ExxonMobil Singapore Chemical Plant at the ExxonMobil-South West CDC Bursary Presentation

Opening Remarks by
Mr Derk Hartgerink, Manufacturing Director
ExxonMobil Singapore Chemical Plant at the
ExxonMobil-South West CDC Bursary Presentation Ceremony
Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Good afternoon,

Dr. Amy Khor, Mayor, South West CDC and Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Environment and Water Resources; members of South West CDC; school representatives; parents; young ladies and gentlemen.  I am honoured to be here at the 2009 ExxonMobil-South West CDC Transport Bursary Awards Presentation Ceremony.

My name is Derk Jan Hartgerink. I am the manufacturing director of the ExxonMobil Singapore Chemical Plant located on Jurong Island.  The Singapore Chemical Plant is a relatively recent addition to ExxonMobil here in Singapore. The plant started in 2001, which means we are only eight years old whilst ExxonMobil companies have been operating in Singapore for a well over a century.

The company’s strong manufacturing relationship with Singapore began immediately after Singapore’s independence with the construction of the Mobil refinery in Jurong and the Esso Refinery at Pulau Ayer Chawan.  In two years time, our integrated refinery,  together with our expanded chemical plant, will be ExxonMobil’s largest integrated manufacturing site in the world.

At ExxonMobil, we are committed to being a good neighbor and responsible corporate citizen. We want to make a positive contribution in all the communities in which we operate, in almost 200 countries and territories around the world. This is also the case in Singapore and the South West District.

We believe that getting a good early education is a cornerstone to enjoying a happy and healthy life as a productive member of society.  We have a history of supporting education and training programs as an important business priority.

We are delighted to have the opportunity, for the fourth consecutive year, to work closely with the South West CDC on a transport bursary programme.  This project helps school children in the South West District by helping to defray the costs for commuting to and from school.  I am happy to note that, working with Dr. Khor and her staff, we have doubled the number of beneficiaries from 250 last year to 500 this year.

In addition to this bursary, we plan on continuing our financial support for arts outreach programmes such as the campus concerts series at the National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University and the National Institute of Education.  We will work again in 2009 with the Singapore Repertory Theatre under the Kindergarten Financial Assistance Scheme.  2009 will also be the 10th year of our annual mobile blood drives with the Red Cross here in the South West District and in other places in Singapore.

Let me conclude by thanking Dr. Khor, the South West CDC staff, and all of the teachers and principals in participating schools who have worked hard to make this Bursary programme such a success.

Students, I wish you all the best in your studies.  Work hard and do yourself, your parents, and ExxonMobil, proud.   We may need you in future years to help sustaining our growing presence in Singapore but that will only be possible if you have a good education.

Thank you.