December 2008 / January 2009 - Association of Dutch Businessmen

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Singapore Hollandse Club: International club with a strong Dutch flavour By Kiki van der Erf 100 years of existence provides the Hollandse Club with a sense of pride. Such a long history is of great importance for a Club that values its traditions and its role for the Dutch community in Singapore. Going back to the inception means also going back to the reason of existence and the added value the Club has for the Dutch expats living in Singapore. An interview with Gérard Hanssen (General Manager Hollandse Club), Inge Oostendorp (Marketing & Communications Manager) and Elaine Young (Corporate Communications Executive). What has been the role of the Hollandse Club from the inception 100 years ago till nowadays for the Dutch community in Singapore? The Hollandse Club is one of the oldest clubs in Singapore. It was founded by Jacob Christian Koopman in 1908 at his home in Grange Road. In 1910 the Club moved to Cairnhill Road, before eventually settling at Camden Park in 1950. In the early days, the Hollandse Club played a very important role for the Dutch community as there was no Orchard Road or Dempsey Hill, and not much to do for Dutch families in Singapore. They sought a sense of belonging, a home away from home with like-minded people to call friends. Of course nowadays Singapore is much more developed, has a lot of activities to offer and Dutch expats can easily fill their days and years in and out of Singapore. Still, the Hollandse Club plays an important role for the Dutch community: for its members with the numerous activities and facilities offered, but also for the community as a whole, playing host to the Netherlands Charity Association (NCA), offering their facilities as and when to the Association of Dutch Business Men (ADB) and the Dutch Chamber of Commerce (DutchCham). It also brings the taste of home by selling stroopwafels, drop sweets, and Jip and Janneke products. In the future, there will be more typically Dutch products on offer, including pindakaas. Why should somebody become a member of the Club, what are your key selling arguments? The Hollandse Club currently has about 1,900 adult members. The average membership includes husband, spouse and two children, but the Club does not count the children into the membership figures. Some Dutch companies provide their expats with a membership of the Dutch Club; other companies give their expats money to become a member of a club they themselves get to choose. Other expats or people on a local contract pay themselves for a membership. The Hollandse Club is known for its nice sports facilities ranging from the swimming pool and the tennis courts to the bowling alley and the spa. These facilities are one of the main reasons to become a member at the Club, especially for those people who live in a landed house. Further reasons to become a member of the Hollandse Club are: meeting other Dutch and or international people and remaining in touch with Dutch culture and traditions like Sinterklaas. Parents see these as important reasons both for themselves and maybe even more so for their children. As opposed to other clubs like the British and the American Club, the security measures at the Hollandse Club are very relaxed as there is no immediate need to do otherwise. Perhaps it is for this reason that people feel more comfortable in such a relaxed environment. Location is obviously another important motivation, with families in the vicinity of the Hollandse Club preferring membership here over travelling to other clubs, regardless of nationality. Expats differ very much in their attitude living abroad. Some Dutch expats are glad they left the Netherlands and would rather not speak a word of Dutch while living here in Singapore, others however, feel more at home here if they can speak with fellow country mates once in a while. What is the mix of nationalities of the members of the Hollandse Club? Do they have different motivations to join the Club? Since 1963, the Hollandse Club has been open to all nationalities so considers itself international 10 Vol.18 • No. 10 • December 2008 / January 2009
Singapore with a Dutch touch. Nowadays, the majority of the Hollandse Club members are actually of another nationality than the Dutch nationality. Dutch people only account for about 27% of the total. Second are the British with 17%, then the Singaporean with 15% and other nationalities make up 41%. Motivations for the British to become a member of the Hollandse Club are partially mentioned above: location and a child-friendly atmosphere. Another reason might be the slightly more informal ambiance at the Hollandse Club as opposed to the British Club. One delicate aspect is that no maids are allowed at the Club, as it demands its member parents to be hands-on with their children. This has been a topic for discussion for years, critics advocating that maids are not treated as fellow human beings. During the last survey of the members, though, it was found that the majority still view that the hands-on parenting approach is desirable, and this is a legitimate reason not to allow maids. For Singaporeans the main reasons to choose for the Hollandse Club are that they like their children to get in touch with an international community, but they may also see becoming a member of the Club as an investment. The premises of the Club are built on freehold land, land that belongs to the Club and Camden Park is prime residential area, where recently one bungalow was sold for $20 million. So should the club cease to exist, the residual money will be shared amongst the members. What is the typical profile of your members? Are you specifically targeting this group? The Hollandse Club is definitely a family club. The Club specifically targets this group, with its affordable food and beverages, its relaxed ambiance and its facilities. Especially the pool area usually is a get-together of families with children enjoying the good weather and the company of their friends at the Club. The Club has strong ties with Aquaducks, a swimming lessons company, as the founder of the company has been a member of the club since he was a child. Over 450 children are currently involved in swimming lessons at the Club. Bachelors and couples without children are to a lesser extent targeted by the Club. Being realistic, these groups will probably enjoy the variety of restaurants and activities in Singapore, looking for new experiences every weekend. Who are your staff, what nationalities do they have? The current General Manager (GM) at the Club is, as you would expect, a Dutchman but this has only been the case since late last year. Before Gérard Hanssen took over, the Club’s GM was of British descent. The office staff consists of two more Dutchmen of the 14, while the serving staff is mainly Singaporean and a small percentage is Malay. To preserve the Dutch character of the Club, four members of the Board are required to be Dutch. Treating the (serving) staff well is highly valued at the Hollandse Club. Management at the Hollandse Club believes that both members and staff should feel comfortable at the Club with a pleasant environment for everybody. What are the challenges the Hollandse Club has facing the future? It is clear that the current economic outlook is a great disadvantage for clubs in Singapore. People think twice before they spend their money and if they have to cut costs memberships of clubs and associations are one of the first expenses to economize. During the early nineties the Club lost a lot of memberships, so 2009 might also become a difficult year with regards to not only memberships but also with sponsors investing in the Club. The Club looks to large Companies to sponsor the activities organised by the Club. As the Club wants to build on its quality and service standards, it is difficult to know how to react with decreasing membership numbers. It considers itself a premiere club, which provides a home away from home for its members. And to do that, renovations are a necessary part of Club life. A recent membership meeting resulted in the go ahead to invest in a new kitchen, new food facilities and upgraded changing rooms at the swimming pool. Constantly renewing its facilities to stay competitive with the other expat clubs is another challenge the Hollandse Club faces. The Hollandse Club is definitely a family club. The Club specifically targets this group, with its affordable food and beverages, its relaxed ambiance and its facilities. Especially the pool area usually is a get-together of families with children enjoying the good weather and the company of their friends at the Club. 11 Vol.18 • No. 10 • December 2008 / January 2009
Page 1: December 2008 / January 2009 MITA 3
Page 4 and 5: A monthly publication of the Associ
Page 6: November Review Pareto is different
Page 9 and 10: December Review Madelon van Tol, Ma
Page 11: Business OCTOBER 2008: DutchCham Lu
Page 15 and 16: Singapore Taken after the victory o
Page 17 and 18: Singapore Christmas and Christmas t
Page 19 and 20: Singapore 31 October Official Openi
Page 21 and 22: Business The workspace of… By Sha
Page 23 and 24: SPECIAL Magazine 2008 By Frank Kuij
Page 25 and 26: SPECIAL Pump Room, Brix, the Screen
Page 27 and 28: Lifestyle dried plums. And what was
Page 29 and 30: plantation and we ate a traditional
Page 31 and 32: Lifestyle in SingaporeBy Dennis van
Page 33 and 34: Column By… Yet another weekend Ri
Page 35 and 36: Embassy Info Public holidays 2008/2
Page 37 and 38: Association Info Job Seekers / Inte
Page 39: Indian colonial antiques - Past Per

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