South East Asia Business Awards 2021 SDM Education Group Pte Ltd Best Private Education Providers - Singapore
2 APAC / South East Asia Business Awards 2021 Regardless of the challenges 2020 presented, home to some of the world’s fastest growing emerging markets and open economies, SouthEast Asia remains a hub for global trade, business development and innovation as the economy begins its steps to a full recovery. Boasting unparalleled expertise in various sectors, from manufacturing and exporting to technology and agriculture, South-East Asia has gradually established itself as a pioneer of trade and continues to dominate in industries that other regions fail to fully master. Regardless of size, each member state is vital in ensuring that South-East Asia retains its reputation as an economic giant, and the South-East Asia Business Awards 2021 will honour businesses and enterprises regarded as the driving force behind the region’s continued growth and success. Taking part in the South-East Asia Business Awards 2021 is a great way to demonstrate your achievements over the past 12 months and serves as an opportunity to demonstrate your commitment to promoting business excellence. Laura Brookes, Senior Editor Website: www.apac-insider.com AI Global Media, Ltd. (AI) takes reasonable measures to ensure the quality of the information on this web site. However, AI will not assume any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, correctness or completeness of any information that is available through this web site. If errors are brought to our attention, we will try to correct them. The information available through the website and our partner publications is for your general information and use and is not intended to address any particular finance or investment requirements. In particular, the information does not constitute any form of advice or recommendation by us or any of our partner publications and is not intended to be relied upon by users in making or refraining from making any investment or financial decisions. Appropriate independent advice should be obtained before making any such decision. Any arrangement made between you and any third party named in the site is at your sole risk and responsibility. Editorial Team Laura Brookes, Senior Editor | Alexandra Abraham, Editor Rebecca Scotland, Writer | Daniel Long, Writer El Muers, Writer | Ashley-Francis Cox, Writer | Sofi Bajor, Writer Design Team Emma Hunt, Senior Designer | Daniela Levinte, Graphic Designer
APAC / South East Asia Business Awards 2021 3 , 4. SDM Education Group Pte Ltd: Best Private Education Providers - Singapore 6. Sonnenkind Pte Ltd: Best Boutique Travel Agency – Singapore: SONNENKIND 8. Common Ground Works Sdn Bhd: Best Coworking Spaces Provider - Malaysia 9. Koh Samui Construction: Best Luxury Construction Company - Surat Thani Province 10. YouGov Singapore Pte. Limited: Research Data & Analytics Group of the Year 2021 11. AP Merin Services Sdn Bhd: Best Upcoming Marine Services Provider - Malaysia 12. Royal Resorts Pte (S) Limited: Best International and Lifestyle Brand - Singapore 13. MJD-Pro Group Pte. Ltd: Most Dynamic A/V Production Company - Singapore 14. Little Paddington Preschool: Preschool of the Year 2021 – Singapore 15. RAPH&REMY: Eco-Friendly Baby Products Brand of the Year 2021 - Singapore 16. JET Corporate Development (JETCD): Best Group Coaching Provider - Singapore 17. DTC Malaysia Sdn Bhd.: Best Premiums & POS Merchandise Solution 2021 - Asia Pacific 18. UNCANG TIGA SDN BHD: Best Employee Engagement Agency - Malaysia 19. RBA: Best Corporate Services Firm 2021 20. TRIREC Pte Ltd: Best CleanTech Investment Company 2021 21. Central Book Supply, Inc.: Most Exclusive Book Publishing Platform - Philippines 22. DS Conveyance Corporation: Best Car Rental Business – Philippines 23. Childhood Basic: Best Baby & Toddler Products Wholesaler - Malaysia 24. Mind Strategics Learning Consultancy Pte Ltd: Leading Innovator in Life & Business Redesign 2021 Contents 25. SAC Gallery (formerly Subhashok the Arts Centre), Bumrungraks Service Co. Ltd.: Most Innovative Contemporary Art Exhibition – Bangkok 26. Kim Hui Sdn Bhd: Excellence Award for Structural Steel & Construction Materials Supply - Malaysia 27. Reconnective Healing: Natural Healthcare Specialist of the Year 2021 – Singapore 28. NEIGHBOR Pte Ltd: Best Integrated Creative Agency – Singapore 29. Infra Design Sdn Bhd: Best Real Estate Digital Marketing Agency - Malaysia 30. 319 Global Trading: Commodities Traders of the Year – Philippines 31. Mango Training and Consultancy Sdn Bhd: Best Soft Skills Training Provider - Southeast Asia 32. H&T Group Sdn Bhd: Best Food & Beverage Services Supplier – Malaysia 33. The Yak Magazine - PT L.I.P.: Leaders in Entrepreneurial Publishing & Marketing 2021 34. Sparkline Pte Ltd: Best Digital Analytics Consultancy 2021 – Singapore 35. Fintech News Singapore: Best Global Fintech News Platform 2021 36. Amalcon Engineering Sdn Bhd: Lift Specialists of the Year – Malaysia 37. MALEX PAPER PRODUCTS SDN BHD: Best Food & Beverage Packaging Solutions Company 2021 - Malaysia 38. Semiconductor Technologies & Instruments Pte Ltd: Best Semiconductor Equipment Supplier 2021 - Asia 39. PEPWorldwide Asia Pte Ltd: Best International Learning & Development Consultancy Firm 2021 40. Malaysian Dutch Business Council: Best Bilateral Business Services Provider - Malaysia
4 APAC / South East Asia Business Awards 2021 , Best Private Education Providers - Singapore A purveyor of educational services throughout a network of exemplary academies in the South East of Asia, SDM Education Group is focusing on the enrichment of children’s lives outside of mainstream education. Offering ballet, jazz, speech therapy, and so much more, it works with them to help them grow and develop into well rounded young people with a passion for what SDM’s outstanding trainers have taught them. SDM Group Holdings is a group of companies specialising in the provision of children’s dance education, the first of its kind to be listed on the Hong Kong Limited Stock Exchange in 2014. Foremost, it finds it passion in the teaching of jazz and ballet, two disciplines for which it has a multitude of academies – all of which are renowned in its field as exemplary – operating under the brands SDM Education Group, SDM Singapore Education Ltd, and SDM Jazz & Ballet Academie. The latter of these brands was established in 2006; and it offers a wide range of teaching courses on an extracurricular basis including ballet, jazz, and more, serving an age range of 18 months to 18 years. SDM Education Group even offers classes such as photography services and speech therapy. Fundamentally, SDM Singapore Education Ltd was founded to further the Group’s reach into the area, acquiring more centres with a plan to add yet more to its roster as it serves an ever-growing roster of students. This has contributed to making it a going concern in the Early Childhood Care and Education industry, wishing to become the preferred extra-curricular education group providing infant edu-caring, childcare services, preschool programmes, and enrichment outside of the mainstream school system. Above all, its mission it to work with children and foster their innate desire to explore. In this way it will always prioritise cultivating a sense of wonder and encouragement in its classes, using these principles as the basis for learning, understanding, and enhancing skill acquisition and contact development. Furthermore, it bases its facilities on democratic values, with a cultural heterogeneity amongst its community that it takes pride in; all the while ensuring its priorities remain in assisting the personal development of the children it takes under its wing. In this manner, its student will always come away having learned good values and a strong personal code of conduct that they can then go on to apply to every other part of their life, from their friendship groups to mainstream scholastic pursuits. Notably, it seeks to instil in them a sense of value towards their education, both extra-curricular and otherwise, good dispositions that will set them in good stead for the future, an appreciation for cultivating their own personal talents and skills, and relevant knowledge in how to best apply them in the ever changing world around them. In order to consistently achieve the high standards it sets for each one of its establishments, SDM Education Group only hires the best of the best. When it comes to taking on new staff members, it brings on board talents from around the local region in which it is operating, people with extensively proven experience in early childhood care and education, from preschool owners to professional instructors and trainers. Furthermore, it believes in empowering each and every one of its staff members to work with autonomy when delivering their classes and lessons – they are the experts, after all. This creates an environment driven by professional minds and the passion each of them holds for their field, teaching that to the pupils, fostering their growth and development by allowing them to pick up new skills, and making critical decisions for each unit that improve both it and the academy overall. In the day-to-day operation of the academy, it works like a family. Apr21393 Each team is always ready to put their heads together, resolving issues and pooling resources, possessing the can-do attitudes and ambition to rise to any challenge. Moreover, it is pivotal that any potential new team member fits seamlessly into this culture, believing in education over qualifications and working well with the existing team during SDM Orientation training. SDM is proud to say, thanks to its location in Singapore, that its Preschool Headquarters also benefits hugely from the support of the authorities towards the education industry; they aided it during the pandemic through a challenging time, helping it to pivot to e-learning and even acquire 5 new preschools. This has allowed it to look ahead to even more expansion, and even greater things. Consequentially, it foresees that 2021 will have seen it acquire between 3 and 5 further preschool venues before the end of the year, a goal that it is confident it will be able to hit even as it navigates the ever-changing paradigms of a mid-pandemic world. As the dust begins to settle from the worst of it, and vaccines roll out, SDM is of course excited to be able to once again get back to inperson tutelage of its students –
APAC / South East Asia Business Awards 2021 5 Best Private Education Providers - Singapore e-learning has been effective, but where its training truly shines is in its in person work encouraging and training its students. Furthermore, under the umbrella of the SDM Education Group, the amassing of the several preschool brands that it has taken on board also enabled it to weather the storm of the outbreak. Such places, and the venues that had already gathered a long lists of students who thoroughly enjoy the services and classes it offers, have ensured that its growth is naturally scaling with the notoriety it gleans amongst its target market, and thus SDM has been cultivating an everexpanding client pool. It wishes to thank every person who stuck with it throughout the difficulties of the past year, both the new customers and the customers that attended the preschool venues before the acquisition. The latter group, notably, laud SDM Group’s ability to acquire a venue whilst not snuffing out the spark of the original brand that was there before it, keeping the unique selling point of each one, and thus retaining its customer base. Crucially, the size of SDM Education Group has not just meant geographical expansion, either. Each preschool has its own themes, pedagogy, and learning environment, developed by staff and students who attend it, allowing parents a wide variety of choice when picking out the perfect learning atmosphere for their child, whilst reassuring them that they across the board will receive exemplary, recognisable SDM quality. The SDM Group has therefore been a critical element of the Early Childhood and Care industry in Singapore, contributing further outstanding services to what already existed – and a thriving part of the ecosystem of schools working in tandem with the authorities, pushing out support measures for preschools and their students. Lastly, SDM’s preschools continually endorse and bolster these schemes with its work. It actively participates in programmes, encourages and gives feedback on the schemes it is a part of, and is proactive in collaboration with its partners in order to better its industry for its end users. This, critically, is something SDM believes to be a fundamental part of its duties, and it participates in all manner of strategies that prioritise the support of the teachers as well as the children. In the future, it is looking forward to continuing both this and its expansion throughout its region, looking to acquire yet more preschools – and even enrichment centres – across the South East of Asia, and beyond. Company: SDM Education Group Pte Ltd Contact: Hui Ling Fann Web: https://www.sdmgroup.sg/
6 APAC / South East Asia Business Awards 2021 , Best Boutique Travel Agency – Singapore: SONNENKIND From its inception in early 2018, boutique travel agency Sonnenkind has been an inspiring success story – serving leading global brands and HNWI from across the world, attracting the attention of top-level magazines and winning multiple awards such as “Best Boutique Travel Agency – Singapore”. Founder & CEO Sonja Piontek shares what it took to build such an impressive brand in such a short timeframe. What is the secret to Sonnenkind’s success? At Sonnenkind we don’t just organise tours – we create unforgettable and meaningful travel experiences. Any agency can book a posh hotel or a fancy restaurant but arranging to go lobster-fishing by helicopter and then setting up a champagne BBQ on top of a mountain peak is something no client will ever forget. Or staying overnight in a real prison cell from the 1860s, celebrating a “tent warming party” with the Mongolian nomads, going horse riding with a herd of giraffes whilst the African sun is setting or preparing a traditional maize meal with the Himba ladies in their kraal village before taking off on a thrilling off-road excursion and overnight stay in the vastness of the world’s oldest sand desert, the Namib. I personally take great pride in saying that any tour developed and executed by Sonnenkind is way more than simply “a tour”. It is the safari of a lifetime, a totally unforgettable experience and deeply touching journey into another world. These are experiences you can’t just book anywhere. What do your clients normally say about your tours? In the beginning they are often a bit hesitant as most of our clients are used to the more ordinary (luxury) tours. Same goes for our corporate clients who often request things like “shopping trip to Dubai” for their VIP clients or incentive tours. When we then suggest to take the group to unique places such as Namibia or Mongolia and offer a real brand experience it normally takes some time for them to digest the idea. However, when we share testimonials that proof how incredibly successful similar concepts have been for other top-level brands and how overwhelming the feedback from the participants was, they are sold. For me the most beautiful moments are when clients approach me with a huge smile in their face and say: “I have never experienced anything like this before.” or “This is the most amazing trip I have ever taken.” What countries do you specialise in? In order to offer such unusual and unique experiences we focus on countries where we have an extremely good network and vast experience that allow us to create experiences and get access to places others wouldn’t be able to include in their tours. For example, when we pitched for the big regional off-road drive event Apr21361 for Land Rover Asia Pacific in New Zealand, Sonnenkind won against six local Kiwi agencies. Why? Because we had the most compelling concept, and we were the only ones that had access to the most incredible off-roading terrain in the country. We simply make things happen that others often don’t even think about. And the countries we take most of our clients to are New Zealand, Namibia, Mongolia, Germany, and central Europe. Who are your typical clients? As I said before, we serve HNWI as well as corporate clients. For the individual travellers we organise specially developed tours like e.g. a birthday trip to Europe for a group of successful entrepreneurs that included a private VIP race track training at Nürburgring and a breakfast meeting with some high level German CEOs. For corporate clients we mainly organise brand building tours for their top tier clients and media representatives as well as incentive trips for their highest achieving employees. Our first corporate client was Leica Camera – the world’s most prestigious camera brand - they have remained a loyal client since. Additionally, we have added big global names such as Land Rover, Lamborghini, Cycle & Carriage or Ultradent. I would say that the level of brands nicely reflects the quality of our work. What are your objectives when developing those unusual tours? Our objectives are very simple. For the participants the tours always need to be an unforgettable experience – and we take pride in delivering exactly that. For the corporate clients it is the ROI. Having a strong corporate background, I know only too well, how important it is to get tangible results and a proper return on your investment. This is not only our objective but more importantly the promise we give our clients! How do you get media coverage in publications such as Portfolio Magazine, World Travel Magazine, Business Times or even National Geographic? The media are always looking for great content, fresh new ideas and stories that suit their publication and that their readers will find appealing. If you can deliver exactly that and combine it with high level photography, there is a good chance that the media will feature you and your work. Obviously, you need to have the proof that what you do is relevant speaking about.
APAC / South East Asia Business Awards 2021 7 Best Boutique Travel Agency – Singapore: SONNENKIND Having won several awards and working for the most prestigious brands is exactly that proof. What does the brand name Sonnenkind mean? Sonnenkind is actually the nickname my father gave me as a little girl. It is German and basically means “child of the sun”. When I founded the company, I wanted to say thank you all that my dad had done for me – that’s why I chose to call my first company “Sonnenkind”. When I told my dad, he had tears in his eyes and said in a shaky voice: “I wasn’t even sure if you’d remember the nickname I gave you, my dear Sonnenkind.” What is your background? I look back on an executive career with BMW globally. I left the corporate world as Director of Marketing for BMW Asia end of 2017 to pursue my dream and create more unforgettable experiences for clients and unleash excellence in individuals and teams. Today I am not only an award-winning entrepreneur and marketing expert but also a successful global keynote speaker and bestselling author. My credo is to always fully focus on your strengths and do what you’re most passionate about – that way you cannot but excel. How do you see the world after COVID-19? People are so hungry to travel again and now more than ever before do they deserve extraordinary experiences. We cannot wait for borders to be fully open again so we can take our clients by the hand and create magical moments and unforgettable memories for them. Company: Sonnenkind Pte Ltd Contact: Sonja Piontek (Founder & CEO) Website: www.sonnenkind.com.sg Email: [email protected]
8 APAC / South East Asia Business Awards 2021 , Best Coworking Spaces Provider - Malaysia May21291 Common Ground is a shared, community-centric workspace provider, supporting its clients in pivoting to the modern workplace. From fully remote and app-empowered spaces to safe, beautifully designed, adaptable in-person venues, this company’s business model is underpinned by stunning interior design and friendly customer service that increases and betters communication between professionals of all kinds. In a working environment more divided than ever before, the concept of flexible remote and in-person shared working spaces, creating space for community, has made itself more important than ever. Thus, Common Ground was founded to step up and provide for this demand. Started by Erman Akinci and Juhn Teo, it takes pride in being Malaysia’s largest co-working space, and – being much more than just a premium professional environment – has been helping bosses adapt to building a good, pandemic-safe workplace for their employees, one that balances safety and productivity. It provides its clients with a synergistic coworking community as well as simply a place to be during work hours, something that over time has resulted in a vibrant ecosystem of diverse and exemplary personalities that unite people across industries, professions, and business scales. Fundamentally, the coworking space creates a melting pot of business, technology, social communication, and lifestyle, causing constant integration and elevation within it. Each person benefits from the knowledge and experience of those around them – and furthermore, through the app, each person can get a view of what’s going on at the community space day by day. This includes connecting members with the latest partnership benefits, information about daily events, directly contacting other members, and the booking of everything from meeting rooms and flights to hotels and airport transport. It can even manage HR, finance, and more through its Common Hub feature, with a newsfeed that shows business opportunities in the forum and a social feed, nurturing a shared ecosystem of mutual support and respect. Moreover, Common Ground now has over 3000 members across a multitude of venues. 13 of these are in Malaysia, 5 in the Philippines, and 2 in Thailand, all of which boasting their own signature components such as a café, event space, meeting rooms, lounges, call booths, and three formats of workspace from hot desk to fixed desk and private offices. Common Ground have also since expanded to add the provision of virtual office spaces and enterprise solutions; the former of which is for small companies with a remote workspace that they want to connect to others, including mail handling and access to the Common Ground app events and partnerships. The latter solution gives large 50+ person teams a custom build space to call their own, including modern satellite offices, swing spaces, and main HQs. Additionally, due to lockdown, Common Ground added a Corporate Flex Solution that allows members an on demand, pay as you go workplace that gives them access to all the added benefits of its services. This solution is perfect for companies for whom the pandemic has been a challenge, such as some of their employees doing well working from home, and some not – effectively, balancing office strategy with people strategy – allowing for enhanced flexibility without long term commitment. Currently, it is the biggest network of digital hubs in Malaysia certified by MDEC. In the Klang valley in particular, it is guaranteed there will be one roughly 20 minutes commute from any given client, and its culture of shared knowledge allows its diverse community to benefit from the professional connections they make no matter where they’re based. When it comes to navigating the corporate world of any industry, the key to success is communication; Common Ground seeks to be the tool that allows this, and with its full suite of services empowered by the excellence of its own internal team, it is made by and for people who are open minded and enthusiastic. Lastly, as it moves towards the rest of 2021, Common Ground plans to continue stepping up to the plate to fulfil the increased need for flexible, non-traditional workspaces, planning to launch new venues in Bandar and Johor very soon. Company: Common Ground Works Sdn Bhd Contact: Matthew Tegjeu Website: commonground.work
APAC / South East Asia Business Awards 2021 9 , May21306 Best Luxury Construction Company - Surat Thani Province A company that has made itself a standout voice in the construction industry of Asia, Koh Samui Construction has built up an exemplary portfolio that allows it to stand head and shoulders above the competition. Over the past 12 years since its founding, its work has included various high-end villas, Tembo beach resorts, night clubs, restaurants, and refurbishment jobs that are each vastly different from each other. Thus, Koh Samui has accrued an enviable roster of capabilities that make it proficient in all manner of building works, able to work to the criteria of any client, no matter how strict or how specific. It has been known to go from underpinning leaking swimming pools one week to building entire villas from scratch, and its diverse client list appreciate that it can be their one stop shop; they also laud its dedication to assisting its clients through every stage of the process from start to finish. In this manner, it helps them to secure ideal land, works to turn dreams into reality, and helps them through the legal minutia, before handing over the keys to the client’s brand-new property. Foremost, it prides itself on working with its clients – not just for them – listening to their input throughout the design process, offering them expert guidance so that between Koh Samui and the client, the building will be well-suited to island life. This is informed by Koh Samui Construction’s outstanding experience in working on the Thai island it is named for, with a commitment to using recycled and sustainable products as an integral part of its builds, allowing the client to make green living a seamless part of their everyday life just by the way their living space has been created. Therefore, it is this philosophy of exemplary client service and its dedication to the craft that has allowed Koh Samui to overcome any challenge that comes its way. Koh Samui will always go above and beyond the call of duty in order to satisfy a client’s needs, doing everything from submitting 3D renderings to showing the client exactly what it is that they will be getting; the founder himself – Jake Robinson – also personally keeps an eye on things every step of the way during a build to reassure a client that everything is going according to plan. This accountable and highly client focused approach has earned it much renown amongst its market segment. In terms of what challenges it has faced, it mainly found supplying for demand the largest hurdle; being on a small island, some materials need to be imported in. Whilst sourcing this is sometimes more difficult, Koh Samui has not let it get in the way of its growth, and even throughout the pandemic it was building major constructions for clients seeking the personal touch that Koh Samui gives its creations. Aesthetically stunning, fit-topurpose, and to specification, Koh Samui gives its clients peace of mind throughout the process, and its team are the crucial part of what lets it deliver that. In addition, by keeping an eye on current design paradigms, adapting to the recent trend of moving from darker to lighter materials, Koh Samui also promises that a client’s build will be one that is up to date. This is something that it has made a pivotal part of its business model, allowing it to pivot from offering more traditional designs to more open-plan looks, with the addition of an infinity edge swimming pool, and something that excites the founder as he plans to build another home for himself and his girlfriend on the island. With decades of experience behind him including the presenting of building shows on the BBC for over 10 years – and having worked on a worldwide scale – Jake and Koh Samui Construction can rise to the task of any build; and are excited to bring many more client’s visions to life as it moves towards the rest of 2021. Company: Koh Samui Construction Contact: Jake Robinson Website: https://kohsamui.construction/ Koh Samui Construction is a bespoke construction company designing and creating beautiful holiday villas for its clients. Having become known as the ‘builder to the stars’, it has garnered a long roster of prestigious clientele, developing this over years of outstanding service in making their visions a reality.
10 APAC / South East Asia Business Awards 2021 , Research Data & Analytics Group of the Year 2021 YouGov is a market leading provider of consumer market insights, analytics, and data that is critical to its clients, allowing them to make informed business decisions and plan their market strategies better. Encouraging these customers, its industry as a whole, and the world during the international pivot towards a shift from traditional to digital marketing, YouGov has been hard at work to ensure marketing professionals have all the consumer market information they need at their fingertips. As an international research data and analytics group, YouGov offers its clients a wide range of data-led research solutions which support the marketing activities for its clients across a wide spectrum from media owners and brands to media agencies. YouGov’s solutions are one of the most comprehensive consumer research systems across the globe, including YouGov BrandIndex, a daily brand perception tracker; YouGov Profiles – an audience planning and segmentation tool for multi-media marketers; YouGov RealTime, the most cost-efficient way to glean quick and accurate insights into various industry in 70 markets internationally. All data that YouGov provides is delivered by YouGov Crunch –one of the world’s leading analytics tool – a super-fast processing solution that has drag and drop simplicity. YouGov’s research solutions are cost effective, and fast across the board, allowing clients to reach the right audience through online / national representative and specialist samples. Consequentially, it has worked with some of the world’s leading brands, and made itself a cornerstone of the industry. This surety in its own work is bolstered by its own comprehensiveness, with opinion and behavioural data collected from over 15 million members in 60+ different markets – nominally, it comes pre-loaded with a vast pool of resources to pull from, and ready to be of use in planning, developing, and communicating its marketing. All of this is also informed by its mission: to allow clients access to a continuous stream of accurate data on what the world thinks, so that organisations can better serve the communities that sustain them. Additionally, YouGov is a pioneer of online market research as a whole. This has given it a track record of data accuracy, innovation, and consistent outperformance of its competitors, backed up by a study by the Pew Research Centre that proved as much. With the best panel, the best data, and the best tools, it was also able to help its clients elegantly pivot to online marketing in the face of the pandemic, ensuring that they have access to the insights they need to ensure their public facing communications are tonally correct. YouGov is honoured to say that the reason it is able to do this is that so many end users trust it with their candid thoughts and opinions. Furthermore, over the past year, there has been a shift from traditional marketing towards digital – something YouGov always knew was on the cards – and a move that it has been able to encourage its sector in making. This is something YouGov has been keeping an eye on in order to support its clients’ pivots, made especially possible with its new panels across 15 new markets, allowing it to meet the demand from clients requesting more detailed insights. This is something YouGov looks forward to continuing long into the future, as the resilience of its business model continues to shape a bright future for both it and its clients. Company: YouGov Contact: Julien Chevignon, CEO of APAC Website: business.yougov.com Email: [email protected] Apr21253
APAC / South East Asia Business Awards 2021 11 , Apr21256 Best Upcoming Marine Services Provider - Malaysia AP Merin Services Sdn Bhd is a company developing a wide range of support systems for the maritime industry, primarily for ship owners and ship management. Its work has become widely known in its region for being cost effective, timely, and of excellent quality, something that has set it on a trajectory to international renown and further success. A specialist in the provision of various services to the industries of commercial shipping, oil, and gas – namely main fleet vessels, support vessels and rigs also for the clients within those sectors – AP Merin Services Sdn Bhd has made a name for itself over the years it has been in operation. It is a company led by a UK registered professional Chief Marine Engineer with over 20 years of experience, lending it the credibility it needs in an industry based on the efficacy of reliability of companies’ work. In tandem with both of these elements of its business, it is also fuelled by the core values that make up the heart of its business; firstly, AP Merin believes in being forward thinking, provocative and innovative in its solutions. Secondly, it takes its customer service very seriously, continually looking to prove its efficacy to its clients by serving them competently, courteously, and effectively, able to adapt to any request. It also champions the values of integrity, excellence, and engagement. Fundamentally, AP Merin seeks to be the company that can carry out all of the services it offers its clients to the highest levels of responsibility and accountability, always delivering the highest value and quality in order to forge strong, long-lasting bonds with its clients. AP Merin’s vision, therefore, can be boiled down to the goal of being recognised for this work – efforts that are well on their way to making it the preferred maritime service provider in shipping services and engineering support. In tandem with this, its mission is something that it has defined well and been working towards since its founding. Nominally, AP Merin makes itself an invaluable partner to the industries in which it works, excellent at the provision of maritime management services and solutions that its clients can rely on time and time again. This is something that AP Merin held to even throughout the onset of Covid-19. During the outbreak, the Malaysian Government instigated a national lockdown from the 18th of March 2020 with the issue of a movement of control order, one that extended to April of 2021; thus, a pivot had to occur within the transport and goods services, and AP Merin joined in with this adaptation in order to convert their services to work from home and fully remote. This has been massively successful for the company, allowing it to continue the operation of its marine supply chain. AP Merin’s work has also allowed it to stand head and shoulders above its competition with extraordinary service, a dedication to ‘doing business differently’, and creating a powerful offer with a guarantee that the client will find their services meet and exceed expectations. Therefore, a client can expect an exemplary experience delivered by an outstanding team. This is because internally, AP Merin champions a workplace that mitigates unnecessary stress, focuses on collaboration, and increases job satisfaction, allowing it to cultivate a healthy professional environment that its staff can extend out to its clients. As the industry adapts to and recovers from the impact of Covid-19, over the past year or so, AP Merin – a company forever with a finger on the pulse of its industry – has noted the increase in use of Enterprise Resource Planning. Helpfully, this allows the streamlining of processes and information across the board and is growing in popularity; in response, AP Merin’s management is dedicated to being aware of and adapting around whichever type of system a business has, whether it’s ERP or individual systems. As it looks towards the future of its business and industry both, it looks forward to expanding itself into the one stop centre for marine solutions in South East Asia, forever striving towards establishing an international network that will better the efficiency, quality, and fairness of businesses across the world. Company: AP Merin Services Sdn Bhd Contact: Surendaran Arumanathan MSc, IEng, IMarEng, MIMarEST Web: www.apmerinservices.com.my
12 APAC / South East Asia Business Awards 2021 , Best International and Lifestyle Brand - Singapore Apr21257 With a worldwide network of beautiful, extraordinary venues offering amazing experiences across a wide market segment, Karma Group has established itself as a standout voice in the industry. Nestled in beautiful locations and with a wide range of excursions available, it is proficient in the service of its diverse international clientele. The Karma Group is a travel company offering the experience to embark on the worldwide travel of its client’s dreams. Working hard to create idyllic, luxurious resorts that reflect the stunning environments and countries they are based in, Karma Group’s holiday resorts and hotel venues are outstanding both in their looks and their quality, and its Royal brand is a particularly exemplary example of this. Fundamentally, the hospitality brand is a company registered in Singapore, a leading network that has properties in Australia, France, Germany, Greece, India, Indonesia, Italy, Thailand and the UK, providing award winning international travel and lifestyle experiences, creating memories that last a lifetime and have clients coming back to Karma Group time and time again. As well as boasting brilliant venues, the Group is geared towards going above and beyond the customer’s needs, with curated and exclusive entertainment across the locations. These can be exciting, calming, social, or private, allowing it to serve a vast and diverse market segment of discerning customers – it promises that even those with the strictest of requirements will be able to find something they love. From spa trips in blissful solace, to beach parties where everyone is worth talking to, and historical hotels with pasts that will entrance and inspire the minds of those who stay there, it understands that the destination is just a part of the journey. What truly makes it memorable, is the experience. Consequentially, the Group takes great pride in being able to take good care of its clients from the very beginning of their Karma journey right through until they step off the plane after their adventure. Whether the client is by themselves, with friends, with family, or even with co-workers, Karma Group promises to deliver a time that will remain with them for years and that they will come away with stories to wow everyone back home with, available at its resorts, retreats, estates, beach, spa and boutique. Karma Group resorts incorporate all manner of venues from a boat lagoon with an idyllic marina to a colonial style setting just a few minutes from a beautiful sandy beach. Each destination also boasts a myriad of excursions such as swimming with dolphins, weddings, ski getaways, and honeymooning. Created by British-born innovator and business mind John Spence, his vision of ingenuity within the leisure and hospitality industry is one that remains at the core of Karma Group to this day; the creation of holistic, connected, community based 5-star hotels that offer luxury and adventure in the same place. Thus, its beach parties are world-class and one of the most sought after experiences available at its venues; its cocktails have been designed by Australia’s most esteemed mixologist; and its spa treatments are developed by wellness experts and healers whose services are unrivalled. In addition, the food is outstanding, with all produce sourced ethically and locally in order to give all of its dishes a uniquely fresh flavour that is brought out by the most skilled chefs in the local region. Moreover, Karma Group’s fine dining experiences are enhanced by the Group’s collaboration with some of the world’s leading winemakers, distillers and brewers, a project initiated by John Spence in 2016 as part of an ambition to make an impact in the beverage industry too. Indeed, growth has been a consistent attribute of Karma Group since its inception, with new resorts and services being announced on a regular basis. From the addition of the opulent Karma Seven Lakes in India’s romantic Udaipur and the historic Karma Salford Hall, formally owned by King Henry VIII in the English countryside to its portfolio of resorts, to its private members’ club and exclusive services for existing Karma Group members launched in 2021, Karma Group is consistently growing and evolving. Consequently, Karma Group has earned itself significant recognition – both from peers and its market segment – as an international household name. It will continually be bettering this reputation long into the future, excited to be welcoming travellers back with open arms as Covid-19’s grip on the travel industry eases. As part of its worldwide philanthropic initiatives that include supporting disadvantaged children and spearheading sponsorship programmes, Karma Group has also provided invaluable support in the Balinese vaccination programme and to the UK’s frontline healthcare workers. With these efforts and its unwavering commitment to memories that last a lifetime, Karma Group is paving the way for the global tourism industry to achieve a full recovery that ensures guests from all over the world can once again get back to discovering this beautiful planet of ours. Company: Karma Group Contact: Clinton Albuquerque Website: karmagroup.com
APAC / South East Asia Business Awards 2021 13 , Apr21260 Most Dynamic A/V Production Company - Singapore A company dedicated to turning its client’s dreams and ideas into a reality, MJD-Pro Group is an events management agency putting the client first. No matter how big the idea or how grand the vision, whether the specifications and requirements are down to the last detail or there are some details a client is unsure of, MJD-Pro is dedicated to being the company that they can rely on. Foremost, it specialises in the provision of in-house audio and visual production capabilities, offering fully turn-key solutions and event services from the initial concept, right through to management and technical production, making itself a true one-stop-shop. Its core values, therefore, are passion and enthusiasm. Moreover, it approaches clients ready and raring to go with a DIY, punk-rock attitude that gets the momentum going on any project, turning it into a labour of love for everyone involved both internally and in the client’s team. MJDPro works with its heart on its sleeve across every aspect of its operation; in such a tough line of work, with long hours, hard work, and a requirement for a person to have a lot of fire within them in order to make it, it finds this is the most fundamental beating heart of everything it does. Its clients have grown to appreciate this massively – and it lives for seeing their satisfaction after every successful job. Above all else, MJD-Pro seeks to foster a strong relationship of trust and mutual respect between itself and the client. ‘Treat the client as your own’ is its core methodology, and in this way, it will always ensure that it is looking out for them and listening to their hopes, requirements, and needs when it comes to the services they would like to see be made reality. This, according to MJD-Pro, is something akin to Lilo and Stitch’s moral of ‘Ohana meaning family’ – each client becomes a part of the MJD-Pro family and benefits from the company’s voracious desire to see them succeed. MJD-Pro’s drive, ambition, determination, and exemplary track record for keeping the word ‘impossible’ nowhere near its vocabulary has made it a darling of its industry, one that dispenses any additional advice that a client might need even if the client eventually ends up going elsewhere for the end solution. Currently, MJD-Pro is based in Singapore, and the challenges it faces there are shared with many other companies like it. Alongside the benefits of the region, it unfortunately comes part and parcel with high living costs and larger expenses, but MJD-Pro strives to use the negative as a chance to adapt and focus on the positives. With any client, partner, or friend, MJD-Pro is merely a phone call away and always happy to help, with each member of its team contributing their own unique flair and perspective, each taking on the role that suits them best – kind of like ‘a soccer team’. In this way, the MJD-Pro family works seamlessly together to provide invaluable contributions to creating the best and most original audio and visual solutions available in its region. Furthermore, despite the initial challenges of COVID-19 pushing all services to go remote, MJDPro adapted seamlessly and with sophistication to be able to do more filming and pre-recording jobs, allowing it to work in a safer and more controllable manner; that being said, the team is also excited for live events to return soon. As they prepare for an assuredly bright future, they’re looking forward to soon releasing their first extended reality studio, as well as the release of their current film projects. All in all, exciting times ahead! Company: MJD-Pro Group Pte. Ltd Contact: Eng Han Website: mjd-pro.com MJD-Pro Group is an event management agency within house audio-visual solutions company that thinks of itself more as a family. Working with punk-rock flair, can-do attitudes, and a dedication that is unmatched amongst its competition, it takes pride in being able to make its client’s dreams a reality, pushing the boundaries of what is possible and always looking forward to the next challenge.
14 APAC / South East Asia Business Awards 2021 , Preschool of the Year 2021 – Singapore Little Paddington has become the number one preschool in Singapore due to its approach of ‘holistic child-led experiential learning’ and keeping its children at the heart of everything it does. The preschool is holistic in that it has a balanced focus on wellbeing, social and emotional development as well as core values including kindness, resilience and independence. It character development focus helps children to develop the full extent of their capabilities, talents and even academic success. It is child-led with a curriculum that sparks curiosity, exploration and creativity, and it designed to encourage children to be forward-thinking and innovative. The children are respected and they are viewed as competent thinkers and communicators. Little Paddington has adopted an enquiry- and research-based approach which motivates children to identify their own issues and questions. Children acquire knowledge through examination and problem solving. By being experiential it focuses on hands-on project work and reflection. Each term, the preschool focuses on a specific educational theme, which becomes the base for enquiry. Little Paddington provides integrated learning experiences where children feel valued, confident and independent. Where appropriate, crosscurricular links are made to ensure the learning is meaningful and relevant. Little Paddington’s programmes offer limitless possibilities, a depth of learning across diverse areas including languages, creative arts, numeracy, appreciation of different countries and cultures, science and technology, motor skills and physical development. Teachers at Little Paddington are inspired by supporting the children as they embark on their learning journey. Their focus is on enhancing self-directed learning by creating an environment that is stimulating and engaging, and most importantly, where children feel safe, secure and nurtured. The preschool believes that every child is unique and its approach focuses on highlighting each child’s strengths. It provides a learning environment that is full of holistic knowledge and loving guidance. The atmosphere at Little Paddington is special. There is a great deal of emphasis in establishing a warm and welcoming environment within the preschool. This has become the signature of each of its five campuses across Singapore. When children and their families join Little Paddington, they become part of a wider Paddington community, where every member is valued, and positive relationships between children, staff and parents are continuously deepened. Little Paddington has and continues to work through and overcome the challenges presented by COVID-19. The pandemic impacts the school in all facets: daily operations, interactions with children and their families, and most of all, programme implementation. From the onset of the circuit breaker, Little Paddington’s teachers and leadership were forced to adapt overnight to a distance learning programme. Teachers kept children engaged in a virtual setting from 9am to 5pm, ensuring that their learning was affected as little as possible. They used various forms of technology such as apps, videos and live-streaming to engage children in meaningful learning. To ensure children were not being exposed to an excess of screen time, families received packages to take home every two weeks with materials and supplies for children to take part in hands-on experiences at home. Early childhood education, just like most other industries, is seeing a growing trend in educational technology and apps. More and more, children are using interactive apps and programmes for learning across many domains. The preschool’s science atelier introduces handson technology such as robotics and coding. Teachers must be very aware of and stay current in research regarding children and screen time to ensure that children are prepared for a world evolving and revolving around technology, but to take precautions to protect children against the detriments of having too much screen time. Little Paddington believes that the use of technology should be engaging, active and interactive, rather than passive. Since many of its children are from international families, Little Paddington recognises that COVID-19 has changed the way that family members spend time together. It is an exciting time for Little Paddington as it has a lot of exciting new projects underway! It recently opened a new school in Bartley, which has a digital room with immersive and interactive installations to ignite creativity and open a world of possibilities through the adventure of exploration. Imagine children playing a giant piano with their feet, then jumping on numbers to solve a mathematical puzzle! They are even able to see their own creations and artwork come to life onscreen as animations on interactive backdrops. The digital room helps to create a stimulating environment to bring learning to life. Additionally, Little Paddington is working together with a sister company to develop educational technology and apps geared specifically towards preschool children in Singapore. Company: Little Paddington Preschool Contact: Anandita Singh Raha Email: [email protected] Web: www.littlepaddington.com Apr21310
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