ScandAsia Singapore - February 2015

FEB 2015
Deliciously
Scandinavian
ScandAsia.dk ScandAsia.fi ScandAsia.no ScandAsia.se

Open House
Register at www.sais.edu.sg
Friday, February 13 th 2015
Future
Celebrity
Chefs
Required
Ages 2-18
Stamford American is proud to
announce their partnership with
Celebrity Chef
Emmanuel Stroobant
Stamford American serves fresh, healthy and nutritious
meals with a daily choice of western, Asian and
vegetarian options in the Student Café and Parent
Café. With a standard of no fried food and no MSG,
we encourage students to establish healthy eating
habits. Also a focus on organic ingredients builds a
foundation for improved concentration skills which
leads to increased learning potential.
Stamford offers an outstanding international
education for students from 2 to 18 years.
We offer the rigorous IB Program –
enhanced by American standards and
a focus on languages – to equip your
child for global citizenship.
Stamford American International School CPE Registration Number: 200823594D Period of Registration:
August 10, 2014 to August 9, 2018
Inquiry Hotline
+65 6653 7907

Coming Events
Norwegian Seafood Dinner 2015
When:
Where:
Restriction:
Friday, March 13, 2015, 7:30pm
Raffles City Convention Centre, The Fairmont Ballroom
Only for Norwegian Business Association (Singapore) members.
DABS General Meeting 2015
When:
Where:
Thursday, March 19, 2015 6:30pm - 10:00pm
To be announced
The President and the Committee of the
Danish Business Association Singapore will
convene the annual general meeting to
present its report on DABS activities of the
previous year and discuss future plans.
The vision of DABS is to be a leading
business association in Singapore recognized
for its ability to provide value-adding services
for its members in close cooperation with
the Royal Danish Embassy and other relevant
organizations in Singapore.
Membership of DABS is open to all
Danes living and working in Singapore, to
Danish companies/branches/representative
offices in Singapore, and in some cases to
other nationals being associated with Danish
companies or Danish interests in Singapore.
Norway Asia Summit 2015
When: April 16 - April 18, 2015
Where: New Delhi, India
Photo: Norway Asia Summit 2015
The fifth edition of the Norway-Asia Business
Summit will present opportunities for Norwegian
companies in the region, as well as for colleagues
coming from Norway, for a rich mix of discussions on
business in Asia, Asian economics and Asian politics.
This time, in addition looking into developments in
the host country, India and discussing the possible
regional impacts of these and how Norwegian
businesses can contribute.
The Norwegian Business Association Singapore
announces that Norwegian celebrity chefs, Mr Eyvind
Hellstrom, Mr Frode Selvaag, Mr Oyvind Nesheim
and Mr Markus Dybwad will be collaborating with
Singaporean celebrity chef Mr Eric Teo on this occasion.
Invitations will be sent out to NBAS Ordinary
members by end of January 2014.
Price per table (10 seats) is SGD 3 300.
Last year’s DABS Annual General Meeting. Photo courtesy
of DABS
While Asia continues to entice, India is
currently the new appealing country on the block.
Mr Narendra Modi, India’s new Prime Minister,
promises to make India the most attractive
destination for business, with several new initiatives,
and rectification of old challenges. Amongst them,
PM Modi’s call to “Make in India” has sent out a
positive message across the globe.
Of course, to top all of this, you will also get
to acquaint yourself with India’s rich culture and
gastronomic experiences.
Time to block your calendar for this event!
Further details will follow here and on the Summit
web page.
Visit Norway-Asia Business Summit Facebook
Page for news and updates about the event.
The brochure is available in pdf format to
provide you the details about the program, venue
and signup information.
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News Brief
Greenwave Systems sets up R&D center in Singapore
Photo: Embassy of Denmark in Singapore
Greenwave Systems, the global Internet
of Things (IoT) software and managed
services leader, on January 27 announced
it is opening a new Research & Development
Center in Singapore to further expand its
innovation capabilities for the Internet of Things.
The new facility will focus on delivering
state-of-the-art IoT technologies to its media,
service provider, insurance, utility and consumer
electronics partners and customers globally. Today,
Greenwave has over 230 employees worldwide
across offices in the U.S., Denmark, Singapore
and Korea.
With the opening of its new R&D Center,
Greenwave expects to grow its Singapore-based
team from 80 to approximately 120 employees.
“We welcome the establishment of
Greenwave’s new R&D Center in Singapore,
and are pleased that Greenwave has chosen
Singapore to be its platform to grow its Internet
of Things (IoT) business,” said Ms Thien Kwee Eng,
Assistant Managing Director at the Singapore
Economic Development Board.
“With the rise of digitization and opportunities
in consumer businesses, as well as media and
energy management, we encourage Greenwave
to continue to leverage Singapore’s talent pool,
research institutions and sophisticated demand
for the co-creation of advanced IoT technologies
for the Asian market and beyond.”
According to a recent report from
International Data Corporation (IDC), based
upon an extensive global market study, the
worldwide IoT market is forecast to grow from
$1.3 trillion in 2013 to $3.04 trillion in 2020.
In addition, government mandates will drive
the Western Europe and Asia-Pacific regions to
outpace North America in terms of IoT revenues
and installed base through 2020.
“We applaud the Singapore Economic
Development Board’s vision in recognizing IoT
and M2M as exciting and strategic areas to drive
economic growth in Singapore,” said Martin
Manniche, Greenwave Systems Founder and
CEO.
“Since Greenwave was already established
in Singapore, we’ve had the opportunity to see
first-hand how the nation’s focus on innovation
and technology has attracted superb talent and
exciting business prospects. This was key in our
decision to establish an R&D Center in Singapore
as we look to expand our presence not only
across Asia-Pacific but also the global market.”
Greenwave’s Axon managed services
platform is the technology that global brands use
to connect devices and enable network-based
services for their customers.
With broad support of popular wireless
communication protocols, Axon integrates
broad device ecosystem management with
video experience to deliver a powerful wholehome
network, media, control and monitoring
experience.
Axon is a managed modular platform upon
which services and applications can be deployed
and maintained, and provides device-powered
real-time data that can be used to create highly
targeted revenue-generating business models.
The new Innovation and R&D Center will be
located in Science Park II, Singapore.
Carlsberg to develop biodegradable wood-fiber bottles
Carlsberg has initiated a three-year project with packaging
company ecoXpac, with the collaboration of Innovation Fund
Denmark and the Technical University of Denmark, to develop
a biodegradable and biobased bottle made from sustainably sourced
wood-fiber, to be known as the “Green Fiber Bottle”.
All materials used in the bottle, including the cap, will be developed
using bio-based and biodegradable materials - primarily, sustainably
sourced wood-fibers – allowing the bottle to be responsibly degraded.
Commenting on the announcement from Carlsberg HQ in
Copenhagen, Andraea Dawson-Shepherd, Senior Vice President for
Corporate Affairs, said: “At Carlsberg we are firm believers in the
importance of a circular economy in ensuring sustainable future
growth and development on our planet, and today’s announcement
is excellent news. If the project comes to fruition, as we think it will, it
will mark a sea-change in our options for packaging liquids, and will be
another important step on our journey towards a circular, zero-waste
economy.”
4 ScandAsia.Singapore • February 2015

WHAT IF ...
AUGUST
2015
APPLICATIONS
OPEN
Middle School student Noa connects with her teacher Paula.
…THE FOCUS OF TECHNOLOGY WAS LEARNING?
Would technology no longer be an end in itself? At UWCSEA,
our students are surrounded by technology, with 1.2 devices
available for every student. But access to devices is only the
beginning. UWCSEA invests even more in training teachers in
the use of technology to transform learning.
Take Paula Guinto and her student Noa. With the support
of dedicated digital literacy coaches, Paula uses technology
extensively in her English classes. But she knows that the
most important connection is the one that Noa makes with
her learning.
With a goal of cultivating trust and collaborative
conversations, Paula’s students use apps to extend
discussions, access authentic audiences, edit one
another’s work online and more. Technology keeps
them connected—to each other.
Maybe that’s why UWCSEA was named 21st Century
Learning International’s School of the Year for 2013.
There definitely isn’t an app for that.
What if your child joins UWCSEA?
Visit www.uwcsea.edu.sg to find out more.
UWCSEA Dover is registered by the CPE CPE Registration No. 197000825H Registration Period 18 July 2011–17 July 2017
UWCSEA East is registered by the CPE CPE Registration No. 200801795N Registration Period 10 March 2011–9 March 2017
February 2015 • ScandAsia.Singapore 134ADV-1415 5

News Brief
Singapore-based
Swedish firms visit
Indonesia
A
Swedish Business Delegation comprising
high-level representatives from twelve
companies, largely based in Singapore,
visited Jakarta on 25-27 January 2015.
The event was organized by the Embassies
of Sweden in Jakarta and Singapore in close
cooperation with the Swedish Business Association
of Singapore. The Business Delegation was led
by the Ambassador of Sweden to Indonesia,
Johanna Brismar Skoog, together with Håkan
Jevrell Ambassador of Sweden to Singapore.
The purpose of the visit was to identify
business opportunities and to get a better
understanding of the economic and political
developments in Indonesia.
Photo: Embassy of Sweden in Singapore
Marimekko to open Singapore, Bkk stores
Ericsson, Singtel
agree to test 5G in
Singapore
Singapore’s Singtel and Sweden’s Ericsson
signed a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) on January 27 to collaborate on testing
technologies for future 5G network deployments.
The MoU covers the exploration of potential 5G
network standards and likely applications to meet
future demand from consumers and industries,
while the Singtel/Ericsson venture will specifically
study how next-generation mobile platforms can
support Singapore’s ‘Smart Nation’ ICT vision.
The teams from Singtel and Ericsson will study
candidate 5G technology standards including
network architecture supporting Massive
Machine Type Communications (MTC) and a
cloud-based network, with commercial launches
envisaged for 2020, the press release added.
Ericsson is not the only tech vendor the telco is
partnering to explore 5G possibilities, after Singtel
also launched a 5G Joint Innovation Programme
with China’s Huawei Technologies last November.
The Singaporean firm is also a member of the
Next Generation Mobile Network (NGMN)
Alliance, which is hammering out details of a 5G
white paper setting forth parameters such as
performance requirements, network architecture,
spectrum and intellectual property rights; the
NGMN paper will be presented at Mobile World
Congress (MWC) in March this year.
6 ScandAsia.Singapore • February 2015
Opportunities afforded by the growing
consumer markets of Asia play
an important role in Marimekko’s
internationalisation. Over the past three years,
new markets have been opened up in China,
Hong Kong and Taiwan, and the Marimekko stores
in Asia have doubled in number.
Marimekko is continuing its expansion in Asia.
Retailer-owned Marimekko stores will be opened
in the major Southeast Asian metropolises of
Singapore and Bangkok in spring 2015. The
intention is to open more stores in the next
few years. The forthcoming store in Singapore
will be in an excellent business location in the
new Capitol Piazza mall. A Marimekko shopin-shop
was already opened in November
2014 at the famous Tangs department store,
whose international peers include, for example,
Bloomingdale’s of New York and London’s
Selfridges. The Bangkok store will be opened in
one of the city’s biggest and busiest shopping
centres, Central World, which attracts as many as
150,000 customers a day.
“In our expansion in the international
marketplace, we have focused first and foremost
on regions with high growth potential. The Asia-
Pacific region is our second-largest market area,
and we already have a fairly strong foothold
in East Asia. We are now aiming for two new
markets in Southeast Asia as Marimekko stores
are opened in Singapore and Bangkok in the
spring,” says Mika Ihamuotila, President and CEO.
“Singapore is a modern metropolis and very
attractive to us, as it is considered one of the
region’s top shopping destinations for tourists.
As an aviation gateway it also serves as an access
point to many Asian countries, and the city
receives an enormous number of travellers. The
capital city of Thailand, Bangkok, is in an interesting
stage of development from the retail viewpoint. A
number of high-class malls have been opened in
Photo: Marimekko
the city recently, and it is rising to be a noteworthy
rival to Singapore and Hong Kong,” Ihamuotila
continues.
Half of the new Marimekko stores opened
in 2014 were in the Asia-Pacific region: two in
Hong Kong, one in Chengdu in mainland China,
two in Seoul in South Korea, and two in Japan. In
Australia, Marimekko opened a company-owned
store in Melbourne. Two further shop-in-shops
were opened, one in New Zealand and another
in Singapore.

Norway, Singapore seek closer ties
on Arctic affairs
Minister of State Sam Tan met Norwegian Minister
for Foreign Affairs Mr Børge Brende on 19 January
2015, and presented the latter with a copy
of Professor Tan Tai Yong’s “Maritime Heritage of
Singapore”. Photo credit: MFA
Visit of Minister of State in The Prime
Minister’s Office and Ministry Of Culture,
Community and Youth, Sam Tan to Norway,
18 to 22 January 2015
Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s
Office and the Ministry of Culture, Community
and Youth Mr Sam Tan was in Tromsø, Norway
to attend the 9th Arctic Frontiers conference on
19 January 2015. He delivered a speech titled:
“State of the Arctic – Singapore’s Perspective”.
The event was attended by about 877 registered
participants from 37 countries.
On the sidelines of the conference, Mr
Tan called on Norwegian Minister for Foreign
Affairs Mr Børge Brende. They reaffirmed the
good relations between Singapore and Norway,
and had a frank exchange of views on regional
developments. Mr Tan also met United States
Special Representative for the Arctic Admiral
Robert J. Papp Jr. to discuss possible areas of
cooperation between Singapore and the United
States during the latter’s Chairmanship of the
Arctic Council from 2015 to 2017. In addition,
Mr Tan met a Singaporean student, Mr Ian Lee,
who is taking part in the University of the Arctic
(UArctic) Student Ambassadors Programme at
the University of Tromsø.
Call +352 43 88 77 77 to find out more about our service
News Brief
Universal Robots
opens regional HQ
in Singapore
Danish robot manufacturer Universal
Robots on January 8 announced
the official opening of its Asia-Pacific
(excluding China and India) headquarters in
Singapore. This is its sixth global office.
This comes as Universal Robots plans to
significantly expand its client base throughout Asia-
Pacific. The Singapore office will be responsible
for the operations and expansion plans across the
region as well as training regional distributors on
Universal Robots’ latest technologies.
Shermine Gotfredsen has been appointed
the first general manager to lead the Asia-Pacific
operations.
WEALTH PLANNING
You know where to go. We know
how to guide you there.
Moving abroad can be very complicated. There are many things to consider, including
the requirements of the different regulatory regimes to which cross-border wealth
planning is subject. Let us guide you through the legislative labyrinth, and help you
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prepared to meet the challenges that moving abroad brings.
Visit us at www.nordea.lu/WP, call +65 6597 1082, or e-mail
jonas.bergqvist@nordea.sg
Making it possible
Nordea Bank S.A, Singapore Branch is part of Nordea Group, the leading financial services group in the Nordic and Baltic Sea regions. Some products and services may, due to local regulations, not be available to individuals resident in certain countries
and their availability may depend, among other things, on the investment risk profile of persons in receipt of this publication or on any legislation to which they are subject. Nothing in this publication should be construed as an offer, or the solicitation of an
offer, to purchase, subscribe to or sell any investment or product, or to engage in any other transaction or provide any kind of financial or banking service in any jurisdiction where Nordea Bank S.A., Singapore Branch or any of its affiliates do not have the
necessary licence. Published by Nordea Bank S.A., R.C.S. Luxembourg No. B 14.157 on behalf of Nordea Bank S.A., Singapore Branch, 3 Anson Rd #20-01, Springleaf Tower, Singapore 079909. www.nordeaprivatebanking.com subject to the supervision
of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (www.mas.gov.sg).
February 2015 • ScandAsia.Singapore 7
AD_ScandAsiaThailand_Jonas_WP_eng NEW.indd 1 14/08/2014 11:56

News Brief
Singapore, Denmark
have world’s fastest
mobile networks
The fastest average mobile networks in
the world are in Denmark 21.6 Mbit/s,
Singapore 16.7 Mbit/s, and in Switzerland
16.5 Mbit/s.
In the US, the average mobile internet speed
is 6.7 Mbit/s, in the UK 5.6 Mbit/s, and in Germany
5.9 Mbit/s.
These findings are from the Netradar mobile
network maps created by the Internet Society
and Aalto University in Finland.
Their report is based on data from ordinary
Indian mobile phone users using Netradar, a free
mobile application to measure mobile connections
and devices. Aalto University developed the app
and runs it globally. When using the application,
users are presented with data about the quality
of their connectivity.
Shareholders
approve sale of
Norway’s REC Solar
to Chinese firm
At an Extraordinary General Meeting on
January 15, REC’s shareholders approved
to sell the business as the largest
European supplier of solar panels worldwide
and to combine with the Norway-based Elkem
Group. The closing of the transaction is expected
in early March 2015.
Bluestar Elkem Investment is set to acquire
REC Solar Holdings AS and all of the assets and
liabilities of REC Solar at a cash purchase price
of NOK 4,340 million. Since 2011, the Norwaybased
Elkem Group is fully owned by China
National Bluestar, which in turn is a joint venture
between the conglomerate ChemChina and
Blackstone.
Martin Cooper, CEO of REC, states: “We
are pleased that the shareholders have voted
in favour of this transaction, in accordance with
the previous recommendation by the Board of
Directors. We believe that a combination with
the Elkem Group will provide a strong platform
to further develop REC, with added strengths and
new opportunities.”
Elkem is keen to develop the existing
organization of REC and to invest in further
growth as a leading global brand in the solar
industry. According to members of management,
both companies are strongly committed to
maintaining the high quality of REC’s solar panels,
which far surpass stringent certifications, as well
as to ensure REC warranties stay reliable. The
basis for this industry-leading product quality will
continue to be REC’s fully-automated integrated
production plant in Singapore. Perhaps most
importantly, customers can expect “business as
usual”.
Going forward, REC is expecting new
business opportunities due to this transaction.
As the Elkem Group is a leading supplier of
silicon, REC can benefit from new synergies
up-stream the value chain. The company’s
already strong strategic and financial position
will be further strengthened thanks to improved
access to financing, further boosting research
and development, new technologies, production
capacity and penetrating new markets in Asia
such as China. “The Elkem Group and REC have
developed a strong business relationship and
there is a good strategic match between the
companies, as both have a Norwegian corporate
culture and heritage. The Elkem Group has a
strategic goal to grow its presence in the solar
industry. The ambition is to establish a leading
integrated PV player,” comments Helge Aasen,
CEO of Elkem AS.
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
the programme and the boarding school.
Deadline for applications:
15th of March
Nyborg Gymnasium & Kostskole
Skolebakken 13, DK-5800 Nyborg, tlf +45 65 31 02 17
post@nyborg-gym.dk, www.nyborg-gym.dk
8 ScandAsia.Singapore • February 2015

Q&A
Reader profile of the month
Jan
Jørgensen
Finland is second in
world’s do-gooder list
Finland is ranked No. 2 on the lost of dogooder
in the world!, according to The Good
Country Index.
The idea of the Good Country Index is
pretty simple: to measure what each country
on earth contributes to the common good
of humanity, and what it takes away. Using a
wide range of data from the U.N. and other
international organisations, we’ve given each
country a balance-sheet to show at a glance
whether it’s a net creditor to mankind, a burden
on the planet, or something in between.
It’s important to explain that we are not
making any moral judgments about countries.
What I mean by a Good Country is something
much simpler: it’s a country that contributes to
the greater good.
The Good Country Index is one of a series
of projects I’ll be launching over the coming
months and years to start a global debate about
what countries are really for. Do they exist purely
to serve the interests of their own politicians,
businesses and citizens, or are they actively
working for all of humanity and the whole planet?
The debate is a critical one, because if the first
answer is the correct one, we’re all in deep
trouble.
The Good Country Index doesn’t measure
what countries do at home: not because I think
these things don’t matter, of course, but because
there are plenty of surveys that already do that.
What the Index does aim to do is to start a global
discussion about how countries can balance their
duty to their own citizens with their responsibility
to the wider world, because this is essential for
the future of humanity and the health of our
planet. I hope that looking at these results will
encourage you to take part in that discussion.
Today as never before, we desperately need
a world made of good countries. We will only
get them by demanding them: from our leaders,
our companies, our societies, and of course from
ourselves.
Jan Jørgensen is a 48 years Dane. He
is the Managing Director of Atlas
Pearls & Perfumes and moved to
Indonesia in 1994 because of a job
opportunity in the pearling industry.
As a child in Nykøbing Falster he
was fascinated watching and reading
about pearl divers sinking into the
deep blue. Jan studied Aquaculture in
Perth, Western Australia, and started
his pearling career in Kupang, West
Timor. Now 20 years into his Indonesian
adventure he lives on Bali with his
wife and their two boys.
Working in Indonesia has taught me...
infinite patience and religious tolerance, to
the degree where I can’t see how otherwise I
would ever have developed such tolerance. A
major part of our operations is to develop relationships
and ultimately agreements with local
communities surrounding our remote pearl
farms and this is very much the most crucial
aspect of operating here in Indonesia.
The best thing about doing business in
Indonesia is...
the process of developing trust, once you have
trust then you are friends and partners for life,
very loyal and hardworking people.
In Indonesia I could do without..
the pollution there is so much more we can
do to help steer this in a better direction.
My best advice to a newcomer in Indonesia...
is to first observe and never to think that
business can be done by taking shortcuts and
without permits. Work within the rules and
regulations and always calculate in benefits to
the traditional stakeholders.
Since 1994 Indonesia has...
changed in unbelievable ways, I relied mainly
on ferries to get around the various islands but
occasionally used airplanes which back then
had open policy in terms of allowing smoking
inside the cabin(not something I ever want
to re live). These days flying around Indonesia
have become a much smoother experience.
To have seen the Indonesian middle class
gather pace so quickly, ownership of cars, motorbikes
and houses and having expendable
income is an incredible achievement.
Living outside of Scandinavia has made
me realize...
that it takes all races, religions and beliefs to
make this world go around, regardless of who
we are we all have very similar needs and concerns
in regards to profession, family and life
in general.
Since I became an expat Danish traditions
have...
become somewhat limited but we do maintain
traditional meals for Christmas and Bali being
so packed with variety I am able to sneak in
some marzipan and nougat on occasion! I have
known many Scandinavians during my time in
Indonesia, there have been some real characters
living in very remote parts of the country
and it is amazing to see how they always tend
to keep a slice of their home traditions and
values with them wherever they go.
In Indonesia I have picked up the habit...
of drinking “mud coffee”, this is what I call it
anyway using a table spoon of “kopi kapal api”
and letting it settle in a large glass of boiling
water and of course having a good selection
of Batik Shirts when meeting representatives
from the government.
I go home to Scandinavia..
hardly ever, the last time I was home I was
invited by my Grandfather to stay at his home,
even though this was in June I gave in after the
first night and asked if I could move a mattress
into his sauna, once set at 25 degrees I was
able to finally sleep without freezing. I doubt
I will be able to return to Denmarks climate
after my time in Indonesia.
Eventually I want to leave for Australia...
because my Parents are based in Perth and
our 2 boys are very close to their Grandparents,
Perth is where we had a home for over
10 years and have returned for holidays to
visit family and friends so definitely Perth is on
our radar.
February 2015 • ScandAsia.Singapore 9

Erika to teach
Malays how to
With a Masters Degree in International
Relations and an ambition to start an NGO
in Malaysia, opening a Swedish “fika” café
in Georgetown might not seem like the
obvious choice for Erika Teng, none the less
Erika has chosen this, as a way to inspire
people in Malaysia and as her first step on
the road to start an NGO.
By Lasse Henriksen
10 ScandAsia.Singapore • February 2015
In a narrow lane of moldy looking colonial
shop houses in the UNESCO heritage neighborhood
of Georgetown there is a house
with a fresh painted facade. At first glance this
looks like any other of the few newly painted
houses on the street, but if you study the small
painted frieze on the building you will see an elk
and what appears to be blackberries. Here in an
anglo-oriental atmosphere from the 19th century
the 32 year old Swede Erika Teng is opening a
Swedish themed café.
“I don’t want a trendy or hyped café. I want
a café with a relaxed atmosphere, a café that
welcomes everyone as they are. I want to make
sure local people can afford to go to, so the prices
won’t be too high,” Erica says.
This approach is in contrast to a lot of the
cafés in photogenic Georgetown, where you will
find cafes as the #SelfieCoffee, where baristas
paint pictures and logos on the coffee foam. This
is a city where a lot of newly opened cafés seem
to focus on interior design and where the cakes
tend to look better than they taste.

When Erika’s cafe “Fika” opened on the 17th of
January, this counter was full of semla, cinnamon
buns and other Swedish pastry.
But Erica has another mission, even though
the café is quite stylish with a row of retro window
shutters decorating a wall, simplistic white
surfaces and pinewood details, she wants people
to come for the social experience rather than the
visual. She wants people to come for the so called
“fika” experience.
“Fika is usually one of the first words you
learn when you come to Sweden, it means sitting
down having a break together with friends,
colleagues or family, having a cup of coffee and
a cake, and then talk about things. It can be just
ordinary things or political, and I really feel that in
Sweden the coffee break, either with your friends
or at work, is where things actually gets decided
and evolves,” Erika says.
Pastry of change
The good talks that Erika knows from the Fikatradition
are very important to her. She wants
the café to be more than a café. It should be a
source of inspiration to Malays, by showcasing
Swedish culture and values through posters and
The cafe is located in a shop house. Traditionally you
would have a shop downstairs and live upstairs. This
inspired the couple to have a cafe in their home.
small cards with facts about Sweden. A fact like
there is free education in Sweden, the percentage
of men that goes on maternity leave and similar
information that might surprise locals and show
them that there are many ways to build a society.
“It’s not about showing that Sweden is the
best country in the world, and that we do it the
right way. I think every country should develop its
own way. But it is important that young people
feel that they can make a change or difference,”
Erica says.
People starting to discuss gender issues or
social inequality in Malaysia, rather than taking
selfies, is not going to happen by itself. The main
tool to secure this is to disconnect the Wi-Fi and
have chat with people that are surprised that they
can’t get online.
Erika knows that she, in many ways, are more
privileged than the average Malay, but she hopes
that a good talk can show locals that it is possible
to do things in new ways and inspire them to
become active players in the society rather than
spectators.
Let’s talk cake
Well, coffee is coffee, and even though Erika plans
to sell a European rosted fair trade version, the
main focus is on the pastry.
Even though the menu will be constantly
changing and the recipes adjusted a bit to suit the
Malay taste, some things will stay the same. There
will always be sugarfree options baked with natural
sweeteners, some of the pastry will be baked
using whole grain flour and of course classics like
Semla or the Swedish cinnamon bun will stay on
the menu throughout the year.
In addition to cakes, the café will serve traditional
Swedish breakfast with homemade müesli
youghurt, bread with cheeses, shrimp sandwich
and possibly also a cold salmon sandwich.
The light interior is inspired by the simplicity
of modern Scandinavian design, but Erika have
learned that with Malaysia’s bright sun, it can be
blinding if every surface is painted white. When
the cafe opens, there will be cards with facts
about Swedish society on the tables.
The family gets it
Erika is married to Malay man with Chinese
ancestry, and she has used his family to test what
pastry they like and to see if the family approved
of the “fika” concept. The family turned out to be
a valuable source of feedback. Even though she
felt they were being a little harsh in the beginning,
her husband explained to her, that the criticism
was actually a positive thing.
“The more they talk about it, the more they
like it. Because then they think it can actually be
improved to be really good. So they just want to
hint you in the right direction. If it is hopeless they
won’t say anything,” Erika says.
The family has also embraced the talking and
togetherness of the traditional fika. Gathering the
family is not a new thing, but traditionally they
have done it over dinner and not a cup of coffee.
Erika opened her café named Fika on January
the 17th and she hopes that this will just be the
first step of a larger journey. It is located in Lorong
Toh Aka number 20.
“When I moved here my main purpose was
to do something for the society. I thought how
do I start up a NGO in Malaysia from scratch, I
need to know more about the place and to get
in contact with people, and so I got the idea of
opening up a café to start with and then it can
evolve to more than just being a café,” Erika says.
February 2015 • ScandAsia.Singapore 11

Smørrebrød
near Raffles Place MRT Station
Born out of a need for to create awareness
about the new Nordic diet & paying
back to Singapore, Smør decided to
introduce a palatable & acceptable
method in the heart of Singapore’s
central business district by introducing
Scandinavian smørrebrød delights to cater to the
ever-burgeoning demand for premium quality
nutritious meals at affordable prices.
The Nordic Diet emphasizes 3 tenets:
1) Breads made of whole grain rye because
they contain slow-digesting fiber, which prevent
sharp rises in blood sugar that create food cravings.
2) Low-temperature cooking methods, such
as oven baking and boiling, to keep the nutritional
value of the foods.
3) Foods from organic sources; ensuring food
security without jeopardizing the environment
Every open-faced sandwich at Smør is
prepared with that vision & goal in mind.
Smør packs in not only heaps of nutrients,
but also a flavourful story of an owner who spent
twelve years as a Sales Director at Bloomberg
in Singapore, before realizing that he needed
to leave behind a culinary legacy of sorts. The
corporate life, filled with its endless buffets, had
taken a toll on his waistline, and he seriously
questioned the perks of eating healthy. The food
at Smør, is a complete nutrient meal consisting of
a handful of complex carbs, a handful of protein,
and a handful of fibre for each plate, showing
their understanding & importance of an organic
& processed-free diet.
12 ScandAsia.Singapore • February 2015
Featuring wholesome organic produce and
premium ingredients imported directly from the
Scandinavian region, among the cold specialties
include: Norwegian Smoked Salmon, Hand
Peeled Shrimps and Pickled Herring while the hot
specialties include a fusion of East meets West,
with their spicy Kale & Mushrooms and farm fed
Herb Roasted Sirloin.
Specially for ScandAsia readers, please enjoy
addon of Danish Blue Cheese (worth 2$) on a
Regular meal, absolutely free.
Smør is conveniently accessible from Raffles
Place MRT Station and operates from 8.00 am to
8.00 pm on Mondays to Fridays, and 9.00 am to
4.00 pm on Saturdays.
Address:
#B1-23 One Raffles Place
Phone: 9430 1500

Gattopardo
Sicily in Singapore!
Contemporary Italian and Mediterranean
restaurant, Gattopardo,
located in the heart of Tanjong
Pagar, has the tagline ‘Ristorante di
Mare’, which simply translates to
“Seafood Restaurant” in English. The soul of
the restaurant is representative of the roots
of Executive Chef and Managing Director Lino
Sauro’s culinary style which is heavily influenced
by South Italian seafood. A famous Celebrity Chef
both in Singapore and Italy, Chef Lino still proudly
considers himself a ‘traditional village boy’, as he
is a son of a traditional farming family, from a tiny
mountain village of South Italy. Chef Lino’s strong
ties to his roots can be felt in his creations as
they are made with the finest, freshest and best
seasonal ingredients from Italy.
The restaurant features a two-story space to
accommodate a total of 80 diners. One of its main
attraction is the seafood counter on the first floor,
boasting a diverse range of sustainable seafood
offerings directly sourced from FRIEND OF THE
SEA Sustainable Seafood-Certified fisheries from
around the world, and presented with both a
South-Italian and Mediterranean flair. The other
focal point of the restaurant is a beautiful Italianinspired
spiral staircase which diners use to gain
access to the upper level. For those seeking
some privacy, two private rooms are available for
parties of 5 and 20 respectively.
Food critics and fans alike rave about Chef
Lino’s deliciously innovative and heritage-inspired
signature dishes such as Risone Con Polipo
Brasato e Midollo di Bue, a Risone Pasta with
Braised Octopus and Bone Marrow; the Zuppa
di Pesce “Gattopardo”, a Gattopardo’s Signature
seafood stew in a Terracotta pot; and the Branzino
al Sale, a salted baked Mediterranean Sea Bass.
Gattopardo rotates a set of seasonal menus
throughout the year featuring dishes created with
ingredients in tuned with the seasonal produce
available in Italy during each of the four seasons.
Come experience Sicily in Singapore in its
purest form on Tras Street!
Address
34/36 Tras Street, Singapore 079026
Phone: 6338 5498
Email: marketing@gattopardo.com.sg
Opening Hours
Monday-Friday: Lunch, 12pm-2.30pm
Dinner, 6.30pm-10.30pm
Saturday: Lunch, Closed
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February 2015 • ScandAsia.Singapore 13

Arla establishes
new business region in Asia
Arla chose Kuala Lumpur as location
for new regional Head Quarters
serving China and all of South
East Asia
Arla Foods is integrating its
markets in China and South East Asia in a new
regional market called Business Unit Asia. The
regional office will be placed in Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia, as of March 1st 2015.
Asia is vital to Arla’s ambitions to grow
and to increase earnings for its cooperative
farmer-owners in Europe. As the world’s fastest
growing economic region with a raw milk deficit
and a total population of 2.3 billion people,
Asia holds great potential for dairy export, in
particular for family nutrition products.
China is a strategic growth market for Arla,
while South East Asia (SEA) has been identified
as a region, which could potentially become a
new strategic growth market. The expectation is
that revenue for the region will exceed 1 billion
Euro within the next five years. The consumer
needs in China and SEA have many similarities
and therefore possible synergies within brand
and product portfolio, marketing and innovation.
“In close cooperation with our partner
Mengniu, we have developed our market in
China. We have gained important experience
and insight, which will be levers to accelerate
our expansion in Asia. We have strengthened
our presence in several SEA countries and it’s
time to move the senior management and main
leadership functions to the region,” says Executive
Vice President Finn Hansen, head of Arla
Foods’ business group, Consumer International.
The new Business Unit Asia management
will be based in a regional office in Kuala Lumpur
and will be setting the strategy for all retail
and food service activities in Asia. The unit will
cover the Chinese retail sales through the partnership
with Mengniu Dairy China as well as the
SEA market. During 2014, Arla has established
or strengthened the country management in
Bangladesh, Indonesia, Myanmar and Philippines,
and these as well as the management in Japan
and South Korea and distributor sales in SEA
will all report to the regional office.
New head of Asia
To head Arla’s new Business Unit Asia Jesper
Colding is appointed as Senior Vice President as
of March 1st. Jesper is currently holding a position
in the executive management of Mengniu
Dairy China as Vice President for Marketing.
From 2009 to 2012, Jesper Colding was Senior
Vice President in Global Categories in Arla with
responsibility for cheese and the BSM category.
Earlier in his career, he was based in Malaysia as
associate director in P&G with sales and marketing
responsibility for Malaysia and Singapore.
“Jesper has a broad strategic and commercial
experience and an in-depth knowledge of
the consumers in both China and South East
Jesper Colding is appointed head of Arla’s new
Business Unit Asia.
Asia. I am confident that he is the right profile
to continue the development of China even
further and to lead both the new regional team
and country managers to a successful delivery
of growth in Asia,” says Finn Hansen.
Jesper Colding is excited to relocate to Kuala
Lumpur to take up a new challenge for Arla:
“Asia holds so much potential. There is a
growing affluence among people and they are
becoming increasingly aware of the importance
of good health and choice of nutrition. We will
build on the great foundation that has been
created to refine our approach to the market
in order to accelerate delivery of the strategic
ambition. I am fortunate to have the opportunity
to lead the next phase of Arla’s journey in
a region I have lost my heart to.”
Current head of Arla’s Business Unit China,
Frede Juulsen, will take up a new role in Arla,
which includes responsibility for TPM (Third
Party Manufacturing), Global Infant Milk Formula
and the Supply Chain in Consumer International.
The market for one of Arla’s key products, cheese, is expanding rapidly in all the countries in Asia. It started
with mozarella for pizza’s but today the taste has become much more sophisticated.
Photo: Chris Buecheler.
14 ScandAsia.Singapore • February 2015

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February 2015 • ScandAsia.Singapore 15

Sweden’s Ambassador to Malaysia:
“Malaysia is a bit forg
By Joakim Persson
16 ScandAsia.Singapore • February 2015
When Ambassador Bengt G.
Carlsson arrived to Malaysia
for his first head of mission
posting, he had a re-start as
beginning: the re-opening of
the embassy following on a Swedish government
decision to first close it down and then reopen
it again.
“We arrived here in early September 2012
when just over a year had passed by since the
closure of the previous embassy,” begins the
Ambassador.
The new embassy is situated in an office
building at walking distance from KL City Center -
with a slightly slimmed organisation compared to
the old embassy. A new residence has also been
acquired.
The Ambassador’s new deputy, Counsellor
Louise Bonbeck arrived in 2014 from the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs in Sweden. A Stockholm-based
Defence Attaché also comes and goes, depending
on events and activities.
“Defence trade with Malaysia goes back all
the way to the 1960’s,” says Bengt G. Carlsson.
“And there are several deals on the cards and at
various stages. So that’s no secret.”
Promoting the military defence systems from
the SAAB Group, with the JAS Gripen fighter as
an element, is naturally part of it.
“And to assist the promotion, we have a trade
promoter; Jenn Lew, re-recruited from the previous
embassy team.”
“This is first and foremost a trade and business
promoting embassy – we should be concentrating
on offensive tasks, such as supporting business
activities, and of course we have a consular
service.”
As for regular passport service for Swedes
normally the mission in Singapore handles this
these days.
“Sweden now has a policy to concentrate
passport service around the world. There are
other embassies in the region that can offer full
service, and Singapore is not really far away,” explains
the Ambassador.
“We can issue emergency passports but to
Swedes living here we also recommend them to
renew their passports when they visit Sweden – it
is much cheaper and easier.”
Malaysia forgotten
Bengt G. Carlsson also compares to the much
larger Swedish embassy in Thailand, where he has
also worked previously in his diplomatic career –
and draws a connection: there is this big difference
in visitors from Sweden, where Malaysia enjoys
significantly fewer arrivals.

otten in Sweden”
“Since I know both places – and without saying
anything negative about Thailand; it’s a great
tourist destination – I find this a bit remarkable.
Here we also have so many things to experience!
I think Malaysia is a bit forgotten in Sweden; flying
under the radar.”
After two years in Malaysia the Ambassador
himself feels that he now should travel more and
explore the many things he has yet to discover in
the Southeast-Asian nation.
“I would like to see more interest in various
ways. Everyone knows Thailand and Singapore,
but less the country in-between… and which is a
bit of a mix as well. A lot here, such as the infrastructure,
is also more modern and advanced than
in Thailand, and it’s half the population.”
“I am happy to make the case for Malaysia’s
variety and would welcome more Swedish tourism
– and vice versa.”
The embassy promotes tourism to Sweden,
as much as it can, and partake when there are
opportunities to do so.
Innovation as umbrella
Sweden has new recently elected government is
drawing up its policies and strategies. From the
Swedish Embassy we can still get a broader sense
what we can expect ahead.
Innovation is a matter of the heart that the
Ambassador wants to continue exploring as
theme.
“The previous embassy started a broad and
strategic innovation initiative in 2011. And it’s
something where Malaysia now has a large interest
in and where we [Sweden] have a lot to offer.
The government here is very clear with that, in
order for the country to achieve its grand 2020
vision of becoming a high-income nation – now
they are in the middle-income trap and treading
water but working hard to reach there. Then
they must become more innovative. And the
government here is emphasizing this a lot and
we collaborate with authorities, universities and
investment agencies.”
“And by matching the different needs and
talents we believe we have found a good umbrella
– being innovation – to work with. And within
this you can include a wide variety of things, and
various sub-branches. We try to support those
Swedish companies already present here. That
incorporates for instance transportation where
we have world-class companies established with
assembly plants. Then you per default get matters
of interest concerning road safety, urban
transportation and planning etc. There are also
“opportunities for SMEs, consultancy services etc.
of interest within this,” highlights the Ambassador.
I would like to see more
interest in various
ways. Everyone knows
Thailand and Singapore,
but less the country inbetween…
and which
is a bit of a mix as
well. A lot here, such
as the infrastructure,
is also more modern
and advanced than in
Thailand, and it’s half
the population.
Within official Malaysia as counterpart the
embassy collaborates first and foremost with
the Ministry of International Trade and Industry
(MITI.)
“This is a very important ministry here and
they continue to be interested in Sweden. By
nature this is the ministry to collaborate mostly
with and focus on. There is also an innovation authority
under Prime Minister’s Office that we have
teamed up with together with Business Sweden
and our companies.“
“We are, among other things, working on doing
a roundtable discussion on innovation, trying
to bring that up on a high level, including ministries
and corporate leaders on various sides – for
instance within productivity. We have Swedish
companies such as SKF, Volvo, Scania, Mölnlycke
etc. that could have a lot to contribute when it
comes to increasing productivity in Malaysia.”
Team Sweden
Bengt G. Carlsson says he has been around and
done promotion work in several countries and
the talk of potential is always there. But on this
front he thinks that this is something that Malaysia
really has.
“I think we underperform here. Swedish
companies, in particular SMEs, ought to be able to
have much more success here! So the challenge
is to make Malaysia more visible to companies in
Sweden.”
“We, in the region, have discussed having
more joint promotion activities, and we are considering
doing a smaller road show in Sweden in
the spring, to meet the market so to speak. I think
it would have larger impact if many countries do
this together rather than just one.”
“We like to view ourselves as a part in ‘Team
Sweden’, where there are other legs here. Business
Sweden is one and then we have the companies
that we are here to support. All of us
should be involved in this, and different companies
depending on the activity what we are doing at
the moment,” suggests the Ambassador.
“Then, whether it should be purely innovation-based
or in a more specific sector such as
health care or clean tech, I think it’s important that
we work like this but stand united.”
“We do various activities and it’s of course
important to have the Swedish companies along.
That has worked well. And it’s also important to
involve also the academic world in this, to share
research and ideas and as expertise.”
On the Swedish side the new government
must find its way and decide which countries to
visit in the near future.
“Malaysia is probably not on top of the government’s
travel agenda; they are likely to start
closer to home. But we’re hoping the new government
will be interested in Asia and Malaysia;
we’ve had very few ministerial visits here. Again,
I think that has to do with this country being
quite unknown. But this is my job to bring this
to a higher level and making the country more
visible back home. And not just praise and embellishment;
rather giving an informed and nuanced
view. However this is after all a country with many
advantages, among the top in the world as far as
the ‘Ease of Doing Business’ index is concerned,
and a very pleasant and nice country to live in or
visit, one cannot deny that!”
“In our yearly planning we submit promotion
plans and present what we would like to do, and
then we can apply for funding for example to do
these innovation efforts and to attract attention
in media and elsewhere. For us working actively
with promotion and events out here, it is definitely
very important to have access to these resources
so we can combine them with funding and cofinancing
from other stakeholders, such as our
companies here. Successful promotion events are
normally very costly, there is a lot of competition
from other countries as well.”
February 2015 • ScandAsia.Singapore 17

Cinnamon rolls key to success
for Bali-based Swedish family
The Lassesson-family from Stockholm, Sweden, dreamed of a different life.
An internet ad opened the opportunity to move to the paradise island of Bali.
Nine years later they have built their dream life - and it was grandma’s recipe
for cinnamon rolls that led the way.
Text & Photos: Michael Töpffer
On Tamblingan, the main street in
the Sanur-area of paradise-island
Bali, two towering blond figures
are sitting comfortably in the
shade of a lush tree at a café,
drinking freshly squeezed orange juice.
The name of the café is solid Swedish: Café
Smörgås, or Café Sandwich. Guests entering here
will see large photo-prints hanging on the walls,
showing beautiful and well selected images from
well known locations in Sweden, like Stockholm
old town and the archipelago.
Café Smörgås is a Swedish oasis in the middle
of a tropical paradise.
The two Swedes drinking juice in the shadow
of the tree are Johan and Lotta Lassesson. Café
Smörgås is their brainchild.
It’s somewhat hectic at the café, customers
are coming in a steady stream to find a seat and
place their orders. The staff are busy serving coffee
and juice, sandwiches with Swedish specialities
like meatballs and salmon, and also one-plate
meals, like pasta and, of course, fika - the Swedish
term for a cake or a bun with coffee.
Bestsellers are Swedish cinnamon rolls and
Swedish style apple-pie.
Johan and Lotta look relaxed and have a
healthy appearance. While Johan is wearing
paradise-suitable shorts and a t-shirt, Lotta is
18 ScandAsia.Singapore • February 2015
wearing her trainer outfit. She will soon be off to
her yoga-course.
“Our café is now almost fully operated by our
staff. We mostly take care of bookkeeping and
payroll,” Johan Lassesson, 50, explains.
“We have a lot of family-time together, both
for our hobbies and for each other. We are truly
living a lifestyle we just a few years ago only could
dream, says Lotta Lassesson, 48, and continues:
“To take that step and to try to realize our
dreams is the best thing we ever did,” she says.
Ten years ago, they were living a very different
kind of life.
The family was living in the suburb of Bromma,
just outside Stockholm. Johan had his own
company in construction-business, with 16 staff.
Lotta was an administrator working at state
owned company, Svenska Spel.
Both of them were busy with their careers,
and especially Johan was suffering from constantly
being under pressure as an employer. Time
was always in short supply and daily life felt very
predictable.
“Both of us had for long been thinking of
making a change in our lives, but we didn’t know
how, Johan explains.
They had been thinking of moving to a different
area, or maybe selling the company to
move abroad, maybe to Croatia or Mallorca for
six months, mostly for the fun and the adventure
and to get a rest and to recharge.
“I always dreamed of moving abroad”, says
Johan.
But somehow, their dreams never materialized.
Their first daughter, Siri, was born around
that time. A comment from Lotta’s sister really hit
them in the stomach.
“My older sister told me that ‘remember
that children very easily get sick during their first
years at kindergarten and need a lot of attention
and to stay at home’. Then I felt I did not want
to go through that period and having a stressful
job. I really started to think that it was time to do
something else,” says Lotta.
That moment came in 2005. Johan was looking
at some Internet ads.
“Suddenly there was Swedish man selling s
small hotel in Bali. It sounded too good to be
true,” he says.
The price was the equivalent of USD226,000.
Both him and Lotta had visited Bali as tourists
before, and loved the island. Johan got on the
phone and called Lotta.
“I just told him: ‘Let’s buy it’,” says Lotta.
Then everything went ahead very quickly.
In the summer of 2005, they travelled to
Bali to see the hotel. They made up their mind

and wrote a contract. The transfer date was set
to the coming new year.
Back in Sweden, Johan sold his company, and
Lotta quit her work.
They started to sell their belongings and put
ad out to sell their apartment.
Many of their friends were impressed by their
bold decision to leave the security and safety that
comes with living in Sweden, to give it all up and
throw themselves into the unknown.
By now, they also had a second daughter, Sara,
to take care of.
“Some of our friends said ‘Wow, I wish I could
do the same’,” but I just told them ‘just do it’,”,
says Johan, who also admits that other friends
made efforts to come up with excuses not to do
something similar.
“They could claim they owned a horse or a
dog and that this made it impossible for them to
move abroad,” says Johan.
Even though the Swedish couple was preparing
well, setbacks were inevitable.
In October 2005, Bali was the scene of a devastating
terrorist attack. Some suicide bombers
blew themselves up in the middle of the tourist
area. 26 people died and hundreds were injured.
Suddenly tourists stayed away from Bali. This
was definitely the wrong moment to start a hotel
business. But the deal was sealed and there was
no way out for the Swedes.
“Our worst-case scenario was that we will
soon be bankrupted. But should that happen, we
could always return to Sweden, look for work,
take a new mortage and buy a house,” they
explain.
The next setback was that it turned out it
was almost impossible to sell the apartment in
Sweden. The money was needed to invest in the
hotel, but no one seemed interested in buying
the apartment.
“Only two days before our departure to Bali
we managed to sell it,” Johan says with a smile.
December 22, 2005, they left the cold in
Sweden. With them, they brought three suitcases,
a few CDs, computers, books and toys for the
children.
Clothes they planned to buy when in Bali.
The first year they stayed in their own hotel.
It was practical and cheap and gave them time to
look for a more suitable home to rent. Siri was
enrolled at a kindergarten, and Sara was taken
care of by a nanny. The hotel had a staff of four.
Johan and Lotta were focusing on running
the hotel which only had ten rooms. But they
were happy, and full of excitement for their new
lifestyle.
“When we first arrived, all felt great and
it kept on getting even better and better, but
after six months, reality started to set in. We got
depressed and thought of moving back to Sweden,
but this feeling too evaporated and soon
it started to feel good again. It was probably a
delayed culture-shock,” says Johan.
It also turned out that many of their hotelguests
were longstayers. They could stay at the
hotel for many months. That meant there was
very little work for Johan and Lotta.
“They never checked out so there wasn’t
much for us to do,” says Johan.
Slowly, they started to look at other business
opportunities. How about something that was
missing in Sanur? A Swedish cafe?
They kicked off the project and found a suitable
location in Sanur. They signed a lease and
started on a very small scale. The premises was
tiny and there was hardly a kitchen. Instead, they
prepared cakes and salads at home and had it
delivered by motorbike.
Initially, sales were very slow. But success
came with the Swedish-style cinnamon rolls. They
became very popular in Bali. And later also their
Swedish apple-pie.
“It was my mother Kerstin’s recipes. The cinnamon
rolls should have granulated sugar on top,
while the apple-pie should have a crusty bottom
and a freshness, not like those thick, american
apple-pies with a top crust,” Lotta explains.
February 2015 • ScandAsia.Singapore 19

But even now, running a hotel and a café in
Bali wasn’t easy. Costs were high and revenues
uncertain.
“There were times when we could hardly
afford to fill up our car at the service station,”
says Johan.
Lotta remembers the hard times.
“It was very stressful. We never knew if we
would make it. It took us quite some time before
we knew we could afford the school-fees for our
children,” she says.
But the Swedes kept on working to achieve
their dream.
After three years running Café Smörgås, the
financial situation was so good they felt they can
start to relax a bit.
In the meantime, they had had an offer to sell
the hotel, which they did. That meant they were
able to recoup their investment plus a profit, and
could focus in running the café.
Today, Café Smörgås, is a well-known eatery
and café in Bali. But competition is fierce. Almost
every week, a new café or restaurant opens.
“You need to have a niche, a speciality. Ours
is being Scandinavian, or Swedish, and we try to
keep a high level of quality,” says Johan.
“Recently, we baked and delivered Swedish
Princess-cake and Toast Skagen for a wedding
party here in Bali. It was a Swedish man getting
married to a woman from India. That was great,”
says Johan.
Their business has now also expanded into
school catering and they have a staff of 25.
20 ScandAsia.Singapore • February 2015
Most of the work is now handled by an Indonesian
man who used to live and work as a chef
in Sweden. He speaks Swedish and knows the
Swedish cuisine and tastes.
Johan and Lotta spend a lot of time with their
hobbies. Johan is into scuba diving, and Lotta loves
yoga and Qi-gong.
Both are into outdoor activities.
“Sometimes I take my motorbike and my dog
and drive down to the beach to go jogging. It’s
great to be able to do this,” says Johan
Siri and Sara have now turned 11 and 9, and
both go to an international school nearby.
Apart from a nanny taking care of the children,
there is one worker taking care of the swimming
pool and the garden.
When housework is outsourced, there is a lot
of time being with the family.
“It’s so easy to meet here. You can just make
a few phone calls and people will come over.
In Sweden, you always have to plan many days,
sometimes weeks, in advance, People there are
so busy,” says Johan.
When Scandmedia visits the family in their
nice villa, Johan and Lotta have invited some
friends over for a barbeque.
At the barbeque, there are guests from Spain,
Denmark, Australia and America. Some work in
diving, others run their own businesses, or are
able to work from home for companies located
elsewhere.
Many have brought kids with them, and they
soon join Siri and Sara in front of the TV.
“Our children have friends from all over the
world. They speak English with them, Swedish
with us and Indonesian with the nanny. It’s very
fascinating,” says Johan.
Johan and Lotta have taken great care in giving
their children a Swedish upbringing, with access to
Swedish children’s books and TV. They have also
been back to Sweden many times.
“They think that Sweden is the best country
in the world. They often ask when we are going
to return next time,” says Johan.
During the Lassesson-family’s time in Bali, they
have seen many other Scandinavians coming to
try to settle and starting a business, but most have
failed. Many have the wrong strategy.
“They come here, but keep one foot back in
Sweden. They might have a house or something
that makes them stay connected to Sweden. Then
they don’t focus 100 percent on their project in
Bali and it is much easier for them to give up as
they can always very easily return to Sweden,”
says Johan.
“We never had that option. We had nothing
to return to and were very focused on making it
here in Bali. We were under pressure to succeed,”
Johan and Lotta say.
A few hundred meters away, the waves from
the Ocean are rolling on to the beautiful beach,
where tourists are relaxing in the shades of
umbrellas.
This is exactly the paradise Johan and Lotta
used to dream of. Now it’s their dream come true.

February 2015 • ScandAsia.Singapore 21

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22 ScandAsia.Singapore • February 2015
Baked Salmon
Fillet in Foil
Not only is this an easy way to bake fish, but preparing salmon fillet
with savory rosemary and vegetables makes this a delicious and
flavorful meal. It is a known fact that seafood is healthy food and
that salmon, especially, is very rich in Omega 3 Fatty Acid, which lowers our
cholesterol.
Baking the fish in aluminum foil makes the clean-up easy, so this recipe
has numerous benefits. This recipe is for four people.
Ingredients:
1 pound fish fillet - skin on
1 small onion, thinly sliced
Fresh rosemary, chopped.
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 tablespoon lemon zest
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
Ground sea salt
Coarsely ground black pepper
Aluminum foil
Preparation:
Brush olive oil on a large piece of aluminum foil. Place rinsed and dried fillet,
skin-side down on foil. Sprinkle lemon zest, salt, pepper and rosemary
Vegetables:
Broccoli florets
Sliced red peppers
Sliced yellow squash
Thinly sliced red skin potatoes
Arrange vegetables over fish. Spritz lemon juice and sprinkle ground sea salt
sparingly. Fold foil tightly around the salmon fillet and vegetables and place
on a baking sheet in a preheated oven at 350 C.. Bake 20 minutes.
Serving Suggestion:
Place serving platter on top of the foil-covered salmon fillet. Turn platter
over and remove foil. Remove skin from fillet. Garnish with tomatoes, parsley
sprigs and lemon slices.
This is a great fish recipe and believe me,
Norwegians know how to cook seafood.

February 2015 • ScandAsia.Singapore 23

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