SJM Resorts invites gourmets to the Rendezvous in Macau Lisboa Culinary Adventure

Source: SJM Resorts. Guests will be entertained at the gala dinner by celebrity artistes from TVB.

On 17 August 2024, SJM Resorts in Macau will orchestrate a new dining experience, Rendezvous in Macau Lisboa Culinary Adventure. Guests are welcome to enjoy the evening at Grand Lisboa Palace Resort Macau with creative global cuisines and live performances.

An East-West culinary celebration, Rendezvous in Macau Lisboa Culinary Adventure will showcase the talent of nine master chefs from eight SJM restaurants: - The three-Michelin starred French restaurant Robuchon au Dôme

- The two-Michelin starred Chinese restaurant The 8

- The Forbes Five-star rated Cantonese cuisine establishment Palace Garden

- Modern Portuguese flavours from Mesa by José Avillez

- Japanese kappou-style Zuicho

- Italian restaurant Don Alfonso 1890

- Authentic Shanghainese and Huaiyang delicacies from Hua Ting, and - The fashionista oasis La Scala de Palazzo.

A suite of 10 dishes that integrate the culinary artistry of Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, French, and Italian cuisines will be presented with Macau-themed cocktails.

The event will also feature performances by celebrity artists from TVB and famous singers, and will be filmed by TVB for broadcast on 7 September on the TVB Jade channel.

Details

Rendezvous in Macau Lisboa Culinary Adventure

Date: 17 August 2024

Venue: Grand Pavilion, Grand Lisboa Palace

Time: From 6:30 pm

Price: MOP 6,288+ per person

SJM also offers an accommodation package for those attending. The Rendezvous in Macau Lisboa Culinary Adventure Hotel Package includes one night's luxury accommodation on 17 August, breakfast for two at The Grand Buffet, and two tickets to the gala dinner. Package prices start at MOP 15,888++.

For reservations or questions, call +853 8881 1800

(Hong Kong toll free: 800 960 288

Mainland China toll free: 400 842 2188), or visit https://www.sjmresorts.com/en/happenings/a-tribute-to-macaus-gastronomy

Sing! Men's Chorus launches virtual choir performance

Singapore's all-male choir Sing! Men’s Chorus (SMC) has marked the resumption of arts performances in Singapore with the launch of its first virtual choir project, Why We Sing. The music video, on SMC's YouTube channel, was two months in the making and embodies a very powerful message of hope – that the local arts community can reach a new normal where society recognises performance arts, including music as essential to community development.

SMC's Choral Director Gregory Chen said such projects are important to keep engagement and conversation going on the importance of the arts in Singapore. He selected Why We Sing by Greg Gilpin, a US-based composer, arranger and choral conductor, to be the first virtual project for the choir as it reminds us of why music is important to our souls, and to connecting with others, especially at a time when it is tougher to have physical meetings. Lyrics in Why We Sing allude to soothing souls and bringing "together lives that have been torn apart", referring to the singing as a "neverending gift that circles back again".

"While the number of arts professionals may be relatively small, the total arts community that includes schools, religious communities and countless other voluntary enthusiasts far outstrips that number. Their collective activity fosters firm friendships, responses to meaningful causes and a gentler nurturing energy that not only entertains but also inspires, supports and promotes charity among people outside of their organisations in ways that laws, politics, science and money cannot buy. To ignore their vital role in society is to underestimate their value within their communities and to commit a disservice to the needy and underprivileged,” shared Chen.

SMC has a cult following among the choral community for its entertaining annual concerts as well as other projects. The Chorus has put up at least one full concert every year, with the exception of the 2020 season, when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down all possibilities of group rehearsals from being carried out. With the new normal in place, the choir will now take its performances online, and plans to roll out more virtual content for its growing global fanbase.

SMC, formerly known as the Singapore Men's Chorus, was formed to provide an avenue for those interested in male chorale and present another form of choral music for the public to enjoy. It all started with a chance meeting at a wine-tasting party between two men, Todd Katschke and Jason Ong, both of whom had been active in choral music for many years. Since there was no men's chorus in Singapore, Katschke and Ong decided to plug the gap. SMC was born with 11 members in 2005, and has grown to over 30 members today. Members hail from all walks of life, and from vastly different musical backgrounds. For some members, SMC has been the first training ground for choral music.

Details:

 

Watch Why We Sing. It is dedicated to the Singapore arts community.

Following the release of Why We Sing will be a documentary giving a peek behind-the-scenes of what it takes to put together a project of this nature, especially under the tight restrictions of the last few months.

SamKnows invites Singaporeans to join the National Internet Measurement Infrastructure project

The Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA), responsible for regulating the country’s telecoms, has contracted SamKnows, a broadband measurement performance provider, to measure consumer Internet performance.

Source: SamKnows. A SamKnows dashboard.

By taking part in the National Internet Measurement Infrastructure (NIMI) project, Singaporeans can join thousands of other consumers in putting their ISPs to the test and ensuring they are getting the quality of experience that they are expecting. 

As part of a drive to expand the project, SamKnows is now offering free hardware devices called ‘Whiteboxes’ to new volunteers, allowing users to measure speeds of up to 1Gbps. Volunteers are asked to download the free SamKnows mobile app to receive accurate real-time data and analytics via the SamKnows dashboard. 

Singapore is one of 40 countries currently using the SamKnows measurement platform. 

Interested?

Apply for a free Whitebox 

Performance management receives little praise for 46% of Asia Pacific employers

Source: Willis Towers Watson. Types of performance management objectives.

Employers in Asia Pacific are using performance management processes to drive broad organisational objectives, and believe that by and large, these objectives are being met. However, Willis Towers Watson’s 2015 Talent Management and Rewards Pulse Survey* — Asia Pacific also found that almost half (46%) of employers in Asia either said their performance management processes are ineffective, or are neutral. Willis Towers Watson is a global advisory, broking and solutions company.

 
This gap could be explained by what is measured, and what is not. The research, which reached out to employers to learn about their performance management processes, shows companies are largely concerned with tracking compliance, and not qualitative or business outcomes. Most employers measure success through metrics such as the percentage of managers who complete annual reviews on time (39%), or employees who complete the process on time (37%). Only one in five employers measure the quality of goals set. Almost one in three employers do not formally measure effectiveness.

“Employers seem to be at a crossroads when it comes to their performance management processes,” said Dhritiman Chakrabarti, Asia Pacific Leader for Rewards, Talent & Communication at Willis Towers Watson. “On the one hand, they sense change is needed, but on the other hand, they are not sure what specific form that change should take. It’s because of this uncertainty that a few have turned to extreme steps such as going completely ratingless, which makes news headlines and causes other employers to wonder uneasily if they should follow suit.”

The survey shows that 6% of employers have eliminated performance ratings/scores, and an additional 11% are considering doing so. 10% of organisations are considering scrapping performance management all together. Instead, employers are finding ways to improve their current system: For instance, three in five employers have already changed or are in the process of changing their focus to include performance achievement and future potential. Another three in five have introduced or are considering introducing new technology.

“These are positive changes, but incremental. Employers could go a step further,” said Chakrabarti. “The key to driving high performance across the workforce is to align performance management — and individual performance objectives — to strategic business priorities. Once employees feel they are making a true contribution to the success of the business, their engagement rises and their potential can be unlocked.” 

 
According to the survey, lack of helpful feedback and resources are the greatest barriers to effective performance management. Almost three in five (59%) say managers spend too little time having ongoing conversations with employees about their individual performance, while 57% report a lack of effective feedback. Two-thirds of employers spend less than four hours on performance management per employee per year — the time is spent covering the annual performance review.

Additionally, more than half of employees say managers and supervisors do not have the necessary skills (53%) or are pressed for time to manage performance effectively (54%). “Developing — and maintaining — an effective performance management process is never an easy ask,” said Chakrabarti. “Performance management not only needs to keep employees motivated and engaged in the current organisation, it also needs an eye to where the organisation is going, and the skills needed to take it there. Today very few employers in Asia Pacific have this type of forward-looking agenda. By taking a strategic and holistic — including communication and technology, for instance — view of performance management, employers can ensure their workforce, often their most valuable resource, is also their greatest competitive advantage.”

*The Talent Management & Rewards Pulse Survey was conducted in October and November 2015. A total of 365 large and mid-sized Asian employers from 11 countries (Australia, mainland China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand), representing a cross section of industries participated. Respondents were primarily HR executives.

NANYANG, The Musical explores the world of Singapore's artist pioneers

Source: SISTIC website.

Director Alec Tok (卓金炎) has returned to the Singapore stage after 15 years spent making theatre abroad. NANYANG, The Musical, a coming-of-age story inspired by the lives and times of Singapore's first-generation artists, reunites lyricist Xiaohan (小寒) and composer Eric Ng (黄韵仁), the song-writing team behind hit musicals such as Liao Zhai Rocks and Lao Jiu, with arrangements by Goh Kheng Long (吴庆隆).  

Produced by One Kind Theatre (艺种戏剧), NANYANG will debut during the Singapore International Festival of Arts 2015 (SIFA), running from 6 to 8 August at the Drama Centre Theatre. The hero is Chen Kang, an up-and-coming painter from Xiamen, China who moves to 1930s Shanghai in a bid to advance his career. While there, he meets a group of kindred spirits with whom he explores and questions the fundamentals of traditional Chinese painting and European Impressionism. Chen even falls in love with one of them: Liying, a talented painter.

But the Japanese invasion of Shanghai and the spread of World War II to Europe drive Chen and his friends out of China and into Southeast Asia, where they became part of the Chinese diaspora in the region known for its collective identity, Nanyang (South Seas). Before settling in Singapore, Chen and his friends make a pivotal trip to Bali, where, inspired by the exoticism of the island, they develop a unique artistic style.

"I am very grateful to SIFA for giving me this opportunity and platform to converse and connect with our Singaporean audience through the language of art and theatre. This will be the first time that my stage work will be seen here after I went off to the US to study at the Yale School of Drama. It has been very exciting because this commission has allowed me to work with some of the best theatre artists practising here and in the region," said Tok.

Tickets are on sale at SISTIC* for the Mandarin musical with English subtitles. Early bird sales, with 20% discount, end on 10 May. There are also discounts for bundles as part of SIFA sales. Tickets range from S$25 to S$75 and could be an opportunity for organising a corporate outing for customers, partners or employees.

*SISTIC's hotline will operate from 10am to 8pm from May 2015. 

Brand Alliance to launch book on Asia brand heroes

Brand Alliance, a brand consultancy, will be launching its first book, Influential Brands: A documentary of their heroic rise, to celebrate brand leadership and entrepreneurship in conjunction with its 2014 Influential Brands conference: Celebrating brand leadership and Asia brand heroes on 7 November 2014 at Suntec City Convention Centre.

Source: Brand Alliance. Alibaba's brand story is in the book.

"These are intimate discussions with brands and Singapore brands which have not been told before. It is a peek into how some brands were developed and morphed into the brands we know today," said Brand Alliance in a statement. "We believe this is a book that will be an invaluable resource for budding entrepreneurs, academics, students, marketing and branding professionals and anyone hoping to gain more insights into 10 of Asia's most Influential Brands."

Brand Alliance notes that the book will promote the power of branding, provide an educational reference, while also inspiring others to do the same. "Each Asian-based brand has contributed to the vibrant business ecosystem here and many have even extended their brand influence on the world map with their brand names and innovations. The stories of these time-tested brands can also help the next generation of business leaders gain insights and provide any inspiring entrepreneur with valuable business tips and lessons," said the company.

"Most importantly, we hope to inspire a sense of pride in the collective achievements of these brands and the positive effects of the sharing of their stories."

The brainchild of Brand Alliance Founder Amy Lim, the book illustrates the journey of ten Asia brand heroes through personal conversations with brand founders and brand guardians. The result is an intimate dialogue which takes the reader from a brand’s creation to its challenges today.

Lim's passion in creating and developing brands goes beyond simply establishing global brands, but sustainable brands with a purpose. She admires Asia brands which have developed into today’s brand heroes. It is this understanding, admiration and empathy for Asian brands which led to the development of the book as a platform for brand appreciation and an intimate insight into their stories, to enable, encourage and inspire other brand owners, at whichever stage of the brand lifecycle.

According to Brand Alliance, all brands begin with a founder who has a story. It is the brand founders who craft and shape the brand into a living personality. Brand Alliance believes that most brands are inextricably linked to the personality and vision of its founders.

The stories of the ten brands in the book, taken from various parts of Asia and industries, aim to provide a perspective on how the elements of culture, environment and founder’s values may affect the brand’s influence on people and businesses. The brands featured in the chapters here come from different countries – mainland China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and India.

Source: Brand Alliance. The Cocoa Trees is well known for its confectionery in Singapore.

Each chapter in the book in the book starts with the founder’s background, leading into the brand’s evolution, the brand DNA which illustrates how the brand takes on parts of the founder’s personality, brand model which provides an overview of the brand’s growth over the years and leading into the business and brand challenges and how each brand overcame them.

In the last section, brand performance is analysed through qualitative and quantitative parameters. Brand performance is not limited to financials and the size, but is also based on its influence in comparison to the industry and its influence on a consumer’s life.

Alibaba, for example, started as a B2B e-commerce platform and is now an e-commerce player which commands more than 70% of China’s mobile commerce share and an e-commerce giant ready to take on world giant Amazon. Its presence now resonates across industries and countries. The company made global headlines for being behind the world's largest IPO this year.

Besides Alibaba, the brand heroes featured in the book include:

• Channel NewsAsia: Asia’s first network and proudly Singaporean 
• CapitaLand’s China story: Singapore’s leading developer, a zero to hero story in China and first told here 
• The Cocoa Trees by Focus Network Agencies: Growing confectionery in travel retail and beyond 
• HealthStats: A doctor who has revolutionised the industry. Well known in medical industries worldwide 
• Old Chang Kee: A Singapore heritage brand; while the story has been told, the chapter includes insider views on their products and development. 

Tata, Tao Kae Noi and the Park Hotel Group are also featured.

The recommended retail price for the hardcover book is S$88. It is in full colour, with more than 200 pages. Email contact@influentialbrands.com for bulk orders and pre-orders. The book will be available at Relay & Times Travel bookstores at Changi Airport and all major bookstores in Singapore from November 2014.

Influential Brands is a consumer-insight driven award programme with a mix of integrated engagement platforms for brands. It celebrates its second year in 2014. The award celebrates brands which have achieved a good standing with consumers and also provide brands with a platform for further engagement with consumers.

Brand Alliance chose the top influential brands in Singapore earlier this year.

NHN Entertainment monitors mobile ad performance with Criteo's Ad-X Tracking

Criteo, which provides advertising technology, has announced that Korean online and mobile game developer and publisher NHN Entertainment has deployed its in-app measurement solution, AD-X Tracking. 

Source: Toast website. Puzzle Run.

NHN Entertainment's main game service HANGAME was started in 1999 and is known to have the largest user pool among Korean game portals. The company services more than 40 PC games across various genres, including casual, web board, role playing game (RPG), first person shooter (FPS), sports and functional games.

The company is expanding into the mobile business with a global game brand, TOAST. It has launched more than 30 mobile games so far, including Fish Island, Wooparoo Mountain, and Guardian Stone. LINE POP and LINE Dozer, launched via LINE, hit the no. 1 spot on Apple’s App Store across 11 countries.

The deployment has enhanced NHN Entertainment’s in-app advertising offerings, providing the company with data for deeper analysis and enabling it to make more informed decisions and optimise mobile advertising spend.

With AD-X Tracking, NHN Entertainment can track the results of their campaign performance on smartphones and tablets across more than 550 integrated ad networks globally. AD-X Tracking’s comprehensive attribution and user life-time-value* (LTV) solution provides marketers with intelligence about which sources deliver the most engaged and relevant users, allowing them to monitor number of clicks, installs and other in-app actions, and also access up-to-the-minute metrics regarding mobile app usage and engagement.

NHN Entertainment has used AD-X Tracking since June 2014, and is currently using the measurement solution on four gaming titles – Dragon Friends, Wooparoo Mountain, Zombie Virus and Puzzle Run – across iOS and Android platforms. The company plans to roll out AD-X Tracking on a global scale, bringing AD-X to more than 20 additional gaming applications.

*A marketing concept that estimates how much a customer will spend with a brand in the long term.