SINGAPORE 3 MONOCLE

the future
starts here
Singapore: innovation
and inspiration
Singapore is a gateway to Asia and the world.
We’re not just talking about the state-of-the-art
tankers departing on the South China Sea or the
regular flights out of Changi airport. Interna-
tional companies make the city-state their home
because they recognise the wealth of local talent
and infrastructure that inspires innovation
– and, of course, the global opportunities it offers.

www.singaporebusiness.com
SINGAPORE 3 MONOCLE
Welcome &
Contents
The transformation of Singapore into a leader in
innovation didn’t happen overnight. Step by step
this Southeast Asian nation has come into its own
as a hub for logistics management, biomedical
sciences, manufacturing, green technology, product
design and so much more.
Today, Singapore moves many of Asia’s products
through supply chains that have been refined to the
point that the timing of deliveries can be counted
down to the minute. Meanwhile, Singapore’s health-
care experts are fast at work designing medicines
that will benefit future generations of Asian and
international consumers.
By investing in local educational institutions while
inviting international universities to become estab-
lished in Singapore, this nation has made sure that
people such as Ranga Krishnan can thrive and push the
boundaries for new discovery. As dean of the Duke-
NUS Graduate Medical School, Krishnan is setting
global standards for the development of new learning
methods and pioneering research (see page 5).
At the other end of the spectrum of those driving
Singapore ahead of the rest are international designers
such as Paul Bennett. By working on everything from
making local hospitals user-friendly to encouraging a
grass-roots approach to nation-building, he’s helping
to put Singapore firmly on the regional innovation
map (see page 3).
Among the homegrown talent that stands out is
Keppel, a leader in offshore oil-rig manufacturing that
is working hard on the next generation of floating
semisubmersible and jack-up rigs (see page 14).
In addition, Singapore has made itself into the
location of choice for global firms such as Rolls-
Royce, Siemens and Givaduan, all of which have
set up regional headquarters in the city-state. These
international heavyweights are based at top-quality
facilities from where they can reach new consumers
across the region (see Part 3).
Over the following pages we’ll show you
several more examples of the people, places
and products that make Singapore a nation that
is punching far above its weight despite its relatively
compact size and population. Make no mistake:
Singapore is confidently propelling Asia to new
and greater heights.
02
part 01
people power
A small place with a big reach
Supply chains, medicine, science, branding and beauty brands: just some of the impressive
areas of expertise that have become established in Singapore. What follows is an introduction
to 10 inspiring individuals who are leaders in their fields – meet the people who are key
to designing new models for Asia and beyond.
01
People power
Singapore has the perfect mix of local
talent and international expertise
02 Paul bennett
Places to watch
chief creative officer, IDEO
The hubs of creativity and industry
within Singapore that make it tick Paul Bennett grew up in Singapore and came back after a stint
as art director of Bloomingdale’s in the US and New York-
03 based branding agency nickandpaul (which he co-founded),
Pioneering products to launch design firm IDEO’s Asia outposts (the others are in
Put the right people in the right Tokyo, Shanghai and Mumbai).
places and these are the results In Singapore, IDEO works with clients such as Changi
Hospital, where it introduced L-shaped slots in desks for canes.
The idea is for small changes to make a big difference.
Editor “Singapore is an incredibly optimistic place. It was founded
Andrew Tuck on the belief that change is possible. Singapore has continued
to pioneer and change its perspective,” Bennett says.
Next up, Bennett is rolling out OpenIDEO: a forum where
Creative director anyone can pitch in with ideas for the social good. “There is
Richard Spencer Powell a real interest in this kind of participatory innovation and
contribution in Singapore,” Bennett says.
photo director
Poppy Shibamoto
production director
Jacqueline Deacon
Writer leung cheong-tai
Liv Lewitschnik
President Asia-Pacific,
Sub editor Middle East & Africa, Nielsen
Dan Poole
Armed with degrees in computer science and electrical engi-
Designer neering as well as experience developing GE Money’s Asia-
wide IT infrastructure, Leung Cheong-Tai joined global market
Jay Yeo
research firm Nielsen in 2008. From Singapore she oversees
the foray into mapping consumer behaviour in the Middle East,
photographers Africa and the Asia-Pacific. It certainly helps to be based next
Scott A Woodward door to the global companies that have set up headquarters
Darren Soh in Singapore; locally, Nielsen launched a lab designed for
Tan Hai Han companies wanting to gain an insight into the Asian consumer.
“We are on the brink of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity
illustrator to help our clients win,” she says. “Over the next 20 years
Lamosca we will have one billion consumers joining the ranks of the
middle class in Asia. They’ll be in the driver’s seat in terms
of how, what and where they consume goods and services.”
disclaimer: All information in this booklet
is accurate as of October 2012
03
Alex Matter
CEO Experimental
Therapeutics Centre & d3, A*STAR
Swiss professor Alex Matter heads the
Experimental Therapeutics Centre (ETC)
and D3, which bring academic and indus-
trial research to applied drug discovery
and research; this is then put to practical
use together with local universities and
medical clinics.
Matter spent many years at Basel-
based pharmaceuticals company Novartis.
There he headed the oncology and
infectious-disease research departments
and was the lead scientist that discovered
Glivec/Gleevec, the first effective oral
drug used in the treatment of a specific
type of leukemia.
It’s an understatement to say that Mat-
ter brings a wealth of expertise in the area
of drug development to ETC’s table. Hav-
ing spent over three years at the five-year-
old centre, he has created a consortium
in Singapore that was able to produce
technology that can be used to create
flu vaccines (a first for the city-state).
It is expected that the flu vaccine will
be tested in clinics soon.
“I pride myself in saying that what we
have here is pretty unique. Many places
try to emulate this type of bridge between
academic and clinical sciences but it’s a
high hurdle [to overcome],” says Matter.
“For a relatively small country like Singa-
pore it is a rich environment of collabora-
tion that has been built up over the last
decade and that we can take advantage
of.” No wonder Matter is happy in Singa-
pore, a country that gives him free rein to
delve into new drug-development areas.
04
Scott D Anthony
managing director,
Innosight Asia-pacific
“I think it is legitimate to believe that
Singapore can be the hotspot for innova-
tion in Asia over the course of the next
couple of decades,” says Scott D Anthony,
innovation consultancy Innosight’s
managing director for Asia-Pacific and a
leading thinker and author on innovation.
Anthony, who has published several
books on the subject, and his team of
thinkers and consultants opened an office
in Singapore seven years ago.
They’re tapping into the market for
large-scale companies (many from the US
and Europe) that are setting up regional
headquarters in Singapore and need
Innosight’s advice on how best to innovate
to achieve growth in the Asian market.
A cornerstone of Innosight’s philoso-
phy is the notion of “disruptive innova-
tion”: transforming markets by making
products accessible (one example is get-
ting pacemakers to those who can’t afford
them through micro-loans in places such
as India). The idea is that experts such
as Anthony are always looking for ways
to innovate and improve their company
offerings. Innosight launched a venture
capital arm in 2009, investing in six local
start-ups, including The Mobile Gamer
and WildFire, and is constantly looking
at new opportunities.
If Anthony’s upbeat attitude is any-
thing to go by we’ll be seeing many more
companies seeking his advice on how to
best grow harmoniously from their Singa-
pore bases in local and regional markets.
Robert de Souza
executive director & chief executive,
The Logistics Institute – Asia-Pacific
Having grown up in Yemen, Mozambique,
Portugal and the UK, Robert de Souza is
almost an incarnation of a global supply
chain, the subject in which he’s a specialist.
He heads The Logistics Institute,
a research institute set up by the
National University of Singapore (NUS)
and the US-based Georgia Institute of
Technology 13 years ago.
At any one time up to 25 research-
ers and 10 support staff work alongside
global companies that want to optimise
their supply chains as they go into Asia.
“We originally focused on Singapore but
we soon spread our wings out into the
region,” says de Souza. “Even the supply
chains are not just regional, but global.”
Breaking new ground in everything
from militaries moving defence kit to
developing efficient supply chains for
NGOs responding to natural disasters,
the Logistics Institute is assisting Singapore
in staying ahead of the competition.
It also works with masters graduates
who spend time at Georgia Tech, the NUS
and a company moving products globally,
and has been instrumental in the launch
of another supply-chain management
degree locally. All of this is, of course,
making sure that Singapore remains a
leader in logistics and supply-chain
management in Asia and beyond.
Despite being the globetrotter that
he is, de Souza likes Singapore so much
that it seems he’s here to stay.
Barry Halliwell
Professor of Biochemistry,
National University of Singapore
Professor Barry Halliwell is a heavyweight
biochemist in everything from biology
and neuroscience to pharmacology and
toxicology. With a PhD from Oxford, UK,
he has been instrumental in developing
a vast body of research on the role of
free radicals and antioxidants in human
diseases such as Alzheimer’s and cancers.
He’s now looking into a number of
projects, including how antioxidants can
be used to treat strokes and their impact
on wound-healing, as well as antioxidants
in relation to ageing.
At the National University of Singa-
pore (NUS) Halliwell drives the research
agenda, plans research programmes
and oversees the university’s research
institutes. “We have built up a very
good research team here and support for
research funds is pretty good. Singapore
has put enough money into the system
that they can support all the good work
that is being undertaken,” says Halliwell.
Other noteworthy projects currently
being undertaken at the NUS include
building up a solid research base for
cancers that are more prevalent in Asians
than Westerners – research that hasn’t
been carried out before – as well as drug
metabolism in Asians, which differs from
other races and will have a significant
impact on the types of drugs big pharma
sells in countries such as China. With a
boyish and mischievous air, Halliwell will
no doubt be at the forefront of bringing
these Singapore-designed products and
models onto the regional stage.
Ranga Krishnan
dEAN, Duke-NUS Graduate
Medical School Singapore
“We want people who can think, who
can look at a problem, be curious about
it and try to get an answer. The key is
critical thinking,” explains Ranga
Krishnan. As the dean of the Duke-NUS
Graduate Medical School in Singapore,
Krishnan is overseeing the development
of the local campus of the North
Carolina-based Duke University.
The collaboration was initiated in
2005 as part of the US university’s mission
to build a quality medical school in Asia.
Today, Duke-NUS takes in 56 students a
year and has expanded to 103 research
faculty staff who focus on everything
from cancer and stem-cell research to
neuroscience and cardiovascular and
metabolic research.
Though it has already filed for 18
patents, the groundbreaking innovation
here is also about new ways of learning.
Gone are the lectures and lecture theatres:
at Duke-NUS students watch lectures
online and only meet in the classroom
to discuss and problem-solve. The model,
entirely developed at the Singapore
campus, has drawn delegations from
around the world keen to see the novel
learning method in action (and perhaps
replicate it at home). Even the Singapore
army has popped by to see how teach-
ing is done here. Krishnan muses as he
talks about being a leader in new learning
methods. He’s even more pleased at the
prospect of his medical school being
a model for future medical school
curriculums across Asia.
Ian Swanson
creative director,
NiCE Ltd
Ian Swanson, an industrial design
graduate from the Savannah College of
Art & Design in the US, joined creative
agency NiCE Ltd at its New York office.
Specialising in the fragrance and luxury-
goods market, Swanson was a perfect
match for NiCE, which works extensively
with beauty brands including SK II and
Lab Series, as well as global giants such
as Procter & Gamble.
Together with the agency’s founder
Davide Nicosia, Swanson set up NiCE’s
Singapore office – the company’s first Asia
base – in 2008. Today, NiCE has 22 staff
from 11 countries in Singapore and
offices in Bangkok and Tokyo. “With
such a diverse team of multidisciplinary
creatives we can ensure every client
and every project has not only a global
perspective but also those essential local
insights,” Swanson explains. Helping
global clients better understand Asian
luxury consumer demand lies at the heart
of everything NiCE does in Singapore.
“The trust that Singapore has built
with companies is a critical element
for Singapore to become a true leader
in innovation. Singaporeans have an
amazing vision for what they, as a nation,
want to become: a leader in design and
innovation globally,” Swanson says.
One of his favourite projects in Sin-
gapore to date is tweaking the packaging
for Tiger Balm and making the ubiquitous
Singaporean-made pain-relief salve more
accessible to younger consumers.
05
 robert yap
Chairman & CEO, YCH Group
His employees call him Singapore’s
Richard Gere. They’re not far off: the CEO
of logistics and supply-chain management
company YCH, Robert Yap is both suave
and approachable. He’s come a long way
from watching his father work long hours
as a lorry driver (that was the start of YCH)
and taking over the firm from his father
in 1980. He has taken it from a transport
company to an Asia-Pacific-wide end-to-
end supply chain operation with 4,000
employees that serve customers such
as Dell, ExxonMobil, LG and LVMH.
His modest upbringing has shaped
the way he works – he’s passionate about
making lives better for people in emerging
markets such as India and Indonesia by
designing supply chains that improve
infrastructure, as well as working closely
with governments to streamline urban
supply chains that ease congestion and
lower pollution levels.
“It’s about connecting to the
last consumer. There’s something we
can contribute to society to allow the
next generation to grow. It creates
meaningful jobs for people,” says Yap.
Over the next two years, YCH will
develop a new state-of-the-art supply-
chain facility, which Yap hopes will
showcase Singapore as the next supply-
chain nerve centre in the region.
06
Jackie Ying
Executive director, Institute of
Bioengineering & Nanotechnology
Wearing trainers and a girlish smile,
Professor Jackie Ying cuts an easy-going
figure. But behind the relaxed appearance
is a person who puts rigour at the top
of her long list of accomplishments. An
adjunct professor of chemical engineering
at the Massachusetts Institute of Technol-
ogy, US, Ying founded Singapore’s Institute
of Bioengineering & Nanotechnology (IBN)
in 2003. Under her leadership, the multi-
disciplinary IBN has grown to include 150
biologists, medical doctors, chemists and
engineers working on inventions such
as a portable kit for infectious diseases
(perfect for use at airports, for example)
as well as a device that separates tumor
and blood cells, which makes diagnosis
and prognosis easier. All in all, they’ve
filed over 300 technological patents.
Other projects include the development
of fuel-cell technology using gold, copper
and platinum nanoparticles that could
power aircraft and equipment, and the
development of biomaterials for tissue
and cell engineering.
“An emphasis on research and
development has been very successful in
attracting the industry to come here, so
Singapore has been able to very quickly
develop a niche in certain research areas
and attract a critical mass of talented
people,” Ying says. “That means new
ideas come together with the resources
provided, which allow people to really
move ahead with innovation.” Though she
spends most of her waking hours at the
IBN labs, Ying tries to get away for some
R&R from time to time. Top of her list of
relaxing hobbies? Snorkelling.
07
 part 02
places to watch
Staying ahead of the game
We turn our attention to the outstanding locations that are contributing to Singapore’s growing
economy and the Asian boom as a whole. These places represent areas where a wealth
of ideas is generated and developments are pioneered in wide-ranging sectors. Whether
it’s contemporary art or oil rigs you’re after, Singapore will meet your needs.
Punggol Eco-Town
eco housing development
Singapore’s new Punggol Eco-Town is the city-state’s first
eco-development and a showcase for urban-living solutions by
the Housing & Development Board (HDB). It’s also a test-bed
for technologies that foster eco-friendly living and integrated
communities. The award-winning Treelodge apartments
utilise sustainable energy and smart design to improve life
for citizens. “Instead of providing a functional and utilitarian
kind of infrastructure we designed something that is beneficial
and useful for the public to enjoy,” says Alan Tan Hock Seng,
director of Environmental Sustainability Research, HDB. “We
have incorporated various new technologies and solutions to
encourage a green lifestyle for residents. HDB hopes to be a
sustainable development solution hub so that we can share
similar experience and knowledge with other cities of high-rise
and high-density built environment.”
Institute on Asian Consumer Insight
research
Everyone’s talking about Asia’s booming economies but many
companies are struggling to understand how Asian consumers
think. The two-year-old Institute on Asian Consumer Insight
(ACI) comes to the rescue. Bernd Schmitt, executive director of
ACI, says Singapore is the perfect spot to carry out research on
Asian consumer behaviour. “Singapore is a pan-Asian place,
which makes it a good point for a bird’s-eye view of the Asian
consumer.” He adds, “We’re interested in how Asia is different
from the West and more importantly, the differences [that exist]
within Asia.”
Even better, in 2013 ACI launches a programme that looks
at the Asian middle class and other Asian consumers.
08
Singapore Freeport
high-end storage facility
The people who run Singapore Freeport like to compare it to
US army base Fort Knox. Freeport is enclosed in thick walls
and guarded round the clock by armed guards throughout its
25,000 sq m facility. It exists for clients who want to store high-
end collectibles such as works of art, valuables, wine and pre-
cious metals in rooms that range up to 317 sq m in size. The
company also touts itself as a leading trading platform for such
valuables: clients can sell their wares tax-free on the premises.
It is, after all, called Freeport.
Goods that arrive at Changi Airport Terminal can be
transferred directly via tarmac access into Singapore Freeport
while personnel carry out customs inspections – all to make
the process as smooth as possible for clients. “We are near a
very important air hub that’s close to a lot of wealthy people,”
says Singapore Freeport chairman Tony Reynard. “This location
cannot be beaten.”
With tenants including Christie’s Fine Arts Storage taking
up most of the space, plans for more storage space are already
afoot: a new building next door will house precious metals
and other valuables. “It does not exist anywhere else. Given
Asia’s development of an art market in general, this is needed,”
says Reynard.
Gillman Barracks
contemporary arts
Gillman Barracks is a brand new hub for the contemporary
arts, one that’s set to position Singapore as an important desti-
nation on the arts map. The former military site’s latest incarna-
tion houses a number of international galleries in beautifully
restored colonial-era buildings across a hilly 6.4-hectare site.
It will also eventually feature an arts-research centre as well as
a residency programme. “Gillman Barracks was conceived to
develop the ecosystem within Asia, not just in Singapore,” says
Dr Eugene Tan, programme director in the Lifestyle Programme
Office at the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB).
“It complements what we have in Asia in terms of art centres
and art markets, setting up centres for research as well as
production here in Singapore.”
Thirteen galleries showcasing art from around Asia as well
as Europe and the Americas opened their doors in September
2012, with a further two to arrive in 2013. Highlights include
the first Singapore space for Berlin’s Michael Janssen Gal-
lery and Japan’s Tomio Koyama Gallery. There are other big
names here too, from Sebastião Salgado to Pablo Picasso.
Gillman Barracks is expected to house a total of 19 galleries.
“I think Singapore has the potential to become an important
art centre internationally,” says Dr Tan. “What I think Gillman
and Singapore can be in the future is really a platform for these
Southeast Asian artists to get onto the international stage.”
09
 Live well collaborative
research and development
The talk is always about capturing the
imagination of young consumers but the
American not-for-profit outfit Live Well
Collaborative (LWC) thinks we’re missing
out on the chunk of 50+ age population
that has real purchasing power. Working
with partners such as Procter & Gamble
to develop grooming products that appeal
to a more mature generation, the LWC is
winning new adherents. Since setting up a
Singapore branch it has become a buzzing
research hub. It brings together students
and lecturers to map the consumption
behaviours and habits of Asian consum-
ers through extensive interviews. “Many
multinational companies are relocating
their R&D teams to Singapore and that
means more of them will be approaching
LWC Singapore to work on projects,” says
Goh Siak Koon, LWC’s Singapore director.
Boeing is now taking an interest in work-
ing with the LWC.

10 11
 INSEAD
business school
French business school INSEAD set up in
Singapore more than a decade ago, fulfill-
ing its mission to “create a bridge between
Asia and the world”. Many of INSEAD’s
Singapore students have spent time at
its campuses in Abu Dhabi or France. In
Singapore, the school takes in students
every year for courses ranging from year-
long MBAs to short executive education
modules; many are drawn by Singapore’s
foreigner-friendly policies. “Other schools
may have a more local or regional focus,”
says Ilian Mihov, deputy dean. “Our focus
is the global economy. Our students
are comfortable moving from Brazil
to Australia or China.” A new building
dedicated to executive programmes that
will emphasise leadership as well as sales
and finance will be added to the campus.
Deepwater Technology centre
oil and gas
Thanks to Norway’s large oil and gas
reserves the Norwegians are world leaders
in pioneering technologies that help us
unearth energy riches hidden beneath the
seabed. Luckily, they’re not afraid to share
their knowledge. Oslo-headquartered risk-
management service provider Det Norske
Veritas (DNV) runs its Deepwater Technol-
ogy Centres – technology-based solutions
for exploring the deep seas – in Oslo,
Houston, Rio de Janeiro and in Singapore
where it opened in 2012. “Singapore has
ambition that’s reflected in its strategy –
the infrastructure is there and academia is
very active,” says Alex Imperial, managing
director of the deepwater centre. Singa-
pore is a perfect match for DNV, which
is expected to treble the number of staff
in the next five years.
12
Coolport@Changi
LOGISTICS
Singapore is well known for being a
leading regional logistics and trans-ship-
ment hub. Always one for a challenge,
Singapore is also fast becoming a hub
for perishable products moving from one
part of the world to another. At Coolport@
Changi, a S$16m, 8,000 sq m building
opened three years ago by SATS, the lead-
ing gateway services and food-solution
service provider at Changi Airport, every-
thing from pharmaceuticals to seafood
are stored. It’s become the transit point for
90 per cent of the perishable goods that
pass through Changi Airport, which is 10
minutes away from Coolport. Australian
and New Zealand producers are particu-
larly keen on using Coolport to move their
goods northward. Products are kept in 18
different temperature zones that vary from
-28C to 18C.
Novartis Institute
for Tropical Diseases
medicine
The Institute for Tropical Diseases is at the
forefront of finding cures for diseases that
are prevalent in Asia. Launched in partner-
ship between Swiss pharmaceuticals giant
Novartis and the Singapore government,
NITD has just made a breakthrough on
research on a molecule with the ability to
eliminate the malaria pathogen. “In a field
with not much happening that’s pretty
significant,” says Thierry Diagana, who
heads the NITD. One reason for this suc-
cess: Singapore’s 10-year commitment to
NITD, which allows it to plan for the long
haul. The thriving Institute’s researchers
can also easily discuss and share thoughts
with other medical-research professionals
based at Biopolis, the city-state’s medical
research hub.
13
 Keppel Offshore & Marine
oil rig manufacturing
Singapore builds 70 per cent of the
world’s oil rigs. Homegrown firm Keppel
Offshore & Marine is a leader in offshore
oil-rig manufacturing; it’s working on proj-
ects at its 20 oil rig and shipbuilding yards
everywhere from the Philippines to China.
At home, technological innovations are
put to the test at Keppel’s flagship oil-rig
yard in southern Singapore (as well as its
other six local yards).
Here engineers tinker away on the
new generation of floating semisubmers-
ible and jack-up rigs (self-elevating oil
rigs on movable legs). The future for the
maritime offshore industry is bright. “We
are not resting on our laurels,” says Chow
Yew Yuen, COO of Keppel Offshore &
Marine. “By innovating our technological
competencies we’re able to stay ahead
of the game.”

14 15
 part 03
pioneering products
Proud to be made in Singapore
From visual effects for blockbuster films to a state-of-the-art hearing aid and even body-armour
padding, international and local companies alike are choosing Singapore as the place to make
their ideas come to life. Read on for a detailed rundown of the products and specialist
technologies being developed in the city-state.
holcim
innovative and sustainable concrete
For more than 15 years, Swiss concrete man-
ufacturer Holcim has helped build infrastruc-
ture in Singapore. In 2011 it produced 1.33
million cubic metres of ready-mix concrete
for the city-state. Holcim’s concrete has been
widely used in projects including the Daniel
Libeskind-designed residential apartments
Reflections at Keppel Bay to the “Supertree”
structures at the new park known as Gardens
by the Bay. Holcim’s selection of concrete
includes Easecrete, a productivity-enhance-
ment solution; Supercrete HS, a high-strength
green concrete; and Conwood, a wood-
replacement product, all the result of a
long-term growth plan. In June, together with
the Singapore Economic Development Board
(EDB) it launched a Centre of Excellence
(CoE) to develop innovative solutions for
the construction industry. Up to now more
than 20 value-added products and solutions
have been unveiled. Among Holcim’s recent
innovations are Floatcrete (concrete that can
float on water) and Permecrete, a pervious
concrete for sustainable water conservation.
“The authorities are at the forefront when
it comes to promoting products that lead
to sustainability and productivity enhance-
ment,” says Dr Sujit Ghosh, managing direc-
tor and CEO. “This is aligned with Holcim
Singapore’s thrust and is a strong point in
supporting our innovation road map.”
16
Givaudan
flavour and fragrance
Almost everything you eat or smell will have
a touch of Givaudan in it. Not that you’ll
know: consumer products usually contain
less than 0.5 per cent of the world’s largest
flavour and fragrance company’s creations.
That doesn’t make them any less impor-
tant. The almost 500-strong team of flavour-
ists, perfumers, commercial and operations
staff at the Singapore Creative Centre and
Manufacturing Facility produce thousands
of smells and tastes each year that end up in
numerous consumer products. One reason
behind Givaudan’s success is its familiar-
ity with the region. Its staff can tell you that
Indonesian consumers mean tangerines when
they refer to oranges and that customers in
Manila prefer a specific type of mango. “Our
products are influenced by a rich heritage of
culture and tradition so you need to get the
flavour right,” says Bernhard Schaufelberger,
Givaudan’s Asia Pacific regional technical
director. “Singapore’s multi-ethnic society
makes it a great test environment for flavours
that could work well in the greater Southeast
Asian region.”
There’s also the city’s status as a key
logistics hub. “The whole supply chain
functions seamlessly here,” says Carlos
Petri, Givaudan’s creative fragrance director
Asia Pacific, referring to the importance of
moving raw materials quickly so that his
company’s products are shipped to custom-
ers on time. “That’s why ‘made in Singapore’
is a quality seal of approval.”
17
 Double Negative
film production
Hollywood may still be the world’s biggest
film production location but, thanks to the
likes of visual-effects company Double Nega-
tive, Singapore is fast becoming an Asian hub
for the industry’s back-room operations. The
London-headquartered firm opened an office
here in 2009 with around 70 staff and now
employs 200. Since then, the Singapore-
based team has worked on visual effects for
blockbusters such as The Bourne Legacy,
Captain America and Iron Man 2.
Nathan McGuinness, Double Negative’s
creative director, says the city manages to be
both a “comfortable, safe place for business”
and a haven for artists. Noting that his team
comprises Singaporeans, regional talents and
international artists, he likens his Singapore
facility to “the UN of visual effects”. Among
Double Negative’s upcoming work on the
silver screen is the new Les Misérables musi-
cal. “From this island we’re providing visual
effects to the biggest films in the world,” says
BAFTA winner McGuinness. “That’s a pretty
amazing situation to be in. We’re as busy as
we would be anywhere else in the world.”
Panasonic
home energy management system
It’s no coincidence that Panasonic Asia-Pacif-
ic started testing its Home Energy Manage-
ment System (HEMS) in Singapore: the highly
urbanised city-state largely depends on effec-
tive air-conditioning. Panasonic’s technology
allows residents to use their smartphones
to control their air-conditioning units, even
when away from home, and to monitor how
much energy they’ve consumed. The idea is
to make it easy for customers to see if energy
is being wasted. The HEMS will be fully
launched this year but Panasonic is already
eyeing other markets in the Asia-Pacific.
“With rising concern about global climate
change, energy efficiency and management
solutions will be of higher demand,” says
Low Beng Huat, Panasonic Asia-Pacific’s
general manager for environment and
external affairs.
18
rolls-royce
Trent 900 and 1000 jet engines
The new Rolls-Royce campus at Seletar
Aerospace Park recently unveiled the first
Trent aero engine in an enormous facility
aimed at growing capacity and extending
the British manufacturer’s reach into the
fast-growing Asian aviation market. Here
Rolls-Royce makes the Trent 900 and 1000
jet engines used on Airbus A380s and Boeing
787s, with a plan to assemble and test 250
engines by 2016; it’s also building fan blades.
In deciding to open up shop in Singapore,
Rolls-Royce cites the importance of being
able to recruit talented staff that can build
engines of the highest quality – over 80 per
cent of employees at Rolls-Royce’s local site
are Singaporean.
“The Singapore government’s approach
to supporting investment like this is, we
think, very far-sighted,” says Jonathan
Asherson, regional director, Southeast
Asia for Rolls-Royce. “Singapore certainly
understands the value of ensuring that
there’s a pipeline of skilled labour and
they understand the multiplier effect of
high value-added manufacturing. That’s
the kind of thing that attracts us.”
Sofshell protective gear
body-armour padding
Sofshell is a start-up that’s revolutionising
body armour through clever engineering.
The Sofshell team has developed an
innovative padding with the help of A*Star,
Singapore’s Agency for Science, Technology
and Research, which helped them create
a material that dissipates impact force in
addition to absorbing it, meaning it can
withstand heavy blows unlike anything
else on the market.
“As a start-up company we are very
fortunate,” says Dr Elgin Yap, CEO of
Sofshell. “A*Star has a team of people that
have the experience of commercialising
technology who assisted us until we officially
spun off last year.” One of the most promis-
ing applications is in ballistic vests: when
combined with bulletproof materials, Sofshell
can significantly minimise a bullet’s impact.
19
 AmorePacific
cosmetics
With its sun block and hydrating
qualities, the Laneige Snow BB
Soothing Cushion is very much
a product designed for humid
Southeast Asia. That’s why Korean
cosmetics firm AmorePacific
chose to create it in its Singapore
Research & Innovation Cen-
ter. Some reviewers claim the
cushion helps cool the skin by
up to 3C. “If we can create the
products that can fulfill the needs
of our customer in Singapore
we can roll out these products
to neighbouring countries as
well,” says Ed Lee, AmorePacific’s
ASEAN managing director.
Lee’s firm hopes to launch a
Singapore-originated product in
the next few years. “We are ready
to take on the challenge of mak-
ing about three billion Asians’
dreams of beauty come true,” he
says. “Singapore will play a key
role in achieving this vision.”
Studio Juju
design
Four-year-old Singaporean
design firm Studio Juju was set
up by two industrial designers:
Timo Wong and Priscilla Lui.
In its first year the studio gained
international recognition when it
exhibited at the Salone furniture
fair in Milan. In 2011 it bagged
the Design Miami and W Hotels
award Designers of the Future –
Studio Juju products now feature
throughout W properties around
the world – and it has gone on
to produce work commissioned
by Italian upholstery firm Living
Divani. The newest animal series
features frogs crafted out of a
single sheet of metal. Co-founder
Timo Wong says that being in
Singapore has allowed his firm
to indulge in experimental works.
“The design scene here is
quite young so we don’t bear any
cultural baggage from the past,”
he says.
20
Siemens
hearing aid
Made largely in Singapore,
Siemens Medical Instruments is
hoping its new Ace hearing aid
will define the industry.
The company is position-
ing the Ace, a remarkably tiny
instrument that it says is the most
discreet hearing aid in its class,
for younger users and first-time
customers. Available in the
market since November 2012,
the Ace is another collaboration
between Siemens’ Singapore arm
– which began life as an inexpen-
sive outsourcing centre – and a
German R&D team.
“Our research department
has grown into a fully fledged
R&D centre and innovating for
Asian consumers is a key success
factor,” says Jens Papperitz, the
company’s CEO. “’Moving up the
value chain’ is often quoted here
in Singapore and this holds true
for us.”
zweec analytics
FISH ACTIVITY
MONITORING SYSTEM
Zweec Analytics is a Singaporean
company working on the kind of
hi-tech advancements that make
a real difference to the city-state.
One standout is the Fish Activity
Monitoring System, which uses
groups of fish to test water qual-
ity. The use of fish is not new but
Zweec has taken the technology
and improved upon it, creating a
reliable algorithm-based system
for water-quality management
that’s fully automated. The system
has been deployed around the
region, notably in Taiwan and
China, as well as all over Singa-
pore. “Singapore is building
itself up as a global hydro hub,”
says Liaw Kok Eng, CEO of
Zweec Analytics. “The Singapore
government has done a very
good job spending effort and
time making it efficient and safe,
becoming a global leader in
water technology.”
21
 SINGAPORE 3 MONOCLE
the world
in one place
Singapore’s status as a global
trading post was cemented in
1819 when British statesman
Sir Stamford Raffles established
it as a port city. Today Singapore
has built on this rich history
to become a hub for forward-
thinking local companies and
international brands, all drawn
to a dynamic and innovative
metropolis that is also the
perfect gateway to the rest
of Asia. Singapore delivers.
Tuas
disclaimer: Map is not to scale
22
FACTS & FIGURES
industry
Jurong Island is home to almost
100 petroleum, petrochemical and
speciality chemical companies from
sembawang around the world, including BASF,
Celanese, Exxonmobil, DuPont,
Mitsui Chemicals, Chevron Texaco,
Lim chu kang woodlands Shell and Sumitomo Chemical.
air travel
More than 100 airlines fly in and out of
Changi airport, serving over 230 cities.
That figure includes 100 Asian cities, 25
of which are Chinese; that makes Singa-
pore the most connected Southeast Asian
city to China.
sea travel
Punggol First recognised for its prime location for
western water choa chu kang sea trade in the third century, today a ship
catchment arrives in or leaves Singapore every three
ang mo kio minutes. The city-state is connected to
more than 600 ports in 120 countries.
tourism
In 2011, Singapore received over 13
million visitors; 76 per cent were from
Asia and 1.7 per cent from Germany
jurong (the second largest group of European
tourists after the UK). Many visitors head
west for Orchard Street and its nearly 800,000
sq m of retail, dining and entertainment.
bedok
Jurong East
BOOKLET CONTACTS Institute of Bioengineering Holcim: 16 Jalan Tepong, 619331
& Nanotechnology: 31 Biopolis holcim.com.sg
IDEO: 51B Circular Road, 049406 Way, 138669
ideo.com Givaudan: 1 Woodlands Avenue 8,
ibn.a-star.edu.sg
738972
Jurong Island Nielsen: 47 Scotts Road, Goldbell Towers Punggol Eco-Town: Punggol givaudan.com
#13-00, 228233 hdb.gov.sg
Double Negative: 1 Fusionopolis Way,
sg.nielsen.com
Institute on Asian Consumer Connexis South, #07-01, 138632
Experimental Therapeutics Centre (ETC) Insight (ACI): 50 Nanyang Avenue, dneg.com.sg
& D3, A*Star: 31 Biopolis Way, Nanos S3-B1C-121, 639798
Level 3, 138669 Panasonic: 300 Beach Road, #17-01,
aci-institute.com
etc.a-star.edu.sg The Concourse, 199555
Singapore Freeport: 32 Changi panasonic.com.sg
Innosight Asia-Pacific: 8 Eu Tong Sen North Crescent, 499643
Street, #15-89 The Central, 059818 Rolls-Royce: Seletar Aerospace Park,
singaporefreeport.com
innosight.com 797521
Gillman Barracks: 9 Lock Road, 108937 rolls-royce.com/singapore
The Logistics Institute, Asia-Pacific: gillmanbarracks.com
National University of Singapore, 21 Heng Sofshell Protective Gear: 500 Dover
Mui Keng Terrace, #04-01, 119613 Live Well Collaborative: Innovillage, Road, #04-11a, 139651
tliap.nus.edu.sg 500 Dover Road, 139651 a-star.edu.sg
livewellcollaborative.com.sg
National University of Singapore (NUS): AmorePacific: 541 Orchard Road,
National University of Singapore, INSEAD: 1 Ayer Rajah Avenue, 138676 #20-01, Liat Tower, 238881
21 Lower Kent Ridge Road, 119077 insead.edu amorepacific.com
nus.edu.sg Deepwater Technology Centre: Studio Juju: 113 Eunos Avenue 3, Gordon
Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School DNV Technology Centre, Industrial Building, #05-04, 409838
Singapore: 8 College Road, 169857 10 Science Park Drive, 118224 studio-juju.com
duke-nus.edu.sg dnv.com.sg
Siemens: The Siemens Center,
NiCE Ltd: 11b Mount Sophia, #02-06, Coolport@Changi: PO Box 3, 60 MacPherson Road, 348615
Old School, 228466 Changi Airport, 918141 siemens.com.sg
niceltd.com coolport.com.sg
Zweec Analytics: 67 Ayer Rajah Crescent,
YCH Group: 30 Tuas Road, YCH Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases: #03-23/24, 139950
DistriPark, 638492 10 Biopolis Road, 138670 zweec.com
ych.com nibr.com
Keppel Offshore & Marine: 50 Gul Road,
629351
keppelom.com
23
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