Swiss Club the place to make friends, says past president

THE Swiss Club's immediate past president, Martin Silberstein, who helmed the club for 12 years from 2005 to 2017 - the longest term for any of its chiefs, says that as the club marks its 150th anniversary, it continues to be the perfect place to relax, have fun and grow friendships.

"The Swiss can be proud for being in Singapore for such a long time. This shows that Swiss businessmen, Switzerland and Singapore had over many decades a very strong relationship. This is almost unique - 150 years of friendship," he says.

Mr Silberstein says that The Swiss Club, like many other clubs of its kind, is a perfect place to go to if one wants to do some sports and activities, to relax or simply have some fun and enjoy good food and drinks in a resort-like atmosphere.

"Such a club is also the perfect place to meet with people, away from the daily business environment, and to have joint activities or just fun. Over time, relations become friendships and such ties are very important to balance our busy lives. The Swiss Club offers the unique opportunity to meet people and friends from many nationalities and races and this is so valuable as it also reflects the diversity we are used to in Switzerland."

Mr Silberstein says that everything changes quickly for expats as they move and need to adapt to new countries every few years.

"This is, of course, very different from what we have in our home countries. The advantage is that we have the opportunity to meet a lot of interesting people but we also need much more effort to keep such relations going. The Swiss Club offers the perfect venue to grow such friendships."

Mr Silberstein says that things might change for the club due to the evolving business scene as fewer foreigners are posted to Singapore.

"Maybe with the strong decline in expatriates to be sent to Singapore and more short-term assignments, the club will shift from a pure member's club to a more 'pay-as-you-use membership'...

"This may be practical considering the needs and requirements of a younger generation that are tentatively also staying for a shorter time period," he adds.