essential building 

materials like clay bricks, steel mesh and 

drymix prepacked, Building Resources 

Industries (BRI) has over the years 

established itself as a “competitive price 

leader”, with sole distributorship rights 

for an assortment of products. Under 

Peter’s eagle-eyed leadership, BRI is now 

a leading provider of a comprehensive 

range of structural building materials to 

the local construction industry, becoming 

a one-stop supply centre for their 

customers’ every need. 

However, Peter started his working life as 

an engineer, having being academically 

trained in that field with a Bachelor of 

Engineering with First Class Honours 

from the University of Manchester. It 

was during this time that his fire for 

entrepreneurship was ignited, fanned 

and eventually cultivated to drive Peter 

onwards to his eventual success. As 

Peter went about earning his degree, he 

interacted with students from all over the 

world who were pursuing their Master 

of Business Administration (MBA) at the 

University, engaging in serious discussion 

with them on business topics and current 

affairs, deepening his notion to better 

understand intricate market dynamics.

Upon his graduation, Peter first worked 

as an engineer for two years before 

switching to the building material retail 

trade business in the 1990s. He had 

plenty of opportunity to explore the 

construction industry while working in 

the trade for three years before setting up 

BRI, intimately understanding the nature 

and deeper workings of this important 

industry. 

“I saw that construction is an industry 

that will always be in demand,” enthused 

Peter, “and it will not yield easily to 

automation. The construction industry 

is one of the key pillars of Singapore’s 

industry.” Armed with this knowledge 

and aided by his passion for the industry, 

Peter established BRI in 1998, and that is 

when his true journey began. 

In the niche market segment of building 

materials, there exists many suppliers 

selling an almost-endless range of 

products that can be sold to a wide 

spectrum of different industrial sectors. 

Each of these sectors requires different 

combinations of products, and with the 

right suppliers of the right materials, a 

large section of this potentially lucrative 

market can be captured. 

Rather than jump into a mature market 

with guns blazing, Peter was careful in 

his approach during the opening years 

of BRI, which incidentally was during the 

Asian Financial Crisis. Rather than shirking 

from adversity, Peter met it head on: 

exercising caution with strategic planning 

and paying exquisite attention to detail, 

he had the young firm start off with small 

Co v E r st o r y 

“Most entrepreneurs don’t conform to 

everyday life. Not because we don’t want 

to, but usually we can’t. If we do try to 

conform to the typical everyday life, we 

quickly realise that this doesn’t work.” 

jobs and advertised mainly through wordof-mouth 

with a few targeted customers. 

Peter firmly believes that if you do a good 

job for your first customers, word of their 

excellence service and products will 

eventually spread like wildfire. Within the 

next 14 years, BRI rapidly developed and 

expanded into a prolific entity thriving in 

its niche market sector. It has become, all 

by counts, a successful enterprise. 

“Being an entrepreneur, it is about 

charting your own future,” said Peter on 

his journey thus far, “It is about creating 

a life, as it is about making a living.” Of 

course, he attributes his success not only 

to his own tireless effort, but also to his 

employees and customers. In fact, Peter 

places great emphasis on getting the 

right people for key positions. 

“Your employees will not leave you as 

long as they view your company as a 

fertile place, best suited for the growth 

of their abilities,” Peter highlighted, 

“When you hire new people, make sure 

they understand what you are trying to 

achieve.” 

In addition to securing the right talent, 

managing the entire team is also another 

crucial aspect to running the business. 

With 10 different business divisions taking 

care of an extensive range of products 

and services, the team must know what 

is going on. The challenge is achieving 

“inter-connectedness” amongst all 

employees: from the delivery staff to the 

sales executives to the administrative 

personnel and finally to management. 

“The combined strength of the team in 

product development, market know-how 

and business development, together 

with the strong teamwork are important 

factors that steer the company towards 

realising its objectives,” he emphasised. If 

this is done right, the initial brand promise 

can be delivered, which then translates 

into a robust bottom line. 

As the construction sector picks up 

with more large-scale public sector 

projects, Mr Peter Ong will not rest on 

his laurels. Instead, he will be constantly 

pondering the next step of his business, 

strengthening his business in the process, 

one brick at a time. 

“The most successful entrepreneur never 

stops thinking about his business, ideas 

and business opportunities,” he finished. 



29

30 

mo n E ysm a r t 

Will 2013 Be A 

TumulTuous 

YeAr? 

How SMEs can ride through a year 

of falling consumer spending and 

business confidence. 

Small and medium enterprise 

(SME) owners are approaching 

2013 with caution. 2012 was 

a challenging time for many, 

and it seems like 2013 will 

bring its own brand of obstacles that 

SMEs need to hurdle. 

The global economic outlook for 2013 

has weakened over the past six months, 

following a series of downward revisions 

across both developed and emerging 

markets. In the recent Economic Outlook 

report released by Atradius, global 

growth is expected to be 2.8 per cent in 

2013, slightly up from 2.6 per cent this 

year. While global growth is expected 

to pick up slightly in 2013, risks to the 

outlook are still significant: an escalation 

of the Eurozone crisis, further moderation 

of growth in emerging economies and an 

increase in oil prices could individually or 

all together undermine global economic 

growth. 

Singapore, as one of the most open 

economies in the world, is highly 

vulnerable to adverse global economic 

developments, such as the unfavourable 

economic developments in Europe, 

the moderating growth in China and 

the United States’ slow steps towards 

recovery are weighing on its growth 

prospects. Some of this lost growth 

momentum, however, is at least partly 



offset by growing trade in the South 

East Asian region. Economic growth is 

projected to be 2.2 per cent this year, 

accelerating to 3.8 per cent in 2013. But 

with rising business costs, operational 

concerns, and weak economic activity, 

Singapore SMEs are not immune to 

payment risks. 

unpaid invoices increasing 

Atradius’ 2012 Payment Practices 

Barometer report, which tracks the 

number of uncollected invoices in 

Singapore, shows that local small 

enterprises are struggling, and struggling 

hard. 5.1 per cent of domestic and 6.1 

per cent of foreign business to business 

(B2B) receivables from SMEs were more 

than 90 days past due, higher than the 

overall country average of 4 per cent. 

The reason: insufficiency of funds, a 

problem cited by many companies in the 

wholesale, retail, and distribution sector. 

This is the last thing that Singapore 

SMEs need, many of which have been 

dealing with a tight labour market for the 

past years. Many small firms foresee that 

the situation will not change in the near 

future, and it may even worsen. 

Mitigating payment risks 

When a business owner becomes 

obsessed with meeting quotas and 

acquiring new clients, he forgets that not 

all buyers have the ability to pay on time. 

The pursuit becomes a business leader’s 

ultimate goal. But take a step back and 

think: is this client worth it? 

Before pursuing a client, it is wise to 

assess the prospective client’s credit 

worthiness. Companies can engage an 

independent credit vetting agency, or they 

can assess a buyer’s worthiness on their 

own using publicly available information. 

Assign one of your staff to research the 

company’s history, reputation, and if there 

are any pending cases against them. If 

the company you are pursuing has had 

any questionable dealings in the past, it is 

easy to find a press article to prove it. 

Another way to research is to call one 

of the company’s current or former 

suppliers and partners. Ask if the 

company in question has defaulted in the 

past, and how long it took to settle their 

obligations. 

If background checks proved that the 

company in question has been faithful 

in paying its suppliers, make sure that 

terms and conditions (T & Cs) are strictly 

adhered to. Make sure that these T & Cs 

are up to date, and that the customer 

knows this and has agreed to follow 

it. Ask a qualified legal professional to 

prepare and verify the T & Cs. He should 

also ensure that the T & Cs reflects the 

legal practices for credit terms in your own 

country as well as the buyer’s country, if 

they are located overseas. Finally, ask the 

buyer to sign a contract where these T & 

Cs are written clearly. 

The next step is to employ a credit 

collections agency. These agencies are

knowledgeable in the market’s legal 

system where your buyer operates in. 

They can also save your staff the hassle 

from personally calling the buyer. 

Finally, it is advisable for SMEs to get credit 

insurance. In spite of the bad economy 

it is still important to offer trade credit to 

some customers, in order to keep long 

time business relationships from going 

awry. The availability of trade credit to 

customers is needed by many SMEs 

to keep their businesses going. From a 

macroeconomic standpoint, it prevents 

the economy from slowing down. 

In case the customer does default, credit 

insurance gives the supplier the protection 

it badly needs. It ensures that monies 

owed become monies paid. Choose a 

reputable credit insurance provider who 

designs credit insurance according to 

your business needs, and can cover 

not just the risk of your customer being 

unwilling or unable to pay but also a wide 

range of other risks that can prevent 

payment – including natural disaster and 

war. 

conclusion 

In order to avoid an insolvent environment 

in the face of a weak economy and rising 

business costs, companies should 

consider the above credit management 

tools to give them the stability to plan 

their business strategy, unhindered by the 

risks of late or non-payment. If prepared 

well, SME owners can sleep well at night. 

Armed and ready, they can welcome 

2013 wholeheartedly. 

Michael Frigo 

country Manager, Singapore 

atradius 

mo n E ysm a r t 



31

32 

pr o p E r t y 

If you are seeking a workspace that 

gives you flexibility with a prominent, 

even prestigious address, but don't 

want or can't afford a substantial 

capital outlay, then serviced offices may 

be the answer. 

What is a serviced office? 

Unlike a blank office unit with which you 

are free to furnish as you like (once the 

landlord hands you the keys of course), 

serviced offices come already complete 

with all the usual fittings required to run 

most businesses. At the barest minimum, 

serviced offices offer a workstation as 

well as communications facilities such as 

Internet and telephone access points. 

Most serviced offices also provide some 

basic administrative services to support 

your business, as well as shared facilities 

such as conference rooms and client 

meeting areas. 

is a serviced office for you? 

Serviced offices come in a variety of 

configurations, but most are set up 

such that you can move in, unpack and 

start running your business. Therefore, 

serviced offices are suitable for business 

owners who do not wish to spend too 

much time and resources on setting up 

an office. Because of their lower costs, 



serviced offices are an affordable option 

suitable for entrepreneurs or part-time 

business owners. They are typically 

located in the CBD, lending prestige to 

the tenant with their prominent business 

addresses. 

The additional support services included 

can also help a business owner by 

providing printing, telephone and 

messaging, mail, fax and courier services 

under one roof. It is also common for 

serviced offices to come with shared use 

of meeting rooms, pantry and lounge 

areas. Because serviced office plans 

Are 

Serviced 

Offices 

For You? 

Serviced offices provide 

affordable flexibility 

commercial asia 

commonly come bundled with a range of 

useful support services, business owners 

can have better control over business 

overheads while saving on staff costs for 

admin personnel. 

The bottom line is, serviced offices offer 

a high degree of flexibility. Most centres 

offer a plethora of centralised services, 

including secure 24/7 access and security 

as well as in-house IT support. 

What do serviced offices typically 

come with? 

There are many different options on 

the market, and amenities, fittings and 

support services included are determined 

by the actual package you sign up. 

However, this also provides a high 

degree of flexibility, as you will be able to 

choose exactly what you need. Peruse 

the following list for an idea of what a 

serviced office can provide! 

• A prestigious CBD business address 

• Centralised management of mail, fax 

and courier services 

• Receptionist and guest welcoming 

areas 

• On-site center manager and 

experienced support team 

• Office furniture including worktables, 

executive chairs, mobile pedestals 

and filing cabinets 

• Voice conference-capable digital 

telephones and dedicated telephone 

numbers with call answering in your 

exclusive company name 

• Fully furnished conference/meeting 

and video conference rooms 

• Fully stocked pantries 

• Printers, fax machines, scanners, 

copiers and essential office 

equipment 

• High-speed broadband Internet 

access using versatile CAT5e cabling 

and Wi-Fi 

• In-house IT maintenance and 

support 

• 24x7 access and tight security with 

CCTV surveillance 

• Daily office cleaning services

No Void Space 

Get more usable area for less 

Good Location 

Matters 

AZ 

1to Kallang-Paya Lebar 

Expressway (KPE) 

Minute 

drive 

6to Central 

Expressway (CTE) 

Minute 

drive 

1to MacPherson MRT 

(future interchange) 

Minute 

walk 

FREEHOLD 

‘B1’ INDUSTRIAL SPACE WITH EXCELLENT FRONTAGE 

Quality finishes and lush landscaping 

Full-glass frontage for ground floor units 

Exclusive units with direct carpark access 

@ Paya Lebar offers an unmatched location that adds a competitive 

edge to your business. The planned MacPherson MRT interchange for 

Circle and Downtown Lines, just across the road, delivers convenience, 

while easy access to major expressways ensures excellent connectivity 

to all parts of Singapore. You’ll also enjoy superb frontage along the 

main road, giving your business profile greater visibility to keep you 

always in your customer’s sight. 

1to Pan Island 

Expressway (PIE) 

Minute 

drive 

2to upcoming 

Paya Lebar Central 

Minute 

drive 

Visit our sales office at Paya Lebar Road 

11am to 6.30pm (Weekdays) 

11am to 4pm (Weekends/Public Holidays) 

Or call 6100 4506 / 6508 8790 

A Quality Project By Jointly Marketed By 

(L3004691J)

34 

ma r k E t in t E l l i gE n C E 

ordinary portland 

cement 

cement Brick 

Steel Wire Mesh 



nat plaster 

autoclaved aerated 

concrete 

The 

Building 

Blocks of 

success 

nat render 

nat Screed 

clay Brick


Building resources industries Pte ltd 

(Bri) – a leading player in the building 

materials retail trade industry 

BRI is now recognised 

as the largest 

premier distributor 

of building and 

construction materials 

in the marketplace 

as a result of robust business integrity 

coupled with a wide range of quality 

products. BRI has grown to such an 

operational scale to become known as 

a ‘competitive price leader’ with sole 

distributorship obtained for various 

products. Its factory size has expanded 

from a rented 5,000 square feet 

premises in 1998 to a 300,000 square 

feet self-owned property. 

Today, BRI boasts of an extensive 

range of products and services that are 

streamlined into 10 different business 

divisions which include Clay Red Brick, 

Autoclaved Aerated Concrete Block, 

Cement Concrete Brick, Ordinary 

Portland Cement, Pre-Packed Drymix, 

Steel Welded Mesh, Deformed Rebar, 

Timber & Plywood, Sand and Granite. 

The company has supplied building 

materials to a broad portfolio of iconic 

projects in different construction 

sectors: private condominiums, HDB 

residential, industrial and commercial 

buildings, hotels, schools, infrastructural 

and civil works. 

BRI is also involved in both the dealer 

and project markets, where an extensive 

network has been set up throughout 

Singapore to meet their customers’ 

demand. 

The company has more than 70 local 

agencies on hand for a wide range of 

building and construction materials 

and this acts as a “One-Stop Building 

Material Centre” for the customers. 

Holding firm to its beliefs in continual 

improvement as the key to achieving 

excellence, BRI has earned its 

reputation as a reliable distributor 

offering quality products. The company 

is continuously pursuing new product 

developments by closely keeping 

in touch with the market needs and 

current industry updates. 

With the emergence of new economies 

in the Asian region, BRI is steaming 

ahead in crystallising its vision as the 

Premier Building Materials Specialist 

and Preferred Partner for the Asia 

Pacific region. 

As a foundation for BRI’s daily activities, 

the company is committed to honesty in 

all activities, meeting customer needs, 

forging good supplier relationships, 

taking care of the safety, well-being 

and professional growth of BRI’s 

employees, and also contributing back 

to the community and environment. 

BRI is widely known in the Singapore 

marketplace as a company of trust, 

quality service and product and 

excellence in delivery. BRI has enjoyed a 

critical mass of positive sentiment in the 

marketplace by customers, suppliers, 

staff and partners. 

Over the past 14 years in operation, 

the company has built a strong 

connection between the customers 

and the products/services in terms 

of competitive pricing and service of 

delivery. On the suppliers’ end, the 

connection with BRI is deemed as a 

fast-moving and best performance 

distributor of their products. 

The perceived value of BRI’s premium 

products, customer satisfaction 

and brand trust have generated a 

list of long-serving customers. BRI 

prides itself as one of the leading 

providers of a comprehensive range of 

structural building materials to the local 

construction market. 

With Building Resources Industries 

Pte Ltd’s emphasis on honesty and 

commitment to its customers, it seeks 

to nurture a reputation for leadership 

and excellence, now and into the 

future. 



35

36 


the Asian business hub of Singapore has a long standing reputation as 

a favoured destination for global corporations looking to set up in the 

region. Its swank Marina Bay financial district is home to some of the 

largest global brands - it houses Google’s Southeast Asian headquarters, 

as well as the sprawling trading floors of companies such as Barclays 

Capital and Bank of America Merrill Lynch. The UK-based banking giant 

Standard Chartered is also located in the district. 




GettinG Started 

in SinGapore 

Singapore’s vibrant Startup ecosystem Attracts investors and entrepreneurs 

While there is an abundance of wealth 

management and financial heavyweights 

in Singapore, the country is also a great 

place for budding entrepreneurs looking 

to launch their ventures. Over the years, 

several Singaporean startups, such as 

Hyflux and Creative Technology, have 

grown from small operations to global 

brands. 

incentives for startups 

Many of the reasons that attract 

multinational companies to Singapore 

are also the same reasons that make 

the country a very attractive venue for 

startups. The government’s pro-business 

policies have created a stable and 

efficient infrastructure where startups do 

not have to jump through hoops of redtape. 

The procedures for incorporation, 

compliance and fund raising have been 

streamlined dramatically. For example, 

incorporating a company in Singapore 

typically only takes 1-2 days, whereas it 

takes weeks in places such as the state 

of California. 

Singapore has a very attractive tax regime. 

It is often the cited as the example of a 

country that has reduced tax rates, yet a 

very healthy budget and foreign reserves. 

The maximum corporate tax rate in 

Singapore is a relatively low 17 per cent. 

In addition, Singapore government offers 

several tax incentive schemes designed 

specifically to help startups. For example, 

qualifying startups can avail of a full tax 

holiday up to a certain amount of their 

taxable income for each of their first 

three consecutive years of incorporation. 

Start-ups who continue to grow can also 

qualify for other tax incentives such as the 

Development and Expansion Incentive 

(DEI) and the Productivity and Innovation 

Credit (PIC) scheme. 

There are a wide range of other 

government-backed funding and 

assistance options for new businesses, 

including equity financing schemes, cash 

grants, business incubator schemes, and 

debt financing. A dedicated government 

agency, SPRING Singapore, is focused 

on the growth and cultivation of SMEs in 

the country. 

Singapore’s flourishing private 

funding scene 

The attractive startup environment, 

combined with the continuous inflow of 

investment and wealth into Singapore, 

has led to the proliferation of angel 

investors, venture capitalists, and private 

equity firms. In 2011, Singapore-based 

venture capital and private equity firms 

registered a total of S$26.5 billion in 

assets under management. 

According to the IESE Business School’s 

2012 Global VC and PE Country 

Attractiveness Index, Singapore is the 

fifth most attractive destination worldwide 

for firms in the industry, behind traditional 

investment powerhouses Japan, the UK, 

the USA, and Canada. 

Singapore is an excellent place for those 

looking to invest in startups. The country 

has no capital gains taxes, which makes 

it very attractive destination for investors 

and entrepreneurs alike. In addition, for 

foreign investors looking to relocate to 

Singapore, the easiest way is through its 

Global Investor Programme (GIP). Under 

the GIP scheme, an individual can qualify 

for permanent residence by investing at 

least S$2.5 million in a local startup or the 

expansion of an existing company. 

The country’s largest education 

institutions, such as the National 

University of Singapore (NUS), also have 

entrepreneurship programs where they 

invest in startups or facilitate third-party 

investments, and provide the necessary 

mentoring to help the business grow. 

For example, NUS’s annual business 

plan competition - StartUp@Singapore 

- provides a forum where participants 

can hone their skills while getting the 

chance to network and pitch their ideas 

to potential investors. 

The upgraded Action Community for 

Entrepreneurship (ACE) program, which 

lists NUS and other major educational 

institutions and private sector 

organizations as partners, also helps 

bring startups and investors together. 

With plenty of options available for both 

entrepreneurs looking for funding as 

well as investors looking for the next big 

company, Singapore is truly a conducive 

environment for the creation and 

development of startups. 

Jacqueline low 

chief operating officer 

Janus corporate Solutions 



37

38 




24 

small and medium 

enterprises (SMEs) joined 

the Association of Small 

and Medium Enterprises 

(ASME) in its inaugural ASME Forum 

2012, a one-day event specially 

organised on 14 November 2012 with 

the entire SME ecosystem in mind. Coorganised 

by ASME, the Employment 

and Employability Institute (e2i), and 

the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) 

College East, the ASME Forum seeks 

to uplift the image of SMEs to the local 

community. 

Faced with manpower shortage and 

rising costs, the SME landscape is evermore 

challenging today. Taking the lead 

in promoting a pro-enterprise Singapore, 

and ensuring that the entrepreneurial 

spirit continues to flourish amongst the 

SMEs, ASME, together with its partners 

initiated the ASME Forum. 

raising awareness 

Developed and conceptualised as a oneday 

event to profile and raise awareness 

of SMEs to ITE students, it will be held 

annually at the different ITE colleges 

to highlight the importance of the role 

of SMEs in Singapore’s economy and 

showcase successful SMEs along with 

the growth and employment opportunities 

present within these companies. 

“Creating and coping with change is 

often easier said than done. Coping 

with change requires consistent hard 

work, discipline and a positive mindset. 

Oftentimes, many are still unaware 

that SMEs also do offer large scope of 

growth opportunities and gainful career 

employment. Hence, this ASME Forum 

2012 was initiated with the entire SME 

business ecosystem in mind,” said Mr 

Chan Chong Beng, President of ASME. 

Besides having an exhibition to showcase 

SMEs and Student Industry Projects, a 

forum is concurrently held throughout 

the day. Guest speakers who are 

successful entrepreneurs and business 

owners themselves, were invited to share 

success stories, as well as SME growth 

and career opportunities. 

“Through this collaboration with ITE, we 

hope that young students will be inspired 


ASME 2012 

ForuM 

Uplifting the image of small and medium enterprises 



39

40 


by successful SME entrepreneurs, so that 

they be ignited with this entrepreneurial 

spirit,” said Mr Chan. 

Each year, over 12,000 students graduate 

from ITE from the various faculties. It is 

in ITE’s vision to equip its students with 

the relevant skills and knowledge so that 

its graduates will be able to find jobs and 

contribute to society. 

“In line with the greater national agenda 

to encourage our students to join 

local SMEs, and for SMEs to hire local 

employees, the ASME Forum is indeed 

a day that will help bring SMEs and ITE 

students one step closer towards that 

goal,” said Mr Eden Liew, Principal of ITE 

College East. 

The ASME Forum seeks to honour and 

recognise the integrated efforts of SMEs 

and students, promote ITE’s expertise – 



which is in line with the government’s push 

for productivity improvements to SMEs, 

as well as fuelling the entrepreneurial 

spirit amongst our youths. 

exhibition & Showcase 

Uplifting SMEs’ image and providing 

gainful employment opportunities 

Adorned with colourful and vibrant 

decorations, marketing collaterals, 

standees and corporate gifts, 22 SMEs 

showcased their exhibition booths and 

job availabilities at the ASME Forum 

2012. These SMEs were seeking for 

young local talents from a ready available 

pool of ITE students. 

“Our objective for participating in this 

SME event is mainly to keep in touch with 

our local young talents. For a company 

like Everlast, we look for potential 

students who have the right attitude and 

capability rather than merely certificates 

that they are holding. I can say that we 

have achieved our objective through this 

event,” said Mr Teoh Eng Wai, Group 

Financial Controller of Everlast Industries 

(S) Pte Ltd. 

Forum 

Inspiring a future generation of 

entrepreneurs and showcasing SMEs’ 

excellence 

Highly profiled and successful speakers 

and entrepreneurs from Mr Bean, Home- 

Fix DIY, Soyato Pte Ltd, Gavio and e2i 

joined us as guest speakers on that 

very day, sharing with the students their 

unique entrepreneurial journey, branding 

and gainful career opportunities available 

at SMEs.

“We hope this forum will inspire the 

younger generation to be future 

entrepreneurs in order for SMEs to 

continue to thrive for the benefit of 

Singapore’s economy,” said Ms Irene 

Boey, Chairman of ASME 2012. 

Student industry project 

programme 

Working hand in hand with SMEs 

towards improving productivity. 

It is also my pleasure to announce that 

today is the final judging of our Student 

Ms Vicky Wong, 

Deputy CEO, e2i 

Industry Project Programme, an initiative 

by the School of Electronics and Infocomm 

Technology of ITE College East, 

to provide our students with “work 

experience” before employment. 42 

students, who worked on 17 different 

projects, have worked closely with the 

industry to help develop their technical 

competency and entrepreneurship spirit. 

This year, the students have worked 

with SMEs from various industries such 

as healthcare, F&B, marine, logistics, IT 

provider etc. to improve productivity or 

provide innovative solutions for these 

industries. 

Mr Chan Chong Beng, 

President, ASME 


Ms Irene Boey, 

Chairman, 

ASME Forum 

Mr Eden Liew, 

Principal, 

ITE College East 

SMEs have feedback that they have 

benefitted on improvement of productivity 

or enhancement on marketing tools with 

cost effective solutions provided by the 

students. 

“We are glad that our students are 

given such valuable opportunities to 

work hand in hand with the local SME 

community and gain real and practical 

experiences,” said Mr Liew. 



41

42 


ASMe ForuM 2012 

Co-organisers 

PartiCiPating 

ComPanies 

Amore Fitness Best World 

Lifestyle Pte Ltd 

Fish & Co. 

Restaurants 

Pte Ltd 

Mr Bean 

International 

Pte Ltd 

Prime 

Supermarket 

(1996) Pte Ltd 

Goodrich Global 

Pte Ltd 

NEO Garden 

Catering Pte Ltd 

Star 5 

Technologies 

Pte Ltd 



CE Engineering 

Pte Ltd 

Handphoneshop 

Pte Ltd 

PestBusters 

Pte Ltd 

Starcomm 

Solutions Pte Ltd 

EpiCentre 

Pte Ltd 

Home-Fix DIY 

Pte Ltd 

Pet Lovers 

Centre Pte Ltd 

The Soup 

Spoon Pte Ltd 

Ah Yat Abalone 

Everlast 

Projects Pte Ltd 

inCall Systems 

Pte Ltd 

Pine Garden’s 

Cake | Baguette 

| Next Door Deli 

Yeap Medical 

Supplies Pte Ltd


Taking you To The cleaners 

aspecialist dry cleaning Jeeves 

brand with outlets in major cities around 

the world including London, New York, 

Tokyo, Hong Kong and Jakarta, has 

finally landed in Singapore. However, 

a large part of the business challenges 

in setting up shop in Singapore and 

Malaysia has revolved around staffing 

and training issues. 

Jeeves, a dry cleaner focused on highend 

clothes, fabric care and discreet, 

attentive service uses perhaps the most 

sophisticated dry cleaning, washing and 

ironing machines in the region, often with 

custom-made cleaning programmes, 

and it is important to retain the staff 

who are properly and knowledgeably 

trained to use the expensive equipment. 

Clearly a revolving door policy is not 

going to work for such a business, so 

Jeeves is concerned with creating a 

pleasant working environment based 

on mutual respect with salaries which 

commensurate with experience and 

training. 

This is not only an issue at the shop 

floor level, but also at Jeeves’ various 

retail outlets where counter staff must 

be educated to understand the full 

range of dry cleaning needs so as to 

consult customers at the point-of-sale. 

Jeeves therefore gives all counter staff 

a month-long stint working at the dry 

cleaning factory in order to gain firsthand 

experience at every stage of the cleaning 

process. It is an approach which pays 

dividends: when a customer enters the 

shop, they get an immediate sense that 

their garments are in expert hands. 

Strength however, can also be a potential 

‘liability’ though in a business where 

training and experience is paramount. 

Building a business by washing dirty laundry in public 

Singapore employs one of the 

top dry cleaning experts in Europe 

as their regional operations manager. 

This manager, armed with about 30 

years’ experience in the dry cleaning 

businesses, runs all aspects of Jeeves 

operations including staff training. But for 

a business like Jeeves, it is important for 

it to not rest on one single individual, so 

the training of a secondin-command 

is also in the 

works, and this individual 

may eventually also 

become one of the top dry 

cleaning professionals in 

Asia. 

Another challenge lies 

at the branding and 

communications level. 

Because there are only two 

ways in which a customer 

can know that Jeeves’ 

services are ‘different’ from 

other dry cleaners: firstly 

from seeing the (factory) 

‘process’ and secondly 

from seeing the returned 

garments themselves. 

Obviously, it is impossible 

to bring customers on 

a tour of the cleaning 

facilities to witness the 

state-of-the-art cleaning 

procedures at first hand, 

so Jeeves’ marketing and 

communications has been 

tasked with getting this 

message across. They 

have to draw a distinction 

between the usual cleaners 

and Jeeves in the eyes of 

the aunties, housewives 

and working mums, a feat 

that poses considerable 

challenge especially in a relatively mature 

market. 

Using Singapore as a platform, Jeeves 

hopes to ‘clean up’ the regional dry 

cleaning industry with its commitment to 

premium quality service delivered through 

its services and staff perfected through 

proper training. 



43

44 


Delighting 

through 

Warehousing 



How Innovative 

Warehouse 

Services Will 

Positively retain 

Customers’ 

Loyalty

Picture this: a new order arrives at your 

warehouse, another order for delivery. 

An order from the customer services 

department goes to the sales department 

and from there to the warehouse 

manager. The warehouse manager 

assigns someone to proceed with the 

order. 

From the area zone and the shelf, to 

the pack station, then to the loading 

area and ultimately to the customer’s 

doorstep (be it retailer, wholesaler or the 

final consumer). 

Such operations, as simple or as frequent 

as they are, have a critical impact on the 

company’s buying and selling experience 

but most importantly they have a 

significant impact on your customers’ 

anticipated service, which will eventually 

lead to their delight and ultimately to their 

loyalty. 

As a result, even the operation within 

the warehousing environment should be 

viewed as an indispensable function of 

extended customer services. 

Here are four essential tips of how 

improved warehouse services could 

assist warehouse personnel in their 

endeavour of achieving better customer 

services and contributing to their 

company’s optimised performance. 

1. Be courteous and provide 

information regarding the order. 

The warehouse manager or the 

storekeeper can follow up and provide 

necessary information on a customer’s 

order. 

This simple measure could be 

accomplished by sending an email, by 

making a phone call or by sending a 

SMS, supported by a little “Thank you for 

your order” note. 

A simple: “Mr James your order has 

been dispatched; you should expect 

delivery at your store within the next 30 

mins”. It certainly goes out of the ordinary 

approach and “Mr James” for sure will 

be pleased to receive such personalised 

service. 

This gesture will add tremendous value to 

your customer’s or distributor’s relations 

with the company and most likely it would 

not cost you anything. 

2. Make your delivery order appear 

as an added value or a reward to 

your customer. 

Some warehouse departments may feel 

that they have accomplished their aim, 

since the customer has already made 

the purchase. Yes, but nowadays, it is 

not enough. 

Go the extra mile. Go ahead and delight 

your customer. 

Thank your customer by including a 

discount coupon for his next order, or 

include your latest catalogue or your 

promotional flyer/leaflet, which will enable 

him/her to get a clearer insight of your 

product portfolio. You may entice them 

to give you another order sooner than 

later. 

3. offer appropriate and easy ways 

for customers’ feedback. 

Always provide plain and simple ways for 

your customers to contact you for their 

feedback and continuously seek their 

suggestions. 

Put in place various easy and convenient 

contact ways (i.e. social media, such as 

Facebook, LinkedIn or email, telephone, 

SMS) to ensure that your customers can 

remain in contact with you at all times. 

Aim for the highest customer satisfaction 

in your dealings with them. Introduce 

monthly or bi-monthly customers’ 

surveys, which will provide you with the 

required feedback and most importantly 

with ways and means to improve your 


services in dealing with them. You 

may consider a token reward for those 

customers who frequently participate in 

your surveys. 

Spare no effort to delight them, or they 

will move their business elsewhere. 

4. Make any product returns a vital 

point for feedback and further 

action. 

Product return is an important part of 

the warehousing process in dealing 

with customers. It is not something that 

warehouse personnel would look forward 

to, but it is a very important part of the 

business. Use this point to gather vital 

information which will help you to prevent 

future product returns. 

Ask your customers to give you as 

clearly as possible all the reasons for the 

product(s) they are returning and aim to 

further improve your ways by learning 

from such cases. 

conclusion 

In today’s business environment, ensuring 

that each and every customer remains 

“delighted” for as long as possible 

would not only require effort from the 

sales department’s operating area, but it 

should encompass and be a focus point 

for the total business operation. 

Therefore, along with other departments, 

the warehouse operation and its service 

to customers could and should be an 

value-added element in the endeavour of 

delighting customers and ensuring their 

much-desired loyalty. 

petros n. Zenieris 

Business consultant-trainer 

the Business criterion 



45

46 


Cloud Computing 

SeCurity and ServiCe 

level guidelineS 

The second of a two-part series that details the standards in place 

for technological innovations, specifically cloud computing 

the Singapore Information Technology Standards 

Committee (ITSC) Cloud Computing Standards 

Coordinating Task Force released a set of security and 

service level guidelines for public cloud computing 

recently. A key motivation behind this initiative is to address the 

security concerns raised by small and medium-sized enterprises 

(SMEs) in adopting cloud computing. 

Cloud computing lowers the entry barrier to costly IT resources 

and applications that are traditionally beyond the reach of 

SMEs. For instance, cloud computing enables SMEs to avoid 

up-front capital investments in IT infrastructure that is often 

associated with enterprise-wide IT solutions (e.g. customer 

relationship management systems and enterprise storage 

solutions). However, a recent study by IDC shows that large 

local enterprises remain ahead of SMEs in cloud computing 

adoption, suggesting that SMEs may not be fully leveraging 

cloud computing to narrow the competitive gap with large 

enterprises. An oft-noted concern for this seeming sluggishness 

to adopt cloud computing is security. 

While the cloud presents real security concerns, such concerns 

are not totally insurmountable. However, comparing to large 

enterprises, SMEs often do not have readily available IT security 

analysts to advise on the risk of moving into cloud computing. 

This is where the new guidelines come in handy. 

The full title of the guidelines is “Security and Service Level 

Guidelines for the Usage of Public Cloud Computing Services” 

and it is published by SPRING Singapore as a Technical 

Reference with the code TR31: 2012. It adopts a riskbased 

approach by highlighting the different risk exposures 

in adopting cloud computing before discussing associated 

risk mitigation considerations and measures. For example, 

‘change management’ is one of the risk exposure described 

in the guidelines, and ‘audit logging’ as well as ‘system patch 

management’ are among the associated risk mitigation 

considerations and measures included. 



Apart from using the guidelines to assess their risk exposures, 

SMEs can also take reference from the risk mitigation 

considerations and measures in working towards mutually 

acceptable mitigation approaches with their cloud service 

providers. Hence, the guidelines provide SMEs with a means to 

get a grip over their security concerns. In addition to security, the 

guidelines also provide guidance on service level considerations. 

Thus, SMEs can also leverage on these to establish service 

level agreements with their cloud service providers. 


As indicated by the title of the guidelines, only public cloud 

computing services are covered. Private and hybrid cloud 

computing services are excluded. The reason for this lies in the 

primary target audience of the guidelines, i.e. SMEs. Both private 

and hybrid cloud computing services may require substantial 

financial investments and most SMEs do not possess sufficient 

economy of scale to fully benefit from these cloud computing 

deployment models. 

The guidelines also do not cover Platform as a Service (PaaS), 

but only addresses Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) and 

Software as a Service (SaaS). Although PaaS is slowly gaining 

traction in Singapore, interest among SMEs is still nascent in 

relation to IaaS and SaaS. 

Notwithstanding the existing exclusions, the scope of the 

guidelines may be widened if there is sufficient demand. In fact, 

as SMEs use and reference the guidelines, they are encouraged 

to provide feedback in further refining it. Ultimately, the 

guidelines are developed with the intention to help SMEs take 

advantage of the opportunities presented by cloud computing. 

Such feedback from SMEs will thus facilitate the realisation of 

this intention. 

Dr calvin chan 

Senior lecturer, School of Business, SiM university 

Member, Singapore it Standards committee - 

cloud computing Standards coordinating task Force 



47

48 


It all started with a DVD. 

What began as a mother’s 

passion for imparting bilingualism 

to her children is now a fullyfledged 

educational system used by 

parents as interactive materials to teach 

Mandarin. With a growing emphasis on 

the Chinese language both locally and 

abroad, MandarinaKids aims to help 

parents build and maintain a bilingual 

environment at home while allowing 

children to pick up the language in a fun 

and interactive way. 

The brainchild of Ms Lelia Lim-Loges, 

MandarinaKids’ establishment can be 

traced back to a mother’s passion for her 

children’s education. Like most parents 

in Singapore, Lelia wanted her children 

to be fluent in both their native and 

mother tongues, and while she could 

handle English quite well, Mandarin had 

to be left to the local school system and 

enrichment courses. However, Lelia soon 

realised that the definition of ‘mother 

tongue’ was analogous to its etymology: 

children tend to more readily pick up the 

language from their mothers, especially 

during the initial formative years of their 

development. 

“My children ignited the spark in me to start 



From mother to 

entrePreneur 

How a mother’s passion for imparting 

bilingualism to her children became a 

successful enterprise 

MandarinaKids,” 

Lelia recounted, “I 

wanted them to see 

courage, resilience 

and motivation that 

only my actions 

could show. I could 

not do that if I spent 

only one hour a 

day being part of 

their lives.” With 

this in mind, Lelia 

left her perch in the 

corporate world 

and dived headfirst 

into the realm 

of entrepreneurship, creating the first 

Mandarin-teaching DVD in October 2010 

for her children to learn the language, 

and the rest as they say, is history. 

Based on a flexi-work model, Lelia 

essentially became a “mom-preneur” 

which gave her more time and flexibility 

in caring for her children. She can put in 

14 hours at work per day but is still able 

to be with her children during important 

periods: sending them to school, 

personally bringing them for classes and 

being home during dinner and bedtimes. 

As with all businesses, MandarinaKids 

has had its fair share of trials and 

tribulations to surmount during the startup 

phase. One of the biggest challenges 

that Lelia faced was securing funding for 

her new company. Although there are 

many organisations available to grant 

assistance, the application processes 

were – to her – tedious, and there was little 

help for start-ups with MandarinaKids’ 

business model, specifically the spreading 

of bilingualism to children. 

“I have funded my own business,” Lelia 

said on her funding challenges, “but not 

many people will have that choice and the 

lack of funding can curtail one from being 

creative, hold back from expanding into 

other markets and finally have enough 

marketing might to get your brand out 

there into the market.” 

What started out as a single DVD is today 

a comprehensive educational system, 

a library of resources that is utilised 

by parents and children alike. With an 

emphasis on the Early Learning Years

(infant to toddler) of a child’s growth, 

MandarinaKids’ products and learning 

tools are created with consideration for 

a child’s developing motor skills, spatial 

development, colour recognition and 

attention span. Apart from the engaging 

DVDs, MandarinaKids’ repertoire includes 

toys, books, an iPhone application as well 

as excursions that teach the language 

outside of an academic setting. 

As her children grow, Lelia will continue 

to grow MandarinaKids as well. It is 

preparing for the next leap of growth in 

making it a necessary library for every 

parent who wants their child to learn 

the Chinese language. Lelia also wishes 

to target the second generation or even 

third generation Chinese who have 

pursued a Western education and want 

to rejuvenate their Asian roots, as China 

continues on its meteoric rise on the 

international arena. 

In the pipeline, Lelia plans to expand her 

current range of products and services: 

the existing DVDs can diversify to include 

different themes, the books can be 

used to engage kids in early reasoning 

in the language and interactive games 

like bilingual readers and physical board 

games will allow the children learn 


Mandarin in an even more conducive 

and interesting manner. In addition, 

plans are also in the works to broaden 

MandarinaKid’s reach, like working 

with education channels as valueadded 

platforms. She is also keeping 

pace with the changing times, creating 

and maintaining a Facebook page for 

MandarinaKids along with a dedicated 

application designed for Apple mobile 

devices. Indeed, the app is loaded with 

interactivity and content that engage the 

child’s senses of sight and sound, allowing 

parent and child alike to learn Mandarin 

in a setting that is becoming increasingly 

familiar in today’s digital age. 

With a successful business while still 

having valuable time to spend with her 

children, Lelia is content: “The journey 

has been a tiring but happy one to date. 

It’s been almost two years and the thing 

that pleases me most is when parents 

or kids tell me that they’ve benefitted 

greatly from MandarinaKids’ products 

and services.” 



49

50 


Talent hunting has never been 

easy for SMEs. Faced with 

budget constraints, inflations 

and competition with the 

MNCs for the best talents, 

the most logical solution is increase 

productivity. 

Yet it is easier said than done. 

Besides training and upgrading your 

workers’ skills, improving productivity 

sometimes requires a thorough review 

of work processes to identify areas for 

improvement and implementation of new 

processes. 

Hence due to time and ironically, lack of 

manpower, the most commonly adopted 

method by most SMEs to increase 

productivity is to multi-task, work longer 



hours and try to do everything faster. 

But even with the best skilled workers 

capable of wearing many hats and 

juggling additional tasks, it is still difficult 

to find the stamina to carry on the circus 

act for long. Inevitably the company will 

develop issue with talent retention and 

the vicious cycle continues. 

One avenue most commonly overlooked 

by SMEs to ease off the manpower 

crunch is to automate processes either 

by machinery or IT software. Likened to 

engaging virtual manpower, automation 

frees up human resources from the time 

consuming low-level tasks. The benefits 

are: less human intervention, almost 

zero errors, shorter processes, faster 

turnaround and enables their physical 

staff to concentrate on high level work. 

When investing in automation, like an IT 

system, compatibility is key. Is it easy to 

use? What is the implementation time? 

How much work can I reduce? Can it 

integrate with my previous hardware 

and software investments? What are the 

costs? Will I have adequate post sales 

technical and training support? 

The best software for small businesses is 

software designed to help them run their 

operations better, cut costs and replace 

paper processes. Small businesses that 

lack large amounts of capital find that 

using Cloud Computing Services, or 

Software as a Service (SaaS), can help 

them affordably and quickly get systems 

set up and running. Whichever Cloud 

solution is selected must fit into the 

organisation’s long-range technology 

and growths goals. 

A SaaS suite like Deskera is truly ondemand: 

there is nothing to download 

locally and no need to install and manage 

hardware or other software to support 

the application suite. Customers can 

sign up online using a credit card and get 

started the same day. At the same time, 

there are premium subscriptions for midsize 

and larger companies that include 

customisation and support in integrating 

the suite with a customer’s existing 

applications in order to leverage existing 

IT investments. The Deskera suite was 

designed with the aim of simplifying the 

user’s experience with rich graphics and 

simple navigation. 

Many government grants, like the PIC 

grants issued by IRAS, are initiatives 

to further lower the costs of adopting 

automation to encourage SMEs boost 

their infrastructures and increase 

productivity for a better edge.

52 




Key 

a quick look at some of the main developments in this 

business element for the new year 

T 

he human resources (HR) 

division has always been a key 

component of any enterprise, 

handling payroll processing to 

leave-of-absence applications 

and other matters that involve staff 

members. Even if the core responsibilities 

of HR departments have not drastically 

changed over the past few years, 

technology has slowly but surely crept 

into this facet of business. 

Driving home this point, the 15 th Annual 

HR Technology Conference and Expo - 

recently concluded on 10 October 2012 

at the West Building of McCormick Place 

in Chicago, USA - saw record-breaking 

attendance in its 15-year history. This 

suggests that the emphasis placed on 

HR technology has increased, it in itself 

becoming more entwined in the crafting 

of the company’s overall business 

strategy while utilising innovation and 

technology. On this note, here are some 

of the key HR technological trends which 

will be prominent in the New Year. 

Trends for 

2013 

• Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) 

Essentially cloud computing, where 

software and data are hosted centrally 

on the cloud, many enterprises will 

take advantage of the flexibility, ease 

of implementation and lower costs to 

streamline their HR processes. With 

both subscription-based and ad-hoc 

payment services available, small 

and medium enterprises (SMEs) can 

make use of this technology to better 

govern the full spectrum of their HR 

requirements. 

• HR Master Data Management 

Managing the sheer volume of HR 

data, like employee master data, is a 

monolithic task, and that information 

is crucial to draw up strategies for the 

future. Therefore, more companies will 

develop or adopt systems to handle 

all this raw data, to synchronise all the 

different streams of information into a 

cohesive whole, forming repositories. 

*Note: all information adapted from HR News Daily and Search Financial Applications. 

• Social Media as a Tool 

The annual performance review will 

not be going away soon, but more 

companies are leveraging on the 

advent of social media to measure 

the levels of employee functioning. 

As younger, tech-savvy individuals 

join the workforce, using social 

media to better gauge and justify 

their investment will most likely see a 

steady increase. In addition, constant 

and ongoing performance reviews 

as opposed to year-end affairs will 

also work towards a more fluid 

performance management model. 

• Engagement 

Even with the best technology, 

employees still need to be engaged. 

As HR managers are starting to 

take more notice of improving 

employee engagement, the focus 

will be on keeping them happy at 

their posts. Further, technology will 

improve the hiring process, making 

job applications easier and keeping 

employees engaged right from the 

get-go.

The Business 

of susTainaBle 

DevelopmenT 

Companies can do their part to conserve the 

environment for future generations 

Singapore is a tiny nation. 

It largely relies on imports – 

fuel, food, building materials, 

etc. – to sustain its population 

of about six million people. Unlike our 

neighbouring nations with vast expanses 

of tropical forests and mountainous 

hinterlands, Singapore is almost 

completely built-up, with only scarce 

areas of natural vegetation gazetted in 

the name of environmental conservation. 

All of the nation’s homes, economic 

facilities, manufacturing plants and other 

structures have to somehow fit on the 

remaining land area that is left, while still 

ensuring the livability of the environment. 

According to the Inter-Ministerial 

Committee on Sustainable Development 

(IMCSD), a cross-Ministry initiative set 

up in 2008 to address Singapore’s 

sustainable development concerns 

against a backdrop of emergent domestic 

and international challenges, the term 

sustainable development means that 

Singapore must grow in such a manner 

that is: 

• Efficient: Development with less 

resources and waste 

• Clean: Development without pollution 

• Green: Development while still 

preserving the natural environment 

The end-goal of the IMCSD is to ensure 

that future generations of Singaporeans 

can enjoy both strong economic growth 

as well as a good living environment. To 

this end, companies can play their parts 

in this vision by more efficiently using 

Singapore’s energy, water and land. 

In addition to contributing to the 

country’s sustainability, companies can 

also reap cost savings if they make use 

of green technology for their day-to-day 

operations. For example, using energysaving 

appliances/machinery in factories 

and offices can result in tremendous 

energy savings. The Government is 

also actively promoting such green 

technology, with schemes like the Green 

Mark Incentive Scheme (GMIS) and Grant 

for Energy Efficient Technologies (GREET) 

designed to co-fund companies that are 

willing to make the leap to green. 

The Singapore Business Federation 

(SBF) publishes the annual Singapore 

Sustainability Directory which lists green 

business associations and councils and 

an extensive collection of green products 

or services. Supported by industry 

associations and government entities 

like the Association of Small and Medium 

Enterprises (ASME) and the Economic 

Development Board Singapore (EDB), 

the Directory allows companies to locate 

other companies offering green products 

or services, providing a platform for them 

to collaborate and interact. 

CNA Group is one company with an active 

stake in the business of sustainability. 

Through its core competencies as a Master 

Systems Integrator (MSI) and Mechanical 


Engineering Solutions Provider (MEP), 

CNA Group undertakes projects that 

focus on the strategic thrusts of water, 

energy and environment. As an MSI, they 

are able to tap on their strong capabilities 

to integrate controls and systems in a 

building so as to advance the efficiency, 

productivity and sustainability through 

the creation of a smart and connected 

building, facility and even city. 

As a MEP the group actively uses ecofriendly 

products and adopts ecofriendly 

construction practices when 

delivering projects so as to ensure that 

negative impacts on the environment will 

be minimised. Adding on to that, CNA 

Group also has sustainable solutions that 

extend beyond energy conservation, with 

an extensive array of eco-friendly indoor 

air quality enhancement technologies. 

By taking the first steps towards building 

a sustainable Singapore, a clean and 

green Singapore for the next generation 

can be assured. 

For more information on sustainable development, visit http://www.sustainablesingapore.gov.sg/ 



53

54 


with numerous challenges 

affecting businesses, the 

Singaporean workplace 

has become more hectic 

as employers and employees alike 

scramble to get things done in the 

wake of contemporary business issues. 

Indeed, according to the latest quarterly 

employment trends report released 

by global recruitment firm Hudson, 

Singapore has one of the highest levels 

of employee burnout in the region, with 

a third of the 426 employers surveyed 

indicating an increase in staff weariness. 

In addition, local workers are also 

experiencing increasing workloads, the 

highest within all Asia-Pacific markets 

surveyed. Clearly, some form of 

workplace health programme will have 

to be implemented to keep employees at 

the top of their games. 

Dream Solutions, an integrated marketing 

agency, utilises the Workplace Health 

Promotion (WHP) Grant from the Health 

Promotion Board (HPB) to design, execute 

and sustain a diverse range of health 

promotion activities that are conducted 

in the office. The objectives are simple: 

to create awareness of the importance of 



Workplace Health 

is not a Dream 

With the WHP Grant, Dream Solutions implements a series of 

activities based on four pillars of healthy living 

workplace health and also to improve the 

health of Dream Solutions’ employees. 

To accomplish this, the company bases 

its WHP programmes on the four pillars 

of healthy living, namely physical activity, 

mental health, eating and a smoke-free 

lifestyle. 

The most commonly implemented 

programmes are the talks and workshops 

conducted to educate employees on 

work-life balance and overall well-being. 

Sessions that have been conducted 

include “How to improve your EQ” 

as well as “Identifying and Managing 

Stress”, equipping employees with the 

knowledge and tips to circumvent these 

issues commonly faced in the workplace 

or even at home. 

Further, in their line of work, Dream 

Solutions staff deal with individuals from 

every walk of life, thus necessitating the 

need for employees to be educated on 

basic self-defense techniques. With the 

WHP Grant, the company organises 

weekly self-defense classes to equip 

employees with different techniques 

for different situations. It also serves as 

a good workout session for staff to de- 

stress while being engaged in physical 

activity. The company also conducts 

weekly hour-long yoga sessions during 

office hours for staff to relax their battered 

bodies and minds, shifting their focus 

from work even if just for one short hour. 

“The implementation of WHP activities 

has definitely improved workplace 

productivity in Dream Solutions,” said Mr 

David Lee, Executive Director of Dream 

Solutions, “With better knowledge on 

health and nutrition, we began taking 

care of our well-being, thereby reducing 

absenteeism.” In addition, as the 

employees interact and understand each 

other better, their morale and satisfaction 

has improved and increased productivity 

follows naturally after. Staff are also 

generally happier, healthier and more 

co-operative after the implementation of 

WHP programmes. 

Moving forward, the company hopes to 

implement more mental health programmes 

for staff, as well as initiatives catered toward 

flexi-work. With these in mind, workplace 

health for Dream Solutions is no longer a 

midsummer night’s dream.

56 


Happy 

& 

EmployEEs 

morE profits! 

The many facets of corporate team bonding 

as we enter the New Year, make 

it your company’s resolution 

to also improve team relations 

amongst your staff. 

Why is it important to have 

employees who are happy? 

When team morale is high, it has been 

proven by many business experts 

that efficiency, performance and most 

importantly, profits, all increase. Hence, 

corporate team building can play a 

significant role in the long term strategy 

of your company and its growth. 

The first step to achieving positive team 



morale is to make your employees feel 

like they belong. So, it doesn’t matter if 

your employees are young or old, every 

one of them enjoy taking part in activities 

that can give an increased sense of 

belonging. 

It has also been found that team building 

exercises which are held away from the 

workplace have the best effect on your 

employees. Having it externally places 

everybody away from the customary 

and routine distractions and familiarity, 

giving your employees the opportunity 

to mingle and interact in a new-fangled 

environment, without facing the day to 

day pressures. 

Now, we understand that amidst the 

tough and challenging business 

environment, much of an employer’s 

precious time goes to running the business 

and there is little time to constantly plan 

for corporate team building activities. 

Fret not! Corporate team building 

activities and events do not have to be 

elaborate or huge tasks that takes weeks 

to plan. Keeping it simple works best! 

Not sure what to do this year? Here 

are two fresh and interesting places 

with unique concepts where staff can 

attend as a team, have fun and achieve 

something together.

Food playground 

For those who want to just have fun and 

socialise while cooking a meal together, 

Food Playground is the just the right 

place for you and your employees. 

Food Playground offers corporate team 

bonding cooking exercises which ensures 

that all employees work well together 

in their teams to produce a finished 

product. 

With a passion for cooking and a heart to 

help others learn the art of cooking, Food 

Playground hires zealous retirees, foodies, 

homemakers etc., as their teachers and 

chefs. Led by a set of these veterans’ 

very own unique recipes, concocted 

and established through many years of 

passion and cooking experience, the 

teams are guided and will work together 

to reproduce an agreed menu, coupled 

with elements of challenge and team 

building. 

With a wet market located nearby to its 

premises, the enthusiastic folks at Food 

Playground are willing to organise team 

trips down to the wet market to purchase 

fresh poultry, spices, and vegetables for 

use during the cooking session. For those 

looking for a fuss-free experience, Food 

Playground will make all preparations of 

ingredients set for the day! All you have to 

do is to come down with your employees 

and start cooking right away. 

The kitchen where most of the activities 

will take place is well furnished and 

equipped with colourful kitchenware, 

state-of-the-art fryers, juicers and a wide 

range of assorted kitchen appliances. 

They even have a soya milk maker - which 

is absolutely perfect for the nutritional 

cooking classes at Food Playground. 

After creating your team’s very own 

sumptuous meal, everyone can get 

together and sit down, bond, and eat. 

Working hand in hand with Workplace 

Health Promotion (WHP) consultants, 

Food Playground’s hands-on nutritional 

cooking classes enable many SMEs to 

tap into WHP grants to improve health 

and nutrition knowledge of employees, 

and simultaneously build teamwork and 

cohesiveness at these classes. What 

a great way to kill two birds with one 

stone! 

“We had a team bonding event on 13 Dec 

2012 and we prepared laksa spaghetti 

and ondeh ondeh. Didn’t realise food 

preparation and cooking can be so 

much fun!” commented Mr Andrew Yee, 

Resident Manager, Pan Pacific Serviced 

Suites Singapore. 

“I was wondering how to create such 

an experience at home, but I guess the 

critical difference is there is no need to 

shop and wash up. You just show up at 

Food Playground, and all the ingredients 

are already laid out for you - pound the 

ingredients in the traditional way, lots of 


cutting, cook (all within good timing and 

instructions given) and then enjoy yourself 

made meal. And doing so with your team 

members bring up the fun and esprit 

de corp. Highly recommended for team 

building, family come together and those 

wanting a taste of Singapore food as it 

was prepared in the traditional way.” 

Prices range from S$80 to S$150 per 

pax, depending on the menu for the day 

as well as how big the group is. 

Visit www.foodplayground.co to find out more. 



57

58 


Cups n Canvas 

Inspire your employees’ creativity as you 

get to know each other on a whole new 

level. Cups n Canvas, fashioned upon a 

café-studio concept, believes in making 

art accessible and fun for all. The harmony 

of art and coffee infiltrates this charming 

cozy little café-studio located along the 

extended arts belt of Singapore. 

Team building using art happens naturally 

as everyone delves into the world of colour, 

blending, textures and artistic techniques. 

Relax, laugh, have a cup of coffee, get 

involved – and create! 

Professional artists and tutors are 

on hand to assist in the design and 

coaching of participants throughout the 

process and courses such as painting, 

print making, drawing and life drawing 

are offered. These tutors are well-known 

independent artists, able to cater to the 

needs of various groups of individuals. 



During the art sessions, participants are 

encouraged to let their creative juices 

flow, creating unique and individualistic 

masterpieces that best tell a participant’s 

story. With professional guidance laced 

with endless patience, novices and 

experienced artisans alike can physically 

manifest their inner thoughts and feelings 

onto canvas, pottery or simply paper. 

What can be more invigorating and 

cohesive than a combined mural from 

the eagers hands of your employees. 

The food is also nothing to scoff at. With 

a wide selection of main courses from the 

PK Duck Sandwich to the Blanc Bacon 

pasta, Cups n Canvas also features 

a tantalising assortment of cakes and 

muffins baked in-house. Depending 

on the day, you can have Earl Grey 

Cheesecake or Red Velvet Cheesecake 

to go with the delightful staple dishes, 

washed down with a cup of coffee, tea 

or ice-blended concoctions. 

For Corporate Events such as festive 

gatherings, birthdays or event openings, 

Cups n Canvas offers packages 

incorporating both venue and food 

for approximately 30 participants. 

Rates range from S$3700 to S$5000, 

depending on the duration of the event 

and the selection of food and drinks for 

the day. 

Spend some time with your staff today, 

and they will reward you with better 

performance tomorrow. 

Visit www.cupsncanvas.com to find out more.

60 

li F E s t y l E 

The modern businessman or 

entrepreneur will find it difficult - 

or at least inconvenient - to get 

through a day without his or her 

smartphone. Latest models of 

handheld devices can decently perform 

crucial tasks that were traditionally 

occupied by physical workstations or 

laptops, and the advent of the slim-form 

tablet further enabled businessmen to 

work efficiently on the go. Indeed, doing 

work while on the move has become part 

and parcel of the contemporary business 

environment, and a new offering by ASUS 

is set to further enhance this trend. 

Drawing on the success of the PadFone, 

the ASUS PadFone 2 is a unique 2-in-1 

combination of smartphone and tablet 

consisting of a 4.7” Android-powered 

smartphone (PadFone 2) with a fullfeatured 

10.1” tablet (PadFone 2 Station). 

Light and stylish, the sleek black finish of 

the PadFone 2 exudes both class and 

substance, promising an uncompromised 

performance packed with robust 

functionality. Weighing a mere 135 grams 



living 

seamlessly 

The unique ASUS PadFone 2-in-1 concept receives an upgrade 

and being only 9mm at its thickest point, 

the PadFone 2 was designed with style 

and comfort in mind, giving the phone a 

unique and sensational touch. 

Its technical specifications are nothing to 

scoff at as well: the PadFone 2 runs on a 

1.5GHz quad-core processor with 2GB of 

RAM, promising astounding processing 

speeds both by itself and when docked 

with the tablet. The applications or apps 

within the smartphone are optimised 

for seamless transition between both 

platforms and screen sizes, ensuring that 

no loss of fidelity or clarity is experienced 

by the user. 

Battery performance is decent as well, 

with 16 hours of 3G talk-time and 13 

hours of Wi-Fi browsing on a single 

charge. The PadFone 2 Station can also 

be used to recharge the smartphone 

twice as well, extending the duration for 

its use. 

Equipped with a phenomenal 

13-megapixel high-performance camera, 

the phone is able to capture up to 100 

incredibly detailed images at a breakneck 

six shots per second, while its low-light 

performance is enhanced by a wide lens 

aperture. Furthermore, the photographs 

taken will appear sharp and crisp on 

the PadFone 2’s high-definition screen, 

delivering crystal clear images with 

picture-accurate colours on a scratch 

resistant glass surface. 

The tablet component might be 

unnecessary for some users, who might 

find it inconvenient or a hassle to lug 

around a 10-inch tablet in addition to a 

phone, but for the mobile businessman, 

being able to transfer critical documents 

from phone to tablet seamlessly is nothing 

short of a godsend. Even without the 

tablet, the PadFone 2 is in itself a worthy 

addition to any mobile arsenal, capable of 

holding its own against the other players 

in the fast-moving smartphone market. 

Merging style and substance, the ASUS 

PadFone 2 makes a statement in the 

palm of your hand.

FestiVaLs 

& sPeCiaL 

oCCasions oF 

new year’s Day 

Tuesday 

1 January 2013 

good Friday 

Friday 

29 March 2013 

vesak Day 

Friday 

24 May 2013 

national Day 

Friday 

9 August 2013 

hari raya haji 

Tuesday 

15 October 2013 

christmas Day 

Wednesday 

25 December 2013 

li F E s t y l E 

chinese new year 

Sunday 

10 February 2013 

Monday 

11 February 2013 

labour Day 

Wednesday 

1 May 2013 

hari raya puasa 

Thursday 

8 August 2013 

Mid-autumn Festival 

Thursday 

19 September 2013 

Deepavali 

Sunday 

3 November 2013 

new year’s Day 

Wednesday 

1 January 2014 



61

62 

ga s t r o n o m i a 

the Korean wave has been suffusing through Singapore 

in recent times, with the Korean style of music, drama 

and food occupying lofty positions within the general 

consumer psyche. A simple walk down any of the local 

food enclaves will turn up at least one Korean eatery 

or gastronomic establishment, ready to delight and excite the 

taste buds with unique cuisine from the Asian peninsula. 

BORNGA, South Korea’s leading BBQ restaurant chain, has 

opened its first Singaporean outlet after establishments in 

China, Indonesia and the United States. Located in the swanky 

new mall that is The Star Vista, BORNGA’s local joint 

boasts a modern, contemporary look and feel, 

inviting diners into its spacious interior to 

partake in its internationally well-loved 

offerings. The brainchild of Jong Won 

Paik, one of Korea’s most renowned 

celebrity chefs, BORNGA has 

cemented itself as a household 

name with 33 in Korea and 13 

international ones. 

Only a month old, BORNGA 

has already attracted popularity 

for its patented Woo Samgyup, 

thinly sliced beef seasoned in 

BORNGA’s secret marinade. 

Served only in the BORNGA chain, 

the beef is different from other outlets 

in that the meat is doused with the 

marinade only moments before sizzling 

on the pan, rather than marinated for hours 

prior to cooking. It is also sliced unbelievably 

thin, resembling shabu shabu (thin sliced pork) 

in colour, texture and marbling. Ready to eat after a few 

Bornga 

Address: The Star Vista, #02-23, 1 Vista 

Exchange Green, Singapore 138617 

Opening Hours: 11.30AM to 10.00PM daily 

Contact: 6694 4696 



BORNGA 

Style BBQ 

Dining 

The popular Korean dining chain has opened its first outlet in Singapore 

Woo Sam Gyup 

moments on the hot plate, the beef can be enjoyed on its 

own, with a special sauce or eaten with a selection of ten 

vegetables provided with the dish. Other restaurants typically 

offer only lettuce to go with BBQ meat, but BORNGA serves 

up lettuce, cabbage, carrots and other greens in a patented 

serving trough specially designed by Chef Jong. 

In addition to a robust BBQ meat selection encompassing 

beef ribs, pork slices and the crowd-favourite pork belly or 

samgyupsal, BORNGA serves up several other interesting 

creations from its extensive menu. The Chadol Duenjang 

Jjigae is a dish that is at once rare and also intriguing; 

with a classic Korean beef stew reduced to a 

thick concentrate before being mixed in with 

a bowl of rice and vegetables. The dish 

is actually enjoyed as a bibimbap (a 

rice dish) rather than as a stew, an 

interesting reiteration of a common 

Korean staple. 

No Korean meal would be 

complete without the assortment 

of banchan, or side dishes 

that accompany any Korean 

mealtime. BORNGA’s kimchi is 

done in-house, boasting a unique 

spicy kick not easily replicated 

elsewhere. It also has wet kimchi, 

a version of the fermented cabbage 

that is served in a broth of other 

vegetables and seasoning. 

With unique dishes that push the boundaries 

of culinary innovation, BORNGA is set to fire up the 

stakes in Singapore’s growing BBQ-dining scene. 

Chadol Doenjang Jjigae


Served on a 

Hot Stone 

Chocolate Tart 

A twist on the conventional table barbeque dining concept 

If there is one thing that characterises 

the table barbeque dining concept 

in Singapore, it will have to be the 

circular metal pans with smoke 

diffusers that sit in the middle of the 

tabletop, surrounded by an assortment 

of dishes, condiments and side plates as 

well as enthusiastic patrons. This style of 

dining has persisted for quite a bit, since 

it is just that bit more exciting when the 

food is being prepared right before your 

eyes. 

Hot Stone Steak and Seafood Restaurant 

delivers a twist on the conventional table 

barbeque concept. Tucked in the trendy 

lanes of Clarke Quay, the restaurant uses 

a heated tile – the titular hot stone – in 

place of the gas-powered/electrical grill 

as the cooking mechanism. A suction 

device placed over the table minimises 

the amount of smoke that permeates the 

restaurant, ensuring that diners do not 

leave smelling like they have just finished 

a barbeque at East Coast Park. 

Combining a mixture of cuisine styles, 

Hot Stone features a robust selection of 

both cooked and uncooked items. For 

starters, the Prawn Quesadillas (fresh 

prawns, monterey jack and cheddar 

cheese wrapped in a tortilla shell before 

being pan-fried) excites the palette 

with an explosion of Mexican flavour, 

enhanced by the guacamole dip that 

accompanies the appetiser. 

Prawn Quesadillas 

Deluxe Surf & Turf 

Things get really interesting once the 

main courses are served. The diner has 

a wide range of entrees to choose from: 

there are seafood-only platters, meatonly 

servings as well as a combination of 

both – the house favourites Surf & Turf 

sets. These comprise choice offerings 

from both the land and the sea, with the 

Deluxe Surf & Turf set featuring a juicy 

cut of beef tenderloin with a trio of fresh 

prawns and completed with two thick 

slices of fresh salmon. 

As the heated tile is brought to the table, 

a server will patiently explain the basics of 

preparing the food before dousing the tile 

with squirts of olive oil. As the hot surface 

cackles satisfyingly, the server then uses 

the natural fat from one of the entrees to 

further prepare the tile for cooking, before 

finally allowing the meat and seafood 

to sizzle delightfully on the hot stone. 

Depending on individual preference, the 

hot stone steak and 

seafood restaurant 

Address: 

Clarke Quay, 3D River Valley road, 

#01-06, Shophouse Row, 

Singapore 179023 

Contact: 6333 4868 

Operating Hours: 

Monday – Thursday 

12.00pm – 3.00pm Lunch 

6.00pm – 11.00pm Dinner 

Friday 

12.00pm – 3.00pm Lunch 

6.00pm – 2.00am Dinner 

Saturday 

6.00pm – 2.00am 

Sunday 

6.00pm – 11.00pm 

items can be left on the stone longer for 

them to be well done, or removed after a 

short while to preserve its natural taste. 

All hot stone sets also come with two side 

dishes of your choice, from fluffy mashed 

potatoes to green salads, ensuring a 

complete and full meal. 

Aside from the main courses, Hot Stone 

also has a lengthy menu of wines and 

spirits, perfect for rounding off a heavy 

meal. In addition, the desserts are nothing 

to scoff at as well, with the Chocolate Tart 

exuding a full-flavoured taste that is rich 

but not too sweet. 

Hot Stone is a little steep on the price factor, 

but quality fresh ingredients coupled with 

good service and an interesting concept 

ensures that it will always remain a hot 

favourite among local diners. 



63

64 


Over the Sunny Hill 

Bite-sized pineapple cakes that delight your tastebuds 

With the Lunar New Year just round the corner, festive goodies of 

every shape and size will no doubt spring up in the shopping areas 

of Singapore. Amongst these classic goodies, the pineapple tart 

is one of the most recognisable and distinctive New Year snack 

that will adorn the serving tables of most celebrating families. Apart 

from sharing the time-honoured treats, why not have something a little different this 

year? 

A household name in Taiwan, Sunnyhills pineapple cakes – 

affectionately termed Sunny Delights – may come across 

as nondescript and ordinary: a golden-brown exterior 

reminiscent of common baked confections shaped into 

rectangular blocks that resemble wooden toys. One can 

easily dismiss the little cake as a regular biscuit or even a 

wafer block, but its shape belies its inner quality. Indeed, 

once the cake is bitten into or broken into two, this is 

when the delight truly starts. 

Upon the first bite, luscious oodles of prepared pineapple 

of a surprising freshness oozes into the mouth, kicking 

off an orchestra of flavour that lingers for a moment even 

after the final bite. Unlike the dark, murky colours that 

characterise traditional pineapple tarts, Sunny Delights 

boasts filling that is translucent to the point of being 

almost transparent, with a healthy shade of yellow that 

beckons the appetite. It is sweet, yet not overpowering, 

with a unique tanginess that is not replicated elsewhere. 

Encompassing a unique farm-bakery-store concept in 

Taiwan, the Sunny Delights are baked in Taiwan through 

a most stringent quality-control process. From growing 



of the pineapples to their harvesting to 

cutting, baking, packaging and delivery 

of the pineapple cakes, each step of 

the process is carefully monitored and 

controlled to ensure premium quality. In 

fact, each Sunny Delight is individually 

wrapped and packaged with a desiccant 

on the flight from Taiwan, ensuring 

optimum freshness of the confection at 

its eventual destination. The pineapples 

are grown on the Sunnyhills farmland 

compound, while the other ingredients 

that go into creating each Sunny Delight 

are sourced from a responsible Taiwanese 

farm that produces only the finest butter, 

Japanese gourmet flour and plumpyolked 

eggs. 

Sunnyhills Pineapple Cake is definitely 

an interesting treat this holiday season, 

and with its halal certification, these 

Sunny Delights will be sure to delight the 

tastebuds of friends from all races and 

religions.

Cl a s s i F i E D s 

oki Data (S) pte ltd 

IT Solutions 

T: 6221 3722 F: 6594 0609 

www.oki.com.sg 

OKI is a major player in the printer market and is dedicated to creating relevant, high performance products, applications and 

services to meet the individual in-house printing needs of today’s large enterprises and SMEs. 

cisco Systems (uSa) pte ltd 

IT Solutions 

T: 63177269 F: 63177796 

www.cisco.com/go/sg/ucs 

The Cisco Unified Computing System continues Cisco’s tradition of innovation in delivering integrated systems based on using 

the network as the platform. Contact us asksg@cisco.com to engage Cisco in delivering this innovation that unifies network 

intelligence and scalability. 

loyal reliance pte ltd 

Business Consultancy 

T: 6227 7713 F: 6222 0327 

www.loyalreliance.com 

Loyal Reliance provides holistic business solutions, specialising in finance consultancy to a wide spectrum of matured industries 

and business start-ups. Contact us today to book your complimentary consultation session! 

realStar premier group pte ltd 

Real Estate 

T: 6447 1188 F: 6258 7588 

www.realstarpremier.com 

We pride ourselves as a market leader in premium landed homes. Our real estate specialists are the cream of the crop. With 

their professional yet highly personalised approach, we ensure each client’s investment worthwhile. At RealStar, our objective 

is your complete satisfaction. To our exclusive clientele, that means the maximum yield on their investments – and this is our 

commitment to you. 



65

66 

Cl a s s i F i E D s 

el Development pte ltd 

Real Estate Developer 

T: 6505 6068 F: 6505 6066 

www.eldev.com.sg 

EL Development is a property developer focusing in delivering optimised living and work spaces for our clients. Visit the show flat 

of our latest condominium project, La Fiesta which is opposite Sengkang MRT station or visit www.LaFiesta.com.sg to find out 

more. 

Building resources industries pte ltd 

Building & Construction 

T: 6862 8266 F: 6862 8255 

www.bri.com.sg 

Building Resources Industries Pte Ltd (BRI) is a “one-stop supply centre” of all essential and specialised structural building 

materials to the local construction market. BRI boasts of an extensive range of products and services which include Clay Red 

Brick, Autoclaved Aerated Concrete Block, Cement Concrete Brick, Ordinary Portland Cement, Pre-Packed Drymix, Steel Welded 

Mesh, Deformed Rebar, Timber & Plywood, Sand and Granite. 

nestlé Singapore (pte) ltd 

Food & Beverage 

T: 6836 7083 

www.nescafe-alegria.com 

Gourmet coffee right in your office anytime, any day? With the new Nescafe Alegria A510 coffee machine, be sure to get amaze by 

a quality cup of coffee at a very affordable price. The Alegria A510 is capable of dispensing 5 types of specialty coffee – Espresso, 

Lungo, Americano, Cappuccino and Latte, all with the simple push of a button. Visit our website today to find out more! 

Flight centre Business travel 

Business Travel Services 

T: 6692 9779 F: 6593 4499 

http://www.flightcentre.com.sg/business-specialists 

To small businesses growing into new markets, time is money! Entrepreneurs and small-to-medium sized enterprises (SMEs) 

looking to expand into regional or international markets can benefit from using Flight Centre Business Travel as a travel provider 

with specialised business travel expertise. With the services of a dedicated travel manager on hand, who will manage and organise 

all business travel requirements, you can focus your full attention on running and elevating your enterprises to greater heights 

now. 



Bridging 

Cultural 

differenCes 

How cultural diversity can create 

a more productive workplace 

In any given workplace, there definitely exist workers of 

more than one cultural background. In this cultural mixing 

bowl of fellow human beings, conflicts and arguments 

may arise for one careless remark or one insensitive 

gesture. Yet, research from a survey conducted by the 

Society of Human Resource Management and Fortune reported 

that diversity in the workplace: 

• Improves corporate culture 

• Improves employee morale 

• Increases creativity 

• Enables movement to emerging markets Improves 

productivity 

Research has also indicated that teams comprised of diverse 

members outperform consistent teams and tend to exude 

more creativity and problem solving ability. However, diverse 

teams need to be managed well, as communication and 

trust can break down, resulting in lower performance for the 

entire group. Nevertheless, a certain degree of well-managed 

cultural diversity will go a long way in creating or fostering more 

conducive workplaces. 

top 5 Ways to Bolster cultural Diversity 

1 understand and reconcile differences. 

We have all our own idiosyncrasies and opinions on any 

given topic, and it might be difficult for one person to fully 

comprehend the motivation and reasons for an action taken 

by another. However, all of us should try to understand and 

find some middle-ground for cultural differences, a mutuallybeneficial 

compromise. 

to p 5 

2 Show empathy and sensitivity to potential conflicts. 

In the course of any work, conflicts – personal or otherwise 

– would inevitably arise. Instead of jumping the gun and 

pointing out cultural trends and traits to crucify a co-worker 

for a mistake, display some degree of empathy and be 

more sensitive to individualistic beliefs. This will help to 

defuse a potentially explosive situation which will weaken 

the collective whole. 

3 Be open about differences. 

Differences are part and parcel of life. Instead of hiding them 

however, we can try to be more upfront about them, to put 

differences on the table and have them up for discussion. 

This way, co-workers will know what irks you and will be 

more mindful of stepping on your toes in future, prevent 

needless conflict. 

4 leverage on the creativity of the group. 

Research has shown that diverse groups are more creative 

than homogenous ones. This is logical, since the different 

members bring different perspectives from their own 

cultural backgrounds to the fore, allowing the issue being 

discussed to be seen through different, unexpected and 

wholly rewarding lenses. 

5 Build on each other’s strengths. 

Stemming from different cultural backgrounds, each 

individual staff member has a key strength that will add 

value to a particular project. Leveraging on their unique 

fortes will at once improve staff morale and also the quality 

of the end-result, a win-win situation by any measure. 



67

su b s C r i p t i o n Fo r m 

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Launched in September 

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ED 47: January-February 2013

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