Working smallrojects while setting up representative Office?

[rodeoflip]

Hi,

I am currently setting up a representative office for my employer here in Singapore. From the Do's and Don'ts it clearly says the RO cannot engage in any local business such as consultancy services or support. It explicitly states the RO may not "Render any direct or indirect revenue generation activities on behalf of its parent entity"
Yet it would be nice if I could engage in one or two small local projects as doing helps selling a service or product much better than just talking. Such a contract would have to be set with the HQ in the foreign country, of which I am sure it would be no problem.

As chief rep I will be holding an EP.

Is there still a way to "getting busy" outside of the research scheme the RO is intended for? Am I maybe just missing something? I clearly don't want to be on the illegal side here, so suggestions would be nice.

Thank you very much.

Cheers, Ronald

[beppi]

I worked for the RO of a foreign business in the past and did projects, consulting and technical service work (although mostly outside of Singapore).
My understanding (and the one of the RO head, who was on EP like you - I am PR and the only other employee) was that no financial transactions (i.e. revenue generation) can be carried out through the RO, but all other works (incl. those the mother company bills for from the head office) can.

[Strong Eagle]

I think you can pretty much do what you want and call it business development so long as you or your company do not invoice the entity for which you are doing the work.