After more than 2 years of “retreat” due to the pandemic, Singapore has finally relaxed its restrictions and opened its border to the world again since April this year. Everything seems to gradually spring back to life, with shops and restaurants bustling with customers and public transportation packed with commuters. People are increasingly returning to office, and travellers dust off their passport and luggage, to embark on the long awaited journey.

There is no difference in SCAO Singapore office too. Colleagues have returned to office including some new faces. Exciting new businesses are sprouting and many colleagues have already flown around the world, before you even notice!

Let’s discover what’s happening in Singapore Office now!

New Energy, New Business, New Team
Energy Innovation Initiative Asia & Oceania Team (EIIAO)

Energy Innovation Initiative (EII) was set up in April 2021 in Sumitomo Corporation Headquarters to create next generation energy business, and contributing to a carbon-neutral society. This newly set up department focuses on three main business mainly (i) Carbon Free Energy Development, (ii) New Power and Energy Services Development and (iii) Carbon Management Business.

A year later, starting from April 2022, our SCAO Regional Management decided to establish EII in Asia & Oceania Business Development Unit with the following objectives to
1) enhance business and project implementation under EII Global Strategy;
2) accelerate “shifting to EII project” from regional incubation

To maximise regional functions, we pursue various collaborations with SCAO Business Units, each office and the business development unit in Asia & Oceania.

EIIAO Activities

Knowing the Leader & key members

Mr Yosuke Hamasaki – GM of EIIAO

I joined SC in 1993, since then, i have been developing my career in the businesses of Machinery & Equipment, Renewable Energy (Wind and PV), Power Retail and Corporate. My second career started in Singapore, in July 2020.

EIIAO is pursuing the business development of Energy transition and those related. Being a company-wide initiative, we keep our eyes open for a variety of businesses and BU/SBU’s activities, and aim to proactively enhance cross-organisational collaboration.

Please continue to look forward to approaching and collaborating with EIIAO.

We have a young team comprising of members from Singapore, Malaysia, India, New Zealand and many more. Below are some of our colleagues who are leading the core pillars of EIIAO activities.

Back to Business Trips

Yes, virtual meeting has become one of the new norms since the pandemic. It is no doubt convenient, time and cost saving. However, nothing beats meeting people in person which helps enhancing and solidifying important business relationship. This is why, despite encountering obstacles and hurdles in adhering to stringent travel protocols, our management and colleagues have started flying out to other parts of the world, as soon as Singapore’s border reopened.

Look at where and who our colleagues have visited!

Sydney, Australia

It’s important to touch base with our colleagues, business partners and customers around our region
Business is all about connection

(Met with Rio Tinto management on 27 Apr 2022. Rio Tinto is SC’s business partner in Hydrogen project in Gladstone Australia. Besides Rio Tinto, I also visited Clermont coal mine and had a dinner meeting with the Japanese Ambassador to Australia Mr Shingo Yamagami to exchange views on a wide range of topics.)

Mr Keigo Shiomi
SCAO Group CEO
(4^th from left)

London, UK

It was refreshing to be travelling again!
Felt like we are back to normalcy as most of the COVID restrictions in London have been lifted.

(I was in London to meet the Aluminium Producers, Customers and Traders at the CRU World Aluminium Conference on 18-19 May 2022. This photo was taken at the London Metal Exchange (LME). It has a history of over 140 years being the world’s centre for trading of industrial metals.)

Mr Seow Ming Xian
Non-Ferrous Metal Dept
(Right)

Copenhagen, Denmark

My first business trip since joining SCAO and am glad to finally meet my colleagues from both hemispheres physically to work closely on the sustainability front

(Attended 1-day opening ceremony and 1-day workshop held by Fonden Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping. Also met up with business partners including MAN Energy Solution, Copenhagen Commercial Platform, A.P. Moller – Maersk, Fonden Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Center. Travelled on 16 – 20 May 2022)

Mr Mark Lee
Energy Dept
(3rd from right)

Dhaka, Bangladesh

June 2022 @BSEZ: Trilateral collaboration between SCHQ, Bangladesh & Singapore teams with local parties for market study & Bay Container Terminal (BCT) project assessment!

(Logistics Business Dept is currently exploring the feasibility of a Greenfield container terminal development around Chittagong in Bangladesh. We met up with logistics majors, consultancy firms, and local authorities to get different perspectives on the project and the Bangladesh economy in general.

BSEZ = Bangladesh special economic zone, an industrial park near Dhaka which we are currently developing.)

Mr Benjamin Lee
Logistics Business Dept
(3^rd from the right)

Meet our new expatriates

Just as we are returning to office more often, we also welcome a number of new expatriates recently.

Let’s hear from some of them on how their new life in Singapore has been and feel the diversity!

Eiji Nakamura

Hi, I am Eiji Nakamura from Corporate Planning & Coordination Dept.

It was surprising for me to receive the new assignment to move to Singapore, since I was dispatched to one of Sumitomo’s retail subsidiary one and a half year ago. However, working with people with various background here is very exciting. I would like to make the most of this opportunity to get to know one another in this region. Really looking forward to working with you all.

I already love Singapore! I would like to spend more enjoyable time with colleagues.  Let’s work hard together and go for a drink soon!

Mr Eiji Nakamura
GM, Corporate Planning & Coordination Dept
(Assigned from SC Tokyo)

Wayne Pan

I think it might have been Lewis Carroll who said “in the end… we only regret the chances we didn’t take”.

Having spent our whole lives in Sydney it’s long been a dream of ours to live and work in Asia, so we were thrilled to be offered the assignment to SCAO.  Singapore is such a fascinating place with a richer history than it gets credit for.  If you don’t already know, I recommend you look up what Lee Kuan Yew and Goh Keng Swee managed to do in just a single generation.  It’s inspirational to say the least.

On a personal level – grateful that my wife put her career on hold to realise our dream, and for taking this photo which makes me look skinny.

Mr Wayne Pan
Senior Partner, Strategic Alliance & Business Development Office
(Assigned from SAPL)

Ivan Trekhsviatskyi

Since joining Sumitomo in 2005, I have been in charge of tubular sales and visited various locations around the world, but always missing the chance to visit Singapore. So being here is super exciting. Absolutely fantastic! Singapore is a great mixture of various cultures and races creating one great example of D&I… I’m sure other countries can learn a lot from Singapore ! I believe APAC area has lots of potentials for a new business under Energy Transition trend as well, with Singapore playing a key role, which I want to materialise while I’m here. Really keen to learn local English accent before I return Tokyo la!

Mr Ivan Trekhsviatskyi
Deputy GM, Tubular Products Dept
(Assigned from SC Tokyo)

Let’s go for a little game or beer!
Resumption of Social Gathering

“Hey! It’s been a while, how have you been?”

“Oh! You know, I used to draw a lot but now all I do is wash my hands! What’s up with you?”

“Oh my, I’m going to release myself from the bird cage and party down!”

These were just some of the familiar conversations we heard upon returning to office since April this year. Besides being amazed at each other on how much we have or have not changed during the past 2 years (some of us had not met for more than 2 years since COVID started!), it feels truly good to be able to reconnect again, chit-chatting face-to-face with our colleagues and laughing together.

And yes, we couldn’t wait to bond with our team over sumptuous food and delicious beer!

Embracing Diversity in a Melting Pot of Cultures – Celebrating Tanabata in Office

To embrace diversity of our cultures in SCAO, Corporate Services Dept has been putting up various festive decorations in our office, including Chinese New Year, Hari Raya Puasa, Deepavali, Christmas and so on.

This time round, we celebrate Tanabata（七夕),  one of the biggest traditional celebrations in Japan which is also known as the “Star Festival”. It takes place on the 7^th day of the 7^th month of the year. According to the legend, this day is when the 2 stars (lovers) Altair and Vega, which are usually separated from each other by the Milky Way, are able to meet.

One popular Tanabata custom is to write one’s wishes on a paper strip called “Tanzaku”, and hang it on a bamboo tree, in the hope that wishes come true. This season, our office is proudly displaying a bamboo plant, hanging with the wishes of our colleagues.

HSSE Videos

So wonderful working and having fun together! Now, let’s not forget about health, safety, security and environment (HSSE).

After the first round of success, SCAO Corporate Services is launching the second series of HSSE videos progressively.  Watch one of them here!

HSSE Video – Caution on Slips and Falls
(Click on the above image to view the video)

Here’s the access to more HSSE videos:

HSSE Video – Let’s do our part

HSSE Video – Save the Environment