Designed with usability in mind, the website provides relevant details on all of BIBD’s products and services organised in a manner that makes it easier for customers to find the information they need. The website also offers customers a convenient way to contact the bank should they need further assistance.

The website provides quick access to BIBD’s online banking services and a host of other useful resources, including up-to-date rates, location maps to all its branches and ATMs, and a glossary of Islamic banking terminology. A section containing articles on financial planning written from the Islamic perspective shows the bank’s commitment to helping Bruneians achieve financial health.

Consulus, an organisational brand consultancy with business design and design for business capabilities, worked closely with BIBD on all phases of the website development, from planning and strategy to content development and user interface design.

“Now that we’ve handed over the website to BIBD, we’re confident that we will continue to see improvements to the bank’s online experience,” Nicole Brion, Senior Manager at Consulus, said.

At the official launch event organised by the bank in March, Javed Ahmad, Managing Director at BIBD, said, “We feel really proud of having achieved these important milestones in our journey of transformation and the new website captures the spirit of our company and communicates the sense of vibrancy that pervades our organisation.”

Visit www.bibd.com.bn for more information.

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After a period of awkward silence someone softly said, “Our commitment to quality.”

“So how did you nurture that within the company?” I asked. Again my question was met with awkward silence. The men and women in the room might be some of the most brilliant engineers around, but when it came to the question of organisational culture, they were stumped.

This same scene happens over and over again at engineering companies throughout Asia. How is it that engineering companies are so adept at solving the most complex problems but tend to get stuck when it comes to building corporate cultures? The trouble is that these firms do not approach brand culture development like an engineering problem. If they did, it would be a much more effective process.

Different view, different results

For many engineers in Asia, organisational culture is a vague concept. It is hard to see and difficult to measure. The mere mention of the phrase will have their eyes glazing over with disinterest. Yet in most of the engineering companies that we serve, it is the absence of an organised system of beliefs and practices that results in inefficiency, lack of collaboration and resource wastage. The frustration is real for these companies. They can see the problems, but they are unable to solve them on their own.

The truth is that many engineering firms in Asia believe that organisational culture is something they can live without so long as they continue to deliver quality work. Although Asia now provides the bulk of engineering projects, the lead engineering firms are still from the West since they have stronger track records, specialised methodologies and technology. Asian firms are happy doing the implementation work and not investing on developing their own intellectual property through a unique brand culture.

Unique culture and engineering leadership

It’s a pity that too few Asian engineering firms see brand culture development as a means of rising up in the value chain. If you look more closely into the practices of the world’s leading engineering companies, you’ll see an obvious link between unique culture and engineering leadership. GE would never have become the giant it is today, if it did not have a clear code of beliefs, distinct training practices and a leadership institute such as Crotonville.

Although Asian engineering firms have the skills to deliver and the intellectual capacity to craft feasible solutions, they spend far less time codifying their know-how and coaching others within the firm. This creates knowledge gaps when veterans leave.

Build like an engineer

The solution to these issues is to build organisational culture like an engineer. We have used the following approach in client companies and found that it works:

1. Define the root of the problem
As with any engineering problem, research and data gathering are essential to finding a solution. Seeing the business problems in terms of numbers and statistics makes it easier for engineering firms to connect with the issues at hand. One CEO told me that they have always been aware of the problems in the company, but having all the data put together and shown through statistics made it easier to point out the problems at hand. The research data not only helps in determining the root causes of the problem but also shows them where to start in building a tangible action plan.

2. Focus on tangible results
After the problems are identified, steer clear of half-baked solutions that stop at the conceptual level. When we build purpose models for our client companies, we take pains to clarify all concepts and plan how to implement them at the individual, departmental and organisational levels. When CEOs say that their companies lack a unique culture, what it usually means is that they have yet to develop and implement a complete system that defines what every person in the company needs to do in order to achieve the right type of performance.

3. Link behavior with performance
Companies that are serious about building a culture that can drive performance should focus on nurturing and recognising leadership within the company. It’s not just about rewarding people when they meet certain targets but also about promoting people who have exhibited the right behaviors. When there is no system to reward desired behavior with career advancement, the organisational culture falls apart.

4. Create useful practices
When staff are asked to suggest action plans to improve company culture, they usually suggest family outings and company dinners. While there is nothing wrong with these suggestions, those types of events do little to build a culture that drives performance. The trick is to work the cultural objectives into daily practices. For example, if a company wants to focus on building know-how, integrating a department lunch with an internal coaching session would be a useful practice. If the staff finds that these practices help in their personal and professional growth and the promising ones are rewarded with leadership positions, things will start to change for the better.

Lawrence Chong is the CEO at Consulus.

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Wang Shaoqiang is Founder and Chief Editor of Design 360° Magazine. He publishes an annual design journal called Asia Pacific Design. He is also Chief Executive of Sandu Media and the publisher for Asia Pacific Design Journal which gathers leading design works from China and throughout Asia. Here he shares his insights into the evolution of design in China. The interview is available in both English and Chinese.

Why did you start Sandu Media and what is its purpose?

Sandu Media was formed in 2001. Back then, China was undergoing high economic growth and most Chinese designers and agencies were focused on creating their own designs. We started out solely as a design firm. However, I noticed that the country was in need of a platform on which designers could  interact and exchange ideas. Because of this, I gradually repositioned Sandu to be more involved in the communication and publishing of design work.

At that time, Mr. Wang Xu was also actively involved in this area. He was of great influence and drove me to start Sandu Media and develop a platform for designers to exchange ideas.

What is the role of Asia Pacific Design and what is the vision behind this publication?

Asia Pacific Design (APD) had its roots with the founding of Sandu Media. 2012 will be its eighth year of running. I aim for the annual publication to be a platform for discussion amongst designers in Asia Pacific. Each year, we call for contributions from designers in China and across the region. The annual publication functions as a historical archive, recording good designs from each year as well as highlighting the outstanding business and cultural designs. APD also aims to demonstrate the creative abilities of forward- thinking designers and agencies. With this in mind, APD keeps its foundations with original designs from China but also incorporates the influence of design works from across Asia Pacific. We aim to create a publication that shapes the design industry in China.

Over the past thirty to forty years, design in China has taken off alongside the country’s economic development and hence is attuned to society’s trends and needs. Aligned with the current social status within China, APD maintains the intentions set when it was established eight years ago, and continue to act as a window for communication between Chinese and global designers. This should also hold for the future as APD strives to continue expanding its reach, growing along with designs from China.

As an observer and curator, how do the Chinese view design nowadays?

With the reforms and liberation of China, design has also entered a new era of development. Inevitably, the development of Chinese designs now face new challenges. For example, the people’s perceptions towards design, as well as its influence on the economy, culture and society as a whole. A balanced evaluation can only be made by historians further down the road.

What does design bring to the people? This is a discussion that has received varied responses over time. For example, designs used to focus on creating economic value, satisfying business’ demands.  But today, it has become an active part of the people’s lives. Its impact on public policies and the development of cities should not be overlooked. In modern China, design is only at its initial stages of development. Alongside the sustained economic growth, design is bound to create a broader and further-reaching impact on society.

The Chinese are still nurturing their appreciation for design. There are a handful who have a clear idea, and some who are receptive of it but others might not yet have a deep understanding. I believe that this understanding will improve over time, and the impact of design on the community will form a consensus amongst the people. Design would bring new opportunities to all walks of life, especially in the manufacturing sector.

What has changed in the Chinese design scene in the last 5 years and what can we expect?

Over the last 5 years, the Chinese design scene has clearly experienced steadfast development. Heavy public spending has fuelled the progress of Chinese design. The 2008 Beijing Olympics as well as 2010’s Shanghai Expo and Asian Games in Guangzhou presented the industry with many new opportunities. It brought together designers across different fields and promoted the integration of resources. The importance of interaction and cooperation in design was also increasingly recognised.

One should note that Chinese designs are also gaining popularity in several areas of lifestyle. Upon establishing a strong economic foundation, it will progressively be possible to achieve a better quality of life through design.

Can you name 2 emerging designers in China and why their work will change the industry?

The first would be Guang Yu of Beijing. He is a representative of cutting edge design, and is mainly engaged in the cultural aspects of design. Beijing is the country’s centre of culture and arts, providing designers an excellent environment for growth. Guang Yu is able to tap into the city’s rich culture and  incorporate it into his work.

Another would be Chen Fei Bo from Hangzhou. He has a passion for design and love for life. He is an acute observer of market movements and can be considered a “generalist”, creating designs that can be applied to multiple aspects of our daily lives. This includes diningware, fashion, furnishings and other products. His designs are consistent with life and the market’s needs. Chen demonstrates the viability of integrating different types of design.

China is going through another transition in its political leadership, can design play a role in the development of China?

Definitely! Currently, China is focused on manufacturing and has become a leading consumer in the world. But, in China, there is still a lack of strong brands, good design and quality products. In the future, design will become more important to this country. The government is also placing stronger emphasis on this and people are gradually becoming aware of the power of design.

If you could have tea with Vice-President Xi Jinping, what would you say in order to update him about design in China?

I do not think I would be given the opportunity to have tea with Vice-President Xi Jinping. But, if given the chance, there are two things I would like to share with him. Firstly, I would update him on my research data to show him the impact of design as reflected in our country’s GDP growth. Secondly, I would like to share with him the positive influence of design on the people’s lives, in terms of how it has improved the environment and raised the quality of living, making a contribution to a more energetic and positive society. These are the two things I would like to share with Vice President Xi Jinping.

—–

为什么开创三度文化传媒，其目的是什么？

三度文化传媒成立于2001年，当时在中国，大多数设计师和机构从事设计服务的工作，三度的前身也同样是做设计公司的。因为中国正处于商业的高速发展期，大家都忙碌着各自做设计，交流和沟通相对比较缺乏。我意识到中国缺乏一个这样的平台，便希望做一些转变，重新定位公司的方向，渐渐开始关注设计的传播、出版等方面的工作，投身设计文化传播的领域。王序在这之前也从事这方面的工作，我也受了他的很多影响，因而便着手组建三度传媒，希望这里能成为一个设计交流的平台。

《亚太设计年鉴》对设计界所起到的作用以及年鉴背后的愿景是什么？

《亚太设计年鉴》在三度文化传媒成立之初便开始策划，至今已历经八年。我把这本年鉴定位为一个亚洲太平洋地区设计交流的平台，每年出一本，通过向中国及亚太地区的设计师征集作品，像一本历史档案集，记录下一些优秀的设计，表彰这些优秀的商业及文化类设计，展示当下思想前卫的设计师及设计机构的创作力量。秉持着这个信念，APD从中国的整体原创设计力量为起点，放眼亚洲及太平洋地区的广阔设计天地，致力打造一本引领中国设计的年鉴。

中国设计的发展只历经了伴随着经济腾飞短短的三、四十年，适应于现今经济社会的设计很符合当今社会的发展，也符合中国的现实。基于中国社会的现状，APD在过去的8年来一直坚持这策划时的初衷，现已成为中外设计交流的窗口。未来也将继续做下去，希望APD这个平台能继续深化，伴随着中国设计的成长。

作为从业多年的设计师及媒体人，当今中国设计师如何看待设计？

随着中国改革开放，设计也进入一个高速发展的阶段。自然地，设计的发展过程也历经考验，例如人们怎么看待设计，设计与经济、文化、社会的关系等等方面的问题，都有待历史给予公正的评述。

设计给人们带来了什么？在这个问题上，答案也一直在改变。比如一开始商业设计只在经济发展层面满足商业上的需求，到了今天，商业设计也已经全面渗透到人民日常生活中，甚至在政府决策、城市发展的方面也有不可小觑的影响。今天的中国，现代设计还处于发展初期，随着经济的持续发展，设计必将给社会带来更宽广、深远的影响。

中国国民对设计的认识还处于培育期，有部分人有清晰的认识、部分人能接受、部分人不了解。我相信这种认识会慢慢发生改变，设计对社会的影响也将在大家心中形成共识。对各行各业，特别是制造业，设计将带来新的可能。

在过去的5年中，中国设计界有着什么样的改变？对于未来，我们可以期待什么？

在过去的5年中，中国设计在不断向前发展，取得的进步是大家有目共睹的。中国有巨大的政府项目，这些能给设计起了推波助澜的作用。例如08年奥运会、10年世博会和亚运会，这些大型的活动给设计带来很多新的可能。设计师及设计团队的跨界合作，整合了很多资源，互动合作的必要性也备受关注。另一方面，中国设计对生活方面的兴趣日益浓厚，具备了一定经济基础后，对更美好的生活追求也成为可能。

您可以列举2个中国新锐设计师以及为什么他们所从事的工作会对推动这个行业发生变化？

第一个是北京设计师广煜。他是新锐设计师的代表，主要从事文化方面的设计。北京是全国的文化、艺术中心，给设计师的创作提供了很好的土壤。广煜在这当中开展他的设计创作，能很好利用这个平台，发挥地域的特点，将这种文化上多样性体现在作品中。

第二个是杭州设计师陈飞波。他抱有一份对设计的执着，热爱生活，敏锐地洞悉市场的动态。他是个“多面手”，从事的设计涵盖生活多个侧面，包括餐具、产品、服装、家具等等。紧贴生活，紧贴市场，让不同类别的设计实现融合的可能。

中国正在面临过渡到新一届的政治领导，设计是否在中国的发展中发挥作用？

这个问题的答案是肯定的。目前中国以制造业为主，是一个消费大国，但在中国缺少品牌，缺少好的设计、好的产品。在未来，设计将越来越在中国彰显出其重要性。这一点，政府也日益重视，国民也渐渐意识到设计的力量。

如果您在跟国家副主席习近平喝茶，关于中国设计现状，您会如何告诉他？

我猜我应该没有机会和习近平副主席喝茶吧。如果有，关于中国的设计现状，我想和他提2个方面：第一，我会给他展示一些我的数据调查，有关反映设计给GDP的增长带来多大的影响；第二，设计给国民生活带来的可爱的一面。设计如何改善生活的环境、提高生活的质量，对社会的积极正面的作用……以上两点，便是我希望与习副主席交流的内容。

This interview was conducted for The Columnist, a newsletter by Consulus that offers ideas on business, design and world affairs.

Others

Prof Dr M Din Syamsuddin is one of Indonesia’s most influential leaders. He leads Muhammadiyah, the second largest Islamic organisation in Indonesia with 29 million members. He shares his thoughts about the Arab Spring and making meaningful changes.

Prof Dr M Din Syamsuddin, Chairman, Muhammadiyah and Indonesia Ulama Council
Photo Credit: The Committee of Religious NGOs at the United Nations

What was the meaning of the Arab Spring and how has it changed the Arab world?

If I could pick any leader, I would pick the leaders of Qatar. I have been traveling in and out of that country and I must say that I am very impressed with what they have done and within such a short time. It shows what the Arab world can do if they act with determination. I would advise the leaders of Qatar to share with their brothers in the Arab world on how they have wisely used resources. If the countries in the Arab world can emulate Qatar, then this path will go far to help the people in the region.

This interview was conducted for The Columnist, a newsletter by Consulus that offers ideas on business, design and world affairs.

Others

“How do you, the Bangladeshi people, want the world to view Dhaka?” asked Mr. Lawrence Chong, CEO at Consulus, in his opening. He commented that it would be rather frightening if the view of Dhaka was decided by MNCs and it was of a city of skyscrapers or a place similar to Singapore.

Chong said that the time for Asia was now but the hard truth was that only one percent of Asian leaders would shape Asia. Would Bangladesh contribute to that one percent? The outcome would depend on how Bangladeshi leaders defined their purpose in life and the meaning of their work.

“If we assume Bangladesh will become a first-world country by default and we don’t make any interventions, you will actually allow MNCs to decide how Dhaka and Bangladesh will be viewed,” Chong warned the audience.

Mr Lawrence Chong, CEO of Consulus as keynote speaker

Faculty and students at North South University

Bangladesh needs more entrepreneurs to take local ideas out of Bangladesh and succeed overseas, drawing investment back to Bangladesh. Emphasising on that point, Chong invited all participants to join a movement to “Be the 1%”, “Find the 1%” or “Support the 1%” and help Bangladeshi brands grow into ones that shape the world.

“We have to come up. There are plenty of which Bangladesh can be proud. Bangladeshi people in North America and all over the world are very successful entrepreneurs,” Dr Abdul Hannan Chowdhury, Dean & Professor at School of Business, North South University, commented.

(From left to right) Prof. Khondker Galib B Mohiuddin, Mr Lawrence Chong (CEO at Consulus), Dr Abdul Hannan Chowdhury (Dean & Professor at School of Business, North South University), Mr Zahid Hassan Khan (Country Representative of Consulus in Bangladesh), Mr Rawi Bin Admed (Director at Consulus), Ms Helena Pham (Senior Manager at Consulus)

Others

Chị Đỗ Bích Hiền chia sẻ khi làm bài tập đọc bản báo cáo 3-Trạng thái “Khi điền bảng khảo sát, chúng tôi thường đưa nhận định chủ quan và hay phóng đại lên. Nhưng khi được dẫn dắt của Consulus cùng với sự tham gia nhiệt tình của đội nhóm Sỹ Phú, chúng tôi đã có cái nhìn đánh giá thực sự và toàn diện về doanh nghiệp mình, tìm ra những điểm yếu để khắc phục triệt để.”

Buổi đào tạo kết thúc vào lúc 18h00 cùng ngày với nhiều kỳ tích cho các học viên tham gia.

Bà Đỗ Bích Hạnh, Chủ chuỗi nhà hàng Sỹ Phú chia sẻ: “Tham gia buổi đào tạo này, tôi thật sự ấn tượng và tự hào với đội nhóm của Sỹ Phú. Tôi tin tưởng rằng với kết quả đạt được ngày hôm nay, chúng tôi đã sẵn sàng cùng cất cánh”.

Ông Hồ Ngọc Thành, Thành viên sáng lập công ty VAG International chia sẻ vào cuối khóa học “Xin cảm ơn Consulus đã giúp chúng tôi tìm ra mục đích thật sự của doanh nghiệp mình. Để trở thành thương hiệu sư tử, chúng tôi phải có mục đích rõ ràng và có ý nghĩa. Mọi thành viên trong đội nhóm phải hiểu và có cùng mục đích với doanh nghiệp”

Dưới đây là một số hình ảnh tóm tắt buổi đào tạo:

Doanh nghiệp học viên tham gia bài tập chiến lược

Doanh nghiệp học viên tham gia bài tập chiến lược

Doanh nghiệp học viên tham gia phân tích chiến lược phát triển cho doanh nghiệp mình

Các học viên và ông Lawrence Chong, CEO của Consulus và bà Helena Pham, Giám đốc thị trường Việt Nam của Consulus

Others

When Cyclect engaged Consulus, it had just concluded its transfer of leadership; the reins of management had been handed over to the third generation of family members, who felt that branding could provide clearer direction for the company.

As the early leader in Singapore’s marine industry, Cyclect was a well established name. However, as the company grew to offer new service offerings to several industry segments from semiconductors to theme parks, it was increasingly difficult to position Cyclect.

Business Design

An important part of this branding exercise was the customer and organisational research conducted to obtain clear insights into the needs and behaviours of Cyclect’s internal and external stakeholders and the identification of the organisation’s brand purpose.

Business success is not accidental. It is an intentional outcome that happens when organisations are designed according to their business purpose, vision and mission. In line with the brand purpose, Consulus created a tagline, and formed internal brand circles for internal alignment. Cyclect’s brand portfolio was also reviewed and optimised.

New Insights to seek business growth

The business research study collated during the initial phase of the project provided key insights about how internal and external stakeholders viewed Cyclect.

One insight we uncovered was the gap in their customers’ knowledge of their services. For example, less than 30% were aware that the Group offered renewable energy solutions, despite its entry into this field nearly ten years ago. Also, most customers associated Cyclect with the Marine, Power and Oil & Gas industries, which are only a fraction of all the industries they serve.

Secondly, Cyclect faced difficulties in retaining talents who wished to grow with the company and ascend to management level. Internal communication became fragmented as the company grew larger and staff in Cyclect were sometimes unaware of the projects and achievements of colleagues in other departments. Through the research, we found opportunities for internal collaboration and increased integration in service offerings.

Clarified Purpose to drive performance

To ensure that the proposed brand state was in line with the direction envisioned by top management, Consulus conducted in-depth interviews with Cyclect’s second and third generation of leaders. Their aspirations, tempered by the company’s existing states of ability, influence and differentiation, helped define the proposed Brand Purpose and 3-State Brand Model for Cyclect.

With its purpose “to provide a customised cycle of solutions to our clients, revealing a thorough understanding of their value chains”, Cyclect’s proposed 3-State Model is as such:

• Ability: Integrated capabilities from creation to implementation
• Influence: Being your trusted partner in engineering solution
• Differentiation: Complete your value chain by plugging in integrated solutions

Read more about our Purpose-driven approach.

From Anchorage of Trust to Completely Possible

“The impossible we do at once; miracles take a little longer,” said one of Cyclect’s managers during the Harness research interview. The strong sense of determination to see through each project regardless of the challenges faced was ingrained in the way of life for Cyclect’s senior staff. The research on their internal culture unearthed numerous examples and recounts of projects with extremely difficult requirements that Cyclect had managed to successfully complete.

The new tagline “Completely Possible” reflects their brand purpose and way of life and was the first step in communicating that culture throughout the rest of the organisation.

Moving the organisation forward

A strategic management workshop was conducted with several senior managers to acquaint them with the proposed brand model and business research. They helped set the business direction during the retreat, formulating Cyclect’s vision and mission.

Consulus worked with top management to rethink the core values of the company and develop a way to incorporate the values into the working culture. To promote greater alignment of personal goals with the company’s vision, it was essential that the staff identified with and embraced the company’s core values.

Nearly 20 directors, senior managers and key executives was part of the brand retreat facilitated by Consulus.

Breaking up into groups to formulate the Group’s Strategic Priorities, Vision and Mission.

Alignment towards a common goal

To ensure the new brand purpose, philosophy and direction are clearly communicated throughout the organisation, Consulus trained selected staff members to be the brand activists. We drew up a detailed and planned curriculum to guide the activists on how to share brand knowledge and invite the other staff to partake in the company’s growth.

Towards the end of the exercise, a Brand Circle was nominated by the top management to take charge of key branding activities within the company. To help the Brand Circle guide the rest of the company, a framework governing brand practices was developed. The framework was based on Cyclect’s core values and took staff input provided during the brand alignment workshops into account.

Developing actions plans to encourage the people of Cyclect to live out their core values

Presenting the action plans developed during the workshop

Cyclect’s staff presenting their unique “Hand-in-Hand” gesture after the workshop

Staff placing their individual mosaic to symbolise the brand purpose of integration

Revision of Cyclect’s group structure

Through discussions with Consulus, the top management made a strategic business decision to streamline the group’s business processes and market its subsidiaries and joint ventures, which include Aeco Plant Engineering, Mecflou and Chemicrete Enterprises, under the single focused entity of Cyclect Group.

Different Parts, Complete Packages

Cyclect’s services were originally marketed based on functional divisions, such as Manufacturing and System Integration and Product Distribution. Customers were more interested in comprehensive industry-specific service packages rather than individual services.

An integrated group marketing strategy allowed different divisions to share customer opportunities and experience. Featuring multiple industry experiences and service capabilities would also serve to communicate Cyclect’s reputation of being a trusted partner among their potential customers.

We proposed to simplify Cyclect’s services into the following categories to provide a clearer business proposition for its clients:

• Marine, to serve Marine and Offshore clients
• Infrastructure, to serve land-based clients, including those in Process, Hi-Tech Manufacturing, Commercial Projects and Utilities
• Energy, to serve clients who want to invest in clean energy solutions

Reviewing the Customer’s Service Experience

To ensure that Cyclect could deliver according to its new brand purpose and philosophy, it was essential to look into the existing customer brand journey and service experience. Through an interactive dialogue between Cyclect’s sales staff and key managers, Consulus developed a framework that guided the sales staff to maximise business opportunities.

Sales staff and key managers who attended the review session on Cyclect’s service experience

Design for Business

Rooted in Cyclect’s integration and determination, the new brand identity reflected their brand purpose and was iterated to related entities. Their online experience was also studied and reorganised to express the change.

Embodying the Essence of Completely Possible

Cyclect’s identity needed to communicate complete integration, dynamism and transformation. Drawing from its roots, the new Cyclect logomark is pieced together with 6 similar C’s, representing how different components form an interdependent continuous chain.

The blue, that pays homage to Cyclect’s humble beginnings in the Marine industry, was updated with a neon glow in the middle: a sign of a bright and sustainable future for the Group. A comparison of the former logo (left) and the new logo (right) is shown below.

The brand identities of Cyclect’s subsidiaries and joint ventures were adapted from the main identity to provide a visual link to the Group. Icons for the three solution packages, Marine, Infrastructure and Energy, were also developed.

One Identity, Many Possibilities

Cyclect is able to live up to its tag line of “Completely Possible” because of its people. Thus, the art direction for visuals and photography sought to play up the “people” element, by featuring its people at work and showcasing the different industrial segments it serves.

Different Contact Points, One Consistent Representation

From stationery to marketing collaterals, from uniforms to vehicle graphics, the new identity reminds internal and external stakeholders that Cyclect is synonymous with the idea of “Completely Possible”.

Improved online experience

As part of the business research study, online activity of the Cyclect website and other aspects affecting the brand’s online experience such as the communications aspect were tracked and studied.

A new site structure was proposed to make it easier for interested customers and partners to access various types of information. Existing content was consolidated and organised according to Products and Services. A section dedicated to Cyclect’s solution packages was created, with case-studies and references featured under each solution to build the case for why prospects should consider working with Cyclect. Another section was created for job seekers, featuring more of Cyclect’s internal culture and careers.

Others

From left to right: Mr Eli Xanthopoulos (Director of Engineering, ROS), Mr Chia Kuan Wee (Executive Director – Finance, ROS), Mr Ted Tan (Deputy Chief Executive Officer of SPRING Singapore), Mr Manohar Khiatani (Chief Executive Officer of JTC), Mr Victor Lim, (Executive Director – Contracts, ROS), and Mr Srinivasan Murugesan (Executive Director – Operations, ROS) 

ROS also unveiled a new corporate identity which underscored its commitment to becoming one of Asia’s leading engineering practices with a focus on developing strong engineering know-how and technology.

From left to right: Mr Ted Tan (Deputy Chief Executive Officer of SPRING Singapore) and Mr Victor Lim (Executive Director – Contracts, ROS)

ROS is a multi-disciplinary specialist provider of detailed engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning services (EPCC) to the onshore and offshore oil and gas sector. ROS’s customers are among the world’s largest owners and operators of FPSOs as well as multinational engineering companies in the oil and gas industry. ROS’s principal business is in the EPCC of topside modules for FPSO and FPU.

Change is necessary to move up the value chain

“I was skeptical at first, but [change is necessary if] we want to move up the value chain. If we stay in fabrication, it is not sustainable due to growing competition. We need to be a value-based, knowledge-based company. Moving forward we want to hire an experienced team to help us achieve that objective.” Victor Lim, Chief Executive Officer of ROS, said.

In March 2011 ROS’s Board of Directors decided to engage Consulus, a regional brand consultancy firm to transform its B2B brand. The organisational branding exercise commenced after two months of intensive research conducted with all stakeholders, including staff, customers, principals and suppliers. Armed with the research findings, Consulus consultants worked closely with key ROS personnel to redefine the inherent purpose of the company. Indeed ROS exists to “draw upon in depth experience and process innovation to enable clients to meet complex engineering challenges”. This purpose statement defines a clear criteria for the new identity of the firm. The new identity symbolises the engineering power of ROS through repeated building blocks to show scalability thanks to the smart collaboration between ROS and its clients.

“Competition has become stiffer in recent years with the rise of better engineering companies from emerging nations. It is therefore imperative for companies like ROS to further develop its engineering know-how and present more in-depth solutions. We are glad to be part of the process to enable ROS achieve leadership in the EPCC sector and emerge as one of Asia’s fasting growing B2B Brands”, Lawrence Chong, Chief Executive Officer at Consulus, said.

The branding exercise also went deep into the inherent methodology that would minimise risks for clients. Continuously adopting this methodology through the whole organisation is not a small exercise, but the strong and aggressive commitment from the management team will make it happen.

“It was indeed a challenging project for the team to work on. Challenging in terms of changing the conservative and traditional thinking of the client and getting them to accept our branding and design strategies in order to compete in the global market and stay relevant. What is most satisfying is the pride and passion of the Consulus team’s effort involved in this project was recognised and appreciated by the client and guests present at the ground breaking ceremony,” Florence Oh, Director at Consulus, said.

“I feel blessed to have a chance to work with ROS team on this branding project. It’s a great sense of fulfillment to observe how the team spirit has been put into action at ROS since day one,” Helena Pham, Senior Manager at Consulus, shared.

Others

Dhaka (12/03/2012) – More than 2,000 participants and 60 speakers from the world of marketing gathered in Dhaka for the inaugural World Marketing Summit (WMS). The summit was convened by renowned professor Dr. Philip Kotler and supported by the government of Bangladesh.

Through speaker presentations and panel discussions, the summit explored ways in which marketing can change the world into a better place. The following were the aims of the summit:

• Finding solutions to some of the world’s biggest challenges through marketing – a longitudinal effort
• Discussing the future of marketing as the core & business in general
• Energising global communities to shape the world  and improve the global pressing conditions for the bottom of Pyramid (the poverty-stricken millions irrespective of economies)

Another important feature was the establishment of incubators so that the ideas developed during the summit may be further expanded and put into action. This is to support the fulfillment of Millennium Development Goals.

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh at the opening ceremony

“This reflects the belief and confidence in Bangladesh’s role in establishing the World Marketing Forum as an effective global organisation. This also shows Bangladesh’s possibilities, strong resolve to tackle the challenges of development and the desire to work closely with others,” Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said while inaugurating the three-day summit.

On the last day of the summit, Lawrence Chong, CEO at Consulus exhorted Asian CEOs to build better Asian companies, making a more equal contribution to development in the emerging world. His presentation titled “Building purpose-led Asian companies to meet the obligations of a changing world” covered the following themes:

• Asian companies need to overcome the lack of confidence in Asian identity and build more distinctive Asian brands
• Asian companies need to leverage more on data and build smarter companies so as to compete more effectively
• Asian companies need to build better organisational culture through a clearer realisation of purpose in order to attract talents and drive innovation
• Asian companies are lagging behind Western brands as they are not leaders in the following types of business such as data, strategic thinking, design and cultural identity

Chong provided case examples and shared personal experiences to show how a new generation of Asian companies are rising to replace the old order. These companies are led by purpose-driven leaders who create business opportunities by disrupting markets with a unique blend of business, technology and design. They have a deep appreciation of culture and are conscious of their identity as Asians.

He concluded his presentation by urging Bangladeshi friends to be confident in bringing their brands to the world and aiming to be the 1% of global brands that will shape the world.

The World Marketing Summit concluded with the Dhaka Declaration calling on the global marketing industry to embrace the human mind, heart and soul in the development of concepts and practices so as to bring about a better world.

“What makes an impression is a company that cares for what people want,” Dr. Philip Kotler said. He predicted that there would be more companies in the future that will leave a mark not only in the minds of consumers but in their “hearts”.  He also reminded companies about their responsibilities towards the rest of the society.

The venue of the next WMS will be decided at a later date but will be held on the 1st of March 2013.

- R. Craig Lefebvre, PhD, an architect and designer of public health and social change programs, in his personal website post about the WMS. He is the chief maven at socialShift, the social|design, marketing and media consultancy located in Sarasota, FL. Read his full comment on Chong’s presentation and other points from the WMS.

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You can also read more about our series of seminars and watch video testimonials from past participants.

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