17 Singapore companies among top 2000 global firms: Report

17 Singapore companies have made it to Forbes' Global 2000 list, ranking among the biggest and most powerful public companies in the world.
The Forbes Global 2000 is a list compiled by Forbes magazine of the top 2000 global public companies.


Firms are ranked according to scores based on sales, profits, assets and market value. The 17 local companies were led by SingTel, which ranked no. 290 on the list. It had a market value of $31.82 billion.


Other Singapore companies include Wilmar International at no. 314 (S$14.93 billion), DBS Group at no. 337 (S$14.53 billion), United Overseas Bank at no. 392 (S$12.37 billion) and Singapore Airlines at no. 454 (S$9.78 billion).
Oversea-Chinese Banking, Keppel, CapitaLand, Flextronics Intl, SembCorp Industries, Singapore Technologies, City Developments, Golden Agri-Resources, Fraser & Neave, Singapore Exchange were also on the list.

Attention Expats: Singapore is Better Than Hong Kong

HONG KONG — Singapore and Hong Kong are engaged in a constant battle: which, oh which, is the more important Asian financial center? And which is more capable of attracting the top-quality workers that are needed to run the trading floors, logistics operations and universities that make both cities global players?

This week, once again, Singapore came out clearly ahead of Hong Kong, in an annual ranking of living conditions (as seen through the eyes of expatriate staff) compiled by ECA International, the management consultancy.

The assessment is designed to help companies determine what, if any, additional compensation or benefits they should offer employees they are sending abroad, and takes into consideration factors such as climate, health services, housing, leisure facilities, infrastructure, safety, political tensions and air quality.

Singapore was ranked as the best Asian city to live in (for the 13th year in a row), ahead of Hong Kong, which came in third, after Kobe, Japan.

Hong Kong’s positioning was an improvement from the previous year, when it ranked fifth within the region. But the 2-notch rise was nothing for Hong Kong to be proud of: It was the result of two other Japanese cities, Tokyo and Yokohama, dropping in the ranking because of the earthquake and tsunami of March 2011.

All in all, of course, Hong Kong does a good job in many respects: the transport infrastructure is awesomely efficient; health and education services are good; and on the personal safety front…well, name another city of seven million where a woman can go jogging on her own at night, as I do.

Still, where Hong Kong falls down — vis a vis urban rival Singapore — is air quality.

This may sound banal, but it is not. Pollution has worsened over the years (in part because of smog from neighboring mainland China), and, as I have reported, the government’s inability to reverse the trend (by giving out incentives to promote cleaner engines or cleaner fuel, for example) is drawing increasingly outspoken criticism.

Hong Kong, said Lee Quane, regional director for Asia at ECA International, has the third worst score for any of the 49 Asian cities assessed by the consulting firm, after Beijing and New Delhi, and now ranks among the worst locations worldwide for air quality, along with Santiago, Mexico City, and Cairo.

Air pollution, Mr. Quane said, could be a critical factor for an employee trying to decide whether to relocate here. “In this respect, Singapore has a clear lead over Hong Kong, giving it an advantage in terms of attracting business from overseas.”

S'pore 10th most popular retail city

A SURVEY of 326 of the world's top retailers showed that 38.9 per cent of them are in Singapore, making it the 10th most popular retail city in the world.

The only Asian city to fare better was Hong Kong, which ranked sixth with 40.5 per cent of retailers surveyed in the city.

Shanghai and Beijing were ranked 11th and 13th respectively, followed by Tokyo in 19th place.

The 2012 edition of CBRE's annual survey, How Global is the Business of Retail?, also showed that Asian retailers are increasing their footprint in the global market, with 26 per cent of them having a presence in two regions today compared with 22 per cent last year.

"Asian retailers are less well travelled than their European and American counterparts, due primarily to the unexploited opportunities in their own region. When they do expand into a new region, Dubai, Melbourne and Sydney are the top targets," the report noted.

CBRE's annual survey - now in its fifth year - maps the global footprint of retailers including luxury brands, mid-range fashion brands, denim retailers, homeware and department stores, and coffee, restaurant, supermarket and consumer electronic brands.

Singapore is the most targeted market in Asia for European retailers, with 39.9 per cent of European brands present here, the survey found.

"This is testament to the successful evolution of Singapore as a global city and tourist destination. Singapore remains an accessible potential test bed for new brands and retailers seeking a South East Asian, Asian exposure," Letty Lee, CBRE director of retail services in Singapore, said.

For new retailer entries in the region, Vietnam has been a consistently growing market over the last two years, with a large, young and increasingly affluent population who are becoming ever more fashion-conscious, CBRE noted.

Chinese cities will continue to dominate shopping centre development activity, over the next few years. Eight out of the top 10 most-active retail development markets globally are in China.

On an international basis, London has reclaimed the top spot as the most targeted market for international retailers.

The city attracts more than half of all international retail brands surveyed after sharing the top spot with Dubai last year, CBRE said.

Thanks-Business Times

Singapore set to become regional hub for training helicopter pilots

SINGAPORE - Singapore is fast becoming a regional hub for training helicopter pilots, with a new full-flight simulator starting operations earlier this month. Besides France, the Republic is the only country to have this high-tech machine, situated in Seletar Aerospace Park and operated by aerospace group Eurocopter. About 40 pilots from five nations, including Australia, India and the United Arab Emirates, will train at the Eurocopter simulator this year. Trainees will get to experience flying over France and try their hand at executing different chopper manoeuvres. "It's hard to practice emergency situations because it is very dangerous. So this simulator lets us practice in safety," said Mr Park Chang Sung from the South Korean Coast Guard, who has trained with the simulator. Mr Scott Kitchen, who trained Mr Park, said simulators make pilot training safer. "It also saves valuable training dollars for any company or any organisation because the cost for a flight hour is much more than what it costs to run the flight simulator," he said. Eurocopter's training centre in Seletar Aerospace Park also has another simulator that is used by the Republic of Singapore Air Force. Some 50 pilots train with it every year. Noting that training with a simulator plays a crucial role in honing pilot skills, instructor Ronnie Chan said: "Sometimes when you practice in the air, you feel a bit lost because you don't know what to do. (In the simulator), technique-wise, if you are wrong, we'll correct you." Eurocopter said more bookings for the training services are in the works. Thanks TODAY ONLINE

Study in Singapore A Uniquely Singapore

Why study logistics & supply chain management courses in Singapore?

• 20 of the world's 25 largest third party logistics service providers (3PLs) have established significant operations in Singapore. Most of them have also set up regional or global headquarter functions in Singapore. Besides 3PLs, manufacturers are also increasingly establishing regional or global distribution centres in Singapore.
• Singapore is the world's busiest port and is the largest transshipment hub. PSA Singapore Terminals are connected by 200 shipping lines to 600 ports in 123 countries, with daily sailings to every major port of call in the world. PSA Singapore Terminals received the "Best Container Terminal (Asia)" for the 22nd time at the 2011 Asian Freight & Supply Chain Awards (Cargonews Asia), and "Container Terminal Operator of the Year" at the Lloyd's List Asia Awards, for the 11th time in 2009.
• Singapore's Changi Airport is amongst Asia's largest cargo airport. It is served by about 6,100 flights connecting to 210 cities in 60 countries. In 2011, Singapore Changi Airport received the Best Airport in Asia award for the 25th consecutive time and was named the Best Green Service Provider (Airport) for the 2nd time at the Annual Asian Freight & Supply Chain Awards (Cargonews Asia) since the inaugural launch of the award in 2010.

• Negotiating Complex Supply Chains and Asia
• World’s Top Logistics Hub
• Leading Industry Players
• World-Class Infrastructure, Global Connectivity
• Thought Leader in Asia

Negotiating Complex Supply Chains and Asia

Global supply chains are becoming more complex with rising fuel prices, changing business models, and an increasing demand for sustainable logistics solutions. In addition, multinationals are negotiating the complex Asian landscape as they expand into the region.

Leveraging its strategic location between the East and West, as well as its world-class logistics and supply chain capabilities, Singapore is well positioned to design and deliver sustainable solutions for companies’ global operations.

World's Top Logistics Hub

A 2010 World Bank report ranked Singapore as the no.2 logistics hub in the world, ahead of Netherlands, Sweden and Asian heavyweights such as Japan, Hong Kong and China.

Singapore offers world-class infrastructure and excellent connectivity, a base of leading industry players and customers, as well as thought leadership/knowledge in logistics/supply chain management. Backed by an integrated, whole-of-government approach towards growing the logistics industry, these propositions provide a strong foundation for Singapore as a vibrant, multimodal hub that develops and delivers sustainable supply chain solutions for the global economy.

Leading Industry Players

Singapore provides access to the world's best solutions, with 20 of the top 25 third party logistics companies (3PLs) having established significant operations in Singapore. Most of them have established regional or global headquarter functions in Singapore. They include DHL, Gati, Kuehne + Nagel, Sankyu, Schenker, Toll, UTi andYusen Logistics.

Leveraging Singapore's world-class infrastructure and excellent global connectivity, Singapore has become the preferred logistics and supply chain management hub for leading manufacturers across industries. They include Avaya, Diageo, Hewlett Packard, Life Technologies, LVMH, ON Semiconductor, Roche Diagnostics, Schneider Electric, and Siemens Medical Instruments.

World-Class Infrastructure, Global Connectivity

Singapore has established world-class specialised infrastructure, which include theAirport Logistics Park of Singapore (ALPS) in the airport's free-trade zone, the Changi International LogisPark that facilitates regional distribution, and the Banyan LogisPark on Jurong Island that caters to the specific needs of chemicals and oil companies.

Targeted to be operational in the first half of 2012, the new Air Cargo Express (ACE) Hub is a specialised cargo and logistics infrastructure for use by air express companies. The ACE Hub will have direct airside access to facilitate the unrestricted flow of cargo to and from aircraft, enabling air express companies to shorten the processing time for time-sensitive shipments to achieve greater efficiency and speed in transporting express cargo.

In addition, 3PLs have also invested in facilities and capabilities to meet industries' needs for specialised handling of products such as temperature-sensitive, time-sensitive clinical and diagnostics materials; chemical and petroleum products.

Besides infrastructure and specialised facilities, Singapore also offers excellent global connectivity with its extensive network of logistics linkages. The sea-port is linked to 600 other ports in 123 countries via 200 shipping lines. 27 million TEUs of containers were moved out of Singapore in 2010.

For air-cargo, Singapore's Changi Airport is ranked amongst Asia's top five. The airport is served by over 6,100 weekly flights connecting to 210 cities in 60 countries, handling close to 1.7 million tonnes of cargo in 2011. Singapore is also proximate to world's major markets, being situated within a seven-hour flight radius to half of the world's population in Asia Pacific.

Thought Leader in Asia

In response to the increased complexity of global supply chains, global 3PLs and supply chain management companies here are developing innovative logistics and supply chain solutions for their Singapore-based and regional manufacturing and trading customers.

The world's leading third party logistics player, DHL, established the Sustainable Supply Chain Centre Asia Pacific in Singapore, a global Centre of Competence, to look into sustainable supply chain solutions for the future of the industry.  

For know more about course and admission details contact admin@edusingapore.sg or visit www.edusingapore.sg

Enrol in Our Diploma in Early Childhood Care and Education - Teaching

As you are aware, Singapore enjoys a booming tourism industry, hence the popularity of our School of Tourism & Hospitality programs.

The childcare sector in Singapore is as equally buoyant, with Early Childhood teachers in great demand. Our School of Early Childhood Education enjoys a SUCCESS RATE OF 99% for its graduates finding full time employment in Singapore. This shows no signs of receding.

NTUC, Singapore’s largest trade union with 12 Social Enterprises is currently seeking suitably qualified Early Childhood Teachers and will do so for the foreseeable future, as they plan to open up to 200 childcare centresover the next few years.  Cherie Hearts, another childcare provider currently has 97 vacancies for Early Childhood Teachers.

By enrolling on one of our School of Early Childhood Education programs now, a student will stand a very good chance of gaining a good job within the industry here in Singapore.

Contact us for more details at admin@edusingapore.sg

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