Driving Business Forward Issue 91 PP 11826/07/2013 (032918)

September-OctoberSeptember-October 20201313

How Creative Thinking Can Power Performance

Creativity: Driving Business Forward Issue 91 PP 11826/07/2013 (032918)

PLUS: ■ New Property Tax Regime ■ Myanmar PotentialSeptember-October ■ Life2013 In The Fast Lane

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09537_BMCC SeptOct2013.indd 4 9/17/13 2:10 PM First Lines BMCC Board of Directors: Patrons: YBhg Tun Musa Hitam elcome to the latest issue of HE Simon Featherstone, British High Commissioner BMCC Magazine. In this edition, we look at how Creativity is Chairman: W essential in helping businesses Dato’ Larry Gan, Catcha Media Bhd achieve their full potential. Success should be Deputy Chairman: defi ned not just by fi nancial performance but Andrew Sill, The Royal Bank of Scotland Bhd also by the degree of creativity deployed to Directors: generate new ideas and avenues of business Soo Kim Wai, Amcorp Properties Bhd growth. Among our membership, there are Mark Burgess, Amicitia Sdn Bhd many examples of companies doing just that. Bob Olivier, Aspac Executive Search Sdn Bhd David Ng, DHL Express Malaysia & Brunei The links between Malaysia and the UK con- Dato’ Justin Leong, Genting Bhd tinue to go from strength to strength. London Datuk Seri Michael Yam, InvestKL is the venue for the 9th edition of the World Amanda Powell, KL Kudos Design Sdn Bhd Islamic Economic Forum, the fi rst time the Michael McIver, Plus Three Consultants Sdn Bhd Osman Morad, Standard Chartered Bank Malaysia Bhd event has been held outside a Muslim country. Bill Addington, TechSol Sdn Bhd The Prime Ministers of both our nations will Datuk Peter Wentworth, OBE, Weir Minerals Malaysia address business leaders from around the world at this unique gathering, of Andrew Diamond, Yakimbi Sdn Bhd which our patron Tun Musa Hitam is the Chairman.

Ex-OfÀ cio: Ahead of that, Malaysia a key stop on the regional tour by the Lord Mayor of Gavin Anderson, British Council London, the Rt Hon Roger Gifford. As Guest Speaker at our upcoming BMCC Tony Collingridge, OBE, UK Trade & Investment Premier Luncheon, he will talk about the role of the ﬁ nancial services sector Dr Zainal Abidin Majid, Advisor To The Board in supporting long-term economic growth, London’s status in the international arena and the opportunities to work with Malaysia. See Page 5. Molly Jagpal: Executive Director Winnie Ng: Business Services Manager BMCC’s 50th Anniversary celebrations are also moving into top gear over Nabisa Kassim: SME Development Manager the next few weeks as a series of events takes place in conjunction with this Edoria Ridzmann: Communications Executive important milestone in our history. An all-British production of Agatha Christie’s Deck Azwan: Accounts Executive record-breaking murder mystery The Mousetrap is coming to our shores. This coincides with a one-night performance by top UK comedian Danny Bhoy. Attractive BMCC member discounts are available at both of these events. BMCC Magazine: Details are on Page 5. Editor: Amanda Powell Editorial Committee: • George Aveling • Marcus Osborne • Molly Jagpal Then in November, the GREAT Retail Fashion Campaign hits town, showcasing • Matt Smith • Bill Addington • Winnie Ng top British brands. During that same week, BMCC is hosting its 50th Anniversary Production: KL Kudos Design Sdn Bhd Gala Dinner. This will be a glittering occasion attended by business leaders from all walks of society. Details will be published shortly but in the meantime please Printing: Tinggi Press Sdn Bhd, Lot 6, Jalan Kuang Bulan, Taman Kepong, 52100 Kuala Lumpur. save the date – Thursday 14th. I look forward to seeing you all at our upcoming events. In the meantime, stay connected through BMCC and follow our regular Berita BMCC is published bi-monthly for distribution to BMCC updates on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook. members and other organisations in the business community. The views expressed or implied herein are those of the authors or contributors and do not necessarily reÁ ect those of the Chamber.

BMCC 2013 Annual Sponsors & Partners BMCC

PLATINUM SPONSORS: Executive Ofﬁ ce: 4th Floor, East Block, Wisma Selangor Dredging, 142B Jalan Ampang, GOLD SPONSORS: GOLD PARTNERS: 50450 Kuala Lumpur. Tel: +60 3 2163 1784/2163 1786 Fax: +60 3 2163 1781 Email: [email protected] Web: www.bmcc.org.my PREFERRED IT PREFERRED OFFICIAL PREFERRED PREFERRED OFFICIAL RENTAL PARTNER: AIRLINE PARTNER: TRAVEL PARTNER: PARTNER: PARTNER: CAR: Follow us on:

BMCCMALAYSIA September-October 2013

09537_BMCC SeptOct2013.indd 5 9/17/13 2:50 PM In This Issue

The Creativity Edition: Contents Our cover features iconic British designer Zandra Rhodes, CBE, September-October 2013 one of the most creative talents in the fashion industry. She like many others have used creativity to inspire new ideas and drive business forward. Turn to Page

Cover Story 15 to ﬁ nd out more.

■ First Lines ...... 3 Diary Dates ■ ReportBack ...... 6 September Sun 29th BMCC Golf Scramble > BMCC-Standard Chartered Series: StafÀ eld Golf & Country Resort Myanmar - The Last Frontier Lunch - 12pm onwards Tee-Off - 2pm > BMCC Draws High Interest At SME Expo October Mon 7th BMCC Premier Luncheon Series Guest Speaker: Lord Mayor Of London Rt Hon Alderman Roger Gifford See opposite for details

Sat 12th Danny Bhoy Live In Kuala Lumpur! Istana Budaya KL Special BMCC 50th Anniversary Event! See opposite for details and discounts

Weds 16th- Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap! ■ Trade Talk: ...... 8 Sun 20th Auditorium, DBKL > Education Forum Heading To Malaysia Special BMCC 50th Anniversary Event! > Applications Open For Chevening Awards Exclusive BMCC discounts - see opposite

> 9th World Islamic Economic Forum Sat 19th Great British Ball! > Asia Paciﬁ c Market Outlook - by RBS Shangri-la Hotel Kuala Lumpur Email [email protected] ■ Special Report ...... 12 Tues 29th- 9th World Islamic Economic Forum New UK Tax Regime For High Value Property Thurs 31st ExCel Centre London - www.wief.org By Trowers Hamlins Weds 30th- Achieving World-Class Service ■ Cover Story ...... 15 Thurs 31st TMI Event With International Experts See Page 22. www.tmimalaysia.com.my Creativity: Powering Performance ■ Meet Our New Members ...... 27 November Mon 11th- GREAT KL Retail Fashion Week! ■ BizBriefs ...... 29 Sat 16th See Feature Story on Pages 20-21 ■ News from Our Members ...... 32 Thurs 14th BMCC 50th Anniversary Gala Dinner! Don’t miss this special celebration of our ■ On The Scene ...... 37 50 years in Malaysia. Contact the BMCC ofÀ ce for details and bookings now!

Coming Up: November-December Cover Theme: The Best In Business In this special issue to mark our 50th Anniversary year, we celebrate the long links between our two nations and the very best of British and Malaysian brands in business. Got a story to tell? Get in touch now! Sponsorship opportunities and advertisement ■ Health Corner ...... 38 bookings open now! Stress In The Workplace Contact 03 2163 1784 or [email protected]

4 September-October 2013

09537_BMCC SeptOct2013.indd 6 9/17/13 2:10 PM Hot Happenings

BMCC Premier Luncheon Series Guest Speaker: The Rt Hon Alderman Roger Gifford The Lord Mayor of London Event Sponsor Monday, 7th October 2013 - 12pm onwards Hilton Kuala Lumpur Hotel The Lord Mayor is visiting Malaysia with a business delegation to promote and build commercial relationships between UK and Malaysia around À nancial and business and professional services. As head of The City of London Corporation, the Lord Mayor is responsible for supporting and promoting The City as a world leader in international À nance and business services. Join us for the latest in our Premier Luncheon Series to hear the Lord Mayor speak about the role of the À nancial services sector supporting long-term economic growth, London’s role in the international arena and the opportunities to work with Malaysia. Price: BMCC Members/Supporting Partners: RM150 Non Members: RM200

BMCC 50th Anniversary Gala Dinner

16-20 OCTOBER 2013 Thursday 14th November 2013 Save The Date! Join us on this special occasion to mark BMCC’s 50th Anni- versary Year. This milestone event will bring together cap- tains of industry and business leaders to celebrate the very best in business achievement. Visit www.bmcc.org.my for more details or follow our updates on Facebook and Twitter. Don’t miss this!

Exclusive 15% discount The world's longest running play on London's for BMCC Members! West End will be hitting the stage in KL! Dame Call BMCC for Agatha Christie's most celebrated 'whodunnit' discount code story will feature an all-British cast on their À rst and log on to ever tour to KL commemorating 60 years of per- www.ticketpro.com.my

formances of the legendary murder mystery! to book! Co-Producer John Faulkner founded the British Theatre Playhouse with his Malaysian-born wife, Cecilia Leong-Faulkner. He appeared in the role of “Giles” in the 32nd year of “The Mousetrap” in the West End and is delighted to now be playing the role of “Major Metcalf”. He joins the rest of the all-British cast from the West End production.

Production Director Denise Silvey said, “We are thrilled and honoured to be bringing this little piece of British history to Malaysia as part of our 60th An- niversary celebrations. The magical storytelling of Agatha Christie lives on in this both witty and scary tale of intrigue and murder.”

Exclusive Offer for BMCC Members: • 15 percent discount on 17th October show in VVIP, VIP & Category A • 10 percent dicount for all other shows and 17th October show in Category B & C

Call BMCC OfÀ ce for the promotional discount code and log on to www.ticketcharge.com.my or visit ticketcharge outlets to book your tickets now!

September-October 2013 5

09537_BMCC SeptOct2013.indd 7 9/17/13 2:10 PM ReportBack Myanmar: The Last Frontier

yanmar was in the spotlight recently ing an ASEAN Economic Community in 2015, Mfor the second instalment of the spe- we believe Myanmar’s growth potential, if cially crafted BMCC Standard Chartered realised, can only enhance the potential of Business talks. A number of BMCC Members the region and boost ASEAN’s global impor- and business leaders attended the event to tance.” hear more about this new market. Also joining this special line-up were Os- Deemed the last business frontier in Asia, man Morad, Managing Director and CEO for many corporations and businesses are now Standard Chartered Bank Malaysia and Si- The event was designed to provide an in- considering the country in terms of market mon Landy, Executive Chairman of Colliers sight into the enticing new market that has entry and opportunity. International Ltd. captivated much of the business world’s imagination. Myanmar’s series of economic Held at Le Meridien Kuala Lumpur over Sharing his experience in doing business in reforms over the past year has led to a breakfast, the event was graced by His Myanmar, Mr Landy said: “It is important to more open economy, prompting the lifting Excellency U Tin Latt, the Ambassador of understand and address the nature of My- of both US and EU sanctions and gearing the Republic of the Union of Myanmar in anmar’s property demands. Occupational the country towards a long-awaited growth Malaysia (below). Neeraj Swaroop (right), demand, investment demand or specula- spurt. The International Monetary Fund Regional CEO for South East Asia, Standard tive demand carries its own branch of op- (IMF) estimated recently that Myanmar’s Chartered Bank, headlined the event as the portunity and understanding this is where economy grew around 6.5 percent in 2012. keynote speaker. our in-depth expertise lies.” A Q&A session that followed the speaker Neeraj said, “We at Standard Chartered are talks enabled members of the audience to optimistic about the beneÀ ts that Myan- raise queries relating to their respective mar’s re-engagement with the broader in- businesses vis-a-vis the Myanmar market. ternational community will bring, both for the country and the wider ASEAN region as The BMCC-Standard Chartered Business Se- a whole. As ASEAN moves towards establish- ries give members and clients the opportu-

Neeraj Swaroop

Event Sponsor

HE U Tin Latt Osman Morad

6 September-October 2013

09537_BMCC SeptOct2013.indd 8 9/17/13 3:11 PM ReportBack

“As ASEAN moves towards establishing an Economic SMEs Seek Solutions Community in 2015, we believe Myanmar’s growth potential can only enhance that of the At BMCC Booth region and boost ASEAN’s global importance.”

MCC took up the role of support- In addition to BMCC, other exhibitors Bing partner and exhibitor at the included À nancial institutions, gov- recent SME Solutions Expo 2013 in ernment agencies, media companies, Kuala Lumpur which drew record at- IT vendors, branding consultants and tendances during its À fth outing. On others. A total US$70 million worth of the À rst day alone over 3,000 visitors products and services was estimated thronged the event including the 300 to be transacted over the event. delegates who packed the concurrent SME CEO Forum 2013 – one of the larg- The team on the BMCC booth was kept est gatherings of business owners and busy with a constant stream of visitors SMEs in South East Asia. during the three-day event. BMCC SME Development Manager Nabisa Kassim Opened by Datuk Mohamed Al-Amin said, “The response was highly en- Simon Landy Abdul Majid, Chairman of SME Cor- couraging. We received a large num- poration, the Expo focused on the ber of visitors to our booth and many challenges facing Malaysian SMEs, of them registered their interest in nity to hear prominent speakers on today’s lead- with forum delegates and speakers joining the Chamber, particularly for ership challenges and opportunities. The Forum speaking out against rising costs and the range of beneÀ ts offered to SME provides insights whilst engaging and empow- the tightening of lending by À nancial organisations.” ering leaders on business excellence, sustain- institutions. ability and related macro-economic policies. Among the panel of The talks were launched by BMCC and Standard speakers were CEO Chartered Bank earlier this year to assist grow- of Multimedia De- ing and thriving businesses from Malaysia. velopment Corpora- tion Datuk Badlisham Ghazali, former CEO of Proton, Datuk Seri Syed Zainal Abidin, Deputy CEO of SME Corp, Rohana Ramly and artiste turned en- trepreneur, Jason Lo.

The Expo presented a wide spectrum of ideas, opportunities, products and services for entrepreneurs and SMEs.

September-October 2013 7

09537_BMCC SeptOct2013.indd 9 9/17/13 3:11 PM Trade Talk UK Keeps Status Education Sector As Top FDI Destination Offers SigniÀ cant Potential nnual investment À gures released recently Ashow that the UK has continued to strength- UK Trade & Investment and In- and an improvement in secondary and en its position as the leading European destina- A telligence Unit report describes primary school laboratories - all gen- tion for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). Malaysia as fast becoming the ‘Edu- erating an increase in demand for sci- The UK’s 2012-2013 Inward Investment Annual cational Hub’ of the South East Asia ence and technology resources. Report conÀ rms rises in the number of projects region. As such, it is one of the four and jobs secured compared to 2011-2012. High- priority markets for British products Over the next À ve years, there will be lights include: and services related to education and more childcare centres, pre-schools, international and private schools, training - a market worth over £280 • Some 1,560 investment projects secured – 11 colleges, lifelong learning and higher million a year. percent more projects than recorded during education institutions; all of these the previous year. In the background to this is the 10th will undoubtedly create demand for Malaysia Plan and Economic Transfor- educational products and services. • These projects are estimated to have mation Programme launched in Janu- brought with them 170,000 jobs – 51 percent ary 2011, which outlined measures to Improving Language Fluency higher than in the previous year. Of these, transform Malaysia into a high-income “Another area of focus is to improve nearly 60,000 were new jobs and 110,000 economy and achieve developed na- the Á uency of the English language existing jobs were safeguarded. used by teachers in Malaysia, iden- tion status by 2020. • UKTI and its partners were involved in de- tiÀ ed as a limiting factor in the im- livering nearly 85 percent of the projects As Caroline Wright, Director of the provement of educational standards,” secured. British Educational Suppliers Asso- says Caroline. As such, the Ministry of ciation (BESA) says, “Achieving higher Education has allocated £116 million The recorded increases are spread through- standards and improved quality in ed- to improve the command of English out the UK with Wales and Northern Ireland in ucation and skills to face global chal- for the 35,000 in-service teachers and particular recording signiÀ cant increases in in- lenges is a key priority for Malaysia.” for those who are teaching non-Eng- vestment projects – 191 percent and 41 percent lish subjects, including Mathematics respectively. Scotland registered a 16 percent “The Ministry has allocated and Science. increase in the number of investments while the number of FDI projects landing in England (ex- £116 million to improve the Leading Regional Forum cluding London) increased by 10 percent reach- command of English for the Acting as an important route to access ing 759 projects. 35,000 in-service teachers, these opportunities is the BES Asia Fo- rum. Now in its seventh year, BES Asia “The UK has received a major vote including for those teaching has grown to be recognised as the key non-English subjects.” education trade event in Asia. of conÀ dence from foreign investors conÀ rming that it remains a world- A number of speciÀ c areas of focus With the support of the Malaysian are fuelling demand for appropriate Ministries of Education, Higher Educa- leading business destination. UKTI tion, and Human Resources, as well as resources and that is driving invest- will continue to work with companies ment in the sector. “With this come Giatmara, naeccem, MyLead, Napei, signiÀ cant business opportunities for British Council, British High Commis- to help create and sustain a globally sion and UK Trade & Investment, the organisations targeting the Malaysian attractive, highly competitive and education sector,” she adds. event showcases the latest UK and international products from a range truly international economy.” Focus On Science of educational resource and service One major goal is the Malaysian Gov- providers. Lord Green, Minister, Trade & Investment ernment’s desire to develop 500,000 The data bears out trends presented in inde- science graduates to raise the coun- In 2012, BES Asia attracted over 800 pendent reports including those published by try’s position in the global economy. delegates from Malaysia and across the region, including Australia, India, Ernst & Young, Financial Times and UNCTAD, Education Ministry secretary general China, Thailand and Indonesia. whose À gures all showed the UK enjoyed a strong Tan Sri Abdul Ghafar Mahmud pres- year for inward investment in 2012-2013. UNC- ently has over 60 recommendations to “The majority of visitors attended to TAD, in particular, reported recently that despite achieve this target, one of which will understand and review the best prod- global FDI inÁ ows declining by 18 percent, FDI see the automatic channelling of low- ucts and services available to meet inÁ ows into the UK have risen by 22 percent. er secondary school students into the their speciÀ c needs. Highly popular The UK continues to attract high quality invest- science stream within three years. workshops covering subjects such as English language learning, interactive ment from around the globe both from its es- Other recommendations include the teaching, international recruitment, tablished economic partners in Europe, North reintroduction of the practical sci- school storage, science and training America and Japan but also from key growing ence centralised examination, an also attract an increasing number of markets such as India and China. Investments are increase in teaching hours of pure delegates each year,” adds Caroline. also made across a diverse range of innovative science subjects to À ve times a week See opposite page for details and economically important sectors.

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Chevening Scholarships

BES ASIA FORUM 2013 Open For Applications 9-10 December 2013 hevening is the UK Government’s Á ag- British High Commissioner Simon Feather- KL Convention Centre ship global scholarship programme. stone says: “The Chevening Scholarships CFunded by the Foreign and Common- programme has always been a unique plat- B2B Event combining all- wealth OfÀ ce (FCO) and partner organisa- form for future leaders to excel in their round Exhibition alongside tions, the programme gives awards to out- chosen disciplines at British universities Conference and Workshop standing scholars with leadership potential which rank among the best in the world. from around the world to study postgradu- Chevening Alumni have an excellent record • Showcase for the best Great Britain ate courses of the candidates’ choosing at of rising to positions of leadership across a educational equipment, products Universities in the UK. wide range of À elds including politics, busi- and services, publishers, Early Years ness, media, civil society and academia.” resources, vocational training pro- The programme funds full-time post-grad- viders, English language resources uate study for one year at a UK university. Mohammad Shaharom Ahmad Ismail, recipi- and training, Continuous Profession- It covers a substantial monthly stipend, re- ent of a 2013/14 Chevening Scholarship, is al Development (CPD) and general turn travel costs to the UK, full academic studying an MSc in the Science of Occupa- educational resources. fees, an arrival allowance and thesis grant. tional Health, Safety & Environment at Uni- • Network and exchange ideas with versity of Birmingham. He says: “If you are Up to 30 scholarships will be made avail- like-minded people interested in the looking for a journey full of excitement and able to Malaysians for the 2014/15 intake, progress of education heart-racing moments, then Chevening is making Malaysia, once again, among the for you. It opens up a world of possibilities • Power Breakfast: Get to know the UK top À ve countries to award the largest num- and helps you achieve your dreams.” companies ahead of the VIP opening ber of Chevening scholarships in the world. • Session Streaming: Workshops and Applications are invited from talented Ma- This is made possible through the gener- presentations streamed into EY/ laysians from a variety of backgrounds with ous sponsorship of BAE Systems who will primary, secondary and vocational a range of qualiÀ cations and experience. once again fund awards in the À elds of training Priority areas include: Engineering, Sciences and Cyber Security; • Science, Engineering, Cyber Security • CPD Card Stamping (Kad Pelaporan the Prudence Foundation who will sponsor Latihan - KPH) awards in Business & Islamic Finance and • Climate Change & Sustainable Develop- Media & Communications, and the Cam- ment • Conference - Workshops – Roundta- bridge & Commonwealth Trust which will • Human Rights bles: focused on British and regional offer awards for study at the University of educational experience and practic- • Foreign & Security Policy Cambridge. es with wide reach across all sectors • Good Governance of education from around Asia Edinburgh University, University of West- • Business & Islamic Finance • FREE To attend minster, CranÀ eld and Kings College will • Media & Communications also be sponsoring awards for study at their Log on to www.chevening.org Register now at www.besasia.com respective institutions. Applications close 15th November 2013

September-October 2013 9

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9th WIEF: Asia PaciÀ c Building Bridges Through Business Market Outlook

he 9th World Islamic Economic Forum will take place at the end of No Reason For Investor Panic, TOctober in London, the À rst time the event has been held outside a Given Asia's Robust Economies Muslim country. Chairman of the WIEF Foundation and BMCC Patron Tun Musa Hitam said that with this, the WIEF has evolved from a Malaysian By Louis Kuijs, Chief China Economist at RBS entity into a global movement that will facilitate business. & Former IMF and World Bank Economist “The aim of the Forum is to build bridges, not only between Muslims but also the world,” Musa said. “The uniqueness of the WIEF is to link nvestors may have been too quick to jettison Asian the two major elements of Islamic business that are Islamic À nance and assets during their recent pullback from emerging halal to global business.” Previously held in Malaysia, Kazakhstan, Indo- Imarkets. While some economies, including India and nesia, Kuwait, and Pakistan, last year’s WIEF held in Malaysia registered Indonesia, have proved vulnerable to fears of scarcer some RM28 billion worth of business concluded. global liquidity, Asia’s emerging economies still boast stronger macro fundamentals and are better prepared London is a pre-eminent global À nancial centre, straddling the time for capital outÁ ows than during earlier crises. zones between the US and Asia, and increasingly emerging as one of the leading international centres for Islamic À nance. “It is the perfect Asian economies have stronger current account posi- place for a conference dedicated to the proposition that business can tions now and Asia’s most important economy, China, provide a link between cultures.” said Tun Musa. is additionally protected by capital controls. That bar- rier means that relatively little foreign portfolio capi- Mayor of London Boris Johnson said, “It is an immense honour that the tal Á owed into the country as a result of the Federal World Islamic Economic Forum has chosen London for its À rst gathering Reserve’s QE programme, so it has seen little of inves- outside of Asia. Hosting this conference will highlight London’s status tor panic as suffered by other emerging currencies and as a major centre of Islamic À - markets. “Business is a good starting nance and as a compelling des- point to begin breaking tination for foreign investors.” The ability to service foreign debt down barriers created There are already 22 Shariah across much of Asia compliant banks in London by limited information, is substantially less making it the largest Islamic worrisome than to demonstrate not only banking centre in the West; be- in the recent past how much we all have in tween them these banks have while exchange raised £22 billion in À nance to common, but the huge rates are becom- date. Saudi Arabia is the second ing more Á exible, beneÀ ts from learning largest foreign investor in the backed by central how to work together.” UK after the US and The Shard, banks with larger London’s 72-storey skyscraper foreign currency and the tallest building in the European Union, is largely À nanced and reserves. run by Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund. Kuwait is also allocating around £3 billion to investments in the UK. With the sector forecast to grow Nor have the long- from £1.2 trillion today to £1.6 trillion in two years’ time, there is great er term prospects potential for future growth. of emerging markets in Asia changed suddenly. With productivity and income across emerging markets still Keynote speakers at the Forum include Prime Ministers Dato’ Sri Mohd so much lower than in advanced economies and Asia Najib Tun Abdul Razak and David Cameron as well as Boris Johnson. having shown it can tap such growth potential, these “They will be lending their voices because they understand the signiÀ - countries are likely to remain the key drivers of global cance of our decision to come to London this year,” says Tun Musa. They growth in the coming decades. will be joined by a host of other leaders from the worlds of politics, business, culture and the media, from 100 countries. Manufacturing economies of Asia in particular should welcome the coming normalisation of US monetary Sessions will be adapted to increase delegates’ participation as they policy as a signal of renewed growth in its most im- explore business and investment opportunities, as well as engage in portant export market. The winding-down of US bond discourse on topical issues and how best to address them. Key areas of purchases is good news - not something to be feared as focus include Islamic banking and À nance, technology, infrastructure more short-termist markets seem to view it. development, health, exports, education and youth. While Fed talk of tapering QE has clearly reversed “It’s a chance for businessmen and women from different countries and some EM Á ows, the region’s economies can be con- cultures to get together, and discuss important issues, like the ways À dent that sudden changes in US monetary policy are in which women can help drive economic growth, how education and not on the agenda. The gradual reduction of bond pur- healthcare have become global commodities, and how we can all make chases is conditional on positive growth and employ- our cities smarter and better places to live and work.” added Tun Musa. ment numbers while US interest rates should remain at 29th-31st October 2013, ExCel London www.9thwief.org between zero and 0.25 per cent until 2015.

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We cannot however rule out further mar- Can The Rupee Slide ket turbulence and a further correction, especially given the tendency of À nancial Be Stopped? markets to overreact and overshoot. Poli- cymakers in Asia should now plan how to By Sanjay Mathur mitigate further ‘taper turmoil’. Head of Economics Research, Asia PaciÀ c ex-Japan at RBS Even countries like China, which are relatively insulated from the withdrawal of ndia’s economy and currency has taken a foreign capital, would be affected should battering, yet the worst of rupee depre- growth in other emerging markets be fur- ciation should now be behind us. Stabil- ther weakened by more capital outÁ ow. I ity should return, though a more meaning- First, Asian nations should limit the size ful appreciation of the rupee is still some of current account deÀ cits and maintain distance away. a sustainable macroeconomic position by The Indian currency is the worst performer avoiding policies that are too expansion- Third, India has introduced a host of meas- in Asia so far this year - plummeting to re- ary. Growth remains vital, but it must be ures to encourage foreign direct investment cord lows against the US dollar – the stock fostered by productivity-enhancing struc- (FDI), a key policy of the government since market fell by 10 per cent in a month and tural reforms rather than expansionary coming to power in 2004. bond yields have surged as investors took policies. fright. Regulations on external commercial borrow- In heeding lessons from the current tur- ing have been liberalised and local subsidi- The slide in India’s markets are part of a moil, policymakers should also resist going aries of multi-national corporations can now wider exodus of foreign capital from emerg- cold on the use of foreign capital inÁ ows. borrow freely from their parent companies. ing markets prompted by news that the US In principle there is nothing wrong with State-owned oil companies will also have Federal Reserve is considering scaling back them if they are drawn in by a country’s access to external borrowing, while state- its bond-buying stimulus. That has raised growth story and a healthy investment cli- owned infrastructure À nance companies are concerns about India’s ability to À nance its mate rather than short-term, speculative being encouraged to borrow overseas. current account deÀ cit and prompted Prime gains. Minister Manmohan Singh to insist the coun- Such inÁ ows are likely to increase thanks try had adequate currency reserves and was to the complete deregulation of the rate “Policymakers should plan not heading for a crisis. charged on deposits made by non-resident how to mitigate further ‘taper Indians, making them more attractive by The irony is that the Indian government has shifting the exchange rate risk from deposi- turmoil’. Even countries like been implementing a raft of measures to ad- tor to the bank in which the money is de- dress this very issue. Three important devel- posited. China, relatively insulated opments in June and July point to a more from the withdrawal of stable future for the rupee. While inward foreign investment in India is encouraged, outÁ ows are being discour- foreign capital, would be First, efforts to slim the trade deÀ cit by aged. The government must now approve slowing precious metal imports have shown affected should growth in overseas FDI by Indian corporates and at early results. India’s trade deÀ cit narrowed the personal level, remittances Á owing out other emerging markets be to US$12.3 billion in July compared with of India have been capped. Indian residents an average US$17 billion in the previous will also no longer be allowed to buy over- weakened by capital outÁ ow.” six months, after the Reserve Bank of India seas properties. (RBI) introduced measures to restrict gold Still, it is best not to rely too heavily on imports. The government hopes all these measures À nancial inÁ ows - that could mean intro- will restrict the rise in capital Á ows to US$11 ducing sensible forms of capital control. Import À nancing for gold and gold imports billion, or 0.6 per cent of GDP, bringing down Indeed, in China, the latest bout of mar- by trading houses (above that needed by the current account deÀ cit and stabilising ket turmoil underscores the need for a jewellery exporters) are restricted. These the rupee. cautious approach to À nancial reform and measures follow a ban on margin À nancing opening up of its capital account. for gold imports and the further raising of India may still struggle to hit a current ac- import tariffs, which are likely to be felt count deÀ cit target of 3.7 per cent of GDP Finally, Asian countries should ensure they from September. this À nancial year as monetary tightening have adequate systems to assist each oth- coincides with already weak growth. Howev- er in times of crisis. The last decade has Second, the RBI has tightened domestic li- er, there is a better demand-supply balance seen the roll-out of many bilateral swap quidity. To curb the supply of rupees and in the rupee that should help the currency lines and other arrangements but thus far, shore up the currency’s value, it raised the stabilise in the immediate term. they have not been greatly used. marginal standing facility and upped bank rates, capped cash injections into the bank- The trade deÀ cit is narrowing, liquidity con- Governments should ensure that existing ing system and increased the banks’ daily ditions have been tightened and the prob- arrangements are prepped and ready and minimum cash balance requirements. lem of gold imports is being dealt with on a would do well to explore whether further dynamic basis. The most important change opportunities for mutual À nancial assis- It has also managed to discourage specula- is in the policy mindset – rupee stability has tance exist. tors by raising the carry-adjusted return taken precedence over all other objectives. over the US dollar. This tightening of liquidi- First published in South China Morning ty appears in line with previous IMF prescrip- A version of this article appeared in Bloomberg Post on 9 September 2013 tions for countries facing an external crisis. Brief, Economics Asia on August 29, 2013

September-October 2013 11

09537_BMCC SeptOct2013.indd 13 9/17/13 2:11 PM Special Report New UK Tax Regime For High Value Property By Nick White, Trowers Hamlins

or anyone considering purchasing or sion planning? Was it selling a high value residential property Property Value ATED to beneÀ t from lim- Fin the UK, a new tax regime has now (annually, ited liability? Was a come into force for these properties as of as from 2013/14) saving of SDLT on an April this year. onward sale an impor- From £2 million to £5 million £15,000 tant factor? As a result, it will be even more important to plan ahead for UK tax when owning, buy- The potential cost of From £5 million to £10 million £35,000 ing and selling these properties. unwinding an existing From £10 million to £20 million £70,000 structure also needs The precise rules are now contained in the to be considered. Finance Bill 2013 which is currently passing Over £20 million £140,000 Does this outweigh the through the legislative procedure prior to new charges? enactment. However, HM Revenue & Cus- toms (HMRC) have stated that there is to be It will be necessary The amount of ATED payable each year is no change of policy from the draft rules al- therefore to consider as per the table above. The ATED charge ready published. these new proposals "in the round" so as to (but not the value bands) will be inÁ ation- achieve the best result. The New Regime linked. Two new taxes are being introduced in ad- It is important to keep up to date with dition to the 15 percent rate of Stamp Duty Selling The Property - CGT these changes as the À ling date for the À rst If the property is sold at a proÀ t, then the Land Tax (SDLT) which came into force on Annual Tax on Enveloped Dwellings (ATED) increase in value as from 5 April 2013 will 21 March 2012. These are: the Annual Tax Return approaches. be subject to CGT at a rate of 28 percent. on Enveloped Dwellings (ATED) and Capital In some cases, a form of taper relief may Gains Tax (CGT). The À rst Return, for 2013/14, must be À led reduce the amount of gain which is subject by 1 October 2013 and payment of ATED Which Properties Are Included? to CGT. will be due by 31 October 2013. This is a In broad terms, the new tax regime applies "one-off" procedure for the À rst year only: to residential properties (houses and apart- Reliefs From The New Regime for 2014/15 onwards, both the Return and The new tax regime will not apply in cer- ments) worth more than £2 million and the ATED payment will be due by 30 April. tain cases: in broad terms if the property owned by what is known as a "non-natural is being used for various qualifying business person" (NNP), the most common of which is If the property is À rst subject to ATED after purposes. a company (wherever incorporated). In cer- 1 April in an ATED period (which runs from 1 April to 31 March the following year), both tain cases, corporate trustees are excluded. For example, if the property is being rented the Return and payment of ATED are due to third parties or forms part of a property The regime applies throughout the owner- within 30 days of purchase. For example, development or property trading business. ship cycle. That is, on purchase, during own- if a property is purchased on 1 July 2014, ership and on eventual sale of the property. A claim for relief must be made by the NNP. the Return and payment would be due on 31 July 2014. Purchasing The Property - SDLT It should be noted that most of the above If the property is purchased by a NNP, then reliefs which would reduce the 15 percent This will require specialist advice and an the SDLT payable will, in most cases, be 15 rate of SDLT to 7 percent, come into effect assessment of why the current structure percent of the purchase price. This com- during the summer of 2013. was entered into before altering it in any pares to SDLT at 7 percent if the same prop- way. For more information contact: erty were to be purchased by an individual. What Now? Nick White: Tel: +603 2615 0185 Now is the time to carefully consider what Email: [email protected] Owning The Property - ATED to do with existing structures holding UK Nicholas Edmondes: Tel: +44 20 7423 8203 During the period of ownership of the prop- residential property, and how to plan for Email: [email protected] erty, the NNP will be liable to pay ATED each future purchases and sales. year. An annual ATED Return will need to be submitted to HMRC. The amount payable This will need to involve not only the poten- depends on the value of the property. The tial impact of the new tax regime described Trowers & Hamlins is a City of London, UK property will need to be valued every À ve above but also, for example, consideration regional and Middle East law À rm, with years, starting with 1 April 2012 (if it was of the reason(s) for the existing structure. a non-trading representative Regional owned then), and when it is purchased (if Was it to eliminate a UK Inheritance Tax OfÀ ce in Kuala Lumpur where Nick White after 1 April 2012). charge and/or for privacy and/or succes- is Regional Manager.

12 September-October 2013

09537_BMCC SeptOct2013.indd 14 9/17/13 2:11 PM September-October 2013 13

09537_BMCC SeptOct2013.indd 15 9/17/13 2:11 PM CEO Spotlight

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September-October 2013

09537_BMCC SeptOct2013.indd 16 9/17/13 2:11 PM Cover Story

Creativity: Powering Performance

As history has shown, companies that introduce creativity into their way of doing business can soar to new heights and reach their full potential. In the Creative Industries sector - be it fashion, design, architecture or media - there are countless examples of unique and innovative ideas that have transformed the way we live and work. Creativity can also be used to re-engineer processes and systems to deliver dramatically improved results. Some ﬁ rms are even adding this quality to the list of skills required when recruiting employees. Turn the page to learn more.

September-OctoberSeptember-October 2013 2013 131115

09537_BMCC SeptOct2013.indd 17 9/17/13 2:55 PM Cover Story Inspiring Creativity: Good For Business

As business continues to drive positive change in the world, creativity is an increasingly essential part of organisational success. Encouraging creativity is a vital function of good leadership in any organisation.

Examples of exceptional collision points Build relationships with people from abound in history – Guttenberg created the different backgrounds printing press because he married the re- Build a network of thinkers and ideas peo- alisation that books need to be copied with ple by reaching out to people with varied his knowledge of wine presses. Steve Jobs backgrounds, education and professional brought calligraphy to computing by creat- experience and whose ideas you admire. Af- ing a machine that displayed type in mul- ter a meeting with a colleague, invite them tiple fonts. to lunch to continue your conversation. The challenge is how to foster creativity. Ask them to join a project you are lead- he ability to come up with new ideas, Two of the biggest barriers to creativity in ing, invite their perspective on a challeng- different ways to solve problems and business are time and cost. When the pres- ing problem you are facing, or ask them to Texciting products or services could be sure is on, the need to ‘get the job done’ share their opinions on their areas of exper- the difference between success and failure. means that time for creative thinking often tise. Feed and nurture these relationships Unleashing creativity allows organisations gets relegated to the backburner. by offering to help others with a project or to innovate, grow and compete in today’s task, or just to listen to a challenge they marketplace. Business people need to be Business leaders need to look at how to en- are facing. creative problem-solvers as well as strate- courage the sharing of ideas, development gic thinkers. of new solutions and create a culture in Create a culture that respects effort organisations that rewards effort and risk- and risk-taking It can be easy in a large company to get taking. For smaller businesses, how can Offering a suggestion that challenges the stuck in ‘same old’ mindsets but, when in a they approach creativity and ensure that status quo takes courage. In large brain- smaller company, there is often more Á ex- creative programmes bring real business storming sessions, it can be hard to get an ibility to explore new avenues. Relying on value? idea heard. Employees might think ‘does À xed ways of doing things stiÁ es innova- my opinion count’ or ‘is my idea good tion, can lead to narrow-mindedness and Unleash Creativity enough’? Encourage people to voice their result in things ‘being OK’ when they could Search out new experiences and opinions, have faith in their ideas and make actually be ‘brilliant’. perspectives themselves heard. Expose yourself to ideas that question or Part of The Skills Set Make innovation and risk-taking part of oppose your point of view. Move out of Recent trends afÀ rm the need and desire your team’s expected results. Celebrate your comfort zone and try something new. for creativity in the workplace. More and the failures as well as the victories, and re- Work in a different industry or À eld. Offer more, creativity is becoming part of the re- ward the effort. quired skills set. Many of the world’s largest your expertise to a school or non-proÀ t or- companies – Google, 3M, DuPont for exam- ganisation and learn their business as you As a team leader, hold your own counsel. ple – expect their workers to spend as much help them. Look for opportunities to study You might see the solution more quickly or as 20 percent of their time thinking crea- something new. be tempted to cut to the chase but this in- tively about new business opportunities. hibits everyone else’s creativity. The discus- Challenge yourself by setting sion then quickly becomes political. People personal goals to develop ideas Employers look for creativity from employ- start measuring their words. They are hesi- ees. IBM asked 1,500 CEOs to list the most Make time to think. Spend 20 minutes a tant to disagree. As a result, you won’t get important leadership characteristics: crea- day brainstorming new ideas, or one day a the best thinking out of the group. tivity was ranked higher than integrity, in- month or quarter working offsite in a dif- telligence and a global mindset. ferent environment than your everyday of- Change Is Good À ce. Set a goal to come up with new ideas Creativity does not just mean designing a Creative Collisions each week, and hold yourself accountable brand new product or service. It is also all Inspiration bursts forth from “collision by sharing them with others. Keep track of about taking a hard look at your business points” – moments when different ideas, your ideas and continue to improve on them and coming up with more effective or ef- perspectives and knowledge collide and each month. À cient ways to run it. Regularly take time create something new in the universe. out away from the day-to-day operational When people can link unrelated concepts Invite colleagues to join you in your brain- aspects of your business to think about and ideas, they inspire and unleash fresh storming – especially colleagues with varied doing things differently. The result could ideas into the world. backgrounds and different skill sets. transform your business!

16 September-October 2013

09537_BMCC SeptOct2013.indd 18 9/17/13 2:11 PM Cover Story

On A Mission In Malaysia

eriot-Watt University has a clear mis- Currently, from premises based in Menara "Heriot-Watt invests a tremendous effort sion: to create and exchange knowl- PjH, Putrajaya, the University has intro- into creating an exceptional student expe- Hedge for the beneÀ t of society. It is duced a range of postgraduate programmes rience at our campuses, by striving to con- a simple mission and one that it has been that have been speciÀ cally tailored to con- sistently deliver excellent facilities, teach- delivering since 1821, when as the Mechan- tribute to the continuing economic success ing and support services. ics Institute in Scotland, its teaching was of Malaysia and the South East Asia region. responding to the needs of a growing and “We work in partnership with our students demanding economy. Professor Craik continues: "Given Malay- to develop a range of attributes and skills sia's rapid rate of industrial growth and its for life and work. These include specialist Since then, Heriot-Watt has grown to be- ever-increasing demand for specialist pro- knowledge, intellectual skills and compe- come one of the UK's leading research-led fessionals in skilled areas, we have already tence, adaptability, self-development and universities with a distinctive subject port- introduced our world-renowned Edinburgh leadership. folio within the specialist areas of science, Business School MBA programme and a technology, engineering, business and de- range of MSc programmes.” "Our postgraduate courses are designed to sign. It is ranked in the top 4 percent of uni- meet the needs of those wanting an inter- versities worldwide and now has campuses Courses introduced to date include energy, nationally recognised qualiÀ cation and also in the UK, in United Arab Emirates at Dubai, renewable energy, petroleum engineering, need the practical and professional skills and Putrajaya, Malaysia. construction management and quantity sur- required by today's companies, as they op- veying. "These courses have been developed erate in a changing business world. With CEO and Provost of Heriot-Watt University to assist in equipping Malaysia to develop our focus on industrial relevance our gradu- Malaysia (HWUM) is Professor Robert Craik. its own pool of highly trained engineers and ates will be able to make a positive and He says: "We are a vibrant, forward-looking knowledge workers and thereby helping it effective contribution for their employers, university. We are highly regarded for the to become economically self-reliant." as well as improving their own professional quality of our degrees, which are profes- careers." sionally relevant and produce highly em- According to Professor Craik, students at ployable and innovative graduates. Heriot-Watt University Malaysia can expect By 2014, Heriot-Watt’s state-of-the-art, a learning experience to be no different Green Building Index-compliant lakeside "Our vision in Malaysia is to create another from those studying the same courses in campus will come to represent a leading centre of excellence, alongside our cam- the UK. example of what a British university has to puses in the UK and Dubai, delivering the offer. By Spring next year, students will be same exceptionally high quality education. “The curriculum is identical, and the aca- recruited to undergraduate foundation and demic rigours and demands will be just as degree programmes, offering a wider range "Establishing Heriot-Watt University Malay- tough with full access, as UK students have, of courses in subjects relevant to the eco- sia is an exceptional journey for us and in to library and online support. The context nomic development of Malaysia. partnership with Putrajaya Holdings, we of programmes will be localised when it are building a Á agship campus in Putrajaya comes to case studies and applications. that will offer an inspirational learning en- www.hw.ac.uk vironment."

September-October 2013 17

09537_BMCC SeptOct2013.indd 19 9/17/13 2:11 PM Cover Story Creative Application For Managing Contracts

In this age of the paperless ofÀ ce when most correspondence is via email, it is increasingly difÀ cult to track changes on projects and quantify the costs of such changes. Mike McIver, CEO of Plus Three Consultants looks at an innovative system now available for tackling this issue.

n the past, construction consultants were With the requirement to only purchase the Weather records, plant and labour sta- presented with project À les, often by the access licence for users on a monthly basis, tistics, data and material delivery can be Iroomful, but they contained everything it represents a cost-effective method for searched for and reported on from years of needed to track changes and allocate the all data and documents to be stored in a data input almost instantly. responsibility for those changes to a par- readily accessible database which can be ticular contracting party. searched and downloaded at will by author- The system also features personalised trig- ised users. gers which users can set up to monitor and Now the necessary data is spread between detect risk in the daily submitted site re- various laptops, iPads, smartphones and This overcomes the problem of missing cords. desktop computers making it very difÀ cult emails and records when the forensic work to see the whole story and deÀ ne the con- begins after a project has been completed Risk Management tractual position. and claims need to be documented. In addition to automatic risk detection, C-COM has a user-managed Risk Register Some forms of document management sys- All forms of data can be stored and shared which authorised users can add to. Alerts tems attempt to overcome this but they from emails, drawings, photographs, min- are sent to subscribers whenever a new risk are expensive, time-consuming and require utes of meetings, site diaries, valuations is added with people being able to view the specialist dedicated staff to operate them. and letters. It is very valuable in litigation risk, add comments and suggest mitigation This makes access to the À nal database in- and arbitration work as the best source of strategies. Risks can be searched by a range convenient and therefore not utilised to its contemporaneous records. of criteria and results can be printed out or full potential on normal projects. exported to Excel format. Rather than requiring documents as input, the system is heavily forms-driven - forms Claims Administration “In the case of construction which prompt users for relevant informa- C-COM recognises the claims process for disputes, the system adds tion and then generate and transmit appro- FIDIC and NEC contracts at present and sup- priate documentation automatically. The port for a variety of Asia PaciÀ c forms of real value, keeping a detailed system has been developed by technology contract is being developed. companies in conjunction with construction record of speciÀ c work that law experts. The system provides users with a platform for transmitting and receiving claim-relat- has been carried out on a daily In the case of construction disputes, C- ed correspondence. The claims administra- basis, as well as various daily COM’s application adds real value, keeping tor function provides continuous feedback a detailed record of speciÀ c work that has to users within C-COM and via email or SMS, conditions on a given project.” been carried out on a daily basis, as well as prompting them to act when needed. various daily conditions on a given project. C-COM also uses data from risks or events To meet this demand, a new contract-inte- This makes establishing what has happened after the event far easier. to automatically generate notices when in- grated system designed speciÀ cally for con- structed and then sends these notices via struction and engineering projects has been Site Records email to all necessary parties. Once a no- rolled out in Malaysia. The C-COM Site Diary allows for direct on- tice has been sent, the system automati- The revolutionary system can be speciÀ ed line submission of independently conÀ gured cally creates a task for the appropriate user in the particular conditions of contract and site diaries across multiple locations, disci- to complete as required by the contract. provides a real-time protocol for exchange plines or subcontracts. A built-in approval system notiÀ es users when their electronic Since C-COM is speciÀ ed for all claim-relat- and logging of contractual data between ed exchanges, it can provide realtime com- employers, project managers, contractors signature is required and updates submit- ters when diaries are accepted or rejected. mercial reporting for any contract where it and subcontractors. is used. Powerful reporting facilities allow immedi- Known as Contract Communicator C-Com Contact Nick Anderson: or C-COM, the system operates on shared ate access to a variety of Á exible reports Tel +603 6201 0996 cloud-based software through which all with MS Excel export options so that search Email: [email protected] parties to a particular contract may com- and À lter of data is available instantly. municate and store those communications in remote secure storage.

18 September-October 2013

09537_BMCC SeptOct2013.indd 20 9/17/13 3:01 PM Cover Story Transforming Environments Multi-storey car parks have long been many customers’ À rst point of contact with retail, leisure, corporate or residential destinations, but it is only recently that developers have made efforts, through the use of creativity, to improve the quality of the car park experience, while integrating the structure into the urban landscape.

oday, far from the grey, unglam- The most suitable deck coating materi- Designers now recognise that pedestrians have as orous and utilitarian develop- als will largely depend on where they much of a place on the car park decks as the vehi- Tments of the past, multi-storey are to be installed within the multi- cles themselves, requiring greater consideration of car parks are increasingly becoming level or underground parking facility circulation routes and personal security. Again, col- pillars of sky-rise greenery, some even as well as the conditions to which the ourful line marking products on both the wall and with gardens for vegetables and small material will be subjected. Á oor can be used to deliver clear instructions to plants as well as reÁ exology pathways pedestrians circumnavigating these areas. and outdoor seating areas for residents This can range from slip-resistance, du- and visitors. Creativity is being used to rability and service life requirements Sustainable deck coating solutions are also avail- incorporate attractive elements and through to temperature cycling, UV able to address the increasing need to incorporate transform the car parking environment exposure and any problematic existing environmentally-sound building solutions into the into something much more enjoyable substrate conditions as well as any an- fabric of new developments. Many resin systems for users. ticipated movement within the struc- come backed with certiÀ cation from the Singa- ture. pore Environment Council under the Green Label In the decks below, larger and brighter scheme. These systems are extremely low in vola- parking bays provide an increased sense Applied coatings, whether on the wall, tile organic compounds (OPCs) as well as free from of safety and security to vehicle owners deck or sofÀ t, must perform to meet hazardous materials including formaldehyde, halo- alongside clear navigation markings and the most stringent of criteria if they genated compounds and N-methyl pyrrolinone. designated parking areas for speciÀ ed are to succeed in their primary function users. of car park protection. Non-protection Combining a strong physical performance and col- will inevitably lead to long term main- ourful appearance with sustainable integrity, resin- As new build multi-storey and under- tenance programmes, increased opera- based deck coating solutions are helping to improve ground car parking structures are more tions costs and in extreme cases, deck the overall setting of car park environments. frequently adorning the urban land- failure. scape so too are older structures being Addressing issues such as personal safety, ease of refurbished to meet both modern de- From an aesthetic point of view, pig- parking and internal circulation through improved sign and safety requirements. mented resin coating systems will design, simple layouts and improved building mate- transform a parking structure; protect- rial speciÀ cation across all decks, multi-storey car Although often underestimated, the ing it over time whilst simultaneously parks are now emerging as bright, welcoming and correct speciÀ cation of waterprooÀ ng brightening the environment with the striking pillars of the modern urban landscape. and surfacing materials is critical, with- addition of colour and improved light- in the car park environment, to delivering levels through inherent reÁ ective ing a long-term, structurally protected properties. These features help to en- and safe facility for operators and vehi- hance the overall ambience of the car cle owners. park making it a safer and brighter place for people to use. One important design consideration is the deck coating material chosen to Coloured line marking products can protect the reinforced concrete struc- also be installed in conjunction with ture, in order to safeguard against the resin-based solutions to deÀ ne both ingress of water as well as corrosive pedestrian and vehicle areas, ensuring salts and other pollutants. the safety of both people and cars by regulating trafÀ c Á ow and pedestrian Epoxy and polyurethane resin-based car movement. This type of navigational park decking and wearing systems are and instructional detail is increasingly most common although acrylic (MMA) popular with developers who are using systems, which offer fast cure instal- coloured bays to earmark designated lation in order to keep disruption to areas for hybrid and electric vehicles car park operations to a minimum dur- as well as special zones for unaccompa- ing renovation, are increasingly being nied female drivers in well-lit areas of speciÀ ed, particularly in refurbishment the car park. situations. www.Á owcreteasia.com

September-October 2013 19

09537_BMCC SeptOct2013.indd 21 9/17/13 2:09 PM Cover Story

Zandra Rhodes Studio London

um retail space. Kuala Lumpur is also now popularly rated as one of the world’s top shopping destinations and Globe Shopper Index recently named KL the second best shopping city in the Asia PaciÀ c Region.

With the retail sector designated a National The UK’s creative industries are a real success story with UK Key Economic Area in Malaysia’s Economic Transformation Programme, the Govern- music, fashion, design, television, À lm, games, advertising ment plans to further ‘modernise, globalise and architecture celebrated around the world. and revolutionise’ the sector and Tourism Malaysia has been set the target to double the size of the retail industry to be worth around £36 billion by 2020.

hink of any of these creative indus- have both recently announced their entry A number of policies have been put in place tries and it is likely that you will be into Malaysia; and Accessorize, Jane Nor- to help deliver this strategy. These include Table to name at least one British man and Blue Inc. opened their À rst Malay- abolishing import duty on 328 goods to help icon, be it a musician, À lm star, designer sian stores earlier this year. position Malaysia as a duty-free shopping or architect. Worth more than £36 billion destination; increasing the number of large a year, the UK creative industries generate Celebrating British Brands format stores in the country; further devel- As a celebration of these British retail £70,000 every minute for the UK economy; oping both the existing and new terminals brands, the GREAT Retail Fashion Campaign and they employ 1.5 million people in the at KL International Airport into retail hubs; is coming to Malaysia. The eight-week cam- UK. According to industry À gures, the crea- and developing 12 “Big Box Boulevards” paign is being launched by the British High tive industries account for around £1 in across the country. every £10 of the UK’s exports. Commission and UKTI, and runs until mid- November. Designed to increase sales in UK Malaysia’s leading mall operators are also And when it comes to fashion, Britain is stores and attract new UK retailers to the being encouraged to expand into Asia, es- home to some of the most creative talents Malaysian market, it will also raise the pro- pecially Vietnam, China, India and Sri Lanka in the world. Much of this talent is show- À le and awareness of the UK in Malaysia. under the 1Malaysia Malls programme. cased in branded retail outlets across the globe, Malaysia included. “GREAT is the UK Government’s biggest and There has never been a better time for UK most successful international marketing companies to enter this exciting market UK retail brands in Malaysia are thriving. campaign, designed to showcase the very conÀ rms Tony. “Malaysians love all things Visit any of the leading shopping malls here best of what Britain has to offer. As shop- British and everyday I see the Union Jack and you will come across numerous British ping is Malaysians’ favourite pastime and being worn or displayed in some shape or brands. Harrods, Marks & Spencer, Deben- the UK has some of the world’s most famous form on the streets of Kuala Lumpur.” hams and many other leading British design retail brands we thought it was the per- brands across the product spectrum and up fect sector to launch the GREAT campaign Attracting Trade and down the price scale are to be found: here,” says Tony Collingridge, Director of Working with Tourism Malaysia, UKTI has Laura Ashley, Mini, Ben Sherman, TopShop, UK Trade & Investment in Kuala Lumpur. also jointly developed an Inward Mission to Warehouse, Wedgwood and many more. educate UK retailers on the exciting busi- Retail Sector To Double in Size ness opportunities in Malaysia. As well as Debenhams for example will soon open its Malaysia offers a vibrant economy that is hearing À rst-hand about the various Gov- third store in Malaysia in Penang and has growing at 5 percent per annum, a burgeon- ernment policies to support the retail sec- plans to open up to a dozen Debenhams ing middle-class, rising consumer spending. tor there will be plenty of time for partici- stores in Malaysia within the next eight The country also has a much lower cost pants to meet potential franchise partners years. Clarks will open its 32nd store in base than many of its competitors as well and retail mall owners and visit some of Malaysia in Pavilion. Hamleys and Superdry as readily available and affordable premi- Kuala Lumpur’s premium shopping malls.

20 September-October 2013

09537_BMCC SeptOct2013.indd 22 9/17/13 2:11 PM Cover Story

Gary Rhodes OBE Zandra Rhodes CBE Datuk Jimmy Choo OBE

“There has never been a better time for UK companies to enter this exciting market.”

“A large number of British companies are unaware of how much the Malaysian economy has developed over recent years. The country has transformed into a sophisticated and exciting business market. This is why we are keen for UK retailers to come on our Trade Mission and see for themselves the business opportunities Malaysia can offer,” he continued. The Mission runs from 11 to 13 November. GREAT Ambassadors Lending their support to the GREAT Retail Fashion campaign when it hits KL will be iconic British fashion designer Zandra Rhodes CBE and Michelin-star celebrity chef Gary Rhodes OBE. Datuk Jimmy Choo OBE, Tourism Malaysia’s Ambassador and shoe designer for the stars will also be involved. All three will be attending the VIP Party for which Gary Rhodes will create and oversee the VIP menu. The “Zandra Rhodes: Lifetime Love of Textiles” will also be held at the National Textile Museum in Merdeka Square during November and December. Over 100 Stores Participating Over 20 UK retail brands and more than 100 stores will be taking part in the GREAT Campaign. Participating brands are: Accessorize; BBQ King; Ben Sherman; BHS; Blue Inc; Clarks; Debenhams; Dorothy Perkins; French Sole; Harrods; Jane Nor- man; Joseph Joseph; Laura Ashley; Marks & Spencer; Mini; Miss Selfridge; Peacocks; Royal Doulton; STORM London; Toni & Guy; Top Man; Top Shop; Warehouse and Wedgwood.

In all these stores, customers spending more than RM250 in a single purchase will be eligible to enter the GREAT prize draw - see overleaf for details.

A number of the top retail malls in Kuala Lumpur will also be supporting and promoting the campaign and the UKTI team is developing innovative and eye-catching displays to take maximum advantage of this opportunity. “UK retail brands in Malaysia KL Fashion Weekend 14 -16 November - KLCC Park are thriving. Visit any of the The GREAT campaign will culminate with KL Fashion Weekend leading malls here and you organised by Tourism Malaysia. The three days of fashion shows will take place in KLCC Park under the iconic Petronas Twin will come across an increasing Towers and for the À rst time, the fashion shows will be a com- bination of Malaysian and UK retail brands. There will also be number of British brands.” a spectacular À nale, courtesy of Zandra Rhodes and Miss World Malaysia 2012! Continued On Page 22

September-October 2013 21

09537_BMCC SeptOct2013.indd 23 9/17/13 2:11 PM Cover Story

Continued From Page 21

“We are very excited to be partnering with As well as being in Kuala Lumpur, the bus Tourism Malaysia,” says Tony. “London is will be touring Putrajaya, Ipoh, Penang, the shopping capital of the world and we Malacca and Johor. have some of the most famous retail brands around including Harrods, Hamleys and GREAT Sponsors and Partners Marks & Spencer. Many of these brands are In the process of setting up the GREAT Re- already in Malaysia but there is room for tail Fashion Campaign, UKTI has been over- many more.” whelmed with the amount of support the GREAT Campaign has attracted. In addition to the Retail Fashion Campaign Look Out for the GREAT Bus signiÀ cant support from the participating In addition to all this activity, the GREAT retailers, UKTI has also secured sponsorship Prize Draw bus, a new London double-decker designed from other partners. by Thomas Heatherwick and manufactured Spend more than RM250 in a Holiday Villa has donated three nights’ stay by Wright-bus will be in KL in November. single purchase at participating The GREAT bus is touring the world as part in one of its hotel suites and Malaysian Air- of the GREAT Campaign and Malaysia has lines has provided two Á ights to London and stores and stand the chance to been lucky enough to secure its visit to co- other support. Mini will be providing a Á eet win fabulous prizes! incide with KL Fashion Weekend. of GREAT branded Minis to be used during the Campaign and is also sponsoring the Mini Star Prize: “The bus is an excellent showcase of all Road trip to Penang. Standard Chartered is London Shopping Trip for Two! that is GREAT about Britain in terms of funding the cost of the GREAT promotional Including three nights’ stay in a top our creativity, knowledge, innovation and displays in the retail malls while Clarks and hotel suite and £1,000 of shopping technology. The low emission, hybrid bus is STORM London have donated Grand Prizes. vouchers. believed to be the cleanest form of public The BMCC, Visit Britain and the British transport in the world,” adds Tony. Other Grand Prizes include: Council have also come on board as partners, providing their • RM7,500 shopping voucher from expertise, contacts STORM London and networks to further ensure the Cam- • Year’s supply of Clarks shoes paign’s success. • Weekend road trip to Penang

And Visit Britain has • Dinner with Datuk Jimmy Choo teamed up with De- OBE and two guests at the Ma- benhams and Clarks jestic Hotel. to set up pop-up shops in their stores PLUS: 50 Runner-Up Prizes of pairs to retail exclusive of tickets to The GREAT KL Fash- Visit Britain merchan- ion Weekend VIP After-Show Party dise. hosted by Tourism Malaysia and the British High Commissioner

www.ukinmalaysia.fco.gov.uk Contest Ends 3 November 2013

22 September-October 2013

09537_BMCC SeptOct2013.indd 24 9/17/13 2:11 PM Cover Story Creative Marketing By Niels Strohkirch, CEO, Kinslager

eing creative simply means seeing This understanding can be furthered still may help boost their own self-conÀ dence. what others don't normally see. The by conducting brieÀ ng sessions that help By demonstrating that you care about their Bability to visualise something extraor- potential customers build their knowledge well-being and self-image, you are building dinary from the ordinary. Artists are often and appreciation for our services. and nurturing a relationship of trust. referred to as people blessed with the gift of being able to translate the ordinary into How are we able to do this? It all has to It's like gardening. Planting seeds of sin- something exceptional. However it takes a do with the setting of priorities. Do prof- cerity will always bear fruit in due season. further jolt of creativity to stand out like its matter more than nurturing the golden Hoping it will grow overnight is simply Michelangelo did. He saw the sculpture goose? The sharing of information with po- wishful thinking unless of course you have within a block of marble and simply chipped tential clients, although it may appear to magic beans as did Jack.... but remem- away the unwanted pieces until his master- be a meaningless effort bearing no instant ber even Jack too had a giant to face. In pieces were created. proÀ ts, can prove to be an important plat- real life however there are no such magic form to achieving sales. People today tend beans that sprout overnight, although gi- Creative marketing is the art of looking at to want to be fully informed before they ants there may be a plenty. The moral of something from a different perspective. part with their money. the story is, if we invest in building people, tailoring to their needs, then the rewards The most daunting task every organisation Helping customers understand the beneÀ ts of sharing the beneÀ ts will be evident. has to face is dealing with people - whether of commissioning a custom-tailored gar- it is external or even internal. How can a ment for a special occasion for example www.kinslager.com company be effective and successful when dealing with the diversity life offers and in meeting the demands that stem from it?

Diversity is the driving force that channels the streams of businesses today. Un- derstanding the Á ow of diversity however requires wisdom. The wisdom that does not always come from textbook solutions, but very often is earned from the creative school of hard knocks.

The basic problem in economics is the existence of unlimited wants. How do we rec- oncile needs and wants as they often seem to be tugging in different directions? Strik- ing a balance between needs and wants helps one see that differences can work together for a common good. A combina- tion of ideas can offer the best solutions to problems provided they are geared towards establishing a common goal.

Why does this all seem so complicated? Simply because we are dealing with people, and no two individuals think alike. Some people will never know the value of a particular product or service if they are ignorant of its existence, usefulness or the beneÀ ts that follow. This highlights the fun- “Planting seeds of damental importance of an introduction. sincerity will always Being able to educate others about the usefulness of a particular product or service bear fruit in due season. and explaining how one could beneÀ t from Hoping they will bear fruit acquiring sufÀ cient knowledge of the same. overnight is simply wishful At Kinslager, we use a simple strategy of contributing articles via our webpage or via thinking. It takes time and Facebook and Linkedin helps people to understand the advantages of commissioning dedicated effort.” one of our tailored garments for example.

September-October 2013 23

09537_BMCC SeptOct2013.indd 25 9/17/13 2:11 PM Cover Story Driving Performance Through Transformation

In recent years, there has been growing acceptance and popularity of shared services and outsourcing (SSO) as a business strategy for global À nance leaders. An increasingly competitive business environment has now accelerated the need to re-engineer the À nance function to drive operational excellence. Jennifer Lopez, Country Head, ACCA Malaysia, explains.

ith increasing stakeholder inter- Nevertheless, the consensus is that there The survey further revealed that factors est in the broader performance of are much greater opportunities to drive such as unsatisfactory remuneration, lim- Worganisations beyond pure À nance improved business results, where À nance ited career progression, monotonous and measures, there is a growing focus on the transformation moves beyond just deliver- repetitive work, and lack of talent manage- need to drive improved business perfor- ing cost-savings and process efÀ ciencies. ment strategies make the shared services mance which can be sustained for the long- industry less attractive. er term. Hence, À nance leaders today face The Talent Gap a major challenge to ensure the function The increasing popularity of SSO models In a global survey of 1,200 organisations they manage and lead adapts to the chang- for À nance also gives rise to new questions conducted by ACCA in 2012, 72 percent of ing needs of the business. about how À nance transformation will im- respondents say they do not implement tal- pact the talent pipeline for global À nance ent management programmes across the Finance transformation has become a key functions. As the À nance function begins to entire function, or admit that they are not priority for many À nance leaders as they transform, new roles will evolve, new ca- aware of such programmes existing. seek to deliver reduced À nance costs, drive reer paths will emerge and new skills and À nance process efÀ ciency and enhance the capabilities will be required. The implica- Of the remaining 28 percent of those who effectiveness of the À nance function as a tions of this new development are huge, said they do have a talent management true business partner to the organisation. but its effects are still largely unknown. programme in place, only one third say their programmes are effective. These per- Today, many À nance functions have moved “Finance transformation has centages are disturbing given the potential towards centralising À nance processes of the À nance SSO sector globally and in through shared services, outsourcing or become a key priority as Malaysia. hybrid approaches. Whichever approach is chosen, the growth of SSO as part of the À nance leaders seek to deliver Location Of Choice Malaysia is already one of the fastest rising initiatives to transform the À nance function reduced À nance costs, drive is now À rmly established. destinations of choice for À nance and ac- process efÀ ciency and enhance counting SSO. Numbers released by MDeC The speed at which À nance operating mod- recently state that Malaysia’s SSO cluster els are evolving today has industry players effectiveness of the À nance recorded RM10.4 billion in revenue for questioning how SSO delivery centres can 2012, a 14 percent jump from 2011. The best support the value creation agenda. function as a true business outsourcing sector contributed RM5.8 bil- This is particularly true for global À nance partner to the organisation.” lion to the nation’s GDP last year, up 32 functions as they seek to become more ef- percent from the previous year. À cient and effective partners to the organi- ACCA’s research suggests that signiÀ cant sation in their “go for growth” strategies. Such potential means it is essential to en- challenges remain, particularly in relation sure that a strong pool of talent is available In a report entitled ‘Finance Transforma- to mobility and the challenge of career and fed into this sector. tion: Expert Insights On Shared Services paths extending between SSO and the rest & Outsourcing’, À nance experts from 20 of the À nance function. To bridge the talent gap, ACCA is working leading global organisations including Coca with Talent Corporation Malaysia (Talent- In July 2013, ACCA and the Multimedia De- Corp) to identify interested employers from Cola, Deloitte, PwC, Shell, Unilever and velopment Corporation (MDeC) conducted a WPP shared their insights on this matter. the SSO industry in Malaysia for a unique survey to gain insights to the key attraction Graduate Up-skilling programme. This initi- These global leaders suggest that for the and retention factors in shared services ative will see eligible new recruits of these À nance transformation process to work, companies in Malaysia. The survey gathered companies take up the ACCA QualiÀ cation, good working relationships with outsourc- responses from 626 À nance and accounting fully sponsored. The aim here is to provide ing partners are important. professionals currently working in the SSO the SSO industry with work-ready talent it industry in Malaysia. so desperately needs. Concerns were expressed however that pro- An overwhelming 84 percent said they en- viders of outsourced À nance solutions are ACCA is the Association of Chartered joyed the nature of their work, while 82 not always aligned to the real needs of the CertiÀ ed Accountants. For details of the percent are conÀ dent they can build a long- clients. Different cultural values, targets Graduate Up-skilling programme, contact: and incentivisation approaches and differ- term career in the shared services industry. ent views on speed of delivery can "make However, only 53 percent are satisÀ ed with Ms Zaiti Waddell on +603-2182 3602 or or break" the success of the transformation. their current job. Email [email protected]

24 September-October 2013

09537_BMCC SeptOct2013.indd 26 9/17/13 2:11 PM Cover Story Creating Conducive Environments

www.fortisco.net

Storage solutions Since introducing this concept of ‘ofÀ ce company Fortisco art’, Fortisco has installed a number of mo- offers a range of bile À ling systems for its Malaysian clients. mobile shelving “This has not only met challenging À ling re- systems that meet quirements, but at the same time provided these criteria. a dramatic backdrop that has transformed the working environment,” says Frank. Founded in 2011, or most organisations, keeping records the company provides complete storage Clients have the option to choose any de- and documents, whether in boxes or and display solutions for the public and sign they wish to have incorporated on the Flever arch À les, is a must and in many private sector including schools, colleges, end À nishing panels to create a personal or cases, a legal requirement. However, the and universities; clinics, medical practi- commercial message, or just to add stun- area designated for À ling these documents tioners, hospitals and research institutions; ning geographical scenes purely for visual does not have to be hidden away in often and various defence ministries throughout effect. Images can either be selected from inaccessible places. South East Asia and the Middle East. Fortisco’s library of pictures or clients can provide their own high-resolution images Much more convenient for those who need Fortisco also works closely with architects for Fortisco to have printed on their stor- to constantly access these À les is if they and consultants involved in all types of age units. “The only real constraint is the are stored in close proximity to their work- commercial ofÀ ce space for banks and À - imagination!” adds Frank. place. Of course, À le storage systems are nancial institutions. rarely seen as part of the general ofÀ ce furniture mainly due to the lack of aesthetics Either hand-operated, or of the actual storage units. larger mechanically-operated units, the systems can be Most ofÀ ces tend to go for conventional installed in almost any area À ling cabinets or À ling cupboards, both of of an ofÀ ce. which serve the purpose of storing À les and documents but do not utilise the storage Fortisco Managing Director space as efÀ ciently and economically as Frank Johnstone says, “The they could. units can also be decorated either to blend in with other Mobile storage systems offer maximum ofÀ ce furniture, or to provide storage capacity and at the same time, dramatic visuals with stun- provide unlimited scope for companies to ning images that enhance the use the À ling units as attractive furniture to workplace.” brighten up utilitarian areas of the ofÀ ce.

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09537_BMCC SeptOct2013.indd 27 9/17/13 2:17 PM Cover Story

26 September-October 2013

09537_BMCC SeptOct2013.indd 28 9/17/13 2:12 PM New Members A warm welcome to our new members!

Aspire Consulting Sdn Bhd Formed in 2002 in Malaysia, training consultancy specialising in Organisational diagnosis and development strategies; Cross-cultural coaching and team development; Senior team development; Facilitation and Executive coaching. Recognised for innovative and results-driven consulting and training solutions, helping to accurately diagnose the root cause of organisational challenges and designing tailored solutions to deliver the required results. Hands-on involvement in implementing solutions and simple, yet practical follow-up actions to sustain change. Tel: +6012 203 8044 Email: [email protected] Web: www.aspireconsulting.com.my Helen Langhammer - Director, Talent and Team Development

Thistle Johor Bahru Located in heart of Johor Bahru, one of Malaysia’s most important business and tourist centres, with Singapore just a few minutes’ drive away. Luxury 5-star hotel with 382 fully refurbished bedrooms, including 125 executive rooms with spectacular sea views. Superior meeting and events facilities to cater for business events plus beautiful landscaped grounds, sea views and tropical climate making the hotel a popular venue for weddings. Wide range of dining options. Jalan Sungai Chat, 80100 Johor Bahru. Tel: +607 222 9234 Fax: +607 222 9099 Email: [email protected] Ms M S Bobby - Director of Marketing Communications & Public Relations Edward Kollmer – General Manager

EP-Asia Corporation Sdn Bhd Partnering with world-class principals in niche markets for customers across Asia. Four distinct entities operating in À ve countries: EP-Net Technology: Software Developer & Solution provider for large enter- prises; EP-TEC Solutions: systems integration of education, training technology, contact centre and work- force management; Jobscentral Malaysia: fastest growing job portal in Malaysia offering user-friendly online recruitment platform; GTI Media Sdn Bhd: founded in 1988 in UK, leading student and graduate careers publisher with publications in China, France, Germany, Ireland, Malaysia, Singapore and UK. 23-6, 6th Floor, Jalan SP2/1, Section 2, Serdang Perdana, 43300 Seri Kembangan, Selangor. Tel: +603 8941 5055 Fax No: +603 8941 5069 Email: [email protected] Web: www.ep-asia.com Hee Kim Fah - Chairman

Gastrodome Management Services Sdn Bhd Established in December 1999, now one of the largest independent restaurant operators in Kuala Lumpur. Unique collection of outlets renowned for consistent high quality cuisine ranging from Spanish tapas at La Bodega outlets to classic European tastes of The Press Room, The Press Room Bistro and Espressamente illy. Also specialising in restaurant management consultancy. 16-2, Jalan Telawi 2, Bangsar Baru, 59100 Kuala Lumpur. Tel: +603 2287 7691 Fax: +603 2287 6318 Email: [email protected] Web: www.gastrodome.com.my Edward Hyde – Founder & CEO

Epsom College Malaysia Sdn Bhd Co-educational boarding and day school on 50-acre site at Bandar Enstek, south of Kuala Lumpur. Following British National Curriculum with all teaching in English, leading to IGCSE at 16 and A’ Levels at 18. Senior School (ages 11-18) and Prep School (ages 3–10) opens September 2014. Based on Epsom College UK, emphasis will be on creating family environment within structured school routine, with traditional British House system fostering spirit of belonging and community. Senior School campus comprises hi-tech, environmentally-friendly buildings, with specialised facilities for music, drama and sport. Unit D4-G4-3A, Block D4, Publika, Solaris Dutamas, 1 Jalan Dutamas 1, 50480 Kuala Lumpur. Tel: +603 6211 4488 Fax: +603 6206 3243 Mike Oliver Jane Smith Email: [email protected] Head of Senior School Head of Prep School Web: www.epsomcollege.edu.my

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09537_BMCC SeptOct2013.indd 29 9/17/13 2:12 PM 34 September-October 2013

09537_BMCC SeptOct2013.indd 30 9/17/13 2:12 PM BizBriefs

Amcorp Announces Latest UK Venture

Holland Park

uilding on the momentum of its success- Bes to date in the UK property market, Amcorp Properties Bhd together with its Joint Venture partner Hotel Properties Ltd has announced that it will develop a high- end residential project in Campden Hill Road close to the prime High Street Kens- ington district in Central London. The joint venture also involves UK-based developers Native Land and Grosvenor.

Located north of Kensington High Street, an upmarket shopping zone, the Campden Hill Road development is well-connected by the High Street Kensington Tube Station (Circle and District lines) and numerous bus routes. Wycombe Square

residences such as Philimore Gardens and Wycombe Square.

In other news, AMPROP’s 10.25MW solar farm located in Gemas, Negeri Sembilan in the southern region of Malaysia, is in the process of being commissioned. The solar farm is built on an area spanning 34 acres with over 40,000 panels installed and will be one of the largest single-site solar farms in Malaysia.

The solar farm will utilise the YGE 60 Cell Series multi-crystalline module with peak “This project provides AMPROP with a valu- Targeted for completion by end of 2016, power of 250 watt supplied by Yingli Solar, able opportunity to embark on developing renowned British architects John McAslan the world’s largest solar manufacturer. exclusive residential apartments in prime & Partners have been engaged for the pro- central London with sound and reputable ject, which will comprise 72 units of 1-6 “We are pleased with our achievements in partners such as Hotel Properties Ltd, Gros- bed private apartments with 78 basement the renewable energy sector and are proud venor and Native Land. We are conÀ dent car parking spaces and amenities. The ex- to be a part of the nation’s drive towards that the development will be a major suc- clusive apartments are built on a private using renewable energy as an alternative cess and well-received by prospective buy- and quiet location at the end of Campden source of energy to meet the nation’s elec- ers once completed,” says Azlan Baqee Ab- Hill, overlooking Holland Park and within tricity requirements,” says Azlan Baqee Ab- dullah, Chief Operating OfÀ cer of AMPROP. the vicinity of other well-known high end dullah.

September-October 2013 29

09537_BMCC SeptOct2013.indd 31 9/17/13 2:09 PM BizBriefs

“By taking a holistic view in addressing the challenge of securing the academic Protecting environment, universities, colleges and schools can Knowledge protect assets, reduce costs and deliver a better experience Environments for all stakeholders.” tutions are also already well-established in other parts of the country.

The ability for these institutions and their student populations to be able to operate in a safe and secure environment is para- mount. Security specialist Safeguards G4S believes that the key to releasing wider beneÀts for its clients is to always look at the bigger picture and consider solutions that transform performance.

To do this, it provides top tier project management that brings together its expertise in logistics, technology and managing the world’s biggest force of security personnel. It also brings in-depth knowledge derived from providing security solutions in diverse regulatory environments in over 125 countries around the world.

With this approach, Safeguards G4S offers secure solutions that deliver more than the sum of their parts. By looking at the challenge of securing the academic environment more holistically, universities, colleges and schools can protect assets, reduce costs and deliver a better experience for As a result there has been the stakeholders they serve. an inÁ ux of international Safeguards G4S recognises that each col- institutions setting up fac- lege and university requires a unique set ulties in the country. There of security and safety solutions. As such it are currently 81 interna- specialises in developing tailored solutions tional schools, with 29 new for speciÀ c campus environments. It also licences approved in 2012 understands that security and safety must alone and another 18 under balance particular needs while staying consideration. Over 33,000 mindful of costs and budgets. eveloping the Education Sector is a key Malaysian and foreign students are now en- plank of Malaysia’s Economic Transfor- D rolled in international schools. Safeguards G4S is experienced in developing mation Programme. The ultimate aim is to such programmes for campus communities establish the country as a transnational hub There has been a similar wave of invest- with a commitment to quality and measur- for education. ment and development at Iskandar Malay- able value. It provides expertise to support sia, in southern Peninsular Malaysia, which administrators and dovetail with existing In order to facilitate this development, is being planned as an integrated living, safety programmes to deliver Evacuation a number of measures were put in place entertainment and business metropolis. A & Disaster Planning; Emergency Prepared- recently by the Government. Among the key component to this is EduCity@Iskandar, ness, Special Event Security and Crime Pre- most signiÀ cant were the lifting of foreign which is targeted to become an education vention and Campus Escort Services. ownership limits on international schools; hub by 2020, through investment by world- highly attractive investment tax allowances class educational establisments. For clients, the ability to source a range of on qualifying capital expenditure incurred services from a single provider results in an by new and existing international schools; The list of institutions already in EduCity@ integrated approach with minimal manage- and removal of the 40 percent quota on Ma- Iskandar is impressive and includes leading ment interfaces required. laysian student enrolment in international universities and colleges from the UK, Eu- schools and deregulated tuition fees. rope, the US and Singapore. Similar insti- www.g4s.com.my

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09537_BMCC SeptOct2013.indd 32 9/17/13 3:05 PM BizBriefs

Senergy: Investing Down Under tatistics released recently from Australia’s Foreign The Next Phase SInvestment Review Board show that Malaysians in- vested RM3.58 billion into Australian Real Estate in Of The Journey the À nancial year 2011-2012. This puts Malaysia into pecialist oil & gas À rm Senergy has an- the top À ve international real estate investors behind Snounced a signiÀ cant development in its much larger countries including the US and China. growth journey with the news that Lloyd’s Reg- ister Group has become a major investor in the UEM Sunrise recently purchased two sites totalling company. over 5,000 sqm in the Melbourne CBD for a combined sum of AU$65.6 million. Mammoth Empire has been Senergy CEO James McCallum (above) is delighted and says that the new active in Melbourne for some years - its 50-storey resi- partnership a good À t. “When we went out to the market to start looking dential development known as MY80 is nearing com- for a À nancial partner two or three years ago, our overriding priority was to pletion and last year, it acquired a second site directly À nd an investor that was committed to strong Values. Senergy is renowned opposite MY80 for AU$15.125 million, also set to be a for excellence in oil & gas; Lloyd’s Register is renowned for excellence in large-scale residential development. assurance. It’s a great match.”

SP Setia has embarked on several Melbourne projects Another aspect which appealed to Senergy is that Lloyd’s is run as a chari- including 557 St Kilda Road, a 9,000+ sqm site pur- table organisation. “Lloyd’s reinvests the dividends back into the business chased for AU$25.5 million. The development will be and funds educational causes related to the industry. We saw this as a a residential scheme with 320 apartments, and an es- direct alignment with the principles we hold true at Senergy.” timated Gross Realisation of AU$250 million+. Its Ful- ton Lane project is a former CBD car park acquired for With a pedigree dating back to 1760, London-headquartered Lloyd’s pro- AU$30 million; it will comprise 778 apartments with vides independent assurance and expert advice to companies operating an estimated Gross Realisation of AU$470 million+. high-risk, capital-intensive assets in the energy and transportation sectors. This includes ensuring the quality of construction and operation of critical Apart from Melbourne, one of the largest Malaysian infrastructure – from ships and oil platforms to power plants and trains. deals to date was Santos Place in Brisbane, an ofÀ ce Through LR Energy - Drilling, formed by the acquisitions of ModuSpec and tower bought by PNB for AU$287 million reÁ ecting a West Engineering Services, it also provides technical assurance and con- yield of 7.5 percent. Other deals of note include Citi- sulting services to the drilling industry. tel Hotels’ purchase of 24 Hunter Street in Sydney for AU$36 million and Cahaya’s purchase of APIC House in Senergy will become part of Lloyd’s Energy Division resulting in a compre- Adelaide for AU$10.8 million. hensive portfolio of services for the upstream sectors of exploration, production and transportation through to reÀ nery and beyond. The combined The reasons for this high level of interest and invest- business will also provide life of À eld services from inception to decommis- ment are clear: high growth rates, À nancial regula- sioning. “There is huge potential on both sides and it is a good time to be tion and government policy leading to impressive coming in to the Lloyd’s Group,” says James. economic resilience; highly transparent and stable business climate; attractive yields in the commercial Now that the deal is concluded, James is looking forward to getting back property sector for ofÀ ce, retail, and industrial assets to the ‘day job’. “This kind of exercise can be very distracting and time- in metropolitan and regional locations; a strong stable consuming. Having a clear set of goals and getting it right at the front-end property market for disposal when required. are absolutely critical. It’s also important to be able to stand back and Stephen Kelly, Australia Desk, Knight Frank Malaysia make sure the direction you are heading is the right one for the business. Email: [email protected] For Senergy, we have become part of a highly respected organisation with a deep heritage. We are looking forward to the next phase of our journey.”

Nasim Launches New Outlet For Peugeot Customers In Penang

September-October 2013 35

09537_BMCC SeptOct2013.indd 33 9/17/13 2:12 PM Members News

Sepang International Circuit All Set For Thrilling Motorcycle Grand Prix

Sepang International Circuit will once again host the Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix, as part of the 18-leg 2013 FIM MotoGP World Championship. With the crown currently held by Dani Pedrosa still in contention and three races to follow after Sepang, the Malaysian round looks set to provide all the thrills and spills to be expected from this world-class event. Corporate hospitality packages provide a spectacular view of the track at Pad- dock Village, with fully air-conditioned halls located on the upper entrance of the main pit building. Catering and customised branding opportunities also available. 11-13 October 2013 Call +603-8778 2236 or email yamin.shaÀ [email protected] www.sepangcircuit.com

TMI Branded Customer Experience Conference Bringing International Experts To KL Three international experts are being Á own in by TMI International for its 2013 Ser- vice Conference, themed, “Creating Your Branded Customer Experience Organisa- tion”. The three speakers will join senior Malaysian leaders for the two-day event which features keynote sessions by Dr Janelle Barlow, best-selling author from the US, speaking on “Branded Customer Service – Your New Competitive Edge”; Cheryl Cran, best-selling author on multi-generations, on “Shaping Service Delivery for your Generations of Customers”; and Conor O’Connell, Managing Director of TMI Ireland, speaking on “My Personal Guarantee: A Revolution in Service Quality Thinking”. Round-table sessions with Liew Swee Lin, COO Astro and Praba Menon, GM Hotel Istana, will share different facets of customer experience journeys, focusing on the generations and culture. Day 2 will comprise Master Classes with Dr Barlow or Conor O’Connell for business leaders to apply this expertise in their own organisations. 30-31 October - Hotel Istana KL. Contact Terence from TMI on +603 6203 4410 or go to Highlights Section on www.tmimalaysia.com.my

Over 80 underprivileged children and adults from 5 to 46 years of age from Rumah Amal Permata Rohani and The Se- langor and Federal Territory Association For The Mentally Handicapped (SAMH) were treated to a Hari Raya celebration courtesy of HSBC Bank Malaysia.

Accompanied by their caregivers, all convened at HSBC’s headquarters in Leboh Ampang, Kuala Lumpur for a fun- À lled programme of activities. Thirty HSBC staff volunteered their time for the day to help with a range of handi- craft sessions.

Other activities included dance per- formances by SAMH while Rumah Amal Permata Rohani entertained the crowd with a nasyid and traditional dance performance. The Bank also handed out do- HSBC Bank Hosts Hari Raya Celebration nations of RM2,000 to each charity. For Charities Supporting Underprivileged

32 September-October 2013

09537_BMCC SeptOct2013.indd 34 9/17/13 2:12 PM Members News

New Appointments Advanced Online Travel Security Tool Gleneagles & Pantai Group Set To Deliver Improved Performance

Amir Firdaus Abdullah, previous- TravelTracker 6, the latest state-of-the-art online travel ly Regional Chief Executive Of- security tool, has been unveiled by International SOS and À cer of Gleneagles Hospitals and Control Risks. The fully redesigned system enables cli- Chief Executive OfÀ cer of Gle- ents to quickly identify the location of their employees neagles Kuala Lumpur (GKL), has and communicate with them in their time of need, wher- been promoted to Senior General ever they are in the world. Manager, Group Operations for Pantai Management Resources The upgrade includes enhanced and interactive visualisa- Sdn Bhd. The position reports to tion, with improved search and navigation features. The Alvin Lee Swee Hee, CEO, Malay- system has been tested by around 100 clients over the sia Operations. past year and is integrated with the International SOS Assistance App for mobile devices. A “check-in” button is Amir joined GKL in 2008 as Chief Executive and was promoted offered that allows travellers to conÀ rm their location. to Regional CEO of Gleneagles Hospitals in 2012. In his new role, Amir will oversee Pantai Hospital Klang and continue managing Other features include: detailed traveller “proÀ les” Pantai Hospital Ampang as well as overseeing GKL, Gleneagles overlayed on a map to provide greater peace of mind in Medini, Gleneagles Kota Kinabalu and Pantai Hospital Cheras. knowing who is where and if they need assistance; interactive maps showing the location of a medical or travel Amir is a member of the Institute of Healthcare Management UK security event, helping businesses quickly track where and has a wide range of experience in Healthcare Management personnel are at all times; fast and in-depth searches both in the private and public sectors of healthcare delivery. He using personal, geographical, and trip data; instant no- is also an elected Board Member of the Association of Private tiÀ cations between employers and those on the ground. Hospitals, Malaysia. Simon Chin, General Manager, International SOS Malay- Ms Yap Sim Bee, previously Chief Operating OfÀ cer and a 17-year sia, says: “As global business opportunities evolve and veteran of GKL, has been appointed as Deputy Chief Executive shift to new markets around the world, risks also increase OfÀ cer. In her new role, she will help to further accelerate the for employees and expatriates living, working, and trav- expansion of the Hospital and continue to focus on driving strong elling abroad. Real-time access to the right information customer growth and performance for GKL. is critical to making sound decisions.” www.gleneagleskl.com.my www.internationalsos.com

Safer with the knowledge Going together or going solo, we provide tailored help to make everyone’s relocation as successful as can be.

Relocating should be exciting and rewarding for everyone. Our experience and knowledge of worldwide relocations, is shared by all our people in more than 200 locations. And we’ll always be there to help you get the most from your relocation.

Tel: +60 3 5636 9166 [email protected]

Go knowing www.crownrelo.com/malaysia September-OctoberJuly-August 2013 2013 31

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New Executive Chairman For RBS Asia Paciﬁ c Donald Workman has been appointed to the position of Executive Chairman, RBS Asia PaciÀ c. He takes over from John McCormick who has decided to leave the Group after 17 years of service. Mr Workman has worked at RBS for 21 years and served most recently as Head of the Asset Protection Scheme unit, an important part of the restructuring of RBS. He has had extensive Asian experience having led the Global Banking and Markets team working on the strategic cooperation with Bank of China, and subsequently led the ABN AMRO Australian business immediately after the acquisition. He has acted as London/Edinburgh contact for many Asian clients over the years. As part of his duties, Mr. Workman will take on client relationships across APAC where Mr McCormick is Executive Sponsor. Mr Workman will jointly report to John Owen, CEO of International Banking and Suneel Kamlani/Peter Nielsen, Co-CEOs of Markets.

KL Convention Centre ICAEW Releases Latest Report Launches Culinaria Brand At Top Event With Regional Economic Insights The award-winning Kuala Lumpur Convention The latest report commissioned by the ICAEWW Centre has introduced the Culinaria brand to indicates that Malaysia could see lower growth deÀ ne and set its culinary services apart the rates due to US monetary policy. In the report, rest of the crowd. the leading accountancy and À nance body warns that increased yields in the US, following the “Culinaria encompasses the promise of value, market pricing in the Fed’s tighter stance, may taste and experience from our wide range of mean reduced capital Á ows to ASEAN. culinary offerings, at the same time bringing our award-winning food & beverage track re- The report provides a current snapshot of the cord to the fore,” explained Datuk Peter Bro- region’s economic performance with a focus kenshire, the Centre’s General Manager. on the À ve largest countries; Indonesia, Malay- sia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. The brand was launched recently at the Diner Amical of the Malaysia chapter of the Chaîne Annual growth in loans throughout the region is expected to fall with des Rôtisseurs, an international gastronomic currency movements suggesting there is already an element of wariness society devoted to the promotion of À ne din- among investors. Export-wise, China’s slowdown will continue to affect ing. The 80 food & wine connoisseurs and their the region, both because it is ASEAN’s largest trading partner and because guests sat down to an epicurean adventure of the impact it has on commodity prices. For Malaysia, although inÁ ation where the Centre’s Executive Chef, Richmond remains low, is expected to suffer from the Chinese slowdown and tapering Lim and his seven head chefs showcased their of asset purchases in the US. However, large, growing populations and the creative culinary Á air. potential for productivity improvements in Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia www.klccconventioncentre.com and Philippines provide a strong backdrop to the region. www.icaew.com

Over 60 HR professionals from MNCs and local À rms Towers Watson Beneﬁ ts Survey attended the recent seminar on BeneÀ ts Trends in Reveals Signiﬁ cant Trends the Asia PaciÀ c region organised by Towers Watson. The Seminar was used as the platform to share the À ndings from the BeneÀ ts Trends Survey conducted recently by the À rm.

The survey polled more than 1,000 employers in the region, revealing that four in ten are spending more than of 20 percent of their payroll on providing employee beneÀ ts. Despite this signiÀ cant spend, only slightly more than half said that their beneÀ ts were valued sufÀ ciently by employees and 15 percent said not at all.

Matthew Jackson, Director, BeneÀ ts Optimisation, Asia PaciÀ c said, “BeneÀ ts are no longer just a statutory requirement, they are being leveraged by employers in the war for key talent. But this spend must deliver the right beneÀ ts down the line.” Com- munication is key – with only 44 percent of employees in Malaysia saying that their companies communicate effectively on beneÀ ts. Employee Choice also presents Ma- laysian À rms with the opportunity to empower employees to shape their own beneÀ ts package. Currently only 10 percent provide a form of employee choice. Employers are also starting to think holistically about health programmes, moving from a ‘cure’ mentality to a ‘prevent’ mentality, resulting in a consistent rise in medical costs and increased employee expectations. www.towerswatson.com/en/Insights

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New Principal Appointed At Sri KDU International Margaret Rafee has been appointed to the post of Principal of Sri KDU International School (SKIS). Prior to her appointment, Mrs Rafee She was previously Headteacher at Alperton Community School in Wembley (2003-2013), a school with Investor in People status. During her ten- ure, the school signiÀ cantly improved in teaching standards and student achievement, culminating in the School being graded Outstanding Grade 1/4 by the UK Inspection Service OFSTED.

The school was a member of the West London Chamber of Commerce and Mrs Rafee worked closely with the local business community to Rolls-Royce Powers Young Dreams understand the skills required to be Helps Malaysian Set World Record successful in business in the UK. She has been a Deputy Headteacher, LEA The youngest pilot ever to Á y solo around the Advisor, University Lecturer in Eng- world in a single engine aircraft has touched down lish Communications and a teacher safely after an epic journey powered by Rolls- of French. She holds an MA in Applied Royce. Malaysian James Tan, 21, Á ew into the re- Linguistics and the UK National Pro- cord books at the controls of a Cessna 210 Silver fessional QualiÀ cation for Headship. Eagle À tted with a Rolls-Royce M250 B17 turboprop www.srikdu.edu.my engine. He clocked up a time of 48 days, beating the 80 days set last year by 22-year old Swiss pilot Carlo Schmid, who also Á ew a Cessna powered by Etihad Introduces Flying Nanny a Rolls-Royce engine. For Long Haul Flights James says he couldn’t have been happier with the Etihad Airways has launched a dedicated in-Á ight child care assistance turboprop, which never failed him, adding: “I deÀ - programme for families with the introduction a new Flying Nanny on nitely made the right choice going with Rolls-Royce board long-haul Á ights. In recent months, 300 Etihad Airways cabin and want to thank them for getting me home.” crew members have completed in-depth training from the world-re- His record-breaking journey began and ended at nowned child care specialist Norland College. By the end of 2013, 500 Subang Airport in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, with Flying Nannies will be working across Etihad Airways Á ights. visits to 21 countries. During his 113 hours in the Assistance begins right air he faced some hair-raising challenges. These from the boarding gate, included Á ying into thunderstorms, climbing above getting families settled on volcanic ash over Russia and À ghting freezing con- board, helping serve chil- ditions above the Bering Strait. dren’s meals early in the Now that he’s back on the ground, James hopes his Á ight and offering activi- Á ight will inspire others to live their dreams. As ties and challenges to help a dyslexia sufferer, James says he hopes his Á ight occupy younger guests. Un- will inspire others to pursue their dreams. “I want- accompanied minors will ed to show it is possible to overcome potentially also come under the care life-changing obstacles. I already have plans for of the Flying Nanny. another adventure - all I’m saying for now is that it www.etihadairways.com will be the M250 B17 bringing me home.”

Pioneering Acupuncture Technique Helps Combat Stress & Tension Meridians’ senior acupuncture practitioner Oran Kivity travelled to Japan recently to join over 200 Japanese and Western delegates for an intensive À ve-day training session supervised by the senior instructors of the Toyohari Acupuncture Association. Most remarkably, some 80 percent of the delegates and nearly all of the instructors are blind or partially sighted. “Blind acupuncturists form a large proportion of the acupuncture population and have developed specialised sen- sitivities and techniques that have widely inÁ uenced acupuncture,” says Oran.

The conference provided the opportunity to present Meridians’ signature acupuncture method ‘Ontake Warm Bamboo’. Developed in Malaysia by Oran, the method involves the application of heat to acupuncture points and channels using a short piece of bamboo which is heated. The bamboo can be held, tapped, pressed or rolled rhythmically on the skin to relieve stress and tension. www.meridians.com.my

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Life In The Fast Lane With Mike Gascoyne

aving spent 25 years at the sharp end Now Group Technical Director for the Cater- Mike will embark on the Transat Jacques of the cut-and-thrust world of inter- ham Group, Mike is keen to see British en- Vabre race from France to Brazil this No- Hnational motorsport, Mike Gascoyne gineering excellence applied in more areas. vember. It is part of a two-year Caterham knows a thing or two about performance. “We are exploring a number of avenues to Challenge campaign where Mike will be His CV reads like every child’s boyhood – deliver our expertise beyond motor racing able to deploy his 25 years’ in Formula 1 and girlhood - dream. A keen rugby player per se.” These include a joint venture with and transfer it to his passion – short-handed and outdoor enthusiast, he had already led Renault, to design develop and build high sailing. two expeditions to the Himalayas before performance sports cars. going on to enter the equally demanding “There are lots of similarities between high yet very different world of Formula 1. Another is the development of a high per- performance engineering, project manage- formance bicycle for professional cyclists. ment in F1 and competitive yacht racing. Having studied for a Ph.D. in ﬂ uid dynam- The Duo Cali, launched earlier this year, With Brian on board we have the perfect ics at Cambridge University in the 1980s, was designed entirely from the ground up package to take this to the next level.” he landed a job at McLaren – nothing like and built as a carbon ﬁ bre starting at the top! Mike rapidly developed monocoque. It weighs as a reputation as one of the most renowned little as 6kg. technicians in the industry, working under the extreme timelines that F1 demands and Mike’s latest challenge building great teams that deliver. is at a far slower speeds than in F1 but just as In the years since, he has also worked for demanding: the world of Tyrell, Jordan, Benetton and Toyota – al- ocean sailing. “Ever since ways with technical excellence and team I was very young I’ve performance as the watchwords. And then thrived on pushing myself he met Tony Fernandes. physically and mentally. Sailing is a real passion, Mike gave a glimpse of the journey so far something I’ve been lucky when he spoke to the audience at the re- enough to do since grow- cent BMCC Mix & Mingle Night at Le Meridi- ing up in Norfolk.” en Kuala Lumpur, organised in conjunction with the British High Commission. Last year, he completed his maiden solo trans- “We built an F1 team from scratch and we atlantic crossing. Not did it in less than six months! Two days after content with leaving it the car design was approved, we opened at that, Mike’s next chal- the factory and started work - with just four lenge is the far more people and that included me. Five months competitive arena of later we had a car on the grid. Team Lotus ocean racing. had arrived! This is a massive acceleration of the normal development schedule for Alongside record-breaking a completely new team.” The team later round-the-world yachts- adopted its current name of Caterham. man Brian Thompson,

September-October 2013 37 Health Corner

Coping With Stress:

1. Recognise your weaknesses. Take responsibility for your actions. Be realistic about your abilities. Work at improving yourself. 2. Choose a different perspective to tackle your problem. Talk to someone. Sometimes it’s difÀ cult to À nd a solution on your own. 3. Learn to delegate and ask questions if there’s something you don’t understand. Be willing to compromise. 4. Improve your social networking with your colleagues. Camaraderie is important. 5. Plan your work. Be organised. Prioritise. 6. Don’t take on more than you can handle. STRESS Learn to say “No”. In The Workplace Ever feel that there aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything making mistakes. It happens frequently - to done? Struggling to think straight and you don’t know which task to tack- senior management as well as to young ex- ecutives. They deny they are under stress.” le À rst? Always tired yet can’t sleep? You could be suffering from stress. When stress at work becomes unbearable and interferes with your ability to perform tress is a word that is being thrown with pressure to work at optimum levels all in your job, the way your manage your per- about for nearly everything these the time. “Sometimes, you can’t help it if sonal life and it affects your health, it is Sdays. Sometimes it’s so overused, that your company is going through transforma- time to take action. you just can’t believe it when it actually tion. Not everyone will crash, but there will “When you reach this high level of stress, happens to you or to someone you know. be some who will when the hours are long you really need to take a break. It can be a and the pressure continues for months. Stress is everywhere – at work, at school, week, a month or even a whole year; just even at home. But would you know it when “These are the people who want to À nish step away from it all. Another option might it happens? Would you be able to recognise their tasks. They are very good employees. be to consider seeing a professional py- the signs? Can you manage it and cope with But they need to recognise that while they schiatrist or psychologist to help with stress your circumstances? may be a good employee, there need to be management.” boundaries. Work hard by all means, but There is positive stress – that pushes and don’t overdo it.” Dr Hamidah adds that the How To Cope “Determine what works for you,” says Dr challenges you to excellence; and there is ones who are likely to suffer are those who Hamidah. “Different age groups have dif- negative stress that can be toxic for you. don’t know how to say “No”. While some stress is normal, excessive ferent needs and abilities to cope. When stress can adversely affect your physical, A contributing factor can also be a person’s you are in your twenties, your system and emotional and mental health. self-esteem and their background. “If they body can take on far more punishing rou- lack conÀ dence and leadership qualities, tines. By the time you’re in your forties, According to Dr Nor Hamidah Mohd Salleh, they may have difÀ culty knowing when to you may be less alert, easily overwhelmed. Consultant Psychiatrist at Gleneagles Kuala stand their ground,” she says. You should set personal boundaries. If you Lumpur, it will be your ability to deal with don’t set the rules, it can overrun you.” stress that will make the difference be- Not everyone displays symptoms of anxi- tween success and failure. “Stress is some- ety and excessive stress. Some people can Dr Hamidah says people are also losing their thing we generally can’t avoid. So we must cope; they bury the stress in silence. Some communication skills. “It’s ironic that with embrace it and manage it. suffer physical symptoms such as tension social networking being so common now, headaches, aching neck and shoulders, con- people are losing the ability to communi- “You have to À nd ways to manage stress stipation, palpitations, low libido, frequent cate face-to-face. It’s an important part by focusing on what affects you. Most im- bouts of Á u and unexplained tiredness. Oth- of maintaining a balanced persepctive on portantly, the ability to control all this is ers manifest stress in more extreme ways. work and life in general.” within your power. If something doesn’t work for you, identify it and make changes Those who choose to deal with stress in Other factors that go a long way to man- one at a time. Trying to tackle everything in silence may seem À ne outwardly but their aging stress are a healthy diet, taking suf- one go can be overwhelming and make you body baulks at it. À cient exercise, getting plenty of rest and feel even more helpless,” says Dr Hamidah. making time to ‘switch off’ from work. “Sometimes you cry for no reason. That’s a Stress at the workplace also depends to a way of your body needing attention for you Dr Nor Hamidah Mohd Salleh is Consultant large extent on the nature of your work. to address your situation and face up to re- Psychiatrist at Gleneagles Kuala Lumpur. She cites an example of long working hours ality. You might become forgetful. You start www.gleneagleskl.com.my

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