It's the End of the Year and I Feel Fine

Sawadee Ka from Thailand. It's the last day of 2007 and I am bashing out my year in review for the year on my father's girlfriend's laptop in his new house in Bangkok. Anyway after the high points of 2006, 2007 wa fairly quiet mundane by comparison but non the less it was a good year on the whole.

On the professional front, the highlight of the year was by and far away working with GE Commercial Finance. GE is, I think the second or third largest company in the world by market capitalisation and the company is world leader in a wide variety of industries. Working with GE was not just a financially rewarding experience but it was also an insight into the workings of one of the world's best companies. GE, under the leadership of former CEO, Jack Welsh was a beacon for how to do business and that tradition has carried on under the current CEO, Jeff Imelt.

I am greatful to Mr Ed Ng, President and Regional CEO of GECF for providing me with the opportunity to work with him and his team. I am also greatful to Ms Sophia Ong, GECF's marketing manager for making the project a success. I look forward to being able to working with everyone at GECF.

Business is not just about highlights. Often, it is the small, bread and butter jobs that help keep one functioning. And for that I am greatful to Alcon, the world's largest eye-care solutions provider. It's thanks to Mr Kuntal Joshi and his team that I got the privillege of getting paid to do the good deed of making people aware of the ailments that can affect their eyes. Thanks to Alcon, I've been able to work with some of the very best eye-care professionals that Singapore has to offer.

I am also exceedingly greatful to 3M for providing me with a range of projects that kept me busy throughout the year. 3M has brought innovation to new hights and produced great technologies that affect our everyday lives.

This was also a year when SME projects provided some spice to life. Pet Lovers Centre, South East Asia's largest pet shop gave me a chance to get closser to animals and to appreciate them. Fabulous Tan and Gorgeous Solarium also provided me with the challenge of promoting sun tanning in Singapore.

The achievements of 2007 would not have been possible without the help of partners. On the GE project, I have to thank Ms Banita Misra, former account manager of GRID advertising for introducing me to GECF. For work with Alcon, AsiaMedic and Absolut, I am greatful to Mr Allan Fong of L'eap Communications. I'd also like to thank my partners, Mr Loh Mun Loong and Ms Jane Tan for making our gains with 3M, Pet Lovers Centre, Rikken and Fabulous Tan.

The year was not just about work and money. Family was also an important feature. If last year was marked by the death of my grandmother at the age of 85, this year was marked by the 90th birthday of my great-aunt, grandmother's older sister. Great- Aunt, Violet seems to have an enormous capacity to enjoy life and even if she seems frail, I think she may have a few more years left in her.

This year was also a year of siblings. I'm allot older than all my siblings but that hasn't stopped me from having allot of affection for them. This was the year that Tara and Max came by to Singapore. I'm especially glad for Max's visit. It's been a while since I've seen him and it was good to be able to talk to him and get to know him better as an adult.

There will plenty of things to look forward to in 2008. There will be moments of frustration to meet the moments of success. I believe that with the creation of new friendships and the stregthening of old relationships, the moments of frustration will be easily taken care of and the moments of success so much sweeter. I'd like to wish everyone around me a very Happy 2008.