Corporate Team-building At Club Med Bintan


Event: Corporate Team-building
Date: 19-20 February 2011
Venue: Club Med Bintan

Style! Emcee:

I had a great time in Club Med Bintan last weekend. I was invited to a corporate team-building experience and I hosted the pre-dinner party.

Team-building, to me, is to break down the walls between colleagues and foster the working relationships, so as to build cooperation within departments as well as inter-department. Ultimately,the aim is to create a more conducive working environment to improve efficiency and productivity.

Interestingly from my observations, during the entire day of team-building activities, one would notice the synergy that has been created as teams comprising of members from different departments, are put to the tasks of overcoming challenges. This synergy is evident especially during brainstorming and discussions, where team members put aside their corporate ranks (director, manager, associate, etc) and put up ideas and suggestions on how best to solve these challenges. However, in real life, especially in Asian companies, when the boss casually asks for comments, the staff seated around the meeting table would hardly utter a word. The second piece of evidence suggesting this synergy is evident during lunch and dinner where people whom they have met for only a few times becoming so comfortable with each other, exchanging knowledge and experiences in their personal and professional life.

As a corporate trainer, I work with people from different age groups and industry backgrounds. The differences in team dynamics are aplenty, but one common similarity is the process of how Winning Teams are built. I have attached a link of Bruce Tuckman's Team Development Model and the 4-stage process (Forming, Storming, Norming and Performing).

Click here: Bruce Tuckman's Team Development Model

If you are looking at how to increase the productivity of your staff, I would love to work with you, through team-building activities, to improve overall staff performance and morale.

NTU MAE Dinner & Dance 2011

Event: Nanyang Technological University School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Dinner & Dance 2011 Date: 18 February 2011 Venue: Ban Heng Restaurant (Harbor Front Centre) Time: 7pm - 10pm


How would I describe tonight event? A congregation of scholars and the best minds. I was honored to be chosen to host the event, especially since NTU is my alma mater. It is heartwarming to find familiar faces among the staff and professors seated in the audience. 

I felt happy tonight, after the organizing committee came to thank me for a great job. But what really got me happy about, is the fact that I got the chance to create an evening of fun and enjoyment for the staff and professors that once educated and nurtured me. Thank you for creating that spark in me to pursue my dreams. *cheers*

Singapore Chefs Association Annual AGM & Lo Hei Dinner 2011

Event: Singapore Chefs Association Annual AGM & Lo Hei Dinner 2011
Date: 12 February 2011
Time: 7pm - 10.30pm
Venue: Grand Copthorne Waterfront


Style! Emcee:

How do you serve your guests if they are all chefs and experts in culinary skills?

That was the first question that came to my head when I was engaged to host this event. The answer: Well, serve them good food, good drinks and GOOD FUN!

Welcome to Singapore Chefs Association!

Together with the event organizer, the organizing committee and the sponsors created and hyped up the mood for the evening, with exciting pre-dinner activities with prizes sponsored by Nestle Professional, majestic ice-carving by the hotel chef from Grand Copthorne, lion dance "cai qing" performance, and the God of Wealth who is loved and adored by everyone!

Impressive and majestic looking ice carving!
(If you look closer, there are test tubes of sweet desserts. Fabulous!)

Receiving blessings of luck from the God of Wealth
( Huat Huat Huat ah!...)
Pre-dinner activities: Spin & Win

As the emcee for the event, I welcomed the audience with phrases and phrases of Chinese blessings and everyone started clapping and cheering as I gave more and more words of blessings to everyone. It was a great way to start an event since Chinese New Year is about visiting friends and loved ones and sending our blessings to them!

The SCA President Mr Eric Teo addressed the audience and captivated their attention by sharing light moments of laughter. I liked the way he introduced each member of the committee. It had a nice personal touch as he shared a little about each committee member.

The lion dance troupe was awesome, in full upright posture, standing on top of the supporting trouper. The audience gave rousing applause as they presented the auspicious scrolls!

The next best part was the traditional Lo Hei customs. With 50 over tables in the ballroom, and everyone tossing and shouting words of blessings, I must say that the mood and atmosphere were perfect!

After the dinner commenced, I conducted my favorite segment - Fun & Games! It was an interesting sight after I invited the audience to join in. On one side of the stage was all the senior citizens and on the other was all our youth citizens. Coincidence?

The audience started competing and to everyone's surprise, the senior folks won instead of the young ones. As I announced the results, you could hear the audience was all cheering for our senior folks! The game prizes were fantastic - Hampers sponsored by Nestle Professional.

I went on to the second Fun & Games segment. You know that once the audience is all warmed up and ready for more, the energy level gets higher, the mood gets lighter and everyone is all eager to charge forward. Everyone had so much fun in the second Fun & Games segment and even I had lots of fun!

As the evening draw to a close, I invited the SCA President and the representative from from Nestle Professional to lead everyone for a finale toast. Cheers to even more surplus this year! 大家发啊!

Partners for the evening

Diversey Annual Chinese New Year Dinner 2011

Event: Diversey Annual Chinese New Year Dinner
Date: 11 February 2011
Time: 6pm - 10pm

Style! Emcee:

As I made my way to the event with the rain was pelting down heavily, my mind was thinking about the audience. How do they feel making their way to the event in the rain? Would the rain dampen their spirits? Would they not turn up?

When the time came, the guests arrived in great spirit, smiling, chatting and laughing merrily, some started with the great tasting finger food (specially prepared by the host), and some started toasting and sipping Italian wines.

sumptuous spread of finger food... yummy!

At the same time, the dinner was being prepared..

A delightful BBQ feast by the pool

Just before the event started, I am posing for the mobile phone camera man...

Model, anyone?

I launched the event in Chinese New Year style, getting everyone to clap and mimic the loudest ever man-made firecrackers (well, since real firecrackers are not allowed) and warmed the audience. There were guests from various countries such as Australia, the Netherlands, Italians and India.

After the opening speech, the Lo Hei was a unique and interesting experience. There were tea cup candles placed on the table, and the lights were slightly dimmed. It was like a fusion of Western fine dining with Eastern customs! Candlelight Lo Hei!

The crowd was great and spontaneously took part in the fun and games, and even the management joined in the dance! We also prepared a special segment for the birthday babies and sang them a birthday song.

The night ended on a high note with everyone toasting "Yum Seng" and some had their fortune in the lucky draw. Good night!

Kim Seng Heng Holdings Ltd Chinese New Year Celebrations


Event: Kim Seng Heng Holdings Ltd Chinese New Year Celebrations
Date: 07 February 2011
Time: 12pm - 3pm
Venue: Yishun Safra Jasmine Ballroom

Style! Emcee:

I love hosting events with audience mix of different nationalities, races and backgrounds. From a local Singaporean's perspective, it gives them a flavor of our local culture. On the flip side, they provide insights into their culture, ideas and styles.
It never fail to impress and amaze me how spontaneous they are and willing to participate and enjoy themselves, even though there may be times when they do not understand our lingo or slang. (Singapore is truly a globalized country!)

For all my friends and guests from overseas, the photo below provides an explanation of the various ingredients in the "Yu Sang" (鱼生) dish. The tossing of the "Yu Sang" is known as "Lo Hei" (捞起).

This is my first event in the Year of the Rabbit. I am very glad to be a part of the celebration with the staff of KSH. I wish everyone a Happy & Prosperous New Year!

Huat ah~!

Krislite Annual Dinner & Dance 2011


Theme: International Cultural Fiesta
Date: 31 January 2011
Venue: Carlton Hotel

Style! Emcee:

This event celebrates the success of Krislite 1st Annual Dinner & Dance. All the guests were extremely pleased with the event, including the management. As an entertainer, it is always very heartwarming and reassuring to know that your hard work and efforts have been well-appreciated by the applause and thanks at the end of the whole show. I always look forward to put a smile on each of my guest's face, to let them walk away feeling cheery and happy. To me, that is what I enjoy the most of my job. It is also the feedback I get from each event's success that continues to motivate me to do better and better.

When the crowd came strolling in, I saw the age group was mostly late 30s, 40s and also 50s. That got me thinking how I should set the mood for the event and deliver the fun and games to make sure that everyone enjoys the evening. In the end, the response was better than what I expected. To me, that's service finesse as an emcee. Delivering to suit your client.

As the theme was International Cultural Fiesta, it was surprising to see one guest came in a God of Wealth (Cai Shen 财神) costume. He created so much fun and laughter for everyone when he went around and "spread" his wealth.

Everyone had a laughing good time and it was simply awesome. Even I enjoyed it together with the crowd. So many surprises, so many raw talents among them.

To everyone at Krislite, you guys made me enjoyed the night hosting with all of you!