Why Singapore is winning over companies looking at Asia

FOR any company looking to enter a new region, one of the most crucial decisions is deciding where to base its regional headquarters. There are multiple factors that influence that choice. These include political stability, business environment, access to talent pool, infrastructure, accessibility to key markets, etc.

In recent years, hundreds of Western companies have had to make this decision about Asia. As the region's economies have grown - and consumers' income levels risen - Western firms have been keen to expand their operations here to tap the fast-growing markets.

At the same time, leading regional business hubs have been vying to attract them as well. At one point, Tokyo and Sydney were seen as potential contenders. But their days have long passed. Shanghai, once touted as the new Asian capital, has mostly been a failed experiment for many of the multinational firms who tried to move their top talent to a certainly vibrant but challenging city, particularly for families.