ScandAsia Singapore - July 2016

JUL 2016
The Ivar Aasen-project
in Singapore completed
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News Brief
PR consultant and Thailand blogger
Jan Källman passes away
JUL 2016
The Swedish journalist Jan Källman has
passed away during a trip to Hanoi, where
he suffered a stroke that eventually took
his life after almost a fortnight in hospital in the
Vietnamese capital.
He was based in Bangkok since 2008 as
Asia correspondent for Cafe a Swedish lifestyle
magazine. Jan contributed to a range of other
Swedish media from Bangkok as well but he
probably became most known among Swedish
readers in and outside Thailand through his blog
“Bara i Bankan”. In this blog he reflected in his own
style over life, people, politics and small and big
events in Bangkok and Thailand, rarely politically
correct. Sometimes he brought up what he felt
was his own shortcomings and doubts.
Jan had a long career in media and public
relations in and from Sweden before the move
to Bangkok, a city he came to love long before
making it his new home. Football was a special
interest. For a period in his life he worked as
a sports writer for Sweden’s largest morning
paper DN. From Bangkok he wrote among
else a long feature about Sven-Goran Eriksson’s
struggle as Manchester City coach during Thaksin
Shinawatra’s ownership of the club.
Jan’s photographer of choice was Dennis
Thern. They worked together during many
assignments over the years. Here follows a short
piece by Dennis about Jan:
“I met Jan back in 2002 when we did a job
together for a travel magazine. Already then I felt
his strong detailed descriptions of the surroundings
and his meticulous research, which I really enjoyed
through out the years when we worked together.
He really cared for the people we met and
interviewed, which was a really nice touch.
On weekends we were hanging out from
time to time. Mostly for dinner at a few selected
restaurants that always delivered but also to watch
English Premier League football which we both
considered to be the most fun league to follow.
We talked on the phone for almost 30
minutes the day before he ended up in the
hospital. He sounded fine and we talked about
possible assignments, documentary films and other
ideas we discussed from time to time. It was a huge
chock to hear about this less than 48 hours later.
Me and other friends have fond memories of
Jan. He will for sure be missed for many reasons!”
Jan Källman became 61 years old. He is
survived by his mother and two daughters.
He will be put to rest in Sweden in a private
ceremony later this summer.
Christer Nilsson/Dennis Thern
As a final tribute we provide a link to Café’s long
obituary over Jan, http://www.cafe.se/jan.kallman/
The Ivar Aasen-project
in Singapore completed
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Swedish National Day celebration
On 6 June around 200 guests from the
Swedish community in Singapore
gathered at the Swiss Club to celebrate
the Swedish National Day, reports the Embassy
of Sweden in Singapore.
Ambassador Håkan Jevrell presented
welcome remarks and the Swedish Priest
Angelica Lundberg also gave a short speech.
Following that the winners of the traditional
lucky draw were identified and a few traditional
songs welcoming the Swedish summer were
sung jointly before the guests got to indulge in a
delicious Swedish summer buffet.
The National Day celebration was in
collaboration between the Embassy of
Sweden, SBAS (Swedish Business Association
of Singapore), Swedish Women’s Educational
Association (SWEA), the Church of Sweden
in Singapore and the Swedish Supplementary
Educational School. The National day committee
extends a big thank you to all the sponsors who
made this event possible.
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News Brief
The Whole Grain Partnership to boost Singapore’s public health
Singapore, being the second country in the
world with most incidents of diabetes, its
Health Promotion Board aims to boost
public health. After studying Denmark’s health
cooperation, they have found a “whole” new way
to do it.
The answer is the Fuldkornspartnerskabet. It’s
directly translated to The Whole Grain Partnership,
and constitutes a partnership between Danish
Veterinary and Food Administration, food
companies and health NGO’s, all striving to
increase the whole grain intake among Danes.
The last few years Fuldkornspartnerskabet has
been very rewarding, and now Singapore will
learn from the Danish health cooperation.
“As a part of planning the health-care policy,
we are very interested to learn more from
Danmark’s successful Fuldkornspartnerskab, and
how this initiative has resulted in an increasing
intake of whole grains in Denmark, and how
it is cooperating with the food industry,” says
Zee Yoong Kang, Chief Executive Officer from
Singapores Health Promotion Board.
In Singapore it is common to eat refined
carbs such as white rice, noodles and white bread.
To fight the diabetes, Singaporeans needs to
replace refined carbs with whole grain products,
which also are important to maintain an overall
healthy lifestyle.
In the last 8 years Fuldkornspartnerskapet has
made an effort to improve the public health in
Denmark and make them eat more whole grains.
Today, the average Dane eats 63 gram whole
grain every day. Before the initiative was set up
a Dane only ate 36 gram whole grain every day
– yes, even if Scandinavians are famous for their
rye bread! In Denmark, the official diet advice
prescribes 75 gram whole grain a day. To reach
this goal, the Danish Food Industry introduces
and labels all food products with a characteristic
orange logo, meaning the certain food product is
qualified as a healthy whole grain product. Since
2009, 683 products have been labelled with this
logo and introduced to the Danish consumers.
According to Fuldkorspartnerskabet, 66 percent
of all Danes know the orange logo.
“Denmark is not only a pioneer when it
comes to diabetes medicine, but also when it
regards lifestyle and diet,” says Rikke Iben Nees,
campaign leader of Fuldkornspartnerskabet.
In Singapore, the Health Promotion Board
is the government’s main board on maintaining
public health and to prevent illnesses.
Representatives from Singapore also visited
Denmark on 15 and 16 June to learn more from
Fuldkornspartnerskabet.
Source: www.fuldkornspartnerskabet.dk
Danish traditions to help Singapore
become world’s first Smart Nation
All over the world cities are focusing on
becoming ‘Smart Cities’. As for sustainability
and human beings Denmark is one of the
world-leading countries, and Singapore shows
a great interest in the Danish “overall way of
thinking” and public involvement. The Danish
foundation Industriens Fond will now test a whole
new export model, called Smart City World Labs.
The Embassy of Denmark saw potential to
stake on a Smart City-collaboration between
Singapore and Denmark more than a year ago,
and since then they have established a strong
relation between Singaporean authorities and
Danish interests within this field. A consortium
consisting of the Danish Embassy in Singapore,
Gate 21, DTU, and consulent company Quercus
Group will in collaboration with Industriens Fond
transform the Singaporean interest for the Danish
way of thinking-model into export orders.
“The approach is to establish a living city lab,
a “Living Lab”, in collaboration between Denmark
and Singapore, where solutions and products
will be demonstrated in practice by Danish and
Singaporean companies. Singaporeans will be
involved and take action to adjust Danish solutions
into a Singaporean context, and afterwards
be able to export their new solutions to both
4 ScandAsia.Singapore • July 2016
Singapore and the rest of Asia,” says Mads Lebech,
administrative director of Industriens Fond.
The Smart City World Labs already consists
of 40 Danish companies, organisations, universities,
and municipalties. One of them is Gate 21, a
partnership between municipalties and knowledge
institutions, which are going to bridge the gap
between Danish companies and Singapore.
“We will continue to build up the idea of a
living city laboratory. The Living Lab-model has
turned out to very sustainable in DOLL (Danish
Outdoor Lighting Lab), which after six months
after its opening has attracted delegations from
all over the world. A coordinated teamwork builp
upon tests and demonstrations one to one, will
give Danish companies the opportunity to get
into Singapore,” says Poul Erik Lauridsen, director,
Gate 21. DOLL has in short time become world
leading within intelligent lighting.
The Living Lab approach is build upon the
fact that Singapore, just like Denmark, stakes to
become world leading within Living Lab.
“Singapore is the third most densely populated
country in the world. It’s the combination of this
fact together with the strongly increasing amount
of the elderly and one million cars on the street
in a country, which is no bigger than the Danish
island Bornholm, that makes Singaporeans focus to
adjust the future with new and “smart” solutions
within mobility and city planning. Here Denmark
owns unique skill sets, which Singapore now has
discovered. The Living Lab-platform is the first
concrete result of the dialogue, which practically
will open up the possibilities to the over all
surrounding region,” says Danish Ambassador in
Singapore, Berit Basse.
With the new Smart Nation strategy
Singapore also has ambitions to use more public
involvement and working more cross-sectorial.
“In Singapore “liveability” is ranked just as high
on the agenda as in Copenhagen, and the Danish
design approach and the old tradition of public
involvement and innovative public-private solutionas
are gaining high acknowledgement in Singapore. This
is a huge chance for Danish companies. The Living
Lab collaboration will make Danes understand
the Singaporean needs, frames, projects, and the
overall context. On one hand, it will strengthen
Danish innovation and the global view, and on the
other hand it will make the way for Danish export
orders,” says Bettina Yanling Tan Fjældhøj, partner in
consulent company Quercus Group.
The project Smart City World Labs will be
conducted as a 2-year pilote project in Singapore,
which afterwards are expected to scale to other
cities.
Source: www.um.dk

July 2016 • ScandAsia.Singapore 5

News Brief
Scandinavian Women’s Association and Fika
Café create charity awareness
On their first event together, SWA and Fika
Café attracted more than 40 attendees
interested in hearing about local charity
in Singapore. And who better to explain this
subject than founder of Breadline Group, Richard
Lim, himself? He was rewarded with a donation
of SGD 24.600 to Breadline Group from Danish
Business Association Singapore, money which
came from the charity auction at the Great DABS
Ball in April 2016, and money, which will go in full
to help unprivileged families in Singapore. Guests
were rewarded, too, with inspiration in how to
make a difference in their surrounding society, and
thereby Fika Café and SWA reached their overall
goal for this event: to create charity awareness.
In the homely and cozy interior to Fika, more
than a half hundred people were welcomed by
SWA’s President, Maria Therese Hedenborg, and
Fika Café-owner, Tasneem Noor. Before the first
official cheque handover from Danish Business
Association (DABS), guests were mingling and
treated with delicious Scandinavian canapés and
coffee, and all had one thing in common: curiosity
about how to give back to the community.
Richard Lim, owner of charity organization,
Breadline Group, was key speaker at the event.
Breadline Group takes care of underprivileged
families, and the organization have no employees,
but instead over 100 volunteers to run the
company. Richard Lim stepped onto the stage
without a microphone. He didn’t need one,
because people were eager to hear every word
he had to say, and every word he said touched
every single heart in the room.
”I have been in Breadline Group for 41 years.
Today, we still don’t have an office, and I still don’t
have paid staff. Why? Because all our money goes
in full to the underprivileged families, not us. That’s
what charity is all about,” he said in his speech.
This evening, Mette Line Pedersen, DABS
Committee Member, handed over a cheque of
SGD 24.600 to Breadline Group, and Richard
thanked deeply for the great gesture, which will
help a lot of families in Singapore. The event
6 ScandAsia.Singapore • July 2016
focused on inspiration to help the local society,
and guests connected and shared ideas to how
they could contribute to Breadline Group. In
general, Breadline Group matches volunteers
with a family in need, which the volunteer visits
every month.
However, there are still many ways to help
Breadline Group taking care of families, and
tonight’s guests had loads of creative ideas. For
example, Niva Dharma, owner of a beauty salon
in Singapore, was inspired to contribute with her
professional skills for charity causes.
“Tonight I was very inspired to give to the
local community. I already have an idea on how
I can give back. I am thinking of offering beauty
services to future SWA events, where the money
raised will go to charity,” says Niva Dharma.
Another inspired guest was Sherin Gill,
director of Spick n’ Span Cleaning Services. She
came tonight to support her friend, Tasmeen
Noor, and now she will support Breadline Group,
too.
“I want to arrange cleaning services for the
families to Breadline Group. I am so glad I joined
this event tonight, because I had no idea what
it was all about. Tasmeen invited me, and I was
curious about it. It was exactly what I was looking
for, and if my help can make a change for others,
I am very, very happy,” says Sherin Gill.
Richard Lim was happy to mingle and answer
the many questions. He kindly to ScandAsia as
well, and only at one moment he was caught with
a Swedish canapé in his hand.
“This is my first bite tonight, and I have to say,
Scandinavian food is very delicious,” said Richard.
Among the guests were also Miss Earth
Singapore, Tiara Hadi, who was very impressed
of the work done by Breadline Group.
“I know myself how hard work it is to do
charity, but Richard Lim never takes focus away
from the main subject: to help the people in need.
He is very transparent about his work, and what
he does is very respectful,” says Tiara Hadi.
Mia Klüwer Nielsen, administrator to the
Danish Seamen’s Church, attended the DABS ball
in April, where she missed more information from
the charity auction about this Breadline Group.
“I remember I was fascinated about this
organization, when it was introduced at the
DABS ball, but I would love to hear more about
it. That’s why I am here tonight. Giving to others
is something I am deeply passionate about,
especially when it regards children in need. I am
very happy to know all the money raised from
the auction will go directly to families in need,”
she says.
“Tonight has been a success,” says Maria
Therese Hedenborg. “I am so glad to see many
new faces, and to see how people have been
inspired. They understand their help, even how
big or small, can do a difference.”
As Richard Lim said himself: “Once a group
of young students raised money for Breadline
Group, but they were so embarrassed about the
amount they collected, that they were wondering
if they should tell me or not. In the end, they told
me, and I was very touched to hear they had
made the effort at all, and I personally went to
their school and thanked them. I promise you, no
help is considered too little.”
All guests of tonight’s event paid SGD 25,
which all will go directly to Breadline Group.
SWA has been supporting Breadline Group
since 1995.

Malaysia debut for Fundedbyme: Muslim matchmaking service
News Brief
The Swedish crowdfunding platform, with
presence in Southeast Asia, has marked
its arrival to Malaysia with a ‘Bang!’ after
landing its first campaign ever there within just 36
hours, facilitating crowd investment into an online
Muslim matchmaking service!
Back in June 2015 FundedByMe was the
only European portal to be issued an equity
crowdfunding license by The Securities
Commission in Malaysia, allowing Scandinavia’s
leading crowdfunding platform to operate in
Malaysia.
In May 2016 the platform confirmed
commencement of operations in the region with
the first crowdfunding company from Malaysia,
Halal Speed Dating. This campaign, a matchmaking
site for Muslim users, raised 100% in less than two
days and is still accepting investments, currently
trending at 119%.
Very important early data shows that more
than 35% of the investors in the campaign reside
in other regions than Asia with more than 45%
of the total investors from outside Malaysia.
With 164 million single Muslims in the world the
company is well positioned to take a considerable
part of this market and change the traditional
way of dating.
“FundedByMe is the fastest growing
crowdfunding portal in Scandinavia and we are
leading in Europe on cross-border investments,”
says CEO and co-founder Daniel Daboczy. “We
are proud to see that this global concept with
Scandinavian roots can help great campaigns
worldwide obtain global deal flow.”
FundedByMe also opened a crowdfunding of
it’s own recently and after just seven days more
than 180 investors have already committed to
invest more than €700,000.00, wishing to own a
share of Sweden’s financial future.
FundedByMe is one of a few full-service
crowdfunding platforms offering capital through
equity and loans. In the past years, some 447
companies from 25 different countries have
been successfully funded with more than €20
million. The member base is a rapidly expanding
network of more than 66,000 investors from over
177 countries around the world. FundedByMe
headquarters are in Stockholm, Sweden, with a
local presence in countries throughout Europe,
Singapore and Malaysia.
International Private Banking in Singapore
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From our branch office in Singapore we provide the increasing number of Nordic
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July 2016 • ScandAsia.Singapore 7

The Ivar Aasen-project in
In 2013, the oil company
Det Norske Oljeselskap
ASA (Det Norske) as
operator of the Ivar
Aasen field, awarded
a contract for the
topside on the Ivar
Aasen field to SMOE in
Singapore. Now, after 3
years of construction,
the topside to the Ivar
Aasen field is now on its
way to Norway after a
sail-away from the yard
area in Singapore on
Monday 6 June 2016.
By Maria Andreasdottir
8 ScandAsia.Singapore • July 2016
Having the topside on the Norwegian
Ivar Aasen oilfield produced in
Singapore has been a success
for Det Norske, says Karl Johnny
Hersvik, CEO of Det Norske.
“The Ivar Aasen field is a very important
development on the Norwegian shelf and for Det
Norske as operator,” Karl Johnny Hersvik says.
“We are thus very pleased to complete the
platform deck within the budget and on the
agreed time,” he adds.
“The work that has been carried out in
Singapore is of very high quality, and this project
is an example of a successful global supplier
collaboration for creating value on the Norwegian
shelf,” Karl Johnny Hersvik notes.
The fact that the platform deck is now on the
way denotes that Det Norske, as the operator
of the Ivar Aasen field, is on track to reaching the
goal of start-up of production on 1 December
2016. At the most, more than 2,300 persons
representing 35 nationalities have been working
on the project in Singapore. After close to 15
million working hours, no serious incidents have
been registered. The platform deck has been built
by Sembcorp Marine Offshore Platforms (SMOE)
at its Admiralty yard, a subsidiary of Sembcorp
Marine.
“It is always satisfactory to pass new
milestones in such a large project, particularly
when we are on track to reaching our set goals.
When the platform deck arrives in Norway, a
significant amount of work remains to be done
on the field. This is something we are looking
forward to,” says Bård Atle Hovd, VP Ivar Aasen
Project.
“I feel very happy, because I have been there
from the beginning to the end. It is just like
watching a baby grow up, and just like a baby,
the project has meant a very great deal to all
of us,” says Dr. Shi Ping, Discipline Manager at C
Structural Lead.
The topside en route from Singapore
contains more than merely 13,900 tonnes of
steel. There is also advanced equipment, much of
which has been delivered by Norwegian suppliers.
The platform deck has systems for separation of
oil and water, water treatment, gas compression,
various measurements and flare boom.
The platform deck is 108 metres long and 38
metres wide, or in other words; it’s huge.
How to mark a success
Finishing a project as giant as the Ivar Aasen
topdeck deserved a proper celebration, and
Det Norske (The Norwegian Oil Company)
made sure the sail-away party were spectacular
and something very special. They marked it with
several huge official celebrations, which consisted
of a concerts, dinners, receptions and the official
sail-away ceremony at the harbour to Sembcorp
Marine. As Head of Communications and Music

Singapore completed
at Norwegian Seamen’s Church Singapore
expressed it himself:
“Det Norske is a new role model on how
to celebrate properly. The way the Det Norske
has marked this success is very “un-Norwegian”,
since it is not typical to make such a big and formal
celebration,” Øystein Tønnessen said.
Rolf Jarle Brøske, Head of Communication
to The Norske, travelled to Singapore to begin a
whole weekend of celebrations for the completed
Ivar Aasen topdeck project. Together with the
Det Norske and the Norwegian Embassy in
Singapore, they brought the famous Norwegian
Nidarosdomen’s Boys’ Choir consisting of 60 boys
to Singapore to sing at the celebrations, and also
to give a public concert to Singapore to show
their gratitude for Singapore.
“We want to give back to the community,
which has helped us succeed in this project,”
says Rolf Jarle Brøske, Senior Vice President
Communications at Det Norske Oljeselskap.
“Singapore has trained incredibly hard to
be a nation. By continuing training, they have
succeeded; their hard work paid off. We have
also worked hard on the Ivar Aasen-project, and
we are so grateful to have been working with
determined people. That’s how we succeed,” said
CEO of Det Norske Karl Johnny Hersvik during
the celebrations of the completed Ivar Aasenproject.
Det Norske also made a personal donation
of SGD 2000 to C.I.T.Y, a charity organisation in
Singapore, and furthermore, they raised SGD
20.000 during the concert, which all goes in full
to C.I.T.Y, too.
The official Sail Away party began early
morning on 21 May 2016, where guests included
Norwegian Ambassador in Singapore, H.E. Tormod
Endresen entered the harbour to Sembawang
Shipyards. The Boys’ Choir pleased the guests’
ears, and Singaporean dancers entertained the
eyes. The whole dock was decorated with white
chairs, banners with the three-coloured logo of
Det Norske, and dressed up dragons. Guests were
invited for a tour inside the huge construction.
Before noon, there was the inauguration of Det
Norske and Sempcorp Marine. The celebrations
continued, and in the evening a formal galla dinner
were held at the Ritz-Carlton hotel, where guests
and people involved in the Ivar Aasen project
could again could enjoy the magnificent tones
from the Boys’ Choir, followed by a five course
dinner of Singapore’s finest cuisine.
Mission accomplished in Singapore
The platform deck was shipped on 6 June 2016,
which means it has been delivered on budget and
on time, which entails that the field development
is on track for start-up of production on 1
December.
The finishing project means a lot of jobs have
finished, too. However, it also equals new job
possibilities. The crew who worked on the Ivar
Aasen-field will benefit from the completed task
to write on their CV, and have been promised a
letter of recommendation if they wish for it. The
Sail Away-party on 21 May was also an excellent
event for new business opportunities.
“The project was big, and even if we have
been working on it for 3 years, I see many new
faces here tonight. I believe tonight is great for
networking for future jobs in this industry, and
I would love to work with Norwegians again.
They are gentlemen, and very easy to work with,”
said Dr. Shi Ping, who worked on the Ivar Aasenproject
in Singapore.
The topsides platform will be the last piece
to the The Ivar Aasen field, which is oil company
Det norske’s first major development project
as operator. The field development has thereby
been progressing according to schedule towards
a planned start-up in the fourth quarter 2016.
The Ivar Aasen field is developed and operated
from Trondheim. Det norske aims to make use of
state-of-the-art technology, ensuring efficient
operation and low offshore staffing. An operation
centre with control room will be established in
Trondheim. The Ivar Aasen development will
require approximately 2000 full-time equivalents.
The estimated economic lifetime for Ivar Aasen
field will consist of 20 years, depending on oil
price and production trend.
Pictures are kindly provided by Det Norske.
July 2016 • ScandAsia.Singapore 9

Sweden-Malaysia Innovation Days 2015
Inaugural
Sweden-Southeast Asia
Business Summit announced
By Joakim Persson
In the spring of 2015 Sweden’s Southeast Asiabased
ambassadors jointly, and in partnership
with Business Sweden, held seminars back in
the home country in order to promote the
various markets in ”their” region as being
ripe markets for increased Swedish export and
investment.
As an additional way to strengthen the Team
Sweden efforts and as a platform for engagement,
the inaugural ‘Sweden-Southeast Asia Business
Summit’ is now officially confirmed. With the view
that Southeast Asia is the world’s new growth
Håkan Jevrell
10 ScandAsia.Singapore • July 2016
engine offering, as in the words of Sweden’s
ambassador to Singapore, ”fantastic opportunities
for Swedish companies to grow in a number
of areas”, this summit will take place on 21-22
September in Singapore, held at Parkroyal on
Pickering hotel.
During two days company representatives as
well as various business associations and official
representatives of Business Sweden and the various
embassies will gather to share best practices on
how to do business in this dynamic part of the
world. All Swedish businesses in Sweden and the
Southeast Asia region are welcomed to attend
this summit, hosted by the Embassy of Sweden
in Singapore, Business Sweden and the Swedish
Business Association of Singapore (SBAS).
”Southeast Asia is the world’s new growth
engine,” begins Sweden’s ambassador to Singapore,
Håkan Jevrell, when explaining the reasons behind
this new initiative to ScandAsia.
Southeast Asia is home to more than 650
million people with a rapidly growing middle class.
Despite slowing economic growth in China, the
Southeast Asian region is estimated to grow at an
average of 5 –6 percent annually in the coming
decade, making it the growth engine of the
world. The newly established ASEAN Economic
Community is likely to enhance growth further.
”Southeast Asia continues to show strong
growth rates despite the slowdown in the world
economy. Simultaneously, the interest for the
region is growing, as more and more companies
come to realize that Asia represents more than
just China and India,” says the ambassador in reply
to why the time is ripe for this even now.
”There is also a need to increase knowledge
about this region of the Swedish decision-makers,
both in politics and business. The purpose of
the Sweden-Southeast Asia Business Summit,
which we hope will become a regular event, is
to disseminate information on Southeast Asia
and the rapid development taking place here as
well as a forum for exchange between Swedish
and Southeast Asian business representatives
who are active in the region. Sweden-Southeast
Asia Business Summit is an initiative run jointly
by ’Team Sweden South-East Asia’, which means
all the embassies, Business Sweden offices and
chambers of commerce in the various countries
in the region.”
To be competitive in this evolving global
market, it is crucial for any CEO or board member
to have a clear understanding of the developments
in the region. The Sweden–Southeast Asia Business
Summit provides an excellent opportunity to get
insights from industry peers and policy experts
and to meet with potential partners.
Sharing of best practices on how to do
business in this dynamic part of the world will be
a key ingredient.
”I meet many business representatives in my
role as ambassador and I often hear that one lacks
a forum for experience-sharing and cross-sector
dialogue between business representatives. They
of course, have a lot to learn from each other.
Via ’Sweden-Southeast Asia Business Summit’
Swedish companies will have the opportunity
to share their experiences. Alongside a range of

Guests at SBAS Ball 2015 in Singapore
inspirational speakers and panels there will be
plenty of time for discussion and networking,”
replies Håkan Jevrell.
The summit will feature key political and
business representatives from Sweden, including
Mr Mikael Damberg, Minister for Enterprise and
Innovation; Mrs. Ylva Berg, CEO, Business Sweden
- the Swedish Trade and Invest Council; Mr
Marcus Wallenberg, Chairman of the Board, SEB,
SAAB Group & Foundation Asset Management;
Mr. Magnus Böcker, Executive Chairman of Blibros
and former CEO of Singapore Exchange and
many more.
“We have chosen a broad focus for this first
Sweden-Southeast Asia Business Summit, not
least because of the amazing breadth that Swedish
companies in the region represents. In Singapore
alone there are 250 Swedish companies presents,
many with regional headquarters, and ranging
from small niche consulting firms to banks and
manufacturing companies,” the ambassador says
about the summit.
Around 600 Swedish companies across
business sectors ranging from service to
manufacturing and retail are present in Southeast
Asia.
For outreach the ambassador explains that
this initiative is run jointly by ‘Team Sweden South-
East Asia’, which means all the embassies, Business
Sweden offices and chambers of commerce
located in region’s various countries in the region.
“We all have an important role to play in
reaching out to businesses with presence there
and ensure good attendance. We are very pleased
with the strong interest we’ve seen by businesses
to participate as partners. Our main sponsors are
Carl Bennet AB, Ericsson, SAAB, Scania, SEB and
Volvo. Singapore Airlines is the official airline of
the event. Other sponsors are Alfa Laval, Billerud
Korsnäs, IKEA, Nordea, SKF and Spotify.”
Team Sweden is an umbrella made up of
public authorities, government agencies and
companies that all work to promote Swedish
exports abroad. At home, Team Sweden is led
by the Ministry of Enterprise and Innovation.
Abroad, a local Team Sweden led by the Swedish
Ambassador will assist companies around the
world.
Through Team Sweden the Swedish
Government can provide coordinated and
effective export support to Swedish companies
that want to set up operations abroad, making
entry into the export market clear and simple.
The export support includes advisory services,
financing, marketing and the long-term promotion
of Sweden.
Learn more about the Summit and register
your interest today at www.sweden-sea.com.
Scandinavian women’s
way to kick-start the week: football
By Maria Andreasdottir
Monday is typically associated
with a lot of coffee, but women
from Scandinavian Women’s
Association in Singapore have
found a healthier way to kickstart
a new week: the answer is football. Each
Monday evening, they gather on the green football
field and release endorphins, maintain a fit lifestyle
and most important: make Monday more fun!
ScandAsia joined a session to find out more.
The evening sun was bouncing off pinkie and
golden particles down at the football field, where
joyful women were waiting for their Monday class
to begin. Every Monday, Scandinavian Women’s
Association arranges football classes at Turf Club
City, but you don’t have to be an expert in ball
games to join.
“I have never done this before,” said one of
the players, Jeanette Wheeler from Sweden. She
played together with experienced football ladies,
but it didn’t scare her.
Right before the sun sets, the class began, and
two Singaporean coaches let the women start off
with a warm up. It was easy to spot practised legs
and one of the players out in the field practices
football regularly.
“I attend these classes to maintain my skills,”
said Lara Koppelmann from Germany. You don’t
need to be Scandinavian to join; neither do you
need to be as experienced as Lara. The coaches
are professional, and they know how to approach
the different football skill levels. Both of them
have played in the Singaporean National Football
League, and they are both diligent to praise their
students.
Heli Buss is former board member of SWA,
who was also on the field.
“We started to arrange these football classes
in SWA two years ago, and it’s popular because
you don’t need any experience, but you get a
fun way to stay healthy. It’s really amusing to do
exercise in a group instead of going for a run
alone.”
“What? Only one minute left,” Heli busted
out!? The session went by surprisingly gone fast.
Then time was up. Sweating, smiling and
scoring the last goal. The women didn’t win the
final game, but they lost a lot of calories during the
class, and that’s a great reward for hard training.
“It’s a great combination of exercising and
staying fit. You really forget that you are actually
working out, because it’s so fun to play,” said Pia
Nørgaard Pedersen from Denmark.
And beginner Jeanette Wheeler couldn’t
agree more: “I had such a great time, and even if
we were only two unexperienced football players
today, we did it! And if I can do it, anyone can!”
she said as she would gladly be joining the next
football class.
The coaches guided the women to stretch
out properly, because the da after they may feel
sore in their legs.
“They are all smiling now, so that’s a good
sign that we did our job!” said a relieved Jerry
Bartholomeusz, one of the football coaches.
For those who want to give it a try, the first
class is for free. Every class is priced SGD 35, and
the money goes to CUFA to pay for the pitch and
trainers. CUFA itself is a sponsor of SWA.
July 2016 • ScandAsia.Singapore 11

Daddy Daycare
in Singapore
While mothers tend to fuss
over their children, fathers
can be more relaxed. There
is also a difference in the
activities from typical
mothers’ groups compared
with Daddy Daycare. For
example, Daddy Daycare
does fishing trips together
with the children
12 ScandAsia.Singapore • July 2016
In Singapore, mothers’ groups are highly
popular. Women are gathering with their child
or children to socialize with other mums, and
let their kids have new playmates. There is
already a great network of support groups
for mothers throughout the community, and that
made Danish father to a 5-year old daughter
wonder: why not make a fathers’ group, too?
Mikael Nielsen, founder of BluePier and
father to one child, created Daddy Daycare in
March 2016. The idea came from his quality
father-daughter time, where his daughter will
speak Danish with him and that way maintain
her Danish roots. When she is together with
her Japanese mother and her Danish father, all
conversation is in Japanese, and both Mikael and
his wife believe it’s important to let her have time
with each single parent, where she can practice
Danish and Japanese respectively. According to
Mikael, father-daughter-time doesn’t have to be
alone time.
“Originally, I wanted to start a group of Danish
parents, where we would let our children play
together and maintain their and our own Danish
language skills,” says Mikael Nielsen. However, the
idea of a group only consisting of fathers came
up, because Mikael Nielsen believes it is healthy
for the child to have both quality time with their
father and their mother respectively.
Just like a mothers’ group, Daddy Daycare is
created for fathers to meet with their child or
children for social events, and have a great time
together.
Making it casual without fuss
Since March 2016 Daddy Daycare has had weekly
events, and the group consists both of Danish and
international fathers.
“Daddy Daycare is not a ground-breaking
idea, but I believe it’s healthy for the child to play
in an environment without “a mother hen”,” says
Mikael Nielsen. He remembers the differences of
being with either both parents or with only one
of them from his childhood. The child deserves to
know the different environments.
”While mothers tend to fuss over their
children, fathers can be more relaxed. There is
also a difference in the activities from typical
mothers’ groups compared with Daddy Daycare.
For example, Daddy Daycare does fishing trips

together with the children,” says Mikael Nielsen.
The children can also get their hands dirty in
the sandbox without a mother’s concern of dirty
laundry. The fathers are more relaxed.
And according to Mikael’s daughter, the
Daddy Daycare events are something she looks
forward to.
“She thinks it’s really interesting to meet new
playmates, and she thinks it’s fun to try something
new. One of the upcoming events are prawn
fishing, where we will have a barbeque together
afterwards. I think that is a typical father-thing-todo,”
says Mikael Nielsen.
Daddy Daycare are not meant to be a
permanent day of the week or month, but instead
it is meant to be a platform for creating events
and initiatives.
“The idea is to let others know about an
upcoming event, and then it is up for the individual
to join. For example, if I plan to go on hike at
MacRitchie’s with my daughter on a given day,
I will let others have the chance to come and
join.” he says.
According to him, it’s easy and more casual
this way.
“Daddy Daycare is not meant to be advanced.
Often people are prevented to show up to
events because of distance, why Daddy Daycare
is a great way to gather small groups throughout
the community.”
Focus is happy children
Based on the support from the other fathers
joining Daddy Daycare together with positive
feedback both from children and fathers (and
mothers), Mikael Nielsen wants to promote
Daddy Daycare, and is currently working to build
up Daddy Daycare’s own website. At the moment
everything is managed by the Daddy Daycare’s
Facebook group.
“Daddy Daycare deserves to be more than
a Facebook group. Both fathers and children are
happy with the concept, and so are the mothers,
too. They also deserve to have some time for
themselves,” says Mikael Nielsen.
And even if you are a father not living in
Singapore, there is a lot of countries in Southeast
Asia who have already created fathers’ daycare
groups on Facebook, tells Mikael.
But the overall goal is neither to maintain
Danish, having fathers socialize, or happy mothers:
the number one goal is happy kids.
“As long there is a playmate for our child, it is
a success,” he says. He points out the importance
of especially an only child having the option to
play with other children, as they don’t have any
siblings at home for playmates.
“And when the children are happy, everybody
is happy.”
July 2016 • ScandAsia.Singapore 13

GÆST
the only Danish café
in Singapore
By Maria Andreasdottir
If you walk around the café-packed Telok
Ayer Street in Singapore, you can’t miss it.
The smell of freshly baked sourdough bread
from the oven overwhelms you, and it’s
the sweet perfume of home in Denmark.
Even if you’re not Danish, the grey letters G
Æ S T on the front glass door has caught your
attention, and don’t worry: the owner is not
Danish himself. Danish café food and coffee are
for everyone. ScandAsia meets GÆST owner
Alex Thönissen, a global man in a global world
running a Danish business.
“It’s quite funny, because most of our guests
greet me in Danish, and I am speechless,” says
Alex Thönissen.
In March 2015 this Dutch/South African
bought the café from its Danish founders, and
he wanted to keep the Danish concept. He had
never worked in the restaurant field before,
neither had he any experience with Danish
cuisine. He has a passion for coffee, and when he
heard GÆST was for sale, he visited the little café
to have a look. It didn’t take more than a salmon
sandwich and freshly brewed coffee, before he
had made up his mind.
“I wanted to run this café,” says Alex. “I was
fascinated about the Danish style, and not only
did I buy the café, I bought the Danish concept,
too.”
The Danish concept is just simplicity done
well. Alex explains: “We keep it simple by keeping
it Danish. We don’t fusion with other cuisines,
instead we follow the original recipes from GÆST.
Our interior and decoration are kept minimalistic
and in neutral colors.” Alex says. Well, except the
food.
“We believe in fresh quality food, and it’s
our key thing to make it fresh. We make most
of the food ourselves everyday, except the
smoked salmon. Our salmon comes from a local
smokehouse, and we believe it’s better to buy
from locals instead of import smoked salmon
from overseas.”
Fit for a Danish queen’s birthday
GÆST has developed a high reputation in
Singapore. Not only among Danes. “I believe 40
per cent of our customers are local Singaporeans.
Many of our guests are in fact “local expats”;
guests, who are already familiar with Danish/
Nordic cuisine after living abroad. They are happy
to find some nostalgia at GÆST.”
Alex has established good relationships with
many Danish business in Singapore, and it is often
GÆST’s food that is chosen for Danish events.
GÆST was hired to serve food at the Danish
Ambassador’s residence for the Royal birthday
celebration of the Danish queen this year, 2016.
And what does a Danish café serve for a
queen? “Drømmekage (“dream cake”, a white
pound cake with coconut butter topping). It was
extremely popular; 10 minutes after it was served,
it was gone.” A queen’s worthy indeed. GÆST is
open to both delivery and to bring out, why many
Danish companies are ordering take away from
the little Danish café to everything from larger
events to work lunches.
Since Alex is not born Danish, he is doing
everything he can to make GÆST as Danish as
possible.
“The GÆST team keep an eye on trends
from Denmark to follow up on what is happening
in Danish café culture. We want it to make it feel
like our guests might as well could be at a café
in Copenhagen,” says Alex. At the moment it’s
popular in the café world to sell their own bread,
and GÆST sells full and half loaves.
Since GÆST opened, the original menu
from the Danish owners has remained, adding
some addtitional soup options developed with
inspiration from the Danish café scene. GÆST
serves sandwiches, salads, soups, baked goods, and
of course, coffee. So far the business is growing
smoothly, and guests have already shown their
love for the Danish concept.
During the interview, every second person
walking by is greeting us, and Alex waves and
greets back every time. “Hehe, yes, we have a
lot of regulars,” he says. The Danish community
in Singapore counts around 1500 Danes, and
as mentioned, the biggest Danish businesses
choose GÆST for events and Danish traditions
such as celebrating the Danish queen. Not
being Danish himself, Alex is happy to create
awareness of a concept he loves to the whole
world.
“I guess food language is a global language.”
And no matter where you come from, GÆST
are happy to have you as guest.
14 ScandAsia.Singapore • July 2016

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July 2016 • ScandAsia.Singapore 15