Your Way Home with Hongbin Jeong

Luxury hotels provide an experience unlike any other — one where exceptional service meets extraordinary amenities in an environment crafted for pure indulgence. But how does design play a part in that experience? We find out from the mastermind behind luxury hotels around all around the world, from W Mina Seyahi in Dubai, Fullerton Hotel Ocean Park in Hong Kong, the JW Marriott Khao Lak in Thailand, and Roku Kyoto in Japan, as well as Six Senses Kyoto. Also hotly anticipated is Banyan Tree in Dongguan, China, and the NEOM Morgans Original in Saudi Arabia. Clint Nagata, Founder and Creative Partner, BLINK Design Groupshares his insights. 

Singapore shares opened weaker today following overnight losses on European markets. In early trade, the Straits Times Index (STI) was down 0.1 per cent to 3,143.14 points after 33 million securities changed hands in the broader market. In terms of companies to watch for today, we have  City Developments Ltd after its associate company Cityview Place sold 65 units at The Residences at W Sentosa Cove Singapore in a week.  This is more than the 58 units put on the market on the 9th of April.  Meanwhile from a deeper look at Singapore’s key export numbers to earnings from chipmaking equipment manufacturer ASML – more local and international headlines remain in focus. On Market View, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments with Toby Gresham, Investment Counselor Team Lead, Citi Private Bank.

Back in April, a travel vlogger posted a video on Instagram, saying Singapore was a boring country with no vibes and claimed she would never visit the city-state again. Is Singapore so hard to love and easy to forget? Do rapid changes to our urban environment make Singapore an ‘unlovable city’? Adrian Lai, Architect from Meta Architecture and the Festival Director of Singapore Archifest 2024 weighs in.

From the region’s reaction to Iran drone attacks on Israel to a possible Shinawatra family reunion in 2025.  Dr Mustafa Izzuddin, Senior International Affairs Analyst, Solaris Strategies Singapore gives us an analysis of those headlines and more. 

It’s literally cherry on the cake to speak to a company said to be the only in the world so far that produces wine from – not grapes, but cherries!  Our guest for today is Frederiksdal, a Danish firm that specialises in beverages like juices and wines made from Danish Stevns Cherry.  These are not the sweet cherries we eat during summer time, but those that taste sour with high sugar and acid content.  Such cherries are called Grapes of the North. They are not eaten directly but are said to be perfect for making items like sauces, juices, jams or even wines.  Back to Frederiksdal, the firm is named after the Frederiksdal Estate in Southern Denmark which grows these cherries.  It traces back to 1756 and has been owned by the Krabbe family for three generations, who used to sell the cherries to juice manufacturers.  But as life would have it, cherry prices tumbled in 2006, prompting its third generation owner to make the cherries farmed into wine and juices on its own instead.  The story takes itself forward from there, as the firm grows to become one of the biggest wineries in Nordic cities, shipping its products to all parts of the world. So how has Frederiksdal’s value proposition changed over the years and how has that transformation process reaped benefits for the firm? Meanwhile, the company had said in a media report that its key export markets now include Singapore, China, the US and Japan. But what is driving export demand right now and what will continue to be its key drivers of growth? On Under the Radar, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Harald Krabbe, Founder, Frederiksdal.

With 149 shots on goal in their last 6 Premier League games but only 9 goals to show for their efforts....Liverpool have gone from hunting down a quadruple to running out of steam as the season approaches a climax. Who is to blame, and what does this mean for Jurgen Klopp's legacy in his final stretch at the helm? And who should replace the outgoing German? Sports Minutes is in conversation with Emile Heskey, who will be in town for the StarHub Festival Football happening this weekend at Our Tampines Hub. Check it out! Got a story to tell? Get in touch with us! edanker@sph.com.sg | raushan@sph.com.sg

Reality meets fantasy in a Spring / Summer installation titled ‘Lost in Enchantment’ by Australian artist, Amanda Parer.  For the first time in Singapore and in Asia, visitors to ION Orchard are invited to an immersive experience where an interplay of garden and inflatable elements create an enchanting mix of light and colour. Amanda Parer, Artist tells us more about what to expect at  ‘Lost in Enchantment’. 

Speaking to reporters during a 10-minute doorstop interview at the Ministry of Communications and Information on April 16, a day after the long-awaited handover date was announced - Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will take on the role of senior minister in the new Cabinet, which should not have major changes. DPM Wong also confirmed that he will announce the make-up of his new Cabinet in a press conference a few days before he is sworn in as Singapore’s fourth prime minister on May 15. READ MORE: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/pm-lee-to-become-senior-minister-no-major-changes-to-cabinet-until-after-next-ge-dpm-wong

Singapore stocks fell at the opening bell this morning, tracking losses in global markets amid worries over geopolitical uncertainty in the Middle East.  In early trade, the Straits Times Index (STI) fell 0.3 per cent to 3,175.63 points after 39.3 million securities changed hands in the broader market.  In terms of companies to watch, Singapore Airlines, after the national carrier and its low-cost arm Scoot together moved 3.3 million passengers in March, up 20.7 per cent from the previous year. Elsewhere from more on TSMC’s earnings to China’s Q1 GDP numbers, more corporate and international headlines remain in focus.  Glad to unpack the developments with James Cheo, Chief Investment Officer, Southeast Asia and India at HSBC Global Private Banking and Wealth.

Estonia does not have to struggle to find a point of difference; it’s completely unique.  While it shares a similar geography and history with Latvia and Lithuania, culturally it’s distinct.  And while the country is the 132nd-smallest country in the world by land mass, it has produced more startups per capita than any other country in Europe. With ten unicorns and counting, Skype and Wise among them, the concentration of successful startups is astounding. Sandra Särav, Deputy Minister for Economy and Innovation of Estonia tells us more about the country's startup scene and the their digital nomad attractiveness.