Citi Philippines chief executive officer Batara Sianturi has been included in People Asia’s Men Who Matter for 2014, a distinction given “to men with fascinating stories and significant contributions to their respective industries.”
Sianturi’s career spans a quarter of a century across three continents. He started as a management associate in Citi Indonesia. He was later posted in Australia and Europe, and he’s now back in Asia. He has held several senior positions in consumer, corporate and commercial banking, as well as in country and regional management.
Indonesian Ambassador Johny Lumintang said, “I am delighted to be here and share my pride as a fellow Indonesian with Mr. Sianturi.”
In 2009, Sianturi was named one of the top 25 executives in Indonesia by SWA Magazine, and in 2013, received the Golden Beehive Memorial Coin Award from the Hungarian Banking Association. Now that’s really going forward and global, n’est-ce pas?
Sianturi said he was able to make his banking achievements through staff development. “You develop the business, you develop the people,” he said. “You grow the business, you grow the people.”
Joining Sianturi on the roster of Men Who Matter are Cabinet Secretary Jose Rene Almendras; actor Piolo Pascual; Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office GM and acting chair Jose Ferdinand Rojas II; journalist Ricky Lo; champion figure skater Michael Christian M artinez; basketball stars Jeric and Jeron Teng; broadcast journalists Paolo Bediones and Atom Araullo; award-winning chef Tony Boy Escalante; Coca-Cola director Juan Carlos Dominguez; businessman Luigi Nuñez; and Camarines Sur Gov. Miguel Luis Villafuerte.
Book, exhibit on ecology
Environment Month and Coral Triangle Day gave moi the opportunity to rub elbows with Australian marine biologist and artist Jay Maclean, who launched “In Tropical Seas” at The Podium, a joint partnership of the National Coordinating Committee for the Coral Triangle Initiative and the Embassy of Australia.
The book launch and exhibit highlighted the magnificence and diversity of tropical marine life.
“Australia and the Philippines face the same global challenges like marine depletion, in which the Australian government is working with our partners in the Philippines on various initiatives through both bilateral and regional fora to address these,” said Warren Hoye, counselor of the Australian Embassy.
“In Tropical Seas” is a 56-page book produced by the Zobel Foundation and United Graphic Expression Corp. It introduces young readers to tropical marine life and the significance of caring for it, with paintings and drawings showing the flora and fauna commonly seen in the tropical western Pacific Ocean, including Southeast Asia, the Pacific Islands and northern Australia.
Maclean says that his inspiration for the book came from the “absence of similar material for any age group.”
“Countries in tropical areas have long been using books from other parts of the world that are not appropriate for the region, or using photographic field guides set out in a taxonomic progression aimed mostly at adult divers,” he noted.
The exhibit featured the acrylic paintings used in the book. The paintings captured the vast beauty and vulnerability of coral reef ecosystems, driving home the themes of interconnectedness, collaboration and the need to safeguard marine resources.
Namedroppables who viewed the exhibit included Dee Zobel of the Enrique Zobel Foundation, palangga.
8Cuts opens in Rockwell
Moment Group of the popular hit BurgerBar joint in Greenbelt 2 has unveiled a spin-off, 8Cuts Burger Blends, at Power Plant Mall in Rockwell.
The highlight of the afternoon launch bash was a custom-made Grind Station which allowed 8Cuts’ special guests to customize their own patty blends, combining any of the eight cuts of beef (chuck, rib-eye, short-rib, sirloin, brisket, hanger, flank and ox tail).
Guests could also opt to go with 8Cuts’ signature blends: the House Blend, a combination of short rib and rib eye; Beef Bomb, with chuck and short rib; and others choices.
The customized patties were given away for guests to take home so they could grill the patties themselves.
The Grind Station simulated the unique Blend Kitchen of 8Cuts and its process of “blend-grind-press-griddle-build,” using the highest quality US beef, guaranteeing freshly ground, custom-blended patties seared to order.
Burger lovers likewise enjoyed the Sundae Sliders, satisfyingly good ice cream sandwiches in interesting flavors.
The afternoon fun was even hotter with a visit from Burger Bear, Burger Bar’s resident mascot dressed up in football gear, dahlings.
