[ 8 January 2003 ] CommerceNet Singapore Ltd’s (CNSG) AGM

CommerceNet Singapore (CNSG) Board of directors met at the Stratech Board Room, Stratech Systems Ltd on 8 January 2003. The first board meeting of the year discussed and reviewed the projects done for the Year 2002 and suggested new initiatives and reviewed new proposals for the Year 2003.  The Board stated that CNSG’s unique membership structure arises when compared to global CommerceNet organisations as most of CNSG’s members are MNCs operating regionally and Singapore companies aspiring to grow internationally. Of the other 4 CommerceNet organisations in Asia, they are local-centric: CommerceNet Korea is part of Ministry of Infocomm, CommerceNet Taiwan is part of National Infrastructure Institute, CommerceNet Japan comprises of officers seconded from major corporations (e.g. Mitsubishi, NTT etc.) and CommerceNet Hong Kong/China comprises of entrepreneurs.   

The Board also stated that CNSG primary initiatives this year will include launching general commerce facilitation projects to showcase these companies internationally, fund raising as well as project specific networking at the highest possible level.  Opportunities that arises from the industry, whether IT or otherwise, both locally and internationally – creates tremendous value for CNSG membership. Being member-centric with strategic industry base globally, CNSG has suceeded in areas where other organisations in Singapore may not be able to effectively provide assistance to Singapore companies internationally.

Other issues discussed at the meeting were as follows: CNSG will focus to fill immediate industry needson content/subject matter e.g. postgraduate Specialist Diploma in E-Business Management and the new postgraduate Specialist Diploma in Intellectual Property Management. Collaboration with WIPO, CNSG members, commercial units of other countries’ embassies will be initiated and CNSG will be able to make progress if more financial resources for such content/subject matter projects can be financed not solely by the industry but also by IPOS.  CNSG will look into the possibilities of getting IPOS and IDA to co-finance Singapore specific curriculum development programmes. The IP will still rest with CNSG so that CNSG can still assist other needy universities in the region, in particular, emerging markets like China, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt that CNSG member companies are currently penetrating.

CNSG will continue to assist new companies needing CNSG’s help and seeking to work with CNSG to gain assistance in their marketing programmes, focusing on clientele retention, acquisition, market positioning, visibility and others. CNSG will subsidise the logistic component of these programmes up to as much as 65% of the actual market cost, host industry invites and access to CNSG large database. Current focus into Internet II or Next Generation Internet, and Grid Computing applications – had resulted to opportunities for members to work on key projects. There is a possibility for NGI grants receipient from Korea, USA, Taiwan and under CN programmes to be attracted to One North and Bahrain’s emerging Technology Park. CNSG may prove to be able to attract the largest cluster of tenants in these initiatives.  CNSG will assist companies wanting critical cluster to pilot and test-bed applications and arrange funding opportunites locally and regionally. CNSG members and Board will match CNSG with A”Star, JTC or other agencies where possible and tap their resources, while keeping CNSG independent amnd leverage on our global reach.
 CNSG’s IT Talent Repository Programme that helps middle and senior management (38 to 48 year age group) to avoid unemployment and to assist them to look for openings when they are unemployed.  CNSG plans to assist in matching jobs and allow other HR companies to access to CNSG CV database for job-matching and head-hunting.  CNSG will work out a cost effective programme to generate revenue to sustain this programme. While remaining not-for-profit, CNSG will be able to reach out to more head-hunting firms that profited from these programnmes to even include a token contribution back to CNSG coffers.