ScandAsia Singapore - October 2017

OCT 2017
Theme:
How to pick a kindergarten,
preschool or pre-prep school
BUSINESS
Digitalizing
Maritime
Business
ENVIRONMENT
Denmark-Singapore
Climate Change
Dialogue
LIFESTYLE
Magnus Olovson
at The Sanchaya
COMMUNITY
SwedCham
hosted Meet
& Greet

October 2017
8
Mr Magnus Olovson
GM at The Sanchaya, Bintan Island
ScandAsia
Stories
4 Danish Seamen’s Church
welcomed Danes
6 SwedCham hosted Meet &
Greet
7 Ikea Singapore’s Young
Designer Award
Kindergarten, Preschool,
Pre-prep School Theme
12
4
ScandAsia
Business
21 Danish fintech start-up Ernit
Selected for Singapore’s Hackcelerator
24 Digitalizing Maritime Business
Finland 100 seminar held in Singapore
27 Singapore Grand Prix
Formula 1 to continue in Singapore
22
H.E. Dorte Bech Vizard
Danish Ambassador in Climate Change
Dialogue
6
26
Minister Anne Berner
Finland’s Transport & Communication
minister at Singapore launch
7
OCT 2017
Theme:
How to pick a kindergarten,
preschool or pre-prep school
BUSINESS
Digitalizing
Maritime
Business
ENVIRONMENT
Denmark-Singapore
Climate Change
Dialogue
LIFESTYLE
Magnus Olovson
at The Sanchaya
COMMUNITY
SwedCham
hosted Meet
& Greet
Front cover photo:
Visit Finland
Your FREE
ScandAsia Magazine
in Singapore
ScandAsia is the only magazine that covers all the Danish,
Finnish, Norwegian and Swedish residents in Singapore.
We also publish a ScandAsia magazine in China, Thailand,
and the rest of South East Asia.
Get your own FREE copy:
scandasia.com
Publisher :
ScandAsia Publishing Co., Ltd.
211 Soi Prasert Manukitch 29
Prasert Manukitch Road
Chorakae Bua, Lad Prao
Bangkok 10230, Thailand
Tel. +66 2 943 7166-8,
Fax: +66 2 943 7169
Editor-in-Chief :
Gregers A.W. Møller
gregers@scandmedia.com
Managing Editor:
Joakim Persson
Joakim@scandmedia.com
Advertising :
Frank Leong
frank@scandasia.com
Finn Balslev
finn@scandmedia.com
Graphic Designer :
Peerapol Meesuwan
Peerapol@scandmedia.com
Distribution :
Wanvisa Rattanaburi
wanvisa@scandmedia.com
Printing :
Inthanon Interprint Co., Ltd.

Stay Curious!
The IME Mini MBA Executive Program gives you an
insight into the business foundations during six
workshop days over six months: Strategy, Human
Resource, Finance, Marketing, Change Management,
Process & Lean. Learn management in an environment
that believes in immediate real-world application and
personal development - with a program that fits well
with your work life balance!
Learn http://ime.com.sg
more at

Community
The Danish Seamen’s Church welcomes Danes to Singapore
By Eva Eriksen
About 200 Danes gathered for the annual
September party at the Danish Seamen’s
Church in Singapore on Saturday 9
September 2017.
The red and white colors of Dannebrog
gently waved amongst all the green on the top
of Mount Faber, welcoming both new and wellestablished
Danes in Singapore to an eventful
evening at the church.
4 ScandAsia.Singapore • October 2017
A huge tent had been erected for the
occasion and at 4.00 pm people slowly started
showing up. Several Danish associations in
Singapore had stands, presenting their
foundations and ideas to the many guests:
The Danish Business Association (DABS), The
Royal Danish Embassy, Scandinavian Women
Association (SWA), the Danish Seamen’s
Church, Danish Supplement School (DSS),
Singapore Vikings, and the German European
School in Singapore (GESS).
“It is a tradition almost as old as the church,”
said Kirsten Eistrup, pastor at the Danish Seamen’s
Church said about the event. “After the summer
is over, we greet newcomers and welcome back
people to Singapore.”
Certainly, it was a nice welcome for all ages.
There were people creating balloon animals for
the younger crowd - both pretty flowers and cute
dogs. However, the machine guns turned out to
be the most popular among the many children on
such a sunny and peaceful afternoon.
Later a magician did his part to entertain the
children, and based on reactions afterwards, it was
“formidably good,” leaving the floor in the church
covered in confetti.
At 6:30 pm dinner was served, which meant
200 people exchanging their food tickets for
plates, making it hard for the buffet to keep up
with the many hungry guests. Nevertheless, there
was plenty of food and plenty of Danish beer,
and so the atmosphere was very pleasant and
positive.
Towards the night the tables up front were
removed, making room for a dancefloor. The
band that had played dinner music all through the
evening turned up the volume, making people get
up from their seats and out on the floor to show
off their dance moves to all-time pop songs.
“I think people like to come here, because
it strengthens our identity as Danish. It is nice
to meet each other and be reminded of that
indefinable glue that ties us together. And also,
people just relax here, they do not have to worry
about anything,” Kirsten Eistrup said, regarding the
great turnout.

Danish Pop phenomenon Aqua to Singapore!
Community
Their most popular song has up to date
nearly 410 milion views on YouTube. What
Danish pop act could be behind such an
achievement than the dance pop act AQUA!
And we are of course referring to ‘Barbie
Girl’, released in May 1997 as their third single
overall, and the first United Kingdom release.
Fans of the Barbie Girls legends in Singapore
and its surroundings now have a chance to re-unit
with the band as they have included the Southeast
Asian metropolitan on their tour for a once-in-ajifetime
20th Anniversary Concert!
Among their huge party hits are also: ‘Doctor
Jones’, ‘Roses Are Red’, ‘My Oh My’, ‘Lollipop
(Candyman)’, ‘Around The World’ and ‘Cartoon
Heroes’.
On 25 November, Aqua makes a rare
appearance on Singapore shores.
“The Aqua party experience promises to
be a feel-good show like no other! Be ready
for heart-stomping, back-to-back greatest hits
concert that will be backed by a full live band
direct from Denmark!”
Aqua is the Best Selling Dance Group from
Europe ever! They have sold in excess of 33
million albums and singles, notching up 3 #1 Hits
on the UK Chart and over a dozen chart-toppers
in Europe. They also famously conquered Asia
as well as the US Billboard Charts with their
signature brand of playful pop and wacky lyrics.
The Danes’ 1997 album ‘Aquarium’ is considered
an iconic pop-dance album till this day.
The enduring #1 hit ‘Barbie Girl’ was a worldwide
phenomenon that inspired a generation of
Cosplay dress-ups and is a staple in retro music
nights worldwide.
“Since splitting up in 2001 the band has
only toured for special occasions - and this 20th
Anniversary of “Barbie Girl” is a highly anticipated
unique event! Main members: lead female vocalist
Lene Nystrøm, male vocalist-rapper René Dif
and keyboard-guitarist Søren Rasted will be
presenting this energy-fuelled concert with their
‘live’ band entourage.“
The concert takes place at The Star Theatre,
The Star Performing Arts Centre. Tickets from
$98 to $168 are available on SISTIC. Limited VIP
Experience tickets include exclusive post-show
Meet & Greet with AQUA (comprising a group
photo opportunity and front row reserved seats).
October 2017 • ScandAsia.Singapore 5

Community
General Manager Cecilia Oskarsson, President Jan Stjernström in the background, and Swedish Ambassador
Häkon Jevrell, who is also on the board as a nonvoting member. Photo: Magnus Oskarsson.
SwedCham hosts Meet and Greet mingle
By Eva Eriksen
The newly launched SwedCham held a
Meet and Greet mingle on Thursday 7
September 2017 to officially introduce its
members and everyone with an interest to the
chamber.
The small gallery at Art Blue Studio quickly
filled up as the clock turn 6 pm. In the door
General Manager Cecilia Oskarsson and President
Jan Stjernström welcomed people as they arrived
and the noise level gradually rose as people
showed up.
At the event both Jan Stjernström, Cecilia
Oskarsson, and Swedish Ambassador to Singapore
Häkan Jevrell spoke, but before the speeches
started, everyone was asked to help themselves
to a glass of wine, an announcement received
with great amusement by the attendance.
Building a stronger chamber
President Stjernström started of the introduction
to SwedCham by explaining how the chamber
now will become a member of the International
Chamber of Commerce, ICC, which means
greater involvement in international trade
agreements. This generates a lot of change, but
also a lot of growth, the President said, and the
plan is to make it more relevant to all kinds of
members, from small to big companies.
The Ambassador Häkon Jevrell expressed
his excitement about the new chamber and
proclaiming the intention of making it a strong one:
“We do not always talk about how great we are,
but the truth is Swedish companies are doing really
well here in Singapore,” the ambassador said, urging
a higher level of “Swedishness” in Singapore.
Lastly, “the one who runs the show,” general
manager Oskarsson talked more about the
chamber’s concrete changes and future goals:
“We are building on the foundation of what
the SBAS was and we are going to make it
even better and even stronger with the new
chamber.” Besides a new name, logo, and a new
website, the chamber is now located in the same
building as Business Sweden and the Swedish
Embassy.
The chamber should be a platform to thrive
networking opportunities and the general
manager urged the members to engage further to
advance the events and programs in collaboration
with the board and herself: “We want to work
for you, but also with you.” Oskarsson ended her
speech announcing that anyone who signed up as
a member at the event would get the rest of the
year free of charge.
Great networking opportunities
As the official words wrapped up, the noise level in
the gallery rapidly increased. Handshakes among
the many people emerged, and business cards
switched hands, pockets and purses throughout
the crowd.
The general opinion of the presentation of
the new chamber was positive, where several
mentioned it being informative, to the point, and
a great networking opportunity.
One of the event’s participants Max Wisten,
a senior electronics engineer at the Singaporean
startup company Transcelestial Technologies,
thought it was a good opportunity to meet other
Swedish people and companies in Singapore.
In addition, he considered it a great place to
represent a company, looking into the possibility
of future collaborative networking.
Both the president and the general manager
were happy about the turnout and the evening’s
outcome, calling it a successful event. A good
handful signed up as members of SwedCham at
the event, Cecilia Oskarsson confirmed.
6 ScandAsia.Singapore • October 2017

Ikea Singapore’s Young Designer Award
Students from Nanyang Technological
University (NTU) won the ‘Climate Action
Challenge’ as well as the People’s Choice
Award at the Grand Finale on 22 September
2017.
Back in its fourth year running, the Ikea
Singapore’s Young Designer Award 2017 grand
finals exhibition featured the top five designs
based on the theme ‘The Climate Action
Challenge’.
The exhibition showcased innovative ideas
and concepts from local and international
students, all of which aim to help people living in
Asia better cope with challenges resulting from
climate change.
These included housing, water and energy
solutions to help guard communities’ well-being
without impacting the environment negatively
through design.
The STRÖM SYSTEM was the winning NTU
News Brief
team (Orion Dai Yuhui, Foo Heng Tong, and Casey
Kwokdinata), winning a $1,500 cash prize and a
trip to Ikea of Sweden.
FreeWind (by students Amber Lim Wan Ying,
Cassandra Seah and Nik Halim) was the winner
of the People’s Choice Award, receiving the most
votes and a $300 IKEA® Gift Card!
Ikea Singapore invited all students currently
studying in tertiary institutions across Singapore
to sign up for a spot in the Ideathon to come out
with game-changing ideas that address climate
change. Climate change is one of the biggest
threats to how people are able to comfortably
live their lives now and in the future.
The challenge focused on 5 key areas: Food,
Water, Housing, Health and Energy within Asia,
calling for ideas to help people cope or adapt to
climate change in these areas.
The three students from Nanyang
Technological University won with a revolutionary
idea for a storm drain that converts gushing
flood waters into renewable energy. This group
of young people really impressed judges at the
fourth. Now Ikea is helping all finalists to get their
ideas out to an international competition, and
the winners will head off to Sweden to meet our
range developers for a little more inspiration!
Source: Ikea Southeast Asia
NTU students on IKEA tour
would you go to learn more about the
Swedish identity? IKEA of course!”
“Where
In late September Ikea Singapore opened the
doors of one of their stores in Singapore to twenty-eight students
from Nanyang Technological University. These students were given
an exclusive tour around the facility where they learned about the
history & success stories of IKEA, and how we operate. All in all, it
was a fulfilling day for the students who immersed themselves in the
Swedishness of the IKEA’s culture and values and they even managed
to indulge in some crayfish to end their visit with a bang, reported
Ikea Southeast Asia
Scandinavian Women’s Association welcoming to Singapore
Scandinavian Women’s Association (SWA) loves welcoming newcomers
to Singapore! SWA attended welcoming events in early September both
at the Norwegian Seamen’s Church and later at the Danish Seamen’s
Church.
Individuals who want to sign up to our database can do so by contacting
SWA to make sure to be kept up to date on their upcoming events and news
about their charity work.
At SWA, they empower women to impact society. SWA was founded in
1975 with the intention of giving back to the local, Singaporean society.
SWA work by three promises: Giving back to the local, Singaporean
Society by helping those less fortunate in the city; raising funds through events,
corporate sponsors and membership donations; and facilitating networking
among women in Singapore.
October 2017 • ScandAsia.Singapore 7

Community
A world away
at The Sanchaya
It is only a 50-minute ferry ride away from Singapore where The Sanchaya
sits beachfront – and yet it nearly feels like worlds apart. It is, in many
aspects, in a position on its own.
Text and photos: Joakim Persson
Photographer: Maneewan Jantarasaka
This out-of-the-ordinary estate is
the vacation home of an affluent
Russian lady who, when residing in
her Singapore home, felt that she had
nowhere to go with her friends to
spend a weekend out of town. And she wanted to
design it to be “a gathering point for wanderlust
travellers and wide-eyed explorers in search of a
new kind of luxury.” And with residential spaces
that evoke the charms and graces of a time
gone by the estate she has created is sometimes
hard to even describe in words. Its architecture
resembles only a handful of other hotels also
based precisely in the Straits or other formerly
colonised countries of Southeast Asia (those with
a nod to it or the ones that – often renovated
or brought back to former glory – actually
constitutes the region’s hospitality heritage). The
Sanchaya presents as a unique interpretation of
the cultures and histories of this region, where
salon and outlet is a marvel in design.
And – good news for all – being a Small
Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH) property, you
can too be a guest at this stunning, villas-andsuites
only, estate! Also, at the helm to welcome
you, there is no other than the Swede Mr Magnus
Olovson, and his team of artisans!
“The Sanchaya reflects 100-year-old colonial
architecture and plantation estates with very
large common areas, vast gardens and this typical
Singaporean black-and-white design,” is how he
puts it into words.
Even if only going for a few nights to the
extraordinary The Sanchaya on Bintan Island, it
is worth the small extra effort – and worth its
premium price tag. The 500 USD per night for a
stay is justified. As for the rest, yes can you also
have a 750 USD Cuban cigar, savour the world’s
most expensive wines served by the sommelier -
or opt for something more affordable.
Few places can blow one’s mind away as The
Sanchaya when it comes to exclusivity, setting
and individual character. Once arriving, one will
immediately feel entitled – especially also thanks
to the superb hospitality - to reward oneself
with a stay there, and preferably switching off the
outside world entirely and focusing on just being
in the eminent moment. And think: “Why haven’t
I done this before?!”
As Magnus suggests, it is also the perfect
combo with a Singapore visit: “If you live in Hong
Kong or Thailand or so, everyone travels at
least once to explore Singapore. Then you stay
8 ScandAsia.Singapore • October 2017

there for the weekend, and utilize the best hotel
prices. And on Monday you continue out to The
Sanchaya and get some exclusive rest and the
best prices also here in the process, as we are
cheaper during weekdays. So, a perfect for a long
weekend!”
Maldives-style, and quite apart from any
ordinary five-star hotel, the experience begins
as soon as one steps off the ferry, or private
boat, whisked into the resort’s V.I.P lounge – an
extension of the estate in terms of décor and
service – and then chauffeured a short ride to
The Sanchaya.
In Magnus words it’s “an exclusive beachfront
estate, 29 villas and suites and a stunning private
residence, with spectacular views of the ocean
and unrivalled luxury, tropical glamour and worldclass
service.”
“At best when we are full we have 60 guests,
and we are never busy; we always have time, and
with ten hectares there’s plenty of space for all
our guests!”
Actually headhunted to make this estate
setting blossom (on Bintan Island, which is so far
no enclave at all for luxury resorts) Magnus was
himself blown away when he initially came down
with his Thai wife from his Siam Reap upscale
hotel.
“We came here as mystery guests, and it
did not take long before we said: ‘We’ll definitely
negotiate to close a deal for this!’ Like so many
others, I fell for The Sanchaya at first sight - its
people, its beauty and its immense potential. And
much more than a resort it’s a unique estate!
I’ve never seen anything like it. This is simply a
splendid place to be, to host and to develop. Not
the least, the owner, Ms Natalya Pavchinskaya, is
very generous in her trust and support which is
marvellous for a hotel manager,” he says.
Magnus, who has a long career within F&B,
for the first part of his career in restaurants/
nightclubs, entered into the hotel industry quite
“late”; eventually taking his degree at Glion
Institute of Higher Education in Switzerland. Since
then he has worked at various hotels worldwide.
“I worked in nightlife until I was 32, in
Stockholm, Paris and New York, saved money for
Hotel School in Switzerland and became Food
& Beverage Director for Leading Hotel of the
World Le Negresco in Nice, and, 20 years on, I
am leading The Sanchaya!”
He came to Asia by coincidence and since
that day he has surely staked on the region, mainly
by investing in a luxury boutique resort in Siam
Reap, Cambodia – Heritage Suites Hotel.
“That’s how I came to Asia; through an
The Sanchaya reflects
100-year-old colonial
architecture and
plantation estates with
very large common
areas, vast gardens and
this typical Singaporean
black-and-white design
October 2017 • ScandAsia.Singapore 9

Community
investment opportunity where I entered as
minority partner in a small luxury hotel in Siem
Reap that I later also ran for five years. I had
not yearned to come to Asia, that was more a
coincidence. Then, undeniably the climate is much
nicer than in Paris and Stockholm, and it’s a much
more dynamic hospitality world here; you cannot
compare! You never become a hotel manager
until you are seventy in Europe, as everyone
is sitting tight on their armchairs keeping the
same job position for 30 years!” says the goodhumoured
Swede.
Magnus profile matched and the owner
wanted someone who could take ownership.
“Since I was already an owner in a hotel and a
partner they thought it would fit. They came and
picked me up, basically, which was of course a
pleasure.”
Management by example and “management
by walking around” is his recipe for turning this
into a renowned resort in the SLH collection.
“That’s simply what I believe works. Your rankand-file
colleagues are your most important
assets and you should take care of them as well
as you take care of your guests. Better even, as
they are the ones taking care of the guests! As
for success, someone please define the word!!
Finding, nurturing and sharing joy should be on
everybody’s agenda, should it not? Then I try to
balance a job that I absolutely love with a fun,
healthy dedication to my family.”
“Most importantly is to build a strong
and dedicated team. Then, the aim must be to
maximise the guest enjoyment and experience
while keeping it palpable and authentic. We
all value a truly personalised and unobtrusive
approach to service and hosting, so step by
step we coach our colleagues to take the right
initiatives. The end result being, hopefully, that
these happy guests bring more happy guests!”
This is his working philosophy to build The
Sanchaya standard.
“We want to make our guest residents feel
that they are spending time in a rich old friend’s
house. So they can access their friend’s library,
have a stroll in their friend’s wine cellar and be
treated by the artisans – we call our staff artisans
because it is an art to serve.”
“And our glassed-in wine cellar, perfect for a
private dinner, comes with an ocean view. I find
that peculiar!” he adds. “We have, in our new
profile, a very vintage aspect and a very modern
aspect.”
The modernity is reflected for instance also in
the activities: “There are loads to do for teenagers
and adults. Most of our residents want peace and
quiet and for those who want some activities, on
our Maldivian white powder sand beach, we have
new toys; blow carts (three-wheel vehicles with
sail) and electric one-wheelers; like a snowboard.
And we have paddleboats to take out your family
at sea.”
There is also a croquet lawn and pétanque
arena. As for the library it includes the most
fascinating travel books from yesteryear and
today. Like The Sanchaya itself those books can
take you to another time and place.
10 ScandAsia.Singapore • October 2017

News Brief
Grunfos-sponsored ‘Flood controls in Southeast Asia’ report
The sustainability-focused social enterprise
Eco-Business Research has released a
report called; Flood controls in Southeast
Asia. The study, which is sponsored by Grundfos
(Denmark), surveyed 417 sustainability industry
leaders across Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, the
Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.
Climate change was cited by the paper as
being the main cause of predicted increased
incidences of flooding in the region. Higher
average temperatures are predicted to bring
increased sea levels, which is problematic to
the low lying coastal areas of Southeast Asia.
The higher temperatures are also predicted to
increase the intensity of rainstorms.
Respondents throughout the region agreed
that there had been significant changes to the
climate and weather in recent years with the
majority indicating that average temperatures had
become higher with monsoons or seasons being
less predictable. Over 69 per cent of respondents
also agreed that it was only going to get worse in
the next decade.
The study calls for a regional approach
to flood management, urging governments
to communicate their best practice initiatives
and establish frameworks for prevention and
protection. Respondents across the region also
point to insufficient action taken at consumer
levels, urging greater investment in education
and outreach programmes to transform the
environmental habits of citizens and businesses.
“The urgency of the situation calls for
greater collaboration between all stakeholders,
including government, corporates, communities
and citizens,” said Okay Barutçu, Group Senior
Vice President & Regional Managing Director,
Grundfos Asia Pacific Region and continued:
“Green urban designs, storm water management
integrated into a clear ‘rivers policy’ and recycle/
reuse of initiatives together with intelligent
pumping and treatment solutions utilizing smart
sensing, analysis and control technologies is clearly
the way forward.”
October 2017 • ScandAsia.Singapore 11

select the best
kindergarten, preschool or
pre-prep school?
They may be young, but for the “below
5’s” there’s still a great deal of educational
considerations to do.
Finding a good kindergarten, preschool or pre-prep school begins with knowing
what you would like your child to gain from this experience. No two institutions
will offer the exact same things, so it is important to check out 2-3 places
before deciding on one. This gives you the chance to see many different settings,
curriculums, and classrooms.
If you have moved to Asia recently, it’s a good idea in the first instance to contact your
local embassy and ask if they can help you contact you local national association or similar
social institution. They should be able to provide you with lists of all the services in your
area, that other expats of your nationality is using.
We all know, that children
will benefit greatly from a
good pre-school education.
Through creative and
physical play, they’ll
gradually learn new skills
and experience, plus learn
how to interact socially
with their peers.
12 ScandAsia.Singapore • October 2017

Do basic research
When you’re assessing your options, you’re likely to have a lot of questions
and queries about how each nursery, kindergarten or preschool or preprep
school operates and how children learn. That’s good and it’s certainly
a positive thing to have questions. Gaining answers to your queries should
help you reach a decision about where it is best for your child, or what place
you would prefer to avoid.
Before you call and request a tour of the kindergarten or preschool
or pre-prep school, you should do some basic research based on what is
important and what would work for your family.
• Where is the school located? Close to work or close home?
• Is it part-time or full-time program?
• Are they licensed or in other ways meet safety requirements and provides
adequate staffing?
• What are the fees? Is there a registration fee?
Some of the questions you might like to ask include:
• What time do sessions start and finish?
• Do the children have a scheduled rest during the day?
• How many children do they have attending?
• What sort of activities do the children do?
• How long have they been operating?
• Do they have outdoor and indoor areas for children to play and learn?
• What resources and equipment do they have to support children’s learning?
• Do they provide any additional help and support to under 5s with special
education needs?
You may not find answers to all these questions from your internet research
so keep them for your personal visit. A good early learning centre will be
happy for you to visit them. You should be able to have a good look around
the premises, so you can see how clean they are and what the learning
environment is like, and you should be able to gain insight into how the
teachers or staff interact with the children. It’s also useful to see how safe
and happy the children seem and whether they’re playing happily together,
or all off doing their own thing.
October 2017 • ScandAsia.Singapore 13

Visit the Boss
Now, it is time to meet the director. Here’s a quick checklist of things you’ll
want to talk to the director about when you visit.
• What’s the school’s discipline policy? How do they punish bad behavior?
• What are the safety procedures for dropping off and picking up children?
• What are the payment options and procedures?
• How will the kindergarten or preschool communicate with you? (Newsletters,
emails, apps, conferences?)
During the visit, things to look for
You have by now narrowed down the possible kindergarten, preschool or
pre-prep school and now you are ready to tour the places! You go to the
school, but what do you look for? Here are some ideas.
Is the facility safe and clean? Where is the first-aid kit and do they know how
to use it?
• Are there age-appropriate books and toys?
• Is there a safe outdoor play area with adequate shade?
• Does the classroom provide a variety of activities or “centers”?
• Is the atmosphere fun and inviting?
• Is student art work displayed?
• Do the children seem happy?
• Am I comfortable here? Trust your gut!
Meeting the teacher is one of the most important aspects of choosing a
preschool. If he or she answers your questions warmly and attentively, and
you are happy with the feeling the teacher gives you, then it’s safe to say you
found a good fit.
Teachers love knowing that you are ready to partner with them in your
child’s education, so ask as many questions as you can. Most importantly,
make sure the school and teacher make you and your child feel warm and
welcome. When you find the right preschool, get ready to embrace your
child’s greatest adventure!
Remember, choosing a preschool does not have to be an overwhelming or
stressful task. Finding the perfect fit is easier when you go into the process
prepared and ready to ask questions.
What the preschool may want to ask you
What most parents forget is, that the preschool may also have questions
to you.
One of the usual requirements by all types of pre-schools, is that children
should be successfully toilet trained by the time they attend pre-school, so
this is one area which you may need to work on to get your child ready. All
children grow and develop at different rates, so whilst some children may fly
through toilet training with ease, others may take a while longer.
If your child is still having toilet training problems when the time for preschool
is getting nearer, then have a chat to the teachers who’ll be running
the pre-school. It may be nothing to worry about and some children take
to it soon after going to pre-school, especially when they see the example
set by other children.
Can your child be left with others without their parents staying?
Separation anxiety is normal, but the preschool may want to know this
in advance. You can work on this in advance and make sure your child is
relatively comfortable about this. It is a big challenge for some children.
How well does your child communicate verbally? This is especially
important if they’re not feeling well or are having any problems, so they
can communicate the issue to the responsible teacher. If the child is able
to communicate well with the other children it can also help them develop
friendships.
Although some reading and writing will be worked on at pre-school, it
certainly helps if your child has a basic understanding of reading and writing.
Again, this is a skill that you can work on at home with your child and help
them be prepared and ready to face life at pre-school.
Finally, discipline is an important issue. Children do need to have a degree
of discipline to be able to respond well to instructions from a pre-school
teacher. Is your child prone to throwing tantrums about the smallest of issues?
How do you at home scold your child if he or she behaves badly? The school
may want to discuss this with you, too.
14 ScandAsia.Singapore • October 2017

Kindergarten, Preschool, Pre-prep School Theme
Come And Play
With US!
Young children learn best through
playing, and at KIS they have plenty
of opportunities to do so. The Early
Years Centre at KIS, with both indoor
and outdoor play areas, provides a
spacious, safe and fun environment for children
to play and learn. During the school day there
are times for free play and for set activities which
together help children develop their knowledge
and skills.
The playgrounds and fields at KIS give children
space to run around, climb, swing, ride tricycles
and play games with their friends. Staying active
is an important part of a healthy and balanced
lifestyle, something we hope children will learn
from a young age.
But in addition to providing physical benefits,
children also learn knowledge and skills through
play. By playing with different materials (water,
stones) for example, children will learn to
understand the differences between solids and
liquids. Sorting different shapes or making patterns
provide early logic and math understanding.
Children love to dress up or imagine scenarios,
and nurturing their imagination supports
creativity, not just in the arts, but also in problem
solving. Playing also helps develop skills, such as
communication skills, social skills, investigation
skills and motor skills, all of which are important
foundations for learning and for life!
KIS is a full IB World School and children
in our Early Years learn through the IB Primary
Years Programme. The approach to teaching and
learning is play based and hands on. Playing is
a wonderful and powerful way of learning that
allows children to explore, discover, hypothesise,
predict, problem solve, construct and document
their deepening understandings of the world in
which they live. Most of all though, your child will
have fun learning at KIS!
For more information contact us at
admissions@kis.ac.th or visit www.kis.ac.th
Linda Belonje
KIS International School
October 2017 • ScandAsia.Singapore 15

Kindergarten, Preschool, Pre-prep School Theme
Canadian International School’s
outstanding reputation strengthened
with new nursery programme
In August 2017, leading international school
CIS was delighted to open its doors and
welcome 16 boys and girls to its new
nursery programme for two year olds. With
a plethora of nursery schools to choose from
in Singapore, deciding which one is right for your
child can be challenging. Andrea Strachan, CIS
Vice Principal Kindergarten, Lakeside Campus,
shares why CIS has been a popular choice for so
many families.
Inquiry, play-based teaching
CIS places a strong emphasis on nurturing
children’s natural sense of curiosity through
teacher guided and child initiated, exploratory
and imaginative play. For instance, water play in
our magical Outdoor Discovery Centres is used
to explore volume and capacity, while coloured
toys and blocks are used for learning about
sorting and classifying.
Bilingual learning environment
Our young students enjoy a unique bilingual
(Chinese and English) learning environment
with one native English speaking teacher
and two native Chinese speaking teachers
per class. Both languages are integrated into
classroom activities, preparing children for
our pre-Kindergarten (3 years of age) dual
language immersion programme and our junior
kindergarten through to grade 6, pioneering
Chinese-English programme.
16 ScandAsia.Singapore • October 2017
Aligned to the International
Baccalaureate
Our programme is closely connected to our
Kindergarten, Primary and Secondary School
International Baccalaureate programmes, offering
children a one-stop formal schooling option with
minimal interruption from two years right the
way through to the end of High School (18 years).
Two convenient locations
Our programme is available at both our Lakeside
campus in the west and our Tanjong Katong
campus in the east, making it easily accessible for
families living on both sides of the island.
A diverse community
With students from over 70 nations, our young
students benefit from learning with others of
various backgrounds and languages, developing
important 21st century competencies such
as inter-cultural understanding and enhanced
communication skills.
Parents are included
Our programme emphasises the importance of
involving both teachers and parents as partners in a
child’s education. This is achieved through ongoing
communication, parent volunteer opportunities
plus parent information and education sessions.
Hours
Children can enrol in our programme for either
five full days (8:30am to 3:30pm) or five half days
(8:30am to 12:10pm).
First-class facilities
Learning takes place in vibrant and spacious
classrooms tailored to encourage curiosity
and support our inquiry, play-based teaching
approach. Across the two campuses, children also
enjoy our magical Outdoor Discovery Centres
designed to teach them about nature and the
outdoors in a fun and safe environment, as well
as our junior libraries, kindergarten kitchen, black
box theatre and Kindergarten aquatics complex.
Child to teacher ratio
1:6. Each classroom teacher is supported by two
native Chinese speaking teachers.
In addition to the above mentioned reasons,
parents are also drawn to the programme
because of our strong focus on making sure their
children are well prepared not only to take on
the challenges of Kindergarten, but also those
outside school. Amongst other things, they are
taught how to get along with others, share with
their classmates, follow a routine and respect and
understand rules. These are skills which can last a
lifetime and be extended to all areas of their life.
To find out more about CIS’ nursery
programme please contact the Admissions Team
on +65 6734 8088 or attend one of our Open Day
sessions www.cis.edu.sg/admissions/openhouse

October 2017 • ScandAsia.Singapore 17

THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS
AMERICAN AND
IB CURRICULUM
& 3 GRADUATING PATHWAYS
STAMFORD AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
At Stamford American International School, their aim is for
students to achieve more than they believe they can, both
academically and as citizens of our increasingly globalized
world. That is why they are the only international school to
offer American and International Baccalaureate (IB)
curriculums from 18 months to 18 years old. To prepare
students for life beyond school and entry to leading
universities worldwide, students can enjoy the opportunity of
obtaining Advanced Placement (AP) credits from Grade 10.
Students have the option to graduate with the US High
School Diploma with a choice of 3 different pathways – the
full IB Diploma, or AP International Diploma or a blended
program.
Specialist curriculums from 18 months
Embedded into the curriculum, Stamford American offers a
wide range of specialist programs; SMART Steps & Perceptual
Motor physical education Program, world-renowned
Suzuki Violin and Cello Program from age 3, and an
academic field studies program from Grade 3 to 12 taking
learning beyond the classroom.
The World Language Program offers the choice of daily
Mandarin, Spanish or English, plus their bi-lingual program in
Mandarin/English from age 3 to 10 years.
Providing children with World Class Facilities for
enriched learning
Centrally located to major expatriate areas and 10 minutes
from Orchard Road, Stamford American has two stunning
bespoke campuses with over 65 nationalities represented in
their student community.
combines advanced cutting-edge technology and immersive
hands-on experience to encourage problem solvers of
tomorrow. EdTech coaches integrate design thinking into
the curriculum and across the campus. Additionally, there
are 3 swimming pools, 2 air conditioned indoor sports
arenas, roof top tennis courts, dance studio, rock climbing
walls, full-size sports field, Golf Academy and 500-seat
Professional Theater with a 60sqm LED screen, to support a
thriving arts and sporting culture.
Early Learning Village
Officially opened to students on August 15th, the new
inspirational Early Learning Village is just 2.6km from
Woodleigh and is a first-of-its kind for young learners age 18
months to 6 years. Catering to all nationalities including
Singaporeans, the Village features 6 large outdoor
playgrounds with plenty of space for children to play, explore
and learn. A 20-meter swimming pool with in water resting
benches and varying depths helps new swimmers, plus light,
and airy classrooms with adjoined age-level discovery
spaces extend student learning. Plus there's an air
conditioned multi-purpose gymnasium for PE, sports,
performances and enrichment.
Mother Tongue Language Support
Testament to Stamford's diverse cultural community, is their
thriving Mother Tongue Outreach. The Swedish and Finnish
Supplementary schools offer weekly lessons on the
Woodleigh campus, as well as 9 other languages presently
and growing.
Woodleigh Campus
Located off Upper Serangoon Road, the main campus has
expansive teaching and learning environments for students
aged 6 to 18 years. A dedicated 2 storey Innovation Center
21/2/2016 – 20/2/2020

GIVE YOUR CHILD UNPARALLELED
OPPORTUNITY:
You want your child to be equipped with the tools they need
to choose their learning pathway after school, and excel in
their selected career after that. So do we.
Providing leading education at Stamford American, we believe
there’s no better way to achieve this than to offer your child
unparalleled choice and academic rigour combining American
Education Reaches Out (AERO) standards with the International
Baccalaureate (IB) Curriculum and the College Board’s Advanced
Placement (AP) courses.
We’re the only international school in Singapore to offer the best
of both worlds as a pathway for children 18 months to 18 years.
International
Baccalaureate
US
AERO
Standards
AP Courses
College Board
ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS NOW
Stamford American offers an outstanding education for students from 18
months to 18 years. International Baccalaureate (IB) Programme enhanced
by rigorous American standards with a holistic heart – to equip your child
with academic and social skills to take into the real world.
sais.edu.sg/curriculum
+65 6653 7907
admissions@sais.edu.sg
21/2/2016 – 20/2/2020
Stamford American International School CPE Registration Number: 200823594D Period of Registration: August 10, 2014 to August 9, 2018

How to
finance your child’s education
Young families have lots of expenses.
Adding an expensive pre-school or
kindergarten to that burden is not
easy. The first step in financing a preschool
or kindergarten is to select
one, that you can afford!
Some parents start saving for private school
before their children are even born – and that’s
obviously a good idea but the majority of parents
don’t think about school fees until their child is at
least two-years-old. If you have sufficient funds, it
is a good idea to pay the enrolment fee well in
advance and make sure your child can start at
the school. This reduces the amount you need
to find in future school years and often you will
get a reduction in fees for paying a lump sum at
the outset.
If you own real estate property, arranging for
an equity drawdown scheme is an option. With
your asset as a collateral, this can allow you to
borrow a preset amount and then draw from
it as needed. For example, you could set up a
maximum loan 100,000 kroner against the value
of your house and then draw 20,000 kroner per
year for the next five years to help pay the school
bills when they arrive.
The loan can be taken over 10 or 15 years
and eases the burden by allowing the cost of
secondary education to be paid over a longer
term. But remember that you will still be paying
back the loan long after your child has left the
school.
Parents who need to borrow money for
school fees – or who plan to pay the fees from
future income – should ensure that they have life
insurance and some type of health plan which will
cover the payments if one parent dies or is unable
to work. It can cause real strain on a family if
parents realize halfway through their child’s school
years that they simply can’t afford to pay the fees
any longer. It’s a good idea to work out a detailed
budget forecast and this should always include a
margin of error of at least 25%. That way, if other
costs rise more than expected, you won’t find
yourself struggling.
Make sure you take into account any
additional costs which you’ll have to meet. These
include bus fares if you don’t take the child to
school yourself. Many schools have their own
buses and costs can be quite high if only a few
children live on your route.
You will often be expected to buy more
books and equipment than you thought. If your
child needs to stay a few hours after classes, afterschool
clubs can also be expensive. Educational
trips and overseas school trips will also add to
your annual costs.
Sometimes, grandparents help fund a child’s
education since they do no longer have a lot of
the expenses that young families have. If that is the
case, make sure that provision has been made in
case anything happens to the grandparents that
may prevent them from helping out in the future.
If possible, ask the grandparents to put the
money into a trust fund of some type at the
beginning of your child’s education. Alternatively,
tactfully try to suggest that school fees could be
provided for in your parents or parents-in-law’s
will.
20 ScandAsia.Singapore • October 2017

Danish start-up finalist in Singapore’s
Global FinTech competition
Business
The Monetary Authority of Singapore
(MAS) on 15 September announced a
Danish start-up, ERNIT, among the finalists
for the 2017 Global FinTech Hackcelerator and
FinTech Awards. These are among the highlights
of this year’s Singapore FinTech Festival, which will
take place in Singapore from 13 to 17 November
2017.
In May 2017, MAS published a catalogue
of 100 problem statements gathered from the
financial industry and invited the global FinTech
community to develop new and innovative
solutions to any of the problems for the Global
FinTech Hackcelerator. The problem statements
fall under 4 categories: Customer-Facing, Financial
Inclusion, RegTech, and General.
MAS received 580 submissions from over
40 countries. From the submissions, 20 teams
were shortlisted by a panel of industry judges.
The entries were evaluated on (i) Relevance,
(ii) Competitive Advantage, (iii) Revenue, (iv)
Scalability, (v) Business Stage, and (vi) Team
Experience.
The Global FinTech Hackcelerator provides a
platform for the finalists to work with corporate
champions and industry mentors to convert their
proposals into market-ready solutions by the time
of the FinTech Festival.
The teams will undergo a 12-week
programme, led by KPMG Digital Village, during
which they will work and meet with corporates,
investors, partners and regulators. The teams will
present a working prototype of their solutions at
Demo Day, which will be held on 16 November
Saxo Bank held presentation on future in Asia
Chief Executive Officer and Member
of Management Board at Saxo Bank
A/S, Kim Fournais, was the keynote
speaker and spoke of SaxoBank’s visions for
future involvement in Asia during a meeting at
AsiaHouse in Copenhagen, reported the Embassy
Of Denmark Bangkok on 1 August 2017.
Six Danish ambassadors to Asia - including
ambassador Uffe Wolffhechel - participated in the
meeting to offer perspectives on opportunities
for financial services and business in Asia.
2017 (Day 4 of the FinTech Festival). This will
be followed by a Q&A session with the judges.
The Demo Day judging panel, which represents
a cross-section of the financial industry, will
evaluate teams on their relevance to address the
problem statement, company’s business potential,
innovativeness of idea, and team profile and ability
to execute.
Finalists in the Customer-Facing category:
ERNIT (Denmark), Moxtra (India), PayKey (Israel),
Smartfolios (Singapore), SnapCheck, Inc. (USA)
Ernit empower children with essential lifelong
skills by using technology to spark a global
conversation creating financial tools so that kids
can connect with each other and reach their goals.
ERNIT was earlier in 2017 also selected
as a National Finalist for the Nordic Startup
Awards 2017 in the Best IoT startup category.
The Nordic Startup Awards is part of the Global
Startup Awards, who recognizes and celebrates
start-up ecosystems all around the world. They
bring together amazing ideas and the best talents
from the winners of the four regions to praise
entrepreneurial spirit.
The Singapore FinTech Festival is a platform
for key stakeholders of the global and regional
FinTech community to connect, learn from
one another and co-create new solutions to
real problems. The inaugural Festival in 2016
attracted more than 13,000 participants from
across 60 countries. The Festival is organised by
the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS),
in partnership with the Association of Banks in
Singapore (ABS), and in collaboration with SingEx.
Finnish Upgraded
Health Singapore
seminar
On 20 September Finland hosted the
Upgraded Health seminar in Singapore.
Finding solutions to create a better and
healthy future for all by building bridges between
Helsinki and Singapore was the purpose of this
seminar, highlighted Ambassador Paula Parviainen,
while welcoming a set of world class experts and
influencers in the Health industry, writes Embassy
of Finland in Singapore.
The City of Helsinki is in the process of
building an ecosystem for health solutions, and
health tech is one of the key strategic focus areas
for the city, mayor Jan Vapaavuori highlighted. The
commercialization of research ideas, business
opportunities, promotion of job creation and
exports are at the forefront of Helsinki’s program
for healthtech. The availability of data from patients
and national registers is a key advantage, and it
opens vast opportunities in business and research.
“Helsinki wants to be the most advanced city for
everyday life”, so keeping up the quality of life for
everyone is a priority.
But not only Helsinki: Finland as large is a land
of opportunity for the Health sector, as said Jari
Gustafsson, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry
of Employment and the Economy. The share of
health in our GDP is increasing, and we have
internationally renowned research in our country.
For the future, harvesting the opportunities of
digitalization is a must, as well as increasing public
private collaboration.
Source: Embassy of Finland in Singaporee
Source: Embassy Of Denmark Bangkok
October 2017 • ScandAsia.Singapore 21

Business
Photo: Retouched Photography
Denmark and Singapore met
in Climate Change Dialogue
By Eva Eriksen
Mr. Khoo Teng Chye is very interested in further
collaboration between Denmark and Singapore to
obtain a deeper understanding of environmental
sustainability and livability.
22 ScandAsia.Singapore • October 2017
The Royal Danish Embassy in
Singapore hosted a Climate Change
Dialogue on Monday 11 September
2017, putting the environment on
the agenda. Representatives of
both public and private sector agencies from
Denmark and Singapore gathered in Singapore
Sustainability Academy to share and discuss ideas
and experiences on what concrete actions to
take, concerning the environment.
Two speakers from Singapore and two
speakers from Denmark each gave their
presentation on what experiences and concrete
initiatives they find effective and important
to consider when it comes to environmental
sustainability.
From Singapore Mr. Khoo Teng Chye,
Executive Director at the Centre for Livable
Cities, which is part of the Ministry of National
Development, talked about key factors in making
a city livable whilst sustainable in times where
population growth is tremendous. Esther An
pointed out the private sector’s responsibility in
building eco-friendly estates and the importance
of engaging the buyers in the matter as well,
something she has promoted for over 20 years,
being the Chief Sustainability Officer at City
Development Limited (CDL) in Singapore.
From Denmark Mr. Morten Kabell, Mayor
of Copenhagen’s Technical and Environmental
Affairs, spoke about the city of Copenhagen’s
infrastructural planning and urban development
into a more environmental sustainable city, making
it more attractive for bicycles rather than cars
and engaging the citizens in the planning, as well.
Andreas Maaløe Jespersen, associate researcher
in behavioural science and consumer policy at
iNudgeyou, presented findings and theories on
how to get citizens to go green by gently guiding
them towards sustainable solutions, using the
theory of nudging.
Climate change is the black elephant
Before the four presentations, Ambassador
Dorte Bech Vizard, gave an introduction speech
based on a construction of three animals
to emphasize what climate change really is.
According to her, we are dealing with a black
elephant. An animal composed of the black
swan that appears as a surprise, brings major
effect, but looking in retrospective has a rather
rational explanation behind, and the elephant
in the room, which no one dares to talk about.
This dialogue is important to participate in, so
the black elephant does not turn into the boiling
frog that sits and waits, not perceiving the danger
and henceforth slowly cooks to death. “The frog
needs to be alert of the danger, so we can stir
that frog into action and make it jump out,” the
ambassador said.

Photo: Retouched Photography
Photo: Retouched Photography
After the individual presentations, the
dialogue began and the black elephant was indeed
the topic of honour. Up front, Andreas Maaløe
Jespersen made the first point that “we all need
to reduce more carbon emission,” and be willing
to reduce it, which is what makes it difficult.
“Everyone wants to be climate conscious as long
as they don’t have to change,” he said.
Where the leading behaviour should come
from to promote this transformation was a big
topic in the overall dialogue.
Morten Kabell recalled on Andreas Maaløe’s
presentation on nudging, promoting this to be
utilized more sufficiently in many cases. For
example, he mentioned how Copenhagen
reduced the amount of cigarette butts on the
street by 90 per cent, creating an area with
pink tape, saying ‘please smoke here’ with clear
trashcans within the area. This way, smokers are
not told it is not okay to smoke but rather asked
to do it in particular places - nudging rather than
schooling. This saves the city 40 SG cents for
every cigarette butt that goes into the trashcan
instead of landing on the street.
Esther An also proclaimed the importance
of including the citizens in the process when it
comes to regulations in favour of environmental
sustainability. “There is no point in just giving them
the rules. They need a human touch, someone
who will teach them how to and why. Citizens will
be more willing to follow the regulations, when
they see the bigger picture,” she said.
The easy solution rather than the
economic
The mayor argued that it, rather than for
economic reasons. often is the most convenient
solution that makes it the preferred solution. In
Copenhagen, citizens choose to ride their bicycles
to work rather than take their cars because the
infrastructure has severely improved for bicyclists,
making it more convenient and faster to go from
A to B on a bicycle than by car.
Maaløe agreed and elaborated that people
often choose based on what is the default thing
to do. For instance an experiment showed how
most people (87 per cent) at a conference would
eat vegetarian if the invitation said ‘a vegetarian
meal will be served – please state if you’d like
the non-vegetarian meal instead’. In the opposite
case where the invitation said ‘a non-vegetarian
meal will be served – please state if you’d like
the vegetarian meal instead,’ only 2 per cent ate
vegetarian.
Mr. Khoo acclaimed that nudging was
something that Singapore should make more
use of when it comes to engaging the citizens in
promoting green solutions.
Photo: Retouched Photography
How to nudge policy makers
Nudging citizens raised another question from
the audience on what the best way to nudge
policy makers into making more sustainable
policies is. Being a mayor, Morten Kabell was asked
to respond: “Show it, don’t tell!” was his answer.
“Show what the difference is, what the benefit of
the green transformation will be.”
For instance changing the street lightning
to environmental friendly lamps was a huge
investment for the city of Copenhagen. However,
it would save the city millions of dollars on the
long run; money that can be spent elsewhere. This
is something that will make a politician popular
among the voters, and so this is a plan to go on
board with, the mayor concluded.
However, Andreas Maaløe did not entirely
agree with the mayor. “Big policy makers need
big changes to go on board with a plan. When it
comes to going green, it usually takes many small
changes to change the big problem,” Maaløe
proclaimed, “And many small solutions are difficult
to sell to a politician.”
Khoo Teng Chye specified that it is important
to remember that policy makers are human
beings too, and so the easiest way to make
them choose green sustainable solution is to
make them see it with their own eyes – or try
it. The executive director mentioned bicycling in
Singapore as an example. Five years ago, no one
would consider bicycling in Singapore, claiming it
is too hot, he said. By taking the ministers bicycling
around the city they will experience that it is
actually quite nice. “However, we give priority to
cars over bicycles and we need to nudge the
ministers so that will change,” he said, stating that
this is an area where Singapore should look to
Denmark to improve the conditions for bicycle
riders.
Esther An acclaimed that she already thought
the government is doing a lot to promote a
green transformation, mentioning higher taxes
on non-green products. She also pointed out
how the Singaporean government encouraged
the private sector to become environmentally
sustainable by stating that they would only
hold governable events in venues that are ecofriendly.
Due to that and now with the Paris
Agreement a lot of businesses do not really
view going green as an option anymore, the chief
executive director said.
October 2017 • ScandAsia.Singapore 23

Business
Digitalizing Maritime
between Singapore and
By Eva Eriksen / Photos: Terrix Lim
Finland 100 and the city of Helsinki
jointly put focus on digitalization in
the maritime business on Wednesday
20 September, hosting an all-day
event for stakeholders in the field. The
aim of the event was to create new strategic
partnerships between Finland and Singapore to
take advantage of the new digital opportunities
in the industry.
24 ScandAsia.Singapore • October 2017
The event was split into two sessions,
where the first consisted of three individual
presentations, giving insights into how datadriven
maritime business is designed, followed
by small group conversations, all focusing on
different cases within the theme. The second
session focused on how future shipping is cocreated
between different actors, following
discussions in groups. Overall, the event gave
the participants a chance to talk about the issues
and future their business is facing on a very
concrete level.
Designing data-driven maritime
business
In the first session, Steve Fletcher, AXSMarine,
got into the topic of common datasets and
tools, when it comes to driving efficiency and
commercial chartering standards. He reasoned
the efficiency of having all in one solutions that
gives you automatic updates on vessels and
cargoes directly via your e-mail.
A question from Maria Hartikainen, senior
business advisor, Helsinki Business Hub, was:
“When it comes to the maritime business – do
you think it is digitalize or die?” Fletcher argued
yes, saying that after the financial crisis the shipping
industry was at a definite low point in 2008 but
that it experienced growth the following five
years, claiming that it was due to the beginning of
making more tasks efficient by using digitalization.
“However, this does not mean getting rid of
people, it just means making it all more efficient,”
Fletcher said.
In the same session, Markus Laurinen from
the company Rolls-Royce talked about the idea
of a ‘one sea ecosystem’ and the autonomous
commercial traffic in 2025. Capt. Mohit Batra,
regional manager, Eniram Singapore Pte Ltd,
also presented next-generation performance
monitoring; going from reactive to proactive data
analytics.
Group discussion on security and
communications
Four different cases were being discussed in
smaller groups. One of which were about security
and communications. The discussion ranged
from both physical security to cyber security.
With digitalization, the crews on the vessels
get smaller and are therefore arguably more
vulnerable for pirate attacks, which increases

Business discussion
Finland
need for physical security. On top of the Maersk
hacking this summer, the topic of cyber security
also got very real. However, many participants
found that not a lot of people in the industry
are actually aware of the dangers that come with
outdated computer systems which are quite
open for hackers to access. The need for diode
transactions, where data only goes one way is
important, the participants agreed.
Another issue that was voiced is the
provision of data on board, which secures long
distance communications. That was something
David Clutterbuck works with in the company
KNL Networks, where they deliver data through
old radios that operates on high-frequency
band, enabling long-distance communication and
global coverage. Overall, the group agreed that
vessels are behind when it comes to security. In
terms of physical security, they thought Singapore
might be a bit advanced, whereas Finland is more
advanced when it comes to cyber security.
Co-creating future shipping
After the break, Chin Guan from Kalmar Global/
Cartotec talked about the use of robots and
artificial intelligence in container terminals. The
technology is not new, but used in new ways to
increase safety and make the job more efficient,
Chin Guan explained. On the deck of a harbour,
magnets shuffle the carriers that are equipped
with magnet rulers. Radars, spreader sensors,
encoder for angle and rotation, and an obstacle
detector in front are also features on the
carriers, making transporting and positioning of
containers exact. Everything transmits through
wireless communications to a simple remote
control desk far away from the actual work.
Marko Rapeli from the Digitalist group
finished of the presentations, talking about cocreation
within maritime. “Technology is ‘just’ a
vehicle,” he said, “Creating technological solutions
for the sake of technology is meaningless.” It
should only be incorporated into a business if it
makes sense, if it will increase growth, efficiency,
and there is a need for it.
“We need to involve people. Co-creation is
actually eco-system thinking.” Rapeli pointed out
that when it comes to digitalizing an area of a
business, you need to start with the community
in the centrr – what is it that we all want, why do
we want it, what should the outcome bring of
improvement – that should be answered before
starting the process of digitalizing.
Group discussion on digitalizing
business
In the last session of cases, the topic of ‘digitalizing
business’ was one of which, in terms of digitalizing
in maritime, the participants agreed that ship
loading is further ahead in Singapore, than in
Finland and Europe, where the majority of tasks
are still done manually. Nevertheless, digitalization
is not always just the solution for everything. An
example was made, where a Finnish company,
Fonecta, created an app that was like a digital
phone book, so people did not have to call the
call centre, which they wanted to avoid. The app
was tremendously popular in Finland, but it was
not producing enough money, making it bad
for the company. With digital innovations, you
should have both consumers and the company
in mind otherwise it makes no sense. It was also
emphasized that it might not be all areas within
a company that should be digitalized, so it is
important to be sceptical in that sense – “Don’t
just to do it, it has to make and improvement of
some kind” Tom Hogg, regional director, Digitalist
Group, said.
October 2017 • ScandAsia.Singapore 25

Business
Digital Innovation and Regional HQ: Opportunities in Finland
By Eva Eriksen
Finland is the only Scandinavian country that is
part of the Euro-zone. Its capital is logistically
well connected to Asia, and it is cost-efficient
compared to the other Nordic countries.
The Helsinki Business Hub hosted a
digital innovation and regional headquarters
presentation of the opportunities Singaporean
businesses have in Finland and Helsinki as their
way in to the European market. Six speakers each
gave a short presentation and a follow-up Q&A
session completed the event held at the Finnish
Embassy in Singapore.
The Finnish Ambassador to Singapore, Paula
Parviainen gave a short welcoming speech,
pointing out the importance of this year to Finland,
being the 100-year anniversary of independence.
“It is time for Finland to do things a little bit
bigger,” the ambassador said; “Bigger as they do
it in Singapore. We have a lot in common so we
should develop building the bridge between our
Minister Anne Berner
26 ScandAsia.Singapore • October 2017
two countries.”
The speakers of the evening counted five
Finnish and one Singaporean. Minister Anne
Berner, Ministry of Transport and Communication
talked from the government’s point of view on
how to enhance Finland as the connection point
into Europe. Marja-Liisa Niinkoski, CEO, Helsinki
Business Hub, then presented facts regarding
the topic. Jari Gustafsson, Ministry of Economic
affairs and Employment emphasized these
points in his presentation. Tuomo Haukkovaara,
Vice President, IBM Nordic focused on Helsinki
from the business perspective. Then Elgi Eg
Cheaong Pin, General Manager, Obike Asia pte,
explained from a Singaporean point of view
the main reasons why they view Helsinki as a
great market for expanding their business. Finally,
Peter Vesterbacka, entrepreneur, Mighty Eagle/
Co-founder of Angry Birds, talked about work
ethic and the importance of collaboration.
Ambassador Paula Parviainen. Photo: SF100 SG
Why Finland?
That was the big question of the evening’s
presentations. Marja-Liisa Niinkoski pointed out
that with Finnair’s 18 direct destinations and
92 weekly departures to Asia; Helsinki has the
greatest and fastest logistic connection to the
Asian Region compared to the other Nordic
capital regions. Helsinki is also cost efficient due to
lower labour costs and a lower tax rate. However,
you get the same quality as in Copenhagen and
Stockholm, Niinkoski said, making the Helsinki
region competitively well suited for business
expansion. Additionally, Finland is the only Nordic
country that is part of the Euro-zone, whereas
the other Scandinavian countries kept their
individual currency.
Other reasons mentioned during the
presentations were the talent that Finland
produce, due to their excellent education system,
the size of population, which is very similar to
Singapore, and the size of Helsinki, being a big
city but not too big, so it is easy to access, adapt
to and get familiar with. Thriving to be innovative
and positive towards the digitalization was also
pointed out as why Finland should be the obvious
choice. Several exemplified SLUSH, the world’s
leading startup event, founded by speaker Peter
Vaskerbacka: “Everybody in Finland can walk on
ice. Everybody knows that,” the entrepreneur
said. Especially coming towards the wintertime,
it gets easy. Nevertheless, he also said, “When
you want the biggest and you want the best,
we have to work together,” which sums up all
closing words of the presentations: Welcome
to Finland!

Singapore to host Formula 1 for another four years
News Brief
As the four Nordic drivers on the Formual
One circuit in 2017 are battling it out
in Singapore, namely Kevin Magnussen
(Den), Kimi Räikkönen (Fin), Marcus Ericsson
(Swe), and Valtteri Bottas (Fin), Singapore
announced just at the start race weekend that
the city state will continue hosting the race for
another four years.
Singapore GP Pte Ltd and Singapore Tourism
Board announced the continuation as host for
the FIA Formula 1 World Championship for four
more years from 2018 to 2021.
The announcement comes against the
background of a year-to-date 19% increase in
ticket sales, with the weekend sales still to be
included, reported the organiser. In its first decade,
the race has yielded significant economic benefits,
attracting over 450,000 international visitors to
Singapore and about S$1.4 billion in tourism
receipts (Inclusive of projected international
visitor arrivals and tourism receipts for 2017).
With more than 90% of the race organisation
sub-contracted annually to Singapore-based
companies, the race also contributes to the local
economy, over and above the tourism outcomes.
This event has also showcased Singapore as a
beautiful, vibrant and attractive destination to
over 780 million international broadcast viewers.
Over the years, the Singapore F1 race has
distinguished itself as one that is not just about the
sport, but one complemented by a strong line-up
of concerts, entertainment and lifestyle offerings
both within the circuit park and throughout the city.
“The race in Singapore has provided an
excellent platform for businesses to test bed
new lifestyle initiatives and products. This has not
only created an exciting atmosphere during the
race season, but also injected creative concepts
and experiences that continue to attract tourists
to Singapore all year round,” says Mr Lionel Yeo,
Chief Executive, Singapore Tourism Board.
Singapore GP’s Mr Ong Beng Seng says:
“Since 2008 we have enjoyed a close working
relationship with Formula 1 and all of its key
players. We believe this has been a beneficial
partnership for all parties, for our city and for the
sport, and we look forward to building on that
foundation with F1’s new owners.”
“With its global viewership and media
coverage, the race has reinforced Singapore’s
image as a vibrant and innovative city to a wide
international audience. It has also created good
opportunities for Singaporeans and the local
business community. We look forward to the
continued support of all Singaporeans as we work
with Formula 1, Singapore GP, and all stakeholders,
to ensure the F1 Singapore Grand Prix remains an
event that we can all be proud of,” says Minister
for Trade and Industry (Industry) S Iswaran said.
Formula 1 Chairman and CEO Chase Carey
says: “The Singapore Grand Prix is a signature
Formula 1 race and therefore we are very pleased
that it will continue to feature on the calendar for
a further four years. The first ever night race in
this sport is one of the most thrilling events of the
year, taking place against the stunning backdrop
of Marina Bay. The Singapore Grand Prix, the
Singapore Tourism Board and the Singapore
Government have all done an excellent job of
making this an event that involves the whole city.
We are looking forward to offering our continued
support to make the next four years even more
spectacular and exciting.”
Formula 1 racing began in 1950 and
is the world’s most prestigious motor racing
competition, as well as the world’s most popular
annual sporting series.
October 2017 • ScandAsia.Singapore 27

Planning your future for you and
your loved ones. Together.
At Private Banking within SEB, we acknowledge that everyone has a unique set of
challenges. We concentrate on developing meaningful, long-lasting financial
relationships and make the effort to really understand you and your requirements.
Your own private banker, client assistant and experts are dedicated to help you achieve
your goals. Together we take a holistic approach, aiming at a well-planned future for you
and your loved ones.
To find out what we can do for your personal wealth,
contact us in Singapore on +65 63 57 08 95
or via singapore@sebprivatebanking.com.sg
sebgroup.lu/privatebanking