People power

CEO CONVERSATIONSCEO CONONO VERERE2015 golden jubilee edition

A

The Business Times | Thursday, July 16, 2015

Singapore may not have any natural resources to speak of, but its success has been built on a hardworking and resilient population

People power

Inside

Treating back and neck pain 2

Keeping a nation fit 3

Doing good and doing well 4

Maintaining quality standards 5

The economic miracle 6-7

Pushing boundaries 8

Equipping a nation’s development 9

Spreading the good news of natural therapy 10

A ‘Singapore’ within Singapore 11

Supplying a nation’s household needs 12

Supplement editor: Lilian Ang Sub-editor: Lee Kim Siang Cover design: Gareth Chung Photographer: Joseph Nair Advertising sales: Lam Wy-ning 9368 5685; Jaclyn Sim 8333 5665

KEY strength of Singapore is its hardworking, adaptable, goal-oriented, and resilient population. Without the advantage of natural resources, Singapore has had to rely heavily on human

capital to achieve its goals. Washington-based risk consultancy agency, Business Environment Risk Intelligence, has rated Singapore’s labour force as the world’s best workers since 1980. To some extent, it can be said that the Republic has been successful on the domestic and international stage because of the quality of its labour force. The government, under the late founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew, made it a priority to develop its human capital, and this approach has continued to this very day. Education is taken very seriously. All Singaporean children are required to complete 10 years of basic education from primary to secondary levels, before opting for either the polytechnics, junior colleges, pre-university institutes or the Institute of Technical Education. The number of publicly funded universities has grown from three to six in the last few years, and by 2020, 40 per cent of each cohort will get a university place. This expansion of the cohort participation rate has been designed to place emphasis on applied degree pathways to create a diverse pool of graduate talent to meet the changing demands of the economy. Beyond tertiary institutions, the government also places emphasis on the importance of lifelong learning. Singaporeans, especially older workers, are exhorted to take charge of their career development and to continually upgrade their skills.

On its part, the government has rolled out SkillsFuture, a new national movement to provide all Singaporeans with opportunities to develop their fullest potential throughout life. The aim is to ensure that the skills, passion and contributions of every individual will drive Singapore’s next phase of development towards an advanced economy and inclusive society. Singapore also has two new Continuing Education and Training campuses in Paya Lebar and Jurong East, called the Lifelong Learning Institute and the Devan Nair Institute for Employment and Employability respectively. They were developed to champion continual learning for working adults. This emphasis on continual learning is not confined to selected industries. Every working adult, regardless of profession, is encouraged to constantly learn and improve. In the fourth part of BT’s CEO Conversations Golden Jubilee supplement, we speak to professionals and business leaders who have succeeded because the Singapore system enabled them to realise their full potential. Many also had opportunities to pick up different skills and change careers. Food and beverage entrepreneur, Jun Low, CEO of JC Concepts was a Singapore Airlines air stewardess before joining the Singapore stock market as an analyst. She later became an institutional stockbroker before finally taking the plunge to become an entrepreneur. Peter Lim, CEO of Nature’s Glory, was a highly paid business consultant but switched careers at 48 years of age to start an organic food business. “We are doing nation building through health and productivity. So instead of getting sick often and attending to migraine problems, people can have fewer distractions and focus on their work,’’ he says. – BY LEE U-WEN

Photo: iS

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BACK PAIN&NECK PAIN

RELIEFADVANCED SPINE AND BACK PAIN CENTERis a Specialist Center dedicated to advanced assessments and

treatments for an early and good quality recovery from back and

neck pain, and spine injury. The conditions we treat include

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NEUROSPINE & PAIN CENTER SINGAPOREMount Elizabeth Hospital

3 Mt Elizabeth Singapore #15-03A, Mt Elizabeth Medical CentreSingapore 228510

Tel: +65 6835 4325 | Fax: +65 6835 4326 | Email: [email protected]

ADVANCED SPINE AND BACK PAIN CENTERMount Elizabeth Novena Hospital

38 Irrawaddy Road #07-35, Mount Elizabeth Novena Specialist CentreSingapore 329563

Emergency Tel: +65 6535 8833

SEEK THE BEST IN LIFE TOLEAVE YOUR PAIN BEHIND.

DR PREM PILLAYMBBS(NUS,Singapore)

■ Consultant Neurosurgeon and MedicalDirector

■ MBBS (NUS, Singapore), FRCS (Canada),FACS (USA), FRCS (Ed)

■ Chief Resident in NeurosurgeryCleveland Clinic, USA

■ Accredited Singapore Specialist andFAMS (Neurosurgery)

■ Member of the Amercian Association ofNeurological Surgeons

■ Member of the International Society forthe Advancement of Spine Surgery

TREATMENT■ Modern Spine assessments and scanning■ No Surgery Advanced Treatments■ Spine Microsurgery and Endoscopic Surgery■ Advanced Back Pain and Neck Pain Treatments■ Advanced Minimally Invasive Spine Microsurgery■ Spine and Brain Tumor Micro and Radiosurgery■ Advanced Spine injections as day treatments

AS THE the number of of-

fice jobs grew in Singa-

pore along with the

country’s development,

so has the number of

people suffering from

back and neck prob-

lems. Accompanying

that trend has beena rise in the number of pa-

tients to the Neuro Spine and Pain Center Sin-

gapore at Mount Elizabeth Hospital.

“Back and neck pain used to be seen main-

ly in those who worked in physically demand-

ing jobs like heavy industry workers and con-

struction workers,” observes Prem Pillay, the

clinic’s medical director and spine specialist.

In the past decade, however, executives

have made up an increasingly larger propor-

tion of the centre’s clientele, as prolonged sit-

ting, poor posture, frequent business travel

and the overuse of computers lead to back

and neck problems.

Whenonesits forextendedperiods, is inac-

tive or overloads the spine, it leads to in-

creased pressure on the spine discs, causing

it to break down and slip out. When this oc-

curs, there is pressure on the nerves, causing

back and neck pain.

This pain, when related to office work and

sports, can often be treated without surgery if

assessed and diagnosed properly, says Dr Pil-

lay. Proper medication plus spine therapy, in-

cluding ergonomic improvements in a

patient’s home and workplace, can enable

him or her to recover more quickly.

Some, however, require spine injections to

reduce the level of pain and to help in the re-

covery process. Others with spine tumours,

particularly those that are related to cancer,

can be treated with advanced forms of preci-

sion radiosurgery and stereotactic radiation,

or with spine microsurgery.

There are advanced treatments available

to provide relief to those suffering from back

andneckpain,and tohelp patientsquickly re-

turn to their workplaces and normal routines.

This, the centre does with treatments using

the latest proven technologies and devices.

In the process, the Neuro Spine and Pain

Center has contributed together with other

Singapore healthcare providers towards mak-

ing Singapore a world-class medical destina-

tion for both local and international patients.

It also added a branch clinic – Advanced

Spine and Back Pain Center – two years ago at

Mount Elizabeth Novena.

In the last 10 years, the centre has been

able to make available less invasive spine

treatments, and educated its patients on the

prevention of backache and neck pain caused

by lifestyles and the workplace.

It works with other disciplines including

physiotherapists to help its patients manage

theirpain which, in the long term, reduces the

costs to companies from the days they’re

away from work and also medical bills, says

Dr Pillay.

The rise in the problem of back pain is also

notuniquetoSingapore,butaglobalphenom-

enon. A recent study published in the medical

journal Lancet highlighted back pain as the

top cause of disease and disability in the

world.

“We are sitting for long hours at work and

for many hours at home, with poor posture

and too little activity,” he says. The prolifera-

tion of work and social interaction done on

computers, smartphones and tablets has con-

tributedtothis.Companiescantake the initia-

tive in managing the spine health of their em-

ployees by arranging preventive talks, he

adds.

“We are also seeing more patients who get

injured at the gym and by sports activities in-

cluding golf, running and other impact and

loading activities that can stress the spine.”

It is no surprise then that Singapore sees

patients from around the region. “There is no

real competition in the region for the quality

of health care provided by Singapore doctors

who have graduated from medical schools in

Singapore and those in developed countries

and have pursued post graduate training in

the USA and other advanced countries,” says

Dr Pillay. “Thatgapwill remainfor theforesee-

able future.”

After NUS Medical School, Dr Pillay pur-

sued post-graduate training at the Cleveland

Clinic in theUS,wherehewaschief resident in

neurosurgery. He also trained at the Universi-

tyofTorontoteachinghospitalandtheMDAn-

derson – University of Texas hospital.

Sharinghishopes forSingaporeon its 50th

year of independence, he says: “We wish for

Singapore to remain stable, prosperous and

open to the best medical talent. We can then

continue to improve and provide the best in

spine and pain care for Singaporeans and oth-

er people outside Singapore who choose to be

here for medical treatment.”

Treating back and neck pain

PHOTO: JOSEPH NAIR

Neuro Spine and Pain Centre is part of a medical cluster that has helped establish Singapore’s reputation in the healthcare industry

CEO CONVERSATIONS2015 golden jubilee edition

‘We wish for Singaporeto remain stable,prosperous and open tothe best medical talent.’

– Prem Pillay, Neuro Spine and PainCenter Singapore medical director

2 | The Business Times | Thursday, July 16, 2015

WALK into

the brand

new corpo-

rate head-

quarters of

fitness

equipment

retailer

AIBI inYishun,andavisitor canbe treated toa

tour of the company’s showroom, training

centre and a large gym containing state-of-

the-art machines that employees can use in

their free time.

Pauline Kwek, AIBI’s marketing director, is

eager to show off one of their latest creations

– a treadmill combined with a desk which the

company dubs the AIBI EZ Tone Desk. It al-

lows people to own a treadmill that doubles

up as a bench when folded.

In just three decades, AIBI has grown from

a single People’s Park Complex shop to a

brand with over 120 retail outlets and agents

inSingapore, Indonesia,Taiwan,China,Myan-

mar and India. It has over 75 per cent of the

market share in the consumer fitness indus-

try in Singapore. Sales growth has been in the

double-digit annual percentages in the last

five years. Selling prices have only gone in

one direction: up.

“Branding is very important. It’s about

trust,” Ms Kwek says. “AIBI sources a wide

range of health, fitness and beauty products

globally, and as a trusted brand, we need to

make sure the products we import are safe,

genuine and effective. With this commitment

to our product line, AIBI has become a recog-

nised market leader in the region.” AIBI began

when Ms Kwek’s mother Alice Teo, who was

then in her 50s, wanted to look good and stay

fit but could not get the exercise equipment

she wanted.

“Mydadwas in the businessofdistributing

and importing electronics goods, and my

mum used to travel a lot with him,” Ms Kwekrecalls. “Every time my dad went for a meet-ing overseas, my mum would be lookingthrough the Yellow Pages directory for busi-ness opportunities,” she says.

One day in 1985, when visiting a trade-show in Australia, Mdm Teo came across theAIBI Healthtronic slimming device, which us-es electrical pulses to stimulate muscles tohelp burn excess fats and tone muscles withlittleeffortneededbytheuser. Itwasa techno-logical breakthrough in the market then,Ms Kwek says.

Mdm Teo brought the product to Singa-pore that year. AIBI also began selling a 5-in-1exercise machine, which allowed the user tojog, row, do sit-ups, push-ups and waisttwists. This machine was also a breakthroughthen. Selling innovative products to help peo-ple keep fit and look good is why AIBI isnamed thus: “Achieving Individual’s Beliefsthrough Innovation”.

From its humble beginnings, AIBI’s rangeof products quickly expanded. However, thecompany stayed true to its successful modelof sourcing the best and latest fitness prod-ucts for clients. For instance, in the 1990s, thecompany introduced the popular Jane FondaFitness Rider, a cycling machine named afterthe American actress and fitness guru. Laterin the 2000s, the company sold treadmillswith TVs, dubbed the Teletread.

Today, AIBI continues innovating andbringinginnewproducts. It isaggressivelyex-panding into the commercial gym market,supplying larger customers like gyms, condo-miniums, hospitals and other institutionswith top brands from the US and Australia.“All our equipment is specially designed withthe users in mind. They are made to be safeand effective,” she says.

Other than the traditional range of gymequipment, AIBI has expanded to sell a rangeof health and beauty products. AIBI also

brings in the latest products from Japan. Oneof them is the Sixpad body toner which is en-dorsed by Real Madrid football star CristianoRonaldo. Another Japanese product endorsedbythestarandcarriedbyAIBI is thePAOgadg-et that allows its users to exercise their facialmuscles to create a youthful smile.

Ms Kwek says AIBI managed to rise aboveits competitors because it made the heavy in-vestments required to bring products fromnumerous brands into Singapore. It also en-sured it provided reliable after-sales service.

One challenge the company faces is thatmore consumers are opting to buy online,where many counterfeit products exist for afraction of the price of the original. To ad-dress this, Ms Kwek says her salespeople edu-cate customers on the existence of fakes andwhat they look like. Meanwhile, the companyhas set up an online store and is promoting itvigorously. “We find that customers still liketo touch and feel products, to make sure whatthey see is what they get,” she says.

AIBI not only sells health and fitness prod-ucts,but is actively involved inkeepingSinga-poreansfitandhealthy. Itwasoneof thespon-sors of the Health Promotion Board’s MillionKg challenge to encourage weight loss, whereit provided a few thousand pedometers to

track workouts. AIBI also sponsors fitnessevents like the Straits Times Run and theShape Run.

Recently, AIBI also helped supply equip-ment for the first outdoor gym for seniors atJurong Point mall. This was in response to theageing population in Singapore and was partof its efforts to help keep the entire nation fit,healthy and fitness-conscious.

Ms Kwek emphasises AIBI strongly be-lieves people should be able to look good andfeelgreat. In fact, thecompany isprimedto in-troduce a new range of products specially ca-tered to the needs of the ageing population,she says.

For the future,AIBIwill continuetobring inproducts it believes will work, she says. Theprocess of finding the best product startsfromtheground up, such thatAIBIwill alwaysexpand its brand in line with what customerswant and need. “Our frontline salesmen areour eyes and ears. They tell us what our cus-tomers are looking for,” Ms Kwek says.

Ms Kwek herself is the consummate sales-person and model employee. “I’m always onthe ground, I like talking to people, under-standing their needs. I believe in workinghard and not taking shortcuts,” she says.

A customer-centric model and an expan-

sive product-line means AIBI’s customerskeep coming back, she says. “Twenty yearsago, customers bought products for strengthtraining. Now, as they have gotten older, theycometo our outlets seeking products for backpain, flexibility training or cardio workouts.We continue to have the right product fortheir changing needs. Our customers growwith us, and we grow with them too.”

Keeping anation fit

PHOTO: JOSEPH NAIR


‘Branding is veryimportant. It’s abouttrust. AIBI sources awide range of health,fitness and beautyproducts globally, andas a trusted brand, weneed to make sure theproducts we import aresafe, genuine andeffective.’

– Pauline Kwek (above left),AIBI’s marketing director

Exercise equipment retailer AIBI has helped Singapore stayhealthy and look good for 30 years

The Business Times | Thursday, July 16, 2015 | 3

B9 DENTAL Centre may only be twoyears old, but its contributions to Sin-gapore are already unmistakeable. Byproviding high-quality dental care atfair and transparent prices, the clinichas helped to lift overall dentistrystandards – and has changed morethan a few lives in the process. If that

sounds like asweepingstatement, consider this: atB9, theelderly and those from low-income families get free treat-ment forbasicservices, suchascleaningsandextractions.

Said B9 chief executive officer Raymond Lim: “Many ofthese patients can’t afford dental treatment, and theyhave a lot of broken teeth. That’s dangerous especially forthe elderly, because broken teeth and gum disease canlead to heart problems. Here, we don’t reject you just be-cause you cannot pay.”

While the government gives dental care subsidies totheelderlyandthose fromlow-incomefamilies, thesesub-sidies are sometimes insufficient to cover a basic clean-ing. “But we still treat these patients for free – they don’tpay a single cent. And all the aunties and uncles are al-ways so happy because they have never had the chance toget their dental problems fixed before,” says Dr Lim.

A patients-first approachIt’s apt, then, that B9 is so named because it sounds like“be nice”. While Dr Lim had previously worked inbrand-name chains with clinics around the island, heknew that someday, he would aim to run his own clinic.That dream turned into reality in March 2013, when heopened his Clementi branch.

“When I started B9, my motivation was to build a prac-tice that is nice to everyone, and where everything is donein a good way,” says Dr Lim. Part of the good comes frombeingabusinesswithgreatheart,by treatingpatientswhowould otherwise find dental care prohibitively expensive.B9 also absorbs all GST (goods & services tax) charges – ahefty six-figure sum yearly.

But another part comes from upholding high servicestandards, with an unwavering commitment to puttingpatients’ interests first. To achieve this, Dr Lim creates anecosystem where technology, bedside manners, and evenclinic design melds together for an optimalpatient experi-ence.

Take for instance B9’s approach to providing an infec-tion-free environment. While a sterilisation machine is astandard feature in any dental clinic, B9 invests in priceyautoclave cleaners. Because these use a pressure chamberthat subjects supplies to high-pressure saturated steam,suchmachines notonlycleanthe surfaceof tools,butalsosterilise at the micro level as well.

B9 clinics are also custom-fitted withhandle-free draw-ers, tominimise theneedfordentists totouchuncleansur-faces with their fingers. Instead of using his hands to pullopen a cabinet, Dr Lim uses only his elbow, knee, or footto press on drawers; these then spring outwards for easyaccess to their contents.

Says Dr Lim: “It’s worth it to invest, whether in equip-mentor insmart clinic designs, so that infection control isa priority. Just imagine that it’s someone you love sittingin your chair – you’d want to make sure that there’s nochance of them contracting an infection.”

B9 also uses technology to improve the quality of com-munication between dentists and patients. For example,clinics are outfitted with intraoral cameras – portablehand-held cameras that take extremely detailed images ofthe mouth, teeth, and gums for diagnosis. Pictures takenare used to explain a patients’ condition.

“We register a photo before and after treatment for allpatients, at no charge. We do this because we want to letthe patient understand what condition they have andwhat we’ll do to address it. Actually what I’m trying to dois to improve communication, because without this cam-era, the dentist will just tell the patient: ‘You have this andthat,’ and whether or not the patient understands him willdependonhis imagination.Withpictures, thepatientscanclearly see what I’m saying,” says Dr Lim.

Thiseffort to ensure fairness and transparencyalso ex-tends to its pricing. For one, B9’s rates are reasonable. Butbeyond affordability, B9 is also unique in its refusal tochargeadd-onfees– itdoesnotbill customersforsterilisa-tion, consumables or consultation fees.

Oneofhismorecontroversialapproachestohigh-quali-typatient care ishis insistence thateverysingle treatmentroom be outfitted with a CCTV camera. “This is good forthe patient, and it’s also good for the doctor. We are alsotelling patients that we have nothing to hide,” notesDr Lim.

Thriving businessThese upstanding business practices have served B9 well;the group has undergone a rapid expansion in the pastcouple of years, and is showing no signs of stopping.

In fact, what started as a single clinic in Clementi in2013 has now grown to a group of three clinics, with theother two located at ToaPayoh and Star Vista. The originalClementi clinic will also double its footprint come Augustthis year. Plans to expand domestically and to Malaysiaand Indonesia in the next five years are also on the cards,reveals Dr Lim.

Buthowdoesabig-heartedcompanysurviveandmakeprofits, especially when it absorbs GST, offers far cheaper

prices,andevengivesfree treatment tosome? “Whenapa-tient understands what you’re doing and sees that you aredoing good, they will eventually feel the difference andslowly introduce more and more people to you,” saysDr Lim.

In fact, as a mark of the group’s performance – revenuegrowth increased 30 per cent year-on-year from 2013 to2014 – Dr Lim has been approached by several investorswho are keen to get in on B9’s winning formula. Even withhis humble demeanour, his pride for the business is un-derstandably palpable. After all, B9 has proven that busi-nesses can do good, and still do well.

Doing goodand doingwell

PHOTO: JOSEPH NAIR


‘When a patient understandswhat you’re doing and seesthat you are doing good, theywill eventually feel thedifference and slowlyintroduce more and morepeople to you.’

– B9 chief executive officer Raymond Lim

By providing free treatment for the elderly andthe needy, B9 Dental Centre has lifted overalldentistry standards – and changed more than afew lives in the process


ALTHOUGH significant

numbers of Singapore-

anshavenotbeentoMa-

laysia despite its close

proximity to the city

state, a great many fre-

quently head up for

short weekend geta-

ways. Especially popular with Singaporeans

are Johor Bahru, Melaka and Penang.

Spotting the business and tourism poten-

tial more than a decade ago, the Hatten Group

of Companies embarked on a foray into the

hotel industry, with Melaka as the focal point.

Today, its maiden hotel – Hatten Hotel

Melaka – is the largest premier hotel in Melaka

with704 deluxesuites and multipleawards to

its name. “The hotel is currently running at 85

per cent weekly occupancy,” Hatten Group of

Companies group chief executive officer Ed-

win Tan Ping Huang says, beaming broadly.

Encouraged by the success of its flagship

hotel, Hatten recently completed Estadia by

Hatten – a 196-room Peranakan-themed bou-

tique three-star hotel that will afford its

guests a cultural glimpse and taste of a

unique attribute of Melaka’s rich history.

Not one to do things in small measures,

Hatten has other upcoming additions in the

historical state. One that is sure to be of inter-

est to travellers is the premium brand

580-room Teddie Bear Hotel, or the even larg-

er 780-room Harbour Suites on Pulau Melaka.

Having established a number of hotels in

Melaka, Hatten’s move south is not entirely

surprising and Edwin says Johor will soon see

a maiden Hatten hotel – Capital

Suites@Capital City in the economic zone of

Iskandar Malaysia.

“We notice that Singaporeans are one of

the main influencers in Malaysia’s tourism in-

dustry and this data is crucial in our efforts to

expandthe Hatten GroupHospitalityand Life-

style division. We are currently concentrating

on growing our chain of hotels within Malay-

sia, which is one of the top holiday spots for

Singaporeanswhofrequent thisneighbouring

country for short weekend getaways.

“As I am primarily in charge of developing

the Hatten Group Hospitality and Lifestyle di-

vision,myvision is todriveHattenGroupHos-

pitalitytobeamongthe tophotelchains inMa-

laysia within the next 10 years.”

Hatten’s property interests in Malaysia are

certainly wide-ranging. It describes itself as a

market leader specialising in the transforma-

tion of premier landscapes but also has core

businesses in construction, asset manage-

ment& investment, andan impressiveportfo-

lio of high-rise luxury mixed developments,

residential towers, stratamalls,andahospital-

ity & lifestyle division which Edwin heads.

Edwin pointed out approximately 45 per

centofstakeholders inHatten’shoteldevelop-

ments are Singaporeans and that the group’s

developments in Malaysia provide investors

“an opportunity to secure their capital in a

trusted brand with sureties for the future”.

Toserve its clientsbetter, thegrouphases-

tablished its Singapore headquarters at Mo-

hamed Sultan Road. By the year 2020, Edwin

saysHattenGroupHospitalityandLifestyledi-

vision is expected to own and manage over

5,000 hotel rooms in Malaysia alone.

Toensurequality standards, the grouphas

inked memorandums of understanding with

international giants Hilton Worldwide, Marri-

ott International and Hyatt Hotels Corpora-

tion. Good communications and work ethic

are very important to Hatten. As such staff

and personnel receive high levels of training.

A graduate of the University of Dublin, Ire-

land with a BSc in Finance, Edwin also holds a

Diploma in International Business & Human

Resources Management from Nanyang Poly-

technic, Singapore.

Heacknowledges his service standards are

demanding. “As the representatives of the

group, our teams are dedicated to achieving

100 per cent customer satisfaction.”

The hospitality awards that Hatten has

been accorded are a testament to various

achievements. Awards include Asia Pacific

Property Awards 2015 for Highly Commend-

edHotel InteriorMalaysia;Global BrandsMag-

azine Awards 2014 for Best Roof Top View,

Malaysia; World Luxury Hotel Awards 2014

for Luxury Suite Hotel; and International Ho-

tel Awards 2011 for Highly Commended New

Hotel Construction & Design Malaysia.

A veteran of more than 12 years in the

property and hospitality trade, Edwin is high-

ly involvedinplanningandfacilitatingnewde-

velopment strategies for the group.

He was responsible for conceptualising

and managing the popular Hatten Hotel Mela-

ka and, given his experience, has now been

roped in to work on new projects to boost the

tourism industry in Melaka city.

Harbour City on Pulau Melaka is one such

project.Designed asamajor tourist attraction

anchored by a world-class mall, theme park,

andhotels, thetheme-parkdevelopment isex-

pectedtoattractanadditional twomillionvisi-

tors to Melaka and add more value and in-

come to the state economy.

Edwin assisted in getting the award-win-

ningSandersonGroup onboard, and the inter-

nationally renowned thematic developer of

Warner Bros Movie World in Australia will

work on Harbour City’s Ocean Kingdom in-

door and outdoor theme parks.

However, his vision and ambitions extend

beyondMelakaandMalaysiaandhe is looking

at new markets to introduce to the Hatten

brand name.

“We are actively searching for land and

new territories to develop. In the next few

years we are planning to venture into coun-

tries such as China, Cambodia and Vietnam,”

he reveals.

The Hatten Group of Companies is looking beyond Malaysia to extend its brand name to new territories but not at the expense of service standards

Maintaining quality standards


‘By the year 2020,Hatten GroupHospitality and Lifestyledivision is expected toown and manage over5,000 hotel rooms inMalaysia alone.’

– Hatten Group of Companies group chiefexecutive officer Edwin Tan Ping Huang




‘In art, in painting, you have to do it properly to get a good result

rather than rush everything. Similarly a design firm should go

for quality, rather than volume. Every client is unique, and we want to serve each one well.’

– Eddy Lim, CEO of Chez Design

'Our engineers, architects and other professionals are driven by

challenging projects. We are trained to look at issues and problems as a challenge, so we find that the

more difficult jobs will attract more capable people to join us.’

– Surbana Jurong Group CEO Wong Heang Fine

‘By the year 2020, Hatten Group Hospitality and Lifestyle division is expected to own and manage over 5,000 hotel rooms in Malaysia alone.’

– Hatten Group of Companies group chief executive officer Edwin Tan Ping Huang

‘We wish for Singapore to remain

stable, prosperous and open to the best medical talent.’

– Prem Pillay, Neuro Spine and Pain Center Singapore

medical director

‘Just being in Singapore is an advantage because Singapore is in

the middle of the Asia-Pacific region, and this is the region that has got

the highest growth rate in terms of energy and petrochemical demand.’

– ExxonMobil Asia-Pacific’s chairman and managing director Gan Seow Kee

‘We deliver the project completely, from installation to maintenance. Service excellence is important because we know that our products and prices

can be easily duplicated. But a strong service culture can never be copied.’– Minoru Hagiwara, Mitsubishi Electric Asia managing director

‘In the next five to 10 years, Huawei will continue to focus on our pipe strategy and to be a key player in the establishment of 5G technology. We hope to see 5G networks that will bring together 100 billion connections and revolutionise the way we work, play and live.’– Zhou Bin, chief executive officer of Huawei International

‘We are in the healthy lifestyle and well-being business. Everything we do is focused on enhancing our customers’ well-being, and we seek to promote a healthy lifestyle for all.’– Ron Sim, founder, chairman, and CEO of OSIM International Ltd

‘Our transformation is an ongoing process that allows us to constantly adapt and

excel in the dynamic business environment. With the ability to embrace change,

Sembcorp Marine will continue to stay ahead of the curve and partner with our customers

and vendors for long-term success.’– Wong Weng Sun,

president & CEO of Sembcorp Marine

‘Branding is very important. It’s about trust. AIBI sources a wide range of health, fitness and beauty products globally,

and as a trusted brand, we need to make sure the products we import are safe, genuine and effective.’

– Pauline Kwek, AIBI’s marketing director

‘To governments who want to develop advanced ports and related logistics, we are happy to collaborate as joint

developers and sometimes advisers. And to our customers and partners, our

vision is one of growing alongside them in the locations that matter to them.’

– Tan Chong Meng, PSA group chief executive officer

‘Our business is to provide the solution to people’s real estate needs; be it selling,

buying or renting. We are involved in all segments of the market; from

public housing to private; frommass market to high end.’

– Jack Chua, ERA’s chief executive officer

‘Our strength in freight forwarding and logistics is also in our international network. We work with 120 agents and connect our customers to over 600 destinations worldwide.’– Vibrant Group CEO Eric Khua

‘We are doing nation-building through health and productivity. So instead of getting sick often and attending to migraine problems, people can have fewer distractions and focus on their work.’

– Peter Lim, president and CEO of Nature’s Glory

‘We consciously said we will approach the way we serve our clients like advertising agencies. We serve their accounts, and provide long-term quality services, ensuring that whatever we do for them will last a long time and are well maintained.’

– Benedict Soh, executive chairman of Kingsmen Creatives

‘We integrate engineering expertise in

our development focusing on four key elements,

namely master-planning, hydrology, terrain

and greenscapes.’

– Gamuda Land’s managing director Chow Chee Wah

‘The Asian values of prudence and hard work have been instrumental to

establishing a network in South-east Asia that is unrivalled in respect of its reach and depth.’– Wee Ee Cheong, deputy chairman and CEO of UOB Group

‘In our line of business, service is very important, so we need to take good

care of our staff first. Only with a good team can we service our clients better.’

– Poh Choon Ann, Poh Tiong Choon CEO

‘Ideas keep me going. When there’s revenue and profits,

I’m motivated to do more, be it new concepts or outlets.’

– Jun Low, CEO of JC Global Concepts

‘Currently, JP Nelson is expanding its influence in the Asean region and

moving towards Asia. Our vision is to be a globally trusted partner that

provides customer assurance and partnership for business growth.’

– JP Nelson chairman Nelson Lim

‘We are always researching and innovating, improving upon our products. We also want to design products that are eco-friendly and help contribute to less wastage.’

– Chua Kee Tee, the founder of TOYOGO

‘By the year 2020, Hatten Group Hospitality and Lifestyle division is expected to own and manage over 5,000 hotel rooms in Malaysia alone.’

– Hatten Group of Companies group chief executive officer Edwin Tan Ping Huang

‘We are in the healthy lifestyle and well-being business. Everything we do is focused on enhancing our customers’ well-being, and we seek to promote a healthy lifestyle for all.’– Ron Sim, founder, chairman, and CEO of OSIM International Ltd

‘Our transformation is an ongoing process that allows us to constantly adapt and

excel in the dynamic business environment. With the ability to embrace change,

Sembcorp Marine will continue to stay ahead of the curve and partner with our customers

and vendors for long-term success.’– Wong Weng Sun,

president & CEO of Sembcorp Marine

‘Our business is to provide the solution to people’s real estate needs; be it selling,

buying or renting. We are involved in all segments of the market; from

public housing to private; frommass market to high end.’

– Jack Chua, ERA’s chief executive officer

‘Our strength in freight forwarding and logistics is also in our international network. We work with 120 agents and connect our customers to over 600 destinations worldwide.’– Vibrant Group CEO Eric Khua

'Our engineers, architects and other professionals are driven by

challenging projects. We are trained to look at issues and problems as a challenge, so we find that the

more difficult jobs will attract more capable people to join us.’

– Surbana Jurong Group CEO Wong Heang Fine

‘Just being in Singapore is an advantage because Singapore is in

the middle of the Asia-Pacific region, and this is the region that has got

the highest growth rate in terms of energy and petrochemical demand.’

– ExxonMobil Asia-Pacific’s chairman and managing director Gan Seow Kee

‘In the next five to 10 years, Huawei will continue to focus on our pipe strategy and to be a key player in the establishment of 5G technology. We hope to see 5G networks that will bring together 100 billion connections and revolutionise the way we work, play and live.’– Zhou Bin, chief executive officer of Huawei International

‘To governments who want to develop advanced ports and related logistics, we are happy to collaborate as joint

developers and sometimes advisers. And to our customers and partners, our

vision is one of growing alongside them in the locations that matter to them.’

– Tan Chong Meng, PSA group chief executive officer

‘The Asian values of prudence and hard work have been instrumental to

establishing a network in South-east Asia that is unrivalled in respect of its reach and depth.’– Wee Ee Cheong, deputy chairman and CEO of UOB Group

‘Ideas keep me going. When there’s revenue and profits,

‘Currently, JP Nelson is expanding its influence in the Asean region and

moving towards Asia. Our vision is to be a globally trusted partner that

provides customer assurance and partnership for business growth.’


‘We need to differentiate ourselves, such that the regional countries

actually notice us . . . any corporation today must think beyond Singapore.’

– T32 Dental Centre founder and managing director Wong Keng Mun

‘We want a leadership team that reflects the employee base we’re trying

to lead. It is also important for our employee base to reflect the customers

that we serve. We need Singaporeans and some global

talent at the table.’

– Michael Zink, Citi’s head of Asean and country officer, Singapore

The economic miracle

‘Over the past 70 years, the group has developed a deep understanding of both local and regional businesses which has enabled its companies to be leaders in their respective fields.’– CDL group CEO Grant Kelley

‘These steadfast qualities of Singapore Inc are also well aligned with that of Smile Inc’s, and Smile Inc’s success

today is a validation of the achievements of the former.’

– Smile Inc CEO and co-founder Grace Chong-Tan

6 | The Business Times | Thursday, July 16, 2015 The Business Times | Thursday, July 16, 2015 | 7

IN 2006, when Jun Low wanted to

open a Chinese dim sum restau-

rant in Vivocity called hei she hui

(secret society in Chinese), the

Criminal Investigation Depart-

mentof theSingaporePoliceForce

came knocking. “They were wor-

ried that the name would cause

problems,” recalls the food and beverage en-

trepreneur, whose holding company is called

JC Global Concepts, with a laugh. “I brought

my concept presentation to them. The first

thing I told them was indeed Singapore used

to have triads, but the police force was so effi-

cient that it swept them clean. . .

“Second, I said where Singapore was open-

ing up its tourism industry, and marketing it-

self overseas as an entertainment hub with

the integrated resorts and casinos, so why do

we want to enclose ourselves in a box? We

should be more innovative and adventurous.

Hei she hui is not a nightclub or disco but just

a restaurant with a black colour theme. It

would not pose the social problems affiliated

with nightspots,” she says. “Eventually they

toldme: ‘We likeyourconcept,butwehave in-

structions to try to convince you to change

the name’,” Ms Low says.

She stuck to her guns. Till this day, the

restaurant’s Chinese name still stands togeth-

er with its chic, triad-themed black decor and

itsmore innocuousEnglishname,BlackSocie-

ty.

Daring to carve a niche in a competitive

world is not new to Ms Low, whose own life

mirroredsomepartsof Singapore’shistory. In

the 1980s, she began her career with our na-

tional carrier Singapore Airlines (SIA) as a

flight stewardess. In those days, the graceful

sarong kebaya-clad “Singapore Girl” gained

worldwide fame and was a dream job among

young ladies.

Having seen the world, Ms Low ventured

into the stock market. In the 1990s, the Singa-

pore stock market was in a bull run. She was

an analyst and soon after an institutional

stockbroker.

Then, the CLOB shares saga in 1999

promptedaconsolidationof the brokerage in-

dustry. In 2000, she left stockbroking and af-

ter two years, took the plunge to become an

entrepreneur. She embarked on a boutique

bakery venture on a friend’s suggestion and

connectiontoashoppingmall landlordinKua-

la Lumpur.

In September 2002, Ms Low set up

Malaysia’s first boutique bakery selling de-

signerbreads.named BreadStory. Itwas locat-

ed in the Mid Valley Megamall, then the big-

gest shopping mall in Kuala Lumpur.

Much buzz surrounded the opening and

BreadStory was given full media coverage on

most media platforms, including news cover-

age on national TV channel NTV7. She made

back her money within six months. The posi-

tive press coverage prompted many land-

lords to ask her to open her bakery at their

malls.

“I did not expect the overwhelming out-

come, and I was glad it was an immediate suc-

cess. They didn’t have it in the market. Every-

thing was fresh and interesting, customers

don’t just buy breads, they shopped for

breads,” Ms Low recalls.

The successful beginning motivated her to

open 10 more BreadStory outlets within the

first two years. BreadStory soon became a

household brand and one of the largest bou-

tique bakery chains in Kuala Lumpur. Today,

there are 14 company-run and owned Bread-

Story outlets and seven franchises in Malay-

sia, mostly in Kuala Lumpur. The chain also

has franchises overseas in Indonesia, Sydney,

Kuwait, the Philippines and Dubai.

During her first year in Kuala Lumpur,

Ms Low noticed a number of Hong Kong-style

cha chan tang (Cantonese for tea

restaurant/Hong Kong cafe) springing up

there.

She realised that no such concept existed

in Singapore yet. Ever enterprising, she set up

the first Hong Kong cafe in Singapore, located

in Holland Village in 2004. Named Central

HongKongCafe, itsaffordablepricingand au-

thentic Hong Kong fare kept customers com-

ing.The followingyear,CentralHongKongca-

fe set up another outlet, its flagship location,

in Takashimaya. Seven more branches fol-

lowed in the years to come. Today, Central

Hong Kong cafe is in four locations in Singa-

pore: Jurong Point, Orchard Central, The Star

Vista and Vivocity.

Meanwhile, Black Society was a hit with a

strong lunch crowd following, especially

among those looking for creative dim sum

and its famous custard lava bun. Young peo-

ple loved the concept, Ms Low recalls. “A

group of 18 people in their early 20s turned

up on Christmas Eve in 2006, the month Vi-

vocity opened – all dressed in black to cele-

brate a birthday,” she says. “When it came to

cake cutting and photo-taking, all of them

took out their black sunglasses!”

Ms Low also owns another restaurant

called Yu Cuisine in Marina Bay Sands. Yu Cui-

sine is the only live Chinese seafood restau-

rant in Marina Bay Sands, she says. It serves

modernChineseseafoodlikeHongKongAber-

deen chilli crab, Singapore’s famous chilli

crab and black pepper crab. JC Global Con-

cepts now hires more than 120 employees

each in Singapore and Malaysia, and brings in

S$20 million of revenue a year.

AsSingaporecelebrates its50th anniversa-

ry, Ms Low’s wish is for the government to do

more to help the food and beverage industry

find enough workers. “I am not against for-

eignworker controlsbut there must bea solu-

tion to the woes the industry is facing due to

controlsbeingtoostringent,” shesays. “Realis-

tically, forcing the industry toconsolidatewill

only contradict the government’s wish to en-

courage Singaporeans to be more enterpris-

ing.”

The food and beverage industry is impor-

tant if a country wants to strengthen its enter-

tainment and tourism industry, she says.

“Food brings people together and it contrib-

utes to the vibrancy of the economy. I hope

our country does not go backwards.”

Service, says the former SIA stewardess, is

not just about puttingdishes onthe table. Ser-

vice requires the human touch, and is not

something that can be automated away, she

says. Looking ahead, Ms Low says a period of

consolidation for her business is in order. But

she does not plan on retiring anytime soon.

“Ideas keep me going. When there’s revenue

and profits, I’m motivated to do more, be it

new concepts or outlets.”

Pushing boundariesPHOTO: JOSEPH NAIR


‘Ideas keep me going.When there’s revenueand profits, I’mmotivated to do more,be it new concepts oroutlets.’

– Jun Low, CEO of JC Global Concepts

From SIA stewardess to stockbroker to entrepreneur struggling with foreign workerquotas, Jun Low’s career has mirrored key events in Singapore’s history


EQUIPMENT and machin-ery supplier JP Nelsonwill be helping to buildone of the largestman-made structures inSingapore – Changi Air-port's Terminal 5. The fu-ture terminal is expected

to be about 10 times as big as the country’slargestshoppingmall; an impressivemulti-bil-lion dollar development that is likely to befive-storeys high with 10 million square feetof space.

It is the latest in a line of mega projectsthat JP Nelson has undertaken over the years.It was also involved in the construction of thesprawling Resorts World Sentosa, the chal-lenging Marina Coastal Expressway that in-cludes an undersea tunnel, and the MRTnetwork’s Circle Line.

Set up in 1992, the company leases, sellsand services equipment for engineering, con-struction,oil andgas,and offshore industries.Its portfolio of machines includes diesel gen-erators, cranes, boom lifts, vibratory rollers,rigs and lighting towers.

“The company prides itself for being aone-stop solution to all contractors for theirconstruction needs. From foundation worksto cleaning of facades, we are able to supplyallof them,” saysthecompany’schairmanNel-son Lim.

It has the capability to customise its ma-chines according to the needs of customers,he adds, enabling them to use more efficientconstruction methods. This is possible be-cause the company has a strong team of me-chanics, engineers and electricians.

As Mr Lim puts it: “Manual driven cars

have been replaced by automatic gear-boxesand have moved towards being auto-piloted.Technology has evolved towards being moreefficient and environmentally friendly. Simi-larly, construction equipment is becomingmore efficient, accurate, and precise.

“We have to anticipate the change in re-quirements and adapt constantly. We need toknowwhere to channel our existing fleets andwhen to import new types of machineries andintroduce them to our clients.”

The company has begun to work withequipment manufacturers as well as its cli-ents to customise machines that suit theneeds of current building and constructionmethods. “Increasing our clients’ productivityimproves our business and strengthens theties,” he points out.

JP Nelson also seeks out innovative andswift solutions so as to keep pace with newconstruction demands. “We are constantlysourcing for new and improved machineryfor the construction industry,” he notes. “Weare also enhancing, modifying and refurbish-ing existing machinery to support the chang-es in environmental needs and demands ofthe economy.”

Looking ahead, Mr Lim hopes the compa-ny will become internationally renowned inequipment rental services. “Currently, JP Nel-son is expanding its influence in the Asean re-gion and moving towards Asia. Our vision isto be a globally trusted partner that providescustomer assurance and partnership for busi-ness growth,” he says.

It has already grown beyond Singapore tohave a presence in Thailand, Malaysia andHong Kong, and was listed on the TaiwanStock Exchange in 2012. There are now plans

to venture into Myanmar, the Philippines andCambodia. Currently, the company has totalassets of S$245 million and a turnover ofS$106 million. It has a staff strength of 400employees, including100whoarebasedover-seas.

Growing with SingaporeDespite its overseas ventures, some 80 percent of its revenue still comes from Singa-pore.Mr Limbelieves that therewillstill bede-mand for infrastructure in his home marketas the country’s economy continues to ex-pand.

Indeed, the company is all set to grow withSingapore, with its upcoming projects reflect-ing the rapid development of the city-state.

It is involved in the construction of Changi

Airport’snewrunwayand Terminal 4.CostingS$1.28 billion, the terminal is expected to in-crease the airport’s total annual passenger ca-pacity when it is completed in 2017.

It is also providing construction equip-ment to build the 22-station Thomson Linethat is completely underground. The line,costing around S$18 billion, will greatly en-hancetheaccessibilityandconnectivityof thecurrent rail network.

Apart from adding to major infrastructurehere, the company is also involved in projectsthat will improve services and upgrade neigh-bourhoods. One major project is NovenaHealth City, a 17-hectare integrated health-care hub built around Tan Tock Seng Hospi-tal.

It will link healthcare facilities as well as

the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, toform the hub. When Novena Health City is ful-lydeveloped in2030,healthcare related facili-ties in Novena would increase by 150 percent.

More people will also visit the facilities.Tan Tock Seng Hospital, for example, hasabout 15,000peoplevisiting its premises eve-ry day. With the new developments, thisnumber is expected to double to 30,000.

The other major project is the rejuvena-tion of Paya Lebar after the old Paya Lebar Air-port moves out of the area. The move will notonly free up a large 800-hectare area in PayaLebar – an area bigger than Bishan or Ang MoKio – for new homes, offices, factories andparks, but also remove height restrictions inthat area. Says Mr Lim: “Our wish for the na-tion is to grow strong and steadily.”

Equipping anation’sdevelopment

PHOTO: JOSEPH NAIR


‘Currently, JP Nelson is expanding its influence in the Asean region and movingtowards Asia. Our vision is to be a globally trusted partner that provides customerassurance and partnership for business growth.’


JP Nelson has supplied construction equipment to someof the biggest infrastructure projects in Singapore


WHEN Peter Lim walks onthe streets, he is some-times approached bystrangers who recog-nise him as a pioneer inthe organic food move-ment in Singapore. See-ing others believing

andbenefiting fromwhathedoeshasbeenagreatencour-agementfor the72-year-oldpresidentandCEOofNature’sGlory, who quit his job 24 years ago as a highly paid busi-ness consultant to set up an organic food company.

The decision to start Nature’s Glory at 48 – merely sev-en years before retirement – confounded many aroundhim. But Mr Lim was determined to have a more meaning-ful career in the second half of his life. The step into theorganic food movement was also an unconventional oneat that point, and one that was derided by naysayers. “Iwas like John the Baptist, talking to nobody in the wilder-ness,” Mr Lim, a Christian, recalls.

It was one that Mr Lim, however, held a strong convic-tion in, stemming from his personal experiences in bat-tling health challenges. From young, he had been a sicklyboy, falling ill every month and also having had to removehis tonsils at eight.

Tired of a perpetual dependence on antibiotics anddrugs, Mr Lim started wondering why wild animals couldrecover naturally on their own. “Then I began to readhealth books and discovered organic food, which is foodgrown in the wild without the wisdom of man,” he says.

Three months after starting on an organic food dietand taking health supplements, his health improved sig-

nificantly. Now, he has not taken antibiotics nor painkill-ers for 27 years. Having seen the benefits of organic foodforhimself, he hasbecome akeenevangelist of leaningonnature for health remedies. In his view, Nature’s Glory isnot just a business selling organic food, but also part of ahealth mission in nation-building.

“Many of my clients are top brains holding key posi-tions in companies. That’s why they can better afford or-

ganic food which is more ex-pensive. Your health is veryimportant because without it,your productivity will be af-fected, and your next genera-tion will be affected,” saysMr Lim.

“Wearedoingnation-build-ing through health and pro-ductivity. So instead of get-ting sick often and attendingto migraine problems, peoplecan have fewer distractionsand focus on their work.”

On a bigger picture, this isimportant since companiesneed their employees across

all units to be pulling their weight. “You need all the spe-cialties to function. If you’re one person short here andthere, therewill beachainof reactionand productivitybe-ing affected,” he says. Besides improving productivity, italso means that individuals can spend more time withtheir family, he adds.

On top of selling organic food, Mr Lim has diversified

intonano-energyboosters (NeB), a therapythat makesuseof a range of technologies including nano-quantum andstem cells to boost energy at the cellular level. This, ac-cordingtoNature’sGlory,canreduceenergyblocks,boost-ing immune systems, and “harmonise the organs towardsoptimalperformance”.Mr Limsays: “Ineededtohaveadif-

ferentiating edge in my busi-ness strategy, because if eve-rybody is doing organic food,where do I go?”

With this technology,Nature’s Glory sells NeB skinpatches that change the fre-quencies within the humanbody to target viruses, bacte-ria and parasites in a non-in-vasive manner, building upthe immune system, and re-storing damaged organs totheir optimal health.

While a lot of customersnow believe in organic food,the process of healing

through food takes a long time. “The window of recovery

is short, especially for cancer patients. I wasn’t satisfied –

there must be something more.”

When in the US in 2007, he came across a professor

who had special patches for healing energy. Though ini-

tially sceptical, Mr Lim resolved to dig deeper into it and

to give it a chance until he could prove it wrong.

He was eventually convinced five years later, when heused both remote healing and these patches to treat hismother, who was then terribly ill with various viruses andparasites. Doctors gave her only days to live, but with thetreatment, her life was prolonged by 11 months, seven ofthem free of infections, says Mr Lim.

Even so, given the obscurity of this technology, Mr Limfinds himself once again having to win over many “doubt-ing Thomases”. Convincing his son, too, took some time.Christopher Lim, a microbiologist by training, had joinedhis father in the business in 1998 – a decision the elderLim is extremely thankful for, solving the problem of suc-cession. “Otherwise, Nature’s Glory will become a histori-cal monument,” he quips.

Looking ahead, Mr Lim, like many other small- and me-dium-sized enterprises, is concerned about rental costsand manpower shortage. He recently moved Nature’s Glo-ryorganic foodmart fromthe 11thstorey inTan BoonLiatbuilding inOutramRoadto the first floorafter24years, asthe landlord wanted to hike rental rates by 30 per cent.

His wish for Singapore on its 50th year of independ-ence is that Singaporeans would beopen inchanging theirmindsets, especially in embracing natural therapies withtechnologies that hold great promises in his view.

“Medisave, no matter how much you have, will not beenough if you don’t change the way you see things. Goback to nature – learn how the wild animals survive,” saysMr Lim. “Our mindset must change. The success of Singa-pore is because of our mindset change. Otherwise this reddot would have sunk in the ocean by now.”

Spreading thegood news ofnatural therapy


‘We are doingnation-building throughhealth and productivity. Soinstead of getting sick oftenand attending to migraineproblems, people can havefewer distractions andfocus on their work.’

– Peter Lim, president and CEO of Nature’s Glory

PHOTO: EZYHEALTH

Peter Lim sees his business as part of a health mission in nation-building


SINGAPORE may be a small market, butthathasnotgottenin thewayofT32Den-tal Centre’s growth. Like the city-state,the dental group aims to punch above itsweight in the region by tapping itsstrengths.Coming back fromtheUSafter31/2 years of dental education, its found-er and managing director Wong Keng

Mun realised that the standards of the dentistry field inSingaporehadpotential togrowandtoreachthoseseen inthe US. He therefore started a dental clinic with the aim ofproviding top-notch dental care and services to local andregional patients.

This, inhisview, isnotabout bringing innewtechnolo-gies or following new fads in the market, but a “deep-root-edpassion”accompaniedbythegumptiontochallenge in-dustry norms, with the purpose of revolutionising theway people view dental treatments.

Today, T32 isasuccessful businessby most measures.Last year, it made about S$27 million in revenue as agroup, and has a presence in Singapore, Hong Kong andthe Philippines.

The group has distinguished itself from other majordental chains in Singapore with its T32 Junior pro-gramme, through which it hopes to familiarise childrenwith dental clinics from young.

Often, the first time young children meet a dentist iswhen they have to extract a tooth, which leaves them fear-fulof seeing adentist, Dr Wong notes. “We have to look in-to how to invite the younger children to come to dentalclinics without that fear – so that they won’t treat the den-tist like a monster or the devil.”

This, T32 does by organising pre-school activities andinvitingyoung children to its premises to familiarise themwith the clinic and dental treatment. “If you look around,there are no pictures of bleeding gums, and no medical

smell,” he says during an interview at the Camden DentalCentre, which has rooms dedicated to the treatment ofthese juniors, sporting bright coloursand cartoon wallde-cals.

This distinction from the rest of the competition is im-portant given the small size of the Singapore market. “Weneed to differentiate ourselves, such that the regionalcountries actually notice us . . . any corporation todaymust thinkbeyondSingapore.”Otherwise, thefieldcande-scend into a vicious cycle of undercutting one another inprices, he says.

T32 has tried to do this by providing training for den-tists in the region, organising different courses on its Sin-gapore premises and occasionally travelling to territoriessuch as China and Taiwan. In order to be able to provideproper medical training, the level of dentistry here shouldalso be “perceivably different” from those around the re-gion, he adds. Eventually, T32 hopes to open clinics in the

region. In these neighbouringcountries, it plans to move in-to areas such as implant ser-vices that are more special-ised.

The dental group hopes tobecome a solutions providerrather than a servicecentre, toshare processes and its exper-tise with regional players. T32will not reach the same scalethat these players might have,but it has expertise that couldbenefit others, says Dr Wong.

Regional expansion alone,

however, is not enough, as the group strives to continueto be at the forefront of the dentistry sector in the region.To thisend,T32 isnowstepping firmly into the frontierofdigital dentistry, being one of the first in South-east Asiato have bought a 3D printer together with CAD-CAM tech-nology, which allows the process of designing a crown tohaving it manufactured to be reduced from the usual fivedays to just one.

Thegroup will alsoopen anewflagship centre ofexcel-lence for digital dentistry in September. Located at Capita-Green in RafflesPlace, it will reduce waitingand treatmenttime for time-starved professionals, says Dr Wong. It willalso serve as a training centre, drawing regional players –big and small – to come to Singapore.

This investment intocutting-edge technologyhasbeenenabled by the government’s support. “We’re fortunatethat the government provided PIC subsidy, so that we canbe ahead of others,” he says.

T32hasalsobenefitedfromthepoliticalstability inSin-gapore, which allows for peace of mind when planning ex-pansions and investments. And while the city-state maybe small, its success as a regional medical hub has beencritical for the success of many businesses in disparatesectors.Foreign patients whocometoSingapore formedi-cal treatment, for example, will also spend on hotels, lei-sure and shopping.

Butcostsare increasinglybecomingachallenge. “Medi-cal tourism is based on costs, so there will be people whowill go to neighbouring countries for treatment,” he says.He acknowledged, nonetheless, that Singapore, with itscompetitive edge in its expertise, aims to draw another

group of medical tourists who are not as cost-conscious.Still, the shortage of manpower and the tight rental

market are starting to worry him. “It’s a vicious cycle. Ifthings start to get expensive, only the big ones will sur-vive, and the small ones will close.” That, however, doesnot mean bigger players like T32 will benefit, as Singapo-reanpatients –whonowmakeupover90percentofT32’sclientele – can also easily travel to neighbouring countriesfor dental treatments.

“Tourism requires a few things: cheap hotels, recrea-tion, easy commute, and enjoyable food,” says Dr Wong.“Singaporeans can choose to go countries such as Bang-kok for treatment that is half the price, and have a holidayat the same time. Regional countries are copying our con-cept. We are still maintaining the edge, but for how longmore – nobody knows. The additional help the govern-ment gives will be important.”

For him, the government’s drive for productivity has

been a step in the right direc-tion, but not one that is nu-anced enough for different in-dustries. “The service indus-try – there’s no way you cando automation. Productivitycan only happen if you havecertain manpower ratio . . .Different industries may re-quire different attention,” hesays. “If you don’t haveenough manpower, it meansyou can’t even serve custom-ers.”

While current policies are

still “reasonable”, the government should eventually start

dialogues with individual industries to understand theirrespective needs and problems, he adds.

To mitigate the shortage of manpower, T32 providestraining for staff who may not have had any prior experi-ence in the field. But this has generated its fair share ofproblems as well. “Because we’re doing that, people comeand poach our staff. But we have no choice . . . it’s also areputation,becauseourstaffareverywell-trained.Theon-ly thing we can do is to keep finding new people and pro-vide training.”

Moving forward from 50 years of independence,Dr Wong hopes for the Singapore economy to continue todowell, andfor thegovernment toretaincompetitivepoli-cies over neighbouring countries, nudging industries incertain directions when necessary.

For example, “the government needs to help people re-alise how they’re trying to decentralise the private health-care industry–manystill thinkthatyouhavetobe in townto command a certain price”, he says.

Nevertheless, he is optimistic on the city-state’s future.

“If we continue to be safe and bring in visitors, and makeourselvesamedicalhub intermsofexpertise, thentheop-portunities will be huge because we can use our brandsoverseas.”

In fact, T32 aims to be “a small Singapore within Singa-pore”, says Dr Wong, to carry a brand that denotes qualityand assurance to its customers. “We want to continue todifferentiate ourselves with specialties. If we continue todo that with the government, then the future is bright.”

A ‘Singapore’within Singapore


‘We need to differentiateourselves, such that theregional countries actuallynotice us . . . anycorporation today mustthink beyond Singapore.’

– T32 Dental Centre founder and managingdirector Wong Keng Mun

T32 Dental Centre aims to have a brand thatdenotes quality and assurance


MORE than 30 years ago, Singa-

poreandMalaysiawererapid-

ly growing. There was plenty

of demand for plastic prod-

ucts for use at home, but

whatwasavailabletoconsum-

ers then was unsatisfactory.

“The quality of those prod-

ucts was often not good, and inconsistent, while shipping

costs were high and customer demands were rising,” re-

calls Chua Kee Tee, the founder of TOYOGO.

Mr Chua, who was an import-export distributor then,

saw an opportunity to enter the market. “As I travelled

abroad and networked with our suppliers and business

partners, I thought of making merchandise under a local

brand to rival the quality of Japanese products,” he says.

Hence TOYOGO – a name which sounds like “have

everything” in Chinese – was born, set up by Mr Chua and

his wife. “We want to produce good quality products and

wish that every household will like and use our products,”

he says.

Today, TOYOGO has gone a long way towards fulfilling

thedreamof its founders. It isoneof the market leaders in

plastic goods for household and industrial use. The com-

pany now has a staff strength of 300. Its production and

logistics plants in the Senai Industrial Estate in Malaysia’s

Johor Bahru occupy a combined land area of over a mil-

lion square feet, or about 20 football fields.

Products, for household and industrial use, are widely

distributed in Singapore and in more than 30 countries

worldwide, Mr Chua says. There is a mind-boggling array.

“We have more than 3,000 products in total,” he says. “We

are one of the leading plastic manufacturers in the world

which produces the most plastic products varieties under

one roof.”

TOYOGOhasbecomeahouseholdnametomanySinga-

poreans who flock to its warehouse outlet to search for

bargains. Itsproducts showroomwas formerly inToaPay-

oh and was relocated to its current Kallang site in June

2015.

There, TOYOGO sells its well-known plastic containers

used to store anything from food to utensils to clothes.

Otherproductsavailable includehandcarts, ladders,cabi-

nets, shelves, stools, flower pots, and laundry baskets.

TOYOGO also stocks baby bath tubs, washing basins,

food covers, ice buckets, dust pans, pails and garbage

bins. It also sells industrial products like pallets, crates

and baskets, and tool crates. “Our products are

easy-to-use, durable, high in quality and economical in

price,” Mr Chua says. “They are all specially designed and

made to cater to customers’ needs.”

In the early days of its business, the company lacked

specialisedequipment andtechnology,while itsmanpow-

er and operational costs were high, Mr Chua says. “Many

ofourprocesseshadtobedonemanually, resulting insig-

nificant labour requirements. Productivity was low,” he

says.

Today, smallerproducts like teaspoons to bigger items

likepalletsand660-litrecontainersareallmade inanauto-

mated production line. Its Malaysian factory owns one of

thebigger4,000-ton injectionmachines inAsia.Productiv-

ity is much higher now, Mr Chua says.

“Over time we have overcome our initial challenges

and minimised their impact on cost and quality,” he says.

“We can continue to produce good quality products, and

price our products competitively for consumers and com-

panies such that they suit all income groups.”

Another challenge the company faced was in its initial

attempts to market its plastic containers as eco-friendly,

reusable products. “Everybody laughed at us, thinking we

wereidealistswhohadourheads intheclouds.Plasticcon-

tainers cost a few times more compared to paper boxes,

so it seemed like a fool’s errand to sell them,” Mr Chua re-

calls. “Few people understood the idea of conservation

then, when everybody was throwing away used paper

cardboard containers.”

TOYOGOdidnotgiveuppushing its ideas.Today,plas-

tic containers are one of TOYOGO’s top selling products.

“From design, casting, production, marketing, to direct

sales, eachprocess is full of challenges. It is tremendously

satisfying to see our products gain popularity among the

masses,” Mr Chua says.

TOYOGO’s development team checks rigorously for

quality in its products, and also observes market trends

soit canmanufacture itemsthatareeconomical,practical,

trendy, and modern, he adds.

Looking ahead, TOYOGO will continue creating prod-

ucts that are useful, modern, durable and affordable to its

customers, Mr Chua says. “We are always researching and

innovating, improving upon our products. We also want

to design products that are eco-friendly and help contrib-

ute to less wastage,” he says.

Thecompany isalsoplanning to improve itsproductiv-

ity and innovation capabilities. “We hope to build a TOYO-

GO Hub to cater to research and development, produc-

tion, selling and distribution,” he says. “No one in this in-

dustry has done this before.”

For its success, TOYOGO won the Promising SME 500

award in 2012, and the Singapore’s Outstanding Enter-

prise SME 150 award in 2013. The company also believes

in giving back to the society, and has supported numer-

ous fund raising and charity initiatives over the years.

These include initiatives to help needy families and chil-

dren.

Reflecting on Singapore’s 50th anniversary, Mr Chua

saysthecountry’s achievements in the internationalarena

did not come easy. “We still have some way to go to fulfil

our potential,” he says. “Singapore will continue to pros-

per and our people will continue to support our nation

moving forward, as this is our home.”

“We wish that Singapore will continue to prosper, our

people will continue to live well and eat well, and people

in this cosmopolitan place will continue to live in peace

and harmony,” he says. “Then, we as a nation can assume

a bigger role internationally,” he says.

He sees his own company as one big family. “Every em-

ployee is like a dragon boat racer, all putting in their ut-

most efforts, keeping to the tempo, and doing their roles

well,” he says. “I would like to sincerely thank every col-

league, employee, and business partner who has come on

this long journey with us.

“Ofcourse, Iwouldalso like toextendmydeepestgrati-

tudetoallourclients fromvarious industries for theircon-

stant support and advice. I hope that, with all our efforts,

TOYOGO, the brand which is locally born and nurtured,

will continue on for generations and generations.”

Supplying a nation’s household needs


‘We are always researchingand innovating, improvingupon our products. We alsowant to design products thatare eco-friendly and helpcontribute to less wastage.’

– Chua Kee Tee, the founder of TOYOGO

After more than 30 years, TOYOGO has grown into a market leader in household and industrial plastic products


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