ADB & DutchCham Merge - Say what! - business ...
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october/november 2017
www.adb.org.sg
business
ADB & DutchCham
Merge - Say what!
... page 4
event singapore
ADB IPP Golf tournament III The battle of bike-sharing
... page 3 in Singapore
… page 16
SINGAPORE MANAGEMENT UNIVERSITY
EXECUTIVE
DEVELOPMENT
FOCUSED ON ASIA–TRANSFORMING PERFORMANCE
Integrating the best of Asian and Western practices and theories, our Public Programmes and company-specific Custom
Programmes deliver outstanding returns on investment for individuals and organisations, leveraging meticulously-
designed curricula which address business challenges in the context of Asia.
FOLLOW US LOCATE US
facebook.com linkedin.com Singapore Management University, Executive Development For more information
/smuexd /company/smu-exd 81 Victoria Street, Level 10, Singapore 188065 please visit us @
Tel: +65 6828 9095 Email: exd@smu.edu.sg exd.smu.edu.sg
President’s Message
Comfort Food
“Comfort food” - I’ve heard the term often enough but
never really understood the true meaning until recently.
Let me explain.
Board Members
After missing out on the F1 for three consecutive years,
Paul Bloemendal
my sons (ages 12 and 14) urged me to buy tickets. They pushed me to such Board Member Sponsoring
an extent that I simply had to give in. And although I don’t care that much Co-Head Agricultural
Commodity Trading
about racing, this year I decided to go ‘all in’ and got them a three-day Arcadia Agri
entry pass. When F1 on Friday finally came, the boys were psyched. While
the cars were making their rounds, they were glued to the grandstand.
They loved it and couldn’t wait to come back the next day. Tom Smeenk
Honorary Treasurer
Business Development
What they did not know is that for Saturday, I had planned something very Manager LNG Asia
special. A friend of mine, who is married to the CEO of Randstad, sponsors Royal Vopak
of the Williams team, had arranged three VIP tickets to the Paddock Club
and a tour of the Pit Lane. It proved to be all (and more) I had hoped for.
Peter Paul Bloemsma
Secretary / Board
When we arrived, a charming lady escorted us to the VIP area to watch the Member Events
race. I was handed a glass of Champagne with unlimited soft drinks for Partner
2Sherpa
the boys. We were introduced to other sponsor representatives and some
people from the technical staff. I spoke to a guy named Bernd Maylander,
a racing veteran. We hit it off and had a fun time but I lost sight of him.
Aleid de Savornin
Lohman
Later that evening, after the race, Bernd reappeared and invited us to Board Member Communications
Senior Legal Consultant,
join him at a private event organized by the Ferrari team. Although it was Lawyers on the Demand
getting late, I decided that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity so I said Asia Pacific
“sure” and waved at the boys to come along. It was an excellent decision
because all the race-drivers were there! Vettel, Alonso, Ricciardo and even Daniël Heerkens
Max Verstappen! My oldest didn’t hesitate for a second and was quick to Chief Editor
Digital Marketing
congratulate him on his 2nd place in the qualifier. It was a genuine jet-set Strategy Director
party with delicate canapes, tons of hot chicks and even a Champagne tower! 2Stallions
Fast forward to Sunday night, and again we were at the circuit, happy for
the rain as that could only help Max. There we stood all dressed in orange, Wenneke Vrugt-Repko
General Manager
ready to cheer our hero to victory. The race started – but what was that Graphic Designer
– Max was instantly sandwiched by Raikkonen and Vettel! What a shock, Triple You Design
what a disaster!
We looked at each other and all thought the same thing: this is totally
depressing, let’s get out of here. On the way back to the car we passed a °°°
The ADB connects
Kebab shop on Circular road where I ordered three shawarma rolls. We sat
down, took a bite and started to smile – what a crazy weekend it has been. Dutch Professionals
in Singapore.
°°°
... Joep Ottervanger ...
1
Editor’s Note
Contents
100 days left
1 President’s Message
2 Editor’s Note
Hi ADB Member,
3 ADB IPP Golf Tournament III
4 ADB and DutchCham Merge – The month is almost at an end and we hope
Say what! September and October have been as good for you
6 From the Dutch Embassy: as they have been for me! In Q3 we started working
Get in the Ring Singapore with a very well-known Fortune 500 company (that I’m super excited
about) and we have many new things to learn and prepare for 2018.
8 Why your company needs to
invest in Content Marketing
We began September by kick starting our collaboration with CNN.
12 An Interview with Jeroen van They are the number one online news destination in digital -
de Waal
routinely recording more than 1.5 billion multi-platform page views
14 Network for Dutch-speaking each month!
people in Singapore
16 The Battle of bike-sharing in The lesson that I have learned from this collaboration is that if you
Singapore are small, and not everybody knows about you in your network, then
it’s much better to team up with companies or individuals that can
18 Seletar Aerospace Park:
a hidden dining oasis get you further ahead than you could do alone.
20 Reflect to Re-energize This is the same type of thinking behind the merger of ADB &
21 Interview with Eric van den Berg DutchCham. By collaborating, we instantly expand our connections
and broaden our reach. Together we can build a stronger presence
22 NCA: Sneak peek raffle prizes
in the market and attract more interesting parties to join us. That
24 ADB News – Announcements, will create synergies and get our name out there much faster, both
member info and more in Singapore and across the ASEAN region. There are further, juicier
details of our ADB-DutchCham collaboration later in this Magazine.
Time sure does fly - there are now less than 100 days before we say
goodbye to 2017.
Let ‘s make them count and don’t forget to join us at one of the most
ADB & DutchCham Merge - fun nights of the year, THE ANNUAL ADB DINNER & DANCE
Say what! on 11 November 2017! This year the theme will be ‘Caribbean Cruise’.
... Daniël Heerkens ...
Cover photo: Shutterstock.com
2
ADB Events
ADB IPP Golf Tournament III
... Photos by IPP ...
Who says traditions do not
exist at ADB! It has been a true
honor to have had IPP sponsor
the ADB IPP Golf Event for
3 consecutive years. And this year
was no exception!
It didn’t matter if you were a After all this hard work, there was
pro or had never held a golf time for networking, pizza and
By Krista van der Veen club in your life before, because beers and, of course, the prizes.
Executive Director at
Trustmoore at this annual golf event there I am also happy to announce
was something for every player. that the organizers didn’t win
The new bees had lessons from any prizes this time. Of course,
the very esteemed Mr. Lingam. Peter blames this on ethical
Even in dress shoes or skirts, the considerations…. •
beginners did an amazing job!
P.S. It was great get together and
In groups of 3-4 people the golfers a big thank you to IPP!
were sent on the course to play
9 holes according to the Texas
scramble rules. Along the course
several prizes could be won such as
closest to the line, longest drive etc.
After this, the two groups
were brought together for the
putting competition, in which
the beginners in some cases
outperformed the advanced
golfers. It was such a close call
that the competition needed to
be decided on bonus points for
originality.
3
BusiNess
ADB and DutchCham Merge – Say what!
Dear member,
Yes, the merger between ADB and DutchCham is now
official as it was approved at the general meetings of
both organisations. Although we, as a board, have
tried to keep you well informed about the status and
plans, for some of our members the reasons behind it
are still somewhat unclear.
So, for a very last time, here is a short summary
of the What, When, Who, How, Why & Where of the
ADB-DutchCham merger.
What?
What is going to change?
When we get this question people usually mean “will
we still have the same pleasant and informal events
as currently provided by ADB”. To that question the of the ADB and of DutchCham will for the time
answer is YES. ADB-DutchCham really represents being co-chair the new board and preside over board
the SUM and not the average of the strengths and meetings on a rotating basis. We feel that the board
activities of the former two organisations. represents a good mix of people with an appropriate
skill set and background to reflect and represent the
If, however, the question is “will everything remain identity and objectives of both ADB and DutchCham
as it is” then the answer is obviously NO. The new in the new organisation.
organization will have a much wider reach, both
in terms of network and activities. As a member of As to the support team, things are a bit in flux.
ADB-DutchCham you will, therefore, also have access As you may have heard, Nele Cornelis, who was
to new activities and inroads into the Dutch and the ‘executive director’ of DutchCham for the past
Singapore business community. 6 years, recently resigned to join EuroCham. This
was an unexpected event and Nele will be dearly
When? missed. ADB and DutchCham are currently working
When will the new organisation come into existence? together to recruit an adequate replacement. There
The ADB-DutchCham will officially commence as of is, however, positive news. We are very happy that
January 1st 2018. For practical purposes, however, our general manager, Wenneke Vrugt, who initially
the boards and support teams of both organisations announced that she would resign, has agreed to stay
are already working together as if the merger had on and will focus mainly on design/communication
taken place in order to assure a smooth launch. and the social events.
Who? How?
Who will be on the board and who will be on the How much will I be paying next year? That question
support teams? The new board will comprise of 11 comes up all the time. For Individual Members of
members, 6 of which are the current ADB board ADB-DutchCham, the membership fee will be $145.
members with the remaining members being former So, that means an increase of $20 compared to the
members of the DutchCham board. The presidents current ADB membership fee.
4
If, however, you are an employee of a company that is already a member of DutchCham, you will (most likely) not pay anything as your personal membership will be covered by your employer’s membership. It should be noted that Corporate Members of DutchCham (and also of ADB-DutchCham) may appoint 3 employees as a member and Orange Members may appoint 10 employees as a member. Why? Why merge if things are going well? Although both ADB and DutchCham are doing well, we as a board feel that the merger is an opportunity for two reasons. Firstly, it provides access to the members of both organisations to more events, more committees and a larger network. Secondly, it makes the organisation more relevant for all parties involved including sponsors, which makes it financially more robust and future proof. Where? Where does our money go? What happens to the financial reserve of ADB that was built up over the past 25 years? As most will know, ADB currently has a financial reserve of about $90,000 – $100,000. This reserve will form part of the financial reserve of the new organsiation. In order to assure the financial stability of the new organization we have agreed on a conservative budgeting policy whereby fixed cost must be matched by fixed income. Furthermore, the aim is to further grow the financial reserve to an amount of at least two times the annual fixed cost. We hope that this answers (most of) your questions. If not, please don’t keep quiet and let me or any one on the board know. On behalf of the ADB Board Joep Ottervanger
from the dutch embassy
Get in the Ring Singapore
... Photos by Dutch Embassy Singapore ...
Singapore has a fast-changing environment Get in the Ring and the participating and
which stimulates innovation and organizing role that the Netherlands Embassy
entrepreneurship. This is one of the reasons had at the event.
that Singapore has a big startup community,
where people start their own companies About Get in the Ring
to make their ideas become a reality. The Get in the Ring is a worldwide podium for
Netherlands Embassy is a proud advocate of startups to connect with investors and fans,
startups, which is why we focus on organizing who can contribute knowledge, a network,
events to stimulate Dutch and Singaporean funding and time. Get in the Ring Foundation
startup companies in gaining success. This connects startups to innovators to scale up
month, an event took place where excellent their business. They work closely with leaders
startups battled to win a ticket to the Get in of entrepreneurship ecosystems in more than
the Ring Global Conference 2018. This article 100 countries. Get in the Ring is known for its
will tell you more about the organization format where startups face off in a boxing ring.
6
High-profile jury
By Tessa Grootzwaaftink
Embassy of the Kingdom of the Amongst the jury members were, besides
Netherlands in Singapore
Public Relations and Communication Professor Jan Peter Balkenende, Ambassador
Mrs Margriet Vonno, Carpal founder Maarten
Hemmes, Minos van Joolingen from BANNING
lawyers and Melissa Lim, founder of BiTS
& LadyBoss. Together, they provided the
competing startups with constructive criticism
and insightful tips on their pitches and business
proposals.
About the finalists
First round: PABensen versus Mathemate
PABensen (www.pabensen.com) is a design
company that strives to create thought-
provoking works and innovative functional
products that bridge the fields of Art and
Science. Their direct competitor was
Mathemate (www.mathemate.com), which is
the world’s easiest place for Students to Ask,
Search & get Guidance in all things Math. “We
aim to be the easiest place to ask and check
existing content from the web. We organize
students and their math syllabus so they can
find, collect and share the information most
valuable to them.” This round was won by
Mathemate with a convincing vote by the jury.
Second round: BIORITHM versus
Touchless Industries
BIORITHM is a startup that aims to have an
impact on the healthcare environment that we
know today. They competed with Touchless
Industries (www.touchlessindustries.com),
which is a startup where healthcare and IoT
come together. “Our goal is to connect all
Get in the Ring Singapore ‘physical’ things in the hospital through the
The Netherlands Embassy organized the Get in Internet of Things.”
the Ring Singapore event together with Startup
& SME Academy, ADB and DutchCham. The Third round: Cogo.ai versus Orca Scuba
event took place at the Hollandse Club on In the third round, Cogo (www.cogo.ai), a
Thursday 14 September 2017 with special modern sharing platform, battled against Orca
guest of honor former Prime Minister of the Scuba (www.orcascuba.com). The latter won
Netherlands, Jan Peter Balkenende amongst this round, and ended up winning the final
the high-profile jury. The competing startups round as well, making them the victor of the Get
battled in the ring and demonstrated their in the Ring Singapore competition! They are
unique value propositions to the high profile passionate about the ocean and everything in
jury, until one startup was victorious! The prize it. “We love to introduce others to the world of
was a ticket to the Get in the Ring’s annual scuba diving, so they can experience it with us.”
Global Conference taking place in 2018. Congratulations to Jeroen of Orca Scuba! •
7
BusiNess
Why your company needs to
invest in Content Marketing
By Daniël Heerkens
Digital Marketing Strategy Director
2Stallions
People visit your website because of
two things: either they are looking for
information to add to their research
of a product or service, or they
are looking for information before
making a purchase. Targeted content
helps steer customers into sales
funnels, which is why more than 85
percent of brands implement content
marketing strategies and enjoy great
ROI after a one-month evaluation.
Content marketing helps develop your business brand
with engaging content like blogs, videos, and social media
posts. Well-researched and helpful content boosts your
authority on the subject and helps introduce the products
and services as a solution.
Content Marketing is not just for the big brands
Small businesses and start-ups aren’t the only ones
who can benefit from content marketing. Numerous
multinational companies use content to engage their
audience in different social media platforms. This allows
their audience to provide feedback to improve their
products and services.
Rolex uses Instagram
For instance, one might think that Rolex can go decades to keep their products
without making marketing efforts due to its established within everyone’s line
brand. However, the people who run Rolex know that if of sight with beautifully
Credit: Rolex Instagram & website
a brand doesn’t stay relevant, a competitor can easily crafted photos of brand
steal the show. watches. Their goal could
be to remind their target
Rolex knows that consumers can suddenly favor a more audience of why Rolex
modern brand. This is possibly one of the reasons Rolex is the embodiment of a
has increased their social media activity and campaigns. sophisticated lifestyle.
8Why Should You Invest in Content Marketing?
Great Potential for Ownership benefits
Significant ROI Once you’ve built your audience, your ROI goes up since
you no longer have to pay rent to the media
Returns can come in the form
31 leads
of customer acquisition, brand 36 /$1,000
visibility, brand reputation, or
30
inbound traffic. Marketing experts
agree that content marketing, when Content Marketing
24
done correctly, has great potential
for higher ROI, just look at the 18 9 leads
/$1,000
graph on the right.
12
You may not necessarily get a dollar 6 Paid Search
for every person who sees your
content, however, your company Month 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36
will see benefits in many different
forms.
Other Strategies Can Benefit From It
It’s Inbound Marketing (Pull Marketing Instead The great thing about content marketing is that it will not
of Push) only generate returns for your company, but it will also
Precise investments are important in marketing. That push your other marketing strategies to perform better.
being said, when marketing your product or service, In order to be effective, you must make content marketing
content marketing allows you to filter out potential buyers the core of all your strategies.
from dead end leads.
For instance, your email marketing campaigns can benefit
Think of it this way, a person with no interest in your from a consistent content marketing strategy. Since you are
industry will not bother to click through your link or even already creating content for your social media marketing
go past your landing page. With that in mind, it should campaign, why not use the content for email marketing
be clear that asserting any promotion efforts to such too? This will attract more followers, viewership, and help
individuals will be a waste. establish brand identity. Just check out the data below.
Growing SEO/organic presence 61%
Blog content creation 53%
Content distribution/amplification 47%
Marketing automation 40%
Interactive content creation 38%
Visual content creation 31%
Long-form/visual content creation 29%
Online tools 28%
Product how-to videos 24%
Webinars 19%
Freemium trials 6%
Don’t know 4%
Source: State of Inbound 2017 report
9Brand Authority (Thought Leadership)
Get customers Grow customers
Will Be Stronger
Outreach Product
The quality of your content develops your brand profile. If programs updates
Social
you implement an effective content marketing strategy and media
create authority and reliability, you can become your field’s
Cross-sell
Referrals
Next-sell
Acquire
Activate
Up-sell
Media Keep customers
primary source of information.
Articles Contest,
Let’s say that you run a fitness centre and decided to utilize events
op Blogs, RSS, Loyalty
Viral Lo
content marketing. You start posting two to three SEO- emails programs
optimized blog posts every week and eventually catapult
ira
V
your website’s ranks in search engines. l Loo
p
Months before summer begins, people begin scurrying for
ways to remain or become fit. If they find your business first, they aren’t purchasing your programs or getting a
your fitness tips and programs become their immediate membership to your gym – yet.
solutions to achieve their body goals. Ultimately, readers
and followers can become actual customers who you would Right now, your audience is simply aware that you exist,
never have reached if it weren’t for content marketing. hence, the first stage of the buyer’s funnel. Now, summer
time is near and everyone wants to get in shape. They
Builds More Trust With Consumers remember all the articles and videos you published not too
A reliable brand creates trust with great content. If readers long ago and start to re-watch them and visit your website
find your content engaging, entertaining, and helpful, you for more content or information on your services.
can build trust with your audience quickly.
Content Marketing Is a Must for Your Marketing
When people get used to seeing your content, they begin to Campaign
think of your business as a trusted resource. When the time We can talk for days discussing all the benefits you can reap
comes that they are in need of services or a product such as for your business through content marketing. However,
yours, they will remember you. the ultimate truth still stands; content marketing is today’s
most effective way of getting things done.
Converts Better Through Lead Nurturing
We all want to guide our target audience down the sales Effort-filled content marketing will drive inbound leads,
funnel, something that content marketing can help achieve. establish brand awareness, and guide people down the sales
Through lead nurturing, you can hit all three stages of the funnel. Whether you are targeting short-term solutions,
buyer’s journey; awareness, consideration, and decision. such as improving your pay-per-click advertising or a need
to increase your leads or long-term strategies that involve
Let’s say that you run a fitness hotspot with an active brand development and rebound marketing, well-developed
content marketing campaign. You consistently publish content and copy will leave a positive and compelling
weight loss tips, healthy recipes, and the like for months impression that significantly improves the possibility of
and have made yourself known to your market. However, high ROI. •
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F O R M O R E I N F O P L E A S E C O N TA C T S A L E S @ H O L L A N D S E C L U B . O R G . S GInterview
An Interview with Jeroen van de Waal
Winner of Startup & SME Academy
Get in the Ring edition
... Photos by Jeroen van de Waal ...
By Daniël Heerkens
Digital Marketing Strategy Director
2Stallions
What inspired you to pursue a career in marine
conservation?
I have always believed I could make things happen and
change my world. I lived in a relatively conservative town
in the east of Holland, far away from the oceans. But I
could see on our black and white television the slaughter of
whales taking place daily in Canada. They were slaughtered
to make lantern oil, not for medicine or food. Then there it comes to my passion for the oceans. So here I am, now
was the clubbing of baby seals – killing them to use their trying my hardest to make up for lost time.
beautiful fur to make coats. To me those things didn’t make
any sense at all. We didn’t have computers in those days, What steps did you take/are you taking to achieve
but I started a petition to stop the slaughter. your career goals?
I decided to dedicate my life to a new vision – saving the
In May of 1978, when I was nine years old, I took a few oceans, planet and ourselves. That’s my new motto. To
hundred sheets of paper, and used a ruler to make boxes achieve it, I started up Orca Scuba, a dive company based
where people could write down their names and addresses. in Singapore, with the goal of having dive centres spread
Then I collected signatures in the little town where I grew throughout Southeast Asia.
up. Ten percent of the people whose doorbell I rang didn’t
understand why a Dutch farm boy was petitioning against Orca Scuba is not only about teaching people to dive; it’s
the clubbing of baby seals, but I collected around 1,500 also about educating them about the oceans. It’s about
signatures. Optimistically, I sent my petition to Greenpeace igniting a passion in people, so they start to care about the
in Amsterdam. I got a short letter in response saying, ‘Dear marine environment as much as I do. Alongside Orca’s
Jeroen, thank you very much.’ And that was it, nothing diving business, we’re developing a facility for marine
happened. This has stayed with me my whole life. conservation, marine research and marine education. I’ve
also very recently written a book entitled: “Together We
Even though, as a young boy, I was crazy about the oceans, Can Turn Tides: A Manifesto to Save the Oceans, Planet &
when I reached adulthood I did nothing to follow my Ourselves”. This is about to go to press. The book is meant
passion. I got caught up in the rat race, going to school for for all ages and all levels of education, but my hope is to get
mechanical engineering, then thinking I had to pursue a it into the hands of as many kids and students as possible.
career in the same field. Eventually I had children to raise
and a family to support. It wasn’t until I hit my forties that Young people aren’t hampered by past experience in the
I had an epiphany. Yes, I had a good life. I was making a same way as adults are – their imagination is without limits
nice income, had a great car and a chauffeur; I had a large and they believe anything is possible. I believe the future
villa and a swimming pool – I had everything that sounds well-being of our planet lies with them. My book and our dive
like a successful life. But it wasn’t enough. It wasn’t the centres are tools. We are using them to educate customers,
life for me. Of course, status and money are nice, and they students, interns and divers about the importance of the
help a lot, but I realised I could still make a difference when oceans, as well as the habitats and creatures within them.
12We are in the process of determining how we can incorporate to help our children be better than ‘us’ - the older generation
the book as reading material for International Schools here - when it comes to how we treat the ocean. I want to
in Singapore as well as in Malaysia. We are also developing encourage them to pursue their passions now, when they are
an Oceanic Awareness Program. This will include lecture young and full of positive energy, rather than wait like I did.
presentations on a variety of marine issues and topics, from I look forward to the day that I see kids who I have inspired
the impact of ocean acidification to the impact of shark in some small way, grow up and make a positive difference
populations declining worldwide. in this world, which so drastically needs it.
I need help to do this, which is why I am hoping to get Are there aspects of your position, which make you
bright, passionate people to join our Ocean Ambassador feel that you are really ‘making a difference’?
Program. This Program is geared towards, but not limited Dealing with universities and international schools in
to, gap year students, undergraduates and postgraduates. Malaysia and Singapore has been amazing. There are so
They would have the opportunity to get professional dive many bright young people out there ready to contribute to
training, combined with education and outreach work. They helping the oceans. And what better place than in their
would also contribute to our conservation projects. Right own back yard of Southeast Asia?
now, we have a formal collaboration with the University
of Malaya. We are supporting two of their professors on Starting to develop collaborations with these schools is the
a seagrass restoration project and with reef surveillance. first step to making a difference. My dream is not only to
We are also bringing in a masters student, who will start have our staff teach customers, interns, and children how to
a behavioural study on different sea urchin species. All of scuba dive. I want everybody to experience the true wonder
these projects are happening at our dive centre on Pulau of the underwater world, and I want them to understand the
Rawa, Malaysia. importance of the life they see there.
Which part of your job do you enjoy the most? WiseOceans often refers to the words of Baba Dioum: “In
Scuba diving and inspiring kids. Diving allows me to be the end we will conserve only what we love, we will love
underwater, which lets me unplug from the world and just only what we understand and we will understand only
relax. It also affords me the highest privilege of observing what we are taught”. I wholeheartedly believe in this quote,
our marine life in their natural habitat, rather than in especially for kids. In order for someone to fall in love with
aquariums or on the dinner plate. I have such a deep the ocean they first have to experience it! So I want Orca to
appreciation for the life I see underwater. I wish for nothing be more than just a dive company. It should be a place where
more than for my kids still to be able to see these things education, conservation and scuba diving come together.
when they are my age. The work we are doing, the incredible people we’ve met, and
the wonderful organizations we are collaborating with, all fill
For that to happen, the way we are treating our oceans me with hope that we can make a lasting difference. •
needs to change. Inspiring kids is what drives me forward. I
work as hard as I possibly can to make a positive difference, Part of this interview was published at Wise Oceans.
Photo: Dutch Embassy Singapore
13SingaPore
Network for Dutch-speaking
people in Singapore By Atie van Olst
Enthusiastic owner of
... Photos by Thomas Choong
... Photos ...
by HOI Singapore ...
HOI Singapore
HOI is an informal Dutch-speaking
network in Singapore, especially for
‘HOI’ is the Dutch word for ‘HELLO’. It is also short
those who don’t (yet) have a fulltime
for ‘Holland Organisation Integration’, helping Dutch-
job. HOI Singapore offers a relocation
speaking people to build up their lives in Singapore. Most
course in the Dutch language, highly people joining the network are expat spouses, having
appreciated not only by newcomers, moved to Singapore because of their partners’ jobs. They
but also by those having lived in might be looking for a job themselves, or have found a nice
Singapore for quite some time. part-time job already. If they are lucky enough, they will
HOI cultural tours are inspiring and start the HOI course soon after arrival. After participating
in the course (2 mornings, total 8 hours), participants
provide additional information on
will know almost as much as those who have lived here
various cultural aspects of Singapore.
for longer, such as how to find a part-time helper, where
HOI meetings highlight specific to book the most interesting holidays in the Asian region,
topics or can be ‘just for fun’. Monthly where to have your Van Bommel shoes properly repaired
HOI coffee mornings are great and where to buy a high quality, European sized bed.
opportunities to meet others. Participants will learn which presents to give or not to give
to Malay, Indian or Chinese Singaporeans and will also
enjoy engaging with others who speak their own language
and share their roots. The beginnings of highly appreciated
14friendships start right here. We didn’t move to Singapore ‘Wie Wat Waar in Singapore’: first copy for
to only meet Dutch-speaking people, but getting to know Margriet Vonno
some fellow Netherlanders really helps you to settle in and On 29 August, this year HOI Singapore and Helutrans
feel at home faster. Relocation launched the booklet ‘Wie Wat Waar in
Singapore’. This booklet offers contact information to
Asia ‘light’ or ready to explore authentic find your way in Singapore. Dutch Ambassador, Mrs.
Singaporean culture? Margriet Vonno, a newcomer to Singapore, expressed
At first sight Singapore looks like a modern, relatively her enthusiasm; the booklet is very useful for her and
western city in Asia. But if you join the HOI tours, you will her family. In her introductory note in ‘Wie Wat Waar’,
experience that Singapore has been influenced by many she recommends the HOI course for more in-depth and
cultures in the region and shows all of its cultural aspects! valuable information, in addition to the basic contact
The ‘feng shui’ tour opens your eyes and Singapore will information in the booklet.
never be the same after you have joined this tour. The HOI
food tour gives you lots of insights into local food culture Did you miss the book launch event and would you like to
and the food you taste is really ‘shiok’! The Hungry Ghost have your free copy? Visit the Dutch Embassy and grab your
Festival tour brings you to places where you will certainly be free copy or join one of the HOI activities.
the only ‘ang moh’ visiting the celebrations and you might
even be invited to have a drink with the ‘medium’ or shake Visit www.hoi-singapore.com and subscribe to the monthly
hands with ministers, all trying to comfort the souls of the newsletter. Join the network to meet other people and
dead that are believed to roam the earth during Hungry discover more about life in Singapore.•
Ghost season. And how about a pilgrimage tour to Pulau
Suku to visit the Chinese temple and the Malay ‘keramats’
on the island?
HOI meetings and coffee mornings
Interested in something more down to earth? HOI organises
different styles of meetings on a regular basis. Some
focusing on cultural aspects such as Chinese tea culture,
others just for fun, such as wine tastings. And not to forget:
the monthly HOI coffee mornings are really ‘gezellig’. To be
honest, most people joining are women, but more and more
men live in Singapore because of their partners’ expat jobs.
They are also most welcome to join!
15SingaPore
The Battle of By Alexis van Dam
bike-sharing in Singapore
CMO at Insurance Market
Pte Ltd
... Photos by Alexis van Dam ...
For most of the readers of this ADB-
magazine, bikes are as normal as having a
cheese sandwich. The Dutch grow up with
their bikes and it is the most used mode
of transport. Like me, quite a few brought
their bikes along when they moved to
Singapore. It should be a no-brainer that
people bike around the city instead of
using cars, taxis, buses and MRTs. What’s
stopping us though? The biggest difference
compared to the Netherlands is the climate
and the humidity levels in Singapore.
Why does cycling make sense in Singapore would become part of your exercise regime which would
Owning a bike in Singapore doesn’t cost much and the save time that can be better spent with family and friends.
number of bikes that are stolen is considerably much
lower than in the Netherlands. Since most condos have Singapore is a garden city and cycling can be an excellent
parking space for bikes in the basement, you can safely way to explore the parks and the tropical inlands of
park, and more and more MRT stations and public places Singapore. The PCN (Park Connector Network) in
are accommodating bike parking spaces. Compared Singapore is a great deal of fun to cycle in and between
to the Netherlands, cycling is a relatively new mode of parks. Most parks include wide walking/cycling lanes to
transport and not very well known here. Don’t expect stimulate the enjoyment of nature.
large bike parking lots or other facilities yet; although the
government is doing a great job to improve this. Bike rentals moving into Singapore
It is hard to miss that bike sharing companies have moved
One of the focus areas in Singapore is health care and into Singapore. On many corners, pavements and parking
prevention. We all know that cycling is healthy. Most spaces, you will see the brightly coloured parked bikes.
likely, the majority of us live and work within a 2 km Bike-sharing operators have entered the City State: oBike
proximity of an MRT station. And the MRT track is (homegrown in Singapore), Mobike, Ofo, GBike and a
continuously expanding which is good for everybody. You new entrant SG Bike (Singaporean) launched this year.
can take the bus or MRT….. or choose to cycle the first and Singapore now has access to 5 bike sharing platforms!
last kilometres of your journey.
How does bike-sharing work?
Isn’t it too hot and humid and therefore less comfortable It all starts with downloading the app for one of the bike
to cycle? Of course, it is more convenient to ride a bus, take sharers. Mobike, Obike and GBike make it really simple:
a cab or even use your own car to travel. If you choose to scan the QR-code with the app, ride away and park after
do that, however, then you need to spend time after (or you have reached your destination. SG Bike lets you use
before) work to exercise. If you cycle, your daily commute your EZ-link card and pay as you ride, while Ofo needs
16you to type in the code of the bike in the app to receive a SG Bike (home-grown in Singapore) just launched at
passcode which you use to unlock the bike. Holland-Bukit Panjang. The availability island-wide is
limited at the moment. To ride SG Bike, you don’t have
Is there a difference between the 5 companies? to pay a deposit, and the first half hour costs $1 and after
They all provide basic bikes tailored to Asian people. For that every minute is $0.03.
Western people the bikes tend to be on the small side – I
need to re-adjust the handlebars and saddle to the highest Where to cycle?
position. Even then, the wheels are small and it looks like This all sounds great, but unfortunately dedicated bike
you are riding on a child’s bike. However, most bikes feature lanes are not so common yet. This causes a few problems
adjustable parts to make it a better ride, and some even since bikers need somewhere safe to cycle. Quite often,
feature a basket to put your belongings in. cyclists use the relatively small pavements to cycle which
poses obstruction for pedestrians, but bikes parked on
Obike requires you to pay a deposit of $49 which is the pavement obstruct people walking with prams, the
refundable when you discontinue using their service. blind and the elderly from enjoying a comfortable walk.
They use a pricing and credit system that is based on your Bikers are encouraged to use the most left side of the left
behaviour. Good behaviour gets you extra credits while lane on common roads. The difference in speed could
bad behaviour such as losing the bike or parking in a non- pose potential safety issues for both bikes and cars so
designated area costs you points. Every ride is $0.50 per 15 do proceed with caution. The website www.bbbike.org/
minutes of use. This one is the easiest to find since there are Singapore/ is a journey planner to provide you with a
bikes available near HDBs, condos and MRT stations, which nice, safe and short bike route.
are all indicated on the app. To win over customers, oBike
hands out voucher codes and utilises promotions. Maybe bikes shouldn’t be a mode of transport for
commuting yet until bike lanes are more widely
Ofo requires a $39 deposit to prevent bike abuse, but their available. The more that bikes are used, the higher the
bikes are still hard to find in our City State. The Ofo app chance that more new bikes lanes will be created. The
doesn’t tell you where the nearest Ofo bike is, but you can Singapore government states that by 2030 it will be a
ride the bike for $1 for an hour with a max of $2 per ride. bike friendly city.
Mobike is easy to get your hands on. You can reserve a bike There are some developments going on. In April, a
up to 15 minutes in advance. A $49 deposit is mandatory dedicated bike lane was opened on the public road in
before you can enjoy your bike-ride with Mobike, after Changi East. A 15 km, cycling path was opened to connect
which your ride costs you $0.50 for half an hour. They also Jurong East, Chinese Garden and Lakeside in July. There
have a credit system which lets you earn or loose points are plans in the making to make the city centre more bike
depending on your behaviour. & pedestrian friendly; more info: https://www.mot.gov.
sg/About-MOT/Land-Transport/Cycling/.
I haven’t seen a Gbike in the wild yet. They are relatively
new to the battle of bike-sharing. In addition to the usual Would you want to ride a fancy coloured bike every now
features Gbike offers a security alarm, and a 30 minutes and then? It is easy to start. Happy biking! •
bike ride costs you $1.
17SingaPore
Seletar Aerospace Park:
a hidden dining oasis
... Photos by Rob Lamers ...
Experience a slice of Singapore’s colonial past when you
dine at Seletar Aerospace Park (SAP). In 1923, the British
developed this area to house a Royal Air Force (RAF) station
that served Singapore from 1928 to 1971. To house RAF
personnel and their families, numerous black and white
By Rob Lamers
Marketing Manager at Stamford bungalows were built with the help of Samsui women
American International School
(female Chinese immigrants who took on construction jobs),
who were also known to the British as “Concrete Lizzies”.
Today, Seletar Airport operates as a general aviation airport The Summerhouse 3 Park Lane
for chartered flights and training purposes. This 320-hectare ‘Farms’-to-table dining - The Summerhouse is one of
space comprises the Airport, as well as 32 colonial black and those places you’ll have no problem spending the entire
white bungalows that once housed families of the Royal Air
Force. These bungalows are part of a redevelopment project
called The Oval @ Seletar Aerospace Park, and some have
been turned into F&B outlets. There are now four of them -
YOUNGS Bar & Restaurant by the Pentagon Group, Di Wei
Teochew Restaurant, The Summerhouse by the 1-Group, and
Wheeler’s Estate.
As far as destination dining goes, Singaporeans are not
short of options. We already have popular enclaves like
Photo: Kh Liu
Dempsey Village, and smaller suburban streets such as
Jalan Riang. But Seletar Aerospace Park (SAP), has one
thing that sets it apart - a view of airplanes.
18day at. The space is home to Poppy Flora Studio; Nomad YOUNGS Bar and Restaurant 3 Hyde Park Gate
the Gallant, an on-site coffee roasting facility; Wild seed, a Modern European cuisine - Let the verdant surroundings
casual café and bar; and The Summerhouse Dining Room, of Seletar paint a scenic backdrop to your meal at YOUNGS
the main restaurant perched on the second floor of the Bar and Restaurant. The interiors reflect old-world
conserved colonial bungalow. European charm, with plush sofas and wood accents that
create a cozy dining space—perfect for a romantic night
Wheeler’s Estate 2 Park Lane away from the city.
Laid-back café experience - Its sister outlet in
Balestier, Wheeler’s Yard. With firewood lining the exterior More spots to eat and drink your fill
of the two-story colonial bungalow, Wheeler’s Estate feels Near The Oval, you’ll find even more cafés and watering
like a luxury campsite in the middle of the great outdoors. holes. With bicycles, art and other cycling paraphernalia
On the first floor is The Lawn, a café where diners can grab decorating its walls, Soek Seng 1954 Bicycle Cafè serves a
mats and a basket of snacks for a picnic out on the field, mix of Western, Japanese and local food. The café is also
and the Grill House, a separate spot for charcoal-grilled a great vantage point for watching planes take off from
meats and burgers. Seletar Airport in the distance. •
Photo: Aerene Lim
Photo: Dean Liew
19Personal Development
Reflect to Re-energize
... Photo by BLOOM Development Factory ...
Caught up in the busy-ness of our daily
lives, it’s easy to become overwhelmed
and worked up. A mistake or a high-
pressure project can seem like it means
to go all in. But being told to “work less”
or “stop worrying” is about as effective as
trying to control the weather. Instead,
try to make reflection a daily habit!
Powerful development tool Gratitude is healthy
While reflection might look like a quiet session of Start thinking about 3 things you’re really grateful for.
daydreaming, it’s actually an active process during which When doing this you can’t be worried, fearful or angry.
you enrich your life and encourage personal growth. Although anger and fear are not all bad (e.g. without anger,
Reflection helps you to learn from your mistakes. we would be less motivated to protect ourselves), these
Reflection also helps you to see the bigger picture more are the emotions that screw people up the most in their
clearly and gives you time to soak in others’ perspectives. relationships, business, and life.
It can calm you down and lower your
stress levels. Then reflect upon your day, your work,
“
your life – what you did right and
Reflecting on the things you did right, Reflection might wrong and what could be improved.
on your successes, allows you to realize look like a quiet session Think about your goals/challenges and
how much you’ve done right. Building of daydreaming, visualize. It’s a wonderful thing to keep
upon the successful moments helps it’s actually an active a vision of a great end result and it will
you to break free from the self-doubt process during which encourage you to work harder to achieve
that holds you back from embracing you enrich your life your goals.
your true dreams.
and encourage
Personal reflection is a powerful
”
personal growth.
Train your brain experience that smooths out life’s
So commit yourself to quiet reflection bumps and boosts your happiness.
every day. Just 10 minutes for yourself. It allows you to empower your potential,
You don’t have to sit still, close your eyes, and meditate. realize great ideas and learn from past mistakes. So why not
But do get away from all distractions in life such as mobiles, train your brain daily…It’s immensely re-energizing! •
social media, family, friends, etc. They’re constantly
clouding your thoughts and influencing your decisions.
This blog was written by Sheila Bouwman, founder of
Simply take a walk, ride a bike, lie in the grass, go to bed BLOOM Development Factory Pte Ltd. and published
a little earlier. Whatever works for you. Find your before on BLOOMblogt. She can be reached at:
sheila@bloomdevelopmentfactory.com
inspiration and get lost in thought.
20Interview
Interview with
Eric van den Berg
... Photo by Eric van den Berg ...
By Daniël Heerkens
Digital Marketing Strategy Director
2Stallions
Who is Eric and what made him into the man he is today? every gain will only be short term. The power of the collective
That is somewhat of a trivial question. First, you mean the will always outperform the most brilliant individual.
person I am today, not so much related to my gender. Third, dream big and guide small. Most teams like a
Second, in my view, all my good, bad and ugly decisions dream, vision or ambition, and in their heart they want
are a combination of luck and circumstances. It is always to go there. However, they might struggle to find their
tempting to be highly philosophical about these things, individual path, and as leaders we need to be there guiding,
but I am too down to earth. And if you would like to probe even with small steps. It is not enough just to show the
me for something more specific, let me say, credits go to big picture, at times you also need to just be present when
my wife, Emily. Without her, I would not even be close to doing the baby steps.
where I am today.
How do you motivate your international team?
What has your company’s biggest achievement been in By being fair and tough, and helping them to believe in
the APAC market? achieving outcomes they never believed possible. And again,
Our biggest achievement is always the one that is up next. whilst on the journey, be with them all the way.
And the fact that this is how we operate, is to a certain extent
our biggest achievement. We want to provide great education Do you have anyone you go to for advice? In person
to children, and we see that as an on-going journey. or online?
This year we will open three new schools, and we have Yes, Google. Just type in the question, and out comes
acquired one, so that’s pretty decent in terms of physical the answer.
achievements. So, the actual answer is No. I don’t have anyone, but I
have many that I will speak to. Whenever I’m confronted
What essential leadership qualities do you consider with a situation, I prefer to get many perspectives from
important when leading your team to grow in the many different people, so that I get a true appreciation
APAC market? of what we are dealing with.
I believe leadership qualities are not regionally determined. And when I think I have figured it out well enough,
It doesn’t matter whether it is in APAC or other markets, I always ask my wife. And she always comes up with an
I believe the basics are applicable everywhere. First, the angle or notion that I had not yet thought of.
quality of a good leader is one who knows himself (or
herself) very well. In my experience people have a natural How do you spend your time outside of work?
tendency to look at the other before looking at themselves, Is there time to be spent outside of work? Perhaps that is
but good leaders always start with themselves. Know what to be discovered.
gives you energy and what drains your energy bank, and We are foodies, so the F&B scene is definitely where
show up at your best every day. we spend time after work (and quite some money for that
Second, you need to really, really, really, like to be with, matter). And the other part is traveling, in particular, diving.
work together with and appreciate people. If you think you I like to be underwater, nobody can talk to you, and still
can achieve to your goal without connecting on a human level, you have to figure it out.•
21Charity
NCA: Sneak peek raffle prizes
Each year NCA (Netherlands Charity Association) organizes a
By Sheila Bouwman
Lucky Draw at the ADB’s Dinner & Dance to raise money for abused Founder of BLOOM
Development Factory Pte Ltd.
women, migrant workers and families in need in Singapore. All
the proceeds will go towards the women and their children fleeing
abuse or violence and domestic helpers in need by supporting a safe
shelter and helping them to rebuild their lives. Durable
ergonomic seat
Puncture-resistant Designed for
Since we’ll embark on a Caribbean Cruise on November 11th, we will long-wear tires Heavy gauge
steel tubing
compatibility with
locally available
spare parts
also raise funds to support the victims of the Hurricane Irma on the
island of St Maarten. Hurricane Irma left a terrible devastation: 91
percent of the buildings on the island were damaged or destroyed
and a third of the homes were completely destroyed.
Durable weather-
Heavy-duty proof coaster brake
spokes and rims
Give from the heart for St Maarten and Singapore. Help us High-impact pedals
with forged axles
support the people in need. Buy raffle tickets generously and win
amazing prices at ADB’s Dinner & Dance Party. Your donation
really makes a difference.
Orange bike from the ING Orange Bike
Check out two of our Lucky Draw prizes for ADB’s Dinner Project, which sponsored 5.000 bicycles to
help kids in Asia who live in remote locations
& Dance on November 11. You could be the lucky winner!
and walk long distances to get to school.
In addition to these awesome prizes you could also be the This Project won the Asia-Pacific Corporate
winner of 2 KLM tickets to Bali and even more… • Excellence & Sustainability Award of “Top
Community Care Companies in Asia” in 2016.
For more info: Ing.worldbicyclerelief.org
Art work “City View” (1m x 0,75m) made by
Dutch photographic artist Marijke Bohm. She
is a master in creating art works that breathe
the spirit of different cultures, atmosphere and
people. As well as her photographic artwork
combined with painting, she is also well-known
for her colorful Singapore Memory Boards.
www. memoryboards.info
ICTSTART Sing ap ore
IT PROJECT M A N AGEMENT & SERVICE
MaIntenanCe Laptop, desktop, data recovery, reinstallation.
InstallatIon Corporate and home network.
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ConfIguratIon Applications, e-mail and cloud services, Apple, Windows, Linux
and advanced wireless solutions.
Call 24/7 for an appointment: +65 8189 5747 robbert@ictstart.com www.ictstart.com
22Upcoming event New members
Lisanne Mattens
ADB Annual Dinner & Dance My name is Lisanne. In August, I joined
11 November 2017, Saturday by boyfriend in Singapore who’s working
for ABN Amro. I’m looking for a job in
Caribbean Cruise!
Marketing & Events.
Rinske Bloemendal
My name is Rinske Bloemendal and I
rejoined the ADB after being in Mumbai
for 3 years.
Being an old board member and the
wife of a present board member, I guess I had no choice.
I work as the Reception Coordinator at the
International Medical Clinic. IMC has provided healthcare
in Singapore for over 18 years for the international
community and has 4 locations in the city.
The ADB for me presents a great opportunity to keep
in touch with the Dutch community and attend some
interesting events.
Join us for one of the most enjoyable nights of the year –
THE ANNUAL ADB DINNER & DANCE on 11 November
2017. This year the theme will be ‘Caribbean Cruise’.
What’s included in the ticket price? All new ADB members
- A night full of music and entertainment Dick Langejan Saab
- Caribbean Dinner Buffet Erwin Lennertz DDI
- Open Bar (sponsored by Heineken) Iskander Walen Orange Gallery Singapore
- Best Dressed Award (be creative!!) Lisanne Mattens -
Martijn Douven Philips
Rinske Bloemendal International Medical Clinic
Each year we raise money, together with NCA, to help
abused women, migrant workers and families in need in
Singapore. Since we’ll be embarking on a Caribbean Cruise
this year, we will also raise funds to support the victims of the
EDITORIAL COMMITTEE
devastating Hurricane Irma on the island of St Maarten.
Daniël Heerkens, Chief Editor
Rob Lamers & Alexis van dam, Editors
11 November just happens to be Sint Maarten, so have a big Jacinta Noonan
heart for St Maarten and Singapore. Help us support the
Email
people in need. Please donate generously. Your donation really
magazine@adb.org.sg
makes a difference. You can donate when you buy a ticket.
General Manager ADB
Date : Saturday 11 November 2017, 7pm - 1am Wenneke Vrugt-Repko
Location : Republic of Singapore Yacht Club ADB Singapore, c/o 541 Orchard Road
#13-01 Liat Towers, Singapore 238881
52 W Coast Ferry Road, Singapore 126887 adb@adb.org.sg, www.adb.org.sg
Registration: Basic Design
Buy your ticket online and bring your ticket (printed or on Edenspiekermann Pte Ltd
your mobile phone) to the event. Your ticket will be scanned
DESIGN & PrePress
at the entrance. Jennifer Phua
We are looking forward to welcoming more young members. PRINT production
Words Worth Media Management Pte Ltd
That’s why we have a SPECIAL OFFER! Are you younger
than 30? Please apply the following promotional code © ADB
‘YOUNGADB’ in the ticket shop and unlock tickets with (UEN: S90SS0097D). The contents of this magazine are
partly based on information received from third parties
nice discounts!
and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of ADB.
The Committee does not take responsibility
Sponsored by: for the correctness of the articles.
MCI (P) 148/05/2015
24international
expansion
= local
knowledge
+ experience
What is your equation for international success?
Local opportunities are just growth prospects without
the common denominator of success – people.
At ING we can help your business grow with the extensive
local experience and boundless perseverance of our global
network of professionals.
ingwb.com/equation-asia
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