Press Releases from Spire Research and Consulting (132 total)
Singapore signs a freetrade pact with Sri Lanka
Singapore and Sri Lanka signed the first modern and comprehensive free trade agreement (FTA) earlier this year. This is expected to boost commerce, trade and investments between the two island nations.
Sri Lanka is Singapore’s 36th-largest trading partner with bilateral trade amounting to SGD2.7 billion in 2017. Singapore’s top imports from Sri Lanka include fuel oils, clothing accessories, perfumes, wheat flour and motor spirit, while Singapore’s exports to Sri Lanka include…
Free acess to vending machines for the homeless
The 1,190 fjords along Norway’s coast take travel time to a new level, with several ferry crossings and a tiring 21 hour ride.
Therefore, the Norwegian Public Roads Administration (NPRA) proposed the world’s first underwater floating tunnel costing an expected USD25 billion. Submerged in the Norwegian Sea, the tunnel would be similar in to other tunnels – but operate 66 feet below the surface.
Will underwater infrastructure revolutionize travel?
Spire Research and Consulting…
China’s measured reaction to US trade tariffs
The recent US trade tariff announcement will impact Chinese imports worth USD60 billion. Will China’s reaction and the prospect of continuing tit-for-tat tariff hikes cause more panic across global markets? Leon Perera, CEO of Spire Research and Consulting, shared his thoughts in China Daily – Asia Weekly.
As the US Treasury explores restrictions on Chinese investment in the country, the value of stocks plunged across Asian markets. Industries that might come…
The pet economy boom in Asia
With the increase in pet ownership, healthcare and spending, Asia’s pet industry is expected to grow at 14.3 per cent annually from 2016 to 2021. Pet ownership as well as expenditure per pet is increasing. Will Asia become the next global hub for pet-related products and services?
The beginning of pet ownership
Pets have been a part of human society for thousands of years. Cats and dogs were buried with humans. The…
Bangladesh – A journey from poverty to development
Equivalent to the combined population of the Netherlands, Germany and France, Bangladesh is home to 160 million people. Although it is ranked as one of the world’s poorest of the 10 most populous countries, its economy grew by 7.1 per cent in 2016, a 30 year record. The country is starting to attract the attention of global companies. Can Bangladesh make poverty history?
The story so far
Bangladesh gained independence from Pakistan…
Japan’s appetite for mergers and acquisitions abroad
The overall Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) activity of Japanese firms continues to grow and overseas M&A deals are in the spotlight. In 2016, Japan’s outbound M&A activity exceeded USD100 billion, the second highest historic level and a 15% increase over 2015. Will Japan continue to tap into international markets in search of growth and sustainability?
Growing M&A activity
Significant cross-border M&A activity is a relatively recent phenomenon in Japan. Japanese M&A volume…
Spire discusses e-commerce strategies suited to the Indonesia market
Spire was honoured to participate at the GATES Indonesia ICT Reseller Channel Summit 2018. The Summit was held on 1-3 May, 2018 in Bali. Jeffrey Bahar, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Spire Research and Consulting group and Indah Muliana, Senior Manager, shared insights on the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industry in Indonesia, focusing on market trends and challenges.
Bahar and Muliana discussed the growth of the ICT (Information and…
Chinese consumers prefer mobile devices for online transactions
As 44 million Internet users are added each year in China, cash transactions might become obsolete. Consumers are increasingly using third party mobile payment apps for online transactions. Leon Perera, Chief Executive Officer of Spire Research and Consulting, shared his insights on this trend in China Daily – Asia Weekly.
A majority of e-commerce purchases in China are now made using mobile devices. Last year, 527 million transactions took place using…
Halal market continues to grow in the Gulf region
A boom in Halal tourism and a conscious effort to eat healthier has helped to lift Halal product revenues. The appeal of Halal products is broadening to some groups of non-Muslim consumers. Will the Halal market keep on expanding in the Gulf region? Saurabh Sharma, Country Director, India for Spire Research and Consulting, shared his insights in the Food & Beverage News magazine.
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), with its six-member…
Trade war looms after U.S.’s tariff announcement
The announcement of President Trump’s recent tariff hikes sparked speculation across the globe. Is a global trade war on the cards? Leon Perera, CEO of Spire Research and Consulting, shared his thoughts in The Business Times – Views from the Top section on 19 March 2018.
President Trump is heading into dangerous waters with the recently announced trade tariff hikes, for which his administration has cited national security as the rationale…
Singapore to roll out automated tray return systems at hawker centers
As Singapore continues its drive to promote cashlessness, automated tray return systems might soon become a regular sight at hawker centers. Customers will be asked to make cash deposits which are refundable when they return their trays. Would customers be willing to accept digital refunds? Japnit Singh, Deputy Chief Executive Officer at Spire Research and Consulting, shared his viewpoint, published in Today Online’s news portal.
Automated tray return systems could be…
China all set for good growth in 2018
As China aims to shift from quantity to quality economic growth in 2018, it aims to foster high-quality job creation in fields like robotics and artificial intelligence (AI), while forestalling global financial risks. Will 2018 still see China regain its old dominance of global growth? Leon Perera, Chief Executive Officer of Spire Research and Consulting, shared his insights in China Daily – Asia Weekly.
The world economy is poised for an…
Singapore gears towards a cashless society in 2018
As a new year dawns, Singapore continues to focus on becoming a cashless society. Despite several unsuccessful attempts in the past, many nationwide initiatives are set to launch soon. Will this be the year of change? Japnit Singh, Deputy Chief Executive Officer at Spire Research and Consulting shared his insights, published on Today Online’s news portal.
The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) will launch common Quick Response (QR) codes next year.…
Spire Client Entertainment Night April 2018
Spire Singapore hosted its first Client Entertainment Night of the year. Clients, business associates and partners joined the Spire team for a dinner reception followed by the movie screening of “Marvel’s Avengers: Infinity War” – the much awaited latest instalment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise.
The movie’s main plot revolves around how the Avengers and their allies must come together to save the world by bringing down the evil Thanos,…
Spire talks about retail trends at International Franchise Conference 2018
Spire Research and Consulting group’s Deputy Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey Bahar was honored to be a guest speaker at the International Franchise Conference 2018. The conference was held on 21 April 2018 in Kuala Lumpur, organized by the Malaysian Franchise Association.
Jeffrey Bahar shared insights on the growth of the regional retail industry, focusing on key trends and the attractiveness of various emerging markets across Asia.
With global retail sales set to…
Spire presents DiverseCity KLIAF 2017 impact report
Spire Research and Consulting was invited to join the ‘Meet The Beneficiaries’ event organized by Yayasan myNADI with Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Haji Mohammad Najib bin Abdul Razak as the guest of honor. The presentation was held on 24 March 2018 at Putrajaya with over 600 guests – mostly beneficiaries.
Datuk Dr Jeyaindran Tan Sri Sinnadurai, Chairman of Yayasan myNADI discussed the impact study of DiverseCity International Kuala Lumpur Festival (KLIAF)…
Spire and YCG hold seminar on partnering Vietnamese firms
On 15 March, Spire and Yamada Consulting Group (YCG) jointly organized a breakfast seminar in Singapore for Japanese speakers, to share insights on Mergers & Acquisition (M&A) deals in Vietnam and investment trends for market entry. An English language seminar on the same theme was held the next day. The speakers were Leon Perera, Chief Executive Officer of Spire Research and Consulting, Eiji Asano, incoming Director for YCG Vietnam and…
Spire chairs session on Indonesia’s online grocery market at Internet Retailin …
Spire Research and Consulting group’s Deputy Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey Bahar was honored to be appointed as moderator at the Internet Retailing EXPO Indonesia 2018, organized by Clarion Events. The summit was held on 26 October 2017 in Jakarta. It discussed growth opportunities for Indonesia’s online grocery sector.
Jeffrey Bahar, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Spire Research and Consulting group, moderated the discussion panel on measuring the growth of e-commerce…
Spire addresses cross-border e-commerce challenges across SEA at GSCC’s webina …
Spire was honored to participate in the second webinar series organized by Global Supply Chain Council (GSCC) as a guest speaker. The webinar was held on 20 December, 2017 in Hong Kong. Jeffrey Bahar, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Spire Research and Consulting group shared his insights on cross-border e-commerce challenges and trends for payment and logistics transactions across Southeast Asia.
In his presentation, Bahar shared his insights on potential…
India and Japan’s strategic alliance
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe agreed to work on an open Indo-Pacific region strategy with cooperation in infrastructure development and maritime security.
The Japanese government will pump in more investment into high-quality railway and road network projects.
Can a strategic alliance between Japan and India help in maintaining a stable regional balance of power, given the current stance of the US?
Find out more here: https://www.spireresearch.com/newsroom/spirethoughts/india-and-japans-strategic-alliance/
Spire…
Biodynamic farming in India
India is probably one of the places where the principles of biodynamic farming, which began in Germany over 90 years ago, are still socially accepted and in practice.
Biodynamic practices focus on planting and harvesting of crops according to a calendar based on the positions of the moon and stars. This relates well to the popular affinity for astrology in India.
SARG Vikas Samiti has been promoting biodynamic agricultural practices in India…
New transport systems in Asian cities to curb traffic congestion
Traffic congestion in densely population Asian cities is nothing new. To address this growing menace, emerging Asian economies continue to invest heavily in new transport infrastructure in cities like Jakarta, Manila and Ho Chi Minh City.
For instance, Manila suffered annual economic losses of USD18 million due to road congestion.
According to a recent study, Southeast Asian emerging states under the Association of Southeast Asian Nations – excluding Laos, Brunei and Singapore…
Raking in the moolah through moon mining
Does anyone own the moon? Or other planets for that matter? The prospect of mining on the moon and other celestial bodies is fast becoming a reality.
In 2018, Moon Express, based in Florida, aims to be the first private entity to put a small robotic lander on the moon with an investment of approximately USD1.85 million to set up an operations room and an engineering laboratory with a firings test…
Real time vision for the visually impaired
What if the visually impaired could actually ‘see’ their surroundings?
Aira, a San Diego-based company, has developed smart glasses equipped with a camera which sends live video stream to a remote agent who then narrates what they see in real time over the phone for the visually impaired user.
Just like an audio description of life, the visually impaired can now hope to experience life around in all its sensory glory.
Can smart…
China’s booming camel milk industry
Xianjiang Wang Yuan Camel Milk Co Ltd is one of the crucial players responsible for China’s camel milk boom. The company maintains over 20,000 milking camels in Fuhai. No longer just a ship of the desert, the milk of the camel has become sought-after for its perceived medicinal and “beauty” value.
Wang Yuan has over 500 outlets across the country, located in every province in China except Tibet. Wang Yuan’s revenues…
A glass of water that tastes like lemonade?
Ever heard of water mimicking the taste of lemonade? Researchers from the National University of Singapore collaborated with Japan’s Keio University to recreate the color and acidity of lemonade in water.
This process involves a system of sensors – RGB colour and pH – with electrodes digitally transmitting the basic colour and sourness of a glass of lemonade to a special tumbler of water. The water eventually tastes and looks like…
Pokémon Go – A game changer for marketers?
Have you caught your Pokémon yet? Pokémon Go – the mobile application-based game – is immensely popular. The game uniquely uses Augmented Reality technology. It has succeeded in growing its user base beyond just fans of the Pokémon comic. With the ability to drive foot traffic to stores, the app has created a new and potentially powerful platform for companies . Clocking in 7.5 million downloads since its debut in…
Halal cosmetics – The appeal of an ethical lifestyle
Eco-friendly, organic and vegan are now common themes in the cosmetics industry – but Halal products are the latest trend . Halal cosmetics sales are estimated at over USD 50 billion globally and forecasted to grow at 14.6 per cent a year from 2017 to 2021 . A quarter of the world’s population is Muslim, at 1.6 billion people in 2016 . Will Halal products become a pillar of the…
The race to invest in Vietnam - How FDI is changing Vietnam’s economy and soci …
Vietnam’s economy has been among the fastest growing in Southeast Asia. Today, it is a key destination for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the region. In 2016, FDI climbed to USD24.4 billion, a 9 per cent growth compared to 2015. This is despite Vietnam suffering an epic drought in 2016 and a third of its vast population of 93 million people living in poverty. Vietnam has won a reputation as…
Nursing homes for the elderly in Korea
As an elderly person, living alone in Korea is difficult. What options do senior citizens have for nursing home facilities? Dr. Justin Lee, Managing Director of Spire Research and Consulting, South Korea shared his thoughts on Korea’s JoongAng Ilbo news portal.
Korea now has 3,316 nursing homes and 1,500 specialized elderly hospitals nation-wide.
The need for specialised elderly care in Korea is on a gradual rise, as those with health complications cannot…
The Trump Presidency:One Year On
One year since President Trump took office, what has been the impact for businesses in Asia? Leon Perera, CEO of Spire Research and Consulting, shared his thoughts in The Business Times – Views from the Top section on 27 November 2017 on the impact on global economy.
Thus far, Donald Trump’s Presidency has not been bad for the American stock market and the US dollar. However, the expected infrastructure spending and…
What’s needed for Singapore to defend its electronics manufacturing hub status
How can Singapore defend its electronics manufacturing hub position in the face of stiff regional and global competition? Leon Perera, CEO of Spire Research and Consulting shared his thoughts in The Business Times – Views from the Top section on 2 October 2017 on Singapore’s evolving role in the global electronics sector.
To thrive in the global electronics supply chain, Singapore should focus on raising its game in terms of engineering,…
Singapore needs to harness entrepreneurship and older workers for success in the …
Singapore needs to harness its older workforce and instil confidence in the economy to survive the age of disruption. Can the nation continue to maintain its economic competitiveness? Leon Perera, Chief Executive Officer of Spire Research and Consulting, shared his insights in the Asian version of Japan’s Nikkei newspaper.
With one of the worst total fertility rates amongst developed countries worldwide, Singapore needs to utilize the older workforce as a source…
Getting to a unified digital payment system for Singapore
Nets – the leading payment solutions provider – recently announced that it would launch new payment modes across all of its 100,000 acceptance points in Singapore by mid-2018. What does this mean for Singapore’s quest for a unified payments system? Japnit Singh, Deputy Chief Executive Officer at Spire Research and Consulting shared his insights, published on Today Online’s news portal.
Japnit opined that the infrastructure laid out by Nets for a…
Vietnam automobile lubricant market beckons
With automotive lubricant demand rising from 2.6 million liters (in 2015) to 4.1 million liters (in 2021), global and regional manufacturers are taking notice of the Vietnam market. How can brands win in this market? Leon Perera, Chief Executive Officer of Spire Research and Consulting, shared his insights on key trends in the Lube Report Asia magazine.
With many players competing in the Southeast Asia market for motorcycle lubricants, leaders will…
Singapore turns 52 – what next for the national brand?
As Singapore turns 52 amidst global and domestic uncertainties, how should it evolve its global brand image? Leon Perera, CEO of Spire Research and Consulting shared his insights in The Business Times – Views from the Top section on 7 August 2017 on the future trajectory of the Singapore brand.
Singapore’s brand is synonymous with efficiency, anti-corruption along with an effective civil service. These strengths should be maintained.
Perera opined, however, that…
Global Halal cosmetics market continues to prosper
With the global Halal cosmetics market expected to reach USD55 billion in 2017, Spire Research and Consulting shared its views on the outlook for this category in an article published in Techno Business Insight.
As the global Muslim population reaches 1.6 billion people, awareness of Halal cosmetics has surged.
Halal cosmetics are not permitted to contain any animal blood, pigs or alcohol content. The entire supply chain, production, packaging as well as…
Spire supports research on Indonesian low-cost housing program
With a USD450 million loan from World Bank, the Indonesian government’s efforts to provide more affordable housing for low-income families has received a big boost. Spire Research and Consulting supported the feasibility study for this World Bank program, working with Indonesia’s Ministry of Public Works and Housing (MENPUPERA).
Spire helped execute a product concept test for the program to build affordable housing, working with Deloitte Indonesia. This was done via Focus…
Increase collection of recyclables for a greener Singapore
How can Singapore become more eco-friendly? Leon Perera, CEO of Spire Research and Consulting, shared his insights in The Business Times – Views from the Top section on 24 April 2017.
Perera commented that to increase the public collection of recyclables, there should be better education and more frequent collection from recycling bins in housing estates.
Perera also opined that measures should be taken to tackle food waste in Singapore’s hawker centers.
The…
Steady progress for AEC in first year
The establishment of ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) in 2015 was a major milestone in the region’s economic integration. With a GDP of USD2.6 trillion and 600 million people, the AEC is Asia’s third largest economy and the seventh largest in the world. What is the AEC score card thus far? Leon Perera, Chief Executive Officer of Spire Research and Consulting, shared his insights in China Daily – Asia Weekly.
AEC’s Blueprint…
Spire Client Entertainment Night December 2017
Spire Singapore hosted its second Client Entertainment Night of the year. Our business associates and partners joined us for a dinner reception followed by the movie screening of “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” – the eight episode of the Star Wars saga.
The event was held at Cathay Cineleisure Orchard. It was an opportunity for everyone to let their hair down and take a break from the office.
In the movie, Daisy…
Spire sponsors GBPIP’s Intellectual Property Summit Asia 2017 in Bangkok
Spire Research and Consulting sponsored the Global Brand Protection Innovation Programme’s (GBPIP) Intellectual Property Summit Asia 2017 held in Bangkok, Thailand from 14 to 15 December 2017. The Spire team shared our track record in brand protection performance management and consulting with event participants.
The GBPIP summit aimed to study the global challenges manufacturers face from counterfeiters and look-alike products, discussing current and emerging best practices used to protect brands from…
Spire joins AmCham Corporate Community Day for tenth consecutive year
Spire Singapore collaborated with the Singapore Children’s Society (SCS) for the seventh consecutive year, in support of AmCham Singapore’s Corporate Community Day (CCD) 2017. This marks a decade of Spire’s continuous participation in the CCD program, which aims to advocate corporate volunteerism.
Spire Singapore took beneficiaries of the Singapore Children’s Society to an indoor theme park at KidZania in Sentosa which provided children with the chance to role-play real world jobs…
Spire addresses sustainable project financing at 4th SEA Port Expansion Summit 2 …
Spire Research and Consulting’s Director Yap Far Loon was honored to be appointed as moderator at the 4th South-East Asia Port Expansion Summit 2017 organized by the Noppen Group. The summit was held on 26 October 2017 in Kuala Lumpur. It discussed challenges and opportunities in obtaining sustainable project financing.
Yap Far Loon, Business Development Director, Public Sector, Financial Services and ICT for Spire Research and Consulting, moderated the discussion panel…
Spire chosen as Official Research Partner to the Challenge Iskandar Puteri triat …
Spire Research and Consulting was honored to be appointed as the Official Research Partner for the Challenge Iskandar Puteri triathlon – a Challenge family sports event that covers 44 full and half triathlons in 26 countries. The event was held on 23 September 2017 at Puteri Harbour Marina, Malaysia.
Spire Malaysia conducted online and face-to-face surveys with 222 participants of the triathlon. 245 spectators from the fun and fit zone, Kids…
Spire speaks on growth prospects for VARs and SIs in India’s SME market
Spire Research and Consulting was honored to participate in the GATES India ICT Reseller Channel Summit 2017 as the official research partner. The event was held in Gurgaon from 12-14 September, 2017. The Summit is a business platform for consumer electronics, and mid-market segment vendors to understand market trends.
Saurabh Sharma, Country Director for Spire Research and Consulting India, was honored to be a guest speaker at GATES India ICT Reseller…
YBC hosts major seminar in Tokyo on cross-border Mergers & Acquisitions
On 5 September, Yamada Business Consulting (YBC) organized a seminar in Tokyo, attended by close to 300 Japan-based executives, to discuss the potential and pitfalls of cross-border Mergers & Acquistions (M&A). Leon Perera, Chief Executive Officer of Spire Research and Consulting, joined the concluding panel together with Patrick Becker, MD of Shanghai-based M&A advisory firm Bexuco and Yukuo Takenaka, head of US-based consultancy Takenaka Partners.
Leon and the other panelists discussed…
Spire chosen as Official Research Partner for DiverseCity’s KL International A …
Spire Research and Consulting was honored to be appointed as the Official Research Partner for DiverseCity’s Kuala Lumpur (KL) International Arts Festival (KLIAF) 2017 – an ambitious program of performing and visual arts to showcase the diverse, complex, yet rich nuances of the country and its people.
The event organizer, DiverseCity, along with Spire and the University of Nottingham, conducted a survey to draw out participant feedback and generate fact-based insights…
Joint seminar held by Spire and YBC on India’s business landscape in 2017
On 15 June, Spire and Yamada Business Consulting (YBC) jointly held a seminar at The Japanese Association in Singapore to give insights on emerging trends for India’s economy. The seminar aimed to raise understanding of market opportunities in light of events such as the roll-out of GST in India and President Donald Trump’s victory in the U.S elections.
Yasuyuki (Luke) Kita, General Manager at Yamada Business Consulting Singapore, addressed the session…
Spire speaks on e-shopping prospects in Indonesia
As more users explore e-shopping and e-payment options, retailers are transforming the online e-shopping experience in Indonesia. Jeffrey Bahar, Group Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Spire Research and Consulting group, was honored to be a guest speaker at GATES Indonesia ICT Reseller Channel Summit 2017 on e-commerce opportunities in Indonesia.
In his presentation, Bahar shared his insights on the growth of modern retail turnover in Indonesia, focusing on consumer trends…
