Singapore: Mayor of London’s Visit to Singapore
Published 11 December 2014
© Crown copyright 2014
This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.
Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.
This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/singapore-mayor-of-londons-visit-to-singapore/singapore-mayor-of-londons-visit-to-singapore
This publication was archived on 4 July 2016
This article is no longer current. Please refer to Overseas Business Risk – Singapore
Summary
Boris Johnson visited Singapore 27-29 November. Packed and varied programme included support for a trade mission and accompanying business Ambassadors; meetings with the Prime Minister, key investors (individual and institutional) and UK financial services firms; an event with the British Chamber; and support for HVO and GREAT campaigns. A visit to the Botanic Gardens and event at the Residence highlighted the heritage, and potential, links between Kew and Singapore. Extensive UK, regional and local media coverage.
Detail
Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, visited Singapore 27-29 November at the start of his tour of SE Asia.
A key part of the programme was support for a visiting Capital Accelerator Programme and Mayor’s Export Programme trade mission focused on media tech, fin tech (technology to support the media and financial services sectors respectively) and smart cities SMEs. Twenty six companies took part in a “pitching session” at the High Commissioner’s Residence on 27 November ahead of a fin tech seminar the following morning organised by London and Partners. The Mayor spoke at both, emphasising London’s existing credentials and the scope for London and Singapore to build a partnership in these areas to match the broader financial and professional services links. He met key clients of leading British banks, and addressed a packed audience at a lunch hosted by the British Chamber of Commerce. .
There was also support for our rail and airport HVOs, with a visit to meet the Land Transport Authority’s new Chief Executive, accompanied by UK bus and hybrid engine manufacturers, and operators looking to win the first of three contracts to be tendered by 2016, as Singapore moves to a pricing system that owes much to Transport for London. Fresh off the flight from London, the Mayor inspected the new terminal (including its ceiling, in a cherry picker) being built at Changi airport. Benoy, the UK architects, are doing the concept design.
Other highlights included a lot of engagement with key inward investors, , some of whom have extensive property portfolios in the UK and are keen to do more. Our next focus for them will be meetings with the Regeneration Investment Organisation in February. Also linked to GREAT, the Mayor presented the top prize (a shopping trip to London) to the winners of our Shopping is GREAT campaign. Each of the almost 16,000 entries represented a minimum spend of £ 50 on UK brands in stores here, so at least just under £1m.
Finally, on the Saturday morning before heading to Jakarta, he visited the Botanic Gardens and then attended a networking lunch at the High Commissioner’s Residence to promote their links with Kew, building on President Tan’s trip their during the recent State Visit.
Press coverage was extensive here and in the London press, generated by the party travelling with him but also by interviews with local radio and regional TV including the main BBC business programme. An in-depth interview with the business paper here will also be published shortly. Questions focused on London/Singapore links but also UK attitudes to Europe and immigration, on the latter many see synergies with Singapore’s own challenges around population growth and pressure on public services.
All in all, this was a high profile, and high impact visit. It put the London and the UK back in the spotlight and allowed us to pick up a number of themes from the State Visit, as well as boost our HVO, inward investment and GREAT objectives.
Disclaimer
The purpose of the FCO Country Update(s) for Business (”the Report”) prepared by UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) is to provide information and related comment to help recipients form their own judgments about making business decisions as to whether to invest or operate in a particular country. The Report’s contents were believed (at the time that the Report was prepared) to be reliable, but no representations or warranties, express or implied, are made or given by UKTI or its parent Departments (the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS)) as to the accuracy of the Report, its completeness or its suitability for any purpose. In particular, none of the Report’s contents should be construed as advice or solicitation to purchase or sell securities, commodities or any other form of financial instrument. No liability is accepted by UKTI, the FCO or BIS for any loss or damage (whether consequential or otherwise) which may arise out of or in connection with the Report.