yamini vasudevan

“Fall In Love” (Elettra Wiedemann), in the Singapore Women’s Weekly, Oct 2010

yamini — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 04:28:23 +0000

This 4-page beauty feature was published in The Singapore Women’s Weekly magazine in October 2010. The article is centred on Elettra Wiedemann, famous model and daughter of Isabella Rossellini, who was chosen as the face of Lancôme’s Trésor In Love perfume.

The article talks about the fragrance, which is a reinvention of Lancôme’s Trésor (introduced in 1990) – for which Elettra’s mother was the model. The article brief traces Elettra’s journey towards becoming one of the world’s top models (which was almost thwarted by a severe back problem), up to her being chosen as the face of Trésor In Love.

Alongside the main article is a brief on the latest beauty products by Lancôme.

(To minimise plagiarism, I have not put up the scanned articles in their full resolution - if you like a copy of this article, kindly email me at yamini.vasudevan@gmail.com and I will get back to you within 2 working days.)

“Bringing Luxury to Your Doorstep” (net-a-porter.com) in The Singapore Women’s Weekly, Oct 2010

yamini — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 07:43:36 +0000

This 3-page lifestyle feature was published in The Singapore Women’s Weekly magazine in October 2010. The article is centred on Natalie Massenet, the women who altered the world of shopping with Net-a-Porter.com – an online boutique that specialises in luxury designer wear and accessories for women.

Despite her experience as fashion editor with some of the top magazines in the US and her own innate sense of style, Natalie’s decision to start Net-a-Porter was met with cynical glances and even downright pessimism. And yet, she pushed through with the idea and founded what is now one of the biggest businesses in the fashion world. The article traces Net-a-Porter’s success story, touching upon the special features that have won this e-boutique its popular (and loyal) following, as well as her latest e-tail launches, including OutNet.com and Mr Porter.

And with the internet fast becoming one of the most popular channels of commerce, e-tail options are becoming the order of the day. The inset box in the article touches on some e-boutiques that were founded by ladies in Singapore – ranging from the must-haves in bag and shoes to cult designer labels, tech gadgets and even kidswear. The article was researched, written and published under my byline in the magazine.

“Treasured Heritage” (E&O Hotel Penang), in The Malaysian Women’s Weekly, Sept 2010

yamini — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 08:58:46 +0000

This 3-page travel feature was published in The Malaysian Women’s Weekly magazine to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the Eastern & Oriental Hotel – one of the grandest and most beautiful establishments of Penang, and a surviving reminder of the elegant grandeur of the times gone by. The article also includes a boxed insert on must-see spots in Penang, whose capital George Town was accorded World Heritage Site status in 2008.

The article was researched, written and published under my byline in the magazine. The flow of the article was largely centred on the history of the E&O – tracing its life since its establishment in 1885 to its rise as one of the finest hotels of the East in the early 1900s, then through its decline in the 1930s to the 1980s, and finally its renewal in the 1990s and its re-emergence as the Grand Old Dame of Penang.

Even as the article traces the chronology of the E&O’s fortunes, subtle details enhance the narrative and lend it an authentic feel. The emphasis is on describing the traditions of the E&O – the famed culinary traditions, the weekly dances, and the emphasis on the very best in hospitality. The inclusion of little notes on the visits of Hollywood stars and famous writers complete the sense of old-world glamour that the E&O was renowned for. By the end of the article, the reader is well aware of how the E&O had changed with time, but has remained apart from its contemporary starred rivals due to one thing – its insistence on maintaining the old-fashioned romance of travel.

(To minimise plagiarism, I have not put up the scanned articles in their full resolution - if you would like a copy of this article, kindly email me at yamini.vasudevan@gmail.com and I will get back to you within 2 working days.)

“Entrepreneur Insights” series in The Business Times, Singapore (May to August 2007)

yamini — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 02:10:38 +0000

From May to August 2007, I helped to research and write a series of articles on selected business topics for the Entrepreneur Insights series – a series of articles on management related topics slanted towards the needs of entrepreneurs. The series was jointly published by INSEAD, Credit Suisse and The Business Times (Singapore). The content was based on research conducted by INSEAD InnovAsia, a former research unit within the INSEAD Business School in Asia, and research by INSEAD academic staff.

The articles are listed by chronology below with a brief synopsis of the content covered in each:

Translating Growth Abroad focussed on the growing trend on part of Asian entrepreneurs to internationalize their business. The decision to move overseas was not limited to IT or technology-oriented businesses alone, but was one embraced by players in all fields ranging from F&B to private education. Using examples of Singaporean companies, the article touched on the reasons behind the decision to move a company’s presence abroad, the challenges faced, strategies that could ease the transition and points that need to be kept in mind while planning the move.

Managing Fundamental Relationships was centred on the critical linkages and networks a business need to create and maintain. The article also touched on the different challenges facing a potential or existing relationship – from cultural differences to legal issues that a company needs to be conscious of. The article included research by Asst. Prof. Patrick Turner of INSEAD.

Management Team Is A Venture’s Backbone brought to fore one of the most critical aspects that is used to judge the potential of a business venture – the team. The article touched on the importance of recruiting the right talent who would fit the company’s overall profile and aims, the need for adequate time and resources to be invested in team building and the challenges facing contemporary entrepreneurs in these undertakings (remuneration and re-organisation). The article was based on research conducted on this topic by Asst. Prof Balagopal Vissa of INSEAD.

R&D: Tolerate Short-term Pain for Long-term Gain was the final article in the Entrepreneur Insights series. It was centred on the change in Asian economies’ mindset from concentrating exclusively on manufacturing to strengthening their R&D capabilities. The article argues that every company should put in place a structure that helps incorporate R&D capabilities with the company’s business model. It also touches on the significance of indigenous R&D networks to Asian companies and the need to create a holistic strategy when formulating a business blueprint. The article was based on research conducted by Assoc. Prof. Shantanu Bhattacharya of INSEAD.

(To minimise plagiarism, I have not put up the scanned articles in their full resolution - if you would like a copy of any of the articles listed above, kindly email me at yamini.vasudevan@gmail.com and I will get back to you within 2 working days.)

Dreams To Reality: Singapore Indian Entrepreneurs (SICCI, 2004)

yamini — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 02:08:52 +0000

From December 2002 to April 2003, I worked with the Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI) to research and write a book on select top Indian entrepreneurs in Singapore, titled Dreams to Reality: Singapore Indian Entrepreneurs. I worked as a journalist and a co-author, and was part of a team of three members (including myself).

My job responsibilities included meeting with the entrepreneurs, conducting a detailed interview, and then using the interview responses together with background research to write a profile/human-interest piece on the entrepreneur and his/her company. Each interview involved background research on the entrepreneur, formulating questions tailored for the interviewees in question, and eliciting all the information needed in the given time (there were no second interviews).

Upon transcribing the information, I had to write up an article that encompassed the person’s primary passion, his/her chosen line of business, the challenges faced in setting up and running the venture – all with a personal touch. I conducted interviews with entrepreneurs from varied backgrounds and in various fields – ranging from IT to fashion to F&B and education.

I jointly conducted about 20 such interviews with one of team-mates and wrote profiles for half of them. Of these, some were not included in the book due to the management’s decision. The book was published in 2004 by SICCI.

Madhu Madan, Yamini Vasudevan and Rita Raman, Dreams to Reality: Singapore Indian Entrepreneurs, Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry, 2004

(Due to copyright issues and to minimise plagiarism, I have only included the thumbnails of the first page of three articles penned by me. If you would like a copy of the articles included within the book, kindly email me at yamini.vasudevan@gmail.com and I will get back to you within 2 working days.)