The inaugural ELITE ASIA Club’s 2014 Standing Cocktail Networking Session was held on the 7th of November, 2014, at the Sichuan Shishan Hanten Restaurant, located on the 35th storey of Mandarin Orchard Hotel. The cocktail event was embraced by a multitude of guests, both ELITE ASIA clients and non-clients. It comprised of the banking and financial sectors, educational institutes, legal firms, government agencies, hospitality groups, retail corporations, public relations cum events companies and various global firms.
The cocktail event preluded with a short video clip titled ‘Suntory Time!’. ‘Suntory Time!’ was extracted from the film, ‘Lost in Translation’, starring Bill Murray. The scene depicts the incompetence of an interpreter to interpret from Japanese to the English language for a commercial shoot. The video provides the audience with a gist of how consecutive interpretation takes place and the characteristics of a low-quality interpreter. On a note of humour, guests were assured that they will not be provided with such interpreters by ELITE ASIA. (You may view the video here.)
The event was followed by a keynote speech, with the topic of address being ‘Multilingual ABC – Asia Business Communications’, delivered concisely by Mr. Michael Kuan, the ELITE ASIA Group’s Marketing Director. In his speech, Mr. Kuan highlighted the launch of The ELITE ASIA Club Mobile App, which guests can download to register themselves for the event’s ‘live’ lucky draw. A Mobile App helpdesk was placed prior to the entrance of the restaurant to facilitate guests in the downloading of the app. We had three lucky winners announced just prior to the conclusion of the event. The lucky winners, Akio Uchida from Jast Techniques Pte Ltd, Linda Li, ELITE ASIA’s Trainer, and lastly, Dennis Lee from Leftfield Pte Ltd, were randomly selected to win special prizes.
The ELITE ASIA Club mobile app aims to be an important interpersonal platform of communication between ELITE ASIA clients and its staff. It also serves as a reward channel through which service vouchers, discounts and gifts are given. Users of the app will also be notified of events that ELITE ASIA may hold or support. ELITE ASIA is currently innovating additional functions which will further benefit our ELITE ASIA Club members.
Just like the wide array of guests, the variety was congruently reflected in the sumptuous spread of food presented at the Shishan restaurant as well. The gastronomic composition of dishes included a fusion of pass around Western canapé and Asian delicacies such as the popular Japanese Chawanmushi and Szechwan spring rolls. Guests had given their high appraisals to Chef Chen Kentaro, for his scrumptious original spicy soup noodle (Dan Dan Mian) and to Chef Babu, as well, for his specially handcrafted desserts that were exceptionally gratifying.
Guests were comfortable and relaxed in the laidback atmosphere, treating themselves to the free flow of wine and assorted beverages in the networking foray. The setting of the restaurant, with its numerous intricate chandeliers mixed with its beautiful oriental concept, contributed to the cosiness of the ambience. The guests enjoyed themselves so greatly that they left the restaurant only several hours after the conclusion of the event at 6:30pm.
The cocktail networking event is a signature annual event which serves as a personal platform to draw the public to the company and to play an integral role in Singapore’s business eco-system. Our aspiration is to build an empire of international business connections, eradicating all kinds of language barriers through our provision of top-notch translation and interpretation services.
With our Events translators in ASIA, we can deliver your event’s communication materials in the various languages required.
Written by: Nurul Atika Effendi French