ScandAsia South East Asia - April 2015

APR 2015
Malaysia
Indonesia
Philippines
Vietnam
Cambodia
Laos
New
Danish
Ambassador
sees big opportunities
in the Philippines
Theme: How to pick a school
ScandAsia.dk ScandAsia.fi ScandAsia.no ScandAsia.se

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When: 16 May 2015, 7 pm – midnight
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Malaysia Norway Business Council Annual
General Meeting 2015
The AGM for the year ending the 31 December
2014 will be held on the 4th of June 2015 at the
Ambassador’s residence. All MNBC members
are hereby invited to attend. Please note that the
AGM is strictly for members only - no guests are
permitted except your spouses. Refreshments will
be served.
Norwegian concert
in Kuala Lumpur:
Ole Edvard Antonsen
The Sound Of Nordic With Ole Edvard Antonsen
- Musical Dinner & Musical Landscapes takes
place at Ristorante CIAO in Kuala Lumpur, the
oldest Italian restaurant in Kuala Lumpur. There
will be a cocktail reception where sumptuous
savouries will be served as well as various choices
of pasta dishes followed by dessert, coffee and
tea. Included in the price will also be two glasses
of wine (red or white) or two glasses of beer per
person. Free flow of soft drinks, fruit punch and
mineral water.
The whole package, including the concert,
has been priced at RM 295.00 per person. – SGD
115.00. Any profit will be donated to charity.
Event sponsors: DiGi, Aker Solutions, DNV
GL, Wilhelmsen Ship Management Sdn. Bhd., Yara
International (M) Sdn. Bhd., Jordan Asia Pacific
Sdn. Bhd., Archer Well Company Sdn. Bhd., CIAO
Please remember to confirm your attendance
by notifying Bridget by email at: Bridget.Pereira@
mfa.no no later than 30th May 2015.
Where: Norwegian Ambassador’s Residence
When: 4 June 2015
Bar-Caffee Ristorante Sdn. Bhd. and the Royal
Norwegian Embassy.
Tickets can be booked at http://zeg.li/oea. Seats
are limited to 300 people. If any questions please
do not hesitate to contact Jorgen Torp on H/P 012-
2832564 or e-mail j.torp88@gmail.com
When: Tue 21 April 2015, 19.00
Where: Ristorante CIAO in Kuala Lumpur
(www.ciao.com.my).

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News Brief
New Royal Norwegian Embassy Philippines inaugurated
Norway’s commitment to relations and trade with the Philippines has
been strengthened as the new Royal Norwegian Embassy office
was officially inaugurated on 9 March 2015 in its new location
at the 12th Floor of the DelRosarioLaw Centre. Ambassador Erik Førner,
Deputy Director General Nils Martin Gunneng of the Norwegian Ministry
of Foreign Affairs and co-owner of the DelRosarioLaw Centre Atty. Ruben
del Rosario took part in the cutting of ribbon to mark the official opening
of the new office.
Speaking at the ceremony, Ambassador Førner took note that the new
office promotes a more open environment, which creates an effective
communication among staff. The office also offers the finest facilities, modern
and new technology, spacious meeting rooms and better internet connection
for a more efficient office operations and delivery of services.
“We are very proud of our new office. I think the most important thing
we have achieved in the layout is the openness where the barriers between
diplomats and staff are reduced significantly”, said Ambassador Erik Førner.
Mr. Gunneng said that the transfer of the Embassy to the Bonifacio
Global City marks a new chapter in the longstanding and good bilateral
relationship between the Philippines and Norway. He also noted that the
investment in a new Embassy is another strong signal of Norway’s long term
commitment to the Philippines, as well as to the ASEAN community.
The first full-fledged Embassy was established in 1967 in Damarinas
Village. Since then, bilateral relations between the Philippines and Norway
have continued to develop and strengthen with the maritime sector in full
force and other areas of cooperation have grown.
“Norway has a long term perspective in the Philippines. As other
countries may come and go, we remain,” said Ambassador Førner.
The ceremony incorporated the traditional ways of inauguration in the
Philippines such as the blessing of facilities by a priest and the throwing of
coins to signify continued success. Numerous guests were present to witness
the inauguration such as Taguig City Mayor Lani Cayetano, members of the
diplomatic corps, Philippine and Norway business sector stakeholders and
representatives from the government.
The Embassy transferred in its new location on 25 February 2015 at the
12th Floor DelRosarioLaw Centre located at the 21st Drive corner 20th
Drive Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City.
Norwegian aquaculture
producer Ewos increases
in Vietnam
In its reporting on the full year financial results Ewos, a leading
supplier of feed and nutrition for the international aquaculture
industry, reports that higher sales volumes combined with a declining
Norwegian currency resulted in higher revenue and operating profit
in 2014.
Ewos registered a 5.8% increase in sales volumes.
There has been strong growth throughout the year in Scotland,
Canada and Vietnam. All regions except Scotland had strong revenue
growth in the fourth quarter. Canada and Vietnam, in particular,
increased volumes and revenues significantly in 2014 compared to the
previous year. In Vietnam the market volume went up by approximately
10%.
Operating revenue in Vietnam rose 55.5% to NOK 255.3m, due to
a strengthening of Ewos’ market share compared to the previous year,
boosting sales volumes by 48.5% to 61,000t.
Ewos Vietnam continues significant volume increase due to market
share gains and diversifying from sales of mainly one species to multiple
species.
In Vietnam Ewos produces feed mainly for tropical species. The
Norwegian company has produced fish feed since 1935, and today, we
operate in all four of the world’s major salmon farming regions: Norway,
Chile, Canada, and Scotland.
4 ScandAsia.South East Asia • April 2015

Handelsbanken
opens Representative Office
in Jakarta
The Swedish bank Handelsbanken’s
new Representative Office in Jakarta
was inaugurated on Mach 12 by
Sweden’s Ambassador to Indonesia,
Johanna Brismar Skoog.
Handelsbanken is the first Scandinavian
Bank to open in Indonesia, taking its worldwide
network of offices to 25, more than any other
Nordic bank.
“We are obliged to follow our customers
to different markets in order to always meet
their requirements for financial services, and
we are very excited to now establish presence
in the largest economy in Southeast Asia,” said
Mr. Jan B. Djerf, Head of South Asia Pacific at
Handelsbanken.
Mr. Erik Milfors, former Trade Commissioner
for Sweden to Indonesia, is the new Chief
Representative giving Handelsbanken a broad
knowledge and insight of Indonesian business
and economy.
“Foreign investments in Indonesia continue to
Mr. Erik Milfors, Chief Representative,
Handelsbanken Jakarta
grow from our home markets. Handelsbanken’s
new office in Jakarta confirms the importance
of Indonesia for Nordic companies as well as
businesses in UK and the Netherlands.” said Mr
Milfors.
Handelsbanken is a full-service bank with
a nationwide branch network in Sweden, UK,
Denmark, Finland, Norway and the Netherlands.
The Bank regards these six countries as its home
markets.
Since the early 1970s, Handelsbanken’s
organisation has been strongly decentralised
and operations are always based on the
customer’s requirements. This means that all
business decisions regarding individual customers’
relationships with the bank are taken close to the
customer.
Handelsbanken is one of the most costeffective
listed full-service banks in Europe and
every year during the past 42 years has had higher
return on equity than the average of peer banks.
April 2015 • ScandAsia.South East Asia 5

News Brief
Finn’s Laos photo wins
World Food Programme-EU
competition
Education specialist Ari Vitikainen are
among the three winners announced in
a photo competition by the World Food
Programme-EU to raise awareness of the
importance of ‘the family meal’ and its role in
achieving Zero Hunger.
At the opening a WFP-EU photo exhibition
titled: The Family Meal – What brings us together?,
Executive Director of the United Nations World
Food Programme (WFP), Ertharin Cousin
praised the photographers for highlighting the
importance of food and nutrition in everyday
life and the role families play in achieving Zero
Hunger.
“These photographs inspire because they
demonstrate the simple yet powerful role
provided by sitting together and eating as a
family in every country and all cultures around
the world. Not everyone in the world can share
this opportunity – 805 million people don’t have
enough nutritious food to live a healthy and
productive life. For this reason WFP and our
partners are working together with the EU to
end hunger and chronic malnutrition around the
globe,” said Cousin.
The Finn, who has worked as an education
advisor in South-East Asia in holistic development
projects since 2001, won with the photograph
‘Khauchi Papa, a special meal in the highlands of
Laos.’
“This picture shows Rshi people coming
6 ScandAsia.South East Asia • April 2015
together and having fun while preparing their
traditional Khauchi PaPa, rice bread, as part of the
New Year celebration. The picture also reminds
me of the cool season on highlands of Laos, when
we gather around the fireplace and Rshi mother
serves the delicious Khauchi Papa that is made
warm on an open fire,” says Ari.
“Preparation of Khauchi Papa brings family
and friends together. Skilful hands are turning the
dough of sticky rice under a big wooden hammer,
powered by bouncing and joyful youth.”
Vitikainen has worked closely with the ethnic
community and has published a book about his
experience in his native Finland.
In a statement made after he judged the
competition, chef and campaigner Jamie Oliver
said: “Ari’s colourful shot from Laos is a fantastic
example of how important and fun it can be to
prepare and share a meal with your loved ones. A
family meal might seem like one of the most basic
things in the world, but it’s easy to forget that
this isn’t a given, and there are many people that
struggle to do this. It’s a big issue, and I hope this
competition will help to raise awareness of that.”
“I congratulate the three winners of the
photo competition,” said European Commissioner
for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management,
Christos Stylianides. “The winning contributions
raise awareness of the everyday reality of mothers
and fathers in humanitarian crises, struggling to
provide food for their families. While they have
temporarily lost the ability to provide enough
food to remain healthy and enable their children
to grow to their full potential, the EU-WFP
partnership has been able to help them.”
The exhibition and the competition are part of
a campaign launched last year by WFP and funded
by the European Commission’s Humanitarian
Aid and Civil Protection department (ECHO).
The aim is to raise awareness among Europe’s
citizens about the food assistance WFP and the
EU provide to vulnerable families around the
world and to highlight the fact that hunger can
be eliminated in our lifetime.
The winners can be viewed at www.
familymeal.eu
The three finalists is featured in the WFP-
EU family meal exhibition travelling throughout
European countries until November 2015.
WFP is the world’s largest humanitarian
agency fighting hunger worldwide, delivering
food assistance in emergencies and working
with communities to improve nutrition and build
resilience. Each year, WFP assists some 80 million
people in around 75 countries.

Saab Strengthens
the Swedish
Malaysian
Innovation Initiative
Defence and security company Saab has
announced that it will take a number
of initiatives in order to strengthen the
Sweden Malaysia Innovation Initiative (SMII). SMII
is an effort to nurture innovations in Malaysia
through a co-operation between The Swedish
Embassy of Malaysia, Business Sweden and Agensi
Inovasi Malaysia (AIM).
Sweden has been continuously ranked among
the top countries renowned for innovation in the
world. Saab is one of the founding members of
SMII, which, for example, includes a seminar series
on state-of-the-art defence technology.
One part of the Swedish-Malaysian innovation
co-operation is to build relationships between
academia, industry and authorities to develop
the culture of innovation amongst the younger
generation. Saab now invites officers, decision
makers, governmental agency representatives,
students and researchers to an Open Innovation
Learning Week in Sweden in October 2015. One
essential focus will be to link the Triple Helix
model with aerospace and defence innovation to
share with and inspire Malaysian partners. This is
a concept successfully previous performed with
Brazil.
“Saab’s long history of investing in research
and development and turning new ideas into
commercial success is something we want
to spread to others. We have also very good
experience from fruitful collaboration between
academia, industry and government that can
inspire colleagues in Malaysia”, says Thomas
Lindén, head of Saab in Malaysia.
The Sweden - Malaysia Innovation Initiative
(SMII) was set up as a platform to foster
relationships between Academia, Industry and the
Government in a Triple Helix model to pioneer
new innovative ideas, and to develop the culture
of innovation amongst the younger generation.
The goal was to build a stronger relationship
between the two nations and utilize the innovative
strengths both Malaysia and Sweden possess.
In May 2011 the Embassy of Sweden Kuala
Lumpur initiated the premier Sweden Malaysia
Innovation Days. It was supported by the Swedish
Trade Council, the Malaysian-Swedish Business
Association (Masba), and the Go International
Group (to showcase innovation in music).
Malaysia’s strive to become a more innovative
country as declared by Prime Minister Najib
Razak. Sweden, meanwhile, has a solid reputation
for being one of the most innovative countries
in the world and is viewed by many countries
as a role model in creating a competitive and
innovative economy, so here was an excellent
common denominator.
Q&A
Torsten
Edens
Torsten Edens, 49, moved to
Vietnam with his wife Mona
and 16 year old daughter
Sophia in January 2014 to work as
Managing Director for Diethelm Travel.
Working in tghen travel industry,
Torsten has overv the years lived in
“around 20 countries”.
His daughter Sophia started at
UNIS in Hanoi and is going for the IB
program.
I decided to move to Vietnam...
because it was a great opportunity and I instantly
felt a great affection for the country
and its people.
Runnning a travel agency in Vietnam has
taught me...
not to judge the book by it’s cover, the Vietnamese
might not be smiling as much as the
Thais but they are fantastic, have a great sense
of humor and are hardworking and qualified.
In my spare time...
I try to see as much of Vietnam as I can, I do
trail running wherever I can and that is a great
way to get close to the nature.
It never ceases to amaze me...
when I drive to work every morning in the traffic
here in Hanoi and I don’t see accidents all
over the place. The traffic is almost organic and
every little piece of pavement is used.
I will never get tired of ...
the old Quarter in Hanoi with its constant life
and mixture of new and old.
The worst thing about doing business in
Vietnam...
is the constant change of rules and regulations
which means that you are never completely
certain of what the law says. Sometimes the
laws that are passed makes absolutely no sense
what so ever.
Reader profile of the month
When I moved to Vietnam I wish I had
known...
how cold it gets in the winter here in Hanoi,
actually it is usually colder inside the houses
than outside.
Living outside of Scandinavia has made
me realize...
how narrow minded and fixated with 1st
world problems we have become in Scandinavia.
Live and let live and don’t worry too much
about a bus that is 5 min delayed or if your
internet connection is a bit slow. Your rights
come with obligations and we become too
much focused on our rights and do not want
to contribute. It is a great shame and shows
how petty we have become.
Since I became an expat...
traditions like Christmas have become more
about quality and less about quantity. I love that
everything looks normal until 7 days before
Xmas and it is all removed the day after Xmas.
We don’t over eat in sweets and Danish food
and Xmas lunches with hangovers are - almost
- a thing of the past.
Finding a school for my daughter...
was relatively easy. In her age there was only
two options and UNIS was by far the better
choice, apart from that they have a great
reputation worldwide and doors to further
education will be open in all continents for her.
In Vietnam I have picked up the habit of....
smoking too much. But it kind of filters the
dust in the air.
The Scandinavian community in Hanoi
is...
relatively small. Actually, we have not been
seeking out Scandinavians so far.
To satisfy my social needs...
I go out for a Bia Hoi with my staff or run in
the Hanoi Hash House Harriers
I will return to Denmark when...
not really. I am enjoying it too much here!
April 2015 • ScandAsia.South East Asia 7

New
Danish
Ambassador
sees big opportunities
in the Philippines
The new Danish Ambassador to the Philippines has exchanged armored
vehicles and amplified prayers from minarets as the Ambassador to
Lebanon, with an eclectic view of Manila slum and skyscrapers. 25 years
ago Jan top Christensen ran a UN refugee camp in the Philippines,
but now he is back for business.
At the top floor of a newly
constructed office building, at the
new Danish Embassy, Ambassador
Jan Top Christensen can follow highrises
shooting towards the sky, as
competing with the latest economic growth in the
Philippines. In 2002 Denmark closed its Embassy
in Manila. Now 13 years later, in a time where
the Philippines is the fastest growing economy in
Southeast Asia, the Embassy has re-opened.
Jan Top Christensen is no stranger to the
Philippines. In 1987-1990 he was leading a UN
camp for Vietnamese refugees. In an exclusive
interview with ScandAsia, he said that he feels at
home in the Philippines.
Denmark has opened an Embassy with a heavy
focus on investments and exports. Even though
the Philippines have high poverty rates, it is a
middle income country and Danish development
8 ScandAsia.South East Asia • April 2015
policy is not aimed at wealth distribution. While
Jan Top Christensen won’t hesitate recommend
the Philippine government to fight inequality, he
knows it is a long fight and that his voice will just
be one in a larger choir. A much more outspoken
goal of his is doubling the exports in Philippines
during his time as ambassador.
“Our success depends on our own energy
and professional handling of economic diplomacy,
with all the instruments we have in that connection.
We already started in November, in Denmark,
where I mobilized interest in the Philippines at
a seminar with The Confederation of Danish
Industry (DI). That is probably the reason we
see a, for many, surprisingly big trade delegation
visiting now,” Jan Top says.
And judging statistics presented by the
ambassador himself, the numbers already look
impressive, In 2013 Danish exports to the
Philippines were approximately worth DKK 1
billion, and in the first nine months of 2014 the
exports increased by 155 percent.
Sick man or Shining Star
A taxi drive through Manila gives a good image
the contradictions of the fast growing Philippines.
The low paid taxi driver will most likely be able
to speak English at a level that enables him to
have political discussions, or at least complain
about corruption. While new buildings are being
constructed everywhere the different districts
in Manila are poorly connected, the roads are
overloaded and even the short trips can be
prolonged with hours of waiting during rush hour.
Jan Top Christensen refers to the Philippines
as “The Bright Shining Star of Asia”, despite its
previous reputation as “Asia’s Sick Man”, troubled
by corruption, terror and natural disasters.

There are opportunities for
a broad range of sectors
here, so to focus on only a
few, having strategic sector
choices, would be to miss
opportunities elsewhere.
On the day of his ScandAsia interview, Jan
Top Christensen was presented with a daily
newspaper with articles covering the corruption
allegations towards the vice-president, a bombed
transmission tower, active communist rebels and
HSBC predicting lower growth rates because of
the 2016 presidential turnover, but despite the
concerning news content he was confident that
the growth in Philippines has a strong foundation,
referring to recent reports from IMF and the
World Bank.
“The growth rate might go a bit up and down,
but the economic growth is robust and the rates
will continue to be high according to all serious
international observers. It is due to the same
factors you had in the 60’s, when the Philippines
was called ‘The Bright Shining Star of Asia’. This
is a country with significant natural resources,
not only when it comes to agriculture, but also
minerals, oil and natural gas. Secondly you have
a population that is relatively well educated and
has English as a second national language,” Jan Top
Christensen says and adds that we can expect a
6 to7 percent growth rate in the coming years.
The Philippines offers opportunities
in every sector
At the recently designed and newly constructed
Danish Embassy everything from the grey carpets
to wooden coat-hangers are imported from
Denmark. The designer lamps are Danish and
so are the adjustable desks. The Embassy in itself
could basically function as a showroom in Danish
design and innovation, and according to Jan Top
Christensen there is not any limits to what type
of Danish companies could have success in the
Philippines.
”Here are opportunities for a broad range of
sectors, so to only focus on a few, having strategic
sector choices, would be to miss opportunities
elsewhere,” he says.
According to Danish Minister of Trade and
Development Mogens Jensen, around 100 Danish
companies are already present in the Philippines;
the biggest is Danish shipping giant Maersk but
also smaller companies as Sonion that makes
acoustics devices and Lindberg that produces
designer glasses, are both present with factories
in the country.
The recent opening of the Danish Embassy
was attended by a large trade delegation with
18 Danish companies keen on learning more
about the Philippine market. The delegation had
a seminar with their Filipino counterparts. On this
occasion you got a hint of what types of companies
are interested in exploring opportunities in the
Philippines. The seminar was split into three parts
that focused on three different sectors; food and
agriculture, healthcare and pharma and last but
not least, sustainability regarding water, energy
and environment. To Jan Top Christensen this
seminar is an example of why it is important to
be present with an embassy.
”One thing we can do as an Embassy that
no one else is capable of, is creating direct access
to high level officials. It is possible that someone
would be able to offer a few of the same tools as
us, but often Danish companies will be interested
in getting a package solution in order to get
started out here. Because of our access to public
authorities, we are able to put together visit
programs that could be interesting for Danish
companies,” Jan Top Christensen says.
Not just a fairy tale
Even though Jan Top Christensen is confident
that the growth has a strong foundation, he does
not hesitate to mention that there are serious
problems in the Philippines, both regarding
business and from a humanitarian perspective.
Some problems can be seen from the
windows of the embassy, the slow moving
traffic is just one aspect of an overall inadequate
infrastructure while scruffy shacks next to shining
skyscrapers are reminders that the growth has
not been inclusive. Less visible, the country still
struggles with corruption even though they
have made impressive progress on Transparency
International’s corruption index. The energy prices
are high, protection of intellectual copyrights is
low and restrictions on foreign businesses ire
slowing down investments.
The Danish Embassy opened on the 22nd of
January 2015. The week following Pope Francis’
visited the Philippines and encouraged to fight
poverty and inequality. Having experiences with
humanitarian work in the Philippines and in the
Danish Foreign Ministry, Jan Top Christensen too
is concerned about what might not be the biggest
challenge for the economy but still something he
has described as an unethically large inequality.
”Fundamentally I consider myself a moral
human, and I do not believe than people should
live in poverty. All people should live in dignity.
When you can’t afford to send your children
to school or give them prober food you get
desperate - a life in poverty is without dignity,”
Jan Top Christensen says and adds that at least
there are good indications that the development
is moving in the right direction.
“Inequality, poverty and corruption have to
be fought. I have no illusion that the problem
here will be solved in my five years, but my voice
among others can help supporting the positive
and constructive forces in the country.”
April 2015 • ScandAsia.South East Asia 9

10 ScandAsia.South East Asia • April 2015

How to
pick a school
By Louise Bihl Frandsen
Copyright: Igor Yaruta / 123RF Stock Photo
How do you pick the perfect school
for your children, when you move
to another country? It might not
be as easy as it sounds. During the
years, more and more schools are
established, and each institution offers different
courses and has different ways of teaching. Many
parents use social platforms like Facebook to
get advices from other parents. But there will
probably be no way around making your own
inquiry into each avaible option.
Local vs international
Are you looking for a local or an international
school? In most countries in Asia, it is possible to
sign your child into a local school – but it can be a
challenge, if your child does not have Asian roots.
Local schools provide your child with a local
environment and another benefit is that most of
the local schools are more affordable than the
international schools. One thing to be aware of
though, is that psysical punishment has not been
abolished in many Asian school systems.
If you go for an international school, consider
that international students grow up in an
environment that is much different to that of
your own. Known as Third Culture Kids (TCKs),
they often develop a different attitude. They will
develop other ways of thinking that might be very
different from their schoolmates at home.
Once this is said, many expat families decide
to go for the international school – at least
through primary school up to grade 9.
A few suggestions
As said before, many parents seek advices from
other parents. But in the end, it is your choice and
only you know what needs your child has.
First: Observe
Visit the schools you are interested in during a
regular school day. Ask to observe teachers in
class so you can get a feel for how the adults
treat the children, parents and one another. You
don’t have to be an expert to get a good sense
of what is - or is not - happening in a classroom
when you visit.
Second: Distance
Make sure the school is not too far away from
your home. Have in mind that in most big cities,
it is travelling time between your house and the
school that matters. Will you be driving your
child to school yourself or how will your child be
going there?
Especially in cities like Bangkok, the traffic is
hectic and you can easily use hours stuck between
cars, taxies and tuk-tuks.
Third: Reputation
Use your network in the city. Ask as many as
possible, what their experience with this school
is. Do not listen to people, who have no children
at the school themselves. And remember that
the age of the school is no sure indication either.
Nothing guarantees that the reputation of a
hundred year old school is better than a oneyear-old
school.
Fourth: Courses
The school’s courses and programs will most
likely be listed in the school’s informations
packages or on their website. They will talk about
British Curriculum and American Curriculum and
what most Scandinavians go for these days is the
IB Curriculum.
The IB Curriculum is an educational
programme managed by the International
Baccalaureate for students aged 3 to 12. Students
are required to learn a second language during
the programme.
Fifth: Supplementary courses
More and more parents find it important that
their children are receiving lessons in their mother
tongue language. On some of the international
schools, the different Scandinavian communities
have organized mother tounge language lessons
as a supplementary course.
It all depends on the needs of your child.
Many children already have a long day in school
with lessons in Thai, English and other courses, so
if the lessons are not included on the schedule, a
normal day in school can all the sudden become
very long and exhausting.
Stay involved
As a parent you might wish there were some
secret education-analyst methodology. No matter
how hard you do your homework, stay involved
with your child’s everyday life. Is your child happy
and motivated or tired and introverted? Talk
with your child about how school is and spend
more time together in the beginning. First period
will probably be as exhausting for your child as
for you – starting up your lives in a completely
different country.
April 2015 • ScandAsia.South East Asia 11

Nyborg Gymnasium
has stx, hf, IB and
boarding school
A
Danish upper-secondary school environment with an international agenda.
Nyborg Gymnasium addresses the growing internationalisation with
programmes, study streams and a boarding school, which makes the ‘international’
the order of the day.
The students at Nyborg Gymnasium have an eye open onto the world,
and they are fully capable of exploring this in school. This happens, for example, if stay at the
boarding school with other young people from all over the world, or if they are students in the
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, where all subjects are taught in English.
Over recent years, Nyborg Gymnasium has expanded and rebuilt school facilities to ensure
that the framework for the tuition is updated and inspiring. The latest addition to the school is a
new building for the sciences, and a special ‘language’ zone. At the boarding school the students
have their own rooms, a strong community, and a kitchen, with focus on organic cooking,
providing the meals of the day.
Nyborg Gymnasium
….en route to the world
NYBORG
GYMNASIUM
International
Baccalaureate
- an alternative to the
Danish ‘Studentereksamen’
• internationally recognized
• gives admission to universities
all over the world
• taught in English
You can stay at Nyborg Gymnasium’s
boarding school.
Contact us for more information about
theprogramme and the boarding school.
International
School
of Bergen
International School of Bergen (ISB) is situated on
the west coast of Norway and offers an English
language learning environment to students
between the ages of 3 and 16. Our mission is to
provide an internationally accredited education
serving the business and Bergen communities.
The educational programme of the International
School of Bergen (ISB) has been developed to help
prepare its students for a successful future. ISB is
accredited by the Council of International Schools
and the New England Association of Schools and
Colleges in addition to being authorized by the
International Baccalaureate Organization to offer
their Primary Years and Middle Years programmes.
Our students and staff
All teachers hold university
degrees and appropriate teaching
qualifications. Classes are small, and
with students and staff representing
more than thirty different
nationalities, we pride ourselves in
having a welcoming and including
community.
ISB was founded in 1975, giving
us nearly 40 years of experience as
an educational institution.
International School of Bergen
Vilhelm Bjerknesvei 15, 5081
Bergen, Norway
Phone: +4755306330
Fax: +4755306331
Website: www.isob.no
E-mail: post@isob.no
www.nyborg-gym.dk
Tlf +45 65 31 02 17
ENGELSKSPRÅKLIG PRIVATSKOLE
FOR BARN OG UNGDOM
MELLOM 3 OG 16
• Få elever i hver klasse
• Trygt læringsmiljø med god individuell oppfølging
• God kontakt med foreldre
• Internasjonalt godkjente og utfordrende læreplaner
• Utmerkede resultater i internasjonale og norske nasjonalprøver
• Sentral beliggenhet med bybanestopp rett utenfor døren
Contact us for more information: www.isob.no eller post@isob.no
12 ScandAsia.South East Asia • April 2015

Saniya
More
7 Reasons to ‘IB’ it Up
By Saniya More, Grade 12 at KIS International School in Bangkok, Thailand, Class of 2015
KIS Students at a glance:
• KIS students score on average 34-35 points
on their IB Diploma, compared to the global
average score of 29.8.
• On average 91% percent of KIS students
taking the IB Diploma pass, compared to
78-79% worldwide.
• KIS students are accepted at excellent universities
around the world, often with substantial
scholarships.
As I come closer and closer to the
end of senior year and graduation, I
can’t help but look back on the last
(almost) 8 years of my life- into the
education system that I’ve been a
part of since the fourth grade: the IB program. Two
years ago, I began the IB Diploma Program- one
of the most respected, most difficult programs in
the world. We can all, as IB students, agree that
the IB is no joke, because pulling all-nighters and
finishing essays the day before they were due are
just some of the skills we have. But honestly what
are the benefits of this hellish program? Well, it’s
me so here’s another list (once again).
It’s a challenge- making it through the IB
program is no easy task because it is a very well
rounded curriculum. To do well in the IB doesn’t
mean just memorising a textbook of content or
being able to list all the facts- you have to be able
to apply what you know to new situations.
It helps you to develop excellent critical
thinking skills- from the beginning of the IB
program, we are pushed to have our own opinion
on what is happening in the world, as well as
attempt to understand the perspectives of the
people around us. IB pushes us to question the
world around us, and try to make sense of why
everything is the way it is.
It transforms you into an independent
learner- by carrying out independent research,
writing many investigative essays, completing
a personal project and writing an Extended
Essay, IB helps you develop the skills you need
to understand the world around you without
depending on anyone else.
It gives you your first taste of the real worldthree
words: Creativity, Action, Service- for me,
some of the best, more memorable parts of the
DP program have come from my CAS activities.
Whether it be volunteering at a local shelter,
or helping to host a yoga workshop for street
children in Phnom Penh, Cambodia (best spring
break EVER!), CAS shows you that the world
isn’t a perfect place, and there is a lot that we as
individuals can do to help society move forward.
It impels you to be a well-rounded person
with a wide variety of interests- throughout
the program, we are encouraged to develop our
talents, be able to express ourselves, but also write
good essays and learn theories. We are exposed
to a variety of subjects, and thus can discover our
own individual interests.
It helps you to develop a holistic, accepting
state of mind- most IB communities are
international, and being open and appreciating
about other cultures besides your own is definitely
an IB value.
It makes you a part of a global elite (and
very small) group of highly intelligent, talented
individuals- Globally, there are only about 1 million
IB students- it’s one of the smallest educational
minorities. IB is tough, and it’s definitely not a
program for the faint-hearted. But I’ve been a part
of it for 8 years, and yes although at times it has
been a real challenge, I definitely do not regret
being an IB student.
For more information please contact:
admissions@kis.ac.th, www.kis.ac.th
April 2015 • ScandAsia.South East Asia 13

Going beyond nice and
By Joakim Persson
Rikke Jarvad Netterstrøm, MD at
Helikonia Advisory in Malaysia,
knows a great deal about corporate
social responsibility issues and is a
very experienced person to turn
to for expertise within sustainability strategy, s
takeholder engagement and management of
issues.
Prior to starting up Helikonia as her own
consultancy in 2008, she was responsible for
environmental and social issues for two of the
world’s sustainability leaders – The Body Shop
International plc and Novozymes A/S, preparing
strategies for over 50 markets globally.
She has also worked extensively throughout
Europe, Asia and the Americas as an investment
analyst and a public affairs consultant; providing
advisory services to multinational companies
within a range of sectors, including consumer
goods, agrichemicals and financial institutions.
Rikke holds an MSc in International Business
from Copenhagen Business School and
postgraduate qualifications from Thammasat
University, Thailand.
“I’m an economist, but specialised in developing
economics; how international companies impact
on newly developed countries,” she explains.
The Dane’s main focus today is on board-
level engagement to promote responsible
business practices and disclosure at major Asian
and international companies. Helikonia has been
part of the CSR Asia network (which operates
in Bangkok, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Tokyo,
Singapore and Sydney) since 2008 with Rikke on
its Board.
Their focus on Asian companies explains
why she came over here in the first place: She
played a role in the creation of the Roundtable
on Sustainable Palm Oil as an Executive Board
member, and has served as Interim Secretary
General of the organisation.
“Through my work at the Body Shop I got
involved in the palm oil industry and really trying
to work with the industry, who I felt were doing a
lot of good things, but were not good at engaging
with the international stakeholders. They didn’t
really understand what the market in Europe
needed; they didn’t know how to talk to their
customers, or the international NGOs.”
“I felt they could really use some help, so
that’s why I decided to start up Helikonia. And
after about a year I got in touch with CSR Asia,
the biggest providers of sustainability services in
Asia, who were very keen on having an office in
Malaysia. And I decided to join forces with them.”
Training directors in Asian companies
CSR Asia are leading advisors on strategic
sustainability services.
“As a group we offer advisory services, with a
lot of training, which we have done for thousands
of directors of the Hong Kong stock exchange.
In Malaysia we also work with the Malaysian
stock exchange Bursa Malaysia and here we
probably reached about 500 company directors
with training for so far.”
A lot of in-house board training is also
performed for specific companies that need more
internal training in confidential discussions where
we facilitate such discussions on the sustainability
aspect and non-financial risk management.
“Most of our business is still Asian, though
we are starting to get more European businesses
coming to us.”
Western companies new to Asia can certainly
take a first contact with Rikke and her team.
“We see ourselves as a mission-driven
business, so if you come to Malaysia and you
want to get some good ideas what you should be
looking out for and not our door is always open,”
invites Rikke.
“A lot of European and American companies
coming here think they’ve got everything under
control. And then some turn to us a few years
later when they have run into trouble.”
“I suppose a lot of European companies
think they’re already perfect or they’re already at
a much higher level than the local ones, and they
don’t necessarily always understand the specific
risks that they have here,” she adds.
There are plenty of pitfalls.
Rikke goes on to mention child labour,
14 ScandAsia.South East Asia • April 2015

fluffy greenwashing
bonded labour and biodiversity challenges as
being different issues in different countries – that
European companies often don’t see as such.
And political corruption issues are very different;
sector and country-based.
“I think our strength both here at Helikonia
in Malaysia and broadly in CSR Asia is that we
understand the vast differences within the region.”
She mentions as a client example a very large
foreign technology supplier that has struggled to
implement its international labour standards in
Malaysia, because of only using foreign workers
locally.
“It’s a very tricky situation to make sure you
comply with your own policies here, because
of the legal framework for foreign workers.
Companies come unprepared for these kinds
of things.”
Ways to learn about CSR
CSR Asia also offers two main gateways for
learning, the first being a network of companies
in a membership group called CSR Asia Strategic
Partners.
“That brings together companies from all
over Asia and allows you to build a network with
our companies where you can talk, confidentially,
about your various challenges. I think that is very
useful because, first it gives you access to our
experts that you can always phone up and get
some informal advice, second you also get a
network of others within your industry. And I find
that the most important thing for our members
is that they feel there always somebody that they
can rely on if they run into any kind of question
or trouble. They can then find a company in
either the same country or industry that they can
connect with and share good ideas.”
It is also Rikke’s own experience, despite
being a consultant herself, that she has learned
a lot from other companies and these kind of
groups.
Second, company representatives can attend
the annual CSR Asia summit which gathers some
600 delegates from 30 countries to cutting-edge
discussions on solutions and challenges related to
CSR and sustainability.
“We always say to people who are new to
Asia, and new to CSR: spend two days there and
at least you’ll get an overview of what the issues
are that one needs to be aware of. Who are
the resources, experts and the best companies
that I can perhaps benchmark myself against?
Which consultants are out there, if that’s what I
need? Which NGOs are out there if I need such
contacts locally?”
“It’s in my mind is by far the most interesting
and forward-looking conference – it’s not just
people talking about how wonderful they are, it’s
actually a forum to discuss real problems and real
solutions.” she says.
Stakeholder engagement in the DNA
As for companies connecting with NGOs
(Non Government Organisations) this can play
a key role.
“When we’re talking about company
engagement it is with communities and NGOs
who have skills and knowledge. That involves
learning how to talk to NGOs who can perhaps
help in finding solutions. Companies are good
at innovations and making money, they’re not
experts in how to engage with communities or
on biodiversity. So they need to create these
partnerships, whether it is with universities or
NGOs or others, and they need to understand
what people think about their business.”
This helps companies to allocate resources
and guide initiatives to be most effective and
establish better relations with key players affecting
their business.
Helikonia states that stakeholder engagement
should be in the DNA of every company, but
advocates the use of third-party facilitators on
a regular basis to ensure that stakeholders can
express their views confidentially.
“We always say you cannot do CSR without
Stakeholder engagement. If you don’t understand
what your stakeholders expect from you then it
is not social responsibility; it’s just what you want!”
“We use stakeholder engagement to make
sure that whatever you do is much more strategic
than just the low-hanging fruit.”
Their advisory services to the palm oil sector
on sustainability reporting apply to all other sectors
and clients, and include enhancing transparency
and accountability; assisting companies in creating
future-proof disclosure and strategies – helping
to manage risk and create opportunities for
sustainable growth.
“We focus on identifying what priority
areas should be for each respective company,
mapping out where they can actually generate
business opportunities out of being sustainable.
Some of the companies that we work with have
really created a brand for themselves as being a
sustainable option, which gives them preferential
treatment with their customers.”
These companies can over the years prove
that they are worthy of their customers’ trust by
having good relationships with the international
NGOs and a proven track-record in having no
conflicts and those sort of things, and the policies
in place that their market/customers require.
A real mind-set change
Some of the manufacturing industries, such as the
IT sector, are also really stepping up their game,
according to Rikke.
“There’s a huge amount of development in
Asia. That’s part of why I came over here; when
things start moving they move really fast. You see
stock exchanges and regulators really coming on
board with these types of issues. It’s fun to be part
of a real mind-set change.”
And in driving CSR forward the stock
exchanges are really playing a significant role.
“Bursa Malaysia really took the early lead,
as the first in the region to require companies
to report on CSR within their annual report.
Then the Hong Kong stock exchange came on
board with guidance for companies and the Thai
stock exchange is developing requirements for
reporting which are even stronger than we are
having in Malaysia so there’s a bit of the race to
the top within the local stock exchanges.”
The next step in Malaysia was the recent launch
of the Environmental, Social and Governance
(ESG) Index, developed in collaboration with
FTSE as part of the globally benchmarked
FTSE4Good Index Series.
“The trick [with the reporting] is to do it in a
way so it doesn’t just become a tick box. It’s very
easy for companies to tend do a lot of write-ups
– so it becomes what we call greenwashing. The
ESG index is interesting as it sets indicators that
companies will have to report on. So they have
to actually report on their carbon emissions or
their health and safety, which makes it trickier to
just write nice and fluffy stories, as you have to
actually prove your commitments.”
This development makes Helikonia/CSR
Asia very busy.
“But we also see a lot of companies who
want us to do PR, as a nice campaign for them to
be able to say that they are green.”
Those companies going down that path
don’t become her clients. But it’s clearly a trend
out there, as feel-good factor for companies,
believes Rikke.
“Unless they really have something very well
documented to shout about, we always advice
companies against these kinds of campaigns. I
think you’re actually putting your company at
risk if you are out there saying you are green,
but you haven’t got a robust strategy behind
it. And I would say that this represents a big
proportion of claims in the Asian market. It’s
total nonsense!”
April 2015 • ScandAsia.South East Asia 15

Sunquick Malaysia’s
manufacturing success
By Joakim Persson
Denmark is legendary for its dairy
products and beer brands, but
also other beverages such as fruit
juices. From the island of Penang
island comes Sunquick which is
found in supermarkets from Singapore to Hanoi
but only very few consumers know that this
brand is in fact Danish. Because of the popularity
of the brand, the factory in Penang is bigger than
even the factory back in Denmark.
“We are the most expensive brand in this
market but we still enjoy 42 per cent market
share. That is due to our recognition as a high
quality product,” General Manager Erik Lund
proudly explains the success to ScandAsia in
Penang.
In addition, the Penang plant has successfully
managed to establish exports to a number of
countries, including Brunei, Singapore and The
Philippines as well as to the new virginal markets
like Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.
“With low production cost the company
was able to compete with the brand owner’s
own factory in China; the one meant to cover
the export markets in Asia. We’re now operating
at a fixed cost below 7 per cent and that is
uncommon.”
Equipped for growth
The company in question, Barkath Co-Ro, is a
joint venture between Co-Ro Foods A/S and the
local Penang-based company Kumpulan Barkath,
which started marketing and selling Sunquick in
Malaysia over 35 years ago. Local manufacturing
was granted and by 2013 Sunquick Malaysia is
fully modern and automated, employing 45 staff
16 ScandAsia.South East Asia • April 2015
Mr. Erik Lund General Manager
and prepared for increased production (only half
of its new capacity now utilized.)
Erik presents this successful transformation,
which has lead to significant awards for him and
his team, including the “Excellent Manufacturing
Results” award from Co-Ro Food A/S as
well as the 2013 The FMM (Federation of
Malaysian Manufacturers) Excellence award for
manufacturer of the year (category: SMIs.)
Now Barkath Co-Ro aims for 20 per cent
growth on the export market for year 2015,
which is not overly optimistic given that sales
turnover has climbed each year since 1999 – the
year Erik arrived to be the new man in charge
representing the Danish mother company.
“It might seem a little bit optimistic but we’ll
go for it!”
He expects Vietnam to grow the most. In
Malaysia the Muslim population are the main
consumers, while export yet account for only 7-8
per cent of the total production.
With the most recent upgrade of the
manufacturing plant and the effective production
process now implemented they are equipped for
future growth.
“We can double from where we are today.”
To meet ever-increasing demand and the need
for larger capacity a newer manufacturing plant
was established back in 1993 and subsequently
expanded further in 2014 with a new extension
of the factory building, including a 4000 sq. metres
new warehouse and office lot.
Work force the greatest asset
Some key factors have enabled turning this fruit
juice plant into an effective hi-tech production.
Erik had realised soon after arriving that he
would have to tear down the ‘big boss’ culture
that is common in Malaysia: for every little detail
employees ask their boss. Breaking down barriers
was a must to achieve the corporate culture of
efficiency and effective multi-skilled staff that he
envisioned. Introducing a team and group culture
had then been the method in order to achieve
this; including teambuilding trips as a tool.
“The real knowledge lies with the worker on
the floor so I decided to try and change things.”
Since then he always prompts the question to

his employees: ‘What do you think? Come back
with a solution!’
“When they came back with different
suggestions, we would discuss those and as it was
their solutions, they took ownership.”
“In our creative groups our theme was
productivity. And each idea was tested with
Edward De Bono’s Six Thinking Hats, and those,
which passed the test, were approved.
It was a very inspiring process and good ideas
led to more good ideas.”
The processing system was computerised,
the bottle rinser speeded up to 20 % above
manufacturers top speed, the filling machine and
labelling machine speed increased 20% above the
manufacturers original top speed, the cardboard
packing machine was rebuilt, the palletizing
machine upgraded from semi automatic to fully
automatic unit - the list of improvements are long
and all-encompassing.
And in that process he discovered what he
describes as the Malaysian work force’s greatest
asset.
“I soon realized workers are very flexible
compared to in Europe where we are all tied
up with restrictions and are only allowed to do
specific tasks directed by the unions. In Malaysia we
are free to do what we want, which is beneficiary
to all parties. And when you come with changes
they are very open to go through those.”
“Part of our policy is that the staff is the
most important asset we have. We train them
to be multi-skilled and flexible. So all our factory
personnel have a forklift license, for instance and
are trained as machine operators. Here they
can do anything, and they are very open to be
educated; to go into new fields and so on.”
A Capacity Utilization program was also
developed and thanks to the flexible workforce
the team can cross the 100 per cent capacity for
a day. This is achieved by running the machines
also during the breaks. The immediate incentive
for workers is the extra salary they get.
The level of English skill can be a problem
especially among younger staff. And those are
sent on language training. Sourcing staff can also
be a problem despite that Penang has a long
tradition as a production hub.
There is also no logistic advantage to be
based on this island. Neither does the abundance
of fresh fruit in Southeast Asia play any role. The
compound arrives by ship from Denmark.
“Fruit today is a commodity. A 100 per cent
juice in the supermarket comes from the same
source; most often from Brazil where the oranges
are harvested.”
“There are a lot of product development
issues here. We want to keep this and the
recipes back in Denmark. That’s certainly not the
cheapest but the safest way. A lot of companies
are trying to copy Sunquick and they have not
really succeeded yet.”
Island life
After so many years in Penang Erik is also the right
person to ask about how life is on this island with
its unique cultural heritage.
“It’s a wonderful place with friendly
atmosphere, good food and reasonable prices,”
he thinks. “And it’s been very reasonable to buy
property here, but I have seen the property
prices increase at least four times since I came.”
Erik recommends people to live there.
“Yes, for retirement I always recommend Penang.”
“We can see a lot of Scandinavians coming to
Penang now, via the Malaysia My Second Home
programme. And the major thing is that you can
come here with your pension from abroad, and
it’s tax-free. And you can even have a small job
limited hours and do a bit of business if you want.
And you can own land on your own.”
“They choose Penang because they simply
love it. It has everything: the jungle, the hills,
the sea, and the wonderful restaurants and the
heritage town, and shopping centres where you
can get anything. And also good nightlife but more
of the family-driven kind.”
Erik himself being a seasoned biker, he
especially appreciates the nature on the island.
“I’ve been riding the bicycle here since I first
came and we bikers were far and few between
back then. Now Penang is becoming the biking
island of Southeast Asia to enjoy its nature and
riding up and down mountains. Visitors can also
rent bikes downtown and it is really an easy way
to get around and it’s much faster than the car in
rush hour.”
April 2015 • ScandAsia.South East Asia 17

Treasure hunting
in gorgeous Georgetown
By Lasse Henriksen
After one day in Georgetown I was
fed up by the omnipresent streetartish
murals. My hostel featured a
quite beautiful painting and at first
glance it seemed to bring the old
idyllic streets a twist. It was picturing a old man
standing with an oar in the stern of a wooden
boat. The dim paint were beautifully melting into
the once white house facade that had slowly
grown grey like any other white wall in a tropic
climate.
It did not take long, however, before a darker
side of the painting was revealed. It was causing
constant traffic jam and honking of horns.
Tourists in selfie-euphoria were putting their
lives at risk when they absently laid down in the
middle of the road in front of Go-Pro cameras.
It was too much, this was not street art, just a
commercial move from the local government to
create a tourist trap. No better or less hazardous
than a billboard with semi-naked models next
to a highway.
I have always defined street art as something
you did not need permission to make and
mostly I have connected it with rebellion against
“the system”, like a critic remark to the society
we live in. What they have in Penang is none
of that. It is made on the local governments
initiative. It is pretty and polite and just to damn
photogenic.
Trying desperately to get lost
But I softened up. There is not that much to do
in Georgetown and after walking from corner
to corner, tasting the most incredible Chinese,
Malay and Indian street food, a treasure hunt for
the so called street art seemed unexpectedly
edible. So I challenged my negativity and went to
the streets armed with an alluring hand drawn
map, that could sort of have looked like a pirates
map if I burned the corners.
Walking through the small streets with a
purpose felt nice. Even though I started my
walking in the sweltering afternoon it was easy
to forget that sweat was oozing out of every
pore in my body and that the risk of catching
18 ScandAsia.South East Asia • April 2015

skin-cancer was accelerating. Old painted shop
windows and small quirky art pieces were
suddenly standing out, helped into focus by the
determination to find beauty.
But I quickly got concerned. Maybe this was
too easy. You basically just had to follow the
clusters of tourist with stick- or handheld cameras.
Suddenly the only fun was photographing
people photographing each other, a little to
meta to be real fun and part of finding a treasure
is that you are the only one finding it. Imagine
entering Ali Baba’s cave and find the passengers
from two large cruise ships dancing around.
I decided to look the map to find the most
remote artworks.
Appreciate the aestethics!
Getting there was probably the best part.
Constantly finding unmapped art pieces and
walking around in backyards of auto-mechanics.
Which is why I can only recommend to choose
the worst map you can find. The more confusing
the better. The search then quickly becomes
an obvious reminder that it is not always the
goal but often the journey itself that is most
memorable.
Even in the more remote areas, it can
difficult to take a photo without feeling like
you are stealing someone else’s holiday photo.
But who cares. Not only do the paintings
compliment the buildings they also sort of
make the streets into a museum, showing
you of what used to be here and what’s still
here but may soon be gone. Like the painting
of an old bicycle-taxi “trishaw” driver resting
under an umbrella mounted on the bike. Like
a cheesy metaphor the mural slowly crumbles
away on the old facade, like the impermanence
of the culture it portrays.
April 2015 • ScandAsia.South East Asia 19

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