Daily Briefing: Taxis and private-hire car operators can discuss courier services with LTA; Banks on the lookout for product developers

And Singapore’s first fully smart residential project lures 9,000 crowd at preview.

From Yahoo! News Singapore:

Taxi and private-hire car operators eyeing to provide courier services may talk with the Land Transport Authority for a possibility of a ‘limited trial basis’, senior minister of state Janil Puthucheary said.

He added that the LTA will work with interested operators to assess the feasibility of such a trial and how it can conducted with minimal impact on the availability of taxis as well as private-hire cars.

The authority will also look at protecting commuters’ interests during such trials, for instance, by ensuring that the appropriate third-party insurance coverage is in place.

The 45-year-old Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC MP was responding to Ang Mo Kio GRC MP Ang Hin Kee, who had asked for an update following calls from the National Taxi Association and National Private Hire Car Association to review rules on the provision of courier services. Ang serves as the executive adviser to both associations.

Read more here.

From e-financial careers:

Corporate and private banks in Singapore are increasing their demand for product developers for the products that the relationship managers (RMs) sell.

Product developers in Asia aren’t only in demand, their job descriptions are changing as banks seek out-going candidates who aren’t afraid to face clients and influence sales staff. This is starting to tempt some RMs to consider a career in product development for themselves.

“Given recent robust RM hiring in Singapore, we’ll likely see more hiring in product roles. More expertise is required to support the higher number of sales staff,” says an in-house headhunter at a private bank in Asia.

Demand for product developers is coming mainly from large banks with extensive in-house product platforms – think Citi, DBS, HSBC and Standard Chartered in corporate banking, and UBS and Credit Suisse in private banking.

Read more here.

From iCompare Loan:

JadeScape which is Singapore’s first fully smart multi-generational residential project by Qingjian Realty recorded a crowd of 9,000 people at its weekend preview.

Yen Chong, deputy general manager of Qingjian Realty (South Pacific) Group, said: “We designed JadeScape with a unique offering to complement its outstanding location. We expected the market to welcome the project but the response is overwhelming.”

Qingjian said that given the strong interest expressed by the public to its preview, the JadeScape’s sale will launched on Sep 22, and that the average price of the sale will be $1,700 per square feet (psf).

JadeScape is set to be launched for sale in two phases. Comprising a total of 1,206 units. the fully smart private condo which sits on 36,985.70 square metres of land, will house 236 one-bedders, 403 two-bedders, 265 three-bedders, 261 four-bedders, 39 five-bedders and two penthouses spread across seven blocks.

Read more here.