Dutch entrepreneurs in Singapore - Association of Dutch Businessmen
Dutch entrepreneurs in Singapore - Association of Dutch Businessmen
Dutch entrepreneurs in Singapore - Association of Dutch Businessmen
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Dutch entrepreneurs
in Singapore
October 2008
MITA 373/03/2001
Going green: corporate
social responsibility
The workspace of.......
Indian colonial antiques - Past Perfect Collection stands to offer
an unrivalled choice of antique furniture dating from the British,
Dutch and Portuguese era in India. Every piece features the
romance of colonial European style and outstanding Indian
craasmanship. Admired for their prized materials, rarity and
exotic decoration, these pieces add character to your home as they
silently speak to you of a bygone era.
It is truly an amazing experience to own such treasure of the past.
We welcome you to view our collection; there is a heirloom waiting
to be relocated!
Venue:
480 River Valley Road Singapore 248365
T: +65 6737 3078 | www.pastperfect.sg
Hours:
Tue to Sat - 10am to 6.30pm | Sun - 11am to 5pm
Closed on Mon and PHs
A Perfect Fit Exudes Professionalism
We carry the widest range of exclusive fabrics for
mens’ and ladies’ clothes.
Made to measure within 24 hours
Main branch: 442 Orchard Road #01-12A Orchard Hotel Shopping Arcade Singapore 238879 Tel: +65 6737 6474
2 nd branch: 63 Market Street #01-01 (Raffles Place) Singapore 048942 Tel: +65 6533 7004
Fax: +65 6732 5585 Email: info@maharajas.com.sg Website: http://www.maharajas.com.sg
Prologue
Dear Members,
As I write this, we are nearing another exciting weekend in Singapore. The Singapore
F1. The first nightrace in the world. It is unbelievable what already has been put in, to
make this event a success. If you see the long stretches of lights, the fences, the stands
and the pitsbuilding, which was also quickly completed, you recognize the Singaporean
way, disciplined, timed and according procedure. Still something we could learn our
lessons from as Dutch people.
Jan de Vegt
The same thing you see on the Marina Bay development, in the beginning it was just
lots of cranes and now every time I pass there, it looks like new buildings popped-up
and other ones kept growing.
At the same time the Board of ADB keeps busy with organizing events as well, after a
good panel discussion with people who run their own company in Singapore, sharing
ideas and experiences, we plan to a guided tour through the harbour, facilitated by
PSA, in October.
I would like to once again stress to you, that if you cannot join after registering,
please cancel on time.
As the group that will visit PSA is limited, we probably have to disappoint a number of
members. It would be a pity if you register, someone else is disappointed and in the
end the group is not complete. Let’s see if we can learn someting from Singaporeans,
a little discipline in registering and cancelling would make life of the organisers in the
ADB a little bit easier.
Enjoy reading this interesting issue of our magazine.
Jan de Vegt
‘
To share meaningful and business-related information amongst the Dutch
business community in Singapore, whilst networking in a fun environment ’
Remco Muzerie
Annabelle Deken
Ard Huisman
Freddy Meindertsma
Richard van der Werf
Frank Kuijsters
Vol.18 • No. 8 • October 2008
A monthly publication of the
Association of Dutch Businessmen
ADB Board
Jan de Vegt
Remco Muzerie
Annabelle Deken
Ard Huisman
Freddy Meindertsma
Richard van der Werf
Frank Kuijsters
President
Vice-President
Honorary Secretary
Honorary Treasurer
Member
Member
Member
C o n t e n t s
Prologue 1
Editorial Committee
Frank Kuijsters, Chief Editor
Anouk Binkhuysen
Dennis van der Meijs
Kiki van der Erf
Lineke van Nederpelt
Madelon van Tol
Richard Soemita
Sharon van de Veerdonk
Secretariat
Lineke van Nederpelt
Mailing Address:
c/o 22 Camden Park, Singapore 299814
Telephone: 9101 6201
email: adb@pacific.net.sg
Website
Email
: www.adb.org.sg
: webmaster@adb.org.sg
Editorial contributions for the next issue may
be sent or handed over to the ADB Secretariat,
before or on the day of the monthly ADB
meeting. The contents of this magazine are partly
based on information received from third parties.
The Committee does not take responsibility
for the correctness of the articles.
Designed by Jennifer Phua
Printed by Khoo Sun Printing Pte Ltd
MITA 373/03/2001
Membership fee is S$ 100 per calendar year.
For registration, please see the website www.
adb.org.sg/en_member_signup.htm.
Membership is renewed automatically effective
the first month of the new calendar year.
Make your cheque payable to “Assocation of Dutch
Businessmen” and send to ADB, c/o 22 Camden
Park, Singapore 299814.
Termination of membership must be received by
ADB Secretariat in writing before 1 January,
otherwise you will be charged for the full amount
for the following calendar year.
Please notify the ADB secretariat of any changes in
employer, (email) addresses or any other personal
particulars that might be of interest to the ADB
administration.
Review
Panel discussion
“What does it take to set up a business in Singapore
and/or the region?” 3
Interview
Name the price you’re willing to pay! 4
Not just any direction but Winedirections.com! 6
Sunshades & Concept restaurants in Singapore 8
When passion becomes profession 10
Business
Wilhelmsen Ships Services; the leading provider
of gas cylinders 12
Dutch economy on course despite turbulent times
– Prinsjesdag 16 September 2008 14
Expatriates. Across the globe! 16
The workspace of… 17
Green Page
One planet business: The challenge of
corporate responsibility 18
Bizz Agenda 21
Conference Calendar 22
Column by...
Richard Soemita
Ramadan 23
EVENT Agenda 24
Business News 25
Embassy info 26
association info 27
Vol.18 • No. 8 • October 2008
Review
Panel discussion
“What does it take to set up a business
in Singapore and/or the region?” By Anouk Binkhuysen
After its success of last year, also this year the ADB Board organized a special event about entrepreneurship
for its members on 22 September. This year, the panel of entrepreneurs consisted of Marie-Hélène
Piederiet of Past Perfect Collection, Arnout Mostert of Conference Bay, Arjen Blom of Winedirections
and Remco Muzerie of OneConcepts Restaurants. With all seats occupied and a curious audience, it was
a successful evening again with a lot of potential Dutch entrepreneurs to arrive in Singapore!
Some Q & A from the audience and the panel:
Q: How is the tax regulation in Singapore?
A: Tax is relatively low in Singapore. Taxes are 18%, but when you start a Private Limited, which
is quite easy, Singapore adopts very good tax regulations. If your turnover is below SGD
1 Mio, no GST is required. It is important to be transparent en to keep it simple. Contact
the government directly and on beforehand, that helps you to do business successfully.
Q: Which official bodies in Singapore have helped you to start up your business?
A: if you have an innovative business idea, check out for a grant/ subsidy at the Economic
Development Board (recently SPRING).
Q: How can I register a name for my business?
A: A name can be registered with ACRA. But remember that you cannot adopt a name that
already exists or had existed. Registration of a name in Singapore is for a lifetime.
Vol.18 • No. 8 • October 2008
Interview
Name the price you’re willing to pay!
By Anouk Binkhuysen
Entrepreneurs :
Arnout Mostert
Company : Conference Bay
Specialized in :
Name the price you’re willing to pay for conference seats
Imagine, you work for a large Dutch company and
you visit a conference once or twice a year to stay
up-to-date with the latest trends in your area of
business. When you visit these conferences you
start to wonder why these conferences often have
quite a number of empty unsold seats. Could it be
the prices are too high or didn’t the conference
organisation spend enough time and money
on marketing? Could this mean a new business
opportunity?
Time passes and after a couple of years,
you still have this idea in your head and you are
convinced of its potential. You start to do research
and you find your idea can be realized. With the
right partners and a good business plan, a new
company is born, Conferencebay.com.
Arnout Mostert is founder and CEO of
Conference Bay. Together with his business partner
Frank Bomers, he runs an internet company that
sells conference seats at worldwide conferences
based on a bidding system.
Can you tell me something about your
background?
“I was working for Shell for quite some time in
several marketing positions. In 2002 I quit my job
with Shell, because I decided to do an MBA at
INSEAD. I wanted to get away from Europe for a
while and get to know Asia so I chose to start at
the Singapore campus. After my MBA, I worked for
Interbrand, an international brand consultancy
firm, as Strategy Consultant here in Singapore.
Then after a year, I moved to an advertising
agency named Fallon where I worked as regional
business director. I had met my wife Shirley here
in 2003 already, so I had good reasons to stay in
Singapore!”
“In 2006, I decided to start my own business.
I had the idea to do something like Conference
Bay had since 2001/’02, but other things crossed
my way. Five years later, I still believed that my
idea could be successful, so it was time to make
it happen.”
How did you manage to transform your
business idea into a real concept?
“At the time when I was still working for Shell, I
kept asking myself the question of what could be
done to sell these empty conference seats. So after
years of thinking about possible solutions, it was
time to turn all my ideas into a business plan. Of
course, I started doing research first and I wrote a
business plan. After that, I needed to organize the
financial part and raise funds and investors who
were interested to participate in my plan.”
“I obtained a subsidy from the Economic
Development Board in Singapore (The EDB
is an organization that stimulates emergent
technologies and innovations). With their subsidy,
I built a prototype of the website which made it
easier to explain the idea to potential investors
and partners.
During the first year of start-up, I met my
business partner Frank Bomers, at an ADB event.
I was looking for a business partner for a while,
because I did not want to manage and run
Conference Bay on my own. Frank wanted to start a
business too and we both had the same ideas, thus
a good match. In 2007, we completed the financial
part of our plan and the business could start!”
What is the concept of Conference Bay
and how does it work?
“The basic principle of Conference Bay is that
Vol.18 • No. 8 • October 2008
Interview
at every conference there are always a lot of
conference seats that remain unsold. As the costs
of the organiser are at that stage pretty much fixed
the costs of filling an extra seat are null. So if we
are able to sell these seats at a reasonable price
it is better for everyone.
We have a very user-friendly and do-it-yourself
website that makes it easy for everyone to book
and bid for a conference seat. For the conference
organiser we are a free platform to promote their
conferences as it is free to publish a conference,
seminar or workshop on our website. For the
visitor who wants to attend a conference, he/she
selects a conference and places a bid stating the
price they are willing to pay. After they have made
their bid, we take it from there and we contact
the organiser if they want to accept the bid or not.
When the organiser accepts the bid the visitor pays
Conference Bay the amount they have entered into
the system. Our business model is based on taking
a commission over successful biddings. There are
no hidden costs or charges.
Recently we have launched a new service
called Conference Bay Direct which is aimed at
people working in large organisations. We can offer
these people a direct booking and registration
service for any conference worldwide. They can
book with us by simply giving us a call or sending
us an email. We negotiate the best possible rate
for these customers and share the discount with
them. Once a month we send our Conference Bay
Direct customers a consolidated invoice. This
makes booking and paying for conferences much
more convenient and cheaper.
Actually, you can compare us with a travel
agent; the only difference is we do not intermediate
in airline seats but in conference seats.”
What are the best chances for a successful
deal?
“Of course, there are always people that place
a bid of S$10 for a conference ticket of S$3,000.
These bids are not taken seriously but when you
bid between approximately 50 to 70% of the normal
price, you have the best chance that your bid is
taken into serious consideration by the organiser.
But of course, there are many other factors that
influence the bidding process. When a conference
is very popular, the organiser will only accept the
highest bids.”
You have been ‘live’ for 18 months, is it a
success?
“In September 2007, our website went live. After
one year and a half our portal already provides
access to approximately 500 conference organisers
and about 700 conferences worldwide on our
portal. With 12,500 unique visitors per month who
view approximately 10 pages per visit, we think
our business is quite successful so far. But, we are
still very ambitious.”
And what are the ambitions for the future?
“We want to create even more added value for the
organiser and the visitor. We have the ambition to
work with all conference organisers in the world
and we would like to create a speakers corner on
our website; a platform for speakers at conferences
to profile themselves. Why? It can give speakers
the possibility to interact with their audience prior
to the conference and make adjustments to the
contents of their program matching the interests
and expectations of their public.
We would also like to offer social networking
opportunities on our website. For example, you
can create this to give delegates that go to the
same conference a dedicated page, only accessible
with a password, where they can network with
each other. It can be very effective and efficient.
For example, you go to a banking conference in
London and you are able to contact all the other
visitors. You can exchange information and make
appointments before going to the conference
so that your money and time is spent very
effectively.
These are just some of the many ideas we
have but first we want to become number one
in our core business and we are working hard on
that.”
Interested to know more about Conference Bay?
Have a look at their website www.conferencebay.
com
Vol.18 • No. 8 • October 2008
Interview
Not just any direction but
Winedirections.com! By Anouk Binkhuysen
Entrepreneurs :
Arjen Blom
Company : winedirections.com
Specialized in :
Wholesale and direct sale of fine wines from Australia and New-Zealand
For this interview, I met Arjen at The Coffee Connaisseur at Orchard Road. He came in with a big travel
bag full of wines and the first thing that caught my attention was that he ordered an Earl Grey tea.
With an outside temperature of 33 degrees at one o’clock in the afternoon, I was quite surprised. Later I
learned that Arjen was on his way to a wine tasting, so he did not want to spoil his taste pupils on strong
flavoured coffee with too much milk! Arjen has many years of hotel & restaurant experience who found
out that he has a big passion for wines that made him to start an own business in Singapore. Through
hard working and taking the chances that came across his path, his wine business is very successful
now. He loves to talk about the good things in life, but Arjen still has not lost much of his Dutch roots,
although Singapore is his final destination.
How long have you been in Singapore now
and how did you get here?
“Well, I left Holland in 1996 and I live for nine years
in Singapore now. But I have made quite a detour
throughout Asia to finally settle down in Singapore.
I started in Wuxi (China), a small town 150 km
from Shanghai with ‘only’ 3,5 million inhabitants.
I worked for Pan Pacific Hotel & Resorts and I was
hired to do business development there. One of
my big dreams was to work in Asia. So I grabbed
my chance and I went to China. However, with an
idyllic China in mind, the first day after my arrival
in Wuxi I opened the curtains of my hotel room
and the only thing I saw were depressing grey
communist buildings. Not quite the view I had
expected so welcome to Asia I said to myself!
After 1 ½ year I went to Hanoi to work there
for Sofitel and I fell in love with this city. What a
difference with China, I liked it very much there.
In 1999 I went to Singapore as I lost my job because
Asia was in a financial crisis. I wanted to try to find
a new job in Singapore.”
Apparently your job search worked out
well, as you are still here in Singapore.
“Yes indeed, that is the advantage when you have a
background in sales. Even in hard times, you always
find work is my experience. I found a new job in
business development in the travel industry. I have
worked for a couple of years in for Travel Asia and
Thomas Cook that was taken over by Travelex
during my contract. Unfortunately, Travelex
wanted to get rid of the travel department, so
this forced me to find another job.”
But how did you get into the wine business
here in Singapore?
“Actually, it worked out quite well for me as I
found a great new job opportunity to work for
Divine Wine Extraordinary, the famous wine bar
located in the Park View Building constructed in
an art-deco style. I wanted to work in the hotel
& restaurant industry again. As I had quite some
experience in sales and management, I now
wanted to work in the operations.
Shortly, after I was hired at Divine Wine
Extraordinary, I climbed my way up to General
Manager and it was in this place that I really
discovered my passion for wine, most particularly
for Australian wines. It was a great place to
work, but after a while I was asked to work for the
chain of Harry’s bars. I was involved in setting set up
2 complete new Harry’s Bar at the airport, so quite
a challenge and before I knew it, I was entirely back
in the hotel & restaurant business again.”
Wow, that sounds very good. How did
you experience to work with Asians in
general?
“My experience is that Asians can be very
opportunistic sometimes. They really want you
to help them setting up their business, but on the
other hand once the work is done, you are free
to go! To be honest, that was one of the things I
found out when I was working in the operations,
but it is definitely an experience I would not want
to have missed.”
So after 5 years of working in various jobs
in hotels, bar restaurants business, what
made you decide to start for yourself?
“Wine Directions exists for ½ year now, but I had
plans to start my own wine business for a long
time ago.
Vol.18 • No. 8 • October 2008
Interview
After working for Harry’s Bar and before
starting Wine Directions, I have done various things
in the wine business already. I have set up a wine
bar for a Singaporean owner from the design of
the bar to selection of the wine menu and training
of the staff. And I worked as a representative
for the Asian market for the Australian Wine
Company. They were looking for a representative
in Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia
for their wines. Basically in this last job, I really
learned a lot about selling wine. I found out about
the latest trends in wine, visited international
wine fairs and I learned a lot about the wine taste
of the Asian wine customer.
The occasions to start for myself happened
when I was working for AWC. We started to sell
wines to hotels and restaurants but the main
problem was that the management did not want to
grant a 30-days payment credit to their customers.
Every order needed to be paid immediately, so this
was not working. However, I had already very good
contacts and I saw a great opportunity to supply
this part of the business with fine wines.
As AWC refused to give credit, I finally decided
to go for it myself and take the challenge to start
my own business as a supplier of good wines from
Australia and New-Zealand for Singapore hotels
and restaurants. That is how it all started and my
own company was born.”
And what are the unique selling points of
Wine Directions?
Wine Directions wants to make good wine
accessible to everyone who likes wine. We
have great wines from renowned wine houses
from Australia and New-Zealand as: Tarrawarra
Estate, Fairhall Downs,
Heron Lake and Small Gully.
The good thing of Australian
wine is that the quality is very
good and reliable, because the
climate in Australia is very
stable.
On top of this, we have
a very good price and quality
relation for our wines.
Last question: red or white
for the Singaporean?
Well, red as they like the taste and the
colour! I must say that the Singaporean is very
adventure-like when it comes to wines. They like
to experience more with new tastes compared to
the Europeans. But of course, taste is very personal
and like we say in Dutch: over smaak valt niet te
twisten!”
Interested to know more about Winedirections?
Have a look at www.winedirections.com
Vol.18 • No. 8 • October 2008
Interview
Sunshades & Concept
restaurants in Singapore By Anouk Binkhuysen
Entrepreneurs :
Remco Muzerie
Company : One Concepts Restaurants & Bamboo Blinds Pte Ltd.
Specialized in :
Developing food & beverage concepts at great locations and online sale
of sunshades
It takes quite some courage to start a couple of new restaurants in the food-Walhalla of Singapore with
over 1 million food gurus that all have an opinion about good food. But having met Remco Muzerie,
the concept creator of One Concepts Restaurants, I was impressed by his story and I realized that it is
the combination of knowledge, passion and a healthy business sense that makes the right ingredients
for a successful business.
Remco Muzerie is the founder and Executive Director of One Concepts Restaurants. He created new
concepts for the food & beverage industry in Singapore with different brands like the TBone steakhouse
cafe, Riverone restaurant, and UnoPuro. Besides the restaurants business, he also sells sunshades through
his company Bamboo Blinds Pte Ltd.
Why did you start a food & beverage
business in Singapore?
“I had been relocated to Singapore when I was
working for Lucent Technologies. But 1 ½ year
ago, when they were merging with a big French
company, I proposed a management buyout, as I
always had the passion to start my own restaurant.
I have been working for 25 years in the telecom
industry and for my job I travelled all over the
world and I lived in many places. I know a lot
about food and I have been eating in many places
from fine dining to low-end. Hence, I started a big
interest in food and I read a lot about food, its
origins and ingredients.”
How do you profile your businesses?
“The TBone is a steakhouse with the stlyle of an
Amsterdam brown cafe. Riverone is an Australian
concept, with a modern and trendy interior like a
lot of aluminium and glass. UnoPuro is an Italian
street food restaurant and will open in October.
For both my companies, the restaurants and
the sunshade business, it is important to ask
yourself the question who would be your target
market. Here in Singapore, it is a melting pot of
different cultures, so aiming at only expats or
Chinese can be a very narrow market definition. It
is important to have diversity in the products you
offer and to do research amongst your clientele
about what they like and dislike, before you start.
In restaurants, it’s mostly the female guests who
decide whether to come back or not, so I have
done some research in what women like to eat in
particular. Translating this into a menu means that
you need to have some nice salads, good prepared
fish and bringing some delicious fruity whines on
the menu.”
How do you make a difference in
Singapore?
“In Singapore, you can find the low-end hawker
style restaurants and the high end restaurants as
from 100 dollar per person. I discovered that there
is still a lot of potential for restaurants within the
segment of good quality meals around 50 dollars.
That is the target market I try to reach with my
restaurants.
Vol.18 • No. 8 • October 2008
Interview
You can make a difference if you know what
your clients like and want. If you are a Caucasian
or an Asian customer, the waiter must give the
right advice to the different type of customers,
so I educate my personnel in that.
Be a critical customer yourself. Know what
your customers eat, therefore I test the quality
of my food on a regular basis. Another point to
distinguish myself from my competitors is that I
use better ingredients for my food and I have cooks
that know how to cook with first class ingredients.
On top of that, the side dishes are very important,
whereas in other restaurants you will find that it
often forgotten. And the atmosphere of course is
very important. I am really working on the concept
of each restaurant, from the napkin to the colour
of the walls!”
education is expensive in Singapore!) and then
when I am ready to retire, settling down in a nice
place outside Singapore.
Have a look at their website www.sunshade.sg and
www.onelyfestylegroup.com
What are your plans for the future with
One Concepts and Bamboo Blinds?
“I want to open new restaurants. One of my
new projects will be starting a restaurant in The
Woodlands area as there are no good restaurants
yet. I will be aiming more at the American
customer, as there are mostly Americans living
there and Americans love their own food.
I want to enjoy myself and make enough money
for a good educational plan of my two kids (as
Vol.18 • No. 8 • October 2008
Interview
When passion becomes profession
By Anouk Binkhuysen
Entrepreneurs :
Marie-Hélène Piederiet and Pieter van Houten
Company : Past Perfect Collection
Specialized in :
Antique colonial furniture from India
You decide to move from The Netherlands to India
since you get posted there for the company you
work for. Then you find out that you both share a
common passion; collecting antique furniture. A
few years later, passion becomes profession and
you move to Singapore to start your own business
in Indian colonial antiques.
Let’s be honest, how many of us will turn
our passion into profession? In the end, only
few really do. Marie-Hélène Piederiet and Pieter
van Houten took the big step and created Past
Perfect Collection; a shop in Singapore with
beautiful antique colonial furniture spanning
the British, Dutch and Portuguese era in India,
where each piece has a story and its own history.
At 480 River Valley Road, the past becomes
present again.
How did it all start?
“In 2002, we moved to India as Marie-Hélène
got posted in Mumbai as Head of Marketing for
Organon India. Pieter went working for the Dutch
consulate and during our stay in India we found
that we both liked to comb the bazaars in search
for hidden treasures. We were thrilled when in
the back of a packed tiny shop, somewhere down
below, full of dust we found that old British writing
box or a Roorkhee chair that most probably had
belonged to a British officer. Soon the interior of
our house in Mumbai was decorated in a typical
colonial style including swirling fans and tropical
plants. Many people visiting our house admired
our collection and we started to consider doing
more with it.”
“During the 4 ½ years we lived in India, we
travelled a lot and were in the position to study
and understand the culture first hand. Across the
country we established a network of professional
antique dealers we could rely on and in the
meantime we started to evaluate where we could
set up our business. As we both like Asia very
much, we were making plans to stay in this region.
We finally selected Singapore, as it is relatively
easy here to start a business as a foreigner.
Furthermore, the primary target group of expats
is densely concentrated on a small territory and
not to forget from a personal perspective, quality
of life is excellent!
And how have you organized it all from
moving from India to opening a shop in
Singapore?
“Whilst we were still living in India at the
moment we had decided to start a business in
Singapore, we made several trips there to do
market research. We visited the antique shops and
discovered that practically all of them only sell
Chinese antique. We could really make a difference
in positioning ourselves with a collection of Indian
colonial antique. We decided to become a niche
player in Singapore with original high quality
pieces of furniture that were made during the
British, Dutch and Portuguese era in India. When
we had decided our collection and the location,
we finalized our three years business plan and
before we arrived in Singapore and opened our
shop in June 2007, we had everything in place to
run the operation.
10
Vol.18 • No. 8 • October 2008
Interview
What are Past Perfect’s unique selling
points?
“It is all about the exclusiveness and quality
of our collection! This so called Indo-European
furniture is hybrid in nature meaning it is Western
in form and function but Indian in execution.
It has traditionally been admired for its prized
materials and exotic decoration and was made of
the finest hardwoods from India such as rosewood,
mahogany, teak and satinwood. The pieces are
sometimes boldly carved or feature intricate
inlay work. It is the high quality of the materials
used, the handwork and the attention to detail
which brings this furniture into a class of its own
altogether. Moreover, imagine the stories that
most pieces could probably tell about the past;
that makes them really special!
Where do you find your collection?
“Our dealers are located in the big cities like
Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Kolkata and they
source the pieces for us from all over India. We
work closely together and every two months we
travel to India to personally select our collection.
Before the furniture is shipped to Singapore, it is
expertly restored and polished using the French
polish technique. The polish is a mixture of shellac
and alcohol which gives a glossy and even finish. It
is thoroughly and carefully applied to grain filled
wood like for example rosewood which responds
very well to French polish.
The word “shellac” comes form the Sanskrit
word “lakh” meaning 100 000 and refers to the
secretions deposited on tree branches by the shell
lice. This deposit is scraped and sold as stick lac,
which is raw or seed lac that is purified.
Dutch colonial chest
for example a colonial styling service, we envisage
to further expand our business. The move to a
bigger location in Singapore where we can display
our pieces in an even more appropriate setting,
will further add to that idea. Ultimately, expanding
outside Singapore is our dream. We will do it one
step at a time; after all we have just started!”
Interested to know more about Past Perfect
Collection?
Have a look at www.pastperfect.sg
Is Past Perfect a success in Singapore?
“Absolutely, we are more than satisfied with our
results so far. It appears that there is a market
for quality antique furniture in Singapore. Our
customer base is expanding and we have a lot of
customers from different nationalities. Apart from
PR and advertising, our best promotion is word of
mouth, as we already see a lot of people visiting
our shop because a friend has told them it is worth
the experience.”
What are your ambitions?
“For sure we want to grow! We realize it is
important to consolidate and grow our business
by focussing on the continuous quality and
exclusiveness of our collection. From there, the
next step in our growth strategy will be to further
build on the colonial concept. We believe that the
business doesn’t stop at simply selling furniture.
Certain customers also like to buy the “colonial
experience”. By adding value through offering
Indo-Portuguese interior
11
Vol.18 • No. 8 • October 2008
Business
Wilhelmsen Ships Services;
the leading provider of gas cylinders
By Ronald Broer
Over 400,000 gas and refrigerant cylinders on board half of
the world fleet are controlled from Singapore.
A small group of people in Singapore are controlling over
400,000 steel cylinders on board sea-going vessels across the
oceans. Weighing approx 50kg each it is enough steel to make
2 million bicycles.
In April 2006 Unitor Cylinder Pte Ltd was established to control
Wilhelmsen Ships Service’s cylinder assets. In just over 2½ years,
the company has grown to 8 staff with dedicated resources in
each of the 4 regions within Wilhelmsen Ships Service. Next to
controlling the assets, the group is also responsible for global
procurement and distribution of new cylinders, maintaining a
global cylinder tracking system and controlling customer data
related to cylinders on board.
Wilhelmsen Ships Service, the leading supplier for the marine
industry, has over 400,000 cylinders on board customer vessels with
another 100,000 in their own warehouses or filling stations in 116 countries. Cylinders are delivered to the
marine industry filled with gases, refrigerants, medical oxygen or CO 2 in 2,200 ports around the world.
If only gases could be delivered in paper bags, life would be much easier. However, with gas pressures
of up to 250 bars, this is not possible. Wilhelmsen Ships Service (formed by bringing together Barwil and
Unitor) solved the problem of gas distribution to the marine market over 60 years ago with the introduction
of a standardized gas cylinder exchange system. The main elements of this system are as follows:
- standardised gas cylinder transport, filling and re-qualification procedures are followed world wide
by professional gas supply companies, who have signed International Gas Filling Agreements with
Wilhelmsen Ships Service.
- well maintained and correctly filled gas cylinders throughout its professionally organized network.
- internal and external pre-filling inspection, periodic test routines, maintenance programmes and
liability assurance are part of Wilhelmsen Ships Service’s services and consistent standards and safety
routines are followed.
12
Vol.18 • No. 8 • October 2008
Business
It is, of course, not the cylinder the customer wants, but the contents. Wilhelmsen Ships Service
supplies enough helium to the cruise industry to fill 800.000 balloons, and enough beverage-quality CO 2
to put the bubbles in 59 million litres of beer and soft drinks! Most cylinders, however, are filled with
oxygen and acetylene for gas cutting and welding, or refrigerants for the air-conditioning systems on
board the vessels.
Cylinders are assets to Wilhelmsen Ships Service, and every year it invests millions of US$ in new
cylinders. There is also a substantial cost in maintaining its global assets. This maintenance (mainly
sand-blasting and re-painting the cylinders) allows for an average lifespan of a cylinder of around 20
years. When Wilhelmsen Ships Service recently introduced a global barcode system to track and trace
the cylinders, they found cylinders which have been in circulation in the network for as long as 60 years!
Nowadays Wilhelmsen Ships Service has a clear overview on how many cylinders are on board a customer
vessel, and for how long. The tracking system substantially improves control over these mostly highpressure
cylinders both on board the customer vessels and in their own premises.
Safety has always been a key element of the distribution system, and always will be. What makes
the Unitor branded gas cylinder SAFE? The Unitor branded cylinders has two approvals (EN and DOT)
which allow the customer to offload the cylinders anywhere in the world whilst complying with local
regulations. This increases the operational flexibility for the customers.
Re-qualification of cylinders is done in accordance with the European ADR rules which require a 10 year
interval similar to US DOT Code of Federal regulations that also require a 10 year interval. Considering the
harsh environment the cylinders are functioning in, Unitor has decided to keep to a stricter 5 year interval
for re-qualification of cylinders, thus ensuring cylinder integrity and safety on a high level. The unique
identification of the gas contents by standardized colour
coding, product labelling and stamp marking in combination
with the gas cylinder design to international standards and
additional wall thickness secures the integrity of the cylinder
during its life cycle. The use of positive pressure valves on
compressed gas cylinders to prevent ingress of sea water
or damp air and strong caps with a high impact resistance
protects the valves if the cylinder is tumbled over increases
the operational safety even further.
Wilhelmsen Ships Service is the world’s leading maritime
services provider. Its focus is to deliver improved vessel
operating efficiency to the merchant fleet. Last year
Wilhelmsen Ships Service made 195,000 product deliveries
to 20,000 customer vessels and handled 55,000 port calls.
Wilhelmsen Ships Service comprises more than 4,000
dedicated marine professionals at 319 offices around
the world. With the addition of 150 independent service
providers, its service capability covers 2,200 ports in 116
countries.
Wilhelmsen Ships Service offers ship-owners and vessel
operators a vast array of products and services selected
for value and reliability in the marine environment.
Unitor branded products also include marine chemicals,
refrigeration products, environmental equipment, fire
rescue and safety equipment, sealing products, products for
shipboard maintenance and marine spares.
Wilhelmsen Ships Service is also a leader in technical
services which keep vessels safe and in compliance with
regulations. They also have traditional port agency services
and offer a menu of clearly defined and standardised
activities to maximise efficient operation while a vessel is in
port. The business area also encompasses maritime logistics
solutions for safe and efficient transport and distribution of
goods on behalf of importers and exporters.
Wilhelmsen Ships Service is part of Wilhelmsen Maritime
Services AS, a Wilhelmsen Group Company.
Canadian International School invites suitable
candidates to apply for the following position:
ADMISSIONS OFFICER
Essential job functions:
• Attend to all enquirers (telephone, emails, personal tours
and interviews) of CIS’ programme
• Attend to the admissions and maintenance of all students
of assigned campus
Minimum requirements:
• Good interpersonal and excellent communication skills,
and ability to freely and openly engage in discussions with
a multicultural clientele
• Highly fluent in English (both written and oral). A second
language is an asset
• Some working experience in a multi-cultural environment
preferred
• Sound knowledge of computers and good working
knowledge of Word, Excel and Access. Comfortable
with learning new programmes
• Good organizational skills, and ability to work within a
team environment
• Knowledge of IBO and/or International school programmes
would be an asset
Please send your resumes with a recent photo to apply@cis.
edu.sg or contact Joanna Lim at 6469-4962
13
Vol.18 • No. 8 • October 2008
Business
Dutch economy on course despite
turbulent times – Prinsjesdag 16 September 2008
By Richard Soemita
The 2009 Budget Memorandum shows that the
Dutch economy is in good shape despite global
economic turbulence. Although the Netherlands
has not been left unscathed and its economy is
cooling, the national budget shows a surplus,
the government’s plans are being implemented,
purchasing power is being maintained, employment
is being promoted, and innovation and profitability
are being stimulated.
The government will consult employer
organizations and trade unions on how to boost
employment and other lasting ways of strengthening
the economy. In this context, the government
is willing to scrap employees’ unemployment
insurance contributions (WW premium to be
0%?) if the social partners keep pay rises within
reasonable bounds. This means that people on an
average income will see their take-home pay rise
by about €500 a year. For working parents, the
figure could be as high as €800. The government
also plans to introduce a bonus for people who
continue working after reaching the age of 62.
By making work more financially attractive, it is
promoting employment. It has shelved its plans to
raise VAT. This will mainly protect the purchasing
power of older workers and those on low incomes
and will help to avert a wage-price spiral. Many
people will be better off next year.
The government will continue to pursue
its aims as set out in the coalition agreement.
In 2009 it will continue to invest in education,
sustainability, community regeneration, and public
safety and security. Among other things, it will
spend more money on tackling school dropout
and preparing pupils for the job market. During
its present term of office it will spend an extra
€300 million on the community’s action plan. It
is also taking measures to reduce the crime rate
by increasing the likelihood of catching those
responsible. By 2011 there will an extra 500
community police officers on the street.
The coalition agreement states that the
government will aim to achieve a structural budget
surplus of 1% of GDP by 2011. Halfway through the
government’s term of office, this still appears to
be a realistic goal. In 2009 the actual surplus is
even expected to reach 1.2%, mainly thanks to
higher natural gas revenues. The national debt
is expected to be about 40% of GDP in 2009. By
the end of the government’s term of office, it
is expected to have fallen to its lowest level in
percentage terms since 1815.
An active foreign policy brings
opportunities to the Netherlands
Living outside of Holland here a snapshot of the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Budget:
Working together for the good of the
Netherlands means looking beyond our national
borders. What happens elsewhere in the world
affects us too. The government is pursuing an
active foreign policy to help the Dutch people
derive maximum benefit from the opportunities
of a globalised world. But it also shapes its policy
to deal with the challenges of our age: poverty
and inequality, climate change, energy scarcity,
terrorism, human trafficking, and the food
crisis. Our borders cannot protect us from these
problems. They require a collective approach,
primarily through international organizations. We
can enjoy security and protection as long as all the
players on the world stage, especially the most
powerful, adhere to international agreements.
The government is also investing in alliances
with countries that share our values and standards
– our transatlantic allies, our NATO partners, and
like-minded countries elsewhere – to defend our
achievements and offer a response to shifting
power relationships in the world. A strong European
Union is essential for achieving this goal.
Commitment to a worldwide climate
agreement
By their nature, climate and energy require an
international approach. At the upcoming climate
summit in Copenhagen, the government will strive
14
Vol.18 • No. 8 • October 2008
Business
to ensure that ambitious new climate objectives
are established. In the coalition agreement, the
governing parties agreed to spend €500 million
over four years (2008-2011) to promote renewable
energy in developing countries. Reliable energy
supplies are essential for economic growth and
development. And we have to diversify our
sources of energy not only to meet our climate
objectives, but also to achieve the foreign policy
objective of reducing our dependence on external
energy supplies.
More money for human rights
We will continue our full-on efforts to promote
human rights worldwide, focusing special attention
on the rights of children, women and homosexuals.
Our missions abroad are undertaking more and
more on behalf of these groups, so we will
therefore increase the size of the Human Rights
Fund.
Working together to make Europe more
effective
In 2009, it will be 20 years since the Berlin Wall fell.
The demise of communism has changed Europe. It
has made our continent stronger. The Netherlands
needs to work closely with other countries. The
Government is therefore promoting a decisive
and democratic Europe: a Europe that can act
purposefully and efficiently to find solutions
to common concerns that require a concerted
approach, such as climate and energy. We also
need to work with our European partners to ensure
our prosperity and security, joining forces against
crime, illegal migration and terrorism. The Dutch
gain a great deal from being part of Europe. The
government is committed to ensuring that the EU
has a clear, recognizable face in the Netherlands
and around the world – a goal whose fulfillment
will be accelerated by the Lisbon Treaty.
Security and stability in Afghanistan
In 2009, the ISAF mission in Afghanistan will still
be the Netherlands’ most extensive and dangerous
crisis management operation. In Uruzgan, we
will continue, together with more than 40 other
countries, to help the Afghans rebuild their
country. Security and reconstruction go hand in
hand. The Netherlands is investing in education,
health care, agriculture, road construction and,
above all, in the Afghans themselves.
Investing in development
It is in the Netherlands’ interest to work for peace,
security, and development in the world. In 2009,
the various government ministries will continue
to work together to help achieve the Millennium
Development Goals. This means investing in fragile
states so that they remain peaceful and rise out of
poverty. It means committing ourselves to women’s
health and rights. And it means focusing more
attention on economic growth and the distribution
of wealth. Development cooperation is not a
matter for the government alone. It is a matter for
everyone, which is why the government is seeking
new forms of cooperation.
Better service for Dutch citizens and
businesses abroad
The government’s commitment abroad extends
to Dutch citizens and businesses. From 2009,
new passports and visas will include biometric
information, which will contribute to the
enforcement of public order and security. The
consular service will benefit from a new computerbased
information system that will enable ‘The
Hague’ and its missions to exchange information
worldwide in real time.
International cultural policy: extra funds
for design, fashion and architecture
The government is increasing its funding for design,
fashion and architecture to €12 million for the
period 2009-2012. The money will come from the
budgets of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the
Ministry of Economic Affairs, and the Ministry of
Education, Culture and Science. During the next
few years, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will help
organize large-scale events abroad, such as the
celebrations marking the 400th anniversary of ties
between the Netherlands and New York (in 2009)
and the events in Germany’s Ruhrgebiet, the 2010
European capital of culture. The Ministry will also
make €2 million extra available for culture and
development cooperation.
15
Vol.18 • No. 8 • October 2008
Business
Expatriates. Across the globe!
Starting a Career Abroad
More and more people are turning their backs
on their own country in order to broaden their
horizon. A lot of them on an expat basis. Reasons
can be to get to know other cultures, lifestyles,
experiences, international environments and to
see something of the world.
These expats often wonder where to turn to
with their questions about working abroad.
How to get a job in a foreign country without
going there. Or, leaving everything behind not
knowing if they will find the right job?
Multinationals often have difficulty finding
qualified staff that are willing to move to a
foreign country. Especially when this country is
situated on the other side of the globe and has a
completely different environment, other culture
and language.
Specialised agencies offer
assistance in this area
Specialized agencies know the demands of both
the employer and the employee. They have
contacts all over the world which gives them a
good overview on the jobs abroad. Specialized
agencies act as a broker in finding the right match
between multinational and expat. One of these
specialized brokers is LEX.
LEX knows what drives expats
Adventure, ambition, admiration, respect,
attractive financial packages, curiosity, personal
development, to name a few. LEX recruits and
selects trained managers for companies abroad and
finds the perfect job for enthusiastic expats.
What LEX offers:
• Expert in the brokerage of top-quality positions
for enthusiastic expats.
• Knowledge about the must-haves for management
positions at international companies.
• LEX operates in key economic areas.
• High number of matches due to unique and
personal working method.
• LEX managers have travelled the world and are
expats themselves.
What LEX can offer you as an expat?
• Upload your CV free of charge.
• Vacancies available worldwide.
• Country information about the most popular
expat destinations.
• Provide the latest information relevant to
expats on our website: lexexpatspecialist.
com.
• Innovative solutions through many years of
experience.
Appointment?
Interested in speaking with us about sourcing
expats for your organization or if you are an
expat yourself, please contact Marieke Kolthof
(e-mail: Marieke.Kolthof@lexexpatspecialist.
com, phone: +31 (0) 529 435 837) If you want to
meet us in person, Marieke will be in Singapore
October 6-10.
16
Vol.18 • No. 8 • October 2008
The workspace of…
By Sharon van de Veerdonk
Probably everybody in The Netherlands is familiar
with “Het Bureau” by J.J. Voskuil or otherwise the
popular tv-series “The Office”. Both are centered
around exposing daily office life offering a lot of
awkward and funny situations. We are curious
about your office life. We will spare you to share
your office secrets, but…..we really would like to
see where and how you work. So show it to us!
What company do you work for, since
when and what is your job?
After having worked part-time at the Netherlands
Embassy in Singapore (Orchard Road) for seven
years, I have started a new full-time job since 1 st
of April 2008 as Operations Executive for World
Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).
Where is your office located?
The office (in total 12 persons) is located at
237 Cantonment Road, a charming conservation
shophouse; I work on the ground floor, and since
our office is expanding we rented as well the 2 nd
floor. The area is very different from Orchard
Road and very nice as well; it is close to Tanjong
Pagar complex where you have all kind of local
shops (and also wetmarket, Singpost, FairPrice
footreflex!). Chinatown, Duxton Hill, Tanjong
Pagar/Outram MRT and the Amara Hotel are all in
short walking distance. It’s actually just behind
the Central Business District.
Cubicle or office?
I work in a cubicle, a stretch of 6 in a row.
Back home and in my previous job in Singapore
I have always had my own office, so really had to
get used to it. The advantage is that you know
what is going on and there is more interaction
with the colleagues (although we still send
Lineke van Nederpelt
emails to each other!). The
disadvantage is that you don’t have any
privacy and it is sometimes hard to concentrate
with the noises around you.
What do you see through the window?
Some bamboo plants, I am not joking!
What is your favorite lunch place?
Foodcourt at Amara complex and still enjoy
Subway’s sandwiches as well.
Which ADB member’s workplace would
you like to see next?
A while ago I was at the ABN AMRO office for a
presentation by WWF; the views are absolutely
stunning, maybe P.C. ‘t Hart wants to share with
us his workspace.
Voordeligste tarieven vanaf € 22,- per dag
all-in
Snelste Schiphol service • 24 uur per dag • Voordeligste all-in tarieven • Laagste eigen risico
www.bblcarrental.nl
bb&l_2008_ad_194x61.indd 2
12/17/07 5:06:48 PM
17
Vol.18 • No. 8 • October 2008
Green Page
One planet business: The challenge
of corporate responsibility
By Jean-Paul Jeanrenaud & Maria Boulos, WWF International, Gland, Switzerland
Since its emergence onto the corporate
landscape, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
has gained significant recognition under the
watchful eye of a wide range of stakeholders.
Responding to the priorities and concerns of
these stakeholders makes the practice of CSR
fraught with complexity and makes comparisons
and analysis difficult across sectors, let alone
within the business community as a whole. WWF
offers a beacon of light as to how companies
may find the end of the CSR tunnel without
getting lost in the mist.
To say that we have only one planet to support
us may be stating the obvious. However, given
the serious social and environmental challenges
facing us, and the apparent lack of a coordinated
global response, it would seem that what should
be obvious is not. There is still a commonly held
belief that the planet is an infinite source of clean
air, clean water, and free “natural capital” on which
our global economy is built. Politicians across the
political spectrum, from both the developed and
the developing world, still peddle the dangerous
myths that we can have infinite economic growth on
this clearly finite planet, and that there will always
be a technological fix for every problem we face.
The more cautious could argue that humans
seem to be caught in the same bind as the
legendary frogs in the gradually heating pan of
water; we seem unable to react to our predicament
until it’s too late and we are metaphorically and
perhaps actually (with climate change) boiled
alive! (Apparently, frogs placed in a pan of cold
water that is then brought slowly to the boil, will
make no attempt to escape and will eventually be
boiled to death. However, a frog dropped into a
pan of already boiling water will make every effort
to jump out as quickly as possible).
Every two years WWF produces The Living
Planet Report – a ‘healthcheck’ for the planet.
There are two main graphs in the report, the Living
Planet Index and the World Ecological Footprint.
The first measures the populations of animal
species around the world and is an indicator of
the health of the world’s ecosystems. The Index
has fallen by about 40 per cent over the last 30
years indicating a critical decline in nature’s
productivity. The second compares people’s
consumption of natural resources with the ability
of the planet to replace them.
The results from the 2004 edition are worrying.
Currently, we are consuming about 20 per cent
more than the planet can sustain. In other words,
globally we need 1.2 planets to meet our present
demands, so we are clearly living beyond our
means. It’s like eating into the capital in a bank
account instead of living off the interest.
One planet living
As a response to this challenging situation WWF,
and its partner Bio-Regional, have developed a new
initiative called One Planet Living (OPL). The aim is
Living Planet Index: 1970-2000. Humanity’s Ecological Footprint: 1961-2001.
1.4
1.4
1.2
1.2
1.0
1.0
Index (1970 = 1.0)
0.8
0.6
Number of planets
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.4
0.2
0.2
0
1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000
0
1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000
18
Vol.18 • No. 8 • October 2008
Green Page
to demonstrate that living sustainably can be easy,
attractive and affordable. We are working with
local people, companies and governments around
the world to help create communities, products,
and services, which can help people everywhere
live within a fair share of the earth’s resources.
We have identified a set of 10 principles that can
be used to create a “sustainability action plan” for
individuals, companies, local authorities, a region
or indeed a whole country.
The 10 One Planet Living Principles
• Zero Carbon
• Zero Waste
• Sustainable Transport
• Sustainable Materials
• Local and Sustainable Food
• Sustainable Water
• Natural Habitats and Wildlife
• Culture and Heritage
• Equity and Fair Trade
• Health and Happiness
But what is the relevance of this for the private
sector? Well, of the hundred largest economies
worldwide, more than half are companies and
a rapidly decreasing number are countries. In
today’s world, corporations are a force to be
reckoned with; they have massive economic and
political power which can be directed either
towards profit maximisation alone or towards
developing solutions to the world’s socioeconomic
and environmental challenges.
The corporate footprint
The corporate footprint has changed in size
and nature in response to ever evolving market
conditions. It can be argued that in the early
years of industrialisation most companies were
operating in local markets and meeting the needs
and expectations of local stakeholders. They
often filled the void left by governments who
lacked the capacity to provide public services and
social welfare – a direct reflection of their direct
accountability to the communities in which they
operated. In the main companies made a positive
contribution to society and, because of their limited
number and scale, they had a relatively small
impact on biodiversity and the environment.
In the first half of the 20 th century, governments
increasingly expanded their capacity to meet the
demand for public and social goods with growth
in healthcare, education and infrastructure
provision. At the same time markets directed
companies towards meeting the demand for more
consumptive lifestyles.
Since the Second World War, the role of
governments in developed regions, as social service
providers, has been weakened as the provision of
public goods and social welfare – such as pensions,
transport, energy, water and sanitation services
– have increasingly been transferred back into
the private sector. At the same time the capacity
of governments in developing countries to meet
demand for these public services has stagnated.
In these developing regions, companies benefiting
from the increased reach afforded by globalisation,
are using local resources to provide goods and
services to lucrative developed markets, without
filling the public service void left by governments.
This ‘stakeholder relationship gap’ is the root
cause of many of the corporate responsibility
concerns that exist today.
The contribution of corporations to the
social contract is increasingly measured in terms
of a narrow focus on short-term shareholder
value instead of value creation for society as a
whole. Business models that externalise costs,
placing additional burdens on society and the
environment, have further eroded the historical
role of the corporation as a social-good provider.
As Joel Bakan puts it, “Every cost the corporation
can unload onto someone else is a benefit to itself,
a direct route to profit”.
It is often argued that, “the business of
business is business”, that its sole purpose is to
generate money and that all other activities flow
“Large companies have a
moral responsibility to society”
What we see
in reality
is the gap
between
rich and poor
widening and,
globally, a ...
rise in violence
as a response
to growing
inequity.
Do large companies care about social and environmental issues?
Disagree
8%
Neither 12%
80% Agree
“Large companies don’t really care
about the long-term environmental
and social impact of their actions”
Disagree 18%
Neither 21%
Base: 1,875 adults 15+ across Britain, July 2002. Source: MORI
61% Agree
19
Vol.18 • No. 8 • October 2008
Green Page
The businesses
of the future
will be focussed
on [finding]
solutions to...
decades of
unsustainable
resource
use and
consumption.
from there. Indeed it is often noted that, in order
for companies to afford to be environmentally and
socially responsible they need first to generate
sufficient surplus capital.
However, business activities undertaken to
generate profit can have significant negative
impacts on environment and society. In fact,
the unpaid costs borne by society as a whole
may outweigh the economic value generated by
company activity. As we noted above, if we look at
the origins of business, it was established to meet
some prior need or want of society; banks were
set up to provide safe places to store money and
valuables, pharmaceutical companies to develop
cures and improve healthcare, construction
companies to build roads, houses, schools and
other essential infrastructure. It is therefore
strange that many companies continue to define
their purpose as “making profits” without any
reference to the social and environmental ‘utility’
that its products or services should provide.
We would argue that this reductionist model
of capitalism is fundamentally flawed. For
although its supporters claim that there would
be positive benefits for all if every individual,
corporation or government were to pursue a
narrow definition of self-interest, this claim does
not bear close scrutiny. In 1960, the richest 20 per
cent of the world’s population accounted for 70
per cent of global GDP, while the poorest 20 per
cent controlled 2.3 per cent – a ratio of 30:1. By
2000, the richest 20 per cent controlled 85 per
cent of GDP, while the poorest accounted for only
1.1 per cent – a ratio of 80:1. What we see in
reality is the gap between rich and poor widening
and, globally, a rise in violence in response to
growing inequity. The have-nots also want what
the haves have.
In WWF’s view, all sectors of society, including
corporations, have a collective responsibility to
reverse these trends of environmental degradation
and social breakdown. This view is supported by
recent MORI (2002) research, which found that
80 per cent of respondents felt that business
has a responsibility to society beyond the simple
generation of profit.
As Henry Mitzberg wrote in the Financial
Times, “Corporations are social institutions: if
they don’t serve society, they have no business
existing”.
In parallel with this widespread feeling that
business has a responsibility towards society that it
has yet to fulfil, it is worth noting that companies’
perceptions of their own relationships to society
as a whole are slowly evolving.
The diagram below is taken from a recent
workshop with a multinational company. The circle
on the left shows that in 1980, managers saw the
company’s role in society as pivotal and as the
“centre of the universe”. The diagram on the right
shows perceptions from 2002, and indicates that
managers’ views of the company have evolved;
the company becomes a component of society
as a whole.
This is an encouraging change in perception
that may indicate a shift towards greater
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Certainly,
in our bilateral relations with companies like
ABB, Lafarge, Nokia, Pelicano and others, we are
fortunate to be working with pioneering companies
that have made a strong commitment to reducing
footprint and operating sustainably.
The changing role of companies.
Government
Employees
Government
Employees
Society Company Customers
Company
Society
Customers
Shareholders
NGOs
Shareholders
NGOs
1980 2002
20
Vol.18 • No. 8 • October 2008
Green Page
Reversing the Trends
To further encourage these new developments,
and to avoid ‘paradigm paralysis’ whereby we
unconsciously use the same mindset that caused
the problems to try and identify solutions, we
must opt for evolution rather than revolution.
This will require a growing awareness of the
interconnectedness of all life and an increasing
ability to learn from and build on the ways that
nature generates, breaks down and renews itself.
In reality, human beings are inseparable from the
cycles of the natural world and must learn to adapt
industrial production processes and develop new
materials in accordance with the principles that
inform the living planet.
Once we acknowledge our dependence on
nature, we will learn to create technologies that
maximise benefits to society and the environment
by mimicking nature’s ways. We will move away
from the current linear cradle-to-grave model that
generates vast amounts of toxic and other waste,
to a more sustainable, cyclical cradle-to-cradle
system that transforms waste into ‘food’ for other
processes and lives.
As a part of the OPL initiative, WWF with
its civil-society and private-sector partners is
pioneering and promoting the concept of One
Planet Business (OPB). The programme philosophy
is that we must share the responsibility for both
the issues and the required change towards
operating our businesses within the ecological
limits of our one planet. Therefore, OPB is a
‘Global Partnership for Change’ – inclusive,
supportive and learning. It brings together the
leaders from policy, consumer bodies, investors,
companies, academia and environmental science
in order that they can create mutually empowering
innovation around key industry sectors.
One Planet Business will have sustainability
as its ‘default option’. In practical terms, this
would mean that the 10 OPL principles outlined
above become part of a company’s DNA so that
sustainability is seen as the only way to do business.
To illustrate with two examples: implementing
a ‘Zero Carbon’ strategy would mean that a
company’s operations have been set up to ensure
its direct and indirect impacts do not contribute to
greenhouse gas emissions and that its energy needs
are met through renewable sources. A ‘Zero Waste’
approach would see the company operating a closed
loop system for all processes and products with the
emphasis on reducing waste at source, then reusing,
recycling and recovering all remaining waste.
By adopting the OPB approach, a company will
fulfil its social contract by internalising all the costs
related to its overall operations and implementing
a business model that is based on value creation for
society as a whole. Thus, the company of the future
will have integrated Corporate Responsibility into
its business model. As a result, all increases in
shareholder value will provide a clear signal that
the company is producing goods and services in
ways that make a net positive contribution to
people and the planet.
If, as we foresee, these principles are widely
adopted by the private sector, then the businesses
of the future will be focussed on developing and
selling solutions to the challenges that are the
legacy of decades of unsustainable resource use
and consumption. Then as Mahatma Gandhi said,
we will become “...the changes we want to see in
the world” and there will be a fair distribution of
natural resources, or as he put it, “... enough for
everyone’s need but not for everyone’s greed”.
For more information: www.panda.org,
www.wwf.sg.
Bizz Agenda
Singapore Motorshow
5 October 2008
Suntec
www.motorshow.com.sg
ART Singapore 2008 - The
Contemporary Asian Art Fair
9-13 October 2008
Suntec, EH 404 (Level 4)
www.artsingapore.net
Smart Investment and
International Property Expo
11-12 October 2008
Suntec, EH 401 (Level 4)
www.smartexpos.com
StocExpo Asia 2008
15-16 October 2008
Suntec
www.stocexpo.com
Digital Ship Singapore
21-22 October 2008
Suntec, Concourse (Level 3)
www.thedigitalship.com
Singapore Sun
Festival 2008
17- 26 October 2008
Various venues
www.imgartists.com
21
Vol.18 • No. 8 • October 2008
Conference Calendar
A selection of upcoming conferences in the region in November:
Luxury Marketing
6 – 7 November 2008
The Excelsior, Hong Kong
International Transfer Agency Summit Asia 2008
6 – 7 November 2008
Pacific Place Conference Centre, Hong Kong
The Abu Dhabi Conference
9 – 10 November 2008
Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi
GCC Government Organizations Webmaster’s
Conference
10 November 2008
Dubai
Financial Performance Management
10 – 11 November 2008
Sheraton Towers, Singapore
Corporate Ethics FCPA Compliance
10 – 13 November 2008
Deira, Dubai
Asia Pacific CEO Summit
11 – 15 November 2008
Venetian Macau Hotel, Macau
Private Equity & Venture Forum
12 – 14 November 2008
JW Marriot Hotel, Hong Kong
Real Estate Investment World Japan 2008
12 – 14 November 2008
Conrad Tokyo, Tokyo
Financial Performance Management
13 November 2008
The Excelsior, Hong Kong
Managing the Talent Crisis
13 – 14 November 2008
Sheraton Towers, Singapore
Asia Rail 2008 15 th Annual International
Congress
17 – 21 November 2008
InterContinental Singapore, Singapore
4 th Annual Indian Securities
18 – 19 November 2008
Taj Lands End, Mumbai
Coal Tech Asia 2008
18 – 20 November 2008
Hotel New Otani Chang Fu Gong, Beijing
Tradetech Asia 2008
19 – 20 November 2008
The Shangri-la Hotel, Singapore
China Commercial Real Estate Investment 2008
19 – 20 November 2008
Shanghai Marriot Hotel, Shanghai
PAs and Executive Secretaries Conference
19 November
Dubai
Maximizing Sponsorship Returns
20 – 21 November 2008
Sheraton Towers, Singapore
International Transfer Pricing for Oil & Gas
23 – 24 November 2008
Le Meridien, Dubai
Business and Competitive Profiling
27 – 28 November 2008
Amara Hotel, Singapore
Log on to www.conferencebay.com for more information on these and many other events.
And remember, you can make a bid and decide the price you’re willing to pay for any of the
conferences listed on Conference Bay!
22
Vol.18 • No. 8 • October 2008
Column By…
Richard Soemita
Ramadan
This month the Ramadan started on 1 st September, the month where
all Muslims fast for 30 days until 30 th September. Coming from this
background it is not entirely unfamiliar to me, but sometimes
one just has to be faced with the facts to realize what’s going around
one’s life.
When I still lived in Amsterdam my immediate daily life only occurred
around the canals and Schiphol Rijk where I used to work. Osdorp was
already kind of strange to me, let alone leaving the city centre! That
was too scary and each time when I had to go for business trips to Paris,
London or Munich it felt so good to be back in good old A’dam. Actually I
lead the same pathetic life on this island and only move between 2 areas:
Balestier (where I live) and CBD (where I work). I still sometimes end up
at places in Singapore that are totally unfamiliar to me, until I find out
that it is the next street behind the office!
Thanks to my Malay friends I was recently introduced to several great
food spots during this Ramadan. One of them is the Geylang area where
they have set up huge temporary tents where merchants sell all sorts of
stuff from toys, curtains, clothes, carpets to even cars. One of the most
fascinating tents is the one where they mainly sell food. You will see an
amazing variety of very delicious stuff that you normally will not see in
restaurants or food courts. Every stall has its own speciality and everyone is
buying food to take away and have this at home with the family. The other
area is near Arab street (street of Mjd Sultan mosque) where the entire
street has been blocked off for traffic. There are stalls along the whole
stretch of the street on one side. Here again there are mainly food stalls
that have a complete variety of different type of dishes from Egyptian,
Malay, Indian and Indonesian kitchens.
Most of my Malay friends fast, so I decided to see what it felt like
and joined them for one day, to start with. I did not bother to get up at
5 am to have my regular breakfast since I purposely stuffed my face the
night before which of course resulted in being more hungry the following
morning. Went to the office and had to walk past the aunty where I get my
curry puff every morning. She normally already has this ready when she
sees me coming walking towards her stall. But this morning I just said hello
and the expression on her face said “had gone insane” when I walked past.
Not to mention the little paper bag she wasted and had to put the puff
back. Idem ditto when I walked past the coffeeshop and the boy yelled at
me if I was feeling OK since I did not stop for my morning café latte with
a Danish raisin cake. Normally I have these before 10 am, but instead I got
grumpier by the minute, looking forward to lunch time. Then I realized
that I also had to skip that! By 3 pm I really thought I was going to pass out
and by this minute I was starting to shout at everyone around me. Finally
at 6 pm I left the office to meet my Malay friends at Arab street. As soon
as I got there I started to buy a food item from every stall in the entire
street. All shaky and forcing a smile on my face we waited for the sign to
start dinner and finally sat down by 7:04 pm to start eating. By this stage
I was ready to kill for food. My friends slowly started to eat whilst I nearly
stuck my whole head in the nasi lemak paper wrapping and trying to drink
at the same time. They all looked at me like I had no food for the last 3
weeks. That 1-day fast was quite an experience but I decided to skip the
next day. It is not just the fasting, knowing what is going on within the
Muslim community, the location and the respect I have for anyone who
fast during the Ramadan. Sadly, I came to the conclusion that my stomach
was made for feeding it on a very regular basis, if possible after every 45
minute intervals. Ramadan is the start of all this but has a happy ending
on 1 Oct, Hari Raya, when it is time to party and am very much looking
forward to all the invites to the dinner festivities. Incidentally I just got
the results back from my annual blood test and needless to say that my
cholesterol level was not within the acceptable limits. Should I have fasted
more than 1 day?
23
Vol.18 • No. 8 • October 2008
event agenda
Classics: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (UK)
With Leonard Slatkin (USA)
DATE : 10 October 2008
Friday, 07:30pm
VENUE : Esplanade Concert Hall
SYNOPSIS
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO), based in London, offers audiences in the
UK and abroad the highest possible standards of music making, accompanied by
some of the most acclaimed artists of the day. Since its formation, the orchestra
has been directed by some of the world’s finest conductors, most notably Rudolf
Kempe, Antal Dorati, André Previn and Vladimir Ashkenazy. Today, it continues
to thrive, undertaking a busy concert, touring and recording schedule, under
the inspired leadership of Maestro Daniele Gatti, who, from the beginning of
the 2009-2010 season, will continue as Conductor Laureate, with Charles Dutoit
as Artistic Director and Principal Conductor.
In Singapore, the orchestra will perform under the baton of Principal Guest
Conductor, Leonard Slatkin, Music Director of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra
and Principal Guest Conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra in 2008-
2009. His many honours and awards include the prestigious 2003 National Medal
of Arts and the Chevalier of the Legion of Honor.
One of the world’s top five orchestras and its renowned conductor present
an evocative programme that moves from two tender, lilting, strings-dominated
excerpts from Sir William Walton’s score for Sir Laurence Olivier’s film Henry
V, to the four linked movements of Ralph Vaughan Williams’ dramatic, spirited
Symphony No. 6 in E minor, and finally culminating in Edward Elgar’s famous,
emotive “Enigma” Variations, each variation inspired by and dedicated to an
individual, beginning with his wife, featuring his close friends, and ending with
a self-portrait.
da:ns festival 2008
Russian Ballet Gala
DATE : 15-16 October 2008
Wednesday - Thursday, 8:00pm
VENUE : Esplanade Theatre
SYNOPSIS
Dance lovers know the pure
e x h i l a r a t i o n o f w a t c h i n g
unparalleled virtuosity on
display. Expect nothing less in
this season’s Ballet Gala with
the world-renowned Bolshoi
Ballet. Each evening’s programme
presents a different selection
of favourite classics as well as
contemporary works premiering in
Singapore. Revel in the grandeur
and magnificence of Russian Ballet with the
stars of the Bolshoi.
Programme line up for each evening of the
dansfestival available at www.dansfestival.com
DURATION: Approximately 90 Minutes
Interval: Approximately 20 Minutes
DURATION: Approximately 90 minutes INTERVAL: Approximately 20 minutes
The year’s sexiest play:
The Vagina Monologues
written by Eve Ensler
(Adult Content & Strong Language)
DATE : 1-12 October 2008
Tuesday - Friday, 8pm,
Saturday, 3pm & 8pm
Sunday, 3pm
VENUE : Drama Centre Theatre
SYNOPSIS
This October, Zebra Crossing Productions brings you
the year’s sexiest play to hit our shores - The Vagina
Monologues. This multiple-award winning play by Eve
Ensler is given a fresh new twist by Loretta Chen,
director of 251 and MAGICBOX. Boasting a stellar
cast of diverse and dynamic women, The Vagina
Monologues is a powerful collection of anecdotes
celebrating all things feminine - part therapy, part
informative, wholly electrifying! Starring Malaysia’s
top model Bernie Chan (Project Runway Malaysia,
The Odd Couple), Judy Ngo (Mad Forest, Chestnuts),
Elizabeth Tan (Mama’s Wedding, Belles in Action)
and a host of other formidable women, The Vagina
Monologues is a visual and aural feast of curves,
flesh and finesse.
Whether you are a Man from Mars or Woman
from Venus, join us in this earth shattering, no holds
barred theatrical experience! As long as you are
above 18, make this your mandatory night out as we
celebrate all things wild, wonderful and women!
DURATION: Approximately 80 minutes
da:ns festival 2008
Double Bill: Silent Screen & Toss of a Dice
by Nederlands Dans Theatre I
DATE : 18-19 October 2008
Saturday - Sunday, 8:00pm
VENUE : Esplanade Theatre
SYNOPSIS
Breathtaking dance of profound intensity
“NDT must be Europe’s classiest and most
accomplished modern dance company, their
trademark being slick, gorgeously lit, gorgeously
danced movement with a deep balletic grace and
sharp modern angles” -Telegraph
The world-acclaimed Nederlands Dans Theater
never fails to amaze audiences with its company
of phenomenal dancers and repertoire of sublime
works by resident choreographers Jiri Kylian and
duo Lightfoot Leon. The extraordinary partnership of Paul Lightfoot and Sol Leon
is seen in the visually stunning and beautifully moving Silent Screen. A panoramic
landscape and the hypnotic music of Philip Glass draw you in as performance
and film seamlessly become one. From meditative stillness to manic urgency,
life’s passages ebb and flow in the fluid and intricate choreographic phrasing
of Lightfoot Leon. Pondering the game of chance that life metes out is Kylian’s
Toss of a Dice. With Susumu Shingu’s scissor-sharp sculpture looming ominously
above, twelve sinuous dancers negotiate the edge of the unknown with delicate
precision in a striking performance. This captivating double bill from the
masters of dance will take your breath away.
DURATION: Approximately 95 Minutes
Interval: Approximately 20 Minutes
24
Vol.18 • No. 8 • October 2008
Business news
Sources: Het Financieele Dagblad and Reuters
Boskalis plans Euro 1.1 bln bid for Smit
Dutch dredging group Boskalis plans an
unsolicited 1.1 billion euros all-cash
offer for maritime services company Smit
Internationale, which promptly rejected
the approach.
Royal Boskalis Westminster Group NV
said it planned to offer 62.50 euros per
Smit share, an acquisition that would
turn Boskalis’s small oil and gas terminal
business into a world leader. It already is
the world’s largest dredging company.
“We think the intended offer represents
a full and fair value for Smit shareholders,”
a Boskalis spokesman said after being
asked if Boskalis could raise its offer.
A regulatory filing showed Boskalis had
bought a 6.65 percent stake in Smit earlier
this week.
The bid for the entire group comes
after Smit rejected a $300 million bid
for its terminals division in February
from Lamnalco, a joint venture between
Boskalis and Saudi group Rezayat.
Lamnalco and Smit’s terminal unit
combined would control 40 percent of the
global oil and gas terminal services market,
with an annual turnover of more than $280
million, Boskalis said at the time.
Boskalis, by contrast, showed revenue
from its maritime and terminal services of
just 28 million euros in the first half, or 3
percent of the group’s total sales of 938
million euros.
The company’s biggest business unit is
dredging; its specially equipped ships suck
up sand and rock from the seabed to create
harbours and waterways or construct
artificial islands and coastal barriers.
NATURAL FIT
Boskalis said it would merge Smit’s salvage,
heavy lift and transport activities with its
operations, integrate Smit’s terminals
services unit with peer Lamnalco, and
divest Smit’s harbour towage activities,
which make up 19 percent of sales.
It said there was a natural fit between
most of its operations and Smit’s activities,
while the combination of Smit’s terminals
unit with Lamnalco would create significant
synergy benefits.
Petercam analyst Paul Linssen
expressed concerns that Boskalis could
wander too far from its core business.
“We are convinced about the acquisition
of the terminal activities, which are
already part of the activity portfolio of
Boskalis. However, we have some question
marks about the fit of the Salvage and
Heavy Lift activities,” he said.
“We fail to see the strategic rationale
in buying Smit in its entirety,” said ING
analyst Tijs Hollestelle, noting that three
of Smit’s divisions were different from
Boskalis’ core activities.
Smit made a first-half net profit of 48
million euros on sales of 307 million, and it
expects a 2008 profit of between 98 million
and 101 million euros.
The $700 billion question: Can bailout fix economy?
The best test of whether the government’s
$700 billion check will be enough to
save the U.S. economy is how much of
that money flows back to consumers and
companies.
E v e n i f t h e g o v e r n m e n t g e t s
Congressional approval to buy bad debts off
banks’ books, satisfying some of their cash
needs, the financial sector will still need
to raise money -- and investors haven’t
exactly been lining up to help. Unless
banks can find funding somewhere, they
won’t be eager to resume lending, and that
will leave the economy sputtering.
The good news is, outside of the
financial sector, Corporate America is
remarkably cash-rich with some $620
billion sitting on the books of large firms,
so companies should be primed to spend
once confidence is restored.
But household wealth has taken an
unprecedented double hit from the real
estate and stock market shocks, and it
could be years before consumers feel flush
again -- particularly if credit conditions
remain tight.
Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson
argued that opening up federal coffers to
Wall Street would benefit Main Street by
preventing a deeper economic downturn.
“Last week as the credit markets
were frozen, the capital markets were
frozen, we had a situation where American
companies weren’t able to borrow money,”
Paulson said on ABC’s “This Week”. “This
could ultimately affect small banks, loans
to businesses, loans to farmers, jobs,
people’s retirement.”
U.S. companies have cut more than
550,000 jobs this year, sending the
unemployment rate up to a five-year high
of 6.1 percent in August. Those figures are
likely to worsen in the coming months,
with or without a bailout.
The housing market is at the root of
the year-long financial crisis, and some
members of Congress -- expressing concern
that Paulson was taking a roundabout route
to helping homeowners -- are expected to
push for more direct mortgage assistance
when they hammer out terms of the
bailout legislation this week.
Federal Reserve “Chairman (Ben)
Bernanke -- no less than he -- said if you
don’t solve the mortgage crisis, you’re
not going to solve the financial crisis. We
need to put the taxpayers first, ahead of
bondholders, shareholders, executives,”
New York Sen. Charles Schumer said.
HOUSE REPAIRS
Shoring up the housing market means
ensuring that would-be buyers can get
mortgages, and that means banks will
have to find a way to keep lending. Even
before this latest bout of financial market
unrest, a Federal Reserve survey of senior
loan officers showed that credit conditions
were tightening, even for borrowers with
good credit histories.
“The U.S. banking system needs a lot
more capital,” said Jan Hatzius, chief U.S.
economist at Goldman Sachs. “Capital
infusions are needed to avert a sharp
contraction in lending.”
Hatzius said three things needed to
happen in order to resolve the crisis. First,
banks must figure out the true value of
assets on their balances sheets; then they
must raise more capital; and finally, home
loans needed to be restructured.
The government’s bailout plan in effect
addresses the first point by establishing a
price for hard-to-value assets, and Congress
may tackle the third issue this week.
Raising more capital won’t be easy.
Lehman Brothers failed last week
because it couldn’t find investors. Getting
$700 billion in bad debts off banks’ books
will certainly help, but it remains to
be seen whether that will be enough to
convince investors that it is safe to put
their money in financial firms.
If the government’s money succeeds
in helping Wall Street strike a healthy
balance between fear and greed, U.S.
companies are well-positioned to fund a
strong recovery once they are confident
that the economy is on the mend.
25
Vol.18 • No. 8 • October 2008
Embassy Info
Public holidays 2008
Hari Raya Puasa : Wednesday 1 October
Deepavali : Monday 27 October
The Embassy will be closed during the above-mentioned public holidays.
In case of an emergency, please contact the duty officer on HP: 9661 5704
Market Trends and
Business Opportunity Seminar
Breakfast Seminar
Europe
Thursday, 23 October 2008
Orchard Hotel, Singapore
Ballroom 1, Level 3
Join The Singapore 1000 and SME 500 Business Club and the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA) in
building economic bridges linking Singapore and Europe by connecting Singapore companies to the community
and partners that can assist in venturing into new market places.
Whether developing a first European presence or configuring existing European operations, companies
can obtain information, strategic perspective and practical help from the NFIA free of charge and on a
confidential basis.
This seminar provides an insight into investment opportunities in the Netherlands. This is crucial for foreign
companies wishing to take advantage of the dynamic Dutch business environment as a strategic base to cover
Europe, with a view to expand their global reach in the international marketplace.
Among the topics covered are services that NFIA provides for foreign companies in areas such as economics,
operations, fiscal matters and business locations, as well as information on national, local and regional
development companies. Other key topics include the Netherlands’ favourable tax climate which augers well
for foreign SMEs’ planning to set up a base in the country.
Join us in this breakfast seminar to discover the growth and expansion opportunities available for your company.
For more information and a copy of the registration form, please email tan@nfia-singapore.com
Jointly Organised By
26
Vol.18 • No. 8 • October 2008
Embassy Info
Discover Europe for
your Future
The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is participating in:
Discover Europe 2008
Association Info
Job Seekers / Internship
Name : Marisa Siem
Age : 21
Tel.no.mobile : 91405832
Email-address : Marisa_Siem@hotmail.com
Study: Master in Humanities and Social Sciences (proceeding)
Bachelor in Asian Trade Management (graduated)
Specialization: Chinese trade businesses and Asian cross cultural
affairs
Working experiences:
- In China (Shanghai) at the Benelux Chamber of Commerce
as the marketing & event assistant.
- In the Netherlands at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for a
halal research in ASEAN countries.
Looking for: Currently I am studying at the Nanyang University,
and looking for a part-time job in Singapore. If there are
possibilities and/or interests, please feel free to contact me.
Name : Iris Westrik
Age : 33
Email-address : iriswestrik@hotmail.com
Study: Human resource management with marketing degree
Specialization: marketing and event management
Working experience: In my 9 years of working experience I
have been working as marketing manager, event manager, real
estate manager and marketing executive. All the positions I
had required a lot of responsibility, I had to work in a team or
had the leading position, I’m used to work with tight timelines
and a set budget.
Looking for: A creative and challenging job in which I am able
to utilize my experience to obtain the goals that the job and
the organisation require.
27
Vol.18 • No. 8 • October 2008
Association Info
New Members
Bas Derksema, Centrotherm
Diderik Buijs, CB Richard Ellis
Edwin Ebrahimi, Vopak
Esther de Haan, Gallo Company
Jonathan Horemans, Accenture
Luc Hollman, Citco Singapore
Mathijs Boeren, Symrise
Marie-Fleur Valk,
Royal Bank of Scotland
Michiel Stange
Nancy Hilbrink,
Asian Tigers K.C. Dat
Pascal Koolmoes,
J.P. Koolmoes Infra
Sebastiaan Reek, ABN AMRO
Leaving Members
Bart Kooijmans, ABN AMRO
Mariëlle Klein, DiningCity.com
Paul Govaart, Vopak
OCTOBER event
ADB Members only!
Tour of PSA (Port of Singapore Authority)
On Tuesday 21 October, ADB welcomes you to the maritime hub of South-East Asia; Port of Singapore
Authority or PSA.
One can’t but agree with the corporate image of PSA as one of the busiest container ports in the world and
now you can see for yourself why. After the tour we will be having drinks at ‘Little Bali’ (or “Villa Frangipani”
as some of us prefer to call it) just across the road from PSA, in lush tropical and Balinese setting for optimal
contrast.
Although Singapore has hardly any natural resources and doesn’t produce any manufactured goods, its
strategically advantageous geographical position as an Air and Sea port has propelled it to dizzying heights
on the international logistics map and today it is undoubtedly one of the world’s busiest and most successful
shipping hubs, which even brings many ADB members to Singapore in the first place.
History tells us that the Tanjong Pagar Container Terminal was the first to begin operations for Ports of
Singapore in 1972. Since then there has been no looking back for Singapore’s maritime port enhancement
program. As the port container volume kept on increasing, Ports of Singapore added a second terminal, Keppel
in the 1980s, and then a third Terminal, Brani in the early 90s. Together, the three terminals handle Ports of
Singapore container exports and imports to and from all major sea ports. Only those with official Visitor Passes
issued by the PSA can enter the vicinity of Ports of Singapore which is a heavily guarded area. Seats are limited,
so sign up early to avoid disappointment!
Date : Tuesday 21 October 2008
Time : 17:30-18:45 (tour) followed by drinks at Little Bali from 19:00 onwards
Registration : Please register at adb@pacific.net.sg, max 43 people (first come first serve)
28
Vol.18 • No. 8 • October 2008