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, 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 organisations 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% per year over the past four years. This compares to a growth rate of 2.7% 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 Programme 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 organisations, WaterHub also develops training programmes 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.
Mr Gasson explained: “The water industry has been a late-comer to globalisation: 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.
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· MEDIA AND COMMUNICATIONS, CONTACT:
· Global Water Intelligence
· Christopher Gasson; T: +44(0)7843064275; Media Analytics Ltd. The Jam factory, 27 Park End Street, Oxford OX1 1HU, United Kingdom
· PUB, Singapore’s National Water Agency
FACT SHEET
About Global Water Intelligence
Global Water Intelligence (GWI) is the leading information provider for the international water market. Besides its flagship magazine, it also publishes Water Desalination Report, DesalData, and a range of market data and analysis in report form. Last year it teamed up with PUB Singapore to produce Municipal Reuse Markets 2010 including an inventory of all the water reuse projects in the world
About PUB
PUB is a statutory board under the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources. It is the national water agency, managing Singapore’s water supply, water catchment and used water in an integrated way. PUB won the 2007 Stockholm Industry Water Award and was named Water Agency of the Year at the Global Water Awards 2006.
About PUB’s tagline: Water for All: Conserve, Value, Enjoy
PUB has ensured a diversified and sustainable supply of water for Singapore with the Four National Taps (local catchment water, imported water, NEWater, desalinated water).
To provide water for all, PUB calls on all Singaporeans to play our part to conserve water, keep our water catchments and waterways clean and build a relationship with water so we can enjoy our water resources. We can then have enough water for all uses – for industry, for living, for life.
