The Star Online: Business
The Star Online: Business |
| Posted: 14 Dec 2012 05:09 PM PST Once Upon A Car: The fall and resurrection of America's Big Three Automakers - GM, Ford and Chrysler Author: Bill Vlasic Publisher: William Morrow Award-winning journalist Vlasic goes inside the boardroom and factories in a story about Detroit's fight for survival. It chronicles how the auto-makers teetered on collapse and pulled themselves out under the leadership of Ford and the US government's assistance to GM and Chrysler. It's a tale of success, failure and redemption, a tale that is an important chapter in an astonishing story that is still unfolding. Extreme Productivity Author: Robert C. Pozen Publisher: Harper Business Pozen reveals the secrets to workplace productivity and high performance. His book is for anyone feeling overwhelmed by an existing workload facing a myriad of competing demands and multiple time-sensitive projects, offering antidotes to a calendar full of boring meetings and a backlog of e-mails. Extreme Productivity explains how to determine your highest priorities and match them with how you actually spend your time. Islamic Finance for Dummies Author: Faleel Jamaldeen Publisher: Wiley Here, you will find clear and easy-to-understand information on how the Islamic finance industry works. You will quickly and easily become acquainted with the theory, practice and limitations of Islamic banking, understand how Islamic financial firms develop products, grasp the objectives and sources of Islamic law and the basic guidelines for business contracts, learn about Islamic fund management, sukuk and insurance; and more. |
| Posted: 14 Dec 2012 05:09 PM PST Li TV (short for Life Inspired), Asia's first comprehensive lifestyle television channel, is set to capture a larger audience amid growing affluence in the region. Li TV has managed to secure about 12 million viewers in the region within the relatively short period since its debut in 2009. Li TV Holdings Ltd general manager Anne Chan says it is targeting to raise viewership to between 48 million and 50 million over the next five years through various partnerships with cable TV operators. It currently has about four million viewers in Malaysia. She says people are now more conscious of lifestyle with the rising affluence in the market, adding that the pay-TV segment has entered into a new stage where lifestyle takes prominence over general entertainment. "People are more health conscious and programmes on food alone is just not enough to meet their growing demand for a holistic lifestyle. Although we are still small unlike our competitors, we are very targeted and this has given us a niche in the market," she tells StarBizWeek in an interview. Li TV is the only channel in Asia that has a dedicated health programme and the first one to bring body and home programmes in the region. "We have the right products for the right customers. We build and develop programmes that fit the needs of our audience who are savvy and affluent," she says. Since Asians are getting more affluent, advertisers will need to be more targeted to market their products and services in an effective platform and this is where they can capitalise on a comprehensive lifestyle channel like Li TV as their marketing tool, she adds. In terms of competitive edge over other players, Chan says its programmes centre around five aspects of an ideal lifestyle food, home, wellness, travel and style. On its expansion plans, she says Li TV is looking at collaborating with cable TV operators in Thailand, China and South Korea. Plans are afoot to venture into Australia and Japan in the near future. Li TV, which is owned by Li TV Holdings and operated by its subsidiary Li TV Asia Sdn Bhd, is headquartered in Malaysia and has regional operating offices in Singapore and Hong Kong. It has dedicated lifestyle programmes in five markets, namely Hong Kong, Taiwan, Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia. Star Publications (M) Bhd currently owns 51% in Li TV Holdings. Meanwhile, the latest second quarter 2012 regional Pan Asia-Pacific Cross Media Survey (PAX) study shows that Li TV in Malaysia is consistently ranked in the top spot by having the highest percentage of viewers enjoying all aspects of lifestyle. This was in comparison to all lifestyle TV channels in the region when it comes to spending and making premium lifestyle choices. The findings provide a comprehensive overview of media consumption and product usage of affluent consumers which account for the top 20% of the population by income. Chan adds: "For instance, a Li TV viewer in Malaysia that belongs in the top management who spends over RM3,000 via his credit card every month places high importance on his health, possesses the most modern appliances, HDTVs, laptops, smartphones, cars and luxury watches, live in private properties as well as enjoy taking leisure holidays. "This is a tipping point of an exciting era where audiences are increasingly savvy. Li TV is a very targeted destination for any lifestyle brands which are willing to engage the right demographic in the right environment at the right time." Li TV can be viewed on channel 728 on Astro Byond HD. |
| SDB sees Singapore private residential market as encouraging Posted: 14 Dec 2012 05:08 PM PST SELANGOR Dredging Bhd (SDB) sees Singapore's private residential property market as still encouraging despite a cut in the republic's growth forecast. Its communications and corporate affairs manager, Yeoh Guan Jin, says private residential properties are still being sought after in the city state by Singaporeans and foreign buyers. He says although the republic might be experiencing a slowdown due to the economic uncertainties in the eurozone and the United States, Singapore will be able to weather the situation. "Mind you, there are still many wealthy Singaporeans and foreigners with Singapore permanent residents status looking for private residential properties here," says Yeoh at a sales gallery showcasing SDB's latest freehold residential project in Singapore, Village At Pasir Panjang. Yeoh says the company is optimistic that the new project will receive positive response, similar to its completed and on-going project in the republic. He says as Singapore continues to welcome and attract affluent people and expatriates from all over the world, demand for private residential properties here will remain good. Yeoh adds Singapore's close proximity with Malaysia is an added advantage for the company to attract Malaysians looking to invest in properties overseas. "Our proven track record in the Klang Valley area and Singapore's high transparency level will attract affluent Malaysians as well as foreigners to our project," he says. Yeoh says the company is attracted to launch a project in the western district of Singapore due to the availability of the land for redevelopment purposes. He says SDB will continue to look for new sites from time to time for future development in other parts of Singapore as there are many land parcels available for redevelopment in the republic. Village At Pasir Panjang, located at Pasir Panjang Road on 0.99ha, comprises nine five-storey blocks with attic and a basement car park. The U-shaped development consists of 148 units of two, three and four-bedroom apartments with built-up area of 818 sq ft-2,303 sq ft and the price starts from S$1.4mil or S$1,650-S$1,660 per sq ft. Works on the project with gross development value (GDV) of S$260mil will start next year with expected completion in the fourth quarter of 2016. "We want to bring back the kampung atmosphere in our latest project; hence the name Village and also to reflect Pasir Panjang's past which was once a kampung area," says Yeoh. He explains the architectural façade of the residences and the clubhouse draw references from the abstracted and interpreted "black and white" houses of the 1950s. Yeoh says that apart from catering for owners-occupiers looking for properties in the western district of Singapore, those buying as an investment could expect to fetch good rental. He says a two-bedroom apartment in the Pasir Panjang area fetches between S$3,000 and S$4,500 per month, while the monthly rental for a three-bedroom ranges from S$5,500 to S$6,500. "The rental for a four-bedroom unit starts from S$7,000 and above, and I personally feel it is good investment for Malaysians," says Yeoh. SDB's project in Singapore, the 22 units of low-rise condominiums called Jia at Wilkie Road with GDV of S$55mil was completed in December 2010. It is currently developing the high-rise condominium project – Gilstead Two at Gilstead Road – consisting of 110 units with GDV of S$200mil. The project is expected to be completed in the last quarter of 2014. Other projects are Residences at Balestier Road in district 12 – the 18-storey apartment block consists of 104 apartment units and 10 retail shops and offices with GDV of S$102mil and is slotted for completion in the fourth quarter of 2015. Hijauan On Cavenagh, located on Cavenagh Road in Singapore's prestigious District 9, is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2015. Hijauan is within walking distance from Orchard Road and a tree-lined passageway behind the Istana and adjacent to 25,000 sq ft of lush state land. The Istana is the official residence and working office for both the president and prime minister. |
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