Adrien Barthel’s Post

"Use differences to unite, not to ignite." Last Thursday, not only me but the majority of Malaysians gathered with friends, families, and communities to celebrate Deepavali with murukkus, open houses, and colorful attire, or at least enjoyed the mid-week festive break. It occurred to me that it’s in these small moments that you truly feel the uniqueness of Malaysia, where our diversity doesn’t set us apart, instead it only brings us closer together. This took me back to an engagement session I had with En Fahmi I. in August, where he shared something that stuck with me: “Use differences to unite, not to ignite.” He mentioned this in the context of working together, reminding us to appreciate and learn from our differences, whether in experience or expertise, rather than letting them lead to criticism or envy. For me, those words feel just as relevant in a broader sense. Whether it’s during festivities, in the workplace, or anywhere for that matter, when people come together, the uniqueness that they bring to the table adds another layer to what makes our community and nation special. Our differences shouldn’t divide us; they should make us stronger and more connected. What’s one thing about Malaysia’s diversity that you appreciate the most? #Unity #Diversity #CelebratingDifferences

Did you know that Osaka is often referred to as the «Kitchen of Japan»? This vibrant city is a foodie paradise, boasting some of the most delicious street eats and mouth watering delicacies you'll ever encounter. From crispy takoyaki to savory okonomiyaki, your taste buds are in for a treat! Did you know that Osaka was once known as "Naniwa" in ancient times? This bustling metropolis has been a cultural hub for centuries, serving as a vital center of trade and commerce in Japan. But it's not all about the past - Osaka is also a city of innovation and creativity. From its vibrant arts scene to its cutting-edge technology, there’s always something new and exciting happening in this dynamic city. Whether you're exploring its historic landmarks, indulging in its culinary delights, or simply soaking up the vibrant atmosphere, one thing's for sure - Osaka is a city like no other, just waiting to be discovered. Stay tuned for more fun facts, insider tips, and Osaka adventures coming your way! #InOsaka #Expo2025 #OsakaFacts #ExploreJapan #FunFacts #DreamBig

A connection from then on. From that moment, the cheeky kid (me) began to feel differently about this man. The emotions behind the foundation stones. That showroom, despite its high-class elegance, started from the simplest of things. A trio of pillars: the CEO, a Vietnamese, the Chairman, a Japanese, and the Chief Accountant, another Vietnamese. She was the one who smiled and told me to “keep my unique essence” in a nostalgic moment in District 6. Returning to the story, he was the one who shaped everything – from the meticulousness of Lexus’s global high-end service standards to the warmth and closeness of Vietnamese culture. Lexus was not just cars; it was an emotional journey. The cost of standing at the top is loneliness. Anyone who stands at the summit will experience moments of solitude. He once shared that sentiment, asking me: “Do you know what the leader’s emotion is?” But that solitude brought about breakthroughs. Leading a young, inexperienced team, he gradually helped them understand that customers are not just customers—they are family. The five-year journey—one worth recounting. In the wheel of time, is five years long or short? Long for a journey, but short for unfinished dedication. This house remains a gathering place for those with a shared goal, turning Lexus into an irreplaceable symbol in Vietnam. https://lnkd.in/gbsWNEgv

Ever felt a trip ignite a spark of inspiration within you? 🤔 * Street art as storytelling: Every mural is a window into local culture and history. * Flavors that ignite inspiration: Unique cuisine sparks creativity and new ideas. * Lessons beyond the guidebook: Travel pushes us to adapt, connect, and grow. * Personal discoveries: Venturing outside our comfort zones reveals hidden strengths. These thoughts were roaming around my head while having our early morning breakfast in Penang. What unexpected lessons have you learned on your travels? Share your stories and let's celebrate the power of exploration! 🚀

🌏✨ Embracing the expat life at Bosch: Meet Kliff Lee! 👋 Kliff Lee, general manager at Bosch Mobility Aftermarket in Taiwan, has had an incredible twelve-year journey with Bosch, working in Singapore, Shanghai, Taipei, and Jakarta. For Kliff, experiencing the unique cultures, people, and challenges in each country has been the most rewarding part of being an expat. Each assignment brought its own memories and learnings, shaping who he is today. Kliff advises aspiring expats: "Let your worries take a step back, let your curiosity take over, and enjoy this phase of your life." ✨ Learn more about how you can grow with Bosch: https://lnkd.in/egvueNcT

𝐒𝐨... 𝐢𝐬 𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠? The unfortunate truth is that after living somewhere for years, we all start to develop our routines and with that comes the mundanity of life. While it is easy to view #Singapore as mundane due to the familiarity of our routines and surroundings, it is essential to recognize the peace and stability that Singapore offers amidst its predictability. Be it taking a salad bowl approach, where cultures are added together but are still separate, or that of the melting pot, where cultures are mixed together -- I can only agree with President Tharman Shanmugaratnam that staying open to one another’s cultures and learning from others is key in Singapore today. Despite the seemingly repetitive nature of daily life, Singapore, oh Singapore - we love you for your vibrant food scene, neighbourhoods that thrive between heritage and gentrification, and just simply for the fact that you live up to your "the city that never sleeps" title. Embracing a perspective that appreciates the progress our nation has made in such a short time, can possibly transform how we experience Singapore - encouraging us to seek new adventures within the familiar. Ultimately, finding beauty in the ordinary may lead to a renewed appreciation for this dynamic and evolving city we live in! *** For the past weeks, Singapore enjoyed its largest nocturnal experience known as the #SingaporeNightFestival - this time embracing a nostalgia-centric theme titled Art of Play! Here's me trying to spice up my life in Singapore by taking a stroll down the nostalgic 1950s to 1970s memory lane - though as it turns out I did not manage to experience, but have always heard many stories about from families and friends! (𝘊𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘬𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘰𝘱 𝘭𝘦𝘧𝘵) 𝐁𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬 - Inspired by an unfinished beaded panel at the Peranakan Museum, here's to celebrate the intricate artistry and diverse perspectives of the Peranakan communities! 𝐒𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐁𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 - what a wonderful olfactory installation by Aesop to have carefully scented the arboreal structures with their Eaux de Parfum collection! 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚 𝐢𝐧 𝐌𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: 𝐀 𝐃𝐲𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚 - Drawing inspiration from the lively Chinese Street Operas ("wayangs") that have thrived since 1842, here's an interactive installation featuring a tricycle adorned with tarpaulin-covered boxes, and by pedalling it illuminates an illustrated Chinese opera scene on the wall. 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 - Watching Chijmes' building facade light up with digital illuminations, featuring new and upcoming local projection mapping artists 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐅𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 - Reminiscing abut the past while envisioning the future of play - all by rekindling our imagination, creativity and joy with paper planes! #SGNightFest #SNF2024 #BrasBasahBugis #SGFestivals National Heritage Board

Recently, I had the amazing opportunity to visit Japan for the first time on a work trip. I hosted a workshop on "Empowering the Career Journey” to introduce TTI Success Insights to the Japanese market. We explored #globalworkforce trends such as labor shortage, skill-based hiring, and sense of belonging becoming a priority, as well as how TTI’s #ScienceofSelf tools can help address these needs. One of the highlights of this trip was meeting Mariko UKITA san. We tried the best Latte art in Tokyo and walked around in Harajuku. We both enjoyed meeting in person after exchanging emails for over two years, getting to know each other, and discovering hobbies we shared. The pure joy of connecting cross-culturally based on authenticity is real. A few takeaways on #Japaneseculture from my glimpse of Tokyo. 1. 🚉 Polite and Reserved Phone usage in the subway is prohibited. You are not allowed to speak over the phone or play music because that would interfere with others in the public space. Similarly, you don’t see people chatting or talking in the subway or buses. When you hear someone talking, most likely they’re tourists. 2. 🙅♀️ Low on Personal Exposure Japanese people are very friendly and polite, yet they keep their distance from one another. Here are two examples of how they respect personal boundaries. 1. Unless you’re very close friends, Japanese people don’t exchange Whatsapp numbers. 2. When you need to give your colleagues cash, say you had lunch together, and you need to pay back in cash, you don’t just hand in cash. The local way is to put cash in a cute, nice, small envelope. 3. 🍵 Healthy-minded Eating and Drinking  Similar to Chinese food, I find joy in the diversity of a Japanese meal that consists of 6-10 ingredients, including grain, protein, vegetables, and tea. Another shocking experience was how healthy the vending machines are in Tokyo. Unlike US vending machines, which mostly sell soda and candies, Japanese vending machines mostly sell water, tea-based, and juice-flavored beverages. There are even vending machines selling fresh oranges, where you can get a real 100% orange juice in a paper cup. 4. 🌃 Safety Blend with Lively and Tranquility It amazes me how safe it feels to walk on the street after 11 p.m. because there are many local people around, commuting or just hanging out. The city is a perfect blend of lively and tranquility. The lively vibe comes in when I see how long the queues are, where people line up in front of popular dining spots or people laughing and drinking at the table at Izakaya. You could see dozens of young couples sitting on the beautiful stairs with twinkling lights in Shibuya Stream Mall or lying down on the green grass stargazing. It’s a unique view; everyone is quietly enjoying the moonlight. Special thanks to Ai Konishi Mike Koike Tsuyoshi Iwata Xiao Ding, Takeshi Otsuka HIROSUKE OHARA, Greg Stoops, Yuki Iizuka and Mariko UKITA for making Tokyo so special for me.

In the past two days (the weekend of the previous week), we had a trip to another thousand-year old city #Yangzhou with partents for #familytime. Working hard, maybe also smart, is for life with bettering living, right? The trip is enjoyable about culture, people, food and so on...even the price of the star hotels in Yangzhou is relatively higher than that in Suzhou, Hangzhou, even Shanghai. How is that? The post has been shared in my #wechat moment as attached.

Japan not just has record 100 years old people, it also has over 52,000 companies that are at least 100 years old! On the other hand, India’s oldest company, The Wadia Group, has been around since 1736, proving that some things do age well. It’s like Japan is running a marathon of longevity. What’s their secret? Maybe it’s the sushi. Or the zen. Or the fact that their businesses age like fine sake. #oldestcompany #oldestbusiness #japan #japanesecompanies #japanworkculture

🍀Exciting Times🍀 As I bid adieu to my journey with the SATTVIK COUNCIL OF INDIA. It feels like just yesterday when I, a young 21-year-old girl, stepped into the realm of professionalism, uncertain yet filled with boundless aspirations. In the span of four transformative years, I traversed paths that sculpted me into the individual I am today. From the initial days of confusion and blank canvases, I immersed myself wholeheartedly into every endeavor, fueled by lofty dreams and unwavering hope. During this incredible journey, I had the privilege to contribute to various milestones, crafting manuals such as Sattvik Kitchen Quality Management and pioneering the World's first Vegetarian Standards alongside esteemed research individuals I met. Collaborations with esteemed entities like Sattvik and DNV, Sattvik and UL, further underscored our commitment to excellence. Notably, the establishment of international divisions in South Africa, Canada, Indonesia, and Singapore stands as a testament to my global vision and unwavering dedication. Participating in projects such as those with ITC luxury collection of hotels, drafting Lead auditor course has significantly bolstered my self-belief and confidence in my skills. I am deeply indebted to the unwavering support of individuals like Venkataraman Kumar whose collaboration propelled to certify over 10+ esteemed brands in Singapore within a remarkably short span. The achievements we've celebrated together serve as enduring reminders of the power of teamwork and shared vision. As I embark on a new chapter, I carry with me a myriad of emotions - a tinge of sadness. As the curtains draw on this chapter, I raise a toast to new beginnings and limitless possibilities. May we continue to inspire and uplift each other in all our future endeavors. #teamworkmakesthedreamwork #newbeginnings #newcareeropportunities #newbusiness #newcareer #fmcgindustry #hospitalityindustry #foodsupplychain