Issue 14
McThai
Global Brand with Local Reach McThai is rolling out an unrivalled localisation strategy to enhance market saturation Writer: Emily Jarvis Project Manager: Ben WeaverMcDonald’s sells more than 75 hamburgers every second and its famous golden arches are recognised by millions around the globe. As a result of its alignment to global strategy, ‘Plan to Win’, McDonald’s serve 68 million people a day, which equates to around one percent of the world’s population. With more than 35,000 restaurants in 118 countries, the quick service restaurant chain strives to be more than just a restaurant; seeking new ways to fulfil its brand promise of quality, service, cleanliness and value.Employing more than 1.7 million people worldwide, McDonald’s has mastered the quick service and fast food industry with an unparalleled localisation strategy. Nowhere is this truer than Thailand, where the franchise has 202 restaurants, serving more than eight million customers a month.“In line with our local commitment, we have items that are specific to Thailand like the Samurai pork burger, the spicy McWings, the spicy chicken teriyaki and rice, and chilli sauce available as a condiment,” said Hester Chew, Chairman of Executive Committee and CEO of McThai, the sole McDonald’s franchisee in the country.Although some items are localised, McThai’s core products are largely the same internationally and of the same universal quality as you would find in any McDonald’s globally.“McDonald’s has a global supply system. Our french fries are from the US, our cheese is from New Zealand and we have recently been importing beef from Australia. We look at the regional supply…
Angkor Hospital For Children
Treatment, Education, PreventionAngkor Hospital for Children exists as a centre for excellence in paediatric healthcare that provides much needed quality medical care to Cambodians in need Writer: Emily JarvisProject Manager: Eddie ClintonSupported by donors in Asia, Australia, Europe and North America, Angkor Hospital for Children (AHC) is an independent, non-profit medical facility that is committed to providing quality healthcare to impoverished children in the Siem Reap area of Cambodia. The hospital works in close collaboration with the Ministry of Health and has done so since its founding 16 years ago. AHC’s Hospital Director, Dr. Ngoun Chan Pheaktra urges people to visit the hospital to learn about the hospital care it provides to impoverished Cambodians, and provide their support: “We receive funding from all around the globe and due to this ongoing support, we continue to deliver high quality medical care to children affected by disease and poverty in the country.”Recognised as Cambodia’s first teaching hospital, AHC first opened its doors in 1999 after Japanese-born Kenro Izu, identified the lack of accessible healthcare for poor children. “Mr Izu had a vision to do something for Cambodian children and greatly supported the hospital in the early days. He established the non-profit organisation ‘Friends Without a Border’ in 1996 and after gaining the support of 6,000 health care professionals around the world, Angkor Hospital for Children was born. Since we opened, the Hospital has witnessed immense growth from 7,000 patients a year, to treating more than 160,000 in 2014.” AHC has provided more than one million medical treatments to date, educating…
Reliant
Delivering Beyond Customer ExpectationsReliant’s seven operating companies have helped manifest a one-stop shop for its increasing, international portfolio of customers as it continues to take the Asian oil & gas industry by storm Writer: Matthew StaffProject Manager: Arron RamplingReliant has experienced rapid growth over its first five years of operations, diversifying to comprise seven companies with a view of offering its ever-growing list of customers a one-stop shop service in the oil & gas industry.Founded in 2010, the company has grown in line with customer demand to this end, providing all key services under one roof, consisting of oilfield products, a comprehensive logistics function, inspection and management services, and even its own PPE product range.This expansion has been built on the foundations of an owner structure which boasts more than 100 years of collective experience in the industry, with them now applying that experience, set of values and eagerness to succeed to the ongoing development of Reliant.“We are only five years old so it has been a rapid expansion, but we believe in headhunting employees who want to work for a business like that, and in joining ventures with businesses ready to face the storm,” says the company’s Vice President, Jeff Alias. “In some aspects we have excelled way beyond what my CEO and I had expected, given the industry.Mr David Moore is the aforementioned CEO as well as President and Founder of the Reliant Group of companies and is responsible for the philosophies now engrained in the fabric of the organisation, and the subsequent speed of growth…
HWA Seng Builder
Unwavering Commitment to World-Class StandardsWith a long-term goal to become more involved in some of Singapore’s major infrastructure projects, Hwa Seng Builder strives to emerge as a leader in civil engineering Writer: Emily JarvisProject Manager: Arron RamplingAlthough a relatively young company, Singapore-based Hwa Seng Builder Pte Ltd (HSB) has already made a name for itself as a leading, award-winning provider of civil engineering and construction in Singapore; and is eager to become more competitive this year in order to win new projects.According to Thomas Ng, HSB Managing Director, in the years since its founding in 1992, the Group has grown to become a force to be reckoned with in a number of fields across its three subsidiaries; Hwa Seng Builder Pte Ltd, Hwa Seng Investment Pte Ltd and CNH Investment Pte Ltd.“We work on a wide range of infrastructure projects such as building expressways, runways, bridges, road and drainage systems; golf courses and all other works and general building construction. We also have subsidiaries which deal with property development, particularly private apartments,” Ng said.HSB was originally established as a way of tapping into local technical know-how, expertise and resources. Now, the company has become a go-to provider for the region thanks to the consistent high level of quality it is able to provide.“We have two decades of experience working in Singapore,” Ng said, demonstrating a clear understanding of the ingredients needed to see the company succeed. “We have wide ranging experience in the field and a team of expert professionals and management who are committed to their tasks…
Ranchan Group
Bringing International Thinking to MalaysiaRanchan Group delivers cutting-edge technology to the ports of Southeast Asia and the Middle East while forging ahead with a globalisation strategy for ports around the world Writer: Emily JarvisProject Manager: Ben WiggerThe former Prime Minister, Tun Mahathir once said that Malaysia would one day be recognised as a maritime nation. Today, Ranchan Group firmly believes this dream can be realised, through direct empowerment of Malaysian maritime industry players; using the latest technological advancements accompanied by strong government support. Moreover, the company is evolving beyond the country’s borders and looking closely at international business opportunities that will set Ranchan further apart from the competition. “A considerable number of Malaysian companies are dependent on government projects. However, given that Malaysia is surrounded by water, there are tremendous opportunities for the company internationally and Ranchan Group has the experience to go out and pitch development ideas via new business opportunities,” says Group Managing Director, Mr Chandrasegaran Uthamaseelan, who hopes to list the heavy engineering and maritime divisions of Ranchan on the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange by 2020.As a relatively young contender in the maritime, heavy engineering and technology sectors, Ranchan was first incorporated in 2006 and comprised just three team members with an initial focus in heavy engineering. Setting its sights on becoming an end-to-end marine transportation provider for the port industry, Ranchan also created a range of services to support major shipping lines by providing container feeder services to and from Malaysia and Indonesia. “Now with more than 50 members of staff across various…
Accesstech
Market Spike Exceeds CapacityAccesstech barely has time to catch its breath as significant market demand accelerates company growth and introduces the business to new areas of advanced engineering Writer: Matthew StaffProject Manager: Tom CullumAccesstech has once again capitalised on the ever-changing market conditions in the advanced engineering space, to propel itself to new heights in 2015.Evolving as a “rapidly expanding group of companies” across engineering, construction, telecommunications and manufacturing investments, the company’s flexible approach to operations has been moulded by the ebbs and flows, and the varying lucrative periods that each sector goes through within the region.In 2013, this trend revolved around the development of state-of-the-art data centres; a domain in which Accesstech set itself apart in the market through its commitment to innovation and the extensive supplier network.While these key philosophies remained in 2014, the company then underwent a slowdown in business due to the less fruitful market conditions. However, Chief Executive Officer, Roy Low was happy during this period to consolidate the previous, comprehensive revenue achieved in prior years, unaware of the upturn on the horizon.“Last year, we decided the market conditions were not good so we were happy to maintain the revenue that we achieved the previous year,” he confirms. “Then, towards the end of the year, there was a big surge in computing activities and data centre construction, causing a spike.”GenomicsDespite labour challenges in Singapore – the country in which Accesstech has grown ever since its inception in 1998 – the company has grown more than 30 percent on the previous year already, and…
Aims Data Centre Sdn Bhd
The Centre of Malaysian TechnologyAs a market-leading subsidiary of TIME dotcom Berhad, AIMS Data Centre Sdn Bhd (AIMS) is optimising its investment power and customer base to expand its already internationally renowned products and services Writer: Matthew StaffProject Manager: Donovan SmithAIMS is once again thriving as Malaysia’s leading carrier neutral data centre operator and managed services provider, capitalising on its role as one of TIME dotcom Berhad’s most significant subsidiaries.Beginning life in 1990, the business has had to diversify, adapt, transform and rebuild over its 25-year history to reach its current, internationally-renowned status. Overcoming competitive sectors and ever-changing market demands, it is in the arena of data centres where it has conquered and expanded from ultimately.“AIMS offers state-of the art facilities for equipment housing with unparalleled connectivity options,” the company states. “Maintained round-the-clock by expert staff, our data centres are equipped to the highest industry standards; 24-hour security, clean agent fire suppression, robust cooling system and uninterruptible power supply (UPS) with back-up generators.”Alongside its core data centre offering, exists an extensive range of managed IT services from procurement to the deployment of software and hardware, working closely alongside its ever-increasing range of international customers.These customers benefit from AIMS’ turnkey services across cloud technologies, content delivery, disaster recovery and carrier management to achieve an all-under-one-roof offering which looks set to reach an even more widespread demographic of both carrier and enterprise customers in the future.Strength to strengthAIMS’ current industry positioning doesn’t tell the whole story of the business’s diversification and development however. The company has proven its ability…
Powering the Future of Data Centres
Asia Outlook (AsO): Could you talk me through a brief history of Emerson Network Power, its core services and how the company has evolved over the years in Malaysia?Hitesh Prajapati (HP): Emerson Network Power - a business of Fortune 500 Company, Emerson - is a global technology company that delivers software, hardware, and services for data centres, telecom, healthcare, and industrial facilities. We are a trusted industry leader in smart infrastructure technologies, providing innovative solutions that maximise the efficiency, capacity and availability of critical infrastructure, and ensuring business-critical continuity.Emerson Network Power (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd has been in Malaysia since 1985, and throughout the years, we have been developing industry-leading solutions to address our customers’ critical infrastructure needs. We have highly-skilled technical and sales teams ready to address customer requirements.In our 30 years in the Malaysian market, Emerson Network Power has established itself as a leading critical infrastructure provider in the country. We have handled hundreds of projects, from small and medium sized organisations to large enterprise businesses. These customers are varied and come from the fields of telecommunications, healthcare, education, banking and finance, manufacturing, and various other collocation and internet data centre facilities.Our services are delivered through our Centres of Expertise – distinct areas of world-class products and services that help customers determine what they need and where. AsO: Malaysia’s leading data centre player, AIMS is one of your key business partnerships in the region: what are the key benefits that stem from this relationship?HP: AIMS and Emerson Network Power share a long-standing and strong working relationship.…
Asia’s Space Race: The First Frontier
With NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) largely dominating the space exploration scene, Asia is a region that tends to go unnoticed by the public as one worthy of contention. But as China, Japan, India and South Korea enhance their offering, the rest of the world needs to take note of this rising nation.The term ‘space race’ was first coined in the 1960s to describe the competitive nature of the astronautics industry, back when it was governed by clearly defined objectives and milestones set by an individual country’s space programme. Decades later and the term has become difficult to apply to the handful of rapidly rising space programmes in Asia due to previous historical happenings that divided the world, including a vastly different political context.In spite of this, Asia is becoming a genuine contender in the space race as the end of the 20th century witnessed an astonishing growth spurt in industrial, technological and economic power across Asia. The continent has shown determination in the face of infrastructural challenge to lift themselves out of poverty and guard against the mistakes of the past.The reason Asia’s space programmes have been largely glossed over by those in the wider world is because they have been relatively small scale in comparison to the likes of NASA; initially establishing satellites to map farmland and connect rural areas to telecoms infrastructure. However, when China, India and Japan began running their own world-class space programmes, the rest of the world seemed largely unaware; this is why it may come as a…
Lee Kuan Yew: Singapore’s Founding Father
Lee Kuan Yew is widely accepted as the founding father of the independent Singapore we know today, leading the city-state from 1959 to 1990 as Prime Minister, Senior Minister and, later, Minister Mentor before leaving in 2011.
Ericsson Shares Top-Vendor Insights At Small Cells Asia
Between 2010 and 2020 – the year when commercial 5G networks are anticipated – total monthly mobile data traffic is projected to grow 80 times. Small cells are expected to begin mass deployment in high-traffic areas and indoors this year to support this growth. To help mobile operators integrate small cells in their network strategy, Ericsson will share both global and local technical and business model insights at Small Cells Asia, April 20-21, Singapore.“Small cells can be integrated into an existing mobile network to deliver a better user experience while enabling operators to address new enterprise and IoT opportunities on the road to 5G,” says Christian Hedelin, Head of Radio Strategy. “In an increasingly competitive mobile environment, technology leadership is essential for mobile operators, and integrated small cells are a key focus for innovation.”Ericsson’s own Radio Dot System is an example of small cell innovation suiting indoor environments, and proving its benefits worldwide with mobile data throughput improving by up to five times, dropped calls being reduced to zero, and installation times as low as four minutes per Dot. The Radio Dot System has also been designed to consume less power than traditional indoor solutions. “The region has witnessed strong growth for both 3G/HSPA and 4G/LTE over 2014, with 4G/LTE uptake being spearheaded by Singapore and Australia. It is expected that LTE subscriptions will ramp up in the region during 2015 as several countries have started LTE trials, while others are awaiting upcoming spectrum auctions.” says Petra Schirren, Vice President, Head of Engagement Practice Mobile Broadband, Ericsson South…
AIMS Reinforces its Position as a Data Centre Hub
AIMS Cyberjaya Sdn Bhd (AIMS) has been appointed by Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC) through an open tender to lead and deliver the 'Inter-Data Centre (DC) Network initiative’.The initiative is aimed at mitigating the high cost of bandwidth faced by Malaysian data centres by deploying an ultra-broadband backbone network interconnecting participating data centres within Cyberjaya. AIMS will be responsible for the deployment, configuration, monitoring and support of the network services and operations.The InterDC Network initiative was conceived from the inputs by local data centre players in a series of engagements and consultations organised by the Malaysian Data Centre Alliance (MDCA) and facilitated by MDeC to bring down the cost of data centre operations.Recently, IDC Research's study on the total cost of doing business for data centre providers in 15 countries revealed that on average, Malaysian data centres spend between 20-25 percent of their operational cost on bandwidth; as compared to less than five percent in Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, UK and the USA. Bandwidth cost comprises of local and international components. Malaysia has challenges in both domestic and international connectivity which leads to relatively higher costs than Singapore and Hong Kong which are the region’s recognised data centre hubs.Wan Murdani Wan Mohamad, Director, Digital Enablement Division of MDeC says: "While our overall Global Data Centre Risk ranking is 16, Malaysia is ranked number 28 (out of the top 30 nations) when it comes to international connectivity (Cushman & Wakefield, 2013), which further highlights the high international bandwidth cost. “New submarine cables are expected to be in service by Q2 of 2016 and it will address the…