We have selected six annual reports that deserve commendation. The selection is based on design, content, photography, charts, paper, and printing quality.

PHOTOS: CT TAN









Starhub's annual report
has a three-page foldout.



No 1

Starhub Ltd. The full colour section is printed on a light yellow background which is friendly to the eyes. The opening three pages are designed on a fold-out with a collage of dramatic photographs. The body text of the first section uses a serif font which is more readable.

      The photography emphasises on happy users of the company’s services. This is a pleasant report to read with sufficient corporate and financial information.

CapitalMall's report includes photos
and charts about the properties
under their management.


No 2

CapitaMall Trust. The annual report has a typographic cover with some text embossed in light brown. The full colour section has an extra gold colour to give the layout a rich look. The letter to unit holders has a Chinese translation for a segment of the unit holders.

      The charts are well-designed to present important information at a glance. A well-designed section gives details about the properties under the Trust’s management. The expiry of rentals profile provides unit holders with a good idea about the profitability of the trust in the next few years. Most of the real estate investment trusts produce good annual reports but CapitaMall’s report stands out above the others.










Keppel Corporation's report has
large pictures and informative write-ups.




No 3

Keppel Corporation Ltd. At 240 pages, this annual report is a giant in size. The advantage is that it has space for more corporate information. The theme is "Driving a Difference" and this theme is repeated through the various sections with a bright red background and dramatic photographs. There are many full-page photographs to add some vibrancy to the report. The section on the company’s safety excellence programme is impressive and informative. The financials are printed on paper with a yellowish tinge. A disappointment is that there is no proxy form included for the annual general meeting. While the inside pages are well-designed, the cover design is drab. And sadly, this drab design is used for the other subsidiaries’ annual reports as well. The cover must be attractive to invite readers to open the report.

Straits Trading's report has interesting
graphics that attract attention. (top)












Parkway's report has pictures of the
technology used in its hospitals. (botom)





No 4

Straits Trading Company Ltd. The cover is clean with a white background like a bride at her first wedding. The colour section uses quality 105-gramme art paper which has a glossy smooth finish pleasant to the touch. Each section has a dynamic cartoon to illustrate the company’s strategies.

      While the information is sufficient, the design of the charts could be improved.

No 5

Parkway Holdings Ltd. The cover has a small graphic on a white background. This clean look reflects the antiseptic atmosphere of a hospital.

      The full-colour section injects some vibrancy to the healthcare image. There is a mix of black and white, duotone, and colour photographs on the facilities, staff, and services. Two blank pages have the required line which reads: "This page has been intentionally left blank" which is a paradox as the one-liner on the page means that the page is no longer blank.

Frasers Commercial Tust
has a simple cover design.


No 6

Frasers Commercial Trust. This company was formerly known as Allco Real Estate Investment Trust and is now in the Fraser and Neave stable. It has opted for the smaller 20.5 x 27.5 cm format that is easier to handle but it means that there is less space for corporate information.

      The layout is clean with photos of its various properties. The doughnut charts of the gross revenue mix provides useful information for the investors. The font used for the body text is too fine for easy reading.