Danish Business Association of Singapore
JUNE 2012 • ISSUE 18
MICA (P) 078/02/2012
www.dabs-singapore.com
Reaching
for the Top
New
Danish
soccer
miracle?
The
church
is saved
That’s why
Singapore
is a
success
MAIN PARTNERS:
Jeanette
goes for
gold
Letter
from the
editor
CON
TENTS
Letter from the editor
3
Church safe at Pender Road
4
New stuff from B & O
6
Children’s clothing – a party industry
8
Interview: Sanne reborn in Singapore
10
Grundfos takes on new green premises
14
Ørstrøm: Why Singapore is a success
16
Dane brew a success formula at Level33
18
And to finish it off the Olympics in London will see a strong Danish
team hunting a reachable target of 6-8 medals. All Danes will not
the least be looking forward to the male and female handball teams
competing for the gold, for Peter Gade, Tine Baun Rasmussen and
Michael Maze in the racket department and as told in our interview
the current swimming world champion Jeanette Ottesen going for
gold.
A new soccer miracle in Ukraine?
20
150 Danes go to the Olympics
23
Jeanette goes for gold in London
24
The events might not get the same kind of attention here in
Singapore. The ambitions are there but Singapore still lacks the
structure to develop its sports scene to an international level. At
least when it comes to the active participation.
Members page
26
Singapore basically is doing what Singapore is best at: organizing
events. End of May Singapore was ranked 6th sport city in the world
and number one in Asia at the annual Sport Accord International
Convention in Canada. It’s a slide down from being 2nd two years
ago but still a great achievement for a country with a relatively low
domestic exposure on the active side.
Danish Business Association of Singapore (DABS)
c/o Royal Danish Embassy
101 Thomson Road
#13-01/02 United Square
Singapore 307591
As reflected in this issue of
Dan Biz it’s going to be a huge
sports summer for all Danes.
population of 5,5 million people.
Danes love sport and Denmark
is a surprising power factor in
some of the large international
sports, despite having to
recruit the talent from a small
Just around the corner is the European Championship in soccer
where Denmark, a former winner back in 1992, is facing Germany,
the Netherlands and Portugal – three of the five teams in the World
Top-5 rankings.
Tour de France will as always include a Danish team, Danish race
directors, Danish sponsors and having Danish riders setting their
marks. Caroline Wozniacki may have lost her number one World
Ranking but will still be a factor to count on in Wimbledon.
So while Singaporean will be counting down to F-1 and other
international events in the boardrooms and at the venues, Danes
will go searching for live coverage from a broad spectrum of
events.
It will be a hot summer for the Danish colony, enjoying the magic
of the sling boxes.
Jan Lund
Editor
Dan Biz is a quarterly magazine published by:
(Next issue will be published in September 2012)
Contacts:
Editor Jan Lund
[email protected]
Tel: +65 8118 1864
Secretariat: Royal Danish Embassy
Hp: +65 9144 6272
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: www.dabs-singapore.com
Designed by:
Thinking Cloud T: 9277 0189
Printed by:
NPE Print Communications Pte Ltd T: 6395 4444
DANBIZ
CHURCH
Saved
by the
bell
The Danish Seamen’s
Church on Pender Road
is saved financially and
is signing a new three
year lease.
By Jan Lund
At the annual GM the following members
were elected to the Church Council for
2012-2013:
T
he Danish Seamen’s Church is saved
as a church and rallying point for the
Danish community in Singapore.
After more than half a year of intense search
for a solution to the financial trouble that hit
the institution after the downgrading of the
financial support from Denmark, it is now
clear that the institution at Pender Road will
continue for many years to come.
“We have not only found the money
necessary for 2012 but also a viable and
long-term model for the future. We have
to follow up on the new set-up and there
will still be some work to do. But we are
confident that this solution will carry us into
the future,” says Tom Hansen, Chairman of
the Church Council.
With the dark financial clouds chased away
the lease on Pender Road is about to be
renewed for a new three year period with a
possibility of prolonging it for another three
years. The owner, basically the government
04
of Singapore, has been coming forward with
an offer that included a more moderate rentraise than expected. Seen as a sign that the
authorities appreciate the way the Danish
community is protecting and using this
more than 100 years old historical building
at Mount Faber, that got conservation status
back in 2005.
Tom Hansen, Bjørn Holte Jensen,
Bjarne Tvilde, Kaj Andersen, Leif Erik
Hansen, Rene Piil Pedersen, Kristinna
Brejner, Ingvill Christiansen, Jimmy
Jensen, Mette Madsen, reverend
Kirsten Eistrup, DSUK (A. O. Andersen),
Danish Ambassador (Berit Basse),
DABS Observer (Henrik Ziegler), DSS
Observer (Anja Roiy).
The run down for the rescue plan has been
to reach an annual target of S$ 600,000 (2,7
million Danish Kroner) by roughly splitting it
into three groups each delivering one third of
the budget. One third from DSUK covering the
salaries, sponsors and donations covering
another third and the last third coming from
activities and memberships.
Road” Hansen concludes and points to
the fact that a lot of people have put great
effort into the rescue mission and that there
already has been established a foundation
of 140 memberships.
Those three pillars are now more or less
balancing as the foundation for the future.
“If nobody had shown any interest in the
project it is hard to tell where we would
have been today. There might have been a
Danish Church but certainly not a Pender
The Danish Society has stepped up to the
plate and shown that Pender Road has a role
to play in the future, where it like before will
function as a combination of church and a
Danish community centre in Singapore. DB
www.dkchurch.com
DANBIZ
SHOPPING
B&O
launched
New
PRODUCTS
D
anish world class brand B & O
(Bang & Olufsen) is best known in
Singapore for the flagship store at
Scotts Road, neighbouring Grand Hyatt
Hotel. That’s where the latest in the new
designs and cutting edge sound systems
can be experienced – and obtained.
In April a string of costumers and friends of the
house were invited for cocktails and canapés
at the showroom during the launch of three
new products, among them the Beolit 12
portable audio system. The company behind
the store is the Singapore founded MJ Group
managed by Danes Michael Østergaard and
Jonas Wulff Møller. DB
06
DANBIZ
SHOPPING
Children’s
clothing
turned
partyindustry
Attending a party while buying
new stuff for the kids? The
concept of home shopping is
new to most Singaporeans. Now
Danish company Copenhagen
Delights is hitting Singapore with a
new line of children’s clothing.
By Anne Blume Futtrup
E
xcited moms are flipping through
the hangers filled with cute little
dresses, cotton one sizes, plaid shirts
and sunhats. The designs and styles are
distinctly Danish, but the prices are much
lower than what you usually have to cough
up when you don’t want to compromise on
the quality or materials
“I really like the collection – both the design
and the quality,” Anne Trads Hansen says.
She is at the Danish Seaman’s Church joining
the weekly get together of Danish moms
and kids. Today there is not only singing,
socializing, coffee and rolls on the agenda
– there is shopping and kids fashion too,
and the moms are eagerly looking through
the Copenhagen Delights collection, which
Betina Falster-Hansen brought along.
“I am excited about introducing the brand to
Singapore,” she says and explains how low
production costs in Vietnam and the fact that
the products are sold through home shopping
is the secret behind the relatively low prices.
08
Home shopping is not that well known as a
concept here in Singapore, so Betina has a
lot of explaining and marketing to do.
“The locals may have heard about
Tubberware parties, but that’s about it. In
Denmark home shopping has been around
for a long time and is better known,” says
Betina Falster-Hansen who also recently
promoted the Danish products at the
Boutiques at Fort Canning fair, where lines
were as long as sales were good.
Danish design collection for children
from 3 months to 10 years of age.
Rooted in Scandinavian design
traditions and produced in Vietnam
Sold in shops in Hanoi and Saigon.
Outside Vietnam it is sold directly to
consumers over the internet or at home
parties allowing for attractive pricing.
“The reception has been great although the
customers have to get used to not taking the
clothes with them right away. But most people
see the benefit in having everything shipped
directly to their home address,” she says.
“You gather some friends, drink some wine
or coffee and then part of the fun is looking
at the clothes,” Betina Falster-Hansen says.
When an order is placed it takes 10 - 12 days
for it to show up in the mailbox. Clothes can
either be ordered and bought online or at the
home parties that will become more and more
frequent as the company succeeds in finding
more hosts who are willing to throw a party.
The option of shopping online is also very
desirable for new moms who usually have
most of their days and hours fully booked taking
care of the new member of the family. DB
www.copenhagendelights.com
INTERVIEW
Re
bo
Si r n
ng in
ap
o
re
DANBIZ
Singapore was just the right place for
Sanne Gottlieb to restart her singing
career. The 44 year old Danish singer
just released her first solo album
which was very well received by the
critics and now is being promoted all
over Asia by record label Warner.
By Anne Blume Futtrup
T
he song and video ”Creeping over me”
starring Sanne – a beautiful, blond
singer – is right now creating a buzz all
over South East Asia. Danish Sanne Gottlieb
is right now proving that it is in fact possible
to be an international acclaimed pop-diva
although she has turned 44 and is a mother
of three.
She is a blank page in this part of the world
and that has made it much easier for her to
finally make her dream about a solo album
come true. “Cassette from your Ex” was
released in Denmark on February 20th and
will soon be out in Asia as well.
The move to Singapore two years ago
marked a new beginning and from the get
go she decided to brand herself as a star and so far it has worked wonders. She has
14
10
performed at the Singapore F-1 Grand Prix,
collaborated with the band Coldplay and
made a deal with Warner Music in both Asia
and Denmark. The release went extremely
well in Denmark, where the critics rave
about international potential and even
compare her to Madonna.
Sanne Gottlieb is both honoured and proud
and she knows she can thank Singapore for
a great deal of the success.
“It has been good for me to move away
from Denmark. For years I have asked my
husband whether we should do it, but it was
not until I got here, I really knew how much
I actually wanted to get away. I won’t say
things are easier here, but it is easier for me
personally,” she says:
“Finally, finally I feel that I am being taken
serious as an artist. When you turn 35 in
Denmark you might as well put yourself to
rest, but I have done away with that thought
after moving here. I feel free here and when
I’m feeling free I’m feeling confident.”
The ugly duckling
The road to success has been long and windy
for Sanne who on one hand is extremely
focused, but on the other hand always ends
up doing everything but what she planned.
Ever since she was a little girl she stuck out
from the crowd. Her talent for figure skating
meant that she lived most of her childhood
on the ice.
A serious injury put a hold on the ice skating
career and Sanne went back to school
INTERVIEW
11
Sanne
Gottlieb
Sanne Gottlieb is born and raised in
Copenhagen. She is 44 years old and just
released her first solo album ”Cassette
from your Ex” in Denmark.
The release is soon to be followed in Asia,
where the single “Creeping Over Me”
already is out
When she was 18 she first performed with
the band ”Candy Club”. Later she became
part of the Danish band ”The Poets” ,
being lead singer on the last two of their
three albums.
She wrote the song ”Kissing” which made
it as soundtrack to the movie “Sex and the
City”.
She participated twice in the finals of
the Danish part of the Eurovision Song
Contest, placing 3rd in 2000 when the
winners (The Olsen Brothers) later won
the European final. Her song ”Uden Dig”
(Without You) became a big hit.
As a child Sanne was a talented figure
skater and later she was a model for Elite.
She holds a degree in “Filmvidenskab”
from the University of Copenhagen.
www.sannegottlieb.com
thinking she would concentrate on getting
her high school diploma. She did however
feel more at home among the Punk Rockers
than with the preppy high school kids.
“With the Punkers I had the freedom
to be different. I have never been good
with authorities, but all the kids I went to
school with looked like little right wing
Conservatives. It made me sick. They were
so afraid of doing something wrong which
I had been doing all along and I really didn’t
fit in.”
Amongst the Punkers she could nurture her
passion for music. The clothing was black
and the style provocative.
“But I have never been one of those who
would lay in the gutter drunk as skunk. I
always took care of myself. I drank and
I smoked, but I never did drugs. I was
disciplined as well as everybody else who
is still around from that time – the others are
dead.”
ruined. This time by Danish band The Poets
(not to confuse with the Scottish 1960s band
of the same name they were called The
Sealand Poets in the USA and UK), which
was in desperate need of a lead singer.
When the hit band Sneakers offered her a
spot in the choir, Sanne dropped out of high
school. She never got the gig, but instead
she was approached by a model agency
and ended up working as a model all over
the world.
“I have seen the same astrologist for the past
ten years. He says there is no way around it
– I will always be out there in public life no
matter what. It is my destiny that every time
I plan on doing anything else, I am taken
away by something.
“Everything was fine until I got a nervous
breakdown in Paris. Back then I thought I
was drugged, but when I look back I think it
was something else. I had panic attacks and
had to go home.”
Expat Wife and mother
New plans about getting a degree was
When Sanne fell in love with her friend
Eric she also got carried away. Eric had big
career ambitions and Sanne, now 24, quit
her position as a lead singer and went with
the love of her life to Mali, Africa.
DANBIZ
INTERVIEW
“I was very much in love,” Sanne says and
tells how Eric got a job with the UN and how
she spend the time in Africa taking care of
their first child. The sudden change came as
a surprise to many, but not to Sanne.
“I always found security in my family and it
felt very natural to start my own,” she says.
Today the couple has three kids who are
now 8, 14 and 16 years of age.
“I am a very loving mom. I might not have a
lot of structure, and I am not very engaged
in their school projects and things like that.
On the other hand I am very present. I am
spending alone-time with each of them after
school. I take them to a cafe where we talk
and eat cake. I am very down to earth and
very close to my kids, but I have never been
a cupcake mom waiting with hot rolls when
they get home.”
has used that to concentrate on her most
important passion – the music.
When one of Sanne’s songs was selected as
part of the soundtrack for the movie Sex and
the City, she saw it as a sign that it was time
to start working hard on the solo album and
the move to Singapore helped do that.
“Nobody knows me here so I could start
over and market myself exactly as I wanted
to. My trump is Sex and the City – and that
works. I got a British manager who believes
in me as well as Warner Music out here,”
says Sanne.
The Sex and the City soundtrack
Although she has all chances to lean back
and enjoy a comfortable life as an Expat
Wife that is not part of the plan.
Sanne’s husband has always respected her
need for space and freedom and lately she
“I have an inner urge. If I am not creating
anything I feel that I am wasting my life. I will
12
probably always be working with music, but
after a few years I might settle down and do
weird experimental records or become an
author. On the other hand I know that my life
is completely unpredictable,” she says and
takes pride in the fact that she did not lean
back even when money was not an issue.
“I am very proud that I dared and didn’t give
up,” she says and adds that she is already
planning her next album although her
contract doesn’t say anything about more
than one.
“I am generally a nervous type, but I am not
afraid of getting a no. If I get rejected one
place I just go on to try the next.
No doubt that we will hear much more of
Sanne – but it is impossible to predict when,
where and what it will sound like. DB
13
DANBIZ
GREEN TECH
Smaller
footprint
Larger
growth
Around 200 guests were present
when Grundfos launched its new
super green factory in Singapore.
By Jan Lund
W
ith the whole leadership flying in
from Denmark for the occasion,
Grundfos’ brand new facility at
Tukang Innovation Park was launched in a
large ceremony at the new premises.
It is one of the first major projects of its
kind developed between the government
of Singapore and a major industrial player.
The facility hold all the highest green
standards and was already before lift-off
being awarded the highest possible price,
Platinum, for its consequent and innovative
focus on the the environmental aspects of
the project.
This new 40 million S$ (185 million Danish
kroner) complex houses Grundfos’ new
modern assembly line as well as storage
facilities and its regional corporate offices.
Nearly 200 guests joined the celebration,
including Mr. Yeoh Keat Chuan, Assistant
Managing Director at the Singapore
Economic Development Board, and Mr. Ole
14
Lisborg, Danish Ambassador to Singapore.
Working closely with partners Bovis Lend
Lease, COWI and Cofely SEA the facility
features a host of green technologies and
smart engineering, as well as the company’s
own high efficiency pumps, aimed at
improving the building’s energy efficiency
and reduce its carbon footprint. The result is
a projected energy savings of more than 40%
and water savings of around 1.8 million litres
each year.
Speaking at the launch Group Executive Vice
President Søren Sørensen noted: “As the
world’s leading manufacturer of innovative
high efficiency pumps and motors, Grundfos
is helping our customers reduce their
energy and water consumption without
compromising on quality or functionality.
It is only fitting that we continue this focus
on sustainability across the entirety of our
business. The new facility in Singapore is
testament to our commitment to reducing
our own carbon footprint, even as we grow
our business in the Asia Pacific region.”
With the new assembly lines, which combine
advanced technology, automation and best
practices from other Grundfos facilities
worldwide, the company expects to increase
output through its Singapore facility by 15%
in the first year, scaling eventually to three
times the current capacity by 2022 to serve
the Asia Pacific market.
Concludes Poul Due Jensen, Regional
Managing Director at Grundfos: “Despite
challenging global economic conditions,
the Asia Pacific market is poised to be a
key contributor for growth in the long term.
Grundfos Singapore provides a great base from
which to expand our service to the region.”
With over 16.000 employees and annual
production of more than 16 million pump
units a year, Grundfos is one of the world’s
leading pump manufacturers. DB
GREEN TECH
15
DANBIZ
SINGAPORE
What
Makes
Singapore
Different?
The hub concept is what
Singapore has understood is
the key to the future for small
countries – but you must
move in with both feet.
By Joergen Oerstroem Moeller
A
s a Dane who has lived in Singapore
for more than 14 years, I naturally
find similarities between Singapore’s
and Denmark’s endeavours to carve out a
niche for themselves in the harsh climate of
economic globalisation.
Both countries try as best they can to
use their geographical position to their
advantage. The basic idea of the hub
strategy comes naturally to the fore.
Countries like the United States and China
use their domestic markets as a platform
for economic strength. That is even
feasible for middle-sized countries being
well-established in certain segments of
the global market. For example, in Europe,
France in luxury products (fashion, haute
couture, wine) and Germany in engineering.
In Asia, Thailand in agricultural products
and Vietnam in seafood. These countries
brand themselves via a strong position in
industrial segments, producing first for the
16
domestic market before subsequently being
turned into an export industry.
Neither Singapore nor Denmark can do
likewise. They need to find something else to
brand them – to be different. And they need
branding because high-cost countries – and
Singapore has, for some years, been in that
category – find it agonising to compete on
wages and prices.
For such a strategy to be successful at
all, it requires a tremendous effort, as
the competition is with a whole string
of countries with a much larger pool of
labour, thus benefiting from lower wage
cost. Singapore must do something else,
something better to lift itself out of this box,
and branding is an obvious way.
A brand offers something more than just the
user value. The consumer enjoys something
special by using a branded product and is
ready to pay a higher price for that special
‘something else’. Singapore’s brand pertains
to efficiency, reliability, good corporate
governance, good government, and rule of
the law – factors which attract multinational
companies.
For years, Singapore’s harbour and shipping
sector have been an important element in
the country’s economy and employ a large
number of Singaporeans. These days, few
people realise that it was by no means
certain that Singapore would be the busiest
harbour in Southeast Asia and among the
largest container harbours in the world.
It was achieved by realising efficiency and
the ability to deliver high-quality services
every time a ship docks, which in turn
conveys to shipping lines that Singapore
could be relied upon. This brought about
a virtuous circle: the larger the number
of shipping lines which uses Singapore’s
harbour to their satisfaction, the more likely
new shipping lines inter alia serving the
SINGAPORE
17
Chinese market and/ or established in China
would also use it.
Professor Joergen Oerstroem
Moeller is a visiting Senior
Research Fellow at the
Institute of Southeast Asian
Studies, an Adjunct Professor
at the Singapore Management
University and Copenhagen
Business School, as well
as a Senior Fellow with the
Diplomatic Academy. He was
the former Danish Ambassador
to
Singapore,
Brunei
Darussalam, Australia and New
Zealand before his retirement
from public office in 2005.
Having acquired the knowledge of running a
harbour competently, Singapore’s next step
was to use that as a competitive parameter in
offering this knowledge to harbours in other
countries, supplemented by investing in
harbour facilities in some of these markets.
Building an airline and an airport which,
year after year, are ranked among the
best in the world illustrates how a country
using the hub concept can overcome the
disadvantage of a small domestic market
and establish itself as an important player in
the global competitive game.
Now Changi Airport seems a natural place
for an air travel hub in Asia, but a look at the
map shows that this fruit could have been
plucked by many countries. Thailand, Vietnam,
and Malaysia are all as well positioned as
Singapore, maybe even better, and might have
supplemented that with a larger domestic
market. They have done so, yes, but Singapore
grasped better than its competitors one of
the essential things in global competition:
you move in with both feet and wholehearted
commitment, or you stay away. As the famed
American general George S Patton said: Get
there firstest with the mostest.
There is a good deal of risk associated with
the hub concept in areas such as shipping
and air transport. The investment required
is enormous and cannot be changed with a
snap of the finger. Therefore good planning
and strategic foresight are indispensable to
ensure the success of the hub concept.
In these areas, Singapore can also be
described as a hub. There are not many
cities around the world that welcomes the
global intellectual elite for lecture tours,
seminars, conferences and brain-picking
as consistently as Singapore. These people
come to Singapore to share their knowledge
and ideas about future trends, and by doing so,
they enhance Singapore’s knowledge, which
explains why Singapore enters the high-risk
investment game with so much confidence.
The picture is the same when looking at the
fields of information and communication,
technology and biotechnology. Likewise
for education and healthcare. A country
choosing the hub concept and branding
itself as a hub prospers by cultivating a
stimulating intellectual climate and making
itself an attractive place for talent.
Mega-cities and Mega-regions
There is much talk about mega-cities and
mega-regions as drivers of global growth
in the years ahead. These economic
powerhouses possess sufficient weight to
forge ahead on their own, as is the case
for, inter alia, Shanghai and several other
Chinese cities. They show us that Thomas
Friedman’s message (in The New York Times)
that the world is flat conveyed a basically
correct analysis – in the global economy,
everybody competes with everybody else.
But there is another aspect to this, which
is the notion that the world is also spiky,
meaning that economic activities tend to be
concentrated in large cities, hence megacities and/or mega-regions.
The gist of this dawned upon me in 1994 when
I visited Seattle. I was shown an analysis
pinpointing the key advantages of being in
Washington State for biotech and medtech
industries. The absolute top scorer was
quality of life with 35 per cent, followed by
high quality of work force accounting for 21
per cent. Academic institutions came in as
number three with 19 per cent. Income tax
and cost of living scored a meagre 6 per cent.
This is what started me thinking about
quality cities. I later talked with the Head of
Research of Novo Nordisk (a world leader in
diabetes), and he told me that the company
encouraged researchers to take an interest
in cultural life because it would enhance their
powers of observation – a vital ingredient
when judging whether a research project
was worth pumping money into. I have often
thought about this lesson: It is not so much
the research as its applicability and the
interdisciplinary, intersectoral approach to
get there. That leads to quality cities!
What has not attracted so much attention,
but unquestionably will in the future, is the
notion of quality cities offering an economic
and intellectual climate that attracts
multinational companies and the intellectual
elite to place some of their activities there.
These global players do not put all their eggs
in one basket; they spread them around,
thus opening the door for quality cities to get
a share of these lucrative activities taking
place at a high, and in some cases the
highest, level on the value-added ladder.
This is what the hub concept offers, and
looking at Singapore over the past 14
years, what strikes me most is seeing
how this concept has sunk deep roots in
Singapore. DB
This article appears in the Singapore
International Foundation’s new publication,
Singapore Insights from the Inside, a
collaboration with the international
community to share unique insights and
personal experiences for more to know
Singapore and its people.
DANBIZ
RESTAURANT
Luxury
taken
to new
heights
Hand crafted beer, modern European cuisine, and a view
to die for. Danish chef Carsten Kjeldmann is one of the
masterminds behind new local hotspot restaurant LeVeL33.
By Anne Blume Futtrup
G
etting ready for a night out? The
bustling Singaporean restaurant
scene offers pretty much anything you
can dream of: More than 6000 restaurants
serving crispy chicken feet, Michelingourmet and everything in between.
The competition is tough, but the potential
rewards are great given that locals like to
go out for breakfast, lunch and dinner. This
frequency and love of eating out is one of the
things Danish chef turned manager, Carsten
Kjeldmann, likes most about the local scene.
With the opening of LeVeL33, Singapore
now boasts the world’s highest urban craftbrewery residing in Marina Bay Financial
Center Tower 1. The terrace overlooks the
futuristic and ever changing Singapore
skyline headed by Marina Bay Sands and
The Singapore Flyer. A better location would
be very hard to find.
“Spaces like this don’t come around often
so we are very happy that we got it,” says
Carsten Kjeldmann, GM of LeVeL33, who
opted to fill the space with a mix of quality
beer and modern European food.
“A microbrewery 156 meters up in the air
may sound crazy – and I guess it is,” says
18
Kjeldmann who had to figure out a way to
get the heavy equipment to the 33rd floor.
Now beautiful cobber kettles are serving
as a welcoming entryway to the bustling
restaurant and bar where reservations are
required on most nights. For Kjeldmann it
was essential to create a place offering
something unique and extraordinary.
“It needs to be novel and different to make
a buzz. I usually say that either you do what
others do - but way better, or you create
something, which has never been seen
and done before. Singaporeans love new
ideas and they love to be first movers, so
when we proposed the idea of creating a
microbrewery in a penthouse venue, the
interest was there immediately,” he says.
But location alone does not create a lasting
success. The true values lie in traditional trades.
“Our most important value is that we cherish
the craftsmanship in brewing beer as well as
in cooking. Furthermore, we value that the
restaurant has an atmosphere, which is both
elegant and laid back. And also, we want
to be in a price range that most people can
afford allowing us to establish a solid group
of regulars,” Carsten Kjeldmann says.
The beer is brewed exclusively for the
restaurant-guests who can stop by for
brunch, lunch and dinner – or join one of the
many special events.
For Carsten Kjeldmann opening a restaurant is
not a first. He was born and raised in Aarhus,
trained locally at classic places like Varna
Palæet and De Fire Årstider, and has lived and
worked as a chef in restaurants all over South
East Asia and in Spain. He then went into
managing and among other things worked as
Food and Beverage Manager at Tanglin Club
and Manager at The British Club.
But even after decades away from Denmark
he has never forgotten his home or the
virtues of being a Dane.
“For me being Danish is about honesty.
Danes and Scandinavians have a good
reputation out here. We are perceived as
professional and as people you can rely on
If you go to LeVel33 you can trust that you
will be served great beer and if that doesn’t
make you stumble in your tracks – then the
view will for sure. DB
www.level33.com.sg
DANBIZ
SOCCER
Another
miracle in
the making?
20
years after the sensational
triumph when Denmark won the
championship without even being
qualified in the first place, Denmark is up
to an even harder task this time when the
European Championship anno 2012 takes
place in Poland and Ukraine.
June 1992 in Sweden was a fairytale by a
country which delivered one of the world’s
greatest fairy-tale writers. But even Hans
Christian Andersen would not have been
able to create such a story with such a happy
ending. The beach-boys gate crashing the
largest football event that summer and
beating all the mighty powers of Europe.
And there were no walk overs on the way to
the lifting the Cup that enchanting Saturday
night in Gothenburg after encounters with
Germany, the Netherlands, England, France
and arch-enemy Sweden.
Denmark got a bad start to the qualification
tournament back in the autumn of 1990
drawing with Northern Ireland and loosing
at home to Yugoslavia. The team was still in
transition after the mighty team from the 1990’s
had its heyday during the World Cup in Mexico
20
20 years ago Denmark came from nowhere and
became European Champions sensationally
beating Holland and Germany – two of the
three opponents in this years European
Championship in Poland and Ukraine
By Jan Lund
1986 but flopped completely in the European
Championship in 1988 losing all three matches
and playing like a team in distress.
hardworking European professionals to get
some vacation together with the family before
the training camps for a new season begins.
The transition lasted a couple of years. But
already in 1991 the new kids on the block
were running full throttle. Denmark won
the following six matches, including the key
match away against Yugoslavia. But……
crucially, Yugoslavia won all other matches.
Yugoslavia, at that time a powerhouse in
European football, won the group by one
point and where heading towards Sweden
when politics suddenly interfered.
From all over Europe they were called back
home for the shortest training camp ever.
They were literally going from the beaches
directly to the countdown of the second
hardest global soccer tournament.
This was the time of the Balkan wars
and after new and worse atrocities the
European Football Association (UEFA)
decided to kick out Yugoslavia on the back
of an UN resolution passed on May 30th. As
the second best team in the group Denmark
was invited – and decided to participate.
That was strangely enough not a given.
Like all football players also the Danes had
been planning for something else during
the summer vacation. A tournament without
active participation is a rare opportunity for
Those days the finals were only played
among eight teams. Like today with 16 teams
there would be groups of four. But with only
two groups the two best in each would
continue directly to the semifinals. Today
with 16 teams the two best in each group
qualify for the quarter finals.
Back then it was in fact more difficult to qualify
for the European Finals than for the World Cup
Finals where Europe usually had 10 spots.
So there they went to the improvised training
camp in Southern Sweden together with an
organization which also was alerted in the
last moment. Not to talk about the reporters.
After 15 years covering football yours truly
had called it a day but were scheduled to work
SOCCER
21
ALL TIME
DANISH TOPSCORERS
PLAYER
The European
Championship 2012
• Played in Poland and Ukraine from 8 June to 1 July 2012.
• The first European Championships to be held in Eastern Europe
• It will be played in eight stadiums, four in Poland – Gdansk, Poznan, Warsaw,
Wroclaw – and four in Ukraine – Donetsk, Lviv, Kharkiv and Kyiv.
• The format of four groups of four teams will be used for the last time in this
tournament. The competition format will change in 2016 as the lineup of participants
will be increased to 24.
• EURO 2012 will be the championship with the longest distances ever between the
stadia: Up to 2000 km from Gdansk in Poland (West) to Donetsk in Ukraine (East).
• 1.4 million fans is expected in the stands.
• The 31 matches will be broadcast live in more than 200 territories around the world.
with other sports during June while the regular
soccer people were on holiday. So suddenly
I like many other colleagues were called in
from the bench. After all it was in neighboring
Sweden so it was not that complicated.
Denmark was by no way in easy company
drawn against host Sweden, England and
France.
Some miracles were needed for any kind
of success. And they came big time. First
match against England was just as dull as
the result 0-0 says. The next one against
Sweden at the traditional Swedish home turf
Råsunda in Stockholm ended with a slim 1-0
victory to Sweden.
One point after two matches and up against
mighty France in the last one looked precisely
like back to the beaches. But again a bit of
luck turned things around. A goal by Lars
Elstrup just 12 minutes before finish secured
Denmark a sensational 2-1 victory and when
Sweden just as surprising beat England 2-1,
Denmark was able to sneak into the semifinals
with three points (at that time it was still two
points for a victory and one for a draw).
In the semifinals waited what was
considered the world’s best team at that
moment, a Dutch team lining up with names
like Gullit, van Basten, Rijkaard, Koeman
and Bergkamp. Superstars those days.
Legends today. The match developed into
an incredible battle, the Dutch dispatching
their traditional dominating and skillful style.
The Danes fighting with whatever they had,
which became less and less as legs became
heavier and heavier as the clock ticked
away.
Denmark was clinging on to a 2-1 lead until
the 87th minute when Frank Rijkaard found
the equalizer. Extra time and a fresh young
Manchester United keeper with the name
Peter Schmeichel continued to produce
small miracles between the posts while
Danes were lying all over the field with
cramp in their sore legs.
It was a huge relief for the Danish players
when Spanish referee Aladran blew the
whistle for the last time and began the
preparations for the penalty shootout. In
the press box most were convinced that the
tired Danes would lose that contest.
Poul ‘’Tist’’ Nielsen
Jon Dahl Tomasson
Pauli Jørgensen
Ole Madsen
Preben Elkjær
Michael Laudrup
Henning Enoksen
Ebbe Sand
Michael Rohde
Brian Laudrup
Flemming Povlsen
Dennis Rommedahl
Jens Peder Hansen
Nicklas Bendtner
Carl Aage Præst
Karl Aage Hansen
Poul Pedersen
Harald Nielsen
Kaj Uldaler
Anthon Olsen
Vilhelm Wolfhagen
Kim Vilfort
Frank Arnesen
Bent Jensen
Lars Elstrup
Kresten Bjerre
Kaj Hansen
Martin Jørgensen
Aage Rou Jensen
Per Røntved
Kristen Nygaard
Søren Larsen
Søren Lerby
Lars Bastrup
John Hansen
Henry Hansen
Helmuth Søbirk
Knud Lundberg
GOALS
MATCHES
52
52
44
42
38
37
29
22
22
21
21
21
18
18
17
17
17
15
15
14
14
14
14
13
13
12
12
12
11
11
11
11
10
10
10
10
10
10
38
112
47
50
69
104
54
66
40
82
62
115
38
47
24
22
50
14
38
16
18
77
52
20
34
22
27
102
30
75
36
17
67
30
8
38
30
39
PERIOD
1910-1925
1997-2010
1925-1939
1958-1969
1977-1988
1982-1998
1958-1966
1998-2004
1915-1931
1987-1998
1987-1994
20001949-1961
20061945-1949
1943-1948
1953-1964
1959-1960
1927-1939
1912-1927
1908-1917
1983-1996
1977-1987
1968-1972
1988-1993
1967-1973
1936-1946
19981945-1957
1970-1982
1970-1979
20051978-1989
1975-1983
1948-1948
1922-1934
1935-1945
1943-1956
What would have seemed impossible
happened already at the second Dutch
attempt when safe-as-money-in-the-bank
Marco van Basten saw Peter Schmeichel
dive to the right side and save his low shot.
Later all shooters hit the target and finally
it was Kim Christofte who at the fifth shot
with a crispy smart, but no-nonense shot
put the ball behind Dutch keeper Hans van
Breukelen and propelled Denmark into the
finale.
An incredible result Denmark beating the
defending Dutch European Champions.
But worse was to come. In the final waited
Germany, the reigning World Champions,
who of course were mega-favorites.
But the Germans never really sparkled in
this finale. After John Faxe Jensen hit the
best shot of his career and gave Denmark
the lead after 18 minutes the Germans could
not find their usual fast pacing gear. The
most incredible journey of any national team
in the history of this championship ended on
a the highest possible note when Kim Vilfort
made it 2-0 in the 78 minute.
DANBIZ
SOCCER
Carlsberg is
main sponsor
Danish brewery power house Carlsberg is again one
of the main sponsors at EURO 2012. UEFA and Carlsberg
have extended their long-term sponsorship agreement for
UEFA’s flagship national-team competition, a relationship
which began in 1988 at the UEFA European Championship
in the former West Germany.
Carlsberg is one of five global partners for UEFA EURO 2012
together with Adidas, Castrol, Coca-Cola and Hyundai-Kia.
As part of the sponsorship Carlsberg will benefit from
exclusive marketing rights for alcoholic beverages within
official premises of the competition. Carlsberg will also
continue to offer European football fans sole and exclusive
programs such as the opportunity to present the Carlsberg
Man of the Match awards.
“With EURO 2012 we cement our many years of loyalty
to, and enthusiasm for, premium European football,” said
Jørgen Buhl Rasmussen, CEO of Carlsberg Group, when
the contract was signed.
“EURO 2012 is not only a milestone for Carlsberg, being
an official sponsor for almost a quarter of a century, but
excitingly it is also the first ever UEFA EURO to be hosted in
Eastern Europe. The interest and tradition for football in the
host countries, with a total of over 80 million inhabitants, is
enormous and therefore we are thrilled to be part of this
exciting tournament,” Buhl Rasmussen added.
As they wrote in astonishment in the press
all over the world: “The gatecrashers won it
all”. There were not that many international
stars included in the line-up at the time but
of course a few were known outside the
Danish sports bars and would take on great
careers in the big European Leagues.
Notably of course legend Peter Schmeichel
(Manchester United), plus Brian Laudrup
(AC Milan, Glasgow Rangers, Chelsea) John
Faxe Jensen (Arsenal), Torben Piechnik
(Liverpool) and Flemming Poulsen (Borussia
Dortmund).
What national coach Morten Olsen, who
retired a few years earlier after more than
100 internationals, can take with him from
those glory days of June 1992 is, that nothing
is impossible and the fact that successful
national coach Richard Møller Nielsen
always pointed at: “No team will lose forever
and no team is unbeatable”.
This time Denmark is again up against Germany
and Holland at the group stage in Ukraine with
Portugal as the sidekick. The group is already
branded the group of death and is without
22
comparison the toughest of them all.
Just take a look at the current World
Rankings. The three Danish adversaries are
in the global Top-5: Germany (2), Netherlands
(4), Portugal (5). But that said Denmark is
also up there as number 10 – currently better
placed than Italy and France.
But of course looking at the fact that those
three nations are there again also tells that
Denmark and Danish Football has a certain
depth that always can produce players at
the highest level, despite being a nation
of just 5,5 million souls. From the English
Premier League for instance comes forward
Nicklas Bendtner (Arsenal), Daniel Agger
(Liverpool), Thomas Sørensen (Stoke) and
Anders Lindegaard (Manchester United).
There’s Simon Kjær in Roma and William
Kvist Jørgensen in Stuttgart. Not to forget
Simon Poulsen (AZ Alkmaar) and Christian
Eriksen (Ajax) who both were nominated to
the team of the year in the Dutch League.
But playing against superstars like Robben,
van Persie, Ronaldo, Schweinsteiger and
Klose, who all are capable of decide a
match on their own, some luck again has
to be there to be grabbed. It is not known
if Morten Olsen does like Napoleon who
famously elected his generals according
to who were most lucky, reasoning that he
expected all to be of the highest possible
quality so the only difference was luck.
Will this June produce a new Danish
soccer miracle? The answer might come
already Saturday night June 9th in the first
match against Holland – precisely the same
opening for the two teams in the World Cup
finals two years ago.
“This the crucial match for us. That will
seal our faith in the tournament, so all my
focus is on this match. That’s the key. That’s
the match we prepare for and where our
capabilities will be shown,” Olsen said
during the countdown.
Rest assured that Olsen has done whatever
is possible to prepare his players for
giving the Dutch favourites a hard run for
their money. But if that’s enough to put
Denmark on another winning track only
time will tell. DB
OLYMPICS
150 Danes
to the
Olympics
23
All Olympics Photos By
Das Büro for Danmarks
Idræts-Forbund and Team
Danmark.
Michael Maze, former
European Champion,
taking part in his fourth
Olympics was a bronze
winner in doubles with
Finn Tugwell in 2004.
Peter Gade, for a
decade best Danish
male badminton player,
takes part in his fourth
Olympics.
Tine Baun, only European
female to challenge the
mighty Chinese, takes part
in the Olympics for the
third time.
Denmark is shipping a strong team of
around 150 athletes to the Olympics in
London (27 July to 12 August), covering
some 18 different disciplines. Rowing,
cycling, sailing, swimming, badminton
and tennis are the disciplines where
Danes traditionally prove strong and are
in contention for medals. Handball might
come in big as well.
Recently swimming has improved under
coach Paulus Wildeboer and has several
candidates for metal. But other sports
will catch the spotlight, when medals are
handed out.
DANISH
OLYMPIC MEDALS
SINCE 1972
(gold, silver, bronze)
Beijing 2008: 7 (2-2-3)
Athens 2004: 8 (2-0-6)
Sydney 2000: 6 (2-3-1)
Atlanta 1996: 6 (4-1-1)
Barcelona 1992: 6 (1-1-4)
Seoul 1988: 4 (2-1-1)
Los Angeles 1984: 6 (0-3-3)
Moscow 1980: 5 (2-1-2)
Montreal 1976: 3 (1-0-2)
Munich 1972: 1 (1-0-0)
HERE ARE THE NAMES
TO LOOK FOR:
Swimming:
Jeanette Ottesen Gray,
100 meters, 100 meters butterfly.
Lotte Friis, 400 meters, 800 meters.
Rikke Møller Pedersen,
100 meters chest, 200 meters chest.
Woman’s Team 4x 100 meters free.
Woman’s Team 4x 100 meters medley.
Badminton:
Peter Gade, mens single.
Tine Baun Rasmussen, women’s single.
Handball:
Both men and women’s national team.
Tennis:
Caroline Wozniacki, womens single.
Sailing:
Jonas Høgh-Christensen, Finn.
Allan Nørregaard and Peter Land, 49’er.
Cycling:
Matti Breschel, mens road race.
Chris Anker Sorensen, men’s road race.
Alex Rasmussen, men’s time trial.
Rasmus Quaade, junior men’s time trial.
Track Team, 4000 meters pursuit.
Rowing:
Team, light weight four.
Mads Rasmussen and Rasmus Quist,
mens double.
Juliane Elander and Anne Lolk, womens
double.
Surprises ?
Unexpected, but not sensational
medals could be won by:
Peter Jensen, Trampoline.
Dennis Cylan, Boxing.
Mark O. Madsen, Wrestling.
Michael Maze, Table Tennis.
www.ol.dk
OLYMPICS
DANBIZ
GOING
FOR GOLD
Denmark expects to win 6-8 medals at the 2012
Olympic Games in July and August. 25-year old
swimming World Champion Jeanette Ottesen Gray is
one of the hottest shots for Danish glory in London.
10
By Ib Søby
hours of practice every day,
except form Sundays. Short lunch
break. Dinner and then 12 hours of
recovering sleep.
(2,600 SGD) pr. month from Team Denmark,”
explains Jeanette, whose fuel is the
ambitions of reaching the top in the world’s
most prestigious competition.
For more than one year this programme has
transformed the life of Jeanette Ottesen
Gray into a permanent training camp. After
she became 2011 world champion in the
most classic and highly respected 100
meters freestyle discipline in Shanghai, she
has focused on one goal: To win an Olympic
gold medal in London.
Even small things are taken care of. This
winter she received a sponsored car which
saved her valuable time and efforts in the
rough Danish climate.
“It is not for the money, cause Danish
swimmers still live as amateurs, and we
just receive around 12,000 Danish Kroner.
24
“It’s a fine little car that saves me from
the cold and dark bike-rides in the winter
mornings from my home to our training
centre.”
Last year she married Bobby William
Gray who she met as teenager in Lyngby
Swimming Club, north of Copenhagen.
Bobby later stopped swimming and attended
Copenhagen Business School. But the last
couple of years, he has donated all his spare
time to support Jeanette.
“Without Bobby all this would be impossible.
I owe him so much, and I look forward to pay
him back, when I stop swimming”, smiles
Jeanette and mention several daily tasks
that Bobby takes care of, so she can focus
on her career: Food, shopping, laundry,
cleaning and whatever, including giving
Jeanette daily treatments with different
lotions, due to her many hours in chlorinemixed water.
OLYMPICS
25
JEANETTE
OTTESEN
GRAY
Born:
30. December 1987
Home:
Copenhagen and married to
Bobby William Gray
But during the championships and big
competitions, Bobby stays at home watching
Jeanette on TV.
“I guess we are a little superstitious,
because my biggest victories have been
won, while Bobby was not on the location,”
she says. “Also I think that being in a 14 day
swimming camp, like at the Olympics, would
be too boring for Bobby.”
Jeanette Ottesen will await the outcome of
her third Olympic Games before taking any
decision about the future.
“Bobby and I want to have kids later, and we
both are planning the coming chapters in
our life, with friends, dinners and a glass of
red wine now and then. But at the moment
our family and friends accept and respect
that we live such a monotone and planned
life, with almost no spare time. Certainly my
World title last year helped our surroundings
understand that this is something worth
fighting for.”
Should the Olympics 2012 mark the end of
her career as a top swimmer, action may still
be a part of her life: Jeanette has a dream of
being educated in the Danish police forces
when she stops competing in the pool. DB
www.jeanetteottesen.dk
Education:
Student 2007, and periods of working
in a Kindergarten.
Want to join the police force
after her career.
Results:
2011 World Champion,
100 meters, China.
2008 European Champion,
butterfly, Croatia.
World Cup 100 meters gold,
2009, 2010.
2011 Sportsperson of the year
in Denmark.
DANBIZ
MEMBERS PAGE
Semco
moved
One of the younger but expanding
Danish companies in the shipping
industry Semco Maritime recently
moved to new premises in
Singapore at 20 Toh Guan Road.
As usual in Singapore that was
celebrated with a reception and
lion dance.
Membership Changes
Changes in the membership base since March 1st 2011
NEW MEMBERSHIPS
Thomas Dueholm, Duba b8
Henrik Lindberg, SKF industrial Market
Henrik Bisbo, Weilbach
Marija Advic, Fine Palet
Steen Elverdal
Lars Juul Pedersen, Link Consultant
Again a fair at the church
Danish Seamen’s priest Kirsten Eistrup
was all smiles when she and the church
reinvented an old tradition for a staging a
fair for Danish companies on the premises at
Pender Road. Here she is in front of the stand
from The Children’s Showcase, one of more
than a dozen companies present on the day
for this pre-summers event named “The Fair
– A Touch of Danish”.
The Fair underlined again the rich variety
of smaller businesses operated by Danes
here in Singapore. It was well received
and attracted a huge crowd throughout the
day. Beside enjoying the food prepared by
another small Danish start-up The Tasty
Table, they could shop or enjoy products
from the following businesses: Bboheme,
Teak & Mahogany, Rice, Quinze Boiuteilles,
Dragonfly
Swimwear,
Snorrefood,
Copenhagen Delights, Beckjsondergaard,
Betty and Elli, Naledi, Nordea, Scanpan Asia
and Christina Rohde, Katvig and Molo.
26