He may be trained in the fine arts, but Sung Lingun, founder and CEO of Peach Blossom Media took a more profitable route to expressing his creativity.

Sun Lingun, the 37-year old founder of animation house Peach Blossom Media, pursued a fine arts degree at the university of Washington, only to move into the relatively low-brow medium of television and later, digital animation. He started his career in 1995 freelancing, from writing movie reviews to photography, before joining local film production company Oak3 as a partner. There, he started directing commercial productions. Among his most notable works is a local Mandarin sitcom, School Days, for Mediacorp’s Channel 8, which won Best Sitcom of the Year at the station’s Star Award in 2000.

In 2001, Sung and two other partners started Peach Blossom Media. Today, the production house specialises in shows for pre-schoolers and is regarded as one of Singapore’s forerunning animation studios. After all, who else can claim such success when you have produced shows for international networks like Disney and Nickelodeon, as well as cable animation channel Animax? It has even received two nominations for the Emmy Awards, winning an award for “New Approaches, Daytime Children’s Programming” in 2008. Closer to home, he has also won the prestigious Taiwanese Golden Bell TV award for his latest feature animation, Lamb.

“Animated feature films are apparently good money,” he says. “But we’ll still continue with our core business in pre-school programmes.”

Starting the business back in 2001 wasn’t an easy task. But today he has the financial backing of other investors like CIMB Bank and Singapore’s Media Development Authority (MDA), which announced an $18-million package to help develop the local animation industry.

But financial success isn’t on the top of his mind it appears: “To win the Emmy’s or Golden Bell awards is something money cannot buy. And we have to build up our capacity at this stage.”

Sung reveals that his homegrown company is seeking to issue Initial Public Offering (IPO) in Malaysia by 2012. For a company looking to grow on the international stage, it appears to be the logical thing to do. After all, there’s a practical side to this creative maverick.

President of Omega Stephen Urquhart talks about philosophy, Hollywood’s leading ladies and diving in Tahiti.

“Philosophy — that’s a very good word. It’s very difficult to define when it comes to a brand like Omega. I think we try to be a hallmark that has a friendly and sympathetic aura to it. Partly because of how many links we have to significant historical events like the moon landing or the Olympics.”

“People who buy Omega watches value three things — personality, lifestyle, a story. Imagine a guy who buys a Speedmaster, a watch that went to the moon. He knows that 40 years ago, Nasa used that very same watch and it was worn by astronauts. He feels reassured by it. You know, a watch is not a rational buy. A diver’s watch — who really needs one? People buy it because of the connotations of lifestyle and adventure. You imagine yourself in Tahiti, on a raft, diving with dolphins.”

“You sell watches, you’re selling a dream. It’s a good dream, and one that has lasting value. That, to me is the key to our success. And it may be a dream, but its very tangible — you can listen to it, you can see it, you can see how it works through the case back. It has a real value; you can leave it to your son. A watch is a work of art you wear on your wrist morning and night.”

“To give a watch as a present is fantastic because you’re giving something that speaks of aspirations, you’re giving someone a dream.”

“China is the number three economy in the world, the number one market in the world for us. We found the top person there to represent us as an international brand ambassador — Zhang Ziyi. She does films with substance and significance, rather like Nicole Kidman.”

“The watch I’m wearing right now? A white gold Seamaster Aqua Terra with Co-Axial movement. I think it’s is the ultimate statement of refinement and taste for a man.”

The luxury industry may be rebounding strongly after a calamitous 2009, but LVMH’s group managing director Antonio Belloni believes things will never be the same again.

“In recent years, luxury has reflected glamour and ostentatiousness, but we are now going back to the parameters of authenticity and quality. This presents dynamic opportunities,” says Antonio Belloni in an exclusive interview with The Peak during a recent visit to Singapore.

“The psychology of the consumer has changed. After years of excess from 2006 to 2008, there is now some sort of reaction. There is uncertainty about jobs and we have loss of the feel-good factor.”

Belloni, 55, was hired in 2001 by LVMH’s legendary chairman Bernard Arnault after spending 22 years at consumer goods giant Procter and Gamble. Post-crisis, his strategy for the group is to effectively communicate the strengths of its various brands, and in the process, gain market share.

Success will be dependent on each brand’s ability to capture, or in some cases re-capture, the imaginations of the consuming public.

“The brands that have done well deserve the attention: Louis Vuitton, Dior, Sephora. The not so good brands, we put our attention on their cash flow, on reducing capital expenditure.” He is particularly proud of their flagship brand, Louis Vuitton, which he describes as being exclusive, and boasting unparalleled price integrity.

“The product is sturdy, functional and lasts forever, the style is timeless. So the customer is more inclined to pay for quality. We have to reinforce these points.”

As for the Singapore market, Belloni says it has held up well during the crisis and will continue to cement its position as an important luxury hub, particularly in the timepieces segment, with the emergence of high-end shopping malls all over the island.