Global Water Intelligence Opens Its Asian Office During Singapore Int’l Water Week
Global Water Intelligence, the leading information service for the international water industry, is the latest addition to the fast evolving cluster of water businesses that are making Singapore the centre of the water world.
In conjunction with the Singapore International Water Week (which runs June 28-July 2), Global Water Intelligence has announced that it will open its Asia office in national water agency, PUB’s WaterHub at 80 Toh Guan Road East. Home to many renowned water-related organizations such as the Singapore Water Association, International Water Association, Netherlands Water House, and the Singapore Society for Trenchless Technology, WaterHub is also the R&D base of other global research institutes such as Siemens, Nitto Denko and Optiqua Technologies who are attracted by the vibrant R&D eco-system in Singapore. Global Water Intelligence will be using the centre to further its interests in market research, data tools for business and professional development.
“For some time we have been watching the opportunity in the water sector drift eastwards, and the global financial crisis has accelerated this trend,” said Christopher Gasson, managing director of Global Water Intelligence. “We need to position ourselves to make the most of these opportunities, and PUB’s WaterHub is the perfect place to develop our next generation of business information services.
“Already many leading water companies have chosen to situate their R&D activities and regional head offices in Singapore. We bring business information to the party. This mix of innovation, strategic decision-making and market awareness is an unbeatable combination for accelerated growth. I hope more firms join us at PUB’s WaterHub.”
According to recent research by Global Water Intelligence, the water markets within six hours’ flying time of Singapore have been growing at an average rate of 7.1 percent per year over the past four years. This compares to a growth rate of 2.7 percent a year for the water markets within six hours’ flying time of London. The value of the water markets within six hours’ flying time of New York City has actually fallen since 2006.
“We are pleased to be able to work with GWI to site their Asia office in Singapore. As a leading analyst on international water markets, GWI’s presence in Singapore will add vibrancy to the local water industry and boost Singapore’s aspirations to become a global hydrohub. I am confident that the local water sector will be able to benefit from the expertise that GWI brings to the industry,” said Khoo Teng Chye, Chief Executive of PUB and Executive Director of the Environment and Water Industry Program Office (EWI), which oversees the growth and development of the water industry in Singapore.
Supporting EWI’s initiatives, WaterHub provides a strategic platform for PUB and the water industry to leverage on for technology development, learning and networking under one roof; making it unique and pivotal to Singapore’s development as a global hydrohub. Besides growing a strong presence of water-related organizations, WaterHub also develops training programs to raise the competency standards of the water industry, while benchmarking it against best international practices. In addition, WaterHub has steadily expanded its connections across the Asia Pacific to the global water sectors, providing endless opportunities for industry players to network globally.
Besides setting up in the Singapore, GWI has also opened an office in Austin, Texas, to gather more detailed market information about the North American water market.
Gasson explained: “The water industry has been a late-comer to globalization: it is still an intensely local business. However, as the scale of the water challenge grows, communities are looking internationally for solutions. Our role at Global Water Intelligence is to tear down the information barriers that stand in the way of this trend. We will be developing a new line of services in Singapore to make this happen.”
GWI’s Bangalore bureau chief Rama Singh Rastogi has relocated from India to Singapore to get things started.