Singapore, 18th August 2017: The Asia Pacific Entrepreneurship Award 2017 honoured fifteen prominent entrepreneurs and business leaders from Singapore in a grand gala dinner at Sands Expo & Convention Center, Singapore.
The Asia Pacific Entrepreneurship Awards, better known as APEA, is a regional recognition program organized by Enterprise Asia, the region’s foremost association and think-tank for entrepreneurship. The Awards are presented to a handful of entrepreneurs across Asia Pacific each year, with award ceremonies held in thirteen countries every year.
The Awards is often compared to the Olympics for the stringent entry criteria and highly competitive judging parameters. The nomination is by-invitation only with each nominee subjected to a rigorous judging process, including financial verification by an appointed audit firm and mandatory physical site audit and interview, culminating in a confidential balloting process by Enterprise Asia’s committee. This year, the award received close to eighty nominees from Singapore and fifteen winners across ten industry categories were selected.
RECIPIENT LIST OF ASIA PACIFIC ENTREPRENEURSHIP AWARDS 2017 SINGAPORE
Special Category – Lifetime Achievement Award
Mr Kwek Leng Beng, Executive Chairman of Hong Leong Group
Entrepreneur of The Year
for Electrical & Electronics Industry
Mr Albert Phuay, Founder & Chairman of Excelpoint Technology Ltd
for Trading & Wholesaling Industry
Mr Cheam Hing Lee, CEO of Rhodium Resources Pte Ltd
APEA Winners 2017 Singapore
Mr Scott D Smith, CEO of Beyonics International Pte Ltd
Dr Terence O’Çonnor, Group CEO of Courts Asia Ltd
Mr Ronald Goh Wee Huat, Managing Director of Electronics & Engineering Pte Ltd
Ms Danielle Warner, Founder & CEO of Expat Insurance Pte Ltd
Mr Ori Leshem, CEO of Genesis Retail Pte Ltd
Mr Adam Simkins, Director of Getz Bros. & CO. (Singapore) Pte Ltd
Mr David Kim, Managing Director SEA -ANZ of Tmax Singapore Pte Ltd
Ms Chin Wei Jia, Group CEO of Health Management International Ltd
Mr Low Cheong Kee, Managing Director & Founder of Home-Fix D.I.Y Pte Ltd
Mr Suneet Goenka, Founder & Group Managing Director of Red Apple Travel (S) Pvt. Ltd
Mr Tan Poo Seng, Founder & Managing Director of TopZone E&C Pte. Ltd
Ms Doris Wee Hui Cheen, Director of Wendell Trading Company
Logitech G presents its first Overwatch Singapore Championship! We are calling for all FPS teams in Singapore to battle in the first Overwatch tournament in 2017.
Teams will vie for a total prize pool of SGD 5,100, sponsored by Logitech Singapore.
Here are the key dates with regards to the tournament:
Online Qualifier 1
Registration period: 6th February to 22th February 2017
Tournament dates: 25th and 26th February 2017
Format: Double elimination, Best of 3
Online Qualifier 2
Registration period: 1st March to 15th March 2017
Tournament dates: 18th and 19th March 2017
Format: Double elimination, Best of 3
Offline Finals
Finals dates: 1st April 2017
Format: Finals, Best of 5 and Grand Finals, Best of 7
“We always feel like people underestimate beauty queens” – Maggie & Parul
In the gripping finale of The Amazing Race Asia Season 5 on AXN, nothing stood in the way of the Filipino beauty queens and their winners’ crown.
Winner of The Amazing Race Asia Season 5 – Parul Shah (left) & Maggie Wilson (Right) received the prize from Sony Pictures. Source: Instagram user @weewu
Arriving first at the pit stop in Bali with just minutes to spare, Maggie Wilson-Consunji and Parul Shah survived six countries, 12 cities and over 12,000 kilometres, beating 10 other teams to claim the ultimate USD100,000 cash prize.
“We warmly congratulate Maggie and Parul on winning this season of The Amazing Race Asia. It was our toughest race yet with several surprising twists and some extremely challenging conditions. All 22 racers should be super proud of what they achieved during their journey. Their determination, camaraderie and sense of humor ensured that The Amazing Race Asia was the top program in its time slot amongst all English general entertainment channels in Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines*,” said Virginia Lim, Senior Vice President and Head of Content, Production and Marketing.
Maggie and Parul joined the world’s most famous adventure-reality series in the hopes of winning the US$100,000 for Parul’s family.
“It was such a relief to win because the money can help my family, especially my Dad who suffered a stroke. He taught me to never give up in life and I did this to prove that no matter what life throws at you, never give up,” said Parul.
Throughout the grueling race, Maggie and Parul stayed in the middle of the pack, but strengthened their position and gained serious momentum in the final two legs.
“We played the game really well and climbed the ladder ever so slowly. We didn’t want to come in first in any of the legs because we didn’t want to have a target on our backs. Who would have thought that two beauty queens would win! I’m pretty sure we’ll be talking about this moment for decades!” said an ecstatic Maggie.
AXN fans across Asia tuned in every Thursday night to watch the latest drama and hijinks unfold as the 11 teams competed in a series of physical and mental challenges against diverse geographic backdrops. Connecting fans to the racers, AXN hosted Facebook Live sessions immediately after each episode where fans could ask questions and post messages of support to the eliminated teams. The 18 Facebook Live sessions collectively reached 9.5 million fans and garnered over 2.7 million views to date.
Newstead Technologies (“Newstead”) is currently running the Gift Your Tech campaign from December 5, 2016 to January 27, 2017 to help its charity TOUCH Community Services (TOUCH). Through this campaign, anyone that wishes to trade-in their old electronics item could bring them down to any of the 12 Newstead’s stores to exchange for vouchers that could be used in the participating stores. On top of that, Newstead will donate 20% of the trade-in value of old electronic items brought in to TOUCH.
Through Gift Your Tech, Newstead Technologies aims to encourage e-recycling and proper disposal of e-waste. PC Dreams, Newstead Technologies’ partner for the campaign will cleanse all collected devices of data securely. For end-of-life electronic items that are not eligible for trade-in, Newstead Technologies will recycle them through an e-waste recycling company.
Newstead Technologies will organise a Gift Your Tech event on December 28, 2016 at Marina Square. To highlight the importance of personal data security, Newstead will organise an educational live demonstration together with PC Dreams to show how erased data can be easily retrieved. Consumers will also be able to trade-in their devices or e-recycle during the event.
The Coalition, the studio developing Gears of War 4, and the Xbox design team, developed the Xbox One S Gears of War 4 Limited Edition 2TB Bundle.
The device was designed to resemble a unique piece of hardware lifted right out of the game, bearing the battle marks of surviving a desperate fight with Gears of War 4’s ferocious new enemies – the Swarm. Featuring laseretched scratches on the console’s chassis, bloody thumbprints on the controller’s red metallic D-pad the limited edition bundle is the closest you can get to the ultimate Gears of War 4 experience.
Priced at S$699, the Xbox One S Gears of War 4 Limited Edition 2TB Bundle includes a battleweathered custom Xbox One S console with a 2TB hard drive, an all-new Gears of War 4 Crimson Omen Limited Edition Xbox Wireless Controller, full game download of Gears of War 4: Ultimate Edition for both Xbox One and Windows 10, a Gears of War 4 Season Pass and eight additional Gear Packs.
The bundle will be available in Singapore from 25 November.
Win an unforgettable trip of a lifetime at Xbox Showcase 2016
Fans and gamers who participate in the Xbox Showcase 2016 live stream on the 3rd Sept can stand a chance to walk away with the grand prize – an unforgettable trip of a lifetime to Sydney, Australia to participate in an epic week of Xbox activities! The week includes the adrenalin-pumping Forza Horizon 3 launch event, a Gears of War experience at Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach, first-to-play games with developers from Playground Games, The Coalition and more, as well as opportunities to take in the amazing sights and sounds of Sydney, Australia. Fans and gamers simply have to take note of the contest question posed during the live stream, and submit their response via the Xbox Singapore Facebook page by 12 September, in order to stand a chance to win the grand prize.
Top row (L-R): Mr Takeshi Yamazaki (Youth Academy Director, Matsumoto Yamaga FC), National Football Academy’s U-15 youth footballers Elijah Lim and Ashley Yong, U-14 youth footballer Vasileios Chua, Mr Nadzri Osman (Executive, National Youth Teams, Football Association of Singapore) and Mr Toshio Hanaoka (General Manager, Public Relations & Investor Relations, Seiko Epson Corporation) Bottom row (L-R): National Football Academy’s U-14 youth footballer Marc Ryan Tan, U-15 youth footballers Muhammad Nur Adam Bin Abdullah and Christian Chiang Moroni, and Mr Rob Servais (Head Coach of the Singapore U-15 squad, National Football Academy, Football Association of Singapore)
Singapore, June 2016 – Global technology leader Epson today announced another overseas training attachment to increase overseas development opportunities for local youth footballers. A group of six Under-14 (U-14) and Under-15 (U-15) players selected by both Epson Singapore and the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) are attending a week-long training attachment with prestigious J-League Club Matsumoto Yamaga FC from 12-20 June in Japan.
This trip is the second attachment to the J-League club initiated by Epson Singapore, as part of its three-year partnership deal with FAS inked in 2013, and the increase in the size of the attachment is a reflection of Epson Singapore’s continued commitment to the development of youths through sports, one of the leading tenets of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives.
The six National Football Academy (NFA) U-14 and U-15 players, made up of Marc Ryan Tan Wei Ming, Chua Zikos Vasileios Ming Xun, Ashley Yong Cheng Wai, Christian Chiang Moroni, Elijah Lim and Muhammad Nur Adam Bin Abdullah, were selected based on technical skills, discipline, maturity and passion. Two of the boys, Adam and Elijah, were also part of the original team of 3 U-14 players handpicked for the first attachment in June 2015.
Learning from previous trips, the latest attachment will see the youths receive more training, with the inclusion of personal coaching sessions by Yamaga’s coaching team, as well as participation in practice matches with their Japanese counterparts in order to improve their skills on the pitch. Off the pitch, the players will be able to observe Yamaga’s first team’s training session and also official matches of both the Club’s youth and first team in Alwin Stadium.
To provide a holistic experience, the boys will be staying in the Club’s dormitory during the attachment, and participate in an immersive tour of the local sights and attractions in Matsumoto and the surrounding region. In addition, the boys will also visit Epson’s headquarters in Suwa, Nagano Prefecture, Japan, where they will experience the company’s museum and see the latest in Epson’s wide range of products, including smart glasses and wearables under the company’s Moverio and Runsense labels.
“In order to bridge the gap in international exposure that our local youth footballers receive compared to their regional counterparts, Epson is proud to be able to facilitate the overseas attachment again this year. We have expanded the programme to include a larger contingent, and this latest regime will see the boys receive more training, based on feedback from both coaches and the boys last year. We hope to inspire and help nurture more youths to realise their dreams and develop strong values through sports, especially football,” said Ms. Tan May Lin, Epson Singapore’s General Manager (Sales, Marketing & Customer Service Division).
“We greatly welcome the continuation of this exchange program and wish to thank everyone at Epson, our club’s main sponsor, and Epson Singapore who made it happen. There is no doubt that this international exchange with Singapore, which is in line with the J League’s Asian business expansion strategy and one-country one-club exchange program, will be a step toward globalizing our club’s brand,” said Takeshi Yamazaki, academy director of Kabushiki Kaisha Matsumoto Yamaga.
“Apart from training daily on the Karigane Ground in Matsumoto, the six players from the academy will participate in a practice match as members of the Matsumoto Yamaga football club and receive individual training. They will also do some sightseeing in Matsumoto, stay in the Matsumoto Yamaga dormitory, and experience Japanese culture. We will also have them help run a home game (against Yamagata) in packed Alwin Stadium and enjoy a live match. “We hope that this exchange program will be a catalyst to further development of the relationship between the Football Association of Singapore and our club and that, through the agency of athletics, we contribute to exchanges and friendship between our two countries,” added Director Yamazaki.
“Since last year’s attachment, we’ve seen Adam and Elijah progress both on and off the pitch in their skills and attitudes, and they’ve grown to become role models to their team mates and juniors. This trip would allow the boys to grow even further still in terms of technique, learning from some of the best in Asia. More importantly, we want to get the boys to change their mind-set and awareness, and learn (from the Japanese players on how) to influence their environment in Singaporean football,” said Rob Servais, head coach of the Singapore U-15 squad, National Football Academy, Football Association of Singapore.
More information about Epson, and its product and CSR initiatives are available on www.epson.com.sg.
SINGAPORE 21 Jan 2016 – According to the latest annual Global Salary Survey from specialist professional recruitment firm Robert Walters, the competition for Singaporean talent is set to further intensify in 2016. This will drive more demand for attracting returning overseas Singaporeans. In the interest of developing a home-grown workforce and the Fair Consideration Framework, hiring managers have recognised the viability of overseas local talent to ease the talent crunch.
This will be a particular focus within the key areas of recruitment such as digital, cyber security, e-commerce and corporate governance. Firms looking to attract these professionals with specialist experience are likely to face the challenges of a limited talent pool and skills gap.
Data published suggested that salaries are expected to remain relatively flat in 2016, though candidates with the in-demand skills can anticipate an average salary increment of 10 — 20% when switching jobs.
Toby Fowlston, Managing Director of Robert Walters Southeast Asia, comments:
“Singapore remains a crucial economic hub for Southeast Asia and will continue to be for the foreseeable future, with a dynamic recruitment market to match. As organisations vie for the best Singaporean professionals, the hiring landscape in 2016 will be candidate driven. To gain an edge in talent attraction and retention, companies need to look beyond offering attractive salary packages. It is essential to constantly assess interview processes as well as training and development programs for stronger employer branding.”
Other Key Highlights in 2016
Strong recruitment demand within technology, particularly for specialists in data protection and cyber security as firms defend themselves from online threats
Perception shifts in the market on contracting has created a healthy pool of highly-qualified professionals becoming “career contractors” in search of better work-life balance
Despite moves to a business-partnering HR function, continuous restructuring will result in leaner HR operations. Therefore HR professionals will still be expected to be more hands-on, regardless of seniority
The Olympus Tough TG-870 ultra-wide angle rugged compact camera has a wide range of creative control and enhanced daytime outdoor LCD screen visibility
All-round model packs a powerful combination of a 21mm ultra-wide angle 5x zoom lens, 180 degree tilt screen, Wi-Fi compatibility and GPS. High-resolution LCD has brightness boosting function for outdoor daytime shooting.
Singapore – 6th January 2016
Olympus is pleased to announce the launch of the 16-Megapixel Tough TG-870 rugged compact digital camera. Designed for outdoor enthusiasts, rugged urban explorers and families with young children, the new TG-870 features the widest lens of any compact digital camera with a 21mm 5x zoom. Its standout features include a 180 degree flip-up screen, Wi-Fi compatibility, GPS, and a new 920k dot LCD screen with a 2.6x brightness-boost function that enhances outdoor visibility. The new TG-870 is 15m water-proof, 2.1m shock proof, 100kgf crush-proof, and is -10 degrees Celsius freeze-proof.
The remarkable 21-105mm wide-angle zoom lens of the Tough TG- 870 provides you with the ability to photograph the widest scenes from expansive outdoor vistas to cramped interiors, and at the same time, allow you to capture flattering portraits when fully extended. For the best image quality, Olympus has used the same type of high performance glass optics that it uses in the highly-regarded Zuiko lens system for PEN and OM-D cameras.
A new Autofocus-Lock functionality, automatic edge distortion compensation for flattering ultra-wide angle selfies, and a significantly smaller USB charger are the highlight improvements over the series model that it succeeds (i.e., the Tough TG-860). The new Olympus TG-870 is designed for the consumer who wants a durable camera with superb lens flexibility and the best balance of the latest imaging features. It’s the ideal no-fuss compact camera that you can take anywhere.
To view the specification and other accessories, See Press Release
ACCA report examines how behaviour reflects culture in worldwide organisations
A new report, Culture and channelling corporate behaviour: ACCA member survey, published by ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) has found that recognition at work is the highest motivator, regardless of age, industry or location – even outstripping monetary reward.
The survey harnessed the views of almost 2,000 ACCA finance professionals from across the globe. The results also highlighted geographical variations, including the desire to reach a more senior position as being a stronger motivator in Africa and Asia while having a more challenging role was most important for employees in the Americas.
Jo Iwasaki, ACCA Head of Corporate Governance, said: “The survey highlighted some clear distinctions between employee views in Europe and America and Africa and Asia. For example in Africa and Asia rules and procedures play a larger role than for respondents in Europe. However, the tone of corporate leadership is vitally important in channelling the overall culture of an organisation in any region.”
The issue of performance management will be of particular interest to business leaders. Although half of the respondents conceded that performance-related pay schemes could help foster best performance, nearly two-third thought that such systems may invite people to exaggerate or otherwise falsify their measures. This shows the fine line employers need to tread when putting in place performance related targets and the need for careful consideration when linking them to pay.
Konstantinos Stathopoulos, Professor of Accounting and Finance at Manchester Business School and co-author of the report, said: “The survey results reveal there is no “one size fits all” strategy when it comes to building corporate culture and behaviour. Even though the role of leadership in setting the tone is highlighted in most responses, the survey uncovers significant differences in attitudes and perceptions regarding effective channels of corporate behaviour. These disparities are also intensified by differences in respondents’ geographic location, industry and characteristics.”
This is the final part in a series of four reports designed to help boards understand what constitutes corporate culture and how functional behaviours at work can better be promoted. The report was co-funded by the ESRC (Economic and Social Research Council). A full copy of the report is available here:
ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) is the global body for professional accountants. It offers business-relevant, first-choice qualifications to people of application, ability and ambition around the world who seek a rewarding career in accountancy, finance and management.
ACCA supports its 178,000 members and 455,000 students in 181 countries, helping them to develop successful careers in accounting and business, with the skills required by employers. ACCA works through a network of 95 offices and centres and more than 7,110 Approved Employers worldwide, who provide high standards of employee learning and development. Through its public interest remit, ACCA promotes appropriate regulation of accounting and conducts relevant research to ensure accountancy continues to grow in reputation and influence.
Founded in 1904, ACCA has consistently held unique core values: opportunity, diversity, innovation, integrity and accountability. It believes that accountants bring value to economies in all stages of development and seek to develop capacity in the profession and encourage the adoption of global standards.
ACCA’s core values are aligned to the needs of employers in all sectors and it ensures that through its range of qualifications, it prepares accountants for business. ACCA seeks to open up the profession to people of all backgrounds and remove artificial barriers, innovating its qualifications and delivery to meet the diverse needs of trainee professionals and their employers. More information is here: www.accaglobal.com
Left to right: Andy Lau from Hong Kong, Danielle Lin from Singapore
SINGAPORE, 28 December 2015 – honestbee, the fastest growing on-demand grocery concierge and delivery service company, today announces the successful applicants of the “World’s Coolest Job” campaign. Andy Lau from Hong Kong and Danielle Lin from Singapore, both 24, have emerged victorious, winning the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work in Niseko, Japan, after having gone through grueling rounds of selection process.
“We are really excited to have picked our successful applicants who will soon be on their way to Niseko,” said Joel Sng, CEO, honestbee. “There, they will represent our brand at the forefront, to deliver on our commitment of a personalised and high-quality service to our customers as trained shopper and delivery bees. Of course, we will ensure that they have a time of their lives.”
From 4 to 31 January 2016, Andy and Danielle will be stationed in Japan’s mythical snow paradise, Niseko. They can expect to enjoy one of the best job perks available such as trying out the world-renowned onsens, as well as skiing and snowboarding down the powdery slopes of Niseko. On top of that, they will be paid an attractive salary of US$10,000 plus expenses, training, living cost, transport and exclusive activities.
honestbee’s “World’s Coolest Job” campaign ran from 23 November to 18 December 2015, where potential candidates were invited to submit their applications via Instagram, highlighting why they will be great for the job. The top 10 submissions were shortlisted for an interview with a panel of judges comprising honestbee executives.
Andy and Danielle will be sharing their exciting experiences in Niseko via the honestbee social media channels. You can follow them on Facebook (facebook.com/honestbeejp) and Instagram (@honestbeejp).
Winners Profile
Andy Lau
“Winning the #WorldsCoolestJob makes me feel that I am in control of my life; that I am doing something that is, finally, solely the result of what I wanted for myself. I can finally call what I’m doing my own. This is something special that I’m doing, and I ‘made it’ myself. I want it to be a testament to people who are afraid to go after their dreams; that if they had believed and acted, albeit with uncertainty, they could own something truly theirs too. Otherwise, it will always remain being a dream.”
Danielle Lim
“Winning this means the world to me and this would be such a hallmark moment for my life. I’m ending my one year journey of freelancing and will soon be entering corporate world, so this would be a fantastic BANG to end this chapter of my life. But most importantly, being part of this amazing campaign to show the heart of the company would be the highlight of my life thus far, as nothing I’ve experienced will come close to this.”
