Russell Reynolds sets up direct presence in Dubai

Source: Russell Reynolds
Associates website.

Russell Reynolds Associates has opened an office in Dubai, located at the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). The global assessment, recruitment and succession planning specialist for CEOs, boards of Directors and key roles within the C-suite started doing business in the Middle East in 1975. The firm now has 46 offices in 26 countries spread across Europe, Asia, North and South America and the Middle East.

“Our firm was first in our industry to establish a Middle East Practice, and we remain unique with dedicated consultants based both inside and outside of the region. Our Dubai office is another important step in the global expansion of Russell Reynolds Associates,” says Clarke Murphy, CEO of Russell Reynolds Associates. "Our company continues to expand: the past calendar year was an history high."

The executive search firm's presence in the Arab world will be boosted by the new office, which will be tightly integrated with the firm’s Middle East desk in London. "The Middle East continues to play a key strategic role for many of our clients, most major multinationals and world banks. Our Dubai office complements our clients' growing demands for physical presence in the region," explains Dr Stephan Schönwälder, Managing Director at Russell Reynolds Associates and Area Manager for Dubai. Dr Stephan Schönwälder works with senior members of the London desk Mat Green and Lamees Al-Ashtal. Green coordinates the firm's Middle East practice and conducts assignments for clients in the financial services, oil & gas, mining and natural resources sectors.

Dr Schönwälder joined Russell Reynolds Associates from another search firm, where he led the Middle East Financial Services Practice for four years. He also worked on numerous assignments in the ICT and FMCG industries and served family-owned businesses. Schönwälder was a former Partner with McKinsey & Company, serving as the head of the company’s Middle East Business Technology Practice and as a core member of the region’s Financial Services Practice. He also worked for numerous family conglomerates and government institutions, with a focus on Saudi Arabia and the UAE. 

Schönwälder explains, "The region has considerable potential. Many of the Gulf States are successfully expanding their range of economic activities – moving away from oil toward promising sectors of the future such as tourism and hospitality, financial services and telecommunications. We advise companies and institutions in the region on all talent issues across all industries, with our wide-ranging executive search knowledge and international and local expertise."

EU-ASEAN Business Council elects new executive board

The EU-ASEAN Business Council, the primary voice for European business within the ASEAN region, has elected its Executive Board for the next two years at its annual general meeting in Hanoi, Vietnam, on 1 June.

The new board members are:

• François Guibert, Executive Vice-President, President, Greater China and South Asia Region, STMicroelectronics (Chairman)
• Donald Kanak, Chairman, Prudential Corporation Asia (MNC Representative & Vice Chairman)
• Theodoor Bakker, Partner, ABNR Law, Indonesia; Executive Board Member, European Chamber of Commerce, Indonesia (Chamber Representative & Vice Chairman)
• Martin Hayes, President, Robert Bosch SEA (MNC Representative & Treasurer), and
• Jan B. Djerf, Senior Vice President & General Manager, Handelsbanken; Head of South Asia Pacific, President, European Chamber of Commerce (Singapore) (Chamber Representative & Secretary)

Activities for the rest of 2015 and beyond were discussed, including the publication of two position papers on market access and the automotive industry, a business delegation to Brussels in the autumn to engage directly with the European Commission and European Parliament on ASEAN-EU trade relations, and the culmination of a new survey on European business sentiment in ASEAN.

The EU-ABC’s flagship conference, the ASEAN-EU Business Summit, will be taking place in Kuala Lumpur on 23 August. Confirmed speakers include Malaysian Minister of Trade and Industry HE Dato’ Sri Mustapa Bin Mohamed and ASEAN Business Advisory Council Chairman Tan Sri Dato’ Dr Mohd Munir Bin Abdul Majid.

Lunch deals at Clarke Quay

Source: Clarke Quay
website.

Clarke Quay Singapore has brought back its set lunch deals, which are on till end-July and more affordable than ever. Priced at S$10++, S$15++ or S$25++ on weekdays, the lunches offer variety for business meetings, or just lunch with colleagues.

The new S$10++ category features participants such as Fremantle Seafood Market and Hooters Singapore, with fish & chips and salmon fillet as some of the choices.

View the S$10 options

The S$15++ set lunches include McGettigan’s - a new participant - Bayang and RENNThai. At Octapas, the three-course set lunch comes with chilled tomato soup, bocadillo (a Spanish sandwich), potatoes in tomato aioli and a soft drink. Tomo Izakaya offers bento sets for S$15 nett, too.

View the S$15 options

Lunches with clients and office celebrations may call for the S$25++ lunches. Motorino, a new participant, is serving up mixed greens salads and a 12" pizza, while an entire buffet is available at Peony Jade for S$25 nett.

View the S$25 options

Diners are eligible to join a lucky draw which is on till end July. Get a Lucky Draw Stamp Card from a participating outlets and collect six stamps to take part in the Lunch Time Lucky Draw*. Fifty winners will receive S$100 worth of Clarke Quay dining vouchers. 

Read the rules for the lucky draw

To make it easier for diners, there is free lunchtime parking on weekdays from 12pm to 3pm, excluding public holidays. CapitaStar members who scan their your lunch receipts at Clarke Quay will be awarded with three times the usual number of STAR$.

Located along the Singapore River, Clarke Quay sits on a historical commercial site dating back to the 19th century. Today's restored Clarke Quay consists of five waterfront godowns under a climate controlled canopy lit by coloured lighting. It has over 60 distinctive F&B, entertainment, retail and lifestyle outlets. 

Feel nostalgic?

Here's what the Clarke Quay set lunch looked like in 2014, from our WorkSmart SG blog post.

*Information subject to change.

Temple University in Singapore hosts two class previews in mid-November

Temple University is offering introductions to two graduate programmes on 15 November in Singapore for those interested in human resource management and executive MBAs respectively.

The Master of Science in Human Resource Management (MSHRM) is designed for HR professionals who wish to be real business partners geared towards managing the "human capital within the enterprise".

The MSHRM covers aspects of HR like leadership, communications, strategic challenges in HR, managing rewards, best practices in HR, and negotiations, among others. The course comprises 10 modules in 10 months. All courses are taught by faculty who are US-based. 

Temple University is offering a scholarship of up to US$10,000 for qualified applicants to attend the next cohort. Click here to complete a free initial application.

A second class preview for the part time Fox School of Business executive MBA (EMBA) programme will run concurrently with the MSHRM presentation. Sixteen modules can be completed in 15 months. The EMBA is taught by US professors from Temple University in Philadelphia. 

Click here to register for the MSHRM session, and here for the EMBA session. Both sessions will run from 10am to 11am at the ERC Institute Campus at 30 Prinsep Street, Singapore.