SINGAPORE (July 22, 2004) - ORIENTED.COM, Inc. announces the launch of the ORIENTED Happy Hours this month in Singapore, to be held at Lempicka, an up-market bar on Mohammed Sultan Road.

Established in March 2002, the ORIENTED Happy Hours are a community service extension of ORIENTED.COM, Inc., fostering meaningful relations amongst the often transient members of the international community as they pursue their professional and personal objectives in the Asia-Pacific region. The Happy Hours are held on the last Thursday of every month in Beijing, Shanghai, Taipei, Hong Kong, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, and New York City and will also launch this month in Los Angeles and Toronto.

The characterization of Singaporeans as being very good at networking with people they already know but finding it less easy to break the ice with those outside their immediate circles is mostly unfounded, according to ORIENTED Singapore Founder, Neil Johnson, a native of Birmingham, UK, whose own career has led him through Belgium, Russia, Hong Kong and Singapore where he now resides. "The advent of the ORIENTED Happy Hour here in Singapore gives us a chance to challenge that perception," he said.

A more important aspect about the ORIENTED.COM network is the cross-border relations it offers with like-minded people focused on developing a business or a career in Asia-Pacific. "Why should we exclude ourselves from what could be a very powerful network spanning the region?" asked Johnson. "Singapore plays an important role in the development of the Asia-Pacific region... having an ORIENTED presence here gives us an informal and yet powerful communication channel with countries where Singapore's capital, skills and experience can be put to good use."

Although Johnson has relied heavily on contacts made from his own formal and informal networks throughout his career, he was no stranger to the nervousness which grips a lot of people when confronted with a room full of strangers when he started university, but soon overcame his reluctance to make the first move when he saw that others were at least as nervous as he. "It's a good point to keep in mind," said Johnson, who is now Senior Transportation and Logistics Advisor to a merchant bank in Singapore.

Christine Hsu, ORIENTED.COM Founder and CEO who is now based in the San Francisco Bay Area after an eight-year stint in Asia, also noted that networking is not just for salespeople, senior managers or people who have already made it in their careers.

"Aside from being a good excuse to get out of the office," Hsu said, "it can be a great way to learn about a new industry, a second career, or simply where the opportunities for advancement lie within your present workplace... our goal is to create a sense of community amongst our constituents, as we understand the importance of the contributions they make to the future stability and economic advancement of the Asia-Pacific region... if it helps them to find a new business partner or a new job, we're all for it."

The launch event in Singapore will be held on July 29 at Lempicka on Mohammed Sultan Road and will run from 7-9 p.m.

About ORIENTED.COM, Inc.

ORIENTED.COM, Inc. is a global network of professionals who have a sincere interest in the development of the Asia-Pacific region, targeting expatriates living and working in Asia, business executives who travel frequently to and from the region, English-speaking Chinese nationals (also known as International Chinese), and the Overseas Chinese communities worldwide.

Services include:

• Face-to-face networking opportunities with like-minded professionals
  at the ORIENTED Happy Hours
• ORIENTED Regional Events Calendar
• ORIENTED Classifieds -- Jobs, Housing, Buy & Sell, Personals
• Online networking and information exchange with members through
  the ORIENTED Member Directory
• Regional news and information via the ORIENTED E-Newsletters
• Special member discounts and VIP invitations