Robb Report Singapore July 2021

WITH HALF THE year gone by, we find ourselves in a situation which somewhat mirrors last year’s. What has changed, however, is the heightened optimism that we feel as we look towards the future. With more and more communities and countries emerging from the pandemic-induced stasis, there is a palpable sense that the metaphorical and literal engines are being revved for a restart. Thus, this month’s issue is dedicated to peak performance, that compulsion to be the best through an innate sense of competition and selfimprovement. For this, we bring you stories of the new – and highly lucrative – frontier of sports or, more correctly, esports. In ‘The Answers With...’, we speak with Carlos Alimurung, CEO of One Esports, which is a joint venture between One Championship, Asia’s largest sports…

Dare To Dazzle Over the decades, Graff has continued to be a purveyor of enchanting, one-of-a-kind diamonds. Each year, the maison unveils fresh jewellery designs, constantly upping the ante with pieces that are more intricate and refined than before. Never underestimate the restorative powers of a perfectly chiselled diamond, or specifically, Graff’s bewitching, multi-shaped diamond necklace – a statement piece decked with diamonds totalling 92.12 carats. The necklace forms part of Graff’s high jewellery collection, which also comprises a pair of emerald-cut and round diamond earrings, along with a diamond bracelet. The Ball’s In Your Court Yinka Ilori is making a splash at London’s Canary Wharf. The British- Nigerian artist has taken over a park, transforming it into a vibrant basketball court for the public. In a bid to instil a sense of…

''A GOLD MEDAL – that’s something no one can take away from you.” Those were the immortal words of Ben Johnson, the Canadian sprinter who won the 100m event at the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games. Despite a starting eight that boasted, arguably, the best group of sprinters ever assembled (it included reigning Olympic champion Carl Lewis, Calvin Smith and Linford Christie – the last of whom went on to claim gold in the event four years later) Johnson simply blew away the field. His time of 9.79 seconds was a new world record, breaking his own, and it was hailed as one of the greatest races in Olympic history. Johnson’s performance was touted as one of the seminal moments in track and field. This was an athlete at the peak of his…

Michael Bloomberg and Richard Branson are two very different billionaires. One is a straight-up suit, and the other a bon vivant entrepreneur and adventurer who is rarely seen in one, unless it’s the space variety. They’ve each published a memoir, however. Branson penned his, Losing My Virginity, more than 20 years ago, but has followed it up with various sequels, plus a personal blog on Virgin’s website that he still maintains. Bloomberg’s tome, named Bloomberg by Bloomberg (how do they think up these titles?), is similarly seasoned, but was republished and revised in 2019. So which is worth revisiting? BLOOMBERG BY BLOOMBERG BOOK BY ITS COVER A colour photo of Michael Bloomberg staring down the reader against a stark white background (plus his scrawled signature) AUTHOR’S CURRENT NET WORTH US$59 billion WE OPEN ON… Bloomberg getting fired…

A Lange & Söhne Lange 1 in Stainless Steel Auctioned by Antiquorum in Geneva for SFr312,500. The horological equivalent of an Amur Leopard, fewer than 30 pieces of this ultra-rare A Lange & Söhne steel watch are thought to exist, although the company has never disclosed exactly how many steel cases were made. The manual-wound, stainless steel wristwatch (Ref 101.026) features an oversized date and power reserve indicator, and was purchased in Milan in 1997 from the family of its original Italian owner. This particular steel Lange 1, which has never been placed on the market or at auction, comes with a leather strap and its original buckle and more than tripled its low estimate. The Macallan Lalique – 50 Year Old Auctioned by Bonhams in Hong Kong for HK$1.2 million. Whisky enthusiasts will recognise…

IT’S REASONABLE TO assume that as CEO of One Esports, Carlos Alimurung has been in his chosen field of work for a long time. But he hasn’t. In fact, his industry is one without true veterans. That’s because esports as a profession wasn’t even a thing until about 10 years ago. “When I graduated, there was no concept of esports as a profession,” Alimurung recalls. “I think it only started becoming a credible job around the time that I joined, which was between 2015 and 2016.” According to him, that was when esports teams began to realise the advantages of recruiting business talent and professionalising their management. Now a billion-dollar industry, its exponential growth is expected to continue for the foreseeable future. Although he may not be a veteran CEO, Alimurung is…