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ABOUT OUR PRESENTERS
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MR MARTIN ROLL
CEO: VentureRepublic Pte Ltd www.venturerepublic.com
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Martin is founder and CEO of VentureRepublic, a global knowledge firm providing comprehensive business strategies, international marketing and branding programs with a particular focus on organisational empowerment and executional performance.
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Martin Roll brings more than 15 years of experience from the international advertising industry, and has served in various management positions, focusing especially on global marketing and branding strategy; brand/ product advertising; and corporate communications.
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Prior to establishing VentureRepublic, he was Vice President of Global Marketing & PR for Ascio Technologies Inc, a world leader in domain names and identity technology (former known as Speednames). Based in Singapore, he led all corporate marketing, branding and PR projects worldwide as part of the global executive management team. Prior to this appointment, he served as Chief Marketing Officer with Europe's leading e-healthcare company NetDoctor.
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Martin Roll was an account director for ten years with two global advertising agencies, Bates and DDB Needham Worldwide, where he directed many successful global marketing and branding programs. His clients included Ericsson Mobile Phones, McDonald's, Tele Denmark (TDC), Time Warner Music, Best Buy Toys and Scandinavian Seaways (DFDS).
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Martin is an experienced speaker in Asia and in Europe. He lectured at the Danish Marketing Association, The Danish Design Academy, The Copenhagen Business School and at several international seminars and marketing events. The outstanding track record makes Martin a much sought after executive in Asia and in Europe. He was the chair of Danish Marketing Management Board, and was also board member at the Danish Business Association of Singapore. Most recently, Wonderful Copenhagen and Copenhagen Capacity, two leading trade and business promotion associations in Denmark (www.ambassadornet.dk) appointed him the Danish Goodwill Ambassador to Singapore.
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Martin holds an MBA from INSEAD in France, a bachelor degree from The Copenhagen Business School and a diploma from The International Advertising Association (IAA). He is a Danish Citizen and Singapore Permanent Resident.
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Martin was recently invited on Channel News Asia (CNA), Insights to Singapore Business to comment on branding for Asia.

MR XAVIER LE HENAFF
Founder & Chef: The French Stall

Xavier is an authentic Frenchman of a chef and owner for The French Stall which has taken Singaporeans by storm. Aptly called The French Stall, it is a cross between a fancy French restaurant and a French "kopi tiam" (coffeehouse) offering fine French fare at extremely reasonable prices. It is no wonder The French Stall located at 544 Serangoon Road and 787 Serangoon Road has a steady clientele. The French Stall first made its mark at the Victoria food court in year 2000.

Before setting up The French Stall with his Singaporean wife, Xavier was a chef with a 5-star hotel (presently a Relais Chateau) in Madina, Malta's ancient capital dishing out gastronomic French cuisine with Mediterranean fare to a group of well-heeled clientele including the President and the Prime Minister. Xavier is from Brittany in the North-West of France. He has worked in his native France including 15 years in Paris, apart from London.

Xavier and his French Stall has been featured in the local publications like The Straits Times, AsiaOne Food&Entertaining, HerWorld, Elle, 8-days, Expat and he has also appeared on television programmes including Channel 5, Channel 8, Channel U and even CNBC. They are also known through Asia with articles in Asia Wall Street Journal, with TV programmes featured in as far as in France on their TV5.

MS SAMIA AHAD
Culinary Director & Proprietor: Coriander Leaf Bistro www.corianderleaf.com

Samia is a specialist in South Asian cooking and food presentation. Her training and varied past experience has enabled her to cover the culinary spectrum and she is at home working within many Asian culinary traditions. She has worked at all positions as a cook at March Restaurant in New York and was responsible for contributing to a number of March's cross-cultural signature dishes, including Seared Salmon with Middle Eastern Spices. She has also worked as an intern at Quilted Giraffe during the last days of this leading 1980s New York restaurant. Prior to the Quilted, Samia received a Diploma form Peter Kumps (New York) and was awarded their blue ribbon.
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In May 2001, Samia opened The Corriander Leaf Bistro at The Gallery Hotel Singapore - a new Asian food hub to present the best of Asian Cuisine to the culinary world. Samia who is culinary director and proprietor exclaims The Corriander Leaf as a culinary dream realized. Besides being poised to make its culinary stand as a fine-dining bistro, The Coriander Leaf has also made its mark in establishing itself as a center for different food-related activities, namely a culinary school, a chef's table, private dining room, as well as takeouts, special orders, food and wine tastings, gift hampers, bottled condiments, table and kitchenwares.
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In her cooking style, Samia emphasizes lightness, presentation and simplicity. She is particularly focused on giving new interpretations to traditional Asian dishes - moving from the essence of Asian cooking outwards towards modernity. She calls this style of cooking new asian and distinguishes it from fusion.
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On the publishing front, Samia has written a collection of articles, including: The Joy of Cooking (1997 edition) for which she contributed recipes on Indian food to this edition of The Joy of Cooking and Cook's Illustrated (February 1997) which featured Samia's recipes and cooking style. Other publications in which Samia's recipes have been featured include Saveur (New York) and Stir (Singapore). She has also been featured frequently in local leading titles like HerWorld.

MS LINDA PAINAN
Co-Founder: Master Franchisor - Pacific Fusion International Pte Ltd www.pacific-fusion.com
Mentor: Central Singapore Mentorship Network for Young Entrepreneurs
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Linda, at 25, acquired a proven US franchise operator and successfully adapted the system to the diverse Asian market, revolutionizing F&B scene with healthy and fun alternative food offerings including broadband services and other innovative lifestyle offerings.
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Pacific Fusion International (PFI) has become Asia's leading Smoothie Franchise creation and management company in just 2 years of operation. Today, PFI has Fuzion Smoothie Cafe outlets and Fuzion Smoothie Xpress stations within all ExxonMobil On-the-Run petrol marts, and continues to develop and grow the infant smoothie industry in Asia through corporate sponsorships and participation in events such as the Miss Singapore World 2000, National Healthy Lifestyle Campaign 2002 and Singapore Food Festival 2001/2002.
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Pacific Fuzion has just franchised their concept to Beijing and the Gulf Cooperative Council of Arabic States (Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE). They are also currently talking to potential franchise partners for South Korea and India.
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As a speaker and mentor for the Central Singapore Mentorship Network for Young Entrepreneurs, and in a recent MediaCorp Channel 5 feature special on franchising in 'Your Money', Linda continues to share her experience with others, inspiring them to dare to follow their dreams.