Commentary

Singapore in good stead for digital innovation

Every day you read of companies moving their business online and embarking on some form of change. The use of new technologies has been a driving force behind this transformation. Without a shadow of doubt, 2016 marks the beginning of the ‘digital decade’.

Commentary

Singapore in good stead for digital innovation

Commentary

Rethinking and redesigning candidate assessments in the digital era

Did you know that it costs a company an average of US$20,000 for a single bad hire, according to a study by the Human Capital Institute? The recruitment process is both time-consuming and resource-intensive – not to mention, fraught with potential dangers of hiring the wrong candidate.

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What Singapore banks need to know about protecting privileged accounts

Most people have been following the story on the Bangladesh Central Bank Heist. If you haven’t, here is the scoop and timeline. On May 15, 2015, three bank accounts were opened at the Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) in the Philippines. Each of these accounts would lay dormant until February 4, 2016.

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Game on: How Singapore can score in global sports events management

In the past decade, Singapore has played host to many high-profile events such as the annual Formula 1 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix, the BNP Paribas Women's Tennis Association Finals Singapore, as well as the World Rugby Sevens series in 2016.

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Why Singapore stands to lose the most from Brexit and Trump

What do Brexit, the recent shootings in the state of Florida in the US, and US presidential candidate Donald Trump's proposed wall separating the US and Mexico have in common? All are signs globalisation is under pressure from many angles.

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Sales and Marketing get it, so why not HR?

Conventional sales wisdom is no longer contemporary; it's been around for a decade or two (depending on who you are). A while ago there was an epiphany in the sales world and, for all but a lonely few, the realisation set in that you can't push someone into buying something, it just doesn't really work.

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Why is pasta so shiok?

Singaporeans are crazy about Italian food. On TripAdvisor four of the top ten rated restaurants in Singapore are Italian, as is the top rated restaurant, Fratini La Trattoria. PastaMania, Singapore's biggest pasta chain, has a busy restaurant in almost every mall. Singapore also boasts the only Jamie's Italian, a restaurant by British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, in Asia.

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National Library Board: Building social capital

The National Library Board (NLB) was formed in 1995 as a statutory board under the Ministry of Information and the Arts to oversee matters related to the country's network of libraries. Public library services have since expanded to include 26 branches throughout Singapore.

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Brexit to benefit Asia in the long run

The result is official. The United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union on 23 June.

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Strategic planning, career growth, and the Singapore PME

Recently, I read with interest an article published by SBR on 15 July that strategic thinking ranks as the highest skill a CFO needs to acquire. This finding coincides with what I shared in a question-and-answer session when the commentator asked me what I thought was a critical skill a Singapore PME needs if he wants to prove himself invaluable to the organisation and therefore achieve both the purpose of career growth and being recession-proof.

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Harbinger of hope – Qatar Investment Authority's purchase of Asia Square Tower One

The recent acquisition of the 43-storey Asia Square Tower One by Qatar Investment Authority, a sovereign wealth fund, has provided the flagging Singapore real estate market with a much-needed shot in the arm.

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What will the Michelin Guide mean to Singapore restaurants?

The acclaimed Michelin Guide is being unleashed on an unsuspecting Singapore public on July 21st. Every restaurant in the country is either 1) preparing for queues and having to employ extra staff to cope or 2) closure. Extreme? Well, this is what has happened in other countries, so why not here?

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Should businesses in Singapore turn to portals for leads and sales?

HungryGoWhere, Green Book, PropertyGuru – what comes to mind with these websites? While they all belong to different industries, there is a commonality between them.

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Where are the hot jobs in audit, risk, and compliance in Singapore?

Professionals involved in the first, second, and third lines of defence have been in great demand, particularly within banking and financial institutions, in 2016. We saw active hiring within asset management and consultancy, as well as requirement for expertise in financial crime, market surveillance, compliance testing, and audit. If you possess niche skills in anti-bribery and corruption, you would most likely be sought-after.

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Striking the right balance between regulation and space for fintech innovation in Singapore

Singapore is an established financial hub and it represents a significant 25% to 30% of our GDP in the past four years. The financial industry is changing rapidly along with the disruption of technology. The traditional roles of banks are being challenged by financial technology (fintech) firms.

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Data centres – a bright spot in the property market

The data centre market is growing at a CAGR of 20%, and Singapore is uniquely positioned to be a major beneficiary. Financial behemoths like Citigroup and OCBC maintain their own facilities while others use colocation centres that are available from providers like Singtel.

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Why background screening is the last thing you should worry about

Picture this: you finally land an interview with the company of your dreams, making it seem like all the time and effort taken to put together your resume and cover letter weren't all in vain. You floor the interviewers with your glowing achievements and wicked charm, and before you know it, you're practically one foot in the door.

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