ScandAsia Singapore - June 2015

JUN

201

5

ScandAsia.dk ScandAsia.fi ScandAsia.no ScandAsia.se

Sigve Brekke new Telenor Group CEO

Stamford American serves fresh, healthy and nutritious meals with a daily choice of Western, Asian and Vegetarian options. With a standard of no fried food and no MSG, we encourage children to establish healthy eating habits. Early focus on organic ingredients builds a foundation for improved concentration skills which leads to increased learning potential.

We are ready and waiting to meet your future Celebrity Chef.

Please introduce us.

Stamford American is proud to announce their partnership withCelebrity Chef Emmanuel Stroobant.

Future Celebrity Chef RequiredAges 2-6

Stamford off ers an outstanding international

education for students from 2 to 18 years.

We off er 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

Open House

Friday, June 12 th 2015

Register at www.sais.edu.sg

ScandAsia is the only magazine that covers all the Danish, Finnish, Norwegian and Swedish residents in Singapore.

We also publish a ScandAsia maga-zine in China, Thailand, and the rest of South East Asia.

Get your own FREE copy: scandasia.comPublisher : ScandAsia Publishing Co., Ltd.211 Soi Prasert Manukitch 29Prasert Manukitch RoadChorakae Bua, Lad PraoBangkok 10230, ThailandTel. +66 2 943 7166-8, Fax: +66 2 943 7169

Editor-in-Chief : Gregers A.W. Mø[email protected]

Assistant Editor :Joakim [email protected]

Advertising :Frank [email protected]

Finn Balslev [email protected]

Graphic Designer : Peerapol [email protected]

Distribution : Wanvisa [email protected]

Printing : Inthanon Interprint Co., Ltd.

Your FREEScandAsia Magazine in Singapore

Coming Events

Singapore will host the 28th Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) from 5 to 16 June 2015, with the Singapore Sports Hub as main sporting location. With the theme of ‘Celebrating the Extraordinary’, it is a celebration of ordinary people chasing their own extraordinary dreams. At its core, it is about the triumph of the human spirit.

The Games are marked through a series of

community and school programmes, including rallying behind Team Singapore athletes by “painting the town red”, Make-A-Nila-Mascot initiative, 50 community projects and 50 creative number formations to be unveiled as we count down 50 days towards the Games.

To find out more, please check out the SEA Games website www.seagames2015.com

NBAS Singapore: PM Lee Hsien Loong talk: The Past, The Present, and The Future

SWA: Joo Chiat Food and Heritage WalkWhere: Taxi Stand in front of Geylang Serai Market along Changi RoadWhen: June 16, 2015, 09:00 – 12:00

28th SEA Games

Come on this tour and immerse yourself in the distinct feel and vibes of Joo Chiat, with Scandinavian Women’s Association! Learn about the history of this area and the various communities, especially the Peranakans that have been living here since the 1920s. Visit a popular local Market where people from all over Singapore come for its excellent hawker stalls, unique products and fresh produce and spices. There are loads of glorious foods and the beautiful baroque architecture to tickle your senses. See some very interesting old traditional trades that are still operating in the area.

A sampling of Nonya delicacies brings us to the end of the trail (at $7 per person) Please remember to bring your umbrellas and put on comfortable walking shoes.

Meeting point : Taxi Stand in front of Geylang Serai Market along Changi Road. The tour will end at a different point so its best to take public transport to the meeting point. Nearest MRT : Paya Lebar

Fees: SWA-member: $45, non-SWA member: $55

Please also bring a total of $13 for donation to 1 temple and food tasting. See below:

1) Sampling of food at $1 per pax.2) Donation of $5 to 1 temple3) Nonya cakes sampling at $7 per paxPlease register with Jeanette at jeanette.

[email protected] by 14 June 2015

Where: Suntec Convention CentreWhen: June 30, 2015, 18:00 – 21:00

NBAS received an invitation to send some of its members to the now fully-booked SMU’s Ho Rih Hwa Leadership in Asia Public Lecture Series with PM Lee Hsien Loong. NBAS was given 50 seats, which was then distributed these on a first come, first serve basis.

4 ScandAsia.Singapore • June 2015

News Brief

Successful jungle morning run with Nordea’s CEOBy Joakim Persson

It is not every day that Nordic individuals over here in Asia get to meet with the CEO of any of the big Nordic banks! And certainly not in

connection to a morning run!This kind of rare occasion however became

reality in Singapore on the Monday morning of 20 April, when a group of enthusiastic runners met for a 11 kilometre ‘Jungle Run’- together with Nordea Bank’s President and CEO Christian Clausen!

Co-arranged by the respective Nordic business associations, DABS, FBCSG, NBAS and SBAS together with Nordea Bank, this “Rumble in

the Jungle” was a “great success” attracting forty participants out to MacRitchie Reservoir park.

So how did this unique event come about? Indeed Mr Clausen is a seasoned runner, explained Lars Kyvsgaard, Nordea Singapore to ScandAsia.

Nordea Bank’s top-ranking leader had been out on a Sentosa morning run on a previous occasion in Singapore along with the Nordic Ambassadors and through that the idea for this event had been born.

The participants met at 7 am and set off on the run, followed by breakfast and a meet & greet with Mr Clausen.

It was very informal and cosy, reports Lars Kyvsgaard. As a result the attendants felt there were less boundaries and an easy-going setting to have conversations directly with such a high-ranking executive as Mr Clausen.

“To meet with the CEO of Nordea Bank in this informal setting was much appreciated. Mr Clausen did not hold any seminar, instead the meet & greet enabled people to ask questions, which lead to conversations about interesting topics. People could learn from each other.”

The CEO was in Singapore coinciding with the 10th Singapore Maritime Week. Delegates representing port authorities, CEOs, industry leaders, and maritime experts and professionals worldwide converged in Singapore to discuss key trends, opportunities and challenges facing the maritime industry today.

Mr Clausen was a speaker and panel participant at the Sea Asia Global Forum, discussing trends and issues impacting the maritime industry.

Scandinavian entrepreneurs, bankers and other with skyscraper offices meet at Scandbiz for a beer and some networking

By Søren EngelbrechtBartenders are circling the outside tables to

make sure that no glasses are out of liquid. Little cards pop up here and there to show that the guest is a Swedish, Danish, Norwegian or Finnish member.

It’s Thursday, it’s 7th of May and it’s time for the third ScandBizBar of the year, where Scandinavians who are working in Singapore, gather to get an after-work beer and some canapés. But it is also a networking night for the members of SBAS, DABS, NBAS and FBC. Business cards work their way from hand to hand, introductions are made and ideas get pitched. These people are never fully off duty.

A steady and repetitive beat in the background creates the mood along with the humming sounds from the constant conversations. It’s almost like it’s in sync. We are at the bar &SONS in China Town and as the event turns an hour old, all the

outside tables are surrounded by suits, shirts and high heels, and some of the guests are forced to sit at the bar. Even though this ScandBizBar is not as well attended as the first one in 2015 it’s still a busy night for the bartenders.

Some are more used than others at these events. There are the new ones who slowly wander around with a beer in their hand, cautiously looking for a conversation to join. And then there are the regulars who know the bartender’s name and aren’t afraid to mention that they are almost out of canapés. At least the good ones. And just like some tables in the high school cafeteria were named after the group of people who used it, at this bar there is a Nordea table where macroeconomics, shares and safe investments are the main talking points.

The third ScandBizBar this year went just like it was meant to. For some, a needed beer or cocktail was enjoyed after a long day at the office and for others the opportunity to network and headhunt was seized. Some did both.

ScandBizBar : Casual networking and cold beersBy Soren Engelbrecht

June 2015 • ScandAsia.Singapore 5

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 recognised as an Apple Distinguished School in May 2015 and was named 21st Century School of the Year in 2013. There definately isn’t an app for that.

What if your child joins UWCSEA?

Visit www.uwcsea.edu.sg to find out more.

WHAT IF ...

Middle School student Noa connects with her teacher Paula.

…THE FOCUS OF TECHNOLOGY WAS LEARNING?

138ADV-1415UWCSEA 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

AUGUST 2015

APPLICATIONS OPEN


News Brief

Inaugural Norway Night takes centre stage in SingaporeBy Ellen Skarsgard / Royal Norwegian EmbassyPhotos: Royal Norwegian Embassy in Singapore

During the 2015 edition of Singapore Maritime Week the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Singapore , along with

sponsors hosted the inaugural Norway Night.Held at The Lantern, Fuller ton Bay Hotel

overlooking the waterfront, Norway’s social gathering for the maritime industry took centre stage. More than 200 senior executives from the global maritime community gathered to celebrate the maritime links between Singapore and Norway and strengthen this partnership for the future. Guests enjoyed Norwegian seafood and music as they mingled on the rooftop.

The guests included Minister of Transport Lui Tuck Yew and Norway’s Deputy Minister Dilek Ayhan.

Norway’s Ambassador to Singapore , Mr Tormod C. Endresen, commented: “The Norwegian maritime industry is in a dynamic partnership with Singapore. Together we aim to strengthen our position as leading and technology driven global maritime nations.

“Maritime co-operation between Norway and Singapore has been at the core of our

relationship throughout Singapore’s 50 years as an independent nation. But more importantly, Singapore and Norway are partnering for the future - as leading players in the ocean industries of tomorrow.

“This is our message at the inaugural Norway Night and we are pleased to see so many business leaders from both nations supporting this event.”

The idea for the event had been sparked by the success of the Singapore Night at Nor-Shipping.

The evening was sponsored by some of the

leading Norwegian maritime sector businesses including DNB Bank, Thome Group, Wilhelmsen Maritime Services, DNV GL, BW Offshore the Norwegian Shipowners’ Association and the Norwegian Business Association, Singapore.

The links between the two countries are deep and abiding and today Singapore is home to more than 250 Norwegian companies, many focused on maritime and offshore business.

The Singapore Maritime Week 2015, five days of events focused on shipping and maritime, attracted more than 30,000 people.

best poised for development and growth, and an ICT planning reference for policymakers looking to embrace the digital economy.

In general, all economies are digitizing, and the GCI provides a guide of who’s ahead, who’s behind, why, and who is poised to move up or back.

Overall, the 2015 GCI shows that 20 percent growth in ICT investment will increase a country’s GDP by 1 percent. It also identifies five enablers of digital transformation – datacenters, cloud services, big data, broadband, and the Internet of Things. These technologies represent the targets that stakeholders should focus their investments on in order to most efficiently transform their economies for the digital age.

The 2015 edition of the GCI sees a more comprehensive and advanced framework and methodology. With double the number of ICT variables and countries analyzed last year, this year’s GCI enables the drawing of correlations needed to establish investment targets for governments and other stakeholders. What distinguishes the GCI from similar indices is a broader definition of connectivity that encompasses networks, computing, and storage, while also emphasizing the non-infrastructure elements of a functional digital economy, such as service demand, and e-commerce activity, etc.

Sweden and Singapore tops Global Connectivity Index

Global ICT solutions provider Huawei has launched the 2015 Global Connectivity Index (GCI) where the US leads followed by Sweden and Singapore. Denmark ranks seven and Norway ten.

The United States ranks the highest among surveyed countries, on the strength of robust supply and demand of ICT services, and an advanced state of adoption.

GCI benchmarks 50 economies in terms of connectivity, ICT usage, and digital transformation, providing an indicator of which countries are


News Brief

Call +352 43 88 77 77 to find out more about our service

You know where to go. We know how to guide you there.A

WEALTH PLANNING

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 avoid unnecessary, time-consuming paperwork, as well as any unwelcome (and often expensive) surprises along the way. No matter where life takes you, Nordea’s in-house wealth-planners and their external network of experts can ensure that you are well prepared to meet the challenges that moving abroad brings.

Visit us at www.nordea.lu/WP, call +65 6597 1082, or [email protected]

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 supervi-sion of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (www.mas.gov.sg).

AD_ScandAsiaThailand_Jonas_WP_eng NEW.indd 1 14/08/2014 11:56

Priscilla and the Prince

Singaporean Youth Goodwill Ambassador meets Danish Prince Joachim in Denmark.

Singaporean student Priscilla Seah was given an opportunity of a lifetime to meet a prince. As a member of the Danish Youth Goodwill Ambassador Corps, Priscilla Seah shared with Prince Joachim her study abroad experiences, study and work-life balance, public diplomacy and international affairs.

The Youth Goodwill Ambassador Corps is a group of 500 young international people using their student network to create bilateral student mobility opportunities and global careers while studying in Denmark.

Prince Joachim participated, as patron for Copenhagen Goodwill Ambassador Corps, in the Youth Goodwill Ambassador Summit on 25 April 2015 at Frederiksberg Castle. During the summit he met with some members of the corps and Priscilla Seah was among the lucky ones.

While attending the summit, Prince Joachim commented:

“By working closely with our youth ambassadors, we are connecting Denmark with the home countries of our youth ambassadors on a people to people level, which already is showing great results.”

Is a global network of students working to highlight Denmark as an attractive country for studies and to create job opportunities for

international talents in Denmark.These ambassadors aim to attract highly

skilled talents to Denmark and Danish companies.The Youth Goodwill Ambassador Corps

was founded in 2010 by Copenhagen Capacity and Wonderful Copenhagen in cooperation with the Danish Agency for Universities and Internationalization. The network currently consists of more than 400 international students from more than 65 countries worldwide.


SkillPixels, founded in 2011, is a leading Finnish edtech company that develops games to enhance the way children learn. Its first title, math-learning game SmartKid came in 2013.

“We are truly excited to join forces with Fingerprint, and to leverage their fast-developing app distribution networks to expand our presence in Asia-Pacific and U.S. markets. Fingerprint’s highly targeted app distribution channels offer a great launch platform for our new Android products”, says Kristoffer Rosberg, CEO of SkillPixels.

SkillPixels’ edu-games will be offered via Samsung KidsTime app subscription service in Southeast Asia and Oceania as of Q2 2015.

SmartKid is based on over 15 years of research in Learning Analytics. It’s a smart learning game that recognizes and adjusts to your child’s strengths and weaknesses so that your child is prepared for future challenges. The game has complete preschool, 1st and 2nd grade math - three years’ worth of curriculum-based math exercises for the price of a single app. SmartKid increases the child’s learning motivation and makes learning more effective.

Samsung KidsTime is a dedicated app network and subscription service offered on select Samsung tablet devices in Southeast Asia and Oceania. The service offers a safe and fun environment for kids 3 to 7 years old to play and learn. Parents can create a family account for multiple children and receive personalized reporting, content recommendations and access controls for each child.

“Fingerprint and Samsung KidsTime provide a distribution channel to SmartKit app. We find them extremely interesting partners. Fingerprint’s highly targeted app distribution channels offered Smartkid a great platform to introduce the Android version of the product,” says CMO Hanna Virtanen.

“However, Samsung KidsTime is not the only route to access the game. SmartKid is available in 15 languages on iOS, Chrome Web Store, Google Play store and Windows Phone. It’s possible the purchase the app in a similar fashion that you would download any new app you would like to use. It is possible to try it for free. The complete game can be purchased at 4.99$.”

The game is optimized for tablet and mobile phone. Thus, it is possible to play the game also on a smartphone.

SkillPixels’ game developers and experts in artificial intelligence work with psychologists, educators and scientists specialized in children’s pedagogy. The aim is to become the world’s leading educational solution provider.

Fingerprint powers games and curates play-and-learn content to targeted customers around the world through dedicated mobile networks. Industry leaders in mobile technology, edutainment, broadcast and more licence Fingerprint’s technology platform and content solution. Fingerprint-powered networks are also creating new distribution and monetization opportunities for kidmobile content developers.

For the Asia-Pacific market SkillPixels of Finland has joined forces with Fingerprint - a global mobile technology company to distribute SkillPixels educational games such as math learning game SmartKid™ on major Fingerprint-managed app distribution networks.

Fingerprint’s technology powers games and curates play-and-learn content to targeted customers around the world through dedicated mobile networks.

Learningby playingFinnish edu-games company SkillPixels expands in Asia in a joint cooperation with Fingerprint

By Joakim Persson


Calling all actors, linguists, scientists and sports stars!

22 JUNE - 31 JULY 2015

For students aged 4 to 17. Give your child a summer to remember. Register at www.cis.edu.sg/summercamp today.

Canadian International School Pte. Ltd. CPE Registration Number: 199002243H | Period of Registration: 8 June 2011 to 7 June 2015


Telenor Group announced recently that Mr Sigve Brekke, the former CEO of DTAC, currently the Executive Vice President and Head of Telenor Group’s Asia operations, has been

appointed as its new Group President and Chief Executive Officer.

Sigve Brekke joined Telenor in 1999 and has held several executive positions in the company since then.

He has been instrumental in establishing Telenor Group as a leading international mobile operator. Under Brekke’s leadership, Telenor has added more than 100 million subscribers in Asia. The value creation from Asia has been significant and the region now represents more than 40 percent of the total enterprise value of Telenor Group. Telenor is well positioned to monetise on the next growth wave - providing internet for all, writes the Norwegian telecommunications giant in a statement.

Sigve Brekke is currently responsible for Telenor’s operations in Asia (Executive Vice President and Head of Telenor Group’s Asia operations), a position he has held since 2008.

Earlier in his Telenor career he was the Managing Director of its Singapore office. Then a longer stint in Thailand followed as Telenor developed and expanded its operation there. He was co-Chief Executive Officer of Thai mobile operator dtac from 2002 to 2005, and then its CEO from 2005-2008.

In September 2014 Sigve was once again back to DTAC; appointed interim CEO Mr. Sigve Brekke as Mr Jon Eddy Abdullah resigned from his position as CEO of dtac.

Mr Brekke will succeed Mr. Jon Fredrik Baksaas as Telenor Group’s CEO by 17 August 2015.

“Sigve Brekke has a solid track-record as the Head of Telenor’s Asia operations and part of Group Management since August 2008. His leading role in our Asian success story combined with his vast international experience and leadership capabilities will be of great value as the company continues its profitable growth journey,” said Svein Aaser, Chairman of the Board of Directors in Telenor Group.

“It is a great honour to be asked to lead Telenor. Our company’s Norwegian and international success is a result of Telenor Group’s ability to provide digital communication services that are valuable to our customers. Telenor’s strategy, including our financial priorities, form

Sigve Brekkenew Telenor Group CEO


Morten Sørby, a Norwegian national, brings significant operational and strategic mobile telecommunications experience to the role as Head of Region Asia. He joined Telenor in 1993 and has previously been a member of the Telenor’s Group Executive Management team for a number of years. He has served as the Executive Vice President in charge of corporate strategy and regulatory affairs in Telenor Group. Sørby was also the Executive Vice President and head of the Norwegian and Nordic mobile and fixed network operations of Telenor.

In 2014, Sørby was CEO of Uninor, Telenor’s wholly owned operations in India. During this period, the company continued to strengthen, both in terms of revenue and customer market share. Sørby holds a Master of Science in Business Administration from the University of Karlstad. He has also completed additional education from IMD in Switzerland and is a state-authorized public accountant in Norway.

“Morten brings his vast experience from the global mobile industry to the role as head of our operations in Asia. Morten will continue our growth story in this dynamic region and I am confident that he will put his deep industry insight into action together with our operations in Asia,” says Jon Fredrik Baksaas, President and CEO, Telenor Group.

New Norwegianto head TelenorGroup in Asia: Morten Sørby

The Telenor executive Mr Mor ten Sørby has been appointed as the new Head of Region Asia in Telenor Group, effective 1 June 2015.

Mr Sørby replaces Mr Sigve Brekke, who is the upcoming President and CEO of Telenor Group. Preparations are under way ahead of Brekke’s start date in August 2015. Sørby will assume all the responsibilities in overseeing and running Telenor Group’s operations in Asia - and joins Telenor’s Group Executive Management team.

a solid platform for value creation for our shareholders and continued growth in Norway, Europe and Asia. We are poised to capture value from the opportunities arising from strong demand for internet services and I look forward to executing our strategy together with our 33,000 employees,” said Sigve Brekke.

Jon Fredrik Baksaas steps down after 13 years as the company President and CEO. In September 2014, he extended his tenure for another year, until the end of 2015. In preparation of Baksaas’ retirement, Telenor’s Board of Directors initiated a thorough process with a broad set of internal and external candidates to find his successor. Baksaas will continue as advisor to the Board of Directors until the end of 2016 and will serve as Chairman of GSMA, the global industry organisation for mobile operators.

“Jon Fredrik Baksaas has internationalised Telenor and transformed us into a modern, world-class telecom company and widely known consumer brand originating from Norway. I believe Fredrik is one of the most impor tant industry leaders in Norway in modern times,” said Svein Aaser.

Telenor has grown substantially both in terms of number of customers, revenue and market value. Telenor is a leading mobile telecom company with mobile operations in 13 markets and 192 million mobile subscriptions worldwide. Revenues have increased from NOK 49 billion to NOK 107 billion and market capitalisation from NOK 45 billion to NOK 270 billion during Baksaas’ leadership. A significant contributor to this development has been the company’s growth in Asia.

“To lead Telenor during a period of rapid growth and major technological changes has been both exciting and rewarding. In Sigve Brekke, the Board of Directors has found the perfect candidate to continue Telenor’s growth and value creation. We have worked closely for many years, and his knowledge of the business, customer focus and hands-on management style will ensure a great future for the company,” said Jon Fredrik Baksaas.

new Telenor Group CEO


Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugar atnam was leading a ‘SkillsFuture’ delegation to the European countries Switzerland and Sweden from 6 to 12 May 2015.

SkillsFuture is a national movement to provide Singaporeans with the opportunities to develop their fullest potential throughout life, regardless of their starting points. Through this movement, the skills, passion and contributions of every individual will drive Singapore’s next phase of development towards an advanced economy and inclusive society.

The SkillsFuture delegation engaged various government bodies, education and training providers, and companies from several industries. The aim was to better understand approaches in the two countries for assuring high-quality education and training, and the commitment of employers to investing in workers’ career-long development.

Singapore’s idea behind SkillsFuture is that no matter where you are in life - schooling years, early career, mid-career or silver years - you will find a variety of resources to help you attain mastery of skills. Skills mastery is more than having the right

paper qualifications and being good at what you do currently; it is a mind-set of continually striving towards greater excellence through knowledge, application and experience. With the help of the SkillsFuture Council, education and training providers, employers, unions - citizens can own a better future with skills mastery and lifelong learning.

In developing its people Singapore states:

•We have built a first-rate school system in Singapore. Compared to other countries, our students do better than their peers in learning. Importantly, we have achieved high average performance while avoiding the very large disparities in outcomes that many other education systems have.

•We have also built highly credible Institutes of Higher Learning. We are investing more in our ITE, Polytechnics and Universities to enhance quality and affordability, and to offer more diverse pathways for Singaporeans to choose to advance themselves.

•We have also been developing a system of continuing education and training.

In the next phase of development lifelong learning is key.“We will build on these foundations to create a new environment for lifelong learning. It is critical to our future. It will develop the skills and mastery needed to take our economy to the next level. More fundamentally, it aims to empower each Singaporean to chart their own journey in life, and gain fulfilment at work, and even in their senior years.”

Singapore calls this development effor t SkillsFuture . It marks a major new phase of investment in our people, throughout life, including:

•Starting in the Schooling Years•SkillsFuture Earn and Learn Programme•Targeted Support for Career Progression•A New Industry Collaboration

“A key challenge in SkillsFuture is to help uplift a significant base of our SMEs, and involve them in this process of skills development. This will not happen naturally - many of our SMEs lack their own training capacity and are unable to plan for the future.”

‘SkillsFuture’ Singapore education delegation visits SwedenPhoto: Robin from Singapore / commons.wikimedia.org.

Exclusively off ering supplementary educati onal classes to the Finnish community in Singapore, the Finnish Supplementary School educates children, from age 4, in language and culture. Operati ng in Singapore for over 30 years, the school aims to maintain Finnish language skills in preparati on for children returning to a Finnish-language speaking school and to strengthen affi liati on to nati ve culture.

Students of the Finnish Supplementary School will have the opportunity to take advantage of Stamford’s recreati onal areas during school hours, including 2 sports arenas and tennis courts. Stamford off ers accessibility for students island-wide, being located centrally, just 10 minutes from Orchard, and on the doorstep of Woodleigh MRT stati on.

Susanna Paavola, Chairman of the Finnish Supplementary School comments: “We love Stamford’s state-of-the-art campus, full of bright and spacious classrooms, fully integrated with the latest technology, and faciliti es including opetustarvikkeille and the library. Stamford is truly an internati onal environment, with students from over 60 nati onaliti es and valuing language as a key component to developing global citi zens. The

central locati on, we believe, will enhance our ability to support students in achieving their Finnish educati onal goals.”

State-of-the-art faciliti es at Stamford include a unique innovati on center, in partnership with Bloomberg and Microsoft , and iLEarn faciliti es to support enhanced learning as well as a 500-seat theatre and world-class sports faciliti es including three swimming pools, two sports arenas, tennis courts and a Golf Academy.

Students and families of the supplementary school will also have the opportunity to take advantage of the healthy and nutriti ous food available at Stamford. Stamford’s partnership with acclaimed Chef Emmanuel Stroobant delivers healthy meals and snacks, made daily by his team of professional chefs and made available through two parent cafes on campus.

Finnish supplementary teaching comprises two hours per week during the school year. Classes for Preschool children are designed to increase children’s interest in Finnish language through play, songs and craft form, deepening Finnish language skills and literacy through the Elementary school years. The school also off ers library containing a wealth of Finnish books, magazines and DVDs that is open to the enti re Finnish community during school hours.

For enquiries and further details please contact:Stamford American Internati onal School | www.sais.edu.sgFinnish Supplementary School | www.suomikoulusg.com [email protected]

+65 6653 7907 www.sais.edu.sg

Finnish Supplementary School to Relocate to Stamford American

The Finnish Supplementary School will relocate to Stamford American Internati onal School’s centrally-located campus in August 2015.


Danish artist paints our traces

The Danish painter Mor ten Lassen is having his second solo exhibition in Singapore. This time the theme is the digital traces we constantly leave behind

By Søren EngelbrechtThere’s a heavy scent of freshly painted walls

and they are all white. The only thing adorning the walls is the paintings – the main attraction. We are at the art gallery Artspace 222 where the Danish artist Morten Lassen is exhibiting his new series of paintings called Trace.

It’s the day before the big day that I visit Morten Lassen at the gallery. The last preparations are being handled and the mood seems calm and casual. He has plenty of time to talk to me about his new paintings, his old paintings, art in general and Singapore.

His new exhibition, Trace, is about the digital traces we constantly leave behind, and the digital traffic, we can’t see, has been his interest for a quite a while now.

“The last five or six years, I’ve been working with the idea of the things that surround us in

the air, but we can’t see – Wi-Fi, the Internet, GPS. Then I thought, ‘what would it look like, if we could see it?’ Not in a technical matter, just how it would make us feel, “ Morten Lassen says.

Facebook knows where we areHe therefore made two exhibitions called Wireless and Surrounded. This time the focus is on the invisible traces that we all leave behind and which float around in the air – invisible to the human naked eye.

“No matter where we are in the world there will always be people who know it. We live in a digital world where we leave traces everywhere. Facebook probably knows that we are talking right now,” Morten Lassen says followed by a small laughter.

“I think it’s interesting that we have a world around us which, if we could see it, would be insane. If it was visual, we wouldn’t be able to see each other. But my paintings are not an exact description, it’s more a sense of how it would feel like,” he explains while pointing at different details on some of the paintings.

All part of a puzzleThe gallery is divided in to four rooms with an open hallway connection them all. The natural light fading in and the white walls create a bright atmosphere where the paintings are in focus. As we walk by the different abstract paintings, it could seem as if they’re not too different at all.

“It’s true, they look much alike, but it’s because they are all pieces in a puzzle. They separate in construction, colours and mood,” Mor ten Lassen explains and adds that he works on all the paintings at the same time.

They all share a common thread. But they’re also abstract which means that you probably wouldn’t know that it’s about digital traces unless you are told so. And that is fine with Morten Lassen, because if people see something completely else that’s no problem, as long as they get something out of it. The most important thing for him is to share his wonder and fascination through shapes and colours.

Text: Soren Engelbrecht Photo: Søren Solkær



Handcuffing a tourist who believed he was Jesus, br inging back injured trekkers from the wilds or handling a tsunami. Michael Schulz has been dealing with a variety of

emergencies in his time as SOS agent in Thailand. But especially one type of cases is still the biggest challenge.

“I am never nervous, but I am always aware,” Michael Schulz says.

He is sitting in his office at Sukhumvit soi 39 in Bangkok. For exactly 20 years now he has been

the regional manager of SOS International a/s in Thailand. He never had a business plan or a plan for his life for that matter, and yet, his company has become the second biggest SOS office in the world today.

“I see the job, talk to people and get ideas from that. I may have had a talent for throwing away bad ideas instead of keep boxing around with them,” he says.

A good intuition together with a strong local network is what Michael believes has been the key to the company’s success.

SOS International provides ser vices to Scandinavian insurance companies, but the clients are from all over Europe. They are presented both in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar.

In 2010 SOS International had around 8,000 cases. Today that number is more than 10,000. Most of the cases are easy to handle, but especially one type of cases is a major challenge.

Jesus without pills Every year, SOS International has more than 200

Danish SOS Agent meets challenges every dayText & Photo Louise Bihl Frandsen


Very often you experience that hospitals have been

carrying out a lot of unnecessary tests and

scans to make more money on the patient. Especially

if they can see that the patient is insured by a

Scandinavian company

of handcuffs from the local police to pick him up and have him admitted. Although, they succeeded to bring the man safe home to Europe, Michael admits that this is one of the more tricky cases.

“How do you corporate with a person that does not want to listen?”

Mentally ill people, who need assistance from SOS International, are cases the company experiences very often. Besides assisting Jesus, Michael also has had a case with a naked tourist dancing around at Sukhumvit.

Since the local hospitals are not really geared for these illnesses, Michael’s best option is to bring them back to Europe. But the service SOS International provides depends on what is included in the specific insurance.

“Pre-existing illnesses for example, are not covered by the travel insurance, but can be covered by a health insurance,” he explains.

Deadly wavesMichael did not start from scratch 20 years ago. His former job as tour manager in Thailand since 1980 gave a great network across the country and a good feeling with, how things work.

His network has always been helpful in all types of emergency situations, especially the extraordinary ones.

December 26, 2004 was one of them. Michael got a call early in the morning from a friend living in Phuket telling him that some waves had hit Patong Beach, and that people had been thrown up onto the land some hundred metres. Michael called SOS in Denmark right after and told them to prepare their crisis team.

“Are you sure?” They asked him. “No, but do it anyway,” Michael replied. It was first later that Michael, SOS in Denmark and the rest of the world realized how serious the situation was. In total, 230,000 people were killed in 14 countries when the tsunami hit South East Asia in 2004.

SOS International was the first international team to arrive in Phuket that day.

Cost containmentOn one side , SOS International provides emergency services, which is everything from taking care of a hospital bill to transpor ting people out of a jungle. But another service has become even more important during the years: Cost containment.

When Europe became more expensive, and Asia remained cheap: an influx of retirees went to the South to settle down. Along with the influx of retirees and the general growth of European tourists coming to Thailand the prices on treatment and services increased significantly at the private hospitals.

“This development has made the Scandinavian insurance companies much more aware of what they pay for today than earlier,” Michael says.

To avoid overpricing, Michael travels a lot to negotiate prices with local hospitals, and to avoid overtreatment SOS International looks through the hospital bills before approving them.

“Very often you experience that hospitals have been carrying out a lot of unnecessary tests and scans to make more money on the patient. Especially if they can see that the patient is insured by a Scandinavian company”.

However, SOS In ter nat iona l never compromises the proper and safe treatment of their patients with the cost of treatment.

The unexpectedThe emergency business changes all the times, but it does not bother Michael at all.

“I could easily take 20 year more. I like my job. SOS is one of those companies that develops all the time, which makes my job very exciting,” the 58-year-old Dane says and continues:

“I still get these phone calls, where I am standing in the other end of the line and thinking ‘What?’ Every time I am sure I have seen or heard it all, a new case or situation appears”.

This year Michael Schulz will not only celebrate 20 years anniversary for SOS International a/s, but also 25 years anniversary for his other company “The Arrivals Company”.

doctors and nurses from Scandinavia coming to pick up patients. The most challenging cases, the company deals with, concerns psychosis.

Some years ago Michael got a call from a Danish doctor, who happened to be on vacation on the same island where a young tourist had lost his mind.

“He was walking around on the Island, burning himself and saying he was Jesus and the emperor of the island,” Michael tells.

Michael prepared a team of two nurses with an injection needle and a borrowed pair


The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and the Research Council of Norway (RCN) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), in the end of April 2015,

renewing their bilateral agreement on maritime education, training and research and development (R&D) for another three years until 2018. The signing ceremony took place in conjunction with the 10th Singapore Maritime Week 2015.

In this MOU that was extended for a sixth term, MPA and RCN will expand the current MOU framework to include collaboration in an inaugural international ‘Joint Call for Proposals in Maritime Research’, with the aim of promoting maritime research collaborations and knowledge exchange between Singapore and Norway through joint R&D projects among the research institutions in Singapore and Norway. Participating researchers will gain from exposure to a wider set of industry challenges and, at the same time, benchmarking their capabilities.

A total of S$6 million has been set aside by MPA and RCN for the Joint Call for Proposals, which focuses on navigational safety, ship operations and safety, ship-port operations, green shipping and maritime arctic research.

The MOU was signed by MPA’s Chief Executive, Mr Andrew Tan, and RCN’s Director-General, Mr Arvid Hallen at the Singapore Maritime Technology Conference.

Mr Andrew Tan said: “As leading maritime nations, both Singapore and Norway recognise the importance of promoting maritime R&D and education and training. With this in mind, MPA and RCN have developed long-standing and close co-operation since 2000. The renewal of the MOU today attests to the value of our collaboration in these areas. We believe that the MOU can lead to

more collaboration opportunities and further our two countries’ capabilities in the maritime field.”

Mr Arvid Hallen said: “It is important that this MOU has been renewed. It has already had a large impact. It is also particularly important that Norway and Singapore will launch a joint call for the first time. This joint call for proposals in maritime research will lay the foundation for cooperation between Norwegian and Singaporean research groups working together on the same projects. Both Singapore and Norway put great emphasis on improving the environmental footprint of shipping, and when scientists from two of the world’s leading maritime nations work together, the results will be of major significance for both parties as well as for the environment.”

The launch of the Joint Call for Proposals adds to the many joint activities carried out under the MOU, including the inaugural Singapore Maritime Technology Conference held during the recently-concluded Singapore Maritime Week 2015, the International Maritime and Port Technology Conference and the Sustainable Marine Transportation Conference both held last year, and joint industry workshops. These platforms help profile Singapore as a centre of excellence for maritime R&D and technology, and provide opportunities for maritime professionals to share industry challenges and experiences, and technology developers, research community to share their expertise and solutions.

One of the recent research projects under the MPA-RCN MOU is the development of a Ship Traffic Simulator. Driven by Singapore’s home-grown technology company SimPlus Pte Ltd and a Norwegian company Kongsberg NorControl IT AS, the Ship Traffic Simulator is a type of software used to assess the safety and efficiency of various navigation strategies.

Singapore and Norway renew maritime cooperation


Put a newsroom at the heart of your PR strategy

• One stop media hub. News, blog, video, images, social media feeds – all in one place.

• “Multi-publish” your news and content to the media, key infl uencers and social networks.

• Identify key infl uencers and bring them closer to your brand.

• Stakeholders can subscribe to your news with one click.

• Search engine optimised.

• Easy to update, no need to involve IT.

• Responsive newsroom design optimised for all de vices – mobile, tablet or PC.

More than 5,000 brands are using Mynewsdesk to tell their stories, including brands like:

Call us at +65 6557 0028 or email us at [email protected] for a free consultation.

B A G S VÆ R D K O S T S K O L E G Y M N A S I U M

Skan koden og læs mere påbagkost.dk

• En dansk uddannelse med et internationalt præg• Grundskole, 10. klasse, studentereksamen (STX)• Valget mellem to femårige forløb, GLOBAL og BIOTEK,

fra 8. klasse till studentereksamen• Sport- og talentklasse fra 7. klasse• Mulighed for morgentræning tirsdage og torsdage•• Lektiehjælp hver dag

Aldershvilevej 138 • DK-2880 • Bagsværd • Telefon: +45 44980065 • E-mail: [email protected]

Tættest på København

Du får:

Enkeltværelser til kostelever

Bagsværd Kostskole & Gymnasium (BK) er en udviklingsorienteret og traditions-rig skole grundlagt i 1908. Elever, der vælger en uddannelse hos os, siger ja til fællesskab, faglighed, seriøsitet og individuel talentudvikling.

When it’s time to do business,we’re exceptionally open.

Every business has a different story and a different goal. We understand that.Over many years in this market of unique opportunities, we’ve developed thelocal knowledge, resources and connections needed to turn ambitions intoreality. That’s why we’re one of the most well-established northern Europeanbanks in the region. For corporates, financial institutions and private bankingclients, we’re ready to listen and cater to your needs – in Beijing, Shanghai,Hong Kong, Singapore and New Delhi.

You are welcome to contact us atMerchant Banking: [email protected], Tel: +65 62 23 56 44Private Banking: [email protected], Tel: +65 63 57 08 84www.sebgroup.lu/privatebanking

Documents

ScandAsia Singapore - June 2015