Wednesday 9 Nov 2011
Hosted by: Marks & Clerk LLP
Organised by: Asia-Pacific Technology Network
Chair
Speakers
For several decades, Singapore has deliberately moved up the value chain, steadily improving its educational system, while supporting high-tech entrepreneurship by attracting western investment and bringing in supporting institutions such as leading global Venture Capitalists and IP lawyers. Today, it is a major centre for the regional headquarters of multinational companies, is a major R&D centre, is probably the 3rd largest wealth management centre in the world and is a major investor in the region. This seminar will look at the quality of the foundations on which this success story rests. It will examine the experience of some companies which have invested in Singapore and will discuss the case for putting a base in Singapore at the heart of a pan-Asian high tech strategy.
Location: Marks & Clerk LLP, 90 Long Acre, London, WC2E 9RA, UK
Nearest tube station: Covent Garden
Timing: 17:30 - 19.15 (followed by refreshments)
Pricing:
To Register your interest- please send your details (name, institutional affiliation, email address, phone number - and the category you come under) to biz22@aptn.org
Ed Bell
Ed has spent forty years in the oil and gas industry holding senior positions with Saudi Aramco and a Canadian consulting company. Ed was trained by British Petroleum (BP) and subsequently worked all over the world, including Japan, USA, Canada and the Middle East. His specialisations were in gas/oil facilities operations, safety/disaster planning, pollution control, inspection and project management. He has many years experience in growing businesses since the mid 1980’s through the position of Managing Director of several UK companies. These have included computer software development, oil pollution and disaster consulting, facilities inspection, new technology R/D in bio-sensors and latterly into diagnostic systems for soil contamination in the environment, food toxicity and bio-security applications. His role as Managing Director is to grow Crown Bio Technology Ltd (CBTL) into a global provider of biotechnological products in areas of low cost diagnostic testing. He has successfully obtained UK Govt Grants in excess of £1 million for the development of the Safe Soil Tester. Last year the Safe Soil Tester (SST) received certification under the EU’s ETV(Environmental Technical Verification ) covering 26 European Countries. Crown Bio has appointed Distributors in 6 Pacific Rim Countries including China, He has just returned from Western Canada in quest for Distributor(s) for Canada & USA. Most recently Crown Bio was awarded the “Best Innovation Award” (One of three Finalists from 90 nominated Eureka Projects across Europe) , all Eureka Products/Projects in last 10 years at a prestigious Ceremony in Jerusalem, Israel.
SK LINGAM
Hon. President - ASEAN UK Business Forum (AUBF) Chairman – Malaysian Link UK (MLUK) SK Lingam (SK) is an International corporate consultant with legal and commercial background. To his credit he has won a Book Prize at London University for International Affairs and Law. He was the first Chairman of the ASEAN UK Business Forum (AUBF), a forum which was initiated 10 years ago by their Excellencies the Ambassadors and High Commissioners of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) to the Court of St James’s. He remained elected Chairman of AUBF for the last decade since its inception. He resigned voluntarily after 10 years service and was appointed as the first Honorary President of AUBF. Nine years ago he was acknowledged with a book on ASEAN by the author of the book the then Secretary General of ASEAN His Excellency Rudolfo Severino with His Excellency’s appreciation remarks “To SK, an ASEAN asset in the UK”. In 2008 as an acknowledgement of SK’s ten (10) years service to the ASEAN UK Business Forum (AUBF), the Secretary General of ASEAN His Excellency Ong Keng Yong awarded SK with an appreciation plaque for his excellent services. Further SK was the immediate former joint President of Bulgaria – Malaysia Business Forum and immediate former First Vice President of ASEAN – EU Business Network, based in Brussels. He was the founding and former member of Malaysia UK Association (MUKA) and The Focus Malaysia Group (FMG) in London. SK is currently the founding member and first Chairman of Malaysian Link UK (MLUK). The primary objective of Malaysia Link UK (MLUK) is to promote and provide an informed perspective on the political, economic and trade issues relating to the UK and Malaysian bilateral relations. It also acts as a sounding board and a voice for Malaysian diaspora in the UK in their dealings with the UK government and corporate sectors. Over the years SK has acted in his professional capacity as a consultant for several UK and European companies with investment and trade portfolios in Asia and Africa. He has also represented many Asian and African government entities as well as major Asian based companies seeking investment and trading opportunities in the UK, Africa and in Europe. SK through his corporate entities offers multi-disciplinary professional services which includes identifying joint venture (capital and technical) partners and investors for joint projects (manufacturing, property, leisure, tourism, ICT, Hi-Technology, Environmental technology, marine, healthcare, life sciences and other enterprises) in the UK, Europe, ASEAN, Middle East, China, Eastern Europe, India, Morocco, Sri Lanka, Bulgaria and Africa. Having been Chairman of the AUBF for the last 10 years, SK has acquired expert knowledge of the ten countries of the ASEAN comprising of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Singapore, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. SK has forged high level connections both in the political and corporate level in the UK, Europe as well as in ASEAN. SK has given many public addresses in the UK, Europe and in ASEAN on political, legal, socio economic and trade matters. He has also acted as moderator in many trade seminars, dialogue sessions and conferences both in the UK and in ASEAN. SK has also in the past held the position of Chairman and President of various UK community base charities such as the Melting Pot Foundation, the Afro Asian Rehabilitation Centre, the West Indians Women AssociaStion to mention a few. SK is a staunch supporter of the Macmillan Cancer and Cancer Research charities. His interests include reading, theatre, cinema, classical, contemporary music, gym, Formula 1 (McLaren) and he is a die- hard Gooner (Arsenal) and England football, cricket and rugby supporter.
David Ong
His career spans both technology and investment, having spent 13 years in the semiconductor industry and 12 years in venture capital. David started his career in the semiconductor industry, working as a chip designer in the Silicon Valley before moving to Singapore where he subsequently became head of product development and marketing. He moved from technology into venture capital investment in 1999 when he joined Vertex Management, a multinational private equity firm based in Singapore, where he focused on making investments in Asia. In 2000, David relocated to London to focus on investments in Europe with the view to grow these businesses through bridging them to Asia. He was recruited into Add Partners, a London based venture firm, in 2003 to invest in European technology businesses to help these businesses grow internationally. David’s portfolio companies include Sequans Communications, Tagsys RFID, Phyworks, Xiam, Altamedius, Straatum, Polytrax Information Technology and SmartBridges. David is Malaysian and holds a BSEE degree from the National University of Singapore.
Hugh Purser
1. former consultant to Singapore’s National Science & Technology Board (now A*STAR) 2. European Representative of Dimeled Pte Ltd, a Singapore-based digital media & LED business
Professor Harry Thomason MSc,PhD.hon. DSc.
Onetime Pro vice Chancellor Loughborough University, 19 years. Headed the Universities interface with governments and companies.e.g.,education and training advisor to Bae Systems and the Ford Motor Co.Advisor to the Minister of Education Singapore 1984 onwards.Involved in setting up the National Institute of Education as part of Nanyang Technological University Singapore.Worked closely with a group of Singaporeans who now hold senior positions.