Frontline Technologies is the first company in Singapore and in SEA to attain the eSCM-SP v2 Certification

The internationally recognised certification is awarded to businesses capable of delivering high operational performance in providing services, consistently meeting customers' requirements, managing organisational performance, proactively enhancing value and in sustaining delivery excellence.

More consultancy and outsourcing firms are subscribing to this internationally recognised certification programme, which recognises the "best-practices" initiated by a company. It is aimed at helping IT-enabled sourcing service providers improve their capabilities across the sourcing life cycle and to provide them with a means of differentiating themselves from competitors.

Certification qualification began May 2005 following an intensive three-week assessment based on tools and indicators developed by the IT Services Qualification Centre ("ITSqc") at CMU. This assessment covered all areas of Frontline's Infrastructure Management, Applications Management and Business Process Management service offers as well as the internal processes of Performance, HR, Risk and Change Management.

President and CEO, Mr Lim Chin Hu is delighted with Frontline’s new certification

Mr P. Ramakrishna, Director, Industry Development, Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore said that the IDA is pleased that Frontline is the first Singapore IT company to achieve the eSCMSM certification in Southeast Asia and hopes to see more IT companies conform to global industry standards to raise their competency levels in delivering IT-enabled outsourcing services to customers.

Mr Lim Chin Hu, President and Chief Executive Officer of Frontline said that this eSCMSM certification is a professional recognition which reaffirms Frontline's organisational framework and managed-services delivery capability. "We are delighted to be the first in Singapore and Southeast Asia to receive the certification and to be recognised in this manner, which shows that the processes deployed in our business and our commitment to serving our customers has been tried, tested and proven," he added.

For more information please visit:

• CMU's IT Services Qualification Center (ITsqc)
• Frontline Technologies

In the new world of online security threats, much needs to be done to protect the infrastructure, the information and the interactions of those that use the Internet for work and play. This was the message of Symantec Chairman and CEO John W. Thompson, speaking as a guest in the IDA Distinguished Infocomm Speaker Series on 31 October 2006.

"Confidence is the essential component in today's digital world," said Mr Thompson. "Consumers and enterprises alike need to feel confident that their information is safe and their interactions are secure. Otherwise, the digital lifestyle will not be as exciting or dynamic, and we will not realise the full potential that new technologies bring to the connected world."

Mr Thompson noted the great strides made by Singapore's Infocomm industry in the past quarter century: growing from S$69 million to S$37.89 billion; from 850 infocomm professionals to more than 111,000 today. Over the past decade, Internet adoption has also gone from 8.6% of all households to 66%.

Security must be more than merely protecting the data on a machine

He also made reference to Singapore's Intelligent Nation 2015 (iN2015) Masterplan, which he said was an ambitious plan that would make Singapore more competitive. "Technology alone isn't the answer. People are just as important as technology and policies," said Mr Thompson. "I am pleased to see the emphasis that iN2015 places on human capital – both in training more IT security professionals and educating end-users here in Singapore about the risks they face online and what they can do to mitigate them."

The ability to collaborate online, work remotely and engage in more multiparty transactions is leading to more online activity. Email and email attachments can contain up to 75% of a company's intellectual property and must be guarded closely. Organisations need to keep confidential information inside the company and filter messages on their way out of the network. At the same time there are internal risks ranging from the malicious user to the threat of non-compliance with internal policies and external regulations.

Unfortunately, the network perimeter can no longer be locked down. According Mr Thompson, it is no longer defined by physical assets in the data center or desktop in the office. "People are the new network perimeter," he said. "Wherever they are and through whichever device they are accessing the network is where the line of defence must be drawn."

According to Mr Thompson, the battleground for security is no longer just the computer, or even the network. Protecting customers' information and interactions require more sophisticated security processes and technologies. "From 2002 to 2004, there were almost 100 medium-to-high risk attacks from viruses or worms," said Mr Thompson. "Last year there were only six. What is being targeted has changed. Phishing, identity theft and malicious users are the new threats."

Mr Thompson called for the business community to help consumers build their confidence in online transactions by helping them develop an "online sixth sense" about whether a site is safe to do business with. He advocates doing this through extending the blanket of security to the consumer through security solutions designed to protect the integrity of the transaction. "Moving forward, I believe that secure interactions will become a key differentiator for e-tailers. Consumers will seek out those vendors who they feel they can trust," said Mr Thompson. "Secure transactions will become essential to the growth of the Infocomm industry as it builds customer and consumer confidence in the online experience."

Singapore organisations featured in a big way in this year's Asian Innovation Awards, taking three of the 12 spots in the final shortlist. To top it all, Veredus Laboratories Pte Ltd's innovative range of diagnostic tests for avian flu clinched gold.

Singapore organisations captured three of the 12 spots in the final shortlist this year

Also among the 12 finalists were an anti-landmine shoe developed by the Nanyang Technological University's Franz Konstantin Fuss and Ming Adin Tang, and the Infocomm Development Authority's Web Services exchange for sharing of data among government agencies.

The Awards, presented by The Wall Street Journal Asia in association with the Global Entrepolis @ Singapore (GES) networking event, are Asia's most prestigious honours for individuals and companies based in Asia that create new ideas, methods or technologies, or apply knowledge in unique ways to improve quality of life or productivity.

The Wall Street Journal Asia received a record-breaking 224 entries from applicants in 14 countries and territories in the Asia-Pacific region for the Asian Innovation Awards 2006. This year's responses represent an increase of almost 75% over last year's 130 entries. The past winners of the award include Motorola Asia Pacific Limited and Agilent Technologies Inc.

Veredus' state-of-the-art avian flu test can diagnose the disease as early as day two from the onset of infection with an accuracy and specificity of 99%. This is crucial, as anti-viral drug like Tamiflu needs to be administrated within 48 hours once the symptoms appear, to be effective.

Speaking at the GES Gala Dinner for the Awards, Chairman of the National Research Foundation Board Dr Tony Tan said: "Singapore has embarked on creating an environment conducive for locally based companies to keep pace with the accelerating development of disruptive technologies and breakthroughs that can make existing products or services obsolete."

Inviting overseas corporations to develop and innovate products, services and processes here, the former Deputy Prime Minister added that innovation and entrepreneurship would be key ingredients for Singapore's economic success going forward.

Congratulating the finalists at the Awards, which honour the region's most innovative individuals and enterprises, Dr Tan said: "For Singapore, it is yet another valuable opportunity to celebrate ideas that make up a range of truly Asian innovations with global impact."