November 2010 - Association of Dutch Businessmen

Association of Dutch Businessmen in Singapore 

www.adb.org.sg 

Nov 2010 

Business 

Innovative addition to 

Singapore’s marketing scene 

MITA 373/03/2001 

Extra 

Mandarin for Expats 

in Singapore 

Interview 

Abel Dutilh, a former ADB President

PROLOGUE 

Board Members 

Jan De Vegt 

President 

VP Asia Air France Cargo/KLM Cargo 

Tradition and 

change 

Marie-HéLène Piederiet 

Vice President/Honorary Secretary 

Owner Past Perfect Collection 

Ard Huisman 

Honorary Treasurer 

Director Finance Vopak Asia 

Richard Van Der Werf 

Member 

GM T&T Bisso Salvage Asia 

Frank Kuijsters 

Member / Chief Editor 

Director Digne Consult Asia Pacific 

Marleen Dieleman 

Member 

Visiting fellow NUS Business School 

Rutger Oudejans 

Member 

Regional Manager Provimi 

It’s already November and before we know it Sinterklaas 

will arrive at Keppel Bay and artificial snow will descend 

upon Orchard Road. In these coming months filled 

with traditions, the ADB invites you to a seminar on 

sustainability and finance, in cooperation with Rabobank 

and De Lage Landen, and we will close our association’s 

20 th birthday with a grand Dinner & Dance in Christmas 

style on December 11. Traditionally the highlight of the 

year, ADB has worked hard to make its traditional Dinner 

& Dance even more special this year, in view of our 20 th 

birthday celebrations. 

At this festive occasion we also hope to get sufficient votes 

to adopt or reject a proposal to change the name of our 

association from Association of Dutch Businessmen into 

Association of Dutch Business People. All members are 

encouraged to submit their votes online, whether or not 

they attend the celebrations. More information on the 

proposed changes and the rationale behind them can be 

found in this magazine. 

We look forward to seeing you at one of our upcoming 

events and hope you’ll enjoy another issue of our re-styled 

and renewed ADB magazine. 

Hans Loth 

Member 

Managing Director 

Asia De Lage Landen 

Secretariat 

Lineke van Nederpelt 

Operations Executive 

WWF International 

“The ADB provides opportunities for Dutch business 

people to meet, interact and share knowledge by 

means of company visits, lectures, networking events 

and membership communications.” 

Marleen Dieleman

Contents 

Vol. 20 / No. 9 / Nov 2010 

Prologue 1 By Marleen Dieleman, one of the board members 

eVents 3 LexMar Engineering 

Business 5 Mediation and Arbitration – Settling cross border conflicts 

6 Innovative addition to Singapore’s marketing scene 

8 Doctrine of Ants and Ostriches 

DutchCham News 9 Latest news by DutchCham 

Association News 10 Extraordinary General Meeting on December 11, 2010 

Extra 12 Mandarin for Expats in Singapore 

interview 14 Interview with Abel Dutilh, a former ADB President 

Bizz News 16 Dutch business news and regional conferences 

Know your tax 18 What is it about transfer pricing? 

nOt to miss 19 Things to do in Singapore 

Lifestyle 20 Angkor Wat half marathon 

cOLumn 22 Amsterdam comes to Jurong! 

Embassy News 23 Latest news by the Dutch Embassy 

aDB News 23 Announcements, member info and more 

P6 

Read more about Karin van 

Vliet who set up Heat branding 

in Singapore, the new bee to 

Singapore’s marketing scene. 

P12 

What are the reasons that more 

and more expats learn and 

converse in Mandarin? 

P14 

Abel Dutilh ADB President, happily 

volunteered to answer some 

questions on Singapore and the 

ADB.

Events 

LexMar Engineering 

Text Marieke Ghijsen 

Photos Frank Kuijsters 

After a - for Singaporean standards - long ride, we arrived 

at Loyang Way for a company visit to LexMar Engineering. 

Once inside the building, the first thing that attracted our 

attention was the Diving Bell in the middle of the hall. 

Curiosity was born, were people actually supposed to go 

and stay inside this Bell? 

But, before starting the official part of the evening, 

and getting answers to all our questions, we were offered 

welcome drinks and a delicious buffet. 

After the drinks and buffet, Marieke Barker, CEO and 

owner of LexMar Engineering, warmly welcomed more 

than 30 ADB members to her company. She explained how 

the company started in 1996, and how it became what it 

is today. The name LexMar was derived from the names 

of founders Lex and Marieke Barker (besides this, it also 

means Law of the Sea in Latin). Back in 1996, LexMar was 

originally founded as a company providing equipment 

refurbishment and services to the diving industry. Over 

the years the company evolved and grew into one of the 

three major suppliers in the world of saturation diving 

systems. 

After Marieke’s welcome, several staff members briefly 

commented on the technical background of the systems, 

preparing us for taking a very close look at all the different 

components of a saturation diving system. Throughout the 

hall, at different locations within the manufacturing facility, 

8 different staff members were guiding us through a whole 

new world. 

All the features of the Diving Bell were explained, the 

Saturation Control Module, the Dive Control Module, 

the Gas Management Module and the Decompression 

Chambers. A short insight will now be given for the 

non-attendees, but to be honest, you should have been 

there to hear the staff explain and tell you all about their 

equipment! 

People suffering from claustrophobia were offered a 

new way of experiencing this fear; not only are the divers 

in and around a Diving Bell for up to 8 hours, but this Bell 

can be submerged up to 300 meters below the surface, 

so surrounded by darkness. The bell itself has space for 

three people, but not much more than that. Considering 

the suits, gear and helmets they will be wearing, it does 

not leave much space to move around. Once the bell is in 

its position, two divers will go out, and one diver remains 

inside to monitor life support and provide emergency 

backup if required. 

When not working from the Diving Bell, the Divers 

live in the Decompression Chambers. The Chambers can 

best be described as a room somewhere between a space

Events 

shuttle and an overnight train compartment! 3 separate 

Decompression Chambers were installed, one 6 man and 

two 3 man facilities. Bunk beds, little moving space, tiny 

bathrooms and toilets, all shared between 12 people. 

The Diving Bell is closely monitored from the Dive 

Control Module. Besides a multitude of control systems, 

the communication system has a sound system which 

converts the diver’s voices from their Chipmunk tones (due 

to the high level of helium inside the diving bell) to regular 

voices. 

Like the Diving Bell, the chambers are also closely 

monitored from the Saturation Control Module. This 

module takes care of diver well being and controls the 

environment within the chamber habitat. 

Every 8 hours shifts change. In 24 hours a Diver will 

usually work for 8 hours, sleep for 8 hours, and has 8 

hours left for eating, drinking, showering and relaxing. This 

pattern will go on for up to 28 days, after which most divers 

will be off for 6 weeks. 

The night ended in the same way as it began, with 

drinks, food and conversation. Frank Kuijsters thanked 

Marieke and her staff for their wonderful organisation of 

the evening, a sentiment agreed on by everybody. LexMar 

is not a very common company. First of all because of their 

products and services. But secondly, after speaking to 

Jarod, Jamie, Billy, Graham, KK, Andrew, Leslie and Paul and 

the other staff, and spending time within the facility, you 

can feel the passion that is present. A great company and a 

great evening. 

IHC Merwede anchors in Singapore 

IHC Hydrohammer B.V. 

• Hydraulic hammer sales 

• Hammer rental from 

Regional IHC Office 

Singapore 

• Geotechnical service 

• Engineering support 

• OEM support 

IHC Parts & Services B.V. 

• Dredger renovation 

• Dredger maintenance 

• Dredger parts 

• Engineering support 

• Life cycle support 

IHC Handling Systems V.O.F. 

• Internal Lifting Tools 

• Pipe recovery tools 

• Jacket pile grippers 

• Upending tools 

• Hydraulic shackles 

• Skidding equipment 

 

6 Chin Bee Avenue, #01-03, Singapore 619930 

Phone: +65 6264 8433 | Fax: +65 6264 1933

Business 

Mediation and Arbitration – 

Settling cross border conflicts 

Text Sietske Bos 

International business relations of nowadays often involve 

complex matters. If and when disputes arise, it is important 

for these matters to be settled quickly, cost-efficiently 

and professionally. Alternative dispute resolution, such 

as mediation and arbitration, is often considered a 

sustainable resolution for disputes for parties who wish to 

maintain their business relation in the future. Parties are 

given the opportunity to appoint a neutral third party who 

shall mediate respectively arbitrate the dispute. Mediators 

and arbitrators are often (legal) experts with extended 

knowledge in the field of work of the disputing parties. This 

is why disputes settled through mediation and arbitration 

are in principle quicker and more cost efficient than when 

settled through court trials. Further, the procedure and 

outcome of the mediation or the arbitration is not exposed 

to the public and media. 

What is the difference between mediation and 

arbitration? 

Mediation is more informal than arbitration. The mediator 

negotiates between the parties in order to find a mutually 

beneficial agreement. If and when such agreement is 

reached, a settlement agreement shall be drafted and 

executed. Such settlement agreement is not a verdict 

and accordingly it cannot stand alone and be enforced. 

Singapore mediation usually takes one to three days. 

The costs for Singapore mediation range from S$ 900 to 

S$ 2,900 per party per day. 

An arbitration procedure is sometimes referred to as a 

private court case. The arbitrators decide on the outcome 

which in principle is binding and final to parties. The time 

spent on and the costs involved in arbitration are in general 

significantly higher than in mediation. This is due to the 

arbitrators’ hourly rates and the time required for them to 

come to a decision. 

Enforcement 

A settlement as agreed in mediation is not enforceable. 

If one of the parties does not act according to the 

settlement agreement, the other party may start a legal or 

arbitrational proceeding on basis of a breach of contract. 

To enforce an arbitral award parties should first 

obtain the ‘exequatur’. This is a legal document issued by 

the competent court allowing the right to enforce such 

decision. Upon obtaining such legal document the award 

is enforceable in at least the 138 countries party to the 

New York Convention 1958 1 . The actual enforcement 

requirements to be met depend on the laws in the country 

where the award is sought to be enforced. 

An alternative 

To benefit from both the advantages of the mediation 

and arbitration procedure, one might consider including 

a so-called ‘Mediation-Arbitration Clause’ in cross border 

contracts. Under a Mediation-Arbitration Clause parties 

are required to enter into mediation if and when a dispute 

arises. In the settlement agreement it shall be included 

that the settlement reached shall be considered a final and 

binding arbitral award and shall be recorded accordingly. 

Subsequently an exequatur to this extent shall be obtained. 

As a result of which the outcome of the settlement 

agreement shall be enforceable in the countries that are a 

party to the New York Convention 1958. 

The Dispute Resolution Checklist: 

If you wish to determine whether your case is suitable 

for mediation, arbitration or litigation please answer the 

following questions: 

1) I am sure I will win this case 

a) Yes b) No 

2) I am concerned with costs 

a) Yes b) No, money is not an issue 

3) I would like this case to be handled privately and 

confidentially 

a) Yes b) No, I would like to have media-attention 

for this case 

4) I want to solve the dispute quickly 

a) Yes b) No, time is not an issue 

5) I do not want to run the risk of having an adverse 

decision imposed on me 

a) Yes b) No, I would rather have a binding decision 

6) I wish to maintain my relationship with the other party 

a) Yes b) No, I prefer not to do any business with 

this party again 

7) I am willing to make concessions 

a) Yes b) No, I only want a ‘Win-Lose’ situation. 

Please turn this magazine upside down to check the 

suitability of your case. 

1): a) arbitration and litigation b) mediation; 

2): a) mediation b) call your counsel today and start 

strategizing; 3): a) mediation and arbitration 

b) litigation; 4): a) mediation and arbitration 

b) mediation, arbitration and litigation; 5): a) mediation 

b) arbitration and litigation; 6): a) mediation 

b) arbitration and litigation; 7): a) mediation and 

arbitration b) litigation. 

Your case is suitable for: 

1 

Parties to New York Convention 1958 are amongst others: China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, United Arab Emirates and Vietnam.

Business 

Innovative addition to 

Singapore’s marketing scene 

A profile of Karin van Vliet, Director of HEAT branding 

Text and photos Heat branding 

After graduating in 2008, Karin only wanted one thing: 

to move abroad and work and live in another country for 

a while. As soon as she earned her Master of Science in 

Marketing, she packed her bags and moved to Singapore. 

The choice to move to Singapore was an easy one. In 

2006, Karin had travelled through Asia for two months and 

fell in love with the city of Singapore. When it was time 

to make a decision, Singapore came to mind. There were 

three deciding factors: business language is English, the 

environment was international, and it was relatively easy 

to obtain a work permit. The ticket was booked and after a 

dazzling surprise farewell party in picturesque Volendam, 

she headed for her final destination: Singapore. 

Finding a job while still being in Holland was not an easy 

task, but upon arrival in Singapore, she had already secured 

a job as New Business Manager for Europhia. After four 

months, she moved to the Dutch supperclub as marketing 

manager. This was partly in thanks to the ADB Dinner & 

Dance that was held at supperclub just after it opened in 

2008. After a year, she was approached to be the marketing 

and events director for Time Out Singapore. During this 

period, there were different event initiatives such as the 

Singha Party Adventures Series, monthly themed events 

at Stereolab, fashion shows for key international retailers 

and Epicurean Soirées at art galleries, which she was 

responsible for. 

At the start of 2010, her publisher, Honey Lee, and 

direct manager at Time Out Singapore asked whether 

she wanted to join in the set-up of a new company. Since 

it felt like it was time for a new challenge again either 

in Singapore or abroad, it was the next step in the right 

direction and HEAT branding was born. As of July 2010, 

the company began operations and was fully launched 

by August 2010. HEAT is a full service agency that offers 

services ranging from PR and marketing to events 

management and media buying. Marketing analytics is a 

new feature the company added recently, as are regional 

PR and media services. Whilst the company is young, the 

number of clients and events that have been secured and 

executed so far is impressive. 

The big kick-off of HEAT branding was in August with 

a launch party at Prive, Marina Keppel Bay with over 300 

attending guests. Other projects since then include the prelaunch 

of bebe’s Fall/Winter collection at Krish, a showcase 

of Skagen’s Fall/Winter Watches and their Red Dot Design 

Award 2010 Models at Red Dot Design Museum, Fashion 

Shows for Warehouse and bebe, as well as a store opening 

for PANDORA in Marina Bay Sands. HEAT branding also 

represents clients such as Jim Thompson, Bar Stories and 

San Benedetto in different capacities, from PR services to 

event and media planning. 

The uniqueness of HEAT branding lies in the fact that 

next to the client events they organize, HEAT stages its own 

bespoke events. These include cocktail parties, dinners and 

f&b events such as Chef’s Table, Art-inspired showcases, 

and large-scale consumer events such as SHOP, which 

will be a bazaar hosting over 20 participating retailers. In 

2011, more initiatives are on schedule including MOVE!,

Business 

a contemporary festival with international and regional 

entertainment & visual artists showcasing their talent. 

These nights provide opportunities for clients to participate 

and gain extra exposure within their target group. 

Karin’s plans for the near future are to stay in Singapore 

to make HEAT branding a big success. There are expansion 

plans as well, and of course, more reasons to explore other 

cultures. Possibilities include Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur and 

Sydney. Options are open and plans are definitely there! 

ART at lantern bar 

(fullerton bay hotel) 

You’re invited for the launch of ART: a 

creative fusion of innovative art and 

mixology. In this three-part series held 

every second Thursday of the month, art 

lovers will meet talented artists and taste 

inspired cocktails. 

The series will be held at the Fullerton 

Bay Hotel’s breathtaking Lantern Bar 

– a dazzling new addition to Singapore’s 

premier rooftop bar scene. Specialized cocktails will be 

created by Lantern Bar’s top mixologists in theme with 

each artist’s motif. 

ART: Part I will feature the inaugural exhibition of 

‘Flowers’ by Brian W. Forst. This night will take place on 

Thursday, 11 November 2010, from 7 till 10pm. All works 

showcased on the night are available for sale as well. 

Interested? Please RSVP via ART@heatbranding.com or 

check www.heatbranding.com for more information. 

ABOUT HEAT 

Established in 2010, Heat is your premier brand 

consultancy that takes businesses and elevates them 

into iconic brands. From F&B to fashion houses, 

we service those in premium lifestyle sectors of 

Singapore. Heat acts as your chemist, carefully 

concocting the optimal mix of media planning, events 

and strategic PR. We build one-of-a-kind campaigns 

that tailor to personalized advertising, design, and 

marketing needs. We’re in the business of creating 

branding eruptions. Ready to start yours? For more 

information, visit www.heatbranding.com. 

SALVAGE ASIA PTE LTD 

12A Jln Samulun • Singapore 629131 • Tel : +65 6591 5288 • Fax : +65 6591 5289 • www.ttbisso.com • info@ttbisso.com

Business 

Doctrine of Ants and Ostriches 

Text Frank Kuijsters 

Source From the book Animal Firm of M. Schreurs and S. van de Veer 

Successful organizations have in common the same as in 

groups living species. What can you learn from elephants, 

ants, coal tits and ostriches? 

Successful organizations have certain characteristics 

in common such as long-term orientation and quality 

leadership. What emerges: in groups living species are 

paragons of such behavior. Below what you can learn from 

elephants, wild dogs, ants, coal tits and ostriches. 

The elephant 

The quality of the leadership of the matriarch is crucial. 

Quality leadership means that the matriarch, as the oldest 

and most experienced elephant, the direction, the herd 

‘coached’ to a new target, the togetherness in the herd 

monitors and a strong role model. What does that matter? 

The matriarch always acts in the interest of the group, is 

results-oriented, decisively and sets clear frameworks. For 

example, the matriarch decides where and when the group 

stops, for example, to drink or to sleep and when there is 

drained under gravity. A key element of its behavior is that it 

serves to protect the next generation. 

A successful Manager builds trust by integer and 

developing coaching style of leadership combined with 

strong example behavior, quick decision-making (also about 

non-Achievers’) and focus on results, working from a longterm 

vision. 

The African wild dog 

The wild dog is an animal in a ‘tough market’ special long 

term orientation properties of shows. Typical behavior of 

African wild dogs is their social cooperation. They encourage 

each other and encourage each other to be successful. 

On obtaining result each Member of the Pack has a task. 

Successful hunting techniques will be shared with future 

generations, because long-term survival is for short-term 

gain. The pack is a safe environment, where the group 

interest is above the individual interest. 

A successful manager is focused on continuity in the 

long term and for profit in the short term. The manager 

creates a safe and stable work environment. It’s long-term 

thinking is aimed at all stakeholders of the organization: 

the society, customers, suppliers, employees, government, 

social groups. Everyone benefits from it. 

The Ant 

Ants are continuously working on knowledge sharing to 

work together more effectively. Each ant in the colony takes 

alternating the role of master or journeyman. If an ant has 

certain knowledge, such as a food source, he is the master 

automatically. He shares his knowledge with the other ants, 

the companions. Ants make mistakes, but learn from each 

other how things can be improved. They are sensitive to 

non-verbal communication and linking directly to actions. 

A successful Manager creates an open culture where 

employees are frequently involved in key processes, the 

dialogue with one another, share knowledge, learn from 

mistakes, change encourages and pick up actions to achieve 

better performance. 

The Crow and the Tit (mees) 

Simplify, enhance, refresh: the tit and the crow have a rich 

creative ability to find new and smart solutions. In other 

words, they’re particularly innovative. The special feature 

of them is that they improve continuously based on the 

‘lessons of life’. Crows show how ingenuity and creativity can 

help improve performance. Both birds show attributes that 

an organization needs to stand out. All of this is fueled by an 

important property: unprecedented curiosity. 

A successful Manager lets employees always strive to 

the best possible result and the best out of themselves, 

colleagues and the organization. This manager provides 

a distinctive strategy and let everyone help to improve, 

simplify and tuning processes, services and products. 

The wildebeest, zebra, giraffe and ostrich on 

the savanna 

Wildebeest, zebras, ostriches and giraffes pull side by side, 

flanked by antelopes and other small animals. Predators 

often see too many preys and try then the old, sick and 

young animals of the group. To solve this ‘organization 

problem’ of inattention these so-called prey animals form 

together a diverse and complementary team. Cooperation 

and group interests are of utmost importance. By combining 

their diversity of strong features they become stronger 

against predators. 

A successful Manager builds diverse and complementary 

teams at all levels in the organization. 

* 

Autohuur tarieven vanaf € 23,- per dag 

all-in 

Laagste eigen risico - Geen extra verzekeringen bij aankomst - No nonsense voorwaarden 

www.bblcarrental.nl 

*28+ dagen tarief categorie A, excl. Schipholfee 

 

bb&l_2010_ad_194x61.indd 2 

12/9/09 4:13:43 PM

DutchCham News 

“Advance your business with DutchCham” 

Serving a wide range of needs 

New in Singapore 

n Starter kit (setup with help of our member companies) 

n Get connected with like-minded businesses and 

entrepreneurs 

n A platform to promote and exposue your business 

Already established in Singapore? 

(Singaporean & Dutch companies) 

n Industry specific updates and news, relevant to your 

business needs 

n Interest groups with like-minded Singaporean and 

Dutch entrepreneurs 

n Events to build both your network and knowledge 

n Representation in the EuroCham and towards 

Singaporean government 

What to expect from us 

Get connected 

n Networking events and discounted fees on other 

chamber events 

n Access to the Chamber network and directories 

n A true to connection to Singapore and its business 

environment 

Build your knowledge & meet like-minded people 

n Committee & Interest Group meetings 

n Exclusive invitations and discounts on conventions and 

exhibitions 

Updates & News 

n Bi-Monthly free digital DutchCham news and events 

updates 

Company Discounts, Exclusive invitations, 

Business Intelligence, Network events, 

Match-making, Government relations 

and more… 

$599p.a. 

Become a member of the 

Dutch Chamber of Commerce (S). 

Interested? Go-to www.dutchcham.sg and become a member today 

PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY: 

Dutch Chamber of Commerce Singapore - 1 Raffles Boulevard - #05-517 Suntec City - Singapore 039593 - T +65 6884 5084 - E info@dutchcham.sg

ASSOCIATION News 

Extraordinary General Meeting 

on December 11, 2010 

Text Marleen Dieleman 

For several years in a row, there have been calls to 

change the name Association of Dutch Businessmen into 

something more reflective of our diverse membership 

– which consists of both men and an increasing percentage 

of women (currently 21%). During our Annual General 

Meeting on March 15 the ABD board proposed to change 

the name “Association of Dutch Businessmen” into 

“Association of Dutch Business People” - a proposal that 

met with approval from most ADB members present at the 

time. However, effectuating a name change requires 25% 

of the membership to vote on it. Hence we have called for 

an Extraordinary General Meeting, to coincide with our 

Black Tie Dinner & Dance this year, which is now scheduled 

to take place on December 11. The reason is that this event 

draws a large number of members, and, together with 

the opportunity to vote online, we hope to be able to put 

this proposal into voting in accordance with our articles 

of association. Alongside this change, the ADB board also 

recommends a three other changes to the articles of 

association. The proposed changes and their rationale are 

outlined below. 

Why do we want to change the name ADB? 

The primary reason for the continued calls to change the 

name Association of Dutch Businessmen is that it seems 

to suggest that our association is open only to men, which 

is not the case. Several members have repeatedly pointed 

out that the current name does not adequately reflect the 

diversity of our membership, and the ADB board agrees 

with this point of view. 

If we wanted to change the name for so long, why haven’t 

we done it earlier? 

There have been some attempts to change the ADB name, 

but this requires a change in the articles of association. 

With the current voting procedure, it is difficult to meet 

the requirements for minimum member participation. 

This is increasingly a problem as our membership is 

growing (over 450 now, compared to a small, closely knit 

group of friends when ADB started 20 years ago). Our 

membership consists of busy business people that typically 

travel frequently. For this same reason, we also propose 

an amendment to the voting procedure to make future 

changes in the articles of association possible while still 

guaranteeing that all members will have the opportunity to 

cast their votes on important amendments. 

Why Association of Dutch Business People, and not 

something else? I can think of some better options! 

The ADB board has discussed a range of options, and 

eventually opted for Association of Dutch Business People. 

To come to this, the board used two main arguments. First, 

the board felt it was important that our name indicated 

that we are a network of individuals (not companies), not 

only because this is in line with our mission, but also to 

distinguish ourselves from other professional organizations, 

such as the DutchCham, which plays an important role 

in representing Dutch companies. In contrast, the ADB 

mission is to facilitate networking and exchange of 

knowledge amongst individual members of the Dutch 

business community. A second argument was that the 

ADB is a successful and growing association with a good 

reputation, and the ADB board felt that it was desirable to 

keep the ADB acronym. After much deliberation, the board 

felt that Association of Dutch Business People was the 

most appropriate name. 

What other changes to the articles of association does the 

ADB board propose and why? 

Aside from the name change, we propose three more 

amendments to the articles of association. Two are related 

to the size and composition of the board, and the last one 

concerns changing the voting procedure for changing our 

articles of association. 

• Board size: we propose to increase the maximum board 

members from a current maximum of 7 to a maximum 

of 10 board members. This has to do with our growing 

association, which requires more administration, 

while all our board members are non-executive and 

unpaid. The AGM approved the appointment of 8 

board members, but this needs to be ratified with an 

10

ASSOCIATION News 

amendment. We do not plan to enlarge the board at 

this stage, but would like to allow for this in the future 

should this be desirable. 

• Re-election of treasurer: the articles of association 

currently do not permit re-election of the treasurer. 

However, our financial administration has, for many 

years now, been handled by Vopak, for which the ADB 

is very grateful. As such, the treasurer has customarily 

been the CFO of Vopak. While we do not rule out 

that this could possibly change in the future, this 

arrangement has benefited the ADB. The board is 

aware that the function of such a clause is to prevent 

entrenchment by any single treasurer, but we believe 

the advantages may outweigh possible dangers. Given 

that we do see regular changes in treasurers due to 

job transfers, some stability in managing our finances 

is desirable. Thereby, ADB members already have the 

option not to re-elect the treasurer. Therefore, the ADB 

board recommends removing this clause. 

• Simplifying quorum requirements: in line with other 

associations in Singapore we would like the quorum 

requirements to read “25% of the voting members 

or 30 members, whichever is lesser” (amendment in 

italic). This would facilitate the effectuation of important 

changes (such as a name change). At the same time, 

we feel that voting can now be done online so that all 

members can still cast their votes on important topics, 

without necessarily being present at a meeting. In this 

manner, ADB members will retain their influence over 

the association, while necessary decisions need no 

longer be delayed because of a lack of quorum. 

I am not planning to attend the Dinner & Dance this year. 

Can I still vote? 

Yes, everyone can vote. Your vote would be highly 

appreciated and is necessary to meet the quorum to 

adopt or reject the board’s resolutions. If you are not 

going to attend the meeting, you can nominate someone 

(either a friend or the Chairman) to vote on your behalf 

and indicate your opinion on each of the resolutions. 

Please take a minute to do this at the following website: 

www.adb.org.sg/events 

How can I vote online? 

Please go to www.adb.org.sg/en_association_proxy_form_ 

EGM_28082010.html to cast your vote. You can do this 

until December 9, 2010. You can nominate someone (either 

a friend or the chairman of the meeting) to vote on your 

behalf and indicate your opinion on each of the resolutions. 

Even if you are planning to attend the event on December 

11, you can still vote online. In fact, the ADB board would 

prefer if you would vote online anyway, so that we have to 

count fewer votes during the Dinner & Dance. 

I already voted online. Do I need to vote again? 

No, all votes submitted online have been recorded and will 

count. You do not need to do anything, but we hope to see 

you at the Dinner & Dance! 

11

Extra 

MANDARIN FOR EXPATS 

IN SINGAPORE 

Text Michiel Sengers 

Expats in Singapore are increasingly enrolling in language 

schools to learn Mandarin. Some schools have seen a 30% 

increase in the number of students signing up last year. 

Mandarin is becoming an important language to know 

both for professional and cultural reasons. 

First of all, the choice to learn Mandarin is a personal 

one. Whether you are a business man/woman, a student, 

housewife or lawyer, everybody could have their reasons 

to learn Mandarin to improve their lives in Singapore. 

You might want to be able to converse with a non-English 

speaking stallholder or taxi driver, or maybe you would like 

to show your respect by introducing yourself and asking 

about your counterpart at the start of a business meeting. 

Without any doubt, speaking Mandarin in a country where 

about three-quarters of the population are ethnic Chinese 

is always a wise choice! 

Do not be discouraged by those people saying that 

foreigners speaking Mandarin with a bit of an accent will 

always encounter problems uniting with the Chinese, 

regardless of their level or experience, because they are 

not native Chinese. Also, there are people saying that it is 

no use to learn and use Mandarin in Singapore, because a 

12 

lot of dialects are spoken. It’s a fact that Chinese dialects 

are still spoken, but this applies most to the elderly and 

the government is helping a major hand to get the Chinese 

Singaporeans to speak Mandarin. Different languages 

might be a better way to call it, because speakers of one 

dialect are unable to understand speakers of other dialects. 

Here are a couple of more reasons for expats to learn 

and converse in Mandarin: 

• Be part of society: now that you living abroad, adapting 

to your new environment will enrich your overseas 

experience. You will be able to understand more of the 

local traditions, celebrations, and so much more. 

• Indulge yourself in Chinese culture: learning Mandarin 

will make you understand much more about Chinese 

heritage and values. Many words have a historical 

background or represent cultural and ethical measures. 

You will get a better idea of how people think and 

where they are coming from. 

• Converse with the largest group worldwide: Mandarin is 

the most spoken language in the world with 800 million 

native speakers and 200 million as a second language.

Extra 

• Brain training: learning new languages is good exercise 

for the brain. Not only does it improve your memory, it 

also improves your analytical skills. 

• Prepare yourself for the future: China is rapidly 

becoming a world economic power as it opens its doors 

to foreign investment and expands its infrastructure. 

Those who know Chinese will be valuable to business. 

In business it’s advantageous to know the culture. 

Language is an important part of that. Also, Mandarin 

is fast replacing Japanese as the Asian language of 

business. 

Many expats working in Singapore are offered 

Mandarin classes through their employer. Some offices 

even facilitate by bringing the teacher to the office, 

which is a great solution for those who are short in time. 

If this does not apply for you, there are many schools, 

governmental institutes, private teachers and tutors that 

offer Mandarin classes. Roughly, you can choose from 

beginners, intermediate and advanced levels, depending 

on your goals and your current Mandarin knowledge. 

There is also a choice between learning programs which 

are awarded with a degree, diploma or certificate and 

those that are not. In Singapore, Mandarin classes are 

offered through universities, governmental institutions, 

commercial language schools, and private teachers. E- 

learning on the internet is also amongst the options and 

offers you the most flexibility of all. You can even take 

live private classes through the internet with a Mandarin 

teacher that is located in China. And if you are really eager 

to become fluent as quick as possible, you might think 

of going abroad. Beijing has recently announced a huge 

expansion plan in language school positions for overseas 

students in order to boost international fluency. 

The path to speaking Mandarin fluently can be 

quite long. These tips might help you and manage your 

expectations: 

- You will not be an expert overnight: in general, the 

rate of progress is slow: there are hardly any reference 

points for Westerners, which makes it a difficult 

language to learn and remember. Remember the time 

that you had to study a list of 20 words for a French 

test? Studying 20 words in Mandarin will take you ten 

times as long. 

- Practice often: seize every opportunity, since there 

might not be many, depending of how you live your life 

in Singapore. Try ordering your food or give directions 

on where you want to go in Mandarin. It is important to 

become confident in speaking a new language and this 

is the only way to do it. 

- Practise tones: they can make a difference between 

saying ‘horse’ or ‘mom,’ which will obviously get you 

in trouble if not pronounced correctly. When you first 

practise the tones, you might feel like being back in 

kindergarten, but do know that in Singapore schools, it 

is still taught exactly the same way to Singapore youth. 

If you have become interested in learning Mandarin, 

here is a list of websites to check out when searching for 

your most suitable option: 

- Singapore Chinese Chamber Institute of Business 

(www.scciob.edu.sg) 

- NUS Extension, NUS Enterprise (www.nus.edu.sg/nex) 

- Confucius Institute, NTU (www.ci-ntu.com) 

- Hua Language Centre (www.hua.com.sg) 

Speak Mandarin. This slogan might sound familiar 

if you have been living in Singapore. The ‘Speak 

Mandarin’ campaign was first launched in 1979 by 

Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew and has been used and 

renewed ever since. It is a governmental call to all 

Chinese speaking Singaporeans to encourage them to 

speak Mandarin rather than non-Mandarin Chinese 

languages in order to improve communication. The 

Malay and Indian communities have less problems 

as they each have their own common language to 

communicate in. Throughout the years, the goal of 

this campaign has changed, comprising keeping links 

to cultural roots and appreciating its heritage and 

values. In the beginning of this long lasting campaign, 

the government aimed for Chinese Singaporeans in 

general. Two years after its start, there was a focus 

on specific groups within that community. As from 

the 90’s, it targeted for English-educated Chinese 

Singaporeans, amongst whom Mandarin was losing 

ground. 

SKYPE 

INTERNET 

AANSLUITING 

SOFTWARE 

& 

HARDWARE 

13

Interview 

Interview 

with Abel 

Dutilh 

A former ADB President 

Text Wilco Alberda 

Abel Dutilh, a former ADB President, has been working for 

SMIT Internationale for 36 years, for which he also stayed 

in Singapore. He happily volunteered to answer some 

questions on Singapore and the ADB, which resulted in the 

following brilliant (without false modesty) interview: 

When did you come to Singapore and how long did you 

stay here? 

I lived in Singapore from mid 1981 till early 1986 and from 

mid 1989 till early 1998, so 13 (4.5 and 8.5) years in total 

over 2 periods. 

What was the reason you came to Singapore? 

In the first period I arrived with a view to strengthen the 

commercial activities of Smit in South East Asia. I was 

appointed as Commercial Manager. Unfortunately we did 

not too well as our portfolio of services was too restricted 

in those days. I was called back, but fortunately requested 

to return to Singapore as Managing Director in 1989 again. 

Did you experience your stay here as an ‘extended 

holiday’? 

Although we were allowed to work in an excellent 

environment the early eighties were the twilight of 

the colonial expatriate lifestyle. Yes, the older ‘white 

cockroaches’ still behaved as in the old colonial days but 

the younger generation were extremely hard working for 

at least 6 days a week. Yes, the Saturday was still a working 

day and we maintained that work ethos within Smit till 

the end of the last century. So, it was pleasant indeed, but 

never felt as an extended holiday. 

What did you really miss about Holland during your stay 

in Singapore? 

I did not miss much about Holland in those days. I was 

fully absorbed by the people, culture and work in South 

East Asia. Moreover, different from my family I was in a 

position to get some ‘fresh air’ on a regular basis when 

I travelled to either the northern part of Asia (Korea and 

Japan) or when reporting in Rotterdam. My boys, however, 

were really looking for some change towards the end of 

their respective school years. In respect of Dutch flavour 

in Singapore we always had the Hollandse Club, the ADB 

as formal organisations whilst the informal network was 

substantial. 

How do you now feel about Singapore when you are 

visiting? Has it changed much? Does it feel like coming 

home? 

It is now more than 12 years ago since I left and obviously 

the scene has physically changed. I believe though that 

Singapore is otherwise just as vibrant as in ‘my’ days. I am 

fortunate enough to visit Singapore still on a fairly regular 

basis and is always a privilege to meet my ‘old’ colleagues 

in Smit and in that sense I feel very welcome and home 

indeed. 

I understood that you are one of the ‘Founding Fathers’ 

of the ADB and the first President. Could you tell us about 

that time? 

14

Interview 

You would give me too much credit to name me as one 

of the founding fathers. That is not true. The ADB was 

founded in 1990 and it was only in 1992 that I was coerced 

into active membership when I became President by 

succeeding Gijs van der Schriek. The membership totaled 

80 when I joined and the activity was merely restricted 

to a ‘borrel-meeting’. My fellow members of the Board 

and myself wondered how we could reach out further to 

the Dutch business community and go beyond just the 

social aspect of the gatherings. Mind you, one could find 

enough social entertainment and in that sense the ADB 

could offer little extra. We established that a mix of Dutch 

‘gezelligheid’ and transfer of knowledge and information 

would probably appeal more. We therefore ensured that 

we had always a speaker from our own ranks to address 

us during our monthly meetings. Members were in the 

spotlight and proud to tell about their own business or 

company. Moreover we started to produce the monthly 

‘ADB Newsbrief’. Again this was done internally as it 

created a greater commitment amongst the membership 

(and we could not afford to do it otherwise). I also believed 

that a membership fee may never become prohibitive to 

join the ADB. Also the single entrepreneur should be in a 

position to participate in the meetings. We pitched the fee 

at Sing dlrs 100/= per year. So we moved gradually forward 

and, apparently, with succes since the membership moved 

from 80 to 240 when I handed over the reigns to my 

successor, Ben Vree, in 1995. I remained on the Board 

though for the sake of continuity (and fun of course). 

We did a survey at the end of my presidency and it 

revealed that the top 3 most appreciated aspects of the 

ADB were: the monthly meetings (1), the monthly magazine 

(2) and our annual black-tie dinner (3). I am still grateful 

to my fellow members of the Board that we could develop 

these three aspects during the period that I was President. 

Could you describe one of your highlights in the ADB 

History. 

One of the nice achievements was the posting of a foreign 

correspondent in Singapore. I had been irritated for a 

long time about the fact that many Dutch government 

- and business delegations visited Jakarta, but always 

passed by (flew over) and ignored Singapore (that, by the 

way, improved over time). Furthermore, I got dreadfully 

frustrated with the total lack of proper understanding 

sometimes displayed by head offices. There were so 

many people who thought that Rotterdam, Amsterdam or 

Maastricht for that matter, was the centre of the world. 

There really was a lack of appreciation for the quality of 

the organisations and the people of Singapore. When the 

opportunity arose that Max Christern (NRC Handelsblad) 

could be posted to Singapore, it was a natural fit and I am 

glad that we could assist as ADB in some respects. 

Your successor as President, Ben Vree, contributed to the 

20 th anniversary of the ADB with an interview last month. 

Do you have a anecdote on Mr. Vree? I have heard that he 

was called the ‘Mayor of Singapore’, is that true? 

Despite Ben becoming my ‘boss’ in later years we did not 

have much contact in terms of our respective businesses. 

We were pretty busy and travelled quite a bit, but in social 

activities we met regularly. We both were members/ 

participants of the ‘Bloedraad’, a small group of Dutchmen 

that advised the Ambassador as and when required. But it 

was quickly noticeable that Ben was a most active person 

with an energy that could be of great use to the ADB. So, I felt 

lucky and comfortable that we could lure him into the Board 

and, as he is not really good at playing second fiddle, it was 

obvious that he would succeed me. We had good fun and 

could always rely on each other. In the process we developed 

a mutual friendship that lasts till today. Whether he could be 

termed the ‘Mayor of Singapore’ is probably not correct as 

he was too often outstation for that and, moreover, he would 

not be satisfied with just being Mayor {:-)}. 

Any plans for the future now you are ‘retiring’? 

My first objective is ‘afkikken’ in such a manner that there 

will be a right balance in being (still) at work and relaxation. 

Fortunately I have agreed with Boskalis/Smit that I will 

remain active on a number of projects and will continue 

to represent the company in a few joint ventures. I look 

forward though to contribute without the ‘executive’ 

pressure, but that will be the challenge at the same time. 

Anything else that you would like to share with the ADB 

members? 

I believe that the ADB would need to regularly renew itself 

and check with the membership whether the association 

keeps pace and track with developments and expectations 

of the members. 

I am glad we did so some 15 years ago. In those days 

there was some pressure, even from the Embassy, to 

transform ourselves into a Chamber of Commerce. I resisted 

since, what can be given in return in relation to what 

you have to put in? The discussion has resurfaced again. 

However, what would be the role of the ADB outside - or 

next to the SICC? What will be the specifics, what do we 

want to do differently? In Singapore, things are already so 

transparent. On top of that comes the fact that it has been 

my principle that the level of membership fee should never 

be an obstacle for anybody to join the ADB. That means 

that all activities should be self-financing. 

In short the ADB should check regularly whether there 

is still a role that meets the requirements of time and 

expectations of the members. Long live the ADB! 

15

Bizz News 

Dutch Caribbean islands get new status 

The legal status of the five Caribbean islands which make up the Netherlands Antilles changed from October 10, five 

years after the process to draw up a new relationship between the islands and the Netherlands began. In the new set up, 

Curacao (population 142,000) and Sint Maarten (population 37,000) become independent countries with the Kingdom of 

the Netherlands. This means the two countries will have more independence in terms of law making and government but 

that the Netherlands will keep an eye on their finances and remain responsible for defence and foreign policy. Aruba has 

had this status since 1986. 

BES islands 

The other three islands, Bonaire (population 13,000), Sint Eustatius (2,900 inhabitants) and Saba (population 1,700) will 

have the status of independent local authorities within the Netherlands. They will be subject to Dutch law but can take 

a different standpoint on controversial issues such as abortion, euthanasia and gay marriage. The changeover will also 

affect legal currency on the islands. Curacao and Sint Maarten will have their own currency, which will be linked to the US 

dollar. The three other islands will use US dollars. 

Dutch councils put €300m in professional 

football 

Dutch local authorities have invested €300m in football over the past five 

years through indirect subsidies. The investments are often made via sale 

and lease back constructions for stadiums and trainings pitches to avoid 

breaking the law on state support. Some councils give loan guarantees or 

sponsor shirts. Earlier Nos claimed very few of the local authorities actually 

monitor their club’s financial affairs, by requesting quarterly reports or a 

seat on the board. 

Meeting 

Representatives of 23 of the 33 Dutch towns and cities which are home to 

at least one professional football club held a meeting to discuss common 

strategy to deal with the financial problems facing the game. The KNVB 

football association expects a number of clubs to go bankrupt this year. 

In June, the association published a report saying just six of the 37 

professional football clubs in the Netherlands are in good financial shape. 

Inflation rises 

slightly, still below 

EU average 

Inflation rose slightly to 1.6% in 

September, the national statistics 

office CBS said on Thursday. The rise, 

just 0.1 percentage point, is due to an 

increase in petrol prices. According to 

the harmonised European standard, 

inflation in the Netherlands is 1.4%, 

which is below the EU average of 1.8%. 

House sales fall by 10% 

in the third quarter 

The number of houses changing hands 

in the third quarter this year is down 

10% on a year ago, the real estate 

agents association NVM said. At the 

beginning of this year, sales were rising 

again but uncertainties about mortgage 

tax relief and other factors have hit the 

market, the NVM said. Some 185,000 

houses are currently on the market and 

around 60,000 have been for sale for 

over one year. Some 12% were put up 

for sale over two years ago. 

Dutch seat on the IMF board in danger 

The Netherlands may lose its seat on the International Monetary Fund board. Caretaker finance minister Jan Kees de Jager 

has been unable to persuade other members to agree to changes in the board make up, meaning the Netherlands’ seat 

is in doubt. The IMF wants to increase the influence of developing economies on the board. Europe has agreed to give 

up two of its nine seats while the US wants to increase this to three. Germany, France and Britain have their own seats 

while the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Italy and Denmark represent groups of countries. Switzerland also has a chair. 

The Netherlands had hoped the smaller European countries would agree to rotate their seat with developing countries, 

but only Turkey, which is in Belgium’s group has agreed. Unlike the other European countries, the Netherlands does not 

represent an emerging market to rotate with, and this now makes it a likely candidate to lose its seat. De Jager expects the 

discussions to continue at the next G20 summit in November. The Netherlands is not a member of G20 and it is also still 

unclear if an invitation to take part as an observer will be forthcoming. 

16

Bizz News 

German firm interested in 

former Organon unit in Oss 

A German company is looking at taking over the 

former Organon research facility in Oss, slated for 

closure by Merck. Merck announced plans to shut 

down the R&D department and one production 

line in July, with the loss of 2,175 jobs. Merck, the 

Dutch government and unions are currently looking 

into alternative plans to the closure. If no new deal 

is worked out by the end of the year, the closures 

will go ahead. In addition to the un-named German 

firm, a number of other companies have expressed 

interest in the plant. 

Agis loses independence 

within Achmea health group 

Health insurance company Agis is to lose its 

independence within the giant Achmea group, 

two years earlier than planned. Achmea took 

over Agis in 2008 and said the company would 

remain independent for at least five years. Last 

month, Achmea announced it is taking over the 

Friesland health insurance company with a similar 

commitment. Agis and Achmea have 4.7 million 

policyholders between them. The Friesland will add 

a further 500,000. 

Tax office has new secret 

bank account list 

The tax office has a new list of people with secret 

bank accounts in Switzerland given to it by the 

French tax office, caretaker finance minister Jan Kees 

de Jager told MPs. The information, on a cd-rom, 

is currently being analysed and appears to contain 

names, tax numbers, phone numbers and account 

details, the minister said. It is not clear how many 

names are on the cd, but all face fines of up to 300% 

of the amount they have parked in Switzerland. 

Crucell shareholders call 

for EGM, want higher bid 

The Van Herk Groep, which owns just over 10% 

of biotechnology firm Crucell, has called on the 

company to set up an extraordinary shareholders 

meeting to discuss the takeover bid made last 

month by Johnson & Johnson. Van Herk says the 

offer of €24.75 is too low and would like to see 

at least €27.50 on the table. ‘The fact that only 

one year after the first deal J&J wants to increase 

its stake to 100% indicates that the partnership 

evidently suits J&J or J&J sees something that we do 

not see,’ Van Herk said in a statement. ‘They expect 

Crucell to probably be worth a lot more in two 

years’ time. 

Conference Agenda 

1-2 

1-2 

1-3 

2-3 

2-3 

6 

6-8 

6-8 

7 

7-8 

9-10 

9-10 

9-12 

12-15 

December 

Legal Strategy Forum 

Sydney 

5 th Annual Real Estate Investment China 

Summit 2010 

Beijing 

Automotive Logistics India 

Chennai 

Microfinance Hong Kong 

Hong Kong 

Advanced Strategic Supply Chain 

Management 

Jakarta 

Legal Considerations for Wealth Managers 

Singapore 

Hedge Funds World Australia 2010 

Sydney 

8 th Annual BioPharma India Convention 2010 

Mumbai 

The World in 2011 

Hong Kong 

Nuclear Energy Asia 2010 

Hong Kong 

Identifying and Structuring M&A Deals SEA 

2010 

Singapore 

2010 China Clean Coal Conference 

Beijing 

2 nd Palm Oil Summit 

Bali 

5 th Annual Security for Energy Infrastructure 

Summit 

Abu Dhabi 

Log on to www.conferencebay.com for more 

information on these and other events 

17

know your tax 

What is it about transfer pricing? 

Text Barend van Drooge and Gene Kwee of VoskampLawyers 

One of the main principles of international tax planning for 

corporations is to relocate profits to low tax jurisdictions 

and move costs to high tax jurisdictions. Effective 

structuring based on a sound economic/business model 

is one thing; however practices as in the below example 

will be considered abuses of the system. Such practices, in 

different gradations, have therefore been met with scrutiny 

from tax authorities worldwide. Recently many Asian 

tax authorities are increasing their focus on these issues 

through the concept of transfer pricing. 

As an example, a manufacturing company of luxury 

sports cars in Italy sells cars upon having manufactured 

these to a related Singapore based company, responsible 

for the worldwide sale of these cars, at an economic value 

of S$100,000 each. The cars are sold by the Singapore 

company for S$500,000 each to its customers worldwide. 

In this regards please note that the corporate tax rate in 

Singapore is substantially lower than Italy’s (17% opposed 

to Italy’s basic tax rate of 27.5%). To fully optimize the 

difference in tax rate, the Italian company may opt to 

reduce the selling price of the car to a symbolic amount 

of S$100 to the company in Singapore – so almost all the 

profits will accrue in a low tax jurisdiction whereas the costs 

will predominantly remain in the high(er) tax jurisdiction. 

What is transfer pricing? 

The objective of transfer pricing is to curb attempts of such 

relocations of profits/costs by applying the main rule that 

there should be some sort of an economic basis for related 

party transactions. Simply put: the pricing of a transaction 

between two ‘related parties’ should be done at a “market 

price”, i.e. the price that would have been applied if the 

transaction was done between independent parties. This 

price is referred to as the valuation “at arm’s length”. 

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and 

Development (OECD) has, as the international economic 

forum, issued transfer pricing guidelines for corporations 

and tax authorities to evaluate if related party transactions 

were indeed conducted “at arm’s length”. The emphasis 

lies on the application of the correct method(s) to price 

the transaction and the required documentation thereof. 

Most tax authorities worldwide accept the use of the 

OECD transfer pricing guidelines, albeit under their own 

interpretations and conditions. 

What impact has transfer pricing? 

The relevance for corporations of understanding and 

applying transfer pricing regulations lies in the risk that tax 

authorities can challenge the valuation of an (international) 

transaction. Such a challenge may lead to adjustments, 

i.e. more income to be taxed in the high tax jurisdiction 

and may even lead to double taxation in respect of income 

arising from the disputed transaction. It is therefore 

imperative to ensure that the transfer pricing valuation and 

the underlying documentation to support any basis for the 

pricing is in order. 

Conclusion 

Due to the various reasons, such as globalisation and the 

rise of the Asian economies, the number of cross border 

transactions has multiplied over the years. Consequently, 

and especially in jurisdictions where tax authorities may 

not have had the awareness of such practices in the past, 

the trend is that Asian tax authorities are looking into the 

area of transfer pricing in more detail these days. As such, 

in cross border transactions it is of importance that one 

considers the implications the specific implications and 

may even more so consider the transfer pricing regulations 

and practices in each of the relevant jurisdictions. Please 

consult your trusted advisor, should you want to know 

more whether or how the transfer pricing policies may be 

relevant for you. 

18

Not to miss 

RIVERDANCE 

30 November - 12 December 

Marking the grand opening of Singapore’s gleaming new Sands Theater at the 

Marina Bay Sands, the original international phenomenon RIVERDANCE returns 

to Singapore from 30 November to 12 December 2010 for 16 performances 

only. A thunderous celebration of Irish music, song and dance, RIVERDANCE has 

tapped its way onto the world stage since its inception in 1994, has thrilled more 

than 22 million people in over 300 venues worldwide throughout 32 countries 

across 4 continents, and has grossed over US$1.6 billion worldwide. 

More Information www.sistic.com.sg 

Crazy Christmas 2010 

2-19 December 

Dream Academy’s Crazy Christmas returns, with more cheeky renditions of 

popular tunes and hilarious stand-up comedy packed with local flavour. It’s all 

things Christmas and more! Join Selena Tan, Pam Oei, Hossan Leong*, Sebastian 

Tan and others together with vocal ensemble Vocaluptuous – as they unwrap 

their wildest Christmas fantasies for your entertainment. Fans of Drag Queen 

Diva, Kumar, are also in for an early Christmas treat! Kumar will make a special 

appearance in 4 ‘Adults Only, No-Holds-Barred’ shows (2-4 Dec). Let the Queen 

render you ecstatic with her raunchy tongue-lashing and probing mistletoe! 


ZoukOut 2010 - A Dance Music Festival 

11 December 

10 YEARS ON… CELEBRATING 10 YEARS OF GREAT MUSIC, LOVE & 

UNFORGETTABLE MEMORIES 

Come this December, the annual extravaganza promises to be bigger, badder 

and better, so, rub those hands with glee and say “Hello!” to the region’s most 

important outdoor dance music festival, ZoukOut 2010! Celebrating its 10 th 

anniversary, ZoukOut 2010 takes centerstage on Saturday, 11 th December at 

Siloso Beach, Sentosa Island from 8pm-8am and will mark a trailblazing jaunt of 

10 pivotal years in music, dance and art in the great sandy outdoors. 


Pedals & Pipes Christmas Rhapsody 

17 December 

Follow one of the organ world’s newest and brightest stars as we head towards 

Christmas in this joyful celebration of seasonal music. Korean-born Ahreum Han 

is rapidly creating quite a sensation with what has been described as her “focus, 

fire, intensity and fun”. There should be quite a bit of dazzle in her varied all- 

German program, ranging from Bach and Reger. Add to that the joy and magic of 

Christmas presented by the Singapore Lyric Opera Chorus, and a handful of the 

most popular Christmas Carols for all to sing, and your Christmas will have got off 

to a truly glittering start. 


19

Lifestyle 

Angkor Wat Half Marathon 

Text and Photos Annabelle Deken 

On behalf of Room to Read, both Inge & Annabelle will 

be running the 15 th Angkor Wat Half Marathon again on 

Sunday 5 December 2010. For our readers who are not 

familiar with Angkor Wat; it is a UNESCO world heritage 

site located in the North of Cambodia built for king 

Suryavarman II in the early 12 th century as his state temple 

and capital city. Though the temple was initially founded 

as a Hindu temple, dedicated to the god Vishnu, it later 

became a Buddhist religious site. 

The race course offers fantastic views of these historical 

temples and lush jungle, reflecting in the ponds and moats 

as the morning mist rises. The run starts right in front of 

Angkor Wat, then around it’s moat towards Ta Prohm, 

turning left to pass by Banteay Kdei, through the Victory 

Gate of Angkor Thom, along the Elephant Terrace, around 

the Bayon and back through the Angkor Thom South Gate 

to the finish line. Not only does this international charity 

event benefit landmine victims and other Cambodian 

developments, it is an absolutely amazing race which we 

highly recommend! Expect local kids wanting to clap hands 

with you whilst you are running past them, great views 

of the 12th century temples, elephants cheering you on 

along the way whilst all dressed up and be prepared to take 

a quick picture of a fellow-runner in front of the Bayon. 

Meanwhile, there are enough water stations en-route 

and before you know it, you are back in front of Angkor. If 

you think 21km is too much of a challenge, it’ll be good to 

know there is also a 10km and a 3km family run. 

However, should you decide to do none of the above 

but are interested to sponsor us, please do donate 

generously to “Room to Read”, a charity organization 

seeking to transform the lives of children in developing 

countries by focusing on literacy and gender equality in 

education. Last year we were able to send 4 girls to primary 

school and learn how to read. This year we are aiming to 

raise enough money to send 10 girls to school, because 

when you educate a girl, you educate the next generation. 

6 STEPS TO DONATE: 

1. www.roomtoread.org 

2. Click on “DONATE” 

3. “Fund our Greatest Need” 

4. Select “If you are making a gift in honor of one or more 

friends or relatives, please click here” 

5. Under “Donation Information” after you enter the 

amount, it asks for Designation – in the pull-down 

menu, chose “Cambodia Girls’ Education” 

6. Under “Tribute Information” ask: click in honor of, then 

FIRST NAME: Inge & Annabelle, under LAST NAME: 

Angkor Marathon Sponsorship 

It costs about 250USD to bring 1 Girl a full year to 

school so all donations are welcome from USD10 to ..... 

Thank you for your generous gifts and we will RUN for 

you!!!! 

Inge Sibbing-Veelenturf & Annabelle Deken 

20

Column 

Amsterdam comes to Jurong! 

by Richard Soemita 

“What is unusual 

in this Jurong neighbourhood 

is the presence of a group of 

transvestite sex workers. 

A number of them have 

used one of the blocks 

as their “base”.” 

Following my previous column I just have to share with 

you some of my latest experiences. Jurong is so much 

more exciting than I could ever dream of. Just 1 MRT stop 

away is this super mall, Jurong Point, where you can buy 

everything from a dish washer up to a fancy handbag, 

but not being charged ridiculously like on Orchard Road. I 

reckon you would pay the same for a large fridge in Jurong 

as the smallest handbag at Hermes. 

As a student I used to live opposite the old Waterloo 

Plein in Amsterdam. On Saturdays I did my grocery 

shopping at the Nieuwmarkt, dim-sum in China Town and 

had a view ‘local’ bars in and around Nieuwmarkt i.e. Café 

Loosje being my favourite. Needless to say that I often 

walked through the red light district and had to bring all my 

friends around that visited me, especially those that came 

outside of Amsterdam. My new Jurong hood is more or less 

the same as the Jodenbreestraat, with only 1 difference: 

Jurong (read: Singapore) is ten times cleaner than 

Amsterdam. Also with regards to prostitution I experienced 

this last week. 

It was past midnight, and some people were busy 

putting up decorations for a void-deck for a Malay 

wedding. Across the road, tired factory workers shuffled 

out of company buses to walk home to their flats. And 

from somewhere not too far off, cheering could be heard 

from coffee shop patrons watching a football telecast. All 

of which may be typical for HDB estates. What is extraordinary 

in this Jurong neighbourhood is the presence of a 

group of transvestite sex workers. A number of them use 

one of the blocks as their “base”. A bus stop in front of the 

block has turned into a “pick up” point, where local men 

stop their cars and take the sex workers to secluded spots. 

Taxis drop the group off at the bus stop around midnight, 

where they remain till early. After midnight, drivers stop at 

the bus stop and pick up ‘passengers’. They return roughly 

30 minutes later. A man, acting as a lookout, waits at the 

block behind the bus stop. The transvestites occasionally go 

over and talk to him. As I was watching, a car drove by and 

was immediately greeted by a sex worker, who stepped 

up to the car window. Dressed in a low-cut dress, wearing 

heavy made-up and a wig of long hair with highlights. He 

also had a tattoo on his left shoulder. The transvestite said: 

“It’s $30, but we have to drive to a quieter spot” in a deep 

voice. He said there was a dark heavy vehicles park near 

Block 373. Clients without cars are led to a park nearby. 

Sometimes, the transvestites “parade” on the opposite 

side of the road and wave at passing cars. 

So that particular night I alighted at the bus stop when 

one of the ‘girls’ gave me this funny look. He must have 

seen me before, given that I am the only person in the 

entire hood that wears a tie. Almost immediately the 

transvestite tried to hug me. Being used to the Amsterdam 

scene, I thought that the whole thing was quiet comical. 

All I did was to check if I still had my wallet in my pocket. 

But what if my girlfriend or anyone I know, had seen 

the transvestite hugging me? Surely, I will have a lot of 

explaining to do! 

Next I could perhaps ask the Jurong Council to open 

a few coffee shops in the neighbourhood and my life will 

be complete. At least this will save me a lot of money and 

time to go to Amsterdam every year. 

22

Embassy and ADb News 

Public Holidays 

The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands will be 

closed on 5 November 2010 (Deepavali) and 17 November 

2010 (Hari Raya Haji). 

In case of an emergency, please contact the duty officer 

on 9661 5704. 

Book your appointment with 

the Embassy online 

On the 1 st of November, the Embassy of the Kingdom 

of the Netherlands introduced an online appointment 

system for the application of Dutch passports, 

Schengen visa or legalisations. This will shorten 

the waiting time at the counters, and allows you to 

choose a day and time for your appointment which is 

convenient for you. 

To book an appointment, please go to the website 

of the Embassy - www.mfa.nl/sin - and choose from 

the available days and time slots. Appointments can be 

scheduled on Monday to Friday, between 9am and 1pm. 

For more information about the new online 

appointment system you can send an email to 

sin-ca@minbuza.nl or call the Embassy from Monday 

to Friday between 8.30 am and 5 pm. 

OSEA 2010 Trade Show and 

Conference 

The Embassy is pleased to facilitate the participation of 

a Dutch delegation to Singapore for the OSEA (Offshore 

South East Asia) 2010 Trade Show and Conference. Holland 

Marine Equipment Group (HME) will lead a delegation to 

participate as a “Holland Pavilion” at the OSEA Trade show 

and Conference in Singapore from 30 November to 

3 December. 

OSEA will see strong Dutch participation from several 

locally based Dutch Companies such as Dockwise Shipping, 

Smit, Heerema and IHC Merwede, Radio Holland, Stork and 

Bayards Aluminium Constructies BV as well as from Dutch 

companies from the Netherlands such as Hart BV, Interdam 

Merford BV and SAS BV. 

For more information please visit www.osea-asia.com 

for OSEA 2010 Trade Show information and www.hme.nl 

for HME delegates profiles, or contact the Embassy at 

SIN-EZ@minbuza.nl. 

Job seeker 

Name : Joost de Kruijff 

Age : 26 

Name 

: Daniel van Dijk 

Age : 39 

Hand Phone : 9649 7164 

Email ADDRESS : danielbavandijk@gmail.com 

Tel. no. office : +31402382333 

Tel. no. home : +31624996999 (+9595050489 

between 10 and 31 of December 

2010 due to trip in Myanmar) 

Email address : jc.de.kruijff@gmail.com 

Qualifications: Marketing Communications and 

Business Development Professional with experience in 

both FMCG and B2B industries, as well as non-profit 

organisations. 

Results driven, creative personality with a handson 

approach to both long and short term projects and 

objectives. 

Work Experience: 

• Manager at Cedar, Hoofddorp 

• Freelance Marketing Communications Consultant, 

Singapore 

• Manager Communications at Cedar, Hoofddorp 

• Project Assistant at Reed Elsevier, The Hague 

• Product Manager at UPC, Rotterdam 

• Marketing Coordinator at TrojanUV, The Hague 

Looking for: A job in marketing communication, 

business development or middle management within 

a small to medium sized international organisation 

(b2b, creative industry, non-profit). Also willing to 

work project based or for short term assignment. 

Study: Master in Information Management (MSc / MIM) & 

Master in Strategic Management (MSc), Tilburg University 

Specialization: various conceptual elements of 

Information Technology (e.g. architectures, infrastructure 

design, software asset management, workflow / process 

design and implementation). 

Working experience: 

• IT Consultant, Gemeente Eindhoven 

• IT Asset Manager (ITIL), Gemeente Eindhoven 

• IT Management Consultant, Talentcom Strategy 

Consultants, Utrecht 

• Account Manager (32hrs p/w), KPN Mobile, Eindhoven 

• Operations & Sales Manager (Internship), Hollandia 

Home Services, Singapore 

Looking for: A challenging job opportunity in Singapore 

(from January 2011) in a dynamic organization within the field 

of IT (architectures, infrastructures, process management, 

design and implementation, software license management, 

business & system analyst, project management), business 

(business development, management consultant). 

23

ADB News 

Sustainability and Finance synthesized! 

8 November 

Not too long ago, being ‘sustainable’ implied adopting a few charities, 

launching a paper saving initiative and using energy efficient light bulbs. 

Today, sustainability has come to include ethics and good business 

practices, community involvement, eco-efficiency of offices and of course 

product development. That this is a hot topic, also shows from the 

“Singapore International Energy Week 2010” to be held 27 Oct - 4 Nov, 

especially dedicated to this topic. 

Rabobank and asset finance subsidiary De Lage Landen identified the 

increasing significance of corporate social responsibility and sustainability 

in an early stage and aligned their product development efforts with this 

irrepressible trend. 

Join us on November 8th at 19.30 pm at the Juliana Lounge, Hollandse 

Club 22, Camden Park in Singapore, to discuss how this impacts all of our 

businesses. 

Key note speakers John Sparta (De Lage Landen’s Vice President of 

Global CSR Business Development) and Jotdeep Singh (Rabobank’s Head 

Renewable Energy and Infrastructure Asia) will share with you the results 

of their efforts to synthesize sustainability and finance. 

Program: 

19.30 : Arrive at Juliana Lounge, Hollandse Club, welcome drinks 

20.00 : Presentation and discussion 

21.30 : End 

Please register at www.adb.org.sg/events by 5 th of November. 

New Members 

Annemiek van der Rest, Bluewater Energy Services 

Boudewijn van Schaik, NIBC Bank 

Cees Visser, Unilever 

Daniel van Dijk 

Edwin Jager, NIBC Bank 

Esther van den Toorn-Wentink, Digneconsult 

Florus van Herpt, ING Bank 

Hanno Roberts, Nanyang Business School 

Joris Beerda, Brunel 

Mette Nolte, Accenture 

Sander Montanus, ABN Amro Bank 

Susanne van Loon, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands 

Leaving Members 

Francoise Roche, Rabobank 

Iwan Hoo, KPMG 

EDITORIAL COMMITTEE 

Frank Kuijsters, Chief Editor 

Esther van den Toorn-Wentink 

Gene Kwee 


Marieke Ghijsen 

Michiel Sengers 

Richard Soemita 

Wilco Alberda 

SECRETARIAT 


MAILING ADDRESS 

c/o 22 Camden Park 

Singapore 299814 

Telephone: 9101 6201 

email: adb@pacific.net.sg 

WEBSITE 

www.adb.org.sg 

DESIGN 

Michiel Sengers 

Jennifer Phua 

PRINTER Khoo Sun Printing Pte Ltd 

MITA 373/03/2001 

This magazine is distributed free of 

charge to all members and relations 

of the ADB. 

We invite members to contribute to 

the next issue. 

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 

Membership fee is S$ 100 per 

calendar year. For registration, please 

see the website www.adb.org.sg 

Membership is renewed 

automatically effective the first 

month of the new calendar year. 

Make your cheque payable to 

“Association 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. 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. 

24

ADB Christmas Dinner and Dance 

Please join us with your partner for the 19 th Black Tie 

Dinner and Dance. 

Sip cocktails with Santa Claus and enjoy a four course 

Christmas dinner in the festively decorated Grand Salon. 

It will be an evening full of atmosphere with life jazz 

entertainment and a lucky draw with many prices 

a.o. KLM return tickets Bali. And surely the night can be 

danced away to the toe-stepping tunes of DJ Santa. 

Come and enjoy the opening of the season in an 

unforgettable style! Make reservations now. Tickets for 

SGD 125,=/person. 

DATE 

VENUE 

DRESS CODE : Black Tie 

: 11 December 2010, 19.00-2.00hrs 

: The Sentosa Resort & Spa 

Register before 27 th November via www.adb.org.sg/events 

Proudly sponsored by:

Brewing beer was considered 

magical in the 14th century. 

In some circles, it still is.

November 2010 - Association of Dutch Businessmen

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?