3rd
March 2003
RBA Supports Youth Entrepreneurship
A signing
ceremony with the sponsors to mark the launching of the Young
Entrepreneurs Conference 2003 took place at the Orchid Garden Hotel
on 1st March 2003. Besides the sponsors, other invited
guests included representatives from various ministries, chambers of
commerce, diplomatic missions in Brunei. Guests were welcomed with a
speech by Lisa Dato Paduka Hj Ibrahim, the President of Young
Entrepreneurs Association Brunei (YEAB). The Young Entrepreneurs
Conference to be held at the International Convention Centre from
8-10 April will bring together young entrepreneurs from across the
Asia-Pacific region. The conference hopes to provide young
entrepreneurs with the mechanisms for business and investment
linkages and strengthen business networking among participants.
Speakers from around the globe will be sharing their knowledge and
discussion forums will allow participants to express their point of
view. Signing on behalf of RBA was CEO, Peter Foster who will also
participate as a Moderator in the Panel Discussion on Marketing:
Forging Ahead in the New Economy. Other panelists in the discussion
includes Sheikh Jamaluddin Sheikh Mohamed, Director of Industrial
Promotion and Tourism Division and Saiful Bahri, Deputy Managing
Director of Data Stream Technology. BRA’s sponsorship and
participation in this event is significant and representative of
it’s commitment and support towards community development in the
country. It recognizes that it has a strategic role to play in
fulfilling the country’s aspirations towards developing Brunei as a
progressive nation.
27th
March 2003
Young
Entrepreneurs International Conference To Be Hosted by YEAB
The Young Entrepreneurs International Conference will be held in
Brunei this year from 8 till April 10 2003. With the theme
“Sustaining Development Through Entrepreneurship”. The conference is
organised by the Young Entrepreneurs Association of Brunei (YEAB).
YEAB whose aim is to nurture the development of young entrepreneurs
was officially launched on June 21, 2000 with Prince Abdul Qawi,
Deputy Executive Chairman and CEO of QAF Brunei as its Patron. Since
it first started, the association has embarked on a series of
activities aimed at providing direction and assistance to young
entrepreneurs in the country. This is the first time YEAB is
organising the conference that will bring together dynamic and
brilliant young entrepreneurs from across the Asia-Pacific region.
This conference is hoped to provide a forum for discussion on a
myriad of issues affecting young entrepreneurs and promote their
product and services. It also aims to function as a mechanism for
business and investment linkages and to strengthen business
networking among young entrepreneurs. The conference is useful for
young entrepreneurs who are currently managing their own business
and anyone who is interested in starting his or her own business.
Fresh college graduates who are looking for business opportunities
and anyone who are involved in the promotion and development of
young entrepreneurs in their country is also most welcomed to attend
the conference.
Those who are interested and would like to know more can visit the
website ww.yeicbrunei.com or email
conference2003@yeicbrunei.com or contact 245440.
30th
March 2003
Young
Entrepreneurs Network Marketing
If there is
anything that is familiar to the aspiring and successful
entrepreneurs, it is the constant need to network. What better way
to do this than to reach out to the extended families and friends,
who are themselves budding and successful entrepreneurs. The Young
Entrepreneurs Association of Brunei (YEAB) used this very same
strategy of “network marketing” to raise the awareness of the
organisation and the upcoming event of the first ever Young
Entrepreneurs International Conference to be held Brunei from April
8-10 2003, entitled “Sustaining Development through
Entrepreneurship”. In a press release, YEAB said, “The afternoon of
Saturday, March 22 2003 brought about a successful turn-out of
approximately twenty-eight entrepreneurs members of YEAB and their
respective guests, informally gathering at the RMS Portview in the
capital Bandar Seri Begawan. “Prior to the arrival of the guests,
the YEAB Executive Committee took the opportunity to conduct a YEAB
Executive Committee Meeting on the progress of the organisation
since its inception in June 2000 and upcoming conference. “YEAB made
the call for the commitment of all entrepreneurs in Brunei to join
the association and encourage all business people to participate in
the sharing and exchanging of ideas in the YE International
conference.
“For more details on the conference, kindly refer to the related
website:
www.yeicbrunei.com or contact the Conference Secretariat Tel
02-454440 or email: conference2003@yeicbrunei.com.”
8th
April 2003
YEAB To Assist
Young Local Entrepreneurs
With just twenty-four hours to go, organisers of the first Young
Entrepreneurs International Conference are ready and geared up for
such a dynamic event to take place under one roof. To date, the
numbers of registered foreign and especially local delegates are
registered foreign and especially local delegates are promising and
still on the rise. Delegates range from those who are already in
business to university and returning students from overseas.
Gwendolyn Lee, the Acting President for the YEAB, says this
conference marks a significant step in the promotion and development
of entrepreneurship among younger Bruneians. She highlighted that
the conference would be “useful for young people in Brunei who feel
quite suffocated, especially those who are at a phase of employment
search in their life.” She mentioned that there are benefits in
being a member of the Young Entrepreneurs Association of Brunei. It
is a good start for networking with other fellow entrepreneurs,
giving one the access to business information, learning from other
successful entrepreneurs and getting access to business
opportunities not only locally but globally.
This conference will be a great avenue for young people to gain
some ideas in finding out for themselves what they are good at and
maybe how to do it right the first time. With the presence or
representatives from leading entities in Brunei, this will be an
opportunity to voice out your questions or opinions, on what is
happening inside Brunei.
9th
April 2003
Reception For
Young Entrepreneurs at Sheraton
The Young Entrepreneurs Association of Brunei held a cocktail
reception for delegates and speakers of the Young Entrepreneurs
International Conference at the Poolside Sheraton Utama Hotel
yesterday evening. Present to welcome all the delegates was Lisa
Ibrahim, the president of YEAB and Gwendolyn Lee, the acting
president of YEAB. In Gwendolyn Lee’s speech, she thanked Brunei
Shell Petroleum, Brunei LNG, HSBC, Royal Brunei Airline, Asia Inc,
QAF Group, DST Group, Baiduri Bank and City Neon Display and
Construction for being the main sponsors for the conference. The
delegates and speakers had the opportunity to mingle around and
build up network between each other. Also present at the reception
was Mr Paul Lau the High Commissioner of Canada, sponsors for the
conference and other prominent figures in the business community.
The Young Entrepreneurs International Conference will start today to
focus on entrepreneurship, marketing, finance, innovation,
creativity and challenges with opportunity for Bruneian
entrepreneurs.
10th
April 2003
Entrepreneurs are
‘Heroes’ of The Market Place
“ENTREPRENEURS have been called the ‘heroes’ of the market place.
Like any hero, they can inspire us to greater efforts and greater
deeds than we may have felt we are capable of. We, in Brunei, are
especially conscious of this.” This was stated by Prince Abdul Qawi,
Executive Deputy Chairman and Director of QAF Brunei, who
officiated the opening of the first Young Entrepreneurs Association
Brunei (YEAB) International Conference yesterday at the
International Convention Centre in Berakas. Prince Abdul Qawi, who
is also the patron of YEAB, also pointed out that, “Business is in
our blood. In many ways, it is a heritage on which our nation was
founded. “It was traders from the Middle East who brought us much of
our culture and our faith. It was trading on which our empire was
once built many centuries ago . . . right across the region.” He
further noted that at every Asean Summit, regional leaders have
called for a dynamic partnership between private and public sectors
and Asean economics regularly describe private business as the
‘engine’ of national and regional growth. “From Singapore in the
South to Vietnam in the North and from the Philippines in the East
to Myanmar in the West, the economic future of our whole region very
much depends upon the boldness and skill of our entrepreneurs.
“Right here, in Brunei, our government’s diversification plans are
opening up great new opportunities,” he said. The conference themed
“Sustaining Development Through Entrepreneurship”, marks a
significant step in the promotion and development of
entrepreneurship among younger Bruneians and will be a great avenue
for young people to gain some ideas in finding out for themselves
what they are good at and, maybe, how to do it right the first time.
After delivering his speech, Prince Qawi then declared the
conference open with a strike of the ‘gong’. Among those present at
yesterday’s event were the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports –
Pehin Dato (Dr.) Hj Awg Hussain, Minister of Development – Dato
Paduka (dr.) Hj Ahmad Jumat, Mr. Timothy Ong – Vice Chairman of
Brunei Economic Development Board, senior government officials as
well as foreign dignitaries in the Sultanate.
10th
April 2003
Be Modest At
Times Of Success, Resilient At Times Of Failure
“Success is not final . . . neither is failure. Success in both
business and life depends on how you adapt to changes and how one
anticipates such changes.”
This inspiring remark was delivered by the keynote speaker, Mr.
Timothy Ong, Vice Chairman of Brunei Economic Development Board, to
kick start yesterday’s first session of the Young Entrepreneurs
International Conference 2003 – the gathering of dynamic young
entrepreneurs across the Asia-Pacific region under one roof, where
he gave his wisdom to all entrepreneurs, that they “should be modest
at times of success and resilient at times of failures. “There has
been talk in Brunei, for the need to create a conducive environment
for business growth, alongside to that we should also create an
environment that will accept failures and successes, where
entrepreneurs should not be envious of others’ success, and to be
tolerant to failures,” he raised. He highlighted that “Brunei’s
tranquility and peacefulness makes the country as ‘a form of oasis’
in this troubled times, where Brunei faces the challenges of
diversifying its economy and the restructuring of the economic
system . . . and with this, Brunei, can no longer deliver the goods
or create jobs for the young Bruneians.” However, in this context,
he continued, “… we should congratulate the Young Entrepreneurs
Association Brunei (YEAB) for taking the initiatives to do what
every entrepreneur should do, and that is to focus positively, and
also to work individually as well as collectively together to build
businesses, not only for themselves, but also for the community.”
“If you want to be successful in business, it has to contribute to
the greater world, for at the end of the day, you can only be
prosperous when the society that you are part of is prosperous”. Mr.
Timothy Ong, concluded his address by saying, “These are challenging
times, difficult times. “There are opportunities, changes create
opportunities… opportunities for success and opportunities for
failure. Go for it!”
15th
August 2003
Canada Woos Young
Entrepreneurs
Canada’s Secretary of State (Asia Pacific), Mr David William
Kilgour expressed confidence in opportunities for business
partnership and cooperation between Brunei and Canada especially in
the areas of ICT, biotechnology and health. He made this observation
yesterday during high tea with the Young Entrepreneurs Association
Brunei (YEAB). He advised this group of dynamic and resourceful
entrepreneurs to think globally and to think of Canada when pursuing
business opportunities overseas. President of YEAB, Lisa Ibrahim
delivered brief remarks to welcome the senior Canadian official.
Delivering his talk on ‘Going Global: Brunei/Canada Relations in
2003’, Mr Kilgour focused on two areas; first is information
communication technology (ICT), where he acknowledged that Brunei is
working hard to become Southeast Asia’s second ICT hub, following
Singapore’s successful model. Second is biotechnology and health
where Brunei is said to have the highest number of medical students
and professionals per capita in the region. He said Canadian
expertise in ICT is often overlooked – Canada is ranked number 1 in
the world four years running in the development and management of
E-government. “Canada’s high-speed network opens world opportunity,
and it is the young people who will help capitalize on these
strengths. Multimedia, virtual reality, E-commerce … the
possibilities are seemingly endless, as are opportunities to use
advancements such as these to do good around the world.” Given
Brunei’s dedication and determination to be leader in ICT, he voiced
his confidence that there is much room for partnership and
cooperation with Canada. “In biotechnology, Canadians have a long
history of pioneering new research and developments, first in the
world in terms or R & D per biotech employee, second to the United
States in the number of biotech companies, and third in
biotechnology revenues, after only the United States and the United
Kingdom’. “Whereas in the area of health, Canadian researches have
made significant advancements in battling cancer, diabetes, cystic
fibrosis, Alzheimer and HIV/AIDS’. He described Canada’s deepening
and more comprehensive relationship with Brunei. He noted that
“Brunei has plans to link up all the schools, to aggressively work
towards an E-government, to build a cyber-park etc and other similar
projects to increase Brunei’s ICT capacity”.
Annual
General Meeting
The Young
Entrepreneurs Association of Brunei will hold their Annual General
Meeting
Venue
: Crowne Princess Hotel, Conference Room
Date
: 24th October 2003
Time
: 3pm Sharp
Attendance is
compulsory to all YEAB members |
::Driving the Future of the nation::
