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Inauguration of SICCI Building
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Launch of Enterprise Development Centre (EDC@SICCI)
Guest-of-Honour, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong inaugurated the SICCI Building and Launched the EDC@SICCI on Saturday, 8 March 2008.
Some 300 Guests and SICCI Members, including approximately 80 VIPS and Dignitaries attended this hallmark event. Minister for Finance and Minister for Education, Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, graced the occasion as the Special Guest and handed out the SICCI’s tokens-of-appreciation to its benefactors.
In line with the ambitions to expand its operations and grow services & offerings to the Singapore business community, the SICCI procured a new office premise in mid-2007. Whilst SICCI does own its previous premises at Tong Eng Building, this is the first time in its history that the Chamber has acquired its own complete premises, with proprietary facades. The heritage exterior of this conservation 3-storey building appropriately complements the Chamber’s long-standing history.
The EDC is an initiative jointly established by SPRING Singapore and Chambers of Commerce & key industry associations to link enterprises to a team of consultants who can provide consultancy and business advisory services. EDC@SICCI is a subsidiary of the SICCI aimed at helping companies both new and existing to achieve excellence through providing value -added services that would help them to enhance their capabilities. It has been setup in collaboration with SPRING Singapore and will also work closely with government agencies, IE Singapore, EDB, IDA, etc to help enterprise develop a better understanding on available assistance schemes and programmes. It aims to help businesses to upgrade management skills and develop new capabilities through exploring new technologies.
SICCI with its current establishment and strong support from its existing members will serve as an excellent platform for the EDC@SICCI to succeed. Valuable contacts with Sister Chambers and Trade Associations in India and other South Asian countries, the Middle East, Europe, Africa and ASEAN will be a key asset to the EDC@SICCI in helping SMEs venture overseas.
“The expanded premise and facilities that this new SICCI Building provides, will enable us to enhance our offerings and services to Members. The EDC@SICCI will further integrate and build-upon key initiatives that this Chamber has undertaken over the past 5 years. This move will certainly facilitate our SMEs to receive the information and internationalization services they need. It will also enable them to leverage off the SICCI’s network & strengths and reap substantial benefits.”stated by Mr Predeep K Menon, Executive Director, Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry.
To commemorate this historic event, the SICCI published a souvenir magazine carrying the congratulatory messages from key government leaders, sister chambers and partners.
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