By Arun Sudhaman

SINGAPORE: Singapore is to start searching for an agency to improve its profile as an attractive investment destination.

The island state’s Economic Development Board (EDB) has already commenced talks with UK agencies, ahead of a full-blown tender to identify an agency to handle the international assignment.

It is the second major PR account to emerge from the Lion City in recent months, after the Holmes Report revealed that Singapore is also on the hunt for an agency to handle a sensitive international reputation brief.

While Singapore already scores highly on rankings of investment destinations, it is understood that the EDB wants to advance the appeal beyond just economic factors, using the city’s attractiveness as a place to live and do business.

“They want to make the positioning rather more rounded,” said one agency source familiar with the situation. “Inward investment in every sense, rather than just ‘here is a place to get a good return on your buck’.”

An EDB spokesperson confirmed that the organisation is “considering building a long-term partnership for our PR efforts in Europe.”

“We do work with some PR agencies in Europe but on an ad hoc basis,” she said, adding that “nothing has been confirmed yet.”

Meanwhile, the Singapore Tourist Board is also seeking an agency to handle its UK account.