Unique insights on leadership development and coaching through Start with Who

Source: The Coach Partnership. Start with Who.

Marcus Marsden, Managing Partner of The Coach Partnership (TCP), a Singapore-based company that offers professional and personal development services, has published a book on leadership development and coaching.

While his previous book Fit to Lead focused on challenging received wisdom regarding the role of the body in leadership, Start With Who challenges conventional thinking in the worlds of performance and coaching. Here, Marsden focuses the critical but often overlooked role of identity and context.

According to Marsden, most people focus first on establishing “SMART goals” and “starting with why”, but you will only release your full potential after you have first identified and worked with your beliefs about who you are today and who you can become in the future.

Marsden said, “It’s really a synthesis of the three biggest influences that I’ve had in my life. Firstly, the work of the existential philosophers that I studied at (Oxford) University, in particular Albert Camus. As soon as I came across it, it just intrinsically made sense to me.

"Secondly, the marketing education regarding brand identity that I received while working at Unilever and thirdly, the life and lyrics of Bob Dylan. So much of his work revolves around identity and authenticity. Indeed, his quotation from 1965, 'All I can do is be me, whoever that is' really encapsulates the whole essence of the book."

“Your concept of who you are and who you can be, plays a fundamental role in what you are able to produce, and yet it goes by, relatively unexamined in everyday life,” Marsden added.

The writing of the book was also a personal journey of self-discovery for Marsden. “Since school days, I have been interested in these philosophical questions about life and the ideas began to come together when I entered the world of personal development and coaching in 2000," he said.

"One of the central themes of this book is identity, how we view ourselves and our own capacity to grow and develop. It is such an overriding part of us that we lose sight of it. It is hiding in plain sight and its invisibility is what gives it its power over us. You can’t change something that you don't realise is there - we don’t see it as something we can change because we don’t see it at all.”

In the book, Marsden provides plenty of case studies, including examples from his own personal life and professional experience. These examples serve to fully and clearly illustrate the importance of “starting with who” if you are to achieve your personal and professional goals and transform your capacity to produce results.

Start With Who will be available from March 2022 at www.thecoachpartnership.com/shop, on Amazon and at bookstores. The e-book retails from S$9.99, softback at S$35, and hardback at S$70. All proceeds from the hardback sales will go to the Giraffe Conservation Society.

Narratives Undiscovered and Underway in the Birthday Book 2019

The Birthday Book launch is never complete without cake.

The Birthday Book for 2019 has launched! In this edition, contributors reflect on the stories that define them, their communities, the causes they champion, and Singapore’s collective future.

The theme this year is Narratives Undiscovered and Underway, featuring 53 essays and 54 contributors. "This year a couple wrote an essay together," Aaron Maniam, co-editor for this year's Birthday Book explained.

"We're building a community, gathering stories that make up Singapore," he said of the genesis of the Collective and the series. He observed that most of the stories about Singapore are at two ends of a spectrum, either "cheerleading" or critical, creating a need for stories that are in between that contribute to a "brain trust".

The Birthday Book is also meant to be a heart trust, to "help us as a community to feel", Maniam added. "Brains without hearts are cold and clinical, and hearts without brains don't know what they are doing," he said.

And just as triangles are more stable, the books are also part of a "hand trust", offering solutions to problems rather than just complaining about them, he said. 

The Birthday Book has always revolved around stories to tell and to share, said Cheryl Chung, who co-edited this year's Birthday Book. The Collective chooses a theme for its projects every year that runs from National Day in one year to National Day in the next year.

The first edition featured 51 contributions about What is Singapore’s Next Big Thing? in 2016, in line with Singapore's 51st year of independence. The theme that year was followed by 52 essays on What Should We Never Forget, and then 53 opinions on The Roads We Take in 2018. Last year's edition sold out in three months.

2018 also saw the launch of The Birthday Book (Junior), featuring stories from children aged six to 16. This also sold out - in six weeks. The Birthday Collective plans to provide electronic versions of books which are no longer available, Chung said.

Other Birthday Collective works include:
- The next Birthday Book (Junior),
Themed The Stories That We Must Tell, this book will launch in November.

- The Birthday Workbook
An assessment book based on The Birthday Books.

- The Birthday Salon
An online seminar series that works through the questions in the Workbook.

- The Birthday Video Competition, held in conjunction with ITE
 This competition may be opened up to polytechnic students in future. Last year's entries are available on YouTube.

- The Birthday Cookbook
This book will feature stories of Singapore and Singapore's heritage through the medium of food, with video content and recipes online.

- The Birthday events
These are other gatherings, such as a workshop about writing letters and what they represent.

The 2020 Birthday Book theme was also unveiled. Punning on the year 2020, the theme is Seeing Singapore Clearly.

2019 contributor Marcus Loh said that an informed public dialogue has to be based on common understanding and policy literacy. "The more familiar we become with the data behind our policies, the better we can complement our understanding of the people impacted by them, and the richer our own policy dialogue," he commented on his LinkedIn page.

Details:

Buy the Birthday Book at S$30

Buy the other books

Get involved in the Birthday Collective 

Hashtags: #thebirthdaybook, #tbb2019 

Thoughtful essays about living in Singapore in annual book

Cover, The Roads We Take.

The Birthday Collective has released a book every year since 2016 timed for Singapore's National Day, with each book featuring the same number of essays as Singapore's years of independence.

In this year's edition, 53 contributors reflect on The Roads We Take – the paths they have chosen to take in their lives. According to the Birthday Collective, the essays highlight the importance of resilience and the evolution of the political and social landscape in Singapore.

"The book compels readers to think of the complexity of the future roads we must take, as individuals, as a nation – because in sunny Singapore, no one road stays forever," the organisation said on its website.

At the launch ceremony for the book co-editor Cheryl Chung, head of the strategic planning department at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore, noted that contributors had brought up multiple roads in Singapore, "not the official road, not the road we are pressured to go on". "All the roads shape us," she said.

The theme of the inaugural edition in 2016 was What is Singapore’s Next Big Thing? whereas 2017 was about What Should We Never Forget?, Chung noted, while the 2018 theme is very much in the present tense. The book is also subdivided into four categories, why, how, who and what.

"(The why section is not about) why are we on these roads but why do we do what we do, why do we go where we go," she said.

The who section features essays writing about people the authors have journeyed with, as well as the people they were before and the people they have become.

Chung also said the book is about wayfinding, of sharing with each other the milestones of lives and creating a map "to show others where we have been".

From left: Maniam, Rufaihah, Chambers, Lim-Tsung.

In a panel featuring several contributors Rufaihah Abdul Jalil, who works at the National University of Singapore, shared that she wrote a letter to her daughters that focused on the beauty of lifelong learning, because "there are always going to be challenges whatever you do".

"You don't have to learn something very specific. You should be open to learning about other things... You will learn that everything is somehow connected to one another," she said.

Joshua Chambers, founder of Govinsider, commented on how easy it had been for him to start his own business in Singapore, to find "all the ingredients which make success a little easier". "It's very easy to meet people, to find connections and contacts," he said. "I feel very privileged to start something...that I would not have been able to start anywhere else in the world."

Cherie Lim-Tseng, COO, Secur Solutions Group, wrote about her volunteer work in Myanmar. "Sometimes it is what you don't see that is building all the things that you forget to see," she said. "What binds us is the stories. What makes the nation different from the city is when you stop looking at the key performance indicators (KPIs) and look at the things that you value."

Rufaihah hoped that Singapore will continue to take a greater role in world affairs, to allow other smaller nations to learn from the city state.

"A manmade system is never perfect," she observed. "It could work for us right now but it may change. Trying to be No. 1 in everything, you lose.. There's nothing to compete for when you are No. 1."

Lim-Tseng said being KPI-driven could be Singapore's demise. "We're so afraid of losing the check box that we don't take enough risks. We feel like we cannot drop any ball. Sometimes you have to make a stand and be clear about what it is about," she said, adding that we should be proud about "every crack and blemish" rather than "worrying about how we are No. 1 or No. 2 or 3".

"Our true body of work needs to stand out for what it is," she said.

"Singapore needs to take a step back and see what they can learn from others too," she added.

"We are a very pragmatic society. I want a Singapore with spiritual values, more 'give, care and share'."

Lim-Tseng also announced a children's version of the Birthday Book as well as a video competition to be launched with ITE in October. 

Explore:

Buy the books

View pictures of the launch on Facebook

Soirees, Sojourns & Stories recounts the highlights of the Raffles story

Raffles Hotels & Resorts, a major name in luxury hospitality that owns some of the most prestigious hotel addresses worldwide, has announced Soirees, Sojourns & Stories. 

The result of a collaboration with Rizzoli New York, Soirees, Sojourns & Stories by Natasha Fraser-Cavassoni is a 200-page slipcased volume reveals how Raffles created its legacy of bygone elegance and exceptional hospitality across the globe, from the opening of its Singapore flagship in 1887 to the recent unveiling of Raffles in Warsaw, Poland.

Archival materials complement contemporary photography depicting special events, remarkable stories, and celebrity guests and original illustrations by Luke Edward Hall.

“Raffles has entered an exciting new era of expansion,” said Jeannette Ho, VP, Raffles Brand Strategy & Strategic Partnerships. “Yet the brand remains true to its origins, delivering the timeless elegance, first-class travel experiences and the authentic personal charm that our loyal guests have loved for well over a century.”

Soirees, Sojourns & Stories reveals the tales behind the traditions, from the story of the traveller’s palm to service like a gentle breeze. From Raffles afternoon tea and much-loved mooncakes to the collection’s architectural achievements and the artists who have graced its halls, readers will find a riveting history of famous luxury hotel stories that covers more than 130 years. 

“We are delighted to partner with Rizzoli to create this captivating volume; it allows us to showcase our time-honoured traditions, remarkable stories and extraordinary portfolio of hotels in a meaningful way, even as we continue to expand and open new addresses in exciting international locales.” said Xavier Louyot, Senior VP, Brand Content, Raffles and AccorHotels Luxury Brands. 

 

Source: Raffles Hotels & Resorts. Illustration from Soirees, Sojourns & Stories.

In 1887, Raffles Singapore set the standard for luxury hospitality, introducing the world to private butlers, the Singapore Sling and its legendary service. Today, Raffles continues this tradition in leading cities and resort locales, enchanting travellers with meaningful experiences and service that is both gracious and intuitive. In addition to Raffles Singapore, which is currently undergoing a sensitive restoration and on track for a reopening Q119, properties include Raffles Jakarta; and Raffles Istanbul. 

At every location, Raffles Butlers deliver the ultimate in discreet, bespoke service, while Raffles spas are noted for their aesthetics and quality of service.

Raffles Hotel, Singapore decorated for Christmas, 2007.

View of a traveller's palm, taken in the garden of Raffles Hotel, Singapore, 2007.

Available as of December 2018 at Raffles Hotels & Resorts worldwide, and wherever fine books are sold, Soirees, Sojourns & Stories is an ideal gift for hotel buffs, armchair travellers and luxury aficionados.

Competencies and complexities for citizens of the world

Source: INSEAD. Cover,
The Global
Cosmopolitan Mindset.

An INSEAD professor’s new book explains the unique competencies and complex issues facing multinational, multicultural “citizens of the world”, the people who have multiple passports or live outside their country of citizenship.

“Many of them come from humble immigrant backgrounds, growing up in multiple countries, languages and cultures so have had to work very hard to get where they are today. Some are simply from bicultural families and have been born into a world of globalisation and change,” says Linda Brimm, an Emeritus Professor of Organisational Behaviour at INSEAD. 

“A global mindset is essential in international business and in solving complex problems,” says  Brimm. Given their life and work experience across borders, citizens of the world “have a great deal to teach us about the new ways to address some of the complicated challenges of today,” says Brimm in The Global Cosmopolitan Mindset.

A global cosmopolitan mindset, Brimm says, “is a culmination of a growth mindset, a global mindset and a creative mindset.” Crucially, “their cognitive flexibility also enables global cosmopolitans to think locally while remaining global,” adds Brimm, an important skill to have as the world increasingly looks for new solutions to local challenges.

The book tells the stories of hundreds of global cosmopolitans Brimm has researched throughout her career. While every story is different, Brimm draws them together to find commonalities to understand what makes people successful when they cross borders and what others, especially managers in organisations, can learn from such individuals.

The new book is the sequel to Brimm's Global Cosmopolitans: The Creative Edge of Difference, which introduced the 7Cs Model of Change and Development for the changes people are likely to face on a global journey. The Global Cosmopolitan Mindset delves deeper into how global cosmopolitans develop, the identities they form for themselves and what they have to consider when they want to return home or retire.

Brimm structures the book around three main areas. 

- Part 1: how global cosmopolitans learn from their global lives to develop a mindset and a skillset they use to help them

- Part 2: how global cosmopolitans form their identities throughout their lives

- Part 3: how global cosmopolitans make sense of their journeys as they continue to create new chapters in their life stories

Part 1 explains how global cosmopolitans learn from their global lives to develop a mindset and a skillset they use to help them. Brimm characterises the global cosmopolitans mindset as a combination of learning and growth with a global perspective and creativity. For instance, along their journeys, they will face unpredictable situations such as learning new ways of communicating, new ways of relating to people, even the most mundane things such as how to seek medical care in a foreign land. 

“Those with attitudes of learning and flexibility are able to better learn from their experience and articulate it in constructive ways,” says Brimm.

Part 2 looks at how global cosmopolitans form their identities throughout their lives. Brimm acknowledges that “Some of the classic ways that individuals present themselves as part of their identity story are as relevant for global cosmopolitans as for anyone else. But global cosmopolitans add levels of complexity when facing a major challenge…they author and understand who they are, what they can change, and what must remain the same…black and white perspectives are rarely found in a global mindset.”

Brimm suggests that internal monitoring is a necessary skill for global cosmopolitans and using the image of a “life mosaic” helps them describe a sense of self that travels over time and through change. This helps them manage differences and gives them an acute sensitivity to local vs global norms in the workplace allowing them to feel at home with people of different backgrounds. She also illustrates the unique dilemmas faced by these individuals as they develop their own sense of identity.

Part 3 explains how global cosmopolitans make sense of their journeys as they continue to create new chapters in their life stories. “They write new chapters in their developing lives, which define them as individuals, as well as providing examples of answers to some universal questions, such as how to satisfy the need to belong, what gives a sense of meaning to life, or how to have an impact,” says Brimm. 

“‘If you are used to questioning your life and your possibilities, reflection and personal growth will continue’, is what global cosmopolitans have taught me.”

While nationalism and a resistance to globalisation are ascendant, Brimm believes that it is becoming increasingly clear that solving issues of trade, immigration and climate change transcend any one country or individual. “The global cosmopolitans who have obtained experience in moving skillfully across borders are a major source of energy and expertise to build the coalitions that can address such cross-national, cross-cultural issues,” she concludes.

New book combines services management and marketing best practices with the latest research

Source: NUS. Cover, Winning in Service Markets.

Tried and tested services management strategies backed by cutting-edge academic research are now available in Winning in Service Markets, a book by Professor Jochen Wirtz, National University of Singapore (NUS) Business School’s Vice Dean (Graduate Studies) and Professor of Marketing.

Professor Wirtz  has adapted his globally leading textbook – Services Marketing: People, Technology, Strategy (8th edition) for industry practitioners. Targeted towards service organisations, the new publication provides comprehensive coverage of the latest academic research and its implications for best-practice service management and marketing across multiple services sector industries.

The secret to winning in service markets is summarised into a five-part framework for readers. With the whole service-profit chain in mind, organisations can cultivate a shared service climate, culture and leadership by:

1. Understanding the power of design and packages of “intangible” benefits and products for employees;

2. Investing in high quality service operations and customer information management processes;

3. Grooming a pool of motivated and competent frontline employees;

4. Building and maintaining a loyal and profitable customer base; and

5. Developing and implementing a coherent service strategy to transform assets into improved business performance.

“Consumers today are more knowledgeable and sophisticated than ever before. Service organisations need to keep up by creating memorable customer service experiences in order to build brand loyalty,” says Professor Wirtz. “Through this book, I hope to help transform the service sector into one that creates value for both customers and employees whilst balancing profitability and growth.”

Jan Swartz, President, Princess Cruises, called the publication a “highly practical book” that is recommended for everyone working in a service organisation. She said, “I love the comprehensive coverage of services marketing and rigour. Also, it is easy to read and full of interesting, best practice examples.”

Professor Wirtz is recognised globally for his excellence in teaching and research with over 40 awards. He holds a Ph.D. in services marketing from the London Business School and his research has been published in some 100 academic journal articles and 130 conference presentations. He has published over 10 books and is an active management consultant in the areas of strategy, business development and customer feedback systems. 

Interested?

Winning in Service Markets is published by World Scientific Publishing and is available for purchase on Amazon and leading book stores. The Kindle version costs US$23.49. Key chapters are also available as standalone publications in e-book and paperback form. Read the abstract

Your Story Your Way is a self-published work on realising potential

Source: Hemant Bohra. 

Your Story Your Way by Hemant Bohra is for those starting off on their journey to success. In this real-life guide, the entrepreneur-turned-author discusses centuries-old wisdom that can help readers tap their true potential.

Hemant started his career with capital markets as an equity trader and holds more than two decades of experience across multiple sectors. He worked with Value Dialog, one of India’s earliest investor relations firms, and later co-founded Fortuna Public Relations, a pan-India communications firm. In 2015, he decided to write this book. 

According to Hemant, the heart and mind make the decisions in life. The two reason very differently, pulling the person in opposite directions. Depending on the decisions they make, people can either be the hero or the villain of their own life story. A hero moves towards success, while a villain remains mired in fear and doubt.

The stories in this book are a guide to understanding the role of the heart and the mind and finding the right balance between the two, with the help of six questions. There is no correct order to answering them, nor a single correct answer. Answers to these questions vary from person to person. In fact, the answer to the questions might also differ at different stages in life, but the questions remain the same.

Interested?

The Kindle and paperback versions of the book are available on Amazon

Optional NVIDIA GeForce GPU drives heavy graphics on Microsoft's Surface Book laptop

Microsoft has unveiled the Surface Book, its first laptop. Unveiled by Microsoft Devices CVP Panos Panay in New York on October 6, the 13.5" Surface Book features an NVIDIA Maxwell architecture-powered GeForce GPU option.

The detachable keyboard base can be folded flat against the screen, like a laptop, tucked against the back of the screen, or detached. Panay showed the Surface Book running Adobe Premier Pro.

“This is for the gamer who plays League of Legends; this is for the architect who is building a building right now; this is for the scientist who is thinking about a cure for cancer,” Panos told his audience. “This is for the developer who wants to compile using the GPU and CPU at the same time and not lose a minute.”

Source: NVIDIA blog.

Interested?

The NVIDIA GeForce GPU variant starts at US$1,899, and is available October 26. Pre-order here

Startup Capitals, the conference to kick off on May 20

Source: Startup Capitals'
website.

Startup Capitals, a thought-leadership conference based on the recently published book authored by Singapore-based author and journalist, Zafar Anjum will be held on May 20 in Singapore at The POD, NLB, 100 Victoria Street. 

The one-day conference, which will also witness the official release of the book, celebrates the innovation/startup ecosystem of cities that are making a mark on the world map. It brings together all the stakeholders in a startup ecosystem, including entrepreneurs, business leaders, innovators, researchers and educational specialists, government leaders and venture capitalists, under one roof.

Steve Leonard, Executive Deputy Chairman, IDA, will deliver a keynote on Building the World’s First Smart Nation. Zachary Caceres, award winning writer, entrepreneur and Director of the Startup Cities Institute in Guatemala City, will also provide a keynote titled Startup Cities, Micro reforms and treating governance services as a technology for startups to innovate.

Interested?

View the agenda

Register - delegate tickets cost S$75, with an additional S$3.13 booking fee
Read the Suroor Asia blog post about another of Zafar's works, Iqbal.

Learn more about Malaysia's makeup through book on Malaysian population

Source: ISEAS website.

The second edition of The Population of Malaysia, by Saw Swee-Hock, formerly Professor of Statistics at the National University of Singapore and who served as Chairman of the National Statistical Commission of Singapore from 1971 to 1975, has been published.

The book presents an up-to-date analysis of the multiracial population of Malaysia that could prove useful for businesses focused on the Malaysian market. Dr Saw draws on his deep familiarity with the country where he was educated up to secondary level, taught for some time in the University of Malaya, and his involvement in the planning of population censuses to provide unique viewpoints about the country. 

According to publishers the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. the book will be useful to policy-makers and social scientists who wish to seek a greater understanding of the demographic issues facing the country.

The Introduction e-chapter is downloadable free here. The complete e-book costs US$35 while individual chapters cost US$5 each. The hardback (ISBN 978-981-4620-36-9) is US$38.90 and the paperback (ISBN 978-981-4620-24-6) is US$28.90. 

Asian brand heroes recount brand journeys

Influential Brands, a programme by Brand Alliance, celebrated the achievements of top brands in Singapore at the 2014 Influential Brands conference: Celebrating brand leadership and Asia brand heroes on November 7. A number of the brand heroes talked about their brand journeys during a panel discussion at the event.

The panel discussion featured from left, a moderator, Amy Lim, Founder, Brand Alliance, Mrs Esther Tang-Loo, Executive Director of Focus Network Agencies, Han Keen Juan, Old Chang Kee Group’s Executive Chairman, Debra Soon, MD, Channel NewsAsia, Woon Tai Ho, Director for Media and Marketing, Singapore’s National Art Gallery, Allen Law, Group Chief Executive of the Park Hotel Group, and Dr Ting Choon Meng, Founder and CEO, HealthStats International.

Mrs Esther Tang-Loo, Executive Director of Focus Network Agencies (FNA), talked about how The Cocoa Trees came about as a brand. The company, which has grown from S$2 million to S$220 million in sales, had wanted something that would identify them better with the confectionery business than the FNA name, she shared.

“We wanted a good brand, a wholesome image,” she said. ‘The Cocoa Trees’, suggested by brand consultancy Brand Alliance stood out for FNA. The plural ‘trees’ suggested abundance, the leaves provided shade, while the roots of the trees signified a foundation, she explained.

“The Cocoa Trees image is almost like our face. It is our pride,” she said.

David Chiem, Group CEO and Chairman, MindChamps, also talked about the genesis of his brand. “The name has to say who we are, what we are about,” he said. It had to be two syllables because names with more syllables such as ‘Los Angeles’ tended to be abbreviated to two syllables (‘LA’), he said. In MindChamps’ case, the company discovered its tagline first, and the tagline – discover the champion in you – suggested the brand.

Allen Law, Group Chief Executive of the Park Hotel Group, which grew from one to ten hotels in ten years (excluding the two added last week), said that his tagline is “Discover love”. “What’s most important is how (staff) are living it and delivering it on a daily basis,” he said, explaining that any guest to a Park hotel should feel as the same care and concern from staff as if they are family.

Dr Ting Choon Meng, Founder and CEO, HealthStats International, which offers a new method to measure blood pressure, recalled scepticism that Singaporeans could invent anything earth-shattering when he first started building the brand. He found becoming a brand personality to evangelise the brand came with its own set of challenges.

"I became synonymous with blood pressure monitoring instead of BPro," he said. He has since distanced himself from being so closely associated with the brand, and reported that ‘BPro’ is now used as a verb by the medical community in the UK, where it has done very well.

Debra Soon, MD, Channel NewsAsia, noted that a brand relies on many people. “Success is the team’s effort. Failure is the failure of the leader,” she said. “It is a lot of hard work, it is not glamorous.”

Several brand heroes provided tips for aspiring entrepreneurs.

“If you can think of it, it exists,” said Woon Tai Ho, Director for Media and Marketing, Singapore’s National Art Gallery and the Founder of Channel NewsAsia.

Law shared the words of his late grandfather, who founded Bossini: “First you must dare to dream big. Most importantly, follow your heart. Follow your dream, don’t give up,” he said.

Han Keen Juan, Old Chang Kee Group’s Executive Chairman, advised aspiring entrepreneurs to be focused. “Make up your mind. When your commander says ‘Attack the island’, there is no way to come back. You had better make it,” he said, using a military analogy.

Old Chang Kee, HealthStats, The Cocoa Trees and the Park Hotel Group are featured in a book launched at the same event, Influential Brands: A documentary of their heroic rise. 

Read more about the book here.

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.