EPICENTRE HOLDINGS LIMITED HOLDINGS EPICENTRE EPICENTRE HOLDINGS LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT 2017 REPORT ANNUAL 39 Ubi Road 1 #08-01 World Publications Building Singapore 408695 Telephone: +65 6601 9100 Facsimile: +65 6601 9133 Website: www.epicentreasia.com Experience Life with Technology to Live Out Loud SINGAPORE | MALAYSIA Annual Report 2017 . GROUP INFORMATION . OUR VISION FULL NAME OF COMPANY REGISTERED OFFICE Epicentre Holdings Limited 39 Ubi Road 1 Be a World Class Digital #08-01 World Publications Building Lifestyle Brand in Asia Singapore 408695 COMPANY REGISTRATION NUMBER Telephone: +65 6601 9100 200202930G Facsimile: +65 6601 9111 WEBSITE COMPANY SECRETARIES www.epicentreasia.com Khoo Lay Fen www.lolliveoutloud.com Leow Siew Yon OUR MISSION www.japaniplexpress.com We are committed to enrich the AUDITORS BOARD OF DIRECTORS BDO LLP customer’s digital lifestyle with Lim Tiong Hian Public Accountants and Chartered Accountants World Class Experience, Innovative (Executive Chairman and Acting Chief Executive Officer) 600 North Bridge Road Azman Hisham Bin Ja'afar (Independent Director) #23-01 Parkview Square Value and Awesomely Great (EPIC) Giang Sovann (Independent Director) Singapore 188778 Hospitality Lim Jin Wei (Independent Director) Partner-in-charge: Yeo Siok Yong AUDIT & RISK COMMITTEE SHARE REGISTRAR & SHARE TRANSFER OFFICE Lim Jin Wei (Chairman) Boardroom Corporate & Advisory Services Pte. Ltd. Azman Hisham Bin Ja'afar 50 Raffles Place Giang Sovann #32-01, Singapore Land Tower Singapore 048623 Telephone: +65 6536 5355 NOMINATING COMMITTEE Facsimile: +65 6536 1360 Azman Hisham Bin Ja'afar (Chairman) Giang Sovann Lim Jin Wei PRINCIPAL BANKERS Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited DBS Bank Limited REMUNERATION COMMITTEE United Overseas Bank Limited Giang Sovann (Chairman) OCBC Bank (Malaysia) Berhard Azman Hisham Bin Ja'afar Malayan Banking Berhad Lim Jin Wei Hong Leong Bank Berhad . TABLE OF CONTENTS . 02 · OUR VALUES 03 · CORPORATE PROFILE 04 · CHAIRMAN STATEMENT 06 · OPERATIONS REVIEW 07 · FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS 08 · BOARD OF DIRECTORS 10 · KEY MANAGEMENT 12 · AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS 13 · OUR VALUE PROPOSITION 15 · STORE LISTING 17 · GROUP STRUCTURE 18 · FINANCIAL CONTENTS 19 · CORPORATE GOVERNANCE REPORT 71 · FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 129 · STATISTICS OF SHAREHOLDINGS 131 · NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 135 · APPENDIX PROXY FORM GROUP INFORMATION This Annual Report has been reviewed by the Company’s Sponsor, Stamford Corporate Services Pte. Ltd., for compliance with the relevant rules of the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited (“SGX-ST”). The Company’s Sponsor has not independently verified the contents of this Annual Report. This Annual Report has not been examined or approved by the SGX-ST and the SGX-ST and the Company’s Sponsor assume no responsibility for the contents of this Annual Report, including the correctness of any of the statements or opinions made or reports contained in this Annual Report. The details of the contact person for the Sponsor are: Name: Mr. Bernard Lui, Registered Professional, Stamford Corporate Services Pte. Ltd. Address: 10 Collyer Quay, #27-00 Ocean Financial Centre Singapore 049315 Tel: +65 6389 3000 01 EPICENTRE HOLDINGS LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT 2017 . OUR VALUES . LEARNING We, as a TEAM, to continuously improve our competency for VIBRANCY greater fulfilment We enthusiastically work towards innovative solution ETHICS We consistently act with integrity and fairness OWNERSHIP We act pridefully with accountability and speed 02 EPICENTRE HOLDINGS LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT 2017 . CORPORATE PROFILE . Since its establishment in 2002, EpiCentre Holdings Limited has emerged to be one of Singapore’s leading lifestyle retail companies. While its claim to fame is its recognition as the first Apple Premium Reseller (“APR”) in the region (and one of the most awarded APRs in Asia Pacific), EpiCentre has since gone above and beyond merely offering a comprehensive range of Apple and Apple-related products, complete with pre-sales and post-sales services, in a bid to diversify its business and revenue stream. To date, it operates 3 EpiCentre stores delivering the complete range of Apple products and a slew of Apple and non-Apple branded accessories in Singapore and 6 EpiCentre stores in Malaysia; a Live Out Loud (LOL) concept store offering innovative digital lifestyle products; and 8 Japan IPL stores in Singapore since recently acquiring a 51 per cent stake in Japan IPL Holdings, a lifestyle and wellness service provider offering mainly hair removal and skin rejuvenation services. EpiCentre Holdings Limited, which rakes in an average annual revenue of SGD100 million, is aggressively penetrating the local and regional markets, while strategically locating retail stores within prime districts with heavy footfall. The group boasts a dynamic team of 97 employees across its Japan IPL, EpiCentre and LOL stores in the Singapore market alone, to ensure that Over the years, the company has been consistently reaping customers get the service experience they deserve. While multiple awards for its excellent performance, bagging retailing an extensive product range, the group also the Singapore Promising Brand Award (SPBA) for three has its very own proprietary accessory brand, iWorld®, consecutive years since 2009 under the Promising Brands and provides top-notch end-to-end services, including category, being recognised as the SPBA Overall Winner iConcierge Service, a one-of-the-kind counter service that in 2010 and being inducted into the SPBA – Hall of Fame provides technical advice and support, for wrapping up in 2011. The group’s other accolades include Singapore the consumer buying experience. Retailers Association’s (SRA) Service GEM award for 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013, the overall winner of the EpiCentre Holdings Limited makes its diverse product Prominent Category of the SME One Asia Awards 2013, range accessible to more consumers through its cloud- SPRING Singapore’s Singapore Service Class (S-Class) based e-commerce platforms and offline channels. And in 2014, and nominations for the Singapore Service as part of its omni-channel point-of-sales strategy, the Excellence medallion. It has also consistently gained group is committed towards continuously enhancing recognition as an Apple partner, winning the Platinum the customer retail experience and improving and Partner Award during the South Asia Conference 2010 differentiating its customer lifestyle privilege programme. and Apple Best POS Asia from 2006 to 2008. 03 EPICENTRE HOLDINGS LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT 2017 . CHAIRMAN STATEMENT . DEAR SHAREHOLDERS Notwithstanding the challenging conditions for the financial year ended 30 June 2017 (“FY2017”), the Group achieved revenue of $100 million with lesser retail outlets. As we grappled with retail industry concerns such as increasing retail rentals and a high overhead cost labour market, the Group continues to remain focused on satisfying our customers’ need for better customer service experience & value for money products offerings. MOVING BEYOND DIGITAL LIFESTYLE SHOPPING DESTINATION As we contend with a soft consumer market that showed signs of dampened buying power and the increasing market trend for online shopping, the Group has plans to move beyond offering Digital IT electronic gadgets & accessories to Lifestyle products & services. Riding on the rising digital economy trend, we have extended our customer base through e-commerce channels to reach out to the global community of online shoppers. Even though we are still at the early stage of establishing our online shopping experiences, we have successfully advanced into the e-commerce world by staying competitive with free shipping services for all electronic devices bought online to all our customers residing in Singapore. We believe that by providing a hassle-free online shopping experience, it will help us gain their trust & loyalty. In line with our business objective to retain & reward our discounts customers, the Group revamped the Epitude membership program by offering our customers direct discount & saving to retain their loyalty & gain greater acceptance with today’s savvy shoppers. In March 2017, we acquired Japan IPL and its subsidiaries with 8 existing beauty retail chain stores and will soon be embarking on aggressive market expansion plans in China, Malaysia and other regions. In the upcoming months, the Group, will be focusing on opening a new concept store under the brand “Live Out Loud” (LOL) by Epicentre, which will offer customers a different shopping experience as compared to the Apple Premium Reseller business model. At LOL By EpiCentre, we aim to provide our 04 EPICENTRE HOLDINGS LIMITED ANNUAL REPORT 2017 customers a one-stop destination to experience a Dual- In the new financial year, we will also be integrating platform shopping experience where we allow customer several of our internal systems into one single platform. to do a direct comparision of iOS & Android devices. We We are optimistic that with the new IT system in place, also welcome consumers to try out Laptops operated by the Group will be able to better track & respond to Windows & MacOS. We are set to diversify our product customer’s needs and wants in a timely manner. With offerings with other lifestyle gadgets and accessories. We an integrated ERP solution in new financial year, we aim are optimistic about expanding our business through to improve our business processes to better service our providing various IT solution-based services in the