GES 2006 now offers more than 50 conferences, and an exhibition triple the size of last year’s with 20,000 sq metres of space. It will be against this backdrop that speakers and participants representing a cross-section of industries spanning financial to energy traders, business angels and incubators to venture capitalists and wireless technology to innovative ecofriendly processes will converge.

“The spirit of GES lies in its very entrepreneurial nature – last year, GES 2005 achieved a record-breaking S$900 million worth of deals made,” said Mr. Lim Siong Guan, Chairman of the Singapore Economic Development Board, co-presenter of GES 2006 with the Singapore Business Federation. “Going into our fourth year, GES has now earned a credible global reputation as a platform for business networking. We are extremely pleased this year to announce the participation of Procter & Gamble (P&G), a US$70 billion dollar enterprise which will be introducing their innovative new strategy, called “Connect + Develop” for the first time outside North America at GES 2006.”

P&G INTRODUCES INNOVATIVE STRATEGY FIRST TIME OUTSIDE NORTH

More than ten top-level executives from the US, China, Singapore and Japan offices of Procter & Gamble, led by Mr Nabil Sakkab, Senior Vice President, Corporate R&D and Mr Jeff Weedman, Vice President of External Business Development, will be coming in to GES 2006 to introduce this new strategy to global and Singapore businesses. Recognising that the way to sustained business growth cannot rely solely on in-house research and development, the "Connect + Develop" model seeks to connect internally as well as externally.

"Connect + Develop" will offer in-licensing and out-licensing opportunities to individual entrepreneurs as well as businesses. Since embracing Open Innovation, P&G has seen a dramatic increase in the number of its products that have a major component sourced from outside the company, about 35% in 2005 up from less than 10% in 2001. P&G is the partner of choice for companies who have committed to Open Innovation.

LARGER AND MORE HIGH-LEVEL REPRESENTATION FROM CHINA, INDIA, SRI

LANKA & VIETNAM

There will also be a larger and more high-level representation by Asian economic giants, China and India, as well as emerging Asian economies, Vietnam and Sri Lanka. China’s high-profile representation include business leaders like Jack Ma, Founder, Chairman & CEO of Alibaba; Li Xiaolin, President of China Power; Lu Zhi Cheng, President, TsingHua Tongfang and Theodore Huang, Chairman, TECO Group as well as over 30 software companies coming in from Zhongguancun, the “Silicon Valley” of China. Vietnam will also have at least 80 delegates coming to GES.

The sub-continent of India will be represented by Indian global business conglomerate, Tata Sons led by its Executive Director, Mr R Gopalakrishnan and six top C-level executives coming in for the Tata Forum; Nadathur Holdings & Investments, a venture investment firm founded by Mr N S Raghavan, founder of Infosys; the government of Gujarat who will be represented by its Chief Minister, Mr Narendra Modi and key industrialists; Mr Saroj Kumar Poddar, President of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry; as well as successful Indian entrepreneurs who have made their mark in different parts of the world. Sri Lanka will be represented by Mr Lalith Kotelawala, Chairman, Ceylinco Consolidated, a conglomerate of over 200 companies who will be coming in to GES 2006. In addition, there will be 20 delegates from the Sri Lanka Singapore Business Council.

EMERGING MARKET ECONOMIES UKRAINE AND RUSSIA LOOK TO NEW

OPPORTUNITIES AT GES

At the recent concluded IMF/World Bank meeting in September 2006, an Investment Guarantee Agreement (IGA) was signed between Ukraine and Singapore. The IGA outlines growing bilateral economic relations between the two countries, and will provide a solid framework for investors from Ukraine and Singapore. The ED Group, one of Ukraine’s largest private equity firms will spearhead the Ukraine conference at GES 2006, and will look at avenues to support Ukrainian-based companies in this part of the world.

Alemar Corporation, one of the oldest Russian securities firms and a member of all major exchanges in Russia as well as over the counter market, will be leading the Russian Investment Forum to offer opportunities to venture capitalists and incubators at GES 2006.

GES 2006 kicks off on Monday October 30 with these highlight events :

• Oct 30, 5 pm GES Opening Ceremony & Welcome Reception : Guest of Honour, President SR Nathan who will also be presenting awards to the winners of the first National Awards for Manufacturing Excellence.
• Oct 31, 9 am Enterprise Exchange Opening Ceremony : Guest of Honour, Mr Lim Hng Kiang, Minister for Trade & Industry
• Oct 31, 6 pm GES Gala Dinner & Asian Innovation Awards : Guest of Honour, Dr Tony Tan, Chairman, National Research Foundation Board

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About Global Entrepolis @ Singapore 2006

Global Entrepolis @ Singapore (GES) 2006 comprises a multitude of events focused on connecting businesses around the world. It is a “free marketplace” that offers delegates, participants and exhibitors valuable opportunities to forge partnerships, secure funding, share expertise and network. Now in its fourth year, the 2006 event will offer more than 50 conferences and triple the exhibition space compared to the previous year. There are four main platforms to GES 2006, namely: conferences, an exhibition, networking tool and sessions, and ceremonial events. Specifically within the conference platform stems four categories of conferences: AnchorConferences, International Business Meets, Industry Focus Conferences, Youth & CommunityProgrammes.

The Enterprise Exchange is a marketplace that will provide a platform for delegates and participants to showcase their expertise and products through an exhibition that will span 20,000 sq metres, and the “Hub of Technopreneurs” (HOT) Stage, where buyers seek sellers, new start-ups seek funding, large corporations seek sourcing opportunities and new market opportunities are offered. Linking all parties will be a Business Matching Portal and three Business Networking Sessions.

For more information and registration for GES 2006, please visit www.globalentrepolis.com

About the Singapore Economic Development Board

The Economic Development Board (EDB) is Singapore’s lead agency responsible for planning and executing strategies to sustain Singapore’s position as a global hub for business and investment.

It works closely with local and foreign companies across a diverse range of activities in both manufacturing and services to help them move towards higher value-creating operations in an increasingly knowledge-based and innovation-driven environment. It also encourage companies to use Singapore as their headquarters and total business centre to manage their global or regional functions to service their global or Asia Pacific operations. Singapore is today a “Global Entrepolis” – a compelling global hub for business and investment where entrepreneurs and enterprise converge, spark and realise innovations, forge partnerships, and create value in manufacturing and services industries. We encourage innovation and entrepreneurship by helping to create an environment which is conducive for start-ups and companies of all sizes to interact with each other with good corporate governance practices and where intellectual property is protected.

For more information on how EDB can help in your business and investment, please visit www.sedb.com

About Singapore Business Federation

The Singapore Business Federation is the apex business chamber in Singapore. SBF aims to advance and promote business opportunities and networking within the business community both in Singapore and abroad. At the national level, SBF works closely with the government and labour organizations in a tripartite relationship to create a conducive business environment in Singapore. At the international arena, SBF represents the Singapore business community in multilateral, regional and bilateral business organizations to advance and promote their interest in trade expansion.

For more information, please visit its website: www.sbf.org.sg

About Zenith Events Corporation Ltd

Zenith Events Corporation Ltd. focuses on creating powerful marketing events for buyers and sellers to connect face-to-face through major expos and conferences. Its goal is to make use of its extensive resources in the region to help customers understand and succeed in the fast changing and complex Asian markets, as well as creating new opportunities for local players to explore the global marketplace.

Established in Hong Kong, with branch offices in Beijing, Shanghai and Singapore, and a partner network that spans USA, Korea, Japan, Taiwan and Malaysia, Zenith also assists government organisations, professional associations/institutions, MNCs and local companies alike to launch and manage a diversity of events from product launch, customers programs, channel conferences, training seminars, sales promotion to any tailor-designed marketing programs in Asia.

As part of Zenith Integrated Communications, Zenith Events continues to focus on the hottest and fastest developing industries in Asia, and shares with every customer our creative and marketing excellence.

For media enquiries, please contact:
Ms. Asha Mahesh
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