Singapore

Singapore’s location puts it in the middle of a south-east Asian market of 500 million people, and an Asian market of 2.8 billion – all no more than a seven-hour flight away. These emerging and fast-growing markets have an enormous appetite for consumer goods and innovative products, and a wide range of services.

Access to these – and to world – markets is made increasingly easy and efficient thanks to Singapore’s growing number of free trade agreements. Its infrastructure is unrivalled in Asia: the busiest container port in the world; one of the best connected airports in Asia; the third most “wired” nation in the world, and the most wired in Asia. In addition, its workforce is highly skilled with low incidence of labour disruption.

The city-state actively seeks and nurtures business ideas, and plays host to all kinds of enterprise and innovation – start-ups with little more than the germ of an idea; global corporations with large research and development teams and complex production operations. Financing in all forms is readily available. Nearly 150 fund management companies are managing more than S$16bn ($9.8bn) in venture capital funds. The political and social environment is stable, and the government sympathetic and responsive to private sector needs.

Quality of life is high. Singapore is one of the safest cities in Asia, with clean and green surroundings. It’s a shopper’s paradise and offers both culture and cuisine that reflect its cosmopolitan population.