Cheryl Marie Cordeiro

The Girls!
Janice, Azul and Cheryl at La Braceria, Singapore.
Kevin D Cordeiro, Julie Choo, J E Nilsson and C M Cordeiro-Nilsson © 2010

In the past month of December 2010, I had the pleasure of organizing an executive education program delivered in Singapore for the Asian wing of a large Swedish multinational. The three moduled program that launched in Singapore focuses on the topic of Doing Business in Asia and the Singapore module in particular, focused on the Challenges of Leadership.

Catching up in the middle of the rush.

All things were discussed at our tables in La Braceria, from the conceptual and theoretical across cultures and nations amongst country representatives…

…to the practical, with Professor Gideon Kunda.

In conversation.

The mood was lighthearted…

…warm and friendly.

Representatives from the Nordic region, now based in Asia.

It was one of the most exciting programs I had done so far, on several fronts. I not only had the opportunity to meet highly experienced and qualified lecturers and participants of the program, but behind the management scene, the planning and executing of the program had put me in touch with many representatives from the Singapore service industry.

As I have outlined in a previous text, Singapore has the ambition to remain one of the major business hubs in Asia that is now aiming to attract and retain Talent. To that end, Singapore has built world class educational facilities that invite intelligent and driven individuals from various industries to live and work in Singapore, while at the same time, creating a dynamic school curriculum for young Singaporeans that encourage critical and innovative thinking.

The concept of Leadership in itself, of effective social influence towards an attainment of a specific organizational or societal goal, in the age of modern technology, is an anomaly if one were to plan for the future. Following a discussion in the group over lunch, it was voiced that the very concept of leadership, to steer for tomorrow, for a future course is in itself almost impossible, since the future holds so many uncertainties that even core values of the organization, of society, a short fifty years from now might be different. A projection will need to be made from now till then, to accommodate a new kind of organization / society, culture and reality. And this in essence is one of the many facets of the challenges of leadership faced today.

La Braceria, Singapore.

The concept of Leadership and what the participants had experienced during the grueling week of the program were heartily discussed over Prosciutto served with Mozarella di Buffala, Porcini Risotto and fresh brick oven baked pizza.

Chef Mauro came to Singapore from the Amalfi coast more then ten years ago.

Fresh ingredients is the basis of all Italian cooking.

Artichoke hearts, for the ‘quatro stagione’ pizzas.

Buffala Campana cheese, unbelievably buttery and the best mozzarella I have ever tasted.

Classic pizza favourite with ham and mushroom was much appreciated by most at our tables.

Wine assortment.

In general, the mood in the restaurant was warm and lighthearted, thanks to the good food and efficient service in the restaurant, where the overall feedback was that most were generally looking forward to participating in the second module to be delivered in Shanghai, China, in the Spring of 2011.