Successful organisations display collective ambition: Aon Hewitt

• All surveyed organisations said collective ambition was key to their growth trajectory. 
• Organisations with leaders who are united under a singular vision, purpose, and aspiration develop more effective succession pipelines.

A study* of Chief Human Resource Officers (CHROs) from more than 15 industries representing 1.1 million employees demonstrated that organisations who drive stellar growth have "collective ambition", according to the People Fuel Growth study by Aon Hewitt, the global talent, retirement, and health solutions business of Aon.

Collective ambition is fuelled by competitive, yet collaborative leadership and ensures achievement of common goals. The leadership team has a strong desire to be successful, but is also highly aware that that this only occurs when leaders are able to work jointly.

In order to achieve collective ambition, the Aon Hewitt People Fuel Growth study reinforces the belief that ambition in absence of a group is meaningless and the leadership team must have an understanding of growth and how to achieve it. The study found it essential that:

1. Leaders review the organisation's mission and growth plan regularly.

2. Hold meetings to discuss their growth plans at least once a year.

3. Have a regular cadence for their senior leadership meetings; most organisations surveyed meet on a monthly basis to ensure leaders work in unison to accomplish organisational goals.

4. Goals are tied to concrete measures. In high-growth organisations, these are usually crafted so that all employees understand how they contribute to and share in organisational success.

Na Boon Chong, Senior Client Partner, Aon Hewitt Singapore, said: "Collective ambition means that leaders are united under a singular vision, purpose, and aspiration. By uniting leadership around a common goal, supported by intentional alignment from a "people" standpoint and customer centricity that ensures relevance, it helps organisations to best leverage their talent and drive growth from the top down, be it at a firm or at a national level."

Interested?


Learn more about the study

Read a white paper on study findings

*The People Fuel Growth study sought to understand the impact people have on growth through interviews with CHROs of high-growth Fortune 1000 companies, representing 1.1 million employees across more than 15 industries. Aon Hewitt also analysed its proprietary data to identify differences between high and average growth firms. 

Langham Hospitality Group brings back MICE incentive programme

Source: Langham Hospitality Group.

The Langham Hospitality Group is bringing back the Double the Extra Mile PLUS programme to reward event planners and organisers with extra privileges. The offer may be booked from 1 April to 30 June 2016 for events taking place between 1 July and 31 December 2016 at all participating The Langham and Langham Place hotels.

For qualified events with revenue of at least US$6,500, meeting and event planners may enjoy double hotel rewards or miles from any of the 11 selected frequent flyer/travel and lifestyle rewards programme partners. Various hotel rewards, including complimentary accommodation, food and beverage vouchers and spa vouchers will be honoured based on the event’s spending, or two miles may be earned for every US$1 spent on qualified meetings and events.

With Double the Extra Mile PLUS, qualified events with 60 rooms per night or more are further entitled to any two of the following additional concessions:

• Cancellation fees waived

• No attrition rate charges

• No food and beverage minimum

• Complimentary Internet access for all guestrooms and meeting rooms

• One complimentary room per 30 paid rooms

• One complimentary room upgrade to the next category per 30 paid rooms

• One theme refreshment break enhancement

• One 30-minute cocktail reception

• Spa credit for the meeting planner or the group’s VIP

• One roundtrip airport transfer for the meeting planner or the group’s VIP


“Due to popular demand and positive feedback from our customers, we have brought back (the) Double the Extra Mile PLUS programme again this year. We present meeting and event organisers with a thoughtfully curated selection of bespoke services and work with them to ensure they achieve an excellent event at our hotels,” said Simon Manning, VP of sales and marketing for Langham Hospitality Group. “The Langham Hospitality Group is dedicated in delivering exceptional services and customised meeting and event solutions. We will continue to create similar programmes to help our customers achieve their goals and allow them to earn rewards at the same time.”

The group has also developed takethelead, a dedicated online event platform that provides event planners with a one-stop, personalised service created to take care of their event, including planning, logistics, dining and entertainment.

Interested?

Read more on the offer 

Singapore Airlines and Changi Airport Group extend Changi Transit Programme

Source: Changi Airport Group.

Singapore Airlines (SIA) and Changi Airport Group (CAG) have extended the Changi Transit Programme, which provides SIA and SilkAir customers with rewards during their transit in Singapore.

Under the extension of the programme to 31 March 2017, customers who transit through Changi Airport on SIA and/or SilkAir can redeem a Changi Dollar Voucher (CDV) valued at either S$20 or S$40, depending on the point of origin.

Singapore Airlines’ Divisional Vice President Sales & Marketing Foo Chai Woo, said, “SIA’s global network combined with the superior offerings of Changi Airport presents a compelling proposition to travellers all around the world.”

Lim Ching Kiat, Changi Airport Group’s Senior Vice President for Market Development, said, “We are delighted to continue this partnership with Singapore Airlines, which has served us well in strengthening the appeal of Changi Airport as a transit hub. For our transit passengers, a host of exciting shopping, dining and leisure offerings await them at Changi. The Changi Transit Programme will make exploring our terminals even more exciting for SIA and SilkAir passengers.”

The CDVs are valid for one-time use at retail, food and service outlets in the transit and public areas of Terminals 1, 2 and 3. They may also be redeemed for one-time access to the Ambassador Transit Lounge at Terminals 2 and 3 for up to two hours. Services at the lounge include showers, light refreshments and a wide range of reading materials.

Travellers can also look forward to amenities such as airport-wide complimentary Wi-Fi, movie theatres and themed gardens while transiting at Changi Airport, where a convenient Skytrain transport system and shuttle buses provide easy access to all three terminals.

Through the Singapore Airlines Boarding Pass Privileges Programme, SIA and SilkAir passengers can also enjoy exclusive privileges when they present their SIA or SilkAir boarding passes at participating outlets in Changi Airport.

Interested?

Read the terms and conditions for the Changi Transit Programme

Read the WorkSmart Asia blog post about the programme in 2014

LINE introduces conference call support for up to 200 people

Source: LINE. Screenshots of the new voice call feature.

LINE has added a new group call feature to the latest version of the LINE messaging app (iPhone and Android v.5.11, Windows Desktop v.4.5) which enables users to participate in voice calls with up to 200 people at a time. The group chat or multi-person chat voice function will soon be available to users of the LINE Mac desktop client as well.

When activated, the feature will prompt users within a group chat or multi-person chat with a notification that allows them to select the number of people to participate in the call. An icon is displayed above the username of the person currently speaking for easier communication. The service is available for free to all LINE users who have updated their app to v 5.111, making it an easy way to connect with friends and family for a chat or with co-workers for a conference call.

LINE was first launched in June 2011 as a messaging service available across multiple devices and network carriers, enabling users around the world to easily keep in touch with friends, family, and coworkers. Its free voice call service was introduced in October of the same year, followed by video calls in September 2013 as part of an initiative to strengthen lines of communication between people.

*Networks supported: Wi-Fi, 3G and 4G. Calls made over 3G and 4G may incur additional data transmission charges.

Rising Indonesian incomes and living standards create new opportunities

Economic growth in most Southeast Asian economies, including Indonesia, has slowed recently. But in the medium and long term, Indonesia remains highly attractive to companies operating in emerging markets due to increasing affluence and urbanisation, says the Boston Consulting Group (BCG).

To capture this opportunity, companies need a detailed understanding of the brand preferences, shopping behaviours, and purchasing decisions of Indonesian consumers across demographic segments. A series of research reports released by BCG provides just such in-depth findings that can guide companies in three core industries: consumer durables, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCGs), and financial services.

The three publications summarise the findings of an extensive quantitative and qualitative survey of more than 3,000 consumers across all socioeconomic groups in 19 locations throughout Indonesia. A central element of all three reports is identifying the key demographic groups within the country—from “young professionals” to “modern housewives”—which each unique habits, preferences, and needs.

“Companies need a targeted approach that understands each group in order to apply the right points of influence for their brands,” said Edwin Utama, a BCG partner and a co-author of the reports. “Those that try to apply a one-size-fits-all approach will struggle.”

Vaishali Rastogi, a Senior Partner at BCG and another coauthor added, “Indonesia’s economic expansion has clearly hit some turbulence lately. Despite these bumps, Indonesia is still a growth story, with a consumer base that is growing larger and more economically empowered each year. But growth will not be straightforward for companies. That makes it even more important to use a targeted approach and to rely on deep insights into the behaviour of shoppers in key demographic segments.”

Interested?

Download the report

posted from Bloggeroid

Jebsen Group celebrates 60th anniversary of partnership with Porsche

Source: Jebsen Group. From left: Grant Smith, General Manager, Porsche Centre Hong Kong and Macau; Franz Jung, President and CEO, Porsche China; Hans Joachim Stuck, Champion, 24 Hours of Le Mans, 1986 and 1987; Hans Michael Jebsen, Chairman, Jebsen Group; Helmuth Hennig, Group Managing Director, Jebsen Group; Earl Anderson Bamber, Champion, 24 Hours of Le Mans, 2015; Joachim Eberlein, Managing Director, Jebsen Motors.

Jebsen Group (Jebsen), a regional player in the marketing and distribution of premium products across Greater China, has celebrated the 60th anniversary of its partnership with Porsche in Hong Kong. 

Jebsen Motors, one of the four business units under Jebsen Group, is one of Porsche's largest dealer groups in the world. Working closely together in Hong Kong since 1955, the two companies have seen their relationship strengthen over time and expand into mainland China in 2001. Today, Jebsen runs 10 Porsche Centres in major cities across mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau.

Hans Michael Jebsen, Chairman of Jebsen Group, said, "The journey with Porsche over the past 60 years has been incredible. Fully dedicated to Porsche as well as our customers, Jebsen Group's commitment to the sports car brand has only grown stronger with continuous investments to the network which now includes 10 Porsche Centres in major cities across mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau. The recent opening of Porsche Centre Shenzhen Longgang on 13 November, one of the largest in Greater China, is just another testament to the success of this partnership."

President and Chief Executive Officer of Porsche China, Franz Jung, added "Hong Kong is one of the most important markets in the world for Porsche. It is integral to our continued success and growth throughout China. 60 years holds great significance in China and Porsche and Jebsen Group have seen a lot of success together in these past 60 years. We are grateful to be celebrating this milestone with our most loyal customers, and we are committed to continue strengthening our brand position in Greater China. "

Source: Jebsen Group. The 911 Carrera GTS - Jebsen 60th Anniversary Edition.

To mark the historical milestone, Jebsen also unveiled the 911 Carrera GTS - Jebsen 60th Anniversary Edition. There are only 10 units of this edition available worldwide. 

Interested?

View the associated video

2015 Namyangju Slow Life International Festival to delight visitors this October

Source: Slow Life Planet website.

An international festival promoting the slow food movement as well as an all-round healthy lifestyle will take place in the South Korean city of Namyangju in October. 

Under the theme Good Food, Good Life the Namyangju Slow Life International Festival (남양주슬로푸드국제대회) will run for 10 days from October 8 in the provincial city, located about 30 km east of Seoul. 

The fair is the second of its kind to be held in Namyangju city, after it launched the Asio Gusto festival in 2013. The city has since changed the name of the programme and decided to make it a regular event that is held every two years.

Visitors can expect to enjoy concerts, tasting sessions and other hands-on activities. A food show starring some of the most popular chefs from South Korea will be held during the festival, and visitors will also be able to try traditional foods and beverages from a diverse mix of cultures.

Interested?

Individual tickets: 7,000 won
Group* tickets: 6,000 won
Early bird** tickets: 5,000 won
Buy tickets**

*A group should have at least 10 people. 

**Early bird prices are available till October 7, 2015.

***Tickets at each tier cost 1,000 won less for teenagers and children.

Hong Leong Group to site global HQ at Damansara City

Source: Damansara City website.

GuocoLand Malaysia's flagship development, Damansara City, has been chosen as the future home for the Hong Leong Group’s global headquarters. The 33-storey Grade-A office tower block in the southwest (direction) end of the iconic development, will be the star anchor tenant within Damansara City once it is fully occupied by the end of second quarter next year.

The Hong Leong Group is a major conglomerate based in Malaysia, with businesses in banking & financial services, manufacturing & distribution, property development & investment, hospitality & leisure, and principal investment. The Group controls listed companies with hundreds of operating subsidiaries and associate companies in North and Southeast Asia, Western Europe and the UK, as well as North America and Oceania.

Damansara City is an integrated city development consisting of two Grade-A office towers; two towers of luxury residences known as DC Residency; an F&B-centric lifestyle mall; and a 5-star hotel.

GuocoLand expects Damansara City to have an initial traffic of 10,000 people daily working within the integrated development and average another 6,000 visitors when it is fully operational by mid 2016. The future development of surrounding areas is expected to enhance the foot traffic within the area and further increase the demand for and the valuation of Damansara City’s units in both the residential and commercial towers.

Office Tower A’s 530,000 sq ft of usable area will be progressively handed over to various operating companies within the Hong Leong Group in coming months. “This announcement reinforces the position of Damansara City as the heart of a leading new business district in the Greater Kuala Lumpur and Damansara Height’s community. It underscores our unique combination of factors that sets us apart and has spurred both investor and corporate interest in the project to date.

"This includes our location within the exclusive enclave of Damansara Heights which is mere minutes away from Bangsar, the KL city centre, the KL Sentral transportation hub and other established townships; the highest levels of seamless integration between our corporate, residency and hospitality facilities; the onsite presence of a refined and curated lifestyle mall; and accessibility through multiple road systems and the soon to be completed MRT line,” said Tan Lee Koon, Managing Director of GuocoLand.

Damansara City, with a gross development value of RM2.5 billion, is an entry point project (EPP) under Malaysia’s Economic Transformation Programme. It has been identified as a key component and driver of one the fastest growing business districts in the Greater Kuala Lumpur area with strong and growing interest from buyers and tenants across South East Asia.

The office spaces at Damansara City are setting a new benchmark, not just in the Damansara Heights and greater Kuala Lumpur areas but from the regional property market. Strong regional demand for both its commercial and living spaces is being driven especially by Damansara City’s strategic location in Damansara Heights and office towers, which are MSC-status ready developments that comply with the Green Building Index (GBI) Certified rating; the Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) Gold rating; and CONQUAS Quality Assessment for its building construction works.

Hong Leong Group is the first of several prominent brands that are moving their corporate headquarters to Damansara City. DC Mall, the soon to be opened lifestyle and F&B heart of Damansara City is also seeing strong demand for its space. It has already secured in-principle agreements with some well known local and international brands for half its lettable space as well.

AFOCH welcomes business gatherings at iftar over Ramadhan

Source: AFOCH website.

The Armed Forces Officers Club & Hotel (AFOCH), Abu Dhabi, is hosting iftar for gatherings with business partners.

The Armed Forces Officers Club & Hotel Deputy Director General Peter Freeman said that the hotel’s top chefs will again be preparing the enormous buffet for iftar featuring the finest Arabic delicacies to complement the international menu. 

"At the Armed Forces Officers Club & Hotel we offer the most authentic Arabic cuisines carefully prepared using the freshest ingredients by our highly skilled culinary team,” he said.

The iftar buffet along with Ramadan juices is priced at AED190++ per person. A group of 10 guests and above can enjoy the discounted rate of AED180++ per person. The hotel also offers a booklet of 50 coupons that will bring the price down to AED160++ per person. All rates are subject to services and taxes.

Interested?

Call: +971 2 441 5900 for reservations

Cristal Group develops proprietary multilingual commission-free reservations tool

The Cristal Group will become the first hotel management company worldwide to develop its own zero commission based reservations tool that promises cheaper hotels.

A new multilingual website based on a proprietary booking engine will launch this month. According to Cristal's Chief Operating Officer Kamal Fakhoury, the new website will make it easier for customers to book Cristal Hotels, with extended language options that will include Arabic, and Chinese among other languages. 

“With hotels in Abu Dhabi, Iraq, Lebanon and more to come in Saudi Arabia, we are building an international client base and it is vital that we can communicate with potential customers in their language,” he said.

“Looking ahead, China and Russia have been identified as major growth markets for the future, with 140 million Chinese alone visiting overseas destinations in 2015 – while Germany remains a strong source market for destinations such as UAE.”

Further benefits of the new website will be competitive pricing, as the proprietary booking engine ensuring that hotels do not pay direct web booking commission and can pass this saving on to owners and customers. The new website will also feature a dedicated media, marketing and HR portal, he added.

“We will ensure we have international reach through partnering with global distribution experts, Travel click, but have determined the scope of the new brand website through intensive research that ultimately benefits both the client and the hotels.”

The Cristal Group was established in the UAE in 2007 followed by the British Virgin Islands in 2012 to deliver hospitality consultancy, technical services, asset management and brand management. Its vision is to be the premier business and leisure hotel operator in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. 

The Madison Group brings Venini and Rimadesio portfolio to Singapore

Hong Kong-based The Madison Group has launched two Italian interior design brands in Singapore – Venini and Rimadesio, as part of its portfolio expansion in Southeast Asia.

Source: The Madison Group.
Rimadesio products.

Venini is known for its artisanal Venetian mouth-blown glassware while Rimadesio has made for a name for itself in glass and aluminum furniture and accessories. Both the Venini and Rimadesio range of products are exclusive to The Madison Group in Singapore, and there are plans for Venini glassware to be made available to consumers at strategic venues and stores. 

Carsten Nittke, CEO of The Madison Group, observed that tastes in furnishing and décor have evolved, with people in Singapore becoming bolder and more experimental with their tastes. "With this growth of demand that we are seeing, coupled with the success of our operation and retail effort here so far, we felt that it is timely to introduce two more of our core brands, Venini and Rimadesio, to the collection,” he said. 

Source: The
Madison Group. A
Venini lamp.

Since the company’s inception in 1921, Venini’s glass masters have worked alongside some of the greatest artists and designers to create works of art, including with contemporary architects and designers such as Alessandro Mendini, Fabio Novembre and Tadao Ando. It is one of the world’s forerunners in the production of Murano glass, contributing heavily toward twentieth century design. The iconic Venini fazzoletto (handkerchief) bowl has been on display in museums for over 50 years.

Source: The Madison Group. Fazzoletto
bowls from Venini.

Rimadesio was founded in 1956 in the industrial furniture district of Brianza, Milan. Most well-known for inventing glass sliding doors in 1992, Rimadesio is also a pioneer in the industry in using environmentally-friendly, infinitely recyclable, classic materials like glass and aluminum in 90% of their products. Since 2011, Rimadesio is also the first in the industry to be 100% powered by solar energy, saving over 1,000 tons of C02 emissions each year.

Group discounts for iftar, suhoor at Armed Forces Officers Club & Hotel Abu Dhabi

Source: Armed Forces Officers Club & Hotel website.

The Armed Forces Officers Club & Hotel (AFOCH) in Abu Dhabi is offering a range of group discounts for iftar and suhoor.

The iftar buffet with Ramadhan juices is priced at AED180*, and AED170 per person for a group of 10 or more. For those using the coupon system** it costs AED150 per person. The suhoor buffet, inclusive of Ramadhan juices is AED90 per person.

*Quoted prices exclude tax and service charges.

**Coupon booklets of 50 coupons are available for sale.

The Pottinger Hong Kong opens for business

The hospitality management arm of Sino Group and an affiliate of Sino Land Company, which operates and manages a growing portfolio of hotels, a yacht club, serviced apartments and residential food and beverage club houses, has launched The Pottinger Hong Kong, a 68-room luxury boutique hotel situated along Hong Kong's oldest stone slab street, rated a Grade I historic place by the Antiquities Advisory Board of Hong Kong. 

According to the Sino Group of Hotels, The Pottinger Hong Kong offers 68 luxury guestrooms and suites, ranging from 23 square metres to 68 square metres. The Pottinger Suite and six suites, named after the streets around the Central neighbourhood, feature decor with a touch of oriental flavour. Images from world-acclaimed photographer Fan Ho, a photographer and film director grace the rooms and passageway of The Pottinger Hong Kong. 

The Pottinger Hong Kong has its main entrance at 21 Stanley Street. Room rates start from HK$1,880, and the hotel is just five minutes' walk from Central MTR Station.
 
The Sino Group of Hotels oversees The Royal Pacific Hotel & Towers, City Garden Hotel, Hong Kong Gold Coast Hotel, Island Pacific Hotel, The Johnston Suites (serviced apartments) and Gold Coast Yacht & Country Club. 

*All images from Sino Group of Hotels.