Siew Ting Foo

What does Bain & Company's latest Southeast Asia outlook show about Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Southeast Asia - and why does it matter? Bain's data indicates that Singapore, Vietnam and the Philippines have the strongest FDI growth, now rapidly outpacing China in this metric. It matters for businesses because if you're looking for sustainable growth in a dynamic market where innovation, rising buying power and a large potential consumer base are key features, you absolutely can't overlook Southeast Asia. #scaling #emergingmarkets #SoutheastAsia

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141 creative agencies are gunning for a place in WOG. Having spent my entire career in Singapore with network agencies, this is always a constant topic. 1. It doesn't make money 2. It is propaganda 3. It is not creative The fact is that in Singapore, a lot can be done to improve how we communicate policies, engagement, recruitment, and whatever else needs to be done to improve the lives of Singaporeans and those living here. The government will always need our expertise to distil policy into effective communications. We make money by operating and working with the right government clients, just as we review our other commercial clients. You have the power to still say,"No." It is not seen as propaganda but how we give ourselves a greater sense of purpose. It has to mean more. Creativity is a journey and a balance of what needs to be achieved and be accountable for. Why 141 and not just 10? Well, we all know that part of WOG's function is to provide another source of revenue for agencies of all sizes, granted that we all start at different stages and circumstances. My advice is to do the work, be part of WOG, and give yourself a chance to produce work that matters.

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I recently attended a Leadership and Diplomacy Masterclass led by Professor Chan Heng Chee, Singapore's first female and longest serving ambassador to the US. Her insights, stemming from a remarkable 16-year tenure, were truly inspiring and thought-provoking. Here are some key takeaways: - A diplomat operates like a political entrepreneur, driving progress where it seems impossible, focusing on goals and finding innovative pathways to attain them. - Effective communication is fundamental—constantly advocating, persuading, and presenting your ideas. - Prioritize preparation when presenting ideas—customize your message to suit the audience's needs, even if the essence remains the same. - Intelligence is crucial, but so is seizing opportunities and occasionally creating your own luck. - Cultivate authentic relationships and steer clear of purely transactional interactions; these connections may unexpectedly prove beneficial in the future. - Be proactive and engaged in your field; ideas flow more freely when you're actively involved rather than confined to an office setting. As a business leader, I found these insights profoundly relevant. Professor Chan’s focus on adaptability, communication, and relationship-building strongly resonated with me and mirrored my own professional journey. #Leadership #Diplomacy #BusinessLeadership #Communication #RelationshipBuilding #Entrepreneurship #LessonsLearned

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My L'Oreal Ignite journey this week: Ace Your Application Webinar The "Ace Your Application" webinar by L'Oréal Ignite this week focused on crafting standout applications for L'Oréal’s Management Trainee and Internship programs. The guest speakers, Jade Lui and Alan Lau (He/Him) provided valuable tips on how to make our applications truly shine by aligning with what L'Oréal values most in potential candidates. Here are my top 3 takeaways: 🎸 Passion for Beauty Tech Matters: One of the key points the speakers emphasized was that a genuine interest in the beauty tech industry is crucial. Beyond product knowledge, L'Oréal is looking for candidates who are enthusiastic about the intersection of beauty and technology, eager to contribute to innovative developments in this space. 🔌 Showcase Transferable Skills and Mindset: When discussing our past internship or academic experiences, the speakers advised us to focus on more than just what we did. Instead, we should highlight how the skills and mindset we developed—like adaptability, creativity, or analytical thinking—can be applied directly to our role at L'Oréal. 🎁 Demonstrate Cultural Fit: The importance of aligning with L'Oréal’s values, rather than just listing product knowledge, was another key insight. L'Oréal values candidates who are curious, open-minded, and driven, and who can contribute positively to the company's dynamic and diverse culture. Thanks to L'Oréal Ignite and the inspiring speakers for these invaluable insights! I feel more equipped to craft an application that truly reflects my fit and passion for the beauty tech industry. By 1190 Jingting (Gloria) Lin #lorealIgnite #weareloreal #lorealforyouth #empowered #beautytech #futureofbeauty #careergrowth #upskilling Eunice Lam Jade Lui Alan Lau (He/Him) Vicky Lau

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Very welcomed facts and figures from MOM disclosed in the StraitsTimes today, perfectly illustrate the fantastic job conducted by EDB in attracting foreign companies in Singapore: "Around 20 per cent of firms here are foreign-owned, yet these firms employ 60 per cent of Singapore residents in high-earning jobs. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) released these figures on Sept 17 showing foreign-owned firms employ an outsized share of those who earned a gross monthly income of above $12,500 and fall into the top 10 per cent of the income distribution. The ministry said the figures underscore the importance of attracting foreign investments and the global talent that follows such investments, in a way that complements local resident workforce growth and creates good jobs for Singaporeans."

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Kicking Into 2025 with Muay Thai Team Bonding Session 🥊🥊🥊 As we wrap up FY24 and gear up for 2025, our team took on a Muay Thai session — not just as a team bonding activity, but as a metaphor for the challenges and opportunities ahead. During the session, we were reminded of lessons that resonate in business: 🌶️Preparation is Everything: Just like mastering techniques in Muay Thai, succeeding in 2025 will require us to plan strategically and refine our skills. 🌶️Adapt to Thrive: Whether it’s dodging a punch or navigating market shifts, agility and quick thinking will be key. 🌶️Strength in Unity: While Muay Thai is an individual sport, it was our collective energy and support that pushed us forward — a powerful reminder of the importance of collaboration. This session wasn’t just about punches and kicks; it was about focus, resilience, and gearing up for the year ahead with determination and teamwork Ben Y. bryan Tay Mia A. Iwan Tjahjadi Here’s to entering 2025 ready to face every challenge and seize every opportunity with the same grit and spirit we showed during the session How are you preparing your teams for the year ahead? Let’s share ideas as we move forward together.”

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Our employees are our most valuable asset. It’s essential to recognise their contributions and ensure they feel engaged. As the saying goes, ‘Happy employees lead to happy customers’. Before we pursue ‘customer obsession’, we must first cultivate ‘employee obsession’

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💫 Digital Marketing 💫 Did you ever wonder why some Brand succeeded in Japan and others not?  A good digital strategy should align business goals with digital marketing tactics to achieve sustainable growth, enhance brand reputation, and foster long-term success in today's digital-first world. At TBM we make everything easy for you by covering all aspects of digital strategy. From market research and cultural adaptation to strategic digital campaigns, our expert team provides comprehensive support at every stage of the market entry process. For more information, visit https://lnkd.in/gBvu7WVS to find out how we have help some companies in Japanese food business. Don’t forget to visit our LinkedIn page as well to stay constantly updated about market trends https://lnkd.in/gSN2_GdG #DigitalMarketing #ContentLocalization #CulturalAdaptation #SEO #BrandVisibility #FoodAndBeverage #BrandReputation #TokyoBridgeMarketing 

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"Specifically in Singapore, where X is not actively used; we see LinkedIn taking over the role of X as the platform where opinions matter." Althea, Group CEO at Gushcloud International Not surprised by this article on MARKETING-INTERACTIVE. LinkedIn thrives in Singapore, offering a unique space for professionals (including political leaders) to connect with peers, industry leaders, and potential collaborators. It's your digital business card, and crafting a professional yet authentic profile here is crucial for establishing your presence. In the recent months alone, I've seen LinkedIn's impact firsthand: ✨ At a TiE Women event, hosted by TiE Singapore, Anna Vanessa Haotanto 陳安娜 from Zora Health shared how valuable business opportunities stemmed from LinkedIn connections. ✨ During a focus group discussion, Singapore-based women entrepreneurs instantly mentioned LinkedIn, when we asked what tool is crucial to help build their personal brand. ✨ At industry events, I now rely solely on my LinkedIn profile for connections. The LinkedIn QR code allows attendees to connect directly with me, easily access my work, recommendations, and experience. This fosters a more personal connection and has facilitated numerous meetings. Remember we're all "salespeople" here - whether it's landing a dream job, attracting clients, or building a strong personal brand, a well-crafted profile is an undisputed, “not so secret” weapon. Agree?

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Thanks MARKETING-INTERACTIVE for soliciting my thoughts! This phenomenon goes beyond healthcare; the shift of consumer trust from published content to shared content is already a potential threat to search engines. With search-enabled AI models already a norm, what does the future hold for search? Interesting to watch.

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Social Commerce in Vietnam, Harnessing the Power of Live Streaming & KOL's. 💪 Social Commerce will emerge as a game-changer, redefining how brands connect with consumers. Vietnam’s live-streaming e-commerce market is expected to reach $11 billion by 2026, growing at 28% annually. Over 70% of Vietnamese internet users have watched a live stream, with 50% making a purchase during or after the stream. Live-streaming sales conversion rates can be up to 10 times higher than traditional e-commerce. The appeal of live-streaming lies in its authenticity, interactivity, and instant gratification. Are Asia brands more willing to spend on this, because they understand the eco-system vs Western brands? Consumers can see products in action & get their queries answered by trusted hosts, it's lifestyle / 'shoppertainment'. Discounting for higher volumes is built into the model, however over time in mature markets like China, you observe a shift towards higher value items. Live streamers are influencers, with trusted & established communities. Building community is everything, it's educational value add too, not just flash sales. The format will evolve. Fascinatingly 72% of Vietnamese consumers trust influencer recommendations more than traditional ads. This drives offline & online purchases. Micro and nano influencers, with their highly engaged niche audiences, drive 60% higher engagement rates compared to macro influencers. For brands, partnering with the right KOLs can be a game-changer. Brand creatives & emotionally resonant content in support of Live Selling facilitates converting new customers into loyal, repeat purchasers. One critique of Live Streaming has been the loyalty to the seller, not the brand - but by leveraging data there are strategies to re-engage / re-target. Price alignment within a certain % of offline retail is pivotal, or product splits for online. #vietnam #socialcommerce #ecommerce #asiatech #kol

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Social Commerce is one of the future trend in Thailand - To rethink strategy around social conversations by delivering great content with more engagement to get conversion, get more insights on this from our Tomorrow's Commerce report here: https://lnkd.in/g58ec3Xz #VMLCommerce #TomorrowsCommerce #CommerceTrends #TheFutureofCommerce #BrandBuy  

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It's all about the strength of the Singapore brand: "Singapore’s strong brand name in China comes down to Singaporeans there: SM Lee". This is also about personal brand of these Singaporean leaders there too. It's great to see SM Lee being our brand ambassador in a tour of our largest trading partner, China, which, with the US under Trump, will just get bigger as the US trade deminishes as a result of the anti-anyone but the US policy he implements. Singapore is smart enough to have already prepared for this, hence our ASEAN and APJ commercial partnerships. "Singapore’s brand name and its cultural, business and personal connections with China have allowed the two countries to work together and learn from each other. Yet, Singapore’s own experiences have added value to the relationship. It is something that “we have to hold precious”, especially in current troubled times, Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong told Singaporeans at a reception in Shanghai. The statesman is wrapping up a six-day official visit to the country, where he met President Xi Jinping and other leaders, visited Chinese tech companies and marked the 30th anniversary of the Suzhou Industrial Park, Singapore’s joint project with China. Speaking to a roomful of nearly 450 Singaporeans who live in China, SM Lee said: “Our Singapore brand name is worth a lot in China. People know about us, they admire us, and they would like to know us better and to do more with us. “And I think that is something which is very valuable.”" Sopt on. We Singaporeans and residents of Singapore all benefit from this. What do you think? If you are an entrepreneur and would like to find clients overseas our Ultimate LinkedIn Marketing Service can do this for you, our premium and highly recommended service details are here on this LinkedIn SmartLink: https://lnkd.in/dqWRi6EZ Link to the story here: https://lnkd.in/g4GTV2jc

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We are Singaporeans first because we have 4 races in Singapore. Second, English is the language of our education and business sectors. Third, we treasure our democratic institutions and our right to vote to hold our government responsible while sacrificing 2.5 years to serve compulsory national service. Third, it's best to research the history of Southeast Asia on how we got our independence in the 1950s to 60s from foreign powers:

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In the ninth edition of the Southeast Asia e-Conomy report with Temasek and Bain & Company, we see how key players in the region’s digital economy are increasingly focused on profitability and moving towards more sustainable growth. At over 100 pages long, the #eConomySEA report is a dense read. If you too enjoy consuming podcasts, listen to the discussion of the report produced by Illuminate linked below. Illuminate is a Google AI tool that turns content into an audio conversation in seconds — and while it’s very much experimental, I think you’ll agree it does a pretty good job, including conveying great excitement around key trends driving growth such as video commerce and the region’s rise as a global mobile gaming powerhouse. It also gives you a quick snapshot of the key differences across the six markets covered in the report. If you're still keen to read the full report, you'll find it here: https://lnkd.in/ghiBFZg

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Honoured to have been a keynote speaker at the China Consumer Health Digital Innovation Summit 2024 this week. It's always refreshing to exchange ideas with industry counterparts. While Consumer Health & FMCG industries haven't been at the forefront of digital adoption, there has been a lot of progress recently. From relatively simpler things like using AI in livestreaming sales to complex technologies that use AI for early screening, detection and treatment of ailments, it's all happening in the consumer health space. China is leading the way in digital and e-commerce innovations, with almost 55% of retail sales coming via e-commerce, making it the only major economy with over 50% salience of ecommerce. No other country comes close, except South Korea. What China adopts today will most likely be rolled out at other places tomorrow. #ChinaConsumerHealthDigitalInnovationSummit2024 #KeynoteSpeaker #Ecommerce #Digital #China

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My teenage daughters do everything on TikTok. They use it to find trendy new cities/restaurants/coffee shops, to learn beauty tips, and increasingly as a research tool for their purchases. As a modern brand, it is an essential tool to reach Gen Z and Gen Alpha. Here is a new meta analysis based on Nielsen Marketing Mix studies that provide guidance on how to get the most of your TikTok investment. DM me to learn more or if you want help optimizing your entire marketing plan. https://bit.ly/4czHasY Nielsen #marketingmixmodeling #MMM #tiktok #optimize #ROI #girldad

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We’re speaking at the AI Accelerator Institute San Jose Conference tomorrow about how Singapore is driving AI adoption and cultivating an ecosystem where AI companies can acquire customers faster. If you’re in San Jose, we hope to meet you there but in case you’re not, here’s a great case study article on how we fast-tracked the development of #AI solutions for three companies with varying use cases, all from Singapore! I like to remind myself that a great product is only great when it’s well-used by its customers - you have to deliver the dream and here in #Singapore, we plan for it!

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Highlights from Brand Finance’s newly released report on the #100 most valuable #Malaysian #brands this year:    Malaysian #food brands (USD1.6 billion) and #insurance brands (USD990 million) record double digit of brand value growth, overtaking retail brands     3 most valuable brands: PETRONAS brand value at USD14.6 billion), Genting Berhad (brand value at USD3.5 billion) and Maybank (brand value at USD3.4 billion).    3 strongest brands in the rankings: Dutch Lady Milk Industries Berhad with a Brand Strength Index score of 88.2 points of 100, followed by Petronas and MR DIY Malaysia    3 largest brand value gainers: Malaysia Airports (brand value up 53% to USD101 million), MISC Group (brand value up 49% to USD511 million) and Guan Chong (brand value up 48% to USD64 million). Gayathri SK Kalidevi Mogan Kumarappa

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