events calendar

Creating Successful Events has been created because every organisation, whether lifting a brand image, launching a new service or planning a promotion needs someone trained in the fundamentals of event management to ensure that objectives are met.

This comprehensive two-day course provides a complete framework for managing events, covering issues from logistics and planning to marketing, PR and budgets.

Whether new to the industry or looking to sharpen your skills, this programme is essential for anyone who manages events or promotions in their job, offering knowledge that can take years of personal experience to
develop.

'From rags to riches' is simply an understatement to describe the turbulence that ATLAS Sound & Vision went through that makes it today, an inspiration in quality sound and vision lifestyle solutions.

This home-grown music business started in 1962 with humble beginnings in a shop-house at Market Street, importing and retailing high-end audio and visual products. But after 21 years in business, they fell silent in 1986 due to the economic crisis. They lost everything! But the company was able to recoup and rose almost immediately, hitting profits beyond their expectation within a very short period, securing a host of awards, including ‘The Most Improved Sales’ among distributors (Bose) in 2005, and
winning the Singapore Prestige Brand Award in 2006 and 2007. The company has also grown in strength and size with their latest additions –being an ATLAS Experience store at Kuala Lumpur City Centre and an ad notam showroom at Millenia Walk.

Experience an evening with this visionary leader, Dr Michael Tien, CEO and Managing Director of ATLAS Sound & Vision, as he shares his inspiring entrepreneurial journey; challenges he faced during the company's post-recession reorganisation and his strategies in co-developing the framework for the company's structured product demonstrations and customer engagements, that are the hallmark of the Atlas experience. His commitment as a leader in the fi eld of entrepreneurship has won him the recognition from the American University Foundation and he was conferred a PhD in Entrepreneurship.

Key Learning
• Recognise the opportunity to turn passion into business
• Leverage on failure to bounce back stronger
• Product and service differentiation
• Keeping things simple and focus on profi ts – not on
product lines
• Reinvent yourself
• Create and build a brand

DigiGen-M 2008

Now is the Time! Catch it or Miss it! The trend of digital marketing is developing in Malaysia, especially with the dawn of digital generation and the increasing awareness of technology in the country. There is no doubt for marketers to utilize the different marketing channels to touch the different desired audience to create a greater awareness of their brand. Attend DigiGen-M and update yourselves with the latest marketing channels and learn from industry marketing practitioners in creating successful marketing strategies. Hear from leading companies and corporations on how they have utilized the different marketing tools to bring their businesses into a higher level!
Key Topics:

1. The Dawn of the Digital Era

2. Creative and Dynamic Branding: Offline and Online Marketing Integration

4. Connect your Brand to the Islamic World

5. Optimizing the Different Facets of Social Networking for a Successful Marketing Strategy

6. Embarking on the Word of Mouth Marketing Campaign

7. The Emerging Trend – Social Networking in Mobility

Key Speakers:

President
Direct Marketing Association Malaysia

Country Manager
Habbo Hotel

Senior Executive
IBM

Head of Marketing
Samsung Malaysia Electronics (SME) Sdn Bhd

Director
Synovate

Senior Executive
The Nielsen Company

For brochure and enquiries, contact Mira Ibrahim at +65 6324 9751 or mira@availcorp.com

Back by popular demand – the ‘Disney’s Keys to Excellence!’ 2-days high impact seminar promises entertaining videos, slideshows and first hand stories of the facilitators’ experience as a Cast Member. Disney Institute’s facilitators will also help participants translate Disney’s magic into useful strategies and tools that can be applied immediately at work.

Participants can look forward to an information-packed session that will challenge you to look at your business and operations in an entirely new light. More importantly, it will provide ‘key’ information to help you begin effect positive change in your organization. Attend with others from your management team and be prepared for two days of insight, ideas, and inspiration.
Come and be inspired on how to apply leadership, management, service excellence, loyalty, team creativity, and reaching towards achieving a high excellence team - DISNEY STYLE!

Time : 9.00am – 5.00pm
Cost per person : $2,400
To register : Call SIM Professional Development at Tel : 62489419 or email : pdconferences@sim.edu.sg

Information and data about your consumers has become a key competitive differentiator in industries and enterprises globally. An organization’s ability to provide reliable access to actionable data and consumer insight determines its likelihood of providing business continuity, necessary to succeed in an on demand global economy.

Find out how to:
- Propel the Next Generation Organization with Strategic Use of Business Intelligence
- Revamp Customer Analytics and Consumer Research for Improved Quality of Data
- Enhance Business and Profit Growth by Maximizing your Consumer Research
- Maximize your Marketing and Research Returns

… And much more

Join an intensive discussion forum with world class leaders for taking customer research further for supporting your strategic business decisions.

To enquire/ register:
- Visit www.iqpc.com/sg/customeranalytics
- Email us at enquiry@iqpc.com.sg
- Call us at +65 6722 9388
- Fax the query/ registration to us at +65 6720 3804

"Choose To Be A Master of Your Event Now!"

Learn How to Organize a Successful and Profitable Event with Little or No Money, and tools to Lower Your Stress and Build A Competitive Edge for Yourself.

The 6-day ‘Events Management Action Program (EMAP) Boot Camp’ is an action-packed program designed for you to have fun, adopt an innovative and enterprising mindset, maximize your learning and build all the skills you need to organize a successful and profitable event.

Whether you’re currently working for other people, self-employed, in transition or are already in business, we’ll share with you how you can achieve multi-faceted skills involved in creating your life the fun and rewarding way.

Are you aware of the growing MICE (meeting, incentives, conferences, exhibitions or events) in Singapore? Whether you’re big corporations or small enterprises, organizing your own events is important and that it should be part of your marketing strategy.

Are you using events as a marketing or promotional platform? Are you using events for managing or up-keeping corporate social responsibility? We can help you get the most out of your events. Learn how to:

· Wonder what the Asian consumer thinks about Internet advertising?
· How marketers are using or intend to use cyberspace to reach their target audiences?
· How viral marketing and user-generated content could impact your communication strategies?
For the first time at IDC's annual Asia/Pacific Directions conference, a "Digital Marketplace and New Media" specialty track will be presented to shed light on these issues. If you are an advertising, new media or PR professional interested in obtaining insights to the dos and don’ts of online marketing strategies, this session is for you.
Claus Mortensen, Principal, Asia/Pacific Emerging Technologies Research will be presenting the track’s highlight, titled “New Web, New Media, New Challenges”. To view the agenda for this specialty track session, please visit http://www.idc.com.sg/Directions2008/agenda.asp.
Registration for this track session is open to all professionals from new media companies, PR agencies or advertising firms. To register, please go to http://www.idc.com.sg/Directions2008/register_track4.aspx.

Digital media is gaining an increasingly important foothold in today’s communications. Bloggers, podcasters and other netizens are playing an influential role in shaping traditional media and stakeholders’ perceptions on organisations. Instead of ‘controlling’ messages, companies can only now influence them.

However, this may not at all be bad news as the web provides unparalleled opportunities for all organisations (be it B2C, B2B, government etc) to increase the reach of their communications, generate buzz, deepen relationships with stakeholders and discover what their stakeholders really need and want.

This workshop is designed for you to understand the dynamics of social media, its impact on traditional PR and how to integrate new media into your existing PR programmes. It will focus on BOTH the principles AND practicalities of planning, implementing and measuring INTEGRATED and ONLINE PR campaigns.

Please visit http://www.conferences.com.sg/ws-spr4.htm or contact Rena Lin at rena@conferences.com.sg or (65) 6372 2207

Digital media is gaining an increasingly important foothold in today’s communications. Bloggers, podcasters and other netizens are playing an influential role in shaping traditional media and stakeholders’ perceptions on organisations. Instead of ‘controlling’ messages, companies can only now influence them.

However, this may not at all be bad news as the web provides unparalleled opportunities for all organisations (be it B2C, B2B, government etc) to increase the reach of their communications, generate buzz, deepen relationships with stakeholders and discover what their stakeholders really need and want.

This workshop is designed for you to understand the dynamics of social media, its impact on traditional PR and how to integrate new media into your existing PR programmes. It will focus on BOTH the principles AND practicalities of planning, implementing and measuring INTEGRATED and ONLINE PR campaigns.

Please visit http://www.conferences.com.sg/ws-spr4.htm or contact Rena Lin at rena@conferences.com.sg or (65) 6372 2207

Start-Up@Singapore 2008 is delighted to present to you the Emerging Industry Series! Consisting of 3 exhilarating panel discussions on Alternative Energy, Interactive Digital Media and Web 2.0, enthrall yourselves with the many new takes and fresh perspectives on these up and coming industries. Insightful opinions on the industry outlook, investment opportunities and research potentials in these emerging industries will be shared and discussed by industry experts and academics.
Join us in the concluding installment of the Emerging Industry Series to discover the dynamic and borderless world of Web 2.0. Explore in great breadth and depth the emerging trends and business opportunities of web-based communities such as social-networking sites, wikis, blogs and many more! Harness this opportunity to learn how you can possibly make a difference in the rapidly growing online world of Web 2.0!

Time: 10.00am to 12.00pm (Registration starts at 9.30am)
RSVP: Please register at our website at http://www.startup.org.sg/emerging

Get your confirmation code instantly with our new registration portal!

Attire: Smart Casual

Speaker Panel
Stuart Tan, S.D.C.G., Licensed NLP Trainer Pan South-East Asia Toastmasters Evaluation Speech Champion and EBusiness Coach

Mr. Stuart Tan, MBA (Western Michigan), BA (Hons), S.D.C.G., is the Executive Director of the Adam Khoo Learning Technologies Group (AKLTG) Pte. Ltd. Stuart Tan is one of Asia's Top Speakers and trainers in Internet Marketing. He has developed comprehensive learning models for beginners to learn Internet Marketing easily and to start using Internet Marketing in businesses. Within just 9 months of using Internet Marketing, Stuart managed to achieve over $400,000 in revenue. He uses his extensive training and education background to coach and help people learn. Stuart also teaches consumer psychology online and how to leverage it when selling products or services on the Internet.
Website: http://www.internetmarketingsingapore.com/

Kevin Lim, PhD candidate in Communication, Author of theory.isthereason

Kevin Lim is currently pursuing his doctoral degree in Communication at the University at Buffalo (SUNY), where he also works as a graduate assistant. For both his work and blog, Kevin studies and shares his interest in the diverse cultural affordances of technology, focusing on the pedagogical and disruptive aspects of social media. Dabbling for both pragmatic and play, he seeks an ideal interplay between online and offline life, through social networking, blogging and lifecasting. He openly wishes to become a "social cyborg", where the meshing of human and networking technology would allow one's presence to be augmented by the minds of many.
Website: http://theory.isthereason.com/

Vanessa Tan, Senior Executive, Health Promotion Board

Vanessa Tan graduated from the University of Bristol, UK with a degree in Law. She works as a new media consultant in the public sector. Catering to a wide range of target audience, Vanessa's projects includes blogging, social networking, user-contributed content and podcasting. She has been featured in the Singapore media, particularly for launching the very first podcast by a Government agency and for founding a Government blogging movement. She has also presented at training courses on various aspects of social media.
Website: www.vantan.org

More Good News
A platform for you to share your thoughts and ideas has been made available right here right now! In line with Web 2.0's philosophy of user-generated content and interactivity, we believe that your
pre-event online participation will add value and excitement to the discussion.

If you do not have a wikispace user account, you may wish to register to create a new account. Alternatively, you may log in using the Start-Up@Singapore preset account:

user name: attendee
password: startupsingapore

For any other general inquiries or feedback, we are contactable via email at emerging@startup.org.sg

The inaugural Brand Finance Asia Pacific Forum is an event at which leading edge thinkers in the area of brand strategy, brand building and brand valuation come together to share their experiences and to better understand the process by which valuable brands are created.

Previous Brand Finance Forums were met with resounding success, with the latest BF Forums 2006 and 2007 held at the London Stock Exchange, Paternoster Square. The 2007 Forum featured the theme of 'Understanding the value of nation and location branding", and was attended by more than 130 participants from more than 20 countries around the world. Distinguished speakers featured included Visa, HSBC, Club Med, and Lenovo amongst many others.

This year, we are bringing Brand Finance Forum to Asia Pacific we have a first class list of speakers who will share their thoughts about “Making Successful Brand Acquisitions”, with issues ranging from pre-deal identification of target opportunities to post-deal exit strategies.

If understanding the issues of brand acquisitions is important, if you want to hear world leading experts, if you want to network with your peers and discuss practical issues with them then come to the Brand Finance Asia Pacific Forum 2008.

Call us at +65 6336 8691 or email bfs@brandfinance.com to know more about the event.

EX SINGAPOREAN AD CREATIVE'S DEBUT DOCUMENTARY FEATURE ABOUT CHINA’S FEMALE SOLDIERS OF THE LONG MARCH TO BE RELEASED AT CATHAY'S THE PICTUREHOUSE.

Ex-ECD of Lowe/Monsoon Singapore, NG KHEE JIN, who all but diasappeared from the ad scene some years ago has re-surfaced with an epic documentary feature, Feet Unbound, the never-been-told story about the Chinese Red Army’s teenage female soldiers of the Long March. It will be screened at The Picturehouse from April 17.

In his directorial debut, Ng Khee Jin’s documentary tells the story of Elly, a 28-year-old journalist from Beijing, who embarks on a 5,000 kilometre odyssey in the footsteps of Mao’s female soldiers of The Long March which lasted from 1934 to 1937.

She sets out in search of the history of these women and encounters untold stories of courage and hope in the face of extreme deprivation and brutality. She also uncovers the tragic story of the failed March – an unknown episode of the Long March suppressed for over 30 years by Chairman Mao. Along the way, Elly is forced to confront her own identity as a modern Chinese woman.

The film also features heart-breaking accounts of the struggle for survival by 6 female soldiers in their 80s and 90s, and stunning cinematography of some of China’s most remote places. The haunting soundtrack is performed by the acclaimed T’ang Quartet.

Feet Unbound is written, produced and directed by Australia-based Khee Jin. The rest of the all-Singaporean crew includes co-producer Tan Wei Ping, cinematographer Goh Meng Hing (Perth) and composer Kelly Tang.

Following its World Premiere in competition at the prestigious International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) in November 2006, Feet Unbound has since been invited to screen in 15 film festivals around the world including Montreal, Sydney, Mannheim-Heidelberg, Leeds and many others.

It recently had its US premiere in competition at the 27th Hawaii International Film Festival in Honolulu. It was last shown here in two sell-out screenings at the Singapore International Film Festival in April.

What started out as a mid-life project post-advertising turned into a five-year odyssey to finish the film. Feet Unbound was shot on location in Beijing, Jiangxi, Sichuan, Gansu, Qinghai and Xinjiang provinces.

The 87-minute long film is in both English and Mandarin, and subtitled in English throughout. It is independently produced by Long March Films based in Perth, Australia.

OPENS 17 APRIL AT THE PICTUREHOUSE

FOR PRIVATE SCREENINGS, CALL CATHAY MOVIE LINE 6235 1155

“Among the Singapore International Film Festival’s notable discoveries this year”
- Jakarta Post

“Chinese Communists’ Long March becomes an oral history lesson with a personal touch in affecting docu” - Variety

For further information: kheej@longmarchfilms.com or visit www.feetunbound.com

The Indian rural market with its vast size and demand base offers a huge opportunity that MNCs cannot afford to ignore. With 128 million households, the rural population is nearly three times the urban.

The FMCG, automobile, manufacturing, IT, agriculture, finance & insurance sectors are moving into the rural markets of India in a big way. There is immense potential for rural consumers to contribute to the growth of the Indian economy and leading organisations from various industries have taken good note of this potential.

In summary, the rural market is a goldmine that has not been effectively tapped into. Delegates attending this event will educate and enlighten themselves on the various approaches an organization or industry could possibly take to benefit from this large pool of wealth.

Key benefits for attending this event:
* Analysing case studies to make the most out of these markets
* Driving and Benchmarking the performance of your rural marketing efforts, strategies and methodologies
* Identifying the emerging trends in rural marketing and spotting the future developments in this domain
* Advertising & promoting products and services effectively
* Focusing on what organisations need to do in their structures to service the rural markets
* Identifying practical solutions to overcome communication issues
* Optimising on proven distribution practices to reach out to the rural areas
* Defining clearly the customers needs and meeting their requirements effectively
* Creating a customer-centric culture
* Analysing the concepts and approaches of the development pattern
* Planning strategies and develop applications in promotion of rural products

For more information, request event brochure and special rebates, please contact:

Ms. Kelly Lee
Tel No: + 6032723 6798
Email: KellyL@marcusevanskl.com
Website: http://www.marcusevans.com/html/eventdetail.asp?eventID=13553&SectorID=1&divisionID=

“Innovate or die” is the battle cry of the business world. In five short years, half of most companies’ sales and profits will come from products and services that don’t yet exist. This means that in order to grow and prosper, companies must launch new products at an ever increasing rate … and launch them quickly and successfully.

Has your company implemented the necessary methods, systems and practices needed to be successful at product innovation?

Hear about the secrets to new product success. Dr. Cooper’s proven strategies and tactics presented in this seminar show you how your business can develop new products fast and effectively. Topics covered include:

· The critical role of product innovation in your business, and its impact on sales revenue and profits

· The ten most important success drivers that distinguish the best performers in product innovation – 10 tried-and-proven approaches that separate the winners from the losers – and how to implement these in your own business

· The Stage-Gate® new product system, currently in use in major companies around the world – a world class method for moving new product ideas to successful launch quickly and successfully; and how to make a Stage-Gate process work in your business

· Portfolio management best practices – the right ways to select and prioritise the right projects for development, and how to allocate development resource to achieve a strategically aligned, high value and balanced development portfolio

This seminar is based on Dr. Cooper’s best selling book, Winning at New Products, also: Portfolio Management for New Products; and Product Leadership: Creating and Launching Superior New Products.

Key Topics

Achieving superior product innovation performance results: Benchmarking best practices
Your Idea-to-Launch NPD process – A Stage-Gate® system for your business
Picking new product projects – best practices in Portfolio Management
Generating breakthrough new product ideas
Organising for NPD: Fostering effective cross-functional teams and the right climate for innovation

Key Features

How the Stage-Gate® system works – a detailed walkthrough of this most popular method.
How to use the productivity index, scorecards and strategic buckets to maximise the value of your development portfolio.
How to develop unique superior products with a compelling value proposition. Also learn the best ways to gain insights into customers’ unspoken and unmet needs through voice-of-customer research.
How successful companies consistently have a steady stream of winning new products – what they do differently and How to organise for product innovation – fostering effective cross functional teams and the right climate for innovation.

For event brochure, please contact:

Contact Name: Tan Peng Pheng
Telephone: +603.2723.6614
Email: tanp@marcusevanskl.com

Blue Ocean Strategy is about challenging assumptions about strategy, redefining market boundaries and making the competition irrelevant rather than competing on established ground. It is geared towards creating new market space and encompasses the entire value chain from product, service and delivery, and costs to pricing, instead of any one function. Companies need to establish the 'value curve' of the industry they operate in and identify how they can differentiate themselves from their competitors by Reducing, Raising, Eliminating and Creating key elements within their core offering to their customer groups.

This training will take you on a journey to understand what blue ocean is and the thought process of creating blue ocean strategy to develop ideas on how they can be applied to your organisation.

Blue Ocean Strategy training provides critical new knowledge for leaders throughout the organisation. Key executives, marketing, sales and brand managers, strategic planning managers and OD professionals all need to understand the importance of creating an uncontested market space and the foundational skills for blue ocean strategy. The global knowledge economy has changed the rules of competition, and organisations now succeed on their abilities to innovate, adapt and execute.

An effective strategic is crucial to a company. Blue Ocean Strategy improves senior team thinking. Facilitated well, a team can come up with preferred alternatives (using specific techniques that provoke new ideas) while they build support for the decisions.

In short, what Blue Ocean Strategy seeks to do is to make the creation and capturing of Blue Ocean as systematic and actionable as competing in the red waters of known market space. For although blue ocean strategist have always existed, for the most part their strategies have been largely unconscious. Blue Ocean Strategy seeks to remedy this by not only decoding the pattern and principles behind the successful creation of Blue Ocean, but also providing the analytical frameworks and tools to act on this insight.

This training stands to differ from others as it is indeed based on hands-on exercises for each session, real-life case studies and proven methodologies delivered directly to you by an internationally recognized trainer who is also certified as a blue ocean strategist.

Key Topic of Training:
· The magic of the Blue Ocean Strategy though process

· The three building blocks of Blue Ocean Strategy and how to utilize them

· The primary tools used in the Blue Ocean Strategy process and gain experience applying these to organisation

· How to reconstruct market boundaries using the six pathways

· How to create Blue Ocean Strategies

· How to apply the acid test to determine if an idea is a true Blue Ocean Strategy

· Set by step process of from Red Ocean to go in a Blue Ocean

Benefits of Attending

• Mastering the Blue Ocean Strategy thought process

• Gaining insights into what constitutes a major leap forward in real value to your existing customers and identify ways to attract non-customers

• Exploring potential new market opportunities through applying the “six paths” process

• Understanding potential trends impacting your industry and the actions necessary to benefit from them

• Enhancing the internal diagnosis and external analysis ability

For event brochure, please contact:

Name: Tan Peng Pheng
Telephone: +603.2723.6614
Email: tanp@marcusevanskl.com

The reporting of non-financial information (primarily environmental and social performance information) has been a response to the increased pressure on companies to be transparent and socially responsible. The international business community is no longer expected just to make profit, how that profit is made is also increasingly important to investors and stakeholders. Similarly, the trend for better corporate governance and accountability has focused attention on the responsibilities an organisation has towards all its stakeholder groups and to the environment and society in which it operates.

Many international investors look at a company’s CSR credentials and reporting can enable companies to access new markets. Sustainability reporting has increasingly become a business expectation in Europe, the United States of America, Japan and Australia. In an increasingly global environment, companies run the risk of losing business if they do not report.

In Singapore, it is likely that there will be increasing pressure on companies to report, especially those companies with overseas operations, overseas investments and/or overseas shareholders. Sustainability reporting aim to give recognition to those organisations that report and disclose environmental, social or full sustainability information, as well as to encourage the uptake of such reporting and raise awareness of corporate transparency issues.

5 Key Topics:

· Engaging and reaching out to your stakeholders through reporting

· Drawing the lines on transparency: How transparent is transparent enough?

· Preparing the sustainability report as a marketing tool without compromising the quality of the message

· Case Study: Attracting investors through sustainability report: How this can be done?

· Global Reporting Initiatives’ Guidelines towards sustainability reporting

Key benefits of attending this event:

· Understanding the importance of sustainability reporting

· Determining the parameters that should be taken into account when reporting

· Adhering to the Global Reporting Initiatives guideline

· Developing and implementing an organised reporting structure

· Positioning sustainability reporting as a marketing tool

· Choosing the best reporting format that fits your entire business process

· Identifying and communicating with your audience

· Attracting potential investors through reporting

· Assessing the transparency level needed when reporting

For event brochure, please contact:

Contact Name: Tan Peng Pheng
Telephone: +603.2723.6614
Email: tanp@marcusevanskl.com

It is generally accepted that 20% of your customer base makes up 80% of your sales. While advertising can bring customer to a store, it can also work from within your store. Getting your message into the hands of your customers is crucial in influencing your customers to make that final buying decision. While broadcast and print advertising has dominated consumer input for decades, in-store advertising is taking center stage as new technologies combine with focused brand messages to capture the captive audiences right where the magic happens—at the point of purchase.

Your competitors are not just looking to increase market share, they are looking to steal it on the sales floor. As such, it is necessary to grab the consumer where he is making the purchasing decisions and in-store is the only place your brand can be assured that it will reach your target consumers with its message to those decision makers.

Only by formulating strategies that surround the consumer with coherent tools, consistent messages and maximum brand experience, can you win sustainable customer loyalty; drive sales and fuel long-term profits. This conference provides you opportunities for meaningful participation and constructive confrontation, debate and discovery on issues related to shopper’s insights, brand loyalty and in-store ROI.

Key benefits of attending this conference:

· Reviewing ways to maximise customer entertainment experience in your store to encourage repeat visit

· Making your in-store marketing efforts reflects in your sales figures

· Increasing your product’s visibility in-store to encourage both cross-selling and brand building

· Achieving the goal of maximising cost effectiveness while minimising the environmental impact

· Exploring the recent development for unconventional in-store marketing application in this region

· Deriving a route map for Asian companies embarking on implementing a digital in-store presence

· Examining the surviving techniques in a crowded and mature market full of similar products and services

· A model for calculating the value of in-store communications.

Key Topics:

Consumer insights and applications
The store as a media channel
Building brands in-store
Valuing in-store marketing

For event brochure, please contact:

Contact Name: Ms. Tan Peng Pheng
Telephone: +603.2723.6614
Email: tanp@marcusevanskl.com

FORUM OBJECTIVES
Brands are becoming more influential in deal-making, with many private equity and M&A transactions specifically focused on brands. Investors need to make sure that they are putting the right bid, and sellers want to extract the highest price. A robust appraisal of brands as assets and its potential upside and risks becomes critical. From pre-acquisition search to post-acquisition integration, the forum focuses on the entire lifecycle and the issues to consider for a successful brand acquisition. Key questions to be addressed include:

- How to capture winning deals in emerging markets?
- How to identify underperforming brands?
- Are you paying too much or too little?
- How to maximize tax opportunities in brand acquisitions?
- What are the key IP issues to be considered in a deal?
- Invaluable lessons from select Asian and global companies
- Should we keep, abort or grow brands post M&A?
- How to extract optimum return from brand divestitures?

KEY SPEAKERS
- Mr Ho Kwon Ping, Chairman of Banyan Tree Holdings
- Mr David Haigh, Group Chief Executive, Brand Finance plc
- Mr Rupert Purser, Managing Director, Terramillem Capital
- Ms Lucy Gwee, Managing Director, Brand Finance Singapore
- Mr Jack Wong, Assoc Director, Tax Advisory, PricewaterhouseCoopers
- Ms Elaine Tan, Assoc Director, IP, Amica Law LLC
- Mr John Davis, Practice Assoc. Prof of Marketing, SMU
- Mr Peter Lee, Chief Financial Officer, OSIM
- Mr David Shaw, Director, Brand Marketing & Integrated Marketing Communications, Lenovo Asia Pacific
- Mr Sam Bedi, Executive Director of Makara Capital; Ex-Director of Strategy for Kraft Foods Asia Pacific

Please check www.brandfinance.com for more details and download the application form or call us at +65 6336 8691 to apply.

The two day ‘Marketing to Youth’ conference is power packed with fresh insights and case studies from the movers and shakers of Asia’s youth marketing space. These heavy-hitters will reveal tips, tricks and tactics on how you can strike a chord with this burgeoning group of young consumers. You will hear how Nokia, Levi’s, Mentos, Sony Ericsson, Motorola, Yahoo!, The Body Shop, Ocean Park and other brands created multi faceted campaigns and fostered credible relationships with youth . From examining demographic gap analysis and strategy development to challenges in keeping the stickiness of the brand, you can rev up your youth marketing quotient with these nuggets of insights and translate them into actionable strategies.

Our pre-conference workshop on ‘Making the Connection with Youth: Understanding the Trends, Segmentation Strategies and Online Life of Asian Youth’ is designed to pave the way and prepare you for the conference. It will zero in on the youth psyche, lifestyle trends and cultural nuances of youth in Singapore, Hong Kong and China. You will grasp the importance and rationale behind youth segmentation, be updated on ways to engage youth through ‘branded utility’, leverage on the latest youth technologies to generate word-of-mouth and achieve youth connect.

For more information, please contact Ms Lorraine Tiang at lorraine@conferences.com.sg or (65) 6372 2202.

The two day ‘Marketing to Youth’ conference is power packed with fresh insights and case studies from the movers and shakers of Asia’s youth marketing space. These heavy-hitters will reveal tips, tricks and tactics on how you can strike a chord with this burgeoning group of young consumers. You will hear how Nokia, Levi’s, Mentos, Sony Ericsson, Motorola, Yahoo!, The Body Shop, Ocean Park and other brands created multi faceted campaigns and fostered credible relationships with youth . From examining demographic gap analysis and strategy development to challenges in keeping the stickiness of the brand, you can rev up your youth marketing quotient with these nuggets of insights and translate them into actionable strategies.

Our pre-conference workshop on ‘Making the Connection with Youth: Understanding the Trends, Segmentation Strategies and Online Life of Asian Youth’ is designed to pave the way and prepare you for the conference. It will zero in on the youth psyche, lifestyle trends and cultural nuances of youth in Singapore, Hong Kong and China. You will grasp the importance and rationale behind youth segmentation, be updated on ways to engage youth through ‘branded utility’, leverage on the latest youth technologies to generate word-of-mouth and achieve youth connect.

For more information, please contact Ms Lorraine Tiang at lorraine@conferences.com.sg or (65) 6372 2202

Emerging Industry Series: Interactive Digital Media
Start-Up@Singapore (S@S) is delighted to present to you the Emerging Industry Series! Consisting of 3 exhilarating panel discussions on Alternative Energy, Interactive Digital Media and Web 2.0, enthrall yourselves with the many new takes and fresh perspectives on these up and coming industries. Insightful opinions on the industry outlook, investment opportunities and research potentials in these emerging industries will be shared and discussed by industry experts and academics.
Get connected with the world of Interactive Digital Media (IDM) by joining us in the second installment of the Emerging Industry Series! Discover business opportunities in key areas of IDM such as animation, games and effects, media intermediary, mobile content and many more. Be part of this mind captivating discussion to explore the latest IDM trends and developments, perfectly in tune with Singapore's aim to be a vibrant global media city!
Date: 20 February 2008 (Wednesday)
Time: 6.30pm to 8.30pm
Registration starts at 6.00pm
Venue: Microsoft Singapore Auditorium
21/F One Marina Boulevard
1 Marina Boulevard
[Map]
RVSP: Email emerging@startup.org.sg with your Name, Organisation and Contact Number.
Attire: Smart Casual
Speakers Panel:
Dr. Lai Kok Fung, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of BuzzCity Pte Ltd
Dr. Lai serves as the CEO of BuzzCity Pte Ltd, a vibrant mobile service provider delivering content to consumers in over fifty countries. Prior to founding BuzzCity, Dr. Lai conducted research in Singapore's renowned Kent Ridge Digital Labs (now known as Institute of Infocomm Research), specializing in pattern recognition and text retrieval. His research results have been widely applied by major industry players, and recognized through accolades such as the 1998 Tan Kah Kee Young Inventors' Award. He obtained his Doctorate in Electrical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Mr. Aaron Chua Wee Nian, Manager of the Interactive Digital Media Program Office
Aaron Chua graduated with an honours degree in Business Administration from the National University of Singapore. When he was still a student, he founded a photo sharing site and assisted to set up the Corporate Governance & Financial Reporting Centre in NUS. Currently, Aaron is heading the i.JAM program, a program that aims to stimulate bottom-up innovation from both individuals and startups through a network of incubators and technology providers. In his present role, Aaron is responsible for seeding the necessary environment to create a self sustaining ecosystem for startups in IDM industry.
Mr. Daniel Ingitaraj, Director of Developer and Platform Evangelism, Microsoft Singapore Pte Ltd
Mr Daniel Ingitaraj joined Microsoft Singapore in March 2004 as Director, DPE. In this role, Daniel is responsible for strengthening relationships with Singapore's software development community and for growing awareness and adoption of the .NET platform among local Enterprise Organisations, SI's and Independent Software Vendors and Academia. Before taking this role, Daniel was a Senior Marketing Manager at Microsoft India. Daniel started as a software developer. Prior to joining Microsoft Corporation, he spent 4 years as a product manager, managing Borland Software Development tools
Mr. Kenneth Li, Managing Director of FrontEdge Capital
Kenneth is the Managing Director of FrontEdge Capital, which provides seed funding for Interactive & Digital Media start-up companies. He graduated with honours from Harvard University, studying Economics and Computer Science. Prior to joining FrontEdge Capital, Kenneth has gained enormous experience in Akamai Technologies, American Express and Amex's Asia Pacific Australia headquarters. He brings to FrontEdge his sharp business acumen, his experience in both startup and corporate environments, his knowledge of the regional and US markets, and his strong US network.

This 2-day practical and insightful conference will show manufacturers, wholesalers and marketers workable solutions and tips on how to align objectives and build commitment with channel partners for optimal sales result. Our host of experts from key industries and product sectors will share in a candid and interactive manner how they grasp cross functional planning and collaboration leading to successful market penetrations.

Discover 3Com’s best practices for engaging channel partners in Asia. Learn how NimbleGen cultivates different business strategies to optimise its market potential in different countries. Hear how a leading Asian defense and specialty vehicles company breaks the glass ceiling and soars beyond its channel business through its effective restructuring strategy. Gain insights and trends on the emerging markets in Asia – Vietnam, India and China and how you can break into these markets in a cost efficient manner. Learn from Microsoft on how to effectively engage, manage and reward competent partners to optimise your sales channels successfully!

This 2-day practical and insightful conference will show manufacturers, wholesalers and marketers workable solutions and tips on how to align objectives and build commitment with channel partners for optimal sales result. Our host of experts from key industries and product sectors will share in a candid and interactive manner how they grasp cross functional planning and collaboration leading to successful market penetrations.

Discover 3Com’s best practices for engaging channel partners in Asia. Learn how NimbleGen cultivates different business strategies to optimise its market potential in different countries. Hear how a leading Asian defense and specialty vehicles company breaks the glass ceiling and soars beyond its channel business through its effective restructuring strategy. Gain insights and trends on the emerging markets in Asia – Vietnam, India and China and how you can break into these markets in a cost efficient manner. Learn from Microsoft on how to effectively engage, manage and reward competent partners to optimise your sales channels successfully!

Attend our 1-Day Conference on Hotel Sales & Marketing to gain insights on the latest hotel performance and to acquire the must-have techniques in ensuring maximum revenues. Learn from industry connoisseurs including Banyan Tree Hotels and Resorts, Kowloon Shangri-La Hotel, The Leading Hotels of the World, Sheraton Hong Kong Hotel & Towers, Rendezvous Hotels and Resorts International, The Peninsula Hotels etc, the innovative and effective ways to winning the hearts and minds of the ecer demanding & sophisticated customers. Get practical advice on how to sustain revenue generation through manpower and operational excellence.

Secure the comprehensive takeaways from this event by concluding the agenda with a 2-day power-packed workshop on Effective Revenue Management. Without a compelling RM action plan, successful profit maximisation is hardly possible. The workshop will provide you with the tactics and practices that work and deliver credible results. Leveraging on his practical experience in Europe, Middle East, South Africa, the US and supported with international case studies, workshop leader Duncan Bramwell will impart invaluable knowledge and useful techniques on Business Intelligence, Performance Measurement, Channel Management,and Distribution, Rate Structures and Pricing, Forecasting, Yield Management etc. to boost your revenue management startegies. He will also offer working tips on how to manage your Revenue Mix with Sales & Marketing's objectives !

For more information, call Rena @ (65) 6372 2207 or email at rena@conferences.com.sg

Attend our 1-Day Conference on Hotel Sales & Marketing to gain insights on the latest hotel performance and to acquire the must-have techniques in ensuring maximum revenues. Learn from industry connoisseurs including Banyan Tree Hotels and Resorts, Kowloon Shangri-La Hotel, The Leading Hotels of the World, Sheraton Hong Kong Hotel & Towers, Rendezvous Hotels and Resorts International, The Peninsula Hotels etc, the innovative and effective ways to winning the hearts and minds of the ecer demanding & sophisticated customers. Get practical advice on how to sustain revenue generation through manpower and operational excellence.

Secure the comprehensive takeaways from this event by concluding the agenda with a 2-day power-packed workshop on Effective Revenue Management. Without a compelling RM action plan, successful profit maximisation is hardly possible. The workshop will provide you with the tactics and practices that work and deliver credible results. Leveraging on his practical experience in Europe, Middle East, South Africa, the US and supported with international case studies, workshop leader Duncan Bramwell will impart invaluable knowledge and useful techniques on Business Intelligence, Performance Measurement, Channel Management,and Distribution, Rate Structures and Pricing, Forecasting, Yield Management etc. to boost your revenue management startegies. He will also offer working tips on how to manage your Revenue Mix with Sales & Marketing's objectives !

The “Strategic Marketing for Higher Education Providers” Conference is purposefully designed to update you on the latest developments in the realm of institutional marketing. This ground breaking event will showcase proven strategies on how world class universities have succeeded in building innovative marketing and branding campaigns which have heightened their profile in the minds of potential students and other key stakeholders. Look forward to obtaining important perspectives from up-to-date case studies and best practices employed by leading education providers from around the world to secure your institution’s position in the education global arena.

Don’t miss our interactive pre-conference workshop on “Innovative New Media Strategies to Optimise Student Engagement and Enrolment”! Shake up your marketing plans by re-aligning your outreach strategies with the expectations of today’s technologically-savvy youth. Analyse and get inspired by successfully recruitment marketing initiatives undertaken by well positioned institutions from around the world! Take advantage of this hands-on session to gain an in-depth understanding of the latest New Media tools and learn how you can integrate them with traditional marketing strategies.

For more details, please call (65) 6372 2202 or email to Ms Lorraine Tiang at lorraine@conferences.com.sg

KBridges International and its strategic partner Sedulo Group Inc would like to invite you and your team to join us in our "Strategy Wargaming" workshop in Singapore on the 13th & 14th March 2008 at the King Corpthorne Hotel.

As we all know the world is subject to relentless growth and development, and is constantly undergoing change. This results in a continuing increase in the intensity of competition on a global scale and the needs of organization to constantly revisit their plan and test its resiliency.Tho we have make decisions but we often make decisions that lead to undesired outcomes and many of those decisions with bad outcomes are the direct result of how we think and the tools we use for business and strategy.
Fortunately, advances such as business war gaming, strategy simulation, scenario planning, and more, give today’s strategists the opportunity to gain competitive advantage through much better strategy decisions.

In this workshop, you’ll learn practical ways to use these techniques, plus the conceptual power behind them. You will see how major organization around the world have applied these techniques, and you will participate in a miniature business war game.

At the end of the workshop you will know how to think strategically about your strategy decisions. Because people learn best by doing, this workshop is not two days of dry lecture but it is two highly interactive days of discussion and group activities.

Please email us for the brochure. An early bird special of SGD400 off the regular fee given to all delegates who register plus Complimentary Breakfast at the venue of the workshop on the first day. Specials for group booking of min 4 people from your organization will get Complimentary Dinner with trainer on the first day of training.

We look forward to see you and you team in our workshop this coming March 2008

*T&C Applies

Regards
Syed Muhammad Abu Bakar
Programs Director
KBridges International
Tel +65 68275149
Fax +65 62344292
Mobile +65 92981307
Email syedm@kbridges.com.sg
Url www.kbridges.com.sg

This two day conference packs a punch with fresh ideas and proven techniques from leading retailing behemoths. You will be updated on the latest industry trends, find out what works and what doesn’t. Notch up your retail quotient with successful stories from adidas and StarHub on how they engineer the ultimate consumer experience. Look forward to hearing how AMK Hub, (the latest swanky mall in Singapore) satisfies shopping gurus’ insatiable appetite with invigorating events. Our panel of industry experts will also share secrets on ways to adapt your retail format to the changing environment and achieve a winning formula in retail.

Don’t miss our post-conference workshop to acquire useful tips on how to effectively strategise and implement events and entertainment in the retail marketplace. Stay ahead of competitors by mastering the art of measuring your retail efforts and translating it into marketing dollars!

For more information, please call (65) 63722201 or email xerene@conferences.com.sg

This two day conference packs a punch with fresh ideas and proven techniques from leading retailing behemoths. You will be updated on the latest industry trends, find out what works and what doesn’t. Notch up your retail quotient with successful stories from adidas and StarHub on how they engineer the ultimate consumer experience. Look forward to hearing how AMK Hub, (the latest swanky mall in Singapore) satisfies shopping gurus’ insatiable appetite with invigorating events. Our panel of industry experts will also share secrets on ways to adapt your retail format to the changing environment and achieve a winning formula in retail.

Don’t miss our post-conference workshop to acquire useful tips on how to effectively strategise and implement events and entertainment in the retail marketplace. Stay ahead of competitors by mastering the art of measuring your retail efforts and translating it into marketing dollars!

For more information, please call (65) 63722201 or email xerene@conferences.com.sg

This programme prepares executives for the challenges of marketing consumer goods in Asia.

Over 5 days, Marketing of Consumer Goods in Asia increases the understanding of consumer behaviour in Asia, discusses key marketing strategies used in the region and identifies new marketing opportunities.