Learn more about Resources Global and UFIT Urban Fitness

Find out how these two companies strive for success as a professional services firm and an independent fitness provider.

As more companies shift to being project-based organizations and in a difficult economic environment like today, the demand for experienced consultants working on an interim basis is rapidly increasing. Hence, flexibility and cost-efficiency has become more and more important in the industry.

Resources Global, a professional services firm established in 1996, heeds this demand as it offers clients a flexible solution in a cost-effective manner on a local or global basis, with a consistent level of quality.

Managing director for Singapore Sebastien Normand reveals, “Our focus is on rapidly bringing hands-on experienced consultants on a project basis to support our clients from various industries and make sure that they will be fully dedicated to them to solve their problems with long lasting solutions.”

The ‘inside out’ approach

Resources carries a Big Four heritage as it was founded as a division of Deloitte & Touche LLP in 1996 until CEO Don Murray led a management buyout in 1999.

Resources then pioneered a new kind of consulting, the “inside out” approach, where consultants work in partnership with leaders and their teams to transfer knowledge, build operational capability and drive change through all levels of the enterprise. The firm also employs only seasoned professionals who have an average experience of 15-20 years in finance and accounting, human capital, information management, internal audit, as well as legal and supply chain. Sebastien adds: “With 3000 of them worldwide, we managed to create a reliable, global alternative to the Big 4 for our clients, MNCs in a vast majority. Our consultants partner with our clients in a much more collaborative manner than traditional consulting firms, enabling an optimal knowledge transfer.”

Resources Global Professionals in Singapore is focused on Finance & Accounting, Internal Audit and Compliance, Information Management, Supply Chain Management and Human Capital - covering all industries to help clients run their initiatives, either by being part of their project team or through interim positions, notes Sebastien.

Unmatched Solutions

Resources Global operates in 66 countries through 80 offices and has brought an alternative to traditional consulting firms, with more flexibility and the capacity to answer the local, regional and global needs of its clients.

“We have also launched new actions like the Straits Times Resources Governance Index, to assess the quality of corporate governance of companies listed on the SGX,” Sebastien says. The firm also uses Policy IQ, a web-based content management application that helps companies create, organize, track and report on business content.

Normand notes that it is used by hundreds of organizations, from small businesses to Global 100 enterprises, to manage content for a single purpose, such as SOX documentation management, or across many areas for multiple tasks.

“Our customers are creatively applying policy IQ’s functionality to meet needs of virtually any initiative where they are working to organize information, automate processes or implement oversight and approval,” he adds. The strong pressure on rates has been one of the major industry challenges faced by Resources Global.

Future plans

“We constantly need to emphasize what we bring in our model, i.e. more flexibility, more experience, access to a global network and Subject Matter Experts, global functional coverage,” reckons Normand. The firm is also challenged by its dependence on the local and global economy. But its global footprint helps through a better balance of risks faced in different regions.

Moving forward, Resources Global Professionals aims to leverage its existing client base to develop the business and to target new clients from diverse industries especially buoyant markets like Malaysia, the Philippines, and Indonesia.

According to Normand, they are planning to develop some of their service lines like Information Management and Supply Chain Management but continue to be a key solution provider for Accounting and Regulatory topics (IFRS/USGAAP conversion, Conflict Mineral, FATCA...).

For its Singapore clients, Resources Global promises unmatched reactivity to quickly find a solution to problems, high level of commitment, strong experience, high professionalism, and cost-efficient solutions. In as much as Resources Global pledges for exceptional service to its Singapore clients, UFIT Urban Fitness also offers the same level of exemplary services.

UFIT Urban Fitness taking giant strides into 2013

UFIT Urban Fitness Pte Ltd is Singapore’s leading independent fitness provider, offering personal training, Bootcamps, Salveo nutrition, UFAST (intermittent fasting), physiotherapy and sports massage. When founded in 2007, UFIT first offered Bootcamps in the beautiful parks around Singapore. By 2011, 1000 people attended these sessions every month. With a growing client base and having established themselves as the leading Bootcamp provider in Singapore UFIT launched a training studio in the heart of the CBD to cater to the city’s busy professionals. UFIT, owned and operated by four individuals from diverse backgrounds, is a team of 15 top-class nutritionists, physiotherapists, trainers, administration staff and a deep tissue therapist.

Heading this team is Darren Blakeley, the original founder of UFIT who holds a Masters in nutrition and exercise science, and James Forrester, a former England rugby player and current coach of the Singapore rugby 7’s team. Training manager Alex Salihin coached the US Army and Dean Ahmad runs the technical side of UFIT, creating and maintaining its educational program.

One year after opening their training facility in Amoy St, UFIT announced it will expand its current space of 2000 sq ft to 4500 sq ft Adding an additional treatment room for physio and deep tissue therapy and introducing an MMA training program under the guidance of four-time Singapore Muay Thai champion Stanley Sim. Meanwhile UFIT’s Bootcamps have gone from strength to strength and now offer 90 sessions a month around the island.

Catering to customers’ demands

UFIT operates a very different model to the other larger ‘franchise’ gyms in Singapore. There are no membership fees or longterm contracts. Clients simply pay for sessions by the hour on a pay-as-you-go basis, or packages are available for either personal training or unlimited monthly access to Bootcamps. UFIT ensures clients get a different experience bringing fun and variety through the use of traditional and non-traditional equipment. Trainers employ a friendly and holistic approach not only by imparting their knowledge and expertise, but through introducing their clients to new, functional, dynamic exercises while utilising non-conventional equipment.

UFIT strives to be different because it recognises the shift in consumer demand. Individuals want to lose weight, get fit for sport and generally rediscover their lost youth and vitality, while accomplishing these goals in exciting new ways. Gone are the boring traditional machine-based workouts. In are workouts that wake up muscle combinations and range of joint movements which have you moving in patterns that fire muscles and have participants panting for breath and wondering why. UFIT’s mission is simple. Fun, tailored training in a dynamic environment. “Get fit, get to UFIT.”