Orient Issue 80

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE SINGAPORE ISSUE 80 | FEB 2021

BUILDING NETWORKS | CONNECTING BUSINESSES | CREATING OPPORTUNITIES

IN FOCUS INTERVIEW

35

Agilson Valle, Senior Sales Director, APAC and Country Manager, Singapore, Euromonitor International

29

Winners Of The 21st Annual Business Awards

Education & Learning How do you Teach Through a Pandemic?

41

Minister for Trade & Industry, Chan Chun Sing's Perspective on the Education Sector 49

52 UK Universities: Enrolment During COVID-19

MCI (P) 067/04/2019

SPECIAL FEATURE

Save the date and register at bit.ly/BCCIWD21

First speakers confirmed:

4 March, 5pm SGT / 9am GMT

8 March, 5pm SGT / 9am GMT

•• Tania Tania Bryer, Bryer, Broadcaster, Broadcaster, CNBC CNBC (Moderating) (Moderating) •• Larissa Larissa Tan, Tan, CEO, CEO, Vanda Vanda Electrics Electrics •• Anna Anna Green, Green, Head Head of of ISV ISV Segment, Segment, Asia Asia Pacific Pacific and and Japan, Japan, Amazon Amazon Web Web •• Dr Dr Cindy Cindy Goh, Goh, Director, Director, University University of of Glasgow Glasgow Singapore Singapore •• Simon Simon Middlebrough, Middlebrough, CEO, CEO, Singapore Singapore Aero Aero Engine Engine Services Services Private Private Limited Limited

•• Avivah Avivah Wittenberg-Cox, Wittenberg-Cox, CEO, CEO, 20-first 20-first •• Michelle Michelle Shi-Verdaasdonk, Shi-Verdaasdonk, Global Global Manufacturing Manufacturing & & Procurement Procurement Director, Director, Dyson Dyson •• Andrew Andrew Ashman, Ashman, Head Head of of APAC APAC Loan Loan Syndicate, Syndicate, Barclays Barclays Bank Bank PLC PLC •• Yi Yi Sin Sin Jason Jason Moo, Moo, Branch Branch Manager, Manager, Julius Julius Baer Baer •• Lewis Lewis Garrad, Garrad, Career Career Business Business Leader, Leader, Singapore, Singapore, Mercer Mercer (Moderating) (Moderating)

10 March, on-demand

11 March, 5pm SGT / 9am GMT

Women in Leadership/STEM

The BritCham Singapore Podcast special episode: Women in Startups Open Open to to all all on-demand, on-demand, in in this this special special episode episode of of our our popular popular podcast podcast channel, channel, Helen Helen Maguire, Maguire, Co-Founder Co-Founder of of Diversely Diversely and and member member of of the the Chamber's Chamber's Women Women in in Business Business Committee Committee will will be be in in conversation conversation with with JingJin JingJin Liu, Liu, CEO CEO & & Founder Founder of of ZaZaZu, ZaZaZu, and and an an INSEAD INSEAD mentor mentor to to start-up start-up businesses businesses in in Singapore Singapore and and Rachel Rachel Lim, Lim, Founder Founder of of Love, Love, Bonito.

Bonito.

Organised by:

#ChoosetoChallenge

Keynote Speech plus breakout rooms •• HE HE Kara Kara Owen Owen CMG CMG CVO, CVO, High High Commissioner Commissioner to to Singapore, Singapore, British British High High Commission Commission •• Jenny Jenny Campbell, Campbell, Founder Founder of of YourCash YourCash & & former former 'Dragon's 'Dragon's Den' Den' panelist panelist

For more information, please visit: www.britcham.org.sg You can also contact us at: events@britcham.org.sg | +65 6222-3552

03 07

President’s Message

09

Executive Director’s Message

13

News

20

New Members

26

Recent Webinars

28

Upcoming Events & Webinars

29

Special Feature: The 21st Annual Business Awards

35

In Focus: Agilson Valle, Senior Sales Director, APAC and Country Manager, Singapore, Euromonitor International Education & Learning:

41

How do you Teach Through a Pandemic?

49

Minister for Trade & Industry, Chan Chun Sing, Shares his Perspective on the Education Sector

51

Supporting the Education Sector

52

UK Universities: Enrolment During COVID-19

55

Ignite!: Guiding Career Pathways

60

Let's Discuss: Net-Zero in 2021

62

Let's Discuss: Cloud Computing

64

Member Discounts

Editor: Lucy Haydon lucy@britcham.org.sg Co-Editor & Designer: Nicole Alison Lim alison@britcham.org.sg

137 Telok Ayer Street, #06-03, Singapore 068602 Tel: +65 6222-3552 Fax: +65 6222-3556 Email: info@britcham.org.sg www.britcham.org.sg

Orient is a bi-monthly magazine published by the British Chamber of Commerce, Singapore. © All rights reserved.

The views and opinions expressed or implied in Orient are those of the authors or contributors and do not reflect those of the British Chamber of Commerce, its officers or editorial staff. No reproduction of articles without the prior permission of the Chamber.

Unsolicited transparencies and articles are sent at owner’s risk and the Chamber accepts no liability for loss or damage. Copy is not for sale and images belong to their respective owners. They are for illustrative purposes only, and no copyright infringement is intended.

@britchamsg @bccsingapore @british-chamber-ofcommerce-singapore

Advertising Inquiries Lucy Haydon lucy@britcham.org.sg +65 6718-0535

CONTENTS

EXCLUSIVELY FOR MEMBERS OF BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Lifetime Membership $4,280

Published Fee: $6,955 CLUB FACILITIES AND MEMBER BENEFITS •

Excellent sports facilities including swimming pools, tennis courts, squash courts and a fully equipped gym

•

Four restaurants with dining specials and Chef speciality dishes

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WorkHub with private work stations

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Member exclusive events and activities such as Mahjong, Craft and Reading sections

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Kids’ facilities comprising of a Teen Hangout and a supervised playroom for young children

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Reciprocal arrangement with over 300 clubs worldwide including The Tower Club and ONE 15 Marina in Singapore

Call 6410 1100 or email membership@britishclub.org.sg to book a Club tour now!

Above price inclusive of prevailing GST. Other terms and conditions apply.

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05

OUR PARTNERS PLATINUM PARTNER GOLD PARTNERS

BRONZE PARTNER

SILVER PARTNERS

SUPPORTING PARTNERS

OUR BOARD

COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSONS

MANAGEMENT TEAM

PRESIDENT:

BUILT ENVIRONMENT: Alisdair Gillies (Chairperson), Wendy McEwan (Co-Chair), Andy Marr (Co-Chair)

Executive Director: David Kelly

Richard Warburton, Arcadis Asia

VICE-PRESIDENTS:

Michael Shearer OBE, McLaren Applied Fiona Carney, Microsoft

SECRETARY:

Haslam Preeston, Jardine Matheson

TREASURER:

David Fowler, Sanne Group

BOARD MEMBERS:

Angel Cheung-Horenfeldt, Barclays Caroline Underhill, The Fry Group Damian Adams, Watson Farley & Williams Damian Hills, The British Club James Hennah, BT Singapore Pte Ltd James Nesbitt, Standard Chartered Bank Shivkumar Seerapu, Lloyds Bank Corporate Markets Plc Steve Firstbrook, Department for International Trade Lucy Watkins, British Council

DIVERSITY & INCLUSION: Andrew Ashman (Chairperson) ENERGY & UTILITIES: Tim Rockell (Chairperson), Allard Nooy (Co-Chair), Mark Florance (Co-Chair) FINANCIAL & FINTECH: Jeremy Leong (Co-Chair), Stewart Bell (Co-Chair), Francesca McKee (Co-Chair) HEALTHCARE & LIFE SCIENCES: Thalia Georgiou (Chairperson) ICT: Magda Chelly (Chairperson), Hitan Mehta (Co-Chair), Faisal Parvez (Co-Chair) LEADERSHIP, TALENT & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: Joe Tofield (Chairperson), Don Rapley (Co-Chair), Ellie Rich-Poole (Co-Chair) MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS: Suzy Goulding (Chairperson), Andrew Clark (Co-Chair) STARTUP, ENTREPRENEUR & SMALL BUSINESS: Lara Quie (Chairperson), Kris Sasitharan (Co-Chair) SUSTAINABILITY: Sarah Cragg (Chairperson), Mark Florance (Co-Chair) TRANSPORT, LOGISTICS & SUPPLY CHAIN: Simon Petch (Chairperson), Nicholas Potter (Co-Chair)

Head of Marketing & Communications and Partnerships; Deputy Executive Director: Lucy Haydon Business Services Director: Nicole Wharfe Member Relations Administrator: Melissa Ng Head of Events: Helen Starr Events Executive: Safreen Anwardeen Events Executive: Sabeena Nayyar Senior Marketing & Communications Executive: Nicole Alison Lim Marketing & Communications and Events Executive: Samantha Nelson Trade Services Advisor: Aisyah Ariffin Finance Manager: Radhika Chauhan Office Manager: Anna C Garciso

WOMEN IN BUSINESS: Luciana Vichino (Chairperson), Wanying Lim (Co-Chair)

CHAMBER INFORMATION

CHAMBER INFORMATION

Where Sportspeople Succeed, Heritage & Traditions Live On, and Entertainment is an Art.

• 13 Sports Sections • 4 International Sports Tournaments • 169 Years’ History in the Civic District

• 2 Social Sections / Clubs • 7 F&B Outlets • 4 Children / Youth Sports Programs

To arrange for a Club Tour, contact Membership Sales Manager Yvonnea Kok at 9819 8092 or email yvonnea.kok@scc.org.sg Singapore Cricket Club

|

Connaught Drive, Singapore 179681

|

www.scc.org.sg

| @SingaporeCricketClub on FaceBook, Instagram & LinkedIn

07

Message from the President

Dear Members, I trust that this edition of the Orient magazine continues to find you safe and well. The global impacts of Covid are continuing but I take heart for the ongoing support that I see our community providing to each other from both a personal and business perspective.

Richard Warburton President, British Chamber Of Commerce, Singapore richard@britcham.org.sg

Over the last few months the UK has taken significant steps forward in it’s trade relationships for this region.

These include the signing of the UK-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (UKSFTA), the EU-UK Trade & Cooperation Agreement, the announcement of the UK’s application to join the Comprehensive and Progressive TransPacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the ongoing discussions around the Digital Economy Partnership. You can find out more about these announcements on our Future of Trade Information Hub, and look out for upcoming events providing further information with the team at the Department for International Trade.

In this issue of the Orient we are focusing on education, providing insights into the experiences of our member schools teaching students in a highly unusual year, highlighting Singapore’s ambitions for the sector and the UK’s strengths through the work of our colleagues at The British Council. I look forward to the progress ahead with the launch of our Education & Learning Hub, our alumni ambassador programme and further opportunities to support our members and partners in this important sector.

The Chamber team has started 2021 with a full slate of activities to support and engage our members, working closely with our business committees and stakeholders.

Please do reach out to the team should you have any questions or suggestions, and I look forward to meeting you in person or virtually in the weeks ahead at one of our events.

Regards,

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

We DO Simple T&Cs apply. Protected up to specified limits by SDIC.

Find out what simple healthcare looks like – prudential.com.sg/prushield

09

Message from the Executive Director

Dear Members, Please click on this video or scan the QR code to watch David’s full update.

David Kelly Executive Director, British Chamber Of Commerce, Singapore david@britcham.org.sg

Best regards,

MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

STERLING MEMBERS

D ET U R

P O N S M UN

DO

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STERLING MEMBERS

GET IN TOUCH

GET IN TOUCH

137 Telok Ayer Street, #06-03, Singapore 068602 Tel: +65 6222-3552 Email: info@britcham.org.sg Website: www.britcham.org.sg

@british-chamber-of-commerce-singapore

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Read the Orient Magazine on the go!

Available for mobile devices and tablets in the Google Play Store at bit.ly/orientplaystore, and in the iOS App Store at bit.ly/orientappstore!

Hit subscribe or click here to get your regular copy of the Orient

13

Download the 2020/21 Membership Directory

Find out all about the Chamber, what we’ve been up to in 2020, what our Committees are working on, what the latest opportunities are in ASEAN, and get the full member company listing.

IN & AROUND THE CHAMBER An overview of the Chamber’s activities, UK and Singapore connectivity with an in-depth review of each of the Business Committees.

TRADING IN ASEAN Country-level trade statistics with highlighted sectors for development and contact details for the local British Chamber in-country.

MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY An A-Z list of corporate members at publication. Contact information is available to members via login to access the online membership directory at any time.

Visit britcham.org.sg/2020-21-membership-directory to download your copy.

BritCham President Speaks to biztech.asia on Singapore as a Springboard for British Businesses’ Expansion in the Region

Recorded in December 2020, watch this video interview with Richard Warburton on the outlook for British businesses and the Chamber in 2021.

Read the full article and more from biztech.asia at biztech.asia/2021/01/05/singapore-asspringboard-for-british-businessesexpansion-in-the-region/

NEWS: FROM THE CHAMBER

NEWS: FROM THE CHAMBER

of solidarity to collectively pledge support for a joint statement on fair hiring and employment practices.

BritCham Supports SBF Pledge of 29 TACs to Promote Fair Employment Practices in Singapore

The Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in an unprecedented time of economic disruption for businesses and their workforce. As businesses welcome the new year and prepare for recovery and growth, the joint statement is an important call by the TACs to encourage their member companies to remain committed to recruiting candidates fairly based on merit and to developing their workforce.

The Joint Statement is aligned with the Fair Consideration Framework (FCF) and the Tripartite Guidelines for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TGFEP), which underline employers’ commitment to preventing discrimination at the workplace and encouraging businesses to adopt progressive human resource (HR) practices, provide guidance for TACs and their members companies to abide by the principles of fair and equitable hiring of employees, so as to develop a strong Singaporean core.

Together, the 29 TACs represent the diversity of Singapore’s business community, across different industry sectors and spanning Multinational Companies (MNCs), Large Local Enterprises (LLEs) and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs).

The 29 TACs have come together to declare their belief in the following core principles:

The British Chamber in Singapore joined our fellow Trade Associations and Chambers in pledging our support towards fair hiring and employment practices.

The changing nature of employment and workplaces and equality are intrinsic to our values, highlighted in our Future of Work theme. Most recently, we engaged in direct conversations with the Minister of Manpower following the results of our Manpower Survey and showcased member companies leading the way in this area through a special video. Watch it here:

•

•

•

The statement from the Singapore Business Federation and TACs has been covered extensively in the media: Straits Times Channel News Asia (online) Channel News Asia (broadcast) Under the aegis of the Singapore Business Federation, 29 Trade Associations and Chambers (TACs) under the TAC Alliance joined forces today (19 January 2021) in a show

Promote Positive Workplace Relations: Work is a collaboration between employers and employees, and among teams of employees, and diversity of employees is important for businesses. Both employers and employees have a role to play in co-creating a positive workplace environment, where diversity is celebrated and individuals are respected, trained and developed on an equal opportunity basis.

Practise Fair Hiring: Be committed to fair hiring in compliance with the FCF and TGFEP and hire the best-fit candidate for every job based on merit.

Candidates may be qualified employees within the company, external candidates based in Singapore, or international candidates if there are no suitable local candidates. Ensure that there is diversity within the global talent hired, in order to bring the best perspectives, experiences and support for long-term success.

Provide Development Opportunities: Employers should support the learning and development of employees to acquire relevant attributes and skills, facilitate the transfer of niche or business-critical skills to local employees to develop local talent, and consider suitably qualified current employees when seeking candidates for leadership roles in the company. On their part, employees should actively undertake development opportunities offered by employers, including overseas work assignments to broaden experience and acquire new skills.

The full joint statement and list of supporting TACs are in the Annex A.

15

Results of the British Chamber’s Inaugural Manpower Survey

In November the British Chamber ran our first large-scale Manpower Survey, polling members in senior leadership and HR management on the full circle of employment, from entry level positions through skills development, career progression and balancing the foreign workforce with a local core, to exits and retirement.

The findings of this survey were analysed in the local media, particularlyaround any perceived skills gap between Singapore-educated employees and foreign talent.

Download the survey report at britcham.org.sg/sites/default/files/content-files/ Manpower-Survey-2020.pdf

Reminder - Work Pass Holders Now Required to Update MOM on a New Residential Address or Mobile Number Within 5 Days of any Change

With effect from 23 December 2020, all work pass holders, excluding foreign domestic workers (FDWs), are required to update the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) on their new residential address or mobile number within five days of any change, as part of their work pass conditions under the Employment of Foreign Manpower (Work Passes) Regulations (EFMR).

In summary: Employment Pass Online link - EPOL Online Foreign Worker Address Service link - OFWAS

NEWS: FROM THE CHAMBER

NEWS: FROM THE CHAMBER

Updates from the Trade Services Team

Following the announcement of the UK-Singapore Free Trade Agreement and the recently announced UK bid to join the CPTPP, it is no surprise that the BritCham Trade Services team have been kept busy since returning after the festive break.

Multiple projects have been underway to support UK companies to build out their presence in Singapore and establish market entry, and technology has inadvertently become a theme of these projects. Early in the year, we began with outreach activity for our new member London Dynamics, an augmented commerce solution changing the face of the retail experience.

More recently, we hosted the Tech 4 Good Trade Mission. This brought together nine companies from the South West of England who have created technology with a purpose. Soon we will move into the delivery phase of the Northern Powerhouse Tech Trade Mission, which will showcase 15 technology firms from the northern regions of the UK – keep an eye out for further information!

If you do wish to reach out to the Trade Services team at any point, please feel free to email our Business Services Director, Nicole Wharfe, at nicole@britcham.org.sg

Catch a replay of our webinars:

Supporting VCs – How Can The Chamber Help And Doing Business In Singapore | BritCham Singapore

The Trade Services team continues to see considerable interest from UK companies in the food & beverage, consumer goods, technology and healthcare sectors looking to Singapore as an entry point to the region.

The team has already successfully supported several companies to have their products listed in Singapore including Planet Organics - soon to be available at Little Farms stores - and Little Moons, already available from RedMart.

Collaboration continues with key stakeholders such as the Department for International Trade, the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) and the Infocomm Media Development Authority of Singapore (IMDA) to deliver various activity engaging UK firms to consider Singapore for their next market entry. Looking forward, we are excited to be supporting the Go Grow initiative, South East Asia’s first dedicated Agri-FoodTech accelerator with an impact focus. Our activities will provide the selected companies for the programme an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the Singapore and ASEAN market, access to specialist companies within the BritCham network, and provide our members with opportunities to contribute to the accelerator programme and develop relationships with these new market entrants.

Cyber Security Trade Webinar

Education Trade Webinar

17

UK Applies to Join Huge Pacific Free Trade Area CPTPP

The government is formally applying to join one of the world’s largest free-trade areas, to position the UK at the heart of emerging economies in the Pacific and support jobs across the UK. UK International Trade Secretary Liz Truss will speak with Ministers in Japan and New Zealand on Monday morning (1 February 2021) to request to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), the first formal step before negotiations start later this year.

UK membership would enhance trade with CPTPP nations, including Singapore, by opening up new markets and opportunities for UK businesses while encouraging greater inward investment and strengthening the UK’s ties with the Indo-Pacific region and the Americas.

Membership would also help the UK go further and faster in areas like digital trade and services. Last year trade from the UK to CPTPP member nations in these fields hit £18.7 billion and joining now would create an opportunity to unleash other sectors of the UK’s economy1.

The UK’s accession would increase CPTPP’s combined GDP from £9 trillion to £11 trillion2. Last year, trade between the UK and the 11 member countries was worth more than £111 billion and has grown on average at 8% each year since 20163.

The UK’s membership to CPTPP is a key part of the UK’s Government’s plan to position the UK at the centre of a network of modern free trade deals that drive jobs and economic growth.

UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson said:

“One year after our departure for the EU we are forging new partnerships that will bring enormous economic benefits for the people of Britain. Applying to be the first new country to join the CPTPP demonstrates our ambition to do business on the best terms with our friends and partners all over the world and be an enthusiastic champion of global free trade.”

International Trade Secretary Liz Truss said:

“Our ambition, as an independent trading nation, is to champion free trade, fight protectionism and remove barriers to trade at every opportunity – all of which are values that CPTPP member countries promote.

trade and investment opportunities for all members and put the UK at the centre of a dynamic, free-trade area.

As the world continues to recover from the Coronavirus pandemic, membership of CPTPP will help create jobs across the UK, diversify our supply chains and make us more resilient for the future.

I am looking forward to working with these vibrant economies to help reshape global rules in forward-leaning industries, like in digital and data, and in services.”

Sam Myers, Her Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for Asia Pacific, said:

“British business is already benefitting from the bilateral trade deals that came into effect at the start of this year.

Accession to CPTPP, the most advanced plurilateral trade agreement in the world, would allow them to become even more integrated with the economies and supply chains of this trading community.

My team and I look forward to supporting this process and to developing ever deeper trade partnerships with the Indo-Pacific members of the CPTPP.’’ In response to the announcement, the British Chambers of Commerce across the Asia Pacific region released the following statement:

“The British Chambers of Commerce across the Asia Pacific region welcome the news that the UK has formally begun the process to join the 11-nation Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). We recognise the enormous benefits and opportunities of the UK joining this dynamic multi-lateral free trade agreement between Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam could bring for British business and their partners in the region, and look forward to successful conclusions of the application.”

1 Note: Trade in services by service type for Brunei, Peru and Vietnam are not included in this analysis. Please note that data reported may be incomplete for these individual trading partners. Source: ONS, Modes of Supply, 2019. Data is experimental, and methodology used to compile the data are subject to future improvements.

2 DIT calculations based on IMF World Economic Outlook, October 2020 (accessed November 2020) 3

CPTPP is an exclusive club of fast-growing countries who trade together, and our accession would secure increased

ONS UK trade: all countries, non-seasonally adjusted, Q2 2020.

NEWS: AROUND THE CHAMBER

NEWS: AROUND THE CHAMBER

The UK signs a historic trade deal with the EU, valued at £660 billion

Prince Charles Discusses the Private Sector’s Transition to a Sustainable Future

Watch the Prime Minister’s full speech announcing the historic trade deal reached between the UK and European Union on 24 December, 2020. The full transcript is also available here.

Prince Charles and Brian Moynihan discuss the private sector’s transition to a sustainable future and the evolution of corporate climate pledges into impactful actions with Fred Kempe in a special edition of #ACFrontPage​presented by the Global Energy Forum.

19

MullenLowe Sustainability launches in Asia

MullenLowe Group APAC has launched MullenLowe Sustainability, a new practice offering specialist support to businesses and brands across the region looking to turn good intentions into impactful actions.

The practice will form part of MullenLowe salt Singapore, the strategic communications arm of the business.

MullenLowe salt is a certified B Corporation and a signatory to the United Nations Global Compact, set up to encourage businesses worldwide to adopt sustainable and socially responsible policies and to report on their implementation.

MullenLowe Sustainability aims to ‘build better businesses’ by offering a range of services to businesses at all stages in their sustainability journey, including industry and competitor assessment, report creation, internal and external communications and partnership brokering. Tapping into its extensive network of partners, the team will also provide niche and technical expertise as part of its end-to-end sustainability support service.

The MullenLowe Sustainability team is already working with WWF Singapore and were the official PR partners for UN Global Compact Network Singapore’s Virtual Summit this year, highlighting the need for more sustainability commitments and actions from businesses across Asia.

This month the team has also signed new client Kaer, Asia’s largest Aircon-As-A-Service provider.

Commenting on the need to support more businesses in becoming sustainable, Esther Chang, Executive Director, UN Global Compact Network Singapore, said:

“While the region has made some progress on the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), ‘business as usual’ will not be enough to meet the goals by 2030. We urge all companies to take their next decisive step in reimagining ways of doing business that are both responsible and resilient. When more businesses collectively take action, that is when the magic of compounding takes off and we see real progress towards achieving the SDGs.” MullenLowe salt has 20 years of experience in driving impactful purpose-driven sustainability campaigns, having provided strategic leadership on Lifebuoy’s famous ‘Help A Child Reach 5’ campaign, which included developing a successful advocacy campaign for handwashing with soap to be included in the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and co-creating the global strategy for Global Handwashing Day, an awareness event recognised by the UN and now in its 12th year.

More recent sustainability clients include amongst others PepsiCo, Asia Pacific Breweries and Syngenta.

Gordon Ramsay Bar & Grill at Sunway Resort to open in June 2021

Sunway Resort will soon be home to the world-renowned, multi-Michelin starred chef’s first-ever restaurant, Gordon Ramsay Bar & Grill. This marks an exciting new era of international gastronomy for the country as it will be the first of its kind concept restaurant, outside of Mayfair, London.

Scheduled to open in June 2021, guests can enjoy a varied all-day menu offering everything from snacks and light bites, to Gordon Ramsay’s signature dishes such as Beef

Wellington and Sticky Toffee Pudding. In addition, the restaurant is versatile to suit intimate private dining and events with excellent menu selections and personalised service.

For more information on Gordon Ramsay’s Bar & Grill at Sunway Resort, please email gordonramsay.rsvp@sunwayhotels.com

NEWS: MEMBER NEWS

NEW MEMBERS

STERLING MEMBER

SINGAPORE AERO ENGINE SERVICES PRIVATE LIMITED Singapore Aero Engine Services Private Limited (SAESL) is a Trent Centre of Excellence and is now the largest Trent engine MRO shop in the world. SAESL specialises in the maintenance, repair and overhaul of Rolls-Royce Trent engines, namely the Trent 500, 700, 800, 900, 1000, XWB and 7000.

Strategically located near Singapore Changi Airport, SAESL provides support to an international customer base of airlines. SAESL has the capacity to repair and overhaul over 320 engines a year and is equipped with a state-of-the-art Engine Test Facility. With a reputation for service excellence and a well-developed customer base, SAESL is well positioned in the Asia-Pacific region for continued growth, through the reliable and effective maintenance, repair and overhaul of Trent engines. We are committed to Servicing the Best by the Best.

Visit www.saesl.com.sg for more information.

Representative Member: Simon Middlebrough, CEO

CORPORATE MEMBERS ASHURST LLP Ashurst is a leading international law firm with world class capability and a prestigious global client base. The firm's in-depth understanding of its clients and commitment to providing exceptional standards of service has seen it become a trusted adviser to local and global corporates, financial institutions and governments on all areas of commercial law. Ashurst has 28 offices in 16 countries and offers the reach and insight of a global network, combined with the knowledge and understanding of local markets. Visit www.ashurst.com for more information.

Representative Member: Florence Chan, Business Development Manager

BULLETPROOF DESIGN PTE. LTD. Bulletproof is an independent strategic brand agency working with the planet’s most progressive brands across all touchpoints, including digital and social media. With offices in London, New York, Singapore, Amsterdam and Sydney, we believe that people make the difference and that true collaborative spirit creates a compelling and infectious energy, which delivers outstanding commercial results.

We passionately believe in the power of design to influence human behaviour and improve your bottom line. Visit www.wearebulletproof.com for more information.

Representative Member: Charlie Cookson, Strategic Business Director

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CITY OSTEOPATHY & PHYSIOTHERAPY CCity Osteopathy & O Physiotherapy Ph wWWW.CITYOSTEOPHYSIO.COM

City Osteopathy & Physiotherapy is a multi-disciplinary health & wellness practise with 3 clinics across Singapore. We have a team of expert practitioners across Physiotherapy, Osteopathy, Naturopathy, Sports Massage, Lymphatic Drainage, and Sleep & Breathing Issues. We provide the very best bio-mechanical assessment, manual therapy, rehabilitation, and complimentary general healthcare for the whole family. Our approach is founded on a simple guiding principle: Move Better, Live Better. Find out more at www.cityosteophysio.com.

Representative Member: Thomas Wynn-Jones, Owner

FAIRMONT SINGAPORE & SWISSOTEL THE STAMFORD Strategically located at the heart of Singapore’s business, cultural and shopping districts, Fairmont Singapore caters to business and leisure travellers who appreciate personalised and luxurious experience. Swissôtel The Stamford is a five-star deluxe hotel offering a prime location just 20 minutes from Changi International Airport. One of Southeast Asia's tallest hotels, Swissôtel The Stamford offers 1,261 luxurious guestrooms and suites. Find out more at www.fairmont.com/singapore Representative Member: Alka Solanki, Director of Commercial Marketing

GLOBALIZATION PARTNERS Globalization Partners enables companies to quickly and easily expand internationally across six continents and 187 countries. Our Global Employer of Record (EOR) model allows companies to hire employees in as little as 12 hours without having to navigate complex international legal, tax, and HR issues. When companies find top talent, that team member is put on our locally compliant payroll. Visit www.globalization-partners.com for more information.

Representative Member: Charles Ferguson, General Manager, Asia

GREENSILL ASIA PTE LTD Greensill is the market-leading provider of working capital finance for businesses and people globally. We unlock capital so the world can put it to work. Founded in 2011 by Lex Greensill, the company is headquartered in London with more than 800 specialists worldwide. Greensill provides Supply Chain Finance to customers globally and uses the power of financial markets to unlock capital on terms that fit the precise requirements of our clients, from 20 days to 20 years and beyond.

Visit www.greensill.com for more information.

Representative Member: Sam Dudley, Director

NEW MEMBERS

NEW MEMBERS

KELLER FOUNDATIONS (S E ASIA) PTE LTD Keller is the world's largest geotechnical specialist contractor. Founded in Germany in 1860, Keller is now a UK-based multinational company, operating in more than 40 countries around the globe. In ASEAN, Keller has established its presence for over 20 years, helping create infrastructures that add value for communities around the region. Visit kellerasean.com for more information.

Representative Member: Deepak Raj, Managing Director

PTS SINGAPORE Supporting our clients as they relocate or refresh their real estate portfolio, PTS Singapore offers a personalised service to transform the workplace and operations through technology. We combine visionary thinking and strategic guidance with innovative IT, AV and Data Centre designs and practical implementation to ensure technology underpins a seamless workplace experience. Visit www.pts.com.sg for more information.

Representative Member: Tom Miu, Managing Director

RAFFLES HOTEL SINGAPORE Raffles welcomes you as we write a new chapter after an extensive restoration, breathing new life into the storied hotel. The restoration was designed to ensure that we retain what is so special about Raffles – the ambience, the service, the charm and the heritage of the hotel. Experience legendary service as you enjoy newly opened bars, restaurants and boutiques whilst exploring graceful courtyards and relaxing in cosy social spaces. Find out more at www.raffles.com/singapore Representative Member: Denise Lim, Marketing Communications Executive

VERISK MAPLECROFT With over 20 years standing at the forefront of data modelling, risk analysis and strategic forecasting, Verisk Maplecroft offers an unparalleled perspective on the complexities of the global risk landscape and the challenges it presents to business and investors. Its unique, holistic approach to risk is designed to help businesses identify, map and manage the exposure of their operations, supply chains and investments to the full spectrum of risks. Find out more at www.maplecroft.com Representative Member: Miha Hribernik, Head of Asia

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CORPORATE SME MEMBERS BELOVED BUMPS Beloved Bumps provides prenatal and postnatal services to couples in Singapore - founded by Natasha, a UK registered midwife, in 2017, Beloved Bumps continues to connect couples expecting babies at a similar time and has built a tight-knit community for parents. Services include antenatal classes, postnatal classes, first aid for parents and helpers, doula services, well baby clinics, and exercise.

Visit www.belovedbumps.sg for more information.

Representative Member: Natasha Cullen, Director

CABOT CAPITAL PARTNERS Cabot Capital Partners (CCP) is a Singapore regulated fund manager focused on Asian private markets. CCP’s principals have broad global networks and crosssector expertise in private equity and asset management in emerging markets.

Visit www.cabotcapital.co for more information.

Representative Member: Diana Reeves, Director

INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL PRESS PTE LTD We “IFP” offer translation services to financial institutions, law firms, listed companies as well as other various multinational companies in any languages.

Print Management & Event Management are also our strength.

Visit www.ifp.com.sg for more information.

Representative Member: Carrie Cantwell, Managing Director

IPSOTEK PTE LTD Established in 2001, Ipsotek is a pioneer in the field of A.I.V.A. (Artificial Intelligence Video Analytics) for mission critical applications. Our highly scalable platform VISuite AI enables users to efficiently manage automatically generated alarms in real-time, resulting in reduced operator response times and the ability to track chosen behaviours of interest in complex environments.

Visit www.ipsotek.com for more information.

Representative Member: Christopher Bishop, Sales Director APAC & Marketing Director

NEW MEMBERS

NEW MEMBERS

LIONCAT FILMS LTE LTD LIONCAT Films are a Creative Production company, bringing creative thinking and production capability together to create feature films, documentaries, advertising and social content. With offices in Singapore + London, our clients include TWG, Audi, Marina Bay Sands, The Macallan and Carousell. Visit www.lioncatfilms.com for more information.

Representative Member: John Marsden, Managing Director

CORPORATE START-UP MEMBERS

IVYDALE Ivydale’s purpose is to enable people to make a positive impact on the world around them. We do this through partnering with clients to support them to grow purposefully and sustainably to achieve exceptional results. Ivydale provides executive coaching and consultancy services. Based in Singapore, we serve clients across Asia, Europe, Africa and the Middle East, virtually and in person.

Visit www.ivydalecoaching.com for more information.

Representative Member: Roisin Reynolds, Managing Director

JANE'S SINGAPORE TOURS PTE LTD Jane’s Singapore Tours is an innovative tour and travel company specialising in tours with a twist for Singapore residents and visitors alike. We design small group tours to satisfy the curiosity of adventuresome people keen to learn about Singapore’s history, heritage and culture. We’re passionate about helping you dig deep to understand how Singapore’s diverse and unique culture contributes to its status as a small country packing a big punch in the world. Visit www.janestours.sg for more information.

Representative Member: Jane Iyer, CEO

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KBMOMENTUM At KBMomentum, we help our clients communicate with confidence. Delivering a presentation, speaking to an audience or handling live media interviews is daunting. We live in a visual world where it’s crucial to make the right impression.

We are experienced TV and Radio broadcasters who work with clients to help them unlock their speaking potential, breathe life into their communications and get their message to stick. Find out more at www.kbmomentum.com Representative Member: Kate Burton, Founder & CEO

SEVEN CLEAN SEAS Seven Clean Seas (SCS) is an ocean clean up organisation building an ecosystem covering environmental plastic recovery, community level interception, river clean-up and sorting infrastructure in South East Asia. To this end, SCS has developed a high volume, low cost River Plastic Recovery System, employs rural waste management teams in Indonesia and is setting up a Materials Recovery Facility. Visit www.sevencleanseas.com for more information.

Representative Member: Tom Peacock-Nazil, Founder and CEO

NEW MEMBERS

RECENT WEBINARS

RECENT WEBINARS

Discover more webinars at britcham.org.sg/webinars

20 October 2020: SGUnited Jobs & Skills Package Webinar

Future of Work Partner:

In this session from Workforce Singapore in our Future of Work series, understand the usage of SGUnited and other support options available from the Singapore Government.

21 October 2020: Video Conferencing Masterclass (Members Only) Engaging, entertaining and full of practical advice.

Your success is driven by your ability to communicate effectively to succeed at work from home. Watch this replay of the popular video conferencing masterclass, exclusively available to members.

22 October 2020: The Impact of the US Elections on UK-US relations Hear from a panel of experts on the impacts of the US Election to relations with the UK. This session was recorded prior to the Election.

28 October 2020: My Building Got Hacked Hear from a panel of experts on the cyber risks associated with smart buildings.

05 November 2020: Cyber Security Trade Webinar Our Trade Services team delivered our 5th Trade Webinar on 5th November focusing on Cyber Security the protection of IoT and data.

11 November 2020: Unlocking True Leadership with Neuroplasticity Watch this webinar to learn how neuroscience is helping people understand their own brain, it's incredible ability to change, and how this can be harnessed to unlock true potential.

Future of Trade Partner:

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26 November 2020: A Blueprint for Webinars – What Not to Do Hear from leading industry experts who will enrich your future webinar strategy to ensure you, and your target audience continue to gain equal value from webinars.

01 December 2020: Ocean Plastic: Problems, Challenges & Solutions Hear from scientific experts on the full extent of the problem and those on the ground providing real-world scalable solutions.

08 December 2020: Future Outlook of Supply Chains: Challenges, Solutions and Impact on Trade This webinar assesses the current macroeconomic and geopolitical landscape and investigate how these influences have redefined the flow of trade, as well as the future working practises of supply chain.

10 December 2020: Marketing In The Time of COVID-19: What Do Consumers Expect From Brands?

Our Marketing & Communications Committee hosted an end of year webinar on brand and ad strategies & pitfalls to avoid as businesses recover from COVID-19.

28 January 2021: Diversity in the Workplace Managing Sensitive Racial Diversity Issues

Official D&I Partner:

The Diversity & Inclusion committee bring you a discussion on racial diversity in the workplace, discussing best practice, unconscious bias, privilege, policy setting and external influences across a variety of sectors.

Partner:

16 Febuary 2021: Maintain and Sustain Your Employees

Future of Work Partner:

Watch this replay with leading HR, recruitment and leadership specialists who will share the stresses and strains on both the employer and the employee and what businesses can do to create attractive environments and loyalty.

RECENT WEBINARS

RECENT WEBINARS

UPCOMING EVENTS & WEBINARS Visit our Upcoming Events page at www.britcham.org.sg/events to find out more about the following events, or contact the events team at events@britcham.org.sg

DATE

NAME

TIME

VENUE

02 Mar 2021

Carbon Capture, Utilisation & Storage (CCUS) - An Imperative for Asia

4:00 PM 5:30 PM

Webinar

03 Mar 2021

Leaders in Business Lunch ft. H.E. Kara Owen CMG CVO

11:30 AM 1:30 PM

Jurong Ballroom Shangri-La Hotel 22 Orange Grove Road S 258350

04 - 11 Mar 2021

International Women's Day 2021: The Virtual Conference

16 Mar 2021

A UK Outlook : UK Budget Review

12:00 PM 1:00 PM

Webinar

17 Mar 2021

Building an Inclusive Workplace & Pride Networks

9:00 AM 10:30 AM

Webinar

23 Mar 2021

The Future Of Data In APAC

9:00 AM 10:30 PM

Webinar

Webinar

EVENT PARTNERS

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The 21st Annual Business Awards presented the winners in nine categories during our first ever Virtual Awards Ceremony on Thursday, 29th October 2020.

As the longest-running awards initiative by an international Chamber in Singapore, we have been showcasing the best of business for over 20 years. In this very special evening, we recognised the finalists and winners of this years awards, celebrating 21 years of business excellence.

TITLE PARTNER:

SUPPORTING PARTNERS:

MADE POSSIBLE WITH:

SPECIAL FEATURE: THE 21ST ANNUAL BUSINESS AWARDS

THE 21ST ANNUAL BUSINESS AWARDS: PRESENTING THE WINNERS OF THE 21ST ANNUAL BUSINESS AWARDS

Congratulations to the winners of our 21st Annual Business Awards!

This year’s awards were presented to the winners in nine categories during our first ever Virtual Awards Ceremony on Thursday, 29th October 2020, accompanied by Richard Warburton, President of the Chamber, Her Excellency Kara Owen CMG CVO, British High Commissioner to Singapore and Guest of Honour, Chan Chun Sing, Minister for Trade & Industry.

We would also like to thank our Judging Panel, consisting of Darius Lim, Assistant CEO of the Singapore Business Federation, Lim Kok Kiang, Executive Vice President of International Operations for the EDB, and Steve Firstbrook, Country Director for the Department for International Trade.

21st Annual Business Awards Virtual Awards Ceremony

In this year of COVID-19, the awards provided an opportunity for organisations to showcase their resilience, flexibility and innovation during such challenging times.

We would like to thank everyone who submitted their entries this year. All your entries are truly inspirational, motivating and we would like to congratulate everyone on your efforts.

Here’s to another year of celebrating the everprogressive business excellence within Singapore!

The Straits Times Recognising excellence | INSPIRE

ANNUAL BUSINESS AWARDS 2020 WINNERS Technological Impact of the Year

Business Transformation of the Year

Seven Clean Seas was recognised for its exceptional sustainable and green business strategies which contribute to and assist in investing in the community while adhering to legal standards.

Rolls-Royce Singapore was crowned for its state-of-the-art technology while showcasing next-level innovation and breakthrough solutions with significant market impact.

Diversity & Inclusion Champion of the Year

Collecting its second award for the evening, JAM was recognised for its excellent customer experience, which has benefited the business and its customers with measurable results.

“Historically, customer service in the technology industry, and more specifically, the managed cloud sector, has a reputation for lifeless call centres stationed somewhere in the world that is nowhere near the actual company you have contracted,” Freddie says. “JAM wanted to change all that. Our support calls are always answered by real people.”

Transform Your Conversations was recognised for being a business that showcases excellence in growth, technology and innovation, and for being a market leader in its sector. Managing Director Don Rapley says the prestigious award was an incredible achievement for the brand – especially during the testing year. “The moment it became clear that face-to-face training was no longer possible as COVID-19 unfolded, we were confident we could go all-in with digital workshops,” Don reflects. “We had not only the experience, but also a strong base of partner clients who were willing to make the transition with us.

This award is a fantastic recognition by the panel of what we have achieved.”

Sustainability Champion of the Year

CELEBRATING

SUCCESS

THE WINNERS OF THE BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE SINGAPORE’S 21ST ANNUAL BUSINESS AWARDS WERE ANNOUNCED DURING A SPECIAL VIRTUAL AWARDS CEREMONY. WORDS EMILY PIDGEON

T

he past year has certainly been a challenging one for businesses everywhere, making it all the more important to celebrate the incredible achievements of Singapore’s leading enterprises. Usually held during a magnificent gala dinner, the British Chamber of Commerce Singapore’s Annual Business Awards was forced to transform its traditional affair into its first ever virtual ceremony.

More than 300 guests attended the live-streamed ceremony from the comfort of their homes in October last year to celebrate the inspiring enterprises being recognised for their accomplishments. Rolls-Royce Singapore, Just After Midnight and Transform Your Conversations were among the esteemed line-up of companies acknowledged during the 21st Annual Business Awards.

For the first time in its history, Singapore’s business excellence was on full display during a special virtual awards ceremony featuring guest of honour Chan Chun Sing (above), Minister for Trade & Industry. In the lead-up to announcing the winners, Minister Chan took part in a closed-door roundtable discussion with business leaders across the Chamber network to discuss the road to post-COVID-19 economic recovery in Singapore.

As the longest-running awards initiative by an international Chamber in Singapore, the prestigious event highlights the significant longstanding collaboration between the nations.

54 | theceomagazine.com

“Our Annual Business Awards have a long tradition of celebrating business excellence, no matter the external circumstances impacting the economy at the time,” David Kelly, British Chamber of Commerce Executive Director, said on the evening.

“We proceeded with the decision to run the Awards this year despite the difficult year this has been for many, knowing that we would uncover stories of success and inspiration from our network of members and connections that everyone would be happy to celebrate.

“We have been especially pleased this year with the support from the Singapore Government in recognising the importance of the Awards, with Enterprise Singapore, the Singapore Economic Development Board and Singapore Business Federation all acting as Supporting Partners alongside our long-term support from the British High Commission, Department for International Trade and this year’s event partners.”

Hosted by BBC World News Presenter Sharanjit Leyl with guest speakers Richard Warburton, President at British Chamber of Commerce Singapore; HE Kara Owen CMG CVO, British High Commissioner to Singapore; and Dennis Tan, Prudential Singapore CEO; the eight inspiring winners were announced throughout the evening, including the UK Impact in Singapore award, which was voted live on the night.

Customer Service Provider of the Year

For its exceptional practices and contributions towards improving diversity and inclusion in the industry, Shell Eastern Petroleum was awarded for its long-term commitment to equality while pushing diversity and inclusion.

Start-up of the Year Awarded to an outstanding start-up business, Just After Midnight (JAM) was honoured for its innovation, growth and profit performance beyond its initial projections. “One of the challenging aspects of running a startup is validation,” CEO Freddie Heygate explains.

“Sure, winning new clients and expanding our remit with existing clients is a key measure of success, but from a broader perspective, it can sometimes be difficult to objectively know that we are moving in the right direction.

It gives us even more impetus to work hard and continue to innovate, knowing that our hard work up to this point has all been worth it.”

Freddie Heygate

Individual Contribution of the Year Simon Bennett, General Manager for Sustainable Development, Swire Pacific Offshore and the China Navigation Company, was awarded the prestigious accolade for his achievements in the workplace throughout the past 12 months. “It is humbling and heartwarming to be recognised for what we do, without having blown our own trumpet in search of recognition,” he reflects.

Don Rapley

Employer of the Year Prudential Singapore was crowned the Employer of the Year for leading the way in supporting the opportunities, development and wellbeing of its employees.

UK Impact in Singapore Judged live throughout the evening, Femtech Partners was awarded for its relationship between the UK and Singapore, which has made a significant impact to Singapore’s economy and society.

Simon Bennett

theceomagazine.com | 55

The CEO Magazine

We spoke to the winners on our podcast. Click to listen to the episodes:

31

BUSINESS TRANSFORMATION OF THE YEAR

WINNER:

TYC is a training company that helps leaders to have inspiring leadership conversations. Companies across the globe have moved to online learning and TYC has been at the heart of this transformation.

Don, Emma and the TYC team have been building their skills to deliver highly engaging virtual learning experiences and create their future with a new business model.

EMPLOYER OF THE YEAR

WINNER:

Prudential Singapore is a leading life insurer in Singapore that has been serving the financial and protection needs of its citizens for more than 89 years. In line with their purpose of Innovating to Help Everyone Live Well, Prudential Singapore’s aspiration is to become a wellness company by 2021. This aspiration starts with their people and extends to the community.

START-UP OF THE YEAR

WINNER:

Just After Midnight is the number one global provider of aroundthe-clock managed hosting support services. JAM specialises in making sure that brands are protected when they were out-the office. They offer 24/7 incident management, cloud, application and DevOps support to digital agencies and brands globally — protecting profit and reputation, improving your service offering and taking away the stress of providing 24/7 solutions. They are proud to have some of the world’s largest companies as partners.

THE 21ST ANNUAL BUSINESS AWARDS: PRESENTING THE WINNERS OF THE 21ST ANNUAL BUSINESS AWARDS

THE 21ST ANNUAL BUSINESS AWARDS: PRESENTING THE WINNERS OF THE 21ST ANNUAL BUSINESS AWARDS

INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTION OF THE YEAR

WINNER:

SIMON BENNETT DEVELOPMENT

Simon is GM for Sustainable Development for both SPO and The China Navigation Company (CNCo), the Swire group’s privately owned deepsea company. A strong advocate of sustainable shipping, Simon has been championing SD programmes in Swire for the past twelve years.

Simon has been the key member of the Sustainable Shipping Initiative (SSI) from its inception which led to setting up of Ship Recycling Transparency Initiative (SRTI) to promote social, environmental and economical way of recycling ships at the end of their economic lives – meeting and going beyond international conventions and norms.

DEEPAK RAJ

MANAGING DIRECTOR

DR. KENNETH LOW

PEIQIAN LIU

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, PROGRAMME DIRECTOR

CHINA ECONOMIST

SIMON BENNETT DEVELOPMENT

DIVERSITY & INCLUSION CHAMPION OF THE YEAR

WINNER:

Shell is a global energy company with 84,000 employees across more than 70 countries. Shell uses advanced technologies and takes an innovative approach to help build a sustainable energy future. It has expertise in the exploration, production, refining and marketing of oil and natural gas, and the manufacturing and marketing of chemicals.

SHELL EASTERN PETROLEUM

SHELL INTERNATIONAL EASTERN TRADING CO

TECHNOLOGICAL IMPACT OF THE YEAR Rolls-Royce is a leading industrial technology company that delivers clean, safe, competitive solutions to power the planet’s vital needs.

Innovation is in their DNA; and, in creating new ways of engineering and manufacturing products and solutions, and serving customers, digitilisation has been a key enabler. A strategic pillar of Rolls-Royce is to ’reinvent with digital’. Data and digitalisation have helped them generate new insights, solutions and opportunities to transform their engines, improve customer care, enhance the efficiency of operations, and upskill their people.

CATEGORY PARTNER:

WINNER:

SHELL EASTERN PETROLEUM

33

SUSTAINABILITY CHAMPION OF THE YEAR

WINNER:

Seven Clean Seas is a high impact ocean cleanup social enterprise built around the foundation of supporting People and Planet simultaneously. Founded back in 2018 by Tom and wife Pamela after taking a trip to a beautiful island in Thailand they saw the state of the plastic pollution and wanted to combat the issue first-hand. Upon returning, they created a beach cleanup and education community with a goal to engage communities in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia around the issues of ocean plastic pollution. “We want people to connect their own plastic consumption / consumerism habits to the huge environmental costs associated which we don’t see.”

CATEGORY PARTNER:

CUSTOMER SERVICE PROVIDER OF THE YEAR

WINNER:

Historically, customer service in the technology and more specifically, the managed cloud sector, has a reputation for lifeless call centres stationed somewhere in the world that is nowhere near the actual company you have contracted. Just After Midnight wanted to change all that, and we knew that having fantastic customer service was critical to our success. Making sure the person that picks up the phone knows you and knows your business, not a random call centre. Every incident manager who liaises daily with our clients is a full-time employee with JAM. They have studied their runbooks and know them intimately.

UK IMPACT IN SINGAPORE

WINNER:

FemTech Partners, established in 2019, is a consulting firm based out of Singapore with the aim of helping women be more financially inclusive. FemTech Partners use Fintech to bridge the digital and social divide. They also offer mentorship to women so that they can be financially independent and stable. FemTech Partners enables UK Fintech start-ups to access and expand their market-reach in Singapore. It supports programs and initiatives for women in Fintech and promote Women in Fintech in UK and Singapore.

CATEGORY PARTNER:

THE 21ST ANNUAL BUSINESS AWARDS: PRESENTING THE WINNERS OF THE 21ST ANNUAL BUSINESS AWARDS

IN FOCUS INTERVIEW WITH THE EDITOR: AGILSON VALLE, SENIOR SALES DIRECTOR, APAC AND COUNTRY MANAGER, SINGAPORE, EUROMONITOR INTERNATIONAL

In Focus:

Agilson Valle, Senior Sales Director, APAC and Country Manager, Singapore, Euromonitor International

By Lucy Haydon Market research is much more than just data. In this issue’s interview, our Editor spoke with Senior Sales Director (APAC) & Country Manager (Singapore), Agilson Valle, about his passion and experience in market research, its methodologies and figuring out consumer trends.

35

IN FOCUS INTERVIEW WITH THE EDITOR: AGILSON VALLE, SENIOR SALES DIRECTOR, APAC AND COUNTRY MANAGER, SINGAPORE, EUROMONITOR INTERNATIONAL

IN FOCUS INTERVIEW WITH THE EDITOR: AGILSON VALLE, SENIOR SALES DIRECTOR, APAC AND COUNTRY MANAGER, SINGAPORE, EUROMONITOR INTERNATIONAL

Purpose-Driven Corporate Response to COVID-19 Source: Euromonitor International Voice of the Industry: Sustainability Survey, fielded June 2020

You returned to market research in 2016, after seven years working in recruitment. What made you come back to market research?

Recruitment is all about people. It has helped me see the connections in research, whether you run panels or surveys, talk to people – both customers and consumers. It provides a lot of insight when you do recruitment. Nevertheless, after being in the industry for about seven years, I felt a calling to come back to market research due to the importance of insights. It can strongly support and bring a lot of added value for businesses. Market research is much more than data. It is making sense of data, getting insights out of it, understanding the big picture and what will happen in the next five to ten years’ time. You only understand how consumers are changing by talking to people, by understanding their daily lives and what they do, what has changed from last year, and I think that is the beauty of market research. It is

something that excites me; the whole thing about being in touch with people.

Market research is much more than data. It is making sense of data, getting insights out of it, understanding the big picture and what will happen in the next five to ten years’ time.

I've always been involved in setting up companies. Euromonitor started here 22 years ago, when we first opened the office and Singapore was responsible for the whole of Asia Pacific. As we grew the market across Southeast Asia and Asia from Singapore, we started opening new offices. There was an opportunity to open an operation in Hong Kong, which I applied for. I did that for two years. Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macao are really exciting

markets - the link between the East and the West. We started up with four people and when I left Hong Kong, we were at about 25 people. There was an opportunity to come here to Singapore, to manage a larger office, where we are responsible for 14 markets in Southeast Asia.

Had the methodology for research changed in that seven-year gap?

During the time I decided to take a break from market research, the companies in the industry were very specialised in different areas. Each one of us were in panels, consumer surveys, or tactical tracking data for example. Currently, Euromonitor has the advantage of using multiple methodologies to connect the dots, so the data you receive makes even more sense. It was all separate before and you had a lot of data. Now, we are bringing it all together. I think that is the main difference using those different methodologies so that they help you achieve the full picture.

37

How do you see the value of market research organisations and the typical product offerings in the sector shifting as a result of COVID-19?

There is a big shift of people really making more sense of the pure data, because we now have massive amounts of it. The more you do things online, the more data you gather. I think COVID-19 has accelerated what was going to happen anyway, as technology has always been a catalyst.

We have proactively suggested a refresh of data for some pre-COVID-19 projects, as companies are looking to understand what the real impact of the pandemic has been. This is not unusual in crisis periods. For example, we saw similar behaviour after the financial crisis. People want to understand what we need to go back to new normal. For that, you need data insights to help with this. Markets like China and Korea are recovering, evidenced with an almost V-shaped recovery immediately after a couple of months of going back into offices.

Your most recent research was an

annual look into consumer behaviour.

What are the key highlights from this year’s findings?

One of the trends that is probably impacting and affecting most regional players here is related to sustainability, which we refer to as ‘build back better’. It is all about companies helping the local community, having clear values and a visible supply chain.

We have seen that before, but it is now less of a nice-to-have and more of a must-have, which people expect to be part of your brand. We found that 42% of Vietnamese consumers say that they buy from brands who support their social values. Separately in our voice of the industry survey, 69% of industry professionals expect consumers to be more concerned about sustainability than they were prior to COVID-19.

There then is the blurred line between digital and physical experiences, which we call the ‘Phygital reality’ trend.

Some markets in Southeast Asia were behind in terms of e-commerce when the pandemic started. However, many companies were forced to leverage on technology, invest and get that going quickly.

The more you do things online, the more data you gather. I think COVID-19 has accelerated what was going to happen anyway, as technology has always been a catalyst.

IN FOCUS INTERVIEW WITH THE EDITOR: AGILSON VALLE, SENIOR SALES DIRECTOR, APAC AND COUNTRY MANAGER, SINGAPORE, EUROMONITOR INTERNATIONAL

IN FOCUS INTERVIEW WITH THE EDITOR: AGILSON VALLE, SENIOR SALES DIRECTOR, APAC AND COUNTRY MANAGER, SINGAPORE, EUROMONITOR INTERNATIONAL

Preferred In-Store Shopping Features Source: Euromonitor International Digital Consumer Survey, fielded March to April 2020

There are different behavioural trends in Southeast Asia, with some examples of digital consumer behaviour beyond the global trend including the use of VR in Indonesia. As per Euromonitor’s digital consumer survey, 18% of people in Indonesia own a VR headset versus a global average of 11%. Such digital tools make phygital a reality. As per the same survey, 35% of people in Indonesia have used AR or VR in the past one year versus a global average of 22%, either to preview a holiday destination, tour a hotel room, shop for household items or try on makeup.

We saw a lot of live streaming here in Southeast Asia, where retailers started live streaming and teaching people how to cook and prepare food, which translates into sales.

How do you integrate that digital experience back into physical experiences as societies leave lockdown? Customers are expecting the same experience, so if I go to a physical store, is there anything in terms of technology that I can still

use? I think there will be more pressure on companies to be creative in these virtual experiences. That links into another big trend that we see related to convenience. People got used to the whole digital user experience, and it is directly related to working from anywhere and with flexible hours – retailers will have to offer more flexibility to consumers who no longer fit a 9-5 model. For instance, WhatsApp became an essential shopping platform in Indonesia throughout 2020. With Indonesian consumers not comfortable with e-commerce for big-ticket purchases, WhatsApp has become a solution for people to buy electronics and appliances especially with the introduction of WhatsApp shopping cart and catalogue feature upgrades available to business accounts.

Consumers are spending again yet being more cautious with their discretionary money in case another crisis is around the corner and they need to retain an emergency fund. As per Euromonitor’s Lifestyle Survey

there is a significant uptick in the % of consumers visiting discount stores in Malaysia and Thailand in 2020; the two economies grappling most with the unfortunate economic realities of COVID-19.

I think there will be more pressure on companies to be creative in these virtual experiences. That links into another big trend that we see related to convenience.

39

TOP 10 GLOBAL CONSUMER TRENDS 2021 GINA WESTBROOK ALISON ANGUS

There is also a clear trend towards safety and hygiene in products and behaviour as a result of the pandemic. Singapore’s hospitality industry introduced an audit system early last year to certify hotels, malls, restaurants and under public places as SG Clean ensuring consumers that

these places are safe to visit. Several street stalls and kiosks in Singapore have enabled online ordering and contactless payments. Businesses that incorporate exceptional sanitisation features while also communicating these benefits will attract safetyobsessed consumers.

Download the full Euromonitor’s Top 10 Global Consumer Trends 2021 report

ABOUT THE COMPANY Euromonitor International is the world’s leading provider for global business intelligence, market analysis and consumer insights. From local to global and tactical to strategic, our research solutions support decisions on how, where and when to grow your business. Find the right report, database or custom solution to validate priorities, redirect assumptions and uncover new opportunities. With offices around the world, analysts in over 100 countries, the latest data science techniques and market research on every key trend and driver, we help you make sense of global markets. Our regional office for Southeast Asia is in Singapore. Visit www.euromonitor.com for more information.

IN FOCUS INTERVIEW WITH THE EDITOR: AGILSON VALLE, SENIOR SALES DIRECTOR, APAC AND COUNTRY MANAGER, SINGAPORE, EUROMONITOR INTERNATIONAL

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41

How do you Teach Through a Pandemic?

As parents, we can hardly imagine the challenges of teaching students with an ongoing academic curriculum during Covid. For this feature, we invited teachers from our member schools to share their experiences of last year. Their comments highlight the importance of connections and social interactions to learners of all ages while displaying incredible resilience and maturity to adapt to a mixture of offline and online learning.

EDUCATION & LEARNING: HOW DO YOU TEACH THROUGH A PANDEMIC?

EDUCATION & LEARNING: HOW DO YOU TEACH THROUGH A PANDEMIC?

As a Drama teacher, the ability to connect with others is the heart of my subject. So, when the world went into lockdown, one of my biggest concerns for our pupils was the potential impact on their social wellbeing. My worries were shared worldwide, from teachers and parents alike, as we pictured generations of children emerging from behind their screens, forever destined to be hunched over and glassy eyed, fingers locked in front of them, craving the connection to a keyboard rather than their classmates.

Bethany Clarke, Secondary Drama Teacher, Dover Court International School

The moment I stepped back into my studio, I realised how misplaced my anxiety had been. While it did take a while for students to settle into the uncanny routines dictated by social distancing, the impact on their empathic abilities was undeniable.

In quiet moments – a nod, a smile, or a simple question prompting their classmate, who seemed upset or quiet that day - were twinkles of real understanding and kindness. In small group rehearsals, students ensured that every member felt included and encouraged to share their ideas.

When working from scripts, they were independently discussing the nuanced thoughts and feelings of characters.

Teenage bravado and self-conscious worries about being cool or popular seemed to fade away and in their place, inclusivity, warmth and emotional intelligence prevailed.

There have been obvious challenges to teaching and learning during the pandemic, but I do feel very privileged to be in the classroom during this renaissance of empathy, although the cause is unclear. In international schools, students are acutely aware of

the world. Do they feel lucky to be at school while families abroad are still in lockdown? Has living in Singapore, a country that prioritised the safety of the community during the pandemic, influenced them to be mindful of this too? Or is it simply that they have experienced loneliness and isolation and don’t want anyone to feel that way again, even in the classroom? One thing is clear – their shared experience has allowed students to build stronger connections and develop greater empathy, and not just with their local communities.

In January, while discussing what we would like to “leave behind in 2020,” I confessed that I missed my sister. My class bowed their heads sorrowfully before adding “racism” and “climate change” to the list, putting my selfcentered perspective of the year to shame. I encouraged them to add their COVID-19 experiences, but this was met with confusion. They had every right to be selfish but cared more about the problems facing strangers around the world.

So if, like me, you were worried about the implications that lockdown would have on the social development of young people, hopefully this puts your mind at ease. They have shown great resilience, fostering their emotional intelligence and connections to others despite isolation because, in their words, “there’s bigger things to worry about, Miss.”

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Online learning at Marlborough College Malaysia has evolved throughout the COVID-19 period. We were fortunate that all pupils from age 6 were already required to have a device for digital learning, so we could switch to online overnight.

Initially, all online lessons were interactive, but this was exhausting for pupils and teachers. To strike a balance, designated lessons became interactive and others allowed teachers to remain available for help while pupils worked away from screens.

David Glynn, Deputy Head Academic, Marlborough College Malaysia

Most recently, we have focused on onscreen and offscreen time in each lesson, which has been welcomed by teachers and pupils alike. Teachers have simulated the best aspects of face-to-face lessons, with breakouts allowing group work, individual meetings and feedback. The response of teachers in innovating and sharing ideas has been outstanding.

learning. Teachers developed their skills and pupils engaged fully with the process, but curriculum coverage has been slower than normal and there is still no online substitute for teachers’ ability to “read the room.”

What are the trends for the future?

The YouTube generation is attuned to receiving information aurally and visually, so recorded, rather than written feedback was well-received by pupils. Apps to gather pupils’ ideas encouraged even reluctant sharers to contribute and helped teachers to adapt accordingly. There has been huge expansion in pupils’ facility to work collaboratively online.

Pastorally, online learning has accelerated the College’s focus on student well-being as central to both educational success and personal health. Individual meetings with tutors and online assemblies have been essential in supporting pupils. We have established ambassadors who champion digital health and citizenship.

Throughout this period, research and dialogue with other schools and global academic leaders continued concerning product development and age-appropriate integration of digital learning into classes. We used our established platforms and developed a strategy which helps to support all learners; evolution, not revolution.

The takeaway from online education is that there is really no substitute for the classroom experience in enhancing

To summarise, the ability of teachers to deliver online learning developed hugely during COVID-19. Some of the lessons will change educational practice forever. However, the biggest impact will be that young people have lost precious social development and are returning to a ‘new normal’. We must ensure they are nurtured as well as educated going forward.

EDUCATION & LEARNING: HOW DO YOU TEACH THROUGH A PANDEMIC?

EDUCATION & LEARNING: HOW DO YOU TEACH THROUGH A PANDEMIC?

The Dulwich Approach to Flexible Learning

By Dulwich College (Singapore) For a long time now, universities have been promoting hybrid or blended learning and we believe this should be our model for the future. A flexible learning programme rooted in the best educational research that places students at the centre can work equally well on campus or online. This approach can offer differentiated and personalised instruction that focuses on a competency-based model, rather than a time-based one. This is personalised learning in the 21st century: one size has never fitted all and our children deserve the best.

Early last year, when news of the pandemic reached us, we started planning right away and were fortunate to benefit from the experiences of our international network of schools who were ahead of the curve and had already switched to E-Learning. This gave us a significant headstart so when the Circuit Breaker kicked in two

months later, we were well prepared.

There is a temptation with E-Learning to get caught up in the technology – and our IT department did an amazing job in making sure we had a robust platform for E-Learning in place – but the technology is just the vehicle: it’s the teachers that make the difference.

The focus, whether it be face-to-face in the classroom or remotely through E-Learning, should always remain on what makes good teaching and learning. How do children learn best?

What inspires and interests them?

By focusing on this, then learning and a love of learning can take place anywhere and our children will be in safe hands.

Beyond the technology, our emphasis is on recreating the Dulwich experience at home (when required) by ensuring we retain a healthy mix of drama, music, art and sport as well as academic

subjects. Teaching is at its best when it’s interactive and engaging, so when learning does occur at home, it is always punctuated with a variety of activities including live lessons with teachers via video, pre-set tasks and fun elements such as quizzes and competitions.

What we learnt from the whole E-Learning experience last year is that the digital world can not only assist students when they out of the classroom, but can also improve learning when they are in the classroom. We are now taking that learning and making it integral to everything we do so that we are well placed to provide holistic learning in any context, in partnership with parents and students. We call this the Dulwich Digital Difference: providing a flexible learning environment that’s both online, offline and everything in between.

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Whilst we as teachers in Singapore reflect upon the E-Learning of 2020, our colleagues in the UK are currently experiencing it for the second time.

Articles and opinions on social media forums differ between authorities and sectors, but the general consensus is one of solidarity. I myself have managed a wry smile at one or two funny anecdotes I have read and remember my own experience of Home Learning/ E-Learning from last year.

Cerys Shanley, Head of Nursery, Dulwich College (Singapore) Kindergarten School (DUCKS)

As a teacher with more than 23 years in the education sector, I can honestly say that I had never experienced a time more nerve racking, thought provoking, vocation testing or hilariously emotional in all my career. As we left school that day back in March just before Easter, armed with a box of potential resources, little did we know the ups and downs of the journey that lay ahead. A journey that was not only professionally challenging but also personally.

Picture the scene . . . we are a ‘normal’ expat family: two adults, two children.

What fun this will be ‘working’ from home together. It was agreed that ‘due to safeguarding regulations’ our youngest child would be in the living room, oldest child (teenager) would

remain in bedroom and, with camera off, I would be in the spare room set up as a mini classroom. Visual aids were blue tacked to my cream-coloured walls, various soft toys were positioned around me on my sofa (think Floella Benjamin Blue Peter, showing my age here), iPad and laptop fully charged, alarm set for first session online and ZOOM I was ready to go.

Daily teaching Zoom classes were supported by teaching videos. Filmed in living rooms, on balconies and anywhere quiet really – not always possible. We fed back ‘after school’ in meetings with our Year Group comrades and ever supportive Leadership teams.

We ironed out teething problems and planned our activities together.

Ensuring that each child was given time to speak, should they wish to, was imperative. Every child had to have a voice – even though I chuckle remembering one parent who held up a piece of paper stating, “please mute us, he won’t stop talking”.

So, should the question arise would we want to do it all again? Or, could we do it all again? Of course we could and we would – we’re teachers.

EDUCATION & LEARNING: HOW DO YOU TEACH THROUGH A PANDEMIC?

EDUCATION & LEARNING: HOW DO YOU TEACH THROUGH A PANDEMIC?

conferencing was a brand new experience for our teachers but even as novices, these tools added a very important dimension to the remote learning provision. Having used them for the emergency remote learning we are continuing to develop our effective skills and lessons for this medium.

Positives: 1.

2.

John Ridley, Director of Learning, Tanglin Trust School

3.

4.

Remote learning does not have to mean ‘online learning’. While online tools were the key enablers for communication between students and teachers, our teachers were able to ensure a balance between online and offline tasks and maintain curriculum breadth (including art, music, PE etc.)

Independence. Overall we have been really impressed with the maturity and independence shown by students. They stepped up to the challenge and this in itself has been a significant learning experience. The use of tools such as MS Onenote, MS Teams and Google Classroom to encourage independent learning and selfmanagement is something that will certainly persist whether we are teaching face-to-face or remotely.

Strong relationships and parental support. With the circuit breaker in Singapore happening half way through our school year, we were lucky that teachers had already formed excellent relationships with their classes. This helped teachers to tailor activities appropriately for the class – and helped to motivate students.

Technology that made live lessons possible. Zoom and MS Teams enabled us to quickly ramp up the number of live lessons available so all students were able to access at least two live sessions per day.

Teaching from home through video

Challenges: 1.

2.

Social interactions. Learning is largely a social activity and we still believe that the most effective lessons will be faceto-face, in class groups that encourage discussion and where teachers can pick up on non-verbal communication. Most students coped well with the challenge of being physically isolated from friends and teachers but some found it difficult. Zoom and MS Teams enabled class teachers to check in with their classes – and our School Counsellors were also able to ‘Zoom’ with those that needed extra support. However, this will always be a challenge when the campus is closed.

Monitoring and feedback. Online tools are great enablers in sharing work and getting feedback, but it’s impossible to replicate a teacher walking around the classroom, giving instant feedback and encouragement. On the other hand, this is what forces the greater independence, which is no bad thing.

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3.

Parental support for our youngest children. For Infant children, there is no getting away from the need for adult support with remote learning. This has been incredibly challenging for working parents who have been trying to work from home, whilst helping their child with school-based tasks. To help with this, we kept our timetable flexible in the Infant School and offered a wide choice of activities.

Summary thoughts for 2021 and beyond: While the pandemic has certainly been disruptive, in many ways it has merely accelerated trends that were already happening.

In the case of hybrid or blended learning, the pedagogy of providing a balance of teaching that is synchronous (direct instruction) and asynchronous (set work), is clearly not new. It just hadn’t been used as a location-based, onsite/offsite or a delivery-based offline/online model. Asynchronous or enquiry-based learning has, however, naturally moved into an online world over the past two decades; homework, project work, revision and research have been revolutionized by edtech platforms.*

led enquiry areas, where they are used to completing work independently, whether online or offline. It was an evolution of what we were already doing.

Online provision of direct instruction was the new, pandemic-driven tool added to the edtech kit to deliver live teaching during the fully remote period.

It is a very welcome addition that we are continuing to develop, but the in-person heart of schooling – pastoral care, social interaction, community events and bonds – remains a very powerful reason, beyond the pandemic, to keep the doors of physical campuses open. *It was as a result of SARS, in 2003, that we adopted our first ‘Learning Management System’ (LMS) called Moodle. At the time, the platform wasn't used much in day-today teaching and it has long since been replaced by the various systems we now use routinely to share resources with students and parents.

During the 50:50 onsite/offsite learning period in June we split our curriculum to use the 50% onsite time for areas best suited to in-person teaching, such as the introduction of new concepts.

Offsite time concentrated on student-

EDUCATION & LEARNING: HOW DO YOU TEACH THROUGH A PANDEMIC?

EDUCATION & LEARNING: HOW DO YOU TEACH THROUGH A PANDEMIC?

As a result of our remote learning experience, we recognised the importance of the social function of school. Feedback from 1,600 of our K–12 students and their parents reported trends in student well-being during the time of remote learning, with survey questions around our UWCSEA well-being principles; autonomy, connectedness and competence.

Carla Marschall, Director of Teaching and Learning, UWCSEA East

Key feedback included that remote learning supports student autonomy, but that (perhaps rather obviously) it also requires social emotional competencies and executive functioning skills such as selfregulation and self-management. For this reason, older learners fared far better than our youngest learners.

(Being the mother of a K1 student at the time, I say that first-hand.)

Any transformation of learning in future will need to go hand in hand with an awareness of different needs within our community. Schools as physical environments promote identity development, and create opportunities for positive social interactions, which students missed during remote learning. This role of the school, in supporting healthy self-concept and the development of friendships and pro-social behaviours, is crucial.

From our period of remote learning, we also saw how important it is to match tasks and purpose, and to have a balance of offline and online tasks.

Across all three sections of our school – primary, middle and high – students asked for more offline tasks; eyestrain, neck and back pain, and the monotony of tasks were all issues reported during remote learning.

Agency, which is about acting rather than being acted upon and making responsible decisions and choices rather than accepting those determined by others, was one of the benefits that technology brought during remote learning. Students reported that the

ability to self-pace their learning, and the high degree of choice this offered, including being able to take breaks when they need to, was very helpful for their learning and well-being. We are continuing to consider ways we can create developmentally appropriate opportunities for student agency enhanced, in part, by technology.

This trend brings together the possibility for technology to support both student agency and personalised learning in the future, making remote learning not as much about the digitisation of learning as about our ability to personalise the learning to each student. Where is the student and how are we bringing the curriculum to them? How can we personalise our learning programme based on our students' identities, whether racial, cultural, linguistic, national or based on their passions, interests and talents?

This is directly concerned with some of our strategic focus on diversity, equity and inclusion, our development of interdisciplinary learning which bridges disciplines and our elements, and an enhanced focus on our experiential learning programmes such as through our recent hyper local ‘campus adventure’ outdoor education programme, where students came to know more about their Singapore context.

Digital competence is an essential literacy. Students require the skills to learn through technology, as well as essential knowledge about how technology functions.

As we move towards use of digital learning to promote student agency, personalisation of our curriculum, we are examining how we can weave technologies into a complex tapestry that puts the student at the centre – and where technology might somewhat disappear. Of course, students and considerations of their wellbeing will be part of shaping this future.

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Minister for Trade & Industry, Chan Chun Sing, Shares his Perspective on the Education Sector

During a discussion with the National Institute of Early Childhood Development in early November, Minister Chan spoke of the opportunities in the education sector ranging from early childhood through to adult education and training, which has become increasingly critical to helping workers adapt and stay relevant in a changing economy.

Following the virtual discussion, which was also attended by Minister for Manpower Josephine Teo and Masagos Zulkifi, Minister Chan shared his thoughts directly with his social media audience:

“I shared that the education landscape has indeed evolved and beyond the years of compulsory education, there is a growing emphasis on lifelong learning. Teaching has evolved through a combination of offline and online methods especially with COVID-19. Beyond learning at training institutes or schools, more companies are also ensuring their workers undergo on the job training as their businesses transform. Others are getting workers to build up their competencies in adjacent skillsets, in order to provide more value-added services.

By leveraging the strengths of our education system and Singapore's brand of quality and trust, there are tremendous opportunities for us to relook at how we conduct our education and training- not just for our own people, but for the industry and market beyond Singapore. If we can do this well, I'm confident we can continue to stay competitive and distinguish ourselves in a rapidly changing world.“

EDUCATION & LEARNING: MINISTER FOR TRADE & INDUSTRY, CHAN CHUN SING, SHARES HIS PERSPECTIVE ON THE EDUCATION SECTOR

Education & Learning Hub

Visit the Education & Learning Hub at education.britcham.org.sg

Excellence of British Education The British Chamber of Commerce works closely with colleagues at the British Council, H.E. Kara Owen CMG CVO and her British High Commission team, and the UK Science and Innovation Network in Singapore to highlight the excellence of British education both in Singapore and the UK.

Alumni Ambassador Scheme Did you graduate from a UK-based University? Are you willing to talk to school students in Singapore about the opportunities to learn and develop in Universities in the UK? Contact us!

Our Members in the Education and Learning Sector Find profiles or member organisations; prImary & secondary education providers, higher education providers, training & development providers and professional bodies.

Content Library Discover more content on education via our webinars, podcasts and the Orient, our bi-monthly publication.

Recommended Courses Level up your skillset and enjoy discounts on our partner offers.

Upcoming Education Events Join events organised by us or our partners.

Trade Support for the British Education Ecosystem in Singapore With assistance from our experienced Trade Services team, our extensive member network and years of cross-sector experience, we are uniquely positioned to help your business. Download our Free Education Market Overview.

Our Partners:

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Supporting the Education Sector

By Nicole Wharfe, Business Services Director

Education continues to be one of the UK’s greatest exports. In 2018, a total of £23.3 bn in UK exports and repatriated income was attributed to the sector, of which £16bn came from High Education (£14.2bn of this from non-EU students) and £7.3 bn from schools, English Language training, education products or services, transnational and further education (source: gov.uk). With 18 universities ranked within the world’s top 100, it is no surprise that the UK hosts the 2nd largest number of international higher education students in the world.

Arguably, over the past 12 months education was one of the first sectors required to adapt to maintain a level of status quo. In many cases, the implementation of education technology (EdTech) enabled providers to adopt practices to maintain quality learning. EdTech continues a positive trajectory, whether to support or deliver the learning experience.

The importance and value of the support we can provide UK education providers is evident in the numbers.

Within the British Chamber of Commerce Singapore, the Trade Services team lead on the support for UK education trade and the Chamber continues to build a formidable number of education providers within our network. We work closely alongside our colleagues in the British Council, the British High Commission and the UK Science and Innovation Network in Singapore to support the inbound and outbound UK education industry.

New profile options Over the past six months we have been curating a structured offering

that can provide the support needed for all levels of UK education in Singapore and the region. The launch of our Education & Learning Hub and corresponding additional service options enables all learning providers a platform to share, promote and inspire.

Our Education & Learning Hub is the only platform of its kind within the regional British Chamber network.

In proactively supporting the British education sector in Singapore & ASEAN, the Hub is intended to spearhead the promotion and highlight the strength of the UK education offering.

Member companies in the Higher Learning and Professional Development sectors can showcase their organisations on the Hub, with additional promotional options for specific courses available via our new higher learning proposition. Member international schools will be profiled on the Hub and may opt-in to further promotion in the annual Guide to International Schools publication.

Past UK university students based in Singapore will be able to share their experiences with future students through our upcoming Alumni Ambassador scheme.

How to get involved All member companies within primary and education, higher education, professional bodies and training and development providers will be profiled at a basic level on the Education & Learning Hub as part of the membership dues for so long as you remain an active member organisation.

within Higher Education & Professional Development, to increase the profile or recruitment of a specific course within the Singapore market contact us to be part of the next promotional cohort and enjoy a year of added features to compliment your membership: • •

•

•

•

Course advert with a call to action on the new Education & Learning Hub; Course inclusion in an education dedicated email (EDM) sent to our mailing list twice a year, timed to correspond with the common UK enrolment cycle; Regular listing within the digital Orient Magazine of your featured course to drive footfall and exposure; Opportunity to share research content or thought leadership on collaborative projects to generated additional interest in your organisation or featured course; Opportunity to feature on bespoke activity profiling British educators

This is an opportunity to join us in profiling the quality of UK education, and to maintain your profile as the offering and subsequent exposure continues to grow. To discuss this opportunity further contact nicole@britcham.org.sg.

For organisations interested in profiling or advertising within the annual Guide to International Schools please contact us for further details of the inclusions and timeline. The next edition is due for publication in September 2021. To discuss the available options or for general enquiries on the Education & Learning Hub project contact lucy@britcham.org.sg.

We look forward to hearing your feedback on our new platform which we intend to grow and evolve together with the needs of our members and UK education providers.

For member organisations specifically

EDUCATION & LEARNING: SUPPORTING THE EDUCATION SECTOR

EDUCATION & LEARNING: UK UNIVERSITIES: ENROLMENT DURING COVID-19

UK Universities: Enrolment During COVID-19

By Lucy Watkins, Acting Regional Director East Asia, British Council & Leighton Ernsberger, Director Education and English East Asia, British Council if you’re considering your child’s – or your own - tertiary study options in the UK, it is important to understand what universities are doing to support students, both abroad and on-campus.

Choosing to pursue an education overseas is a significant milestone, for any young person and their family. It is an opportunity that brings with it the guarantee of new experiences and the expanding of horizons –geographic, social and cultural – but it can also be a very nerve-wracking time, even for the most confident of students and their parents. This is true of any ‘normal’ year but against 2021’s backdrop of lockdowns, sustained education disruption, and global travel restrictions, making the decision to learn and study in the UK is more daunting and complex than ever before.

Although the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has caused many to question whether it is the right time to choose to study in the UK, pressing pause on long-anticipated and hard-earned study plans – be they undergraduate or postgraduate – also feels uncomfortable. As Mr. Leighton Ernsberger, the British Council Director for Education and English in East Asia, explains: “Although the last year has been very unsettling, it is important that students don’t put their futures on

hold; delaying or re-imagining study plans, sometimes years in the making.

Now, more than ever, is the time to continue to hope, and grow, and to take careful steps towards achieving your goals.”

However, if you’re considering your child’s – or your own - tertiary study options in the UK, it is important to understand what universities are doing to support students, both abroad and on-campus.

Universities across the UK have been working closely with the UK government since the beginning of the pandemic. Across 2020 and into the Autumn term, many UK universities blended in-person teaching with new online technologies and tools, and this focus on remote access and support has continued into 2021, with UK universities working tirelessly to innovate and implement diverse COVID-19 services – both practical and emotional - that students can access irrespective of their location. From new platforms designed to help students meet and make friends, and stay active and engaged safely, to airport pick-

ups, support through self-isolation periods, food packages and mental health initiatives, these measures aim to offer help to all students, including those self-isolating, or unable to travel to the UK just yet. UK universities have also worked to make sure that entry processes are flexible and supportive of international students choosing to begin their studies from overseas; including that they remain eligible for student visas.

Although the disruption remains today, universities’ considered and rigorous COVID-19 safety measures, coupled with thoughtful and empathetic student support initiatives, continue to go above and beyond to ensure that both local and international students’ physical health and mental wellbeing remains their top priority.

Regardless of the new learning formats being implemented to support this year’s students, the quality of the UK’s institutions – and academics – is renowned. A world-class multicultural education hub, the UK’s universities are ranked among the top around the world.

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According to The Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2020, three of the top 10 universities — the University of Oxford, University of Cambridge and Imperial College London — are in the UK, and 26 of its other institutions are among the world’s 200 best for learning.

The UK is one of the most popular study destinations in the world and, according to early data released by the Higher Education Statistics Agency, more than 6,820 Singaporean students (excluding exchange and visiting scholars) chose to study in the UK in the 2019/20 academic year. This indicates that the number of students studying full time courses in the UK appears to have remained steady from 18/19 to 19/20. Although COVID-19 has no doubt had an impact, the provision of new UK offerings – including the Graduate Route, which will enable international students who have studied in the UK to apply for a visa to remain for between two and three years post-study in order to look for work – have also helped to support the sector.

Over the decades, thousands of graduates around the world have benefited from a British education, equipping them with in-demand skills in a competitive economic landscape.

In fact, 83 per cent of international graduates surveyed by Universities UK International (UUKi) last year said their degree helped them get their job, and close to seven in 10 respondents said they progressed more quickly in their careers than peers educated elsewhere.

Among other disciplines, the UK is a world leader in technological innovation, and the location of many multinational company headquarters.

UK universities and institutions maintain strong links with this industry and this ensures that the UK’s learning approaches are industry-led. As a result, students benefit from practical work and courses that are inherently aligned with current industry practices and demands, as well as rich opportunities to undertake internships and placements – helping students to gain real, applicable experience.

Although the last year has been very unsettling, it is important that students don’t put their futures on hold; delaying or reimagining study plans, sometimes years in the making. Now, more than ever, is the time to continue to hope, and grow, and to take careful steps towards achieving your goals.

- Leighton Ernsberger, Director for Education & English in East Asia, British Council

EDUCATION & LEARNING: UK UNIVERSITIES: ENROLMENT DURING COVID-19

EDUCATION & LEARNING: UK UNIVERSITIES: ENROLMENT DURING COVID-19

... more than 6,820 Singaporean students (excluding exchange and visiting scholars) chose to study in the UK in the 2019/20 academic year.

Ms. Lucy Watkins, British Council Acting Regional Director East Asia, reflects, and has a message for prospective students: “With a global reputation for research and academic excellence, the UK is a wonderful place for students to discover their talents and see them flourish, to cultivate and sharpen their skills, and be ready for a world that needs them.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS Lucy has over 25 year of experience working for in the fields of Education and Culture for British Council operations in China, Thailand and the UK. She took up her current role as Deputy Director East Asia, based in Singapore, in August 2017, overseeing British Council’s operations in China, northeast Asia, southeast Asia and Pacific. Her previous roles include Deputy Director British Council China, Regional Head for East and South Asia based in British Council headquarters in London, and (on secondment) First Secretary Scottish Affairs, for the Scottish Government from the British Embassy in China.

Leighton is the Director Education and English, East Asia for the British Council based in

"Preparations continue to welcome students and staff back to campus, and UK institutions remains excited to open their doors to a new cohort of young, enthusiastic and innovative global minds. I hope you’ll be among them.”

Singapore. He oversees the British Council's work in Higher Education and English for Education Systems across ASEAN, North East Asia, Australasia and China, which facilitates teachings and academic collaborations between the UK Higher Education sector and partners in the region.

ABOUT THE COMPANY The British Council is the UK's international organization for cultural relations and educational opportunities. Founded in 1934, it is a UK charity governed by Royal Charter and a UK public body. If you’re interested in finding out more about studying in the UK, please visit the British Council Study UK website at study-uk.britishcouncil.org

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Ignite!: Guiding Career Pathways

By Anna Flanagan, Communications Manager, Dulwich College (Singapore) We have all been asked the question; “what do you want to be when you grow up?” Now, with so many career options at our fingertips and a rapidly changing job landscape, this question is becoming harder to answer.

EDUCATION & LEARNING: IGNITE!: GUIDING CAREER PATHWAYS

EDUCATION & LEARNING: IGNITE!: GUIDING CAREER PATHWAYS

At Dulwich, we are on a mission to help students visualise their personal pathway so they can confidently pursue the career path of their choice. We complement the pursuit of academic excellence with groundbreaking programmes in music, performing arts and sport. This year, we will launch Ignite!, a programme which will support students who are committed to a career in these areas, see the world of possibilities within their reach.

At Dulwich College (Singapore), we are known for our sporting prowess and achieving success in local and regional inter-school competitions. Students can take part in many sports at Dulwich including football, rugby, touch rugby, netball, basketball, athletics, tennis, badminton, swimming, gymnastics, cricket and hockey. For our student athletes who are competing at the highest standards, we underpin their passion with a focus on academic study in relevant areas; in Senior School, students can elect to study Physical Education as a GCSE option (Years 9 to 11) and also Sports & Exercise Science at IB level (Years 12

to 13). Our long-established Student Athlete Support Programme (SASP) has provided the foundations for an Ignite! Sport programme, which shapes ambition into real goals through physical development, lifestyle management, technical and tactical progression and cognitive support. On the physical side, we put together a framework for efficient performance.

We monitor the physical and emotional wellbeing of our athletes to ensure they ignite rather than burn-out. This is maintained by goal setting, mental visualisation, positive mental imagery and the ability to think clearly under pressure – all hallmarks of topperforming athletes. By introducing these pillars early on, our student athletes internalise these lessons which are crucial to staying motivated and determined to be the best at what they do.

Our music programme is an integral part of the curriculum from early years, DUCKS, right through to Senior School; students are encouraged to express themselves by singing, dancing and listening to music. In Junior School, every student is given an instrument

so that they can pursue their passion on their own terms and in their own time. In Senior School, students have the opportunity to learn a range of rock band skills including playing guitar, bass and drums, song writing and music production. In these final years of school, we recognise that some of our students are spending considerable extra time, outside of our school programmes, practising music.

The Ignite! programme lights the fire of inspiration for our most high performing students and provides a pathway for their future success.

- Jacob Martin, Assistant Head of College

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The Ignite programme provides a framework for students to attain exceptional performance in all areas of their lives. We nurture students to attain the very highest standards they can achieve in sport and their academic studies, whilst providing pathways to elite performance in their chosen field.

- Kevin Shaw, Director of Sport

For these students who are already committed to excellence, we offer the Ignite! music programme. In preparation for a career in music, our students work alongside our music staff in the production of events, leading ensembles, sectionals, conducting and developing their musical talent and performance skills.

By the time they finish school, Ignite! ensures that our students have built up a network of contacts in the music industry by participating in workshops and talks by music professionals.

They leave with a comprehensive music performance portfolio, having developed excellence in more than one instrument, if they wish to do so, and having had exposure to the wider world of music through concerts, trips, tours and talks. As they embark on their desired career path, they can be confident that they are empowered to be future leaders in this competitive industry.

Passion for performing arts is no different, every student is encouraged to take to the stage, whether that’s joining in festivals such as the International School

Theatre Association (ISTA) Festival or the Dulwich College International Shakespeare Festival, treading the boards in the school production or performing in dance shows, House drama, and performing arts showcases.

With a magnificent performing arts theatre, two black box studios and a dance studio, students are in an environment which mirrors the experience of performing on Broadway or London’s West End. This taste of what could be, instils in them the belief that they are who they aspire to be, performers, creators, directors, designers, and choreographers. Our Ignite! performance programme fosters this belief in students who are particularly committed to this path.

We offer students the opportunity to take on larger and more challenging roles in smaller cast performances, to participate in specialised workshops not in the curriculum such as makeup artistry; we offer master classes in audition technique and support in creating a performing arts portfolio.

EDUCATION & LEARNING: IGNITE!: GUIDING CAREER PATHWAYS

EDUCATION & LEARNING: IGNITE!: GUIDING CAREER PATHWAYS

This goes hand-in-hand with our existing relationships with Evolve Arts who deliver our LAMDA (London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art) examinations, Auckland Dance, the Royal Shakespeare Company and ISTA which give our students the opportunity to work with professionals from all areas of the performing arts industry. Students who are in the Ignite! programme will have a dedicated mentor from the faculty to nurture them in their pursuits and help them identify their choice of career.

Students no longer have to grapple with the question of who they want to be when the grow up because through Ignite! we support our students in discovering who they want to be now.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Anna began her marketing and communications career in Poland working in the fast-moving consumer goods industry for several years before moving to Australia with her husband in 2017. In Canberra, Anna worked in the tertiary education sector and held the position of Marketing and Communications Manager at the Australian National University Medical School before moving to Singapore in 2020 and taking up the role of Communications Manager at Dulwich College (Singapore).

Students will have access to working with directors, actors, producers and designers in the Performing Arts Industry creating a network of contacts to help them in their chosen pathways.

- Katrina Hegarty, Director of Performing Arts

ABOUT THE COMPANY Dulwich College (Singapore) is a leading international school with a British independent school ethos, drawing upon the proud 400-year heritage, excellence, innovation, and values of the founding school in London. Part of the Dulwich College International network of schools, Dulwich College (Singapore) has a global outlook and contemporary approach, reflecting the diversity of the students from 2 to 18 years. Visit singapore.dulwich.org for more information.

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P O N S M UN

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EXPERT OPINION FROM OUR COMMITTEES

Let's Discuss...

Net-Zero in 2021 Contributed by Tim Rockell, Mark Florance and Allard Nooy of the Energy & Utilities Committee In this article, the Energy & Utilities Committee shares their plans and goals for the year of 2021.

Connectivity is a key theme for 2021 of the Energy & Utilities Business Committee. Following a year packed with sessions covering decarbonisation, circularity and finance of new energy projects we were off to the races early this year with an event in January partnering with the Energy Market Authority’s Singapore International Energy Week.

A SIEW Insights webinar co-hosted by the Atlantic Council addressed Asia’s role in the Energy Transition and what is required towards a Low-Carbon future. Allard Nooy, CEO InfraCo Asia and Co-Chair of the E&U Committee, joined a panel discussion with the ASEAN Centre for Energy, the Asian Development Bank with a keynote by H.E. Arifin Tasrif, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Republic of Indonesia. The panel was broadcast as part of the Atlantic Council’s Global Energy Forum. BritCham members who registered enjoyed full access to the entire three-day forum which featured HRH The Prince of Wales in discussion on the Sustainable Markets Initiative and the launch of the Terra Carta – ‘a charter that puts sustainability at the

heart of the private sector.’

Our Energy & Utilities Business Committee strategy for 2021 has three pillars: 1.

2.

3.

COP26 - Road to Net-Zero Energy Systems Commercial models for scale

We are committed to the Chamber’s activities on Net-Zero and themes around Future of Work, Future of Trade and Future Cities. On COP26 we will build on the opportunities arising for business set out at our session at SIEW 2020 with a focus on Energy, Transport, Nature-Based Solutions, Adaptation and Resilience whilst bringing it all together with Finance.

Activity for the year will see our second event on 2nd March on Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage. CCUS is a range of technologies widely agreed as essential to allow new energy systems to scale to meet climate goals but is in its infancy in development and has a geographical gap without projects under development in the ASEAN region. The webinar will

feature a technology showcase, costs, financing and regulatory framework requirements.

The more we collaborate, the greater the impact for UK and Singapore businesses and the more we can support their success in spring-boarding into the Asian region.

Our approach this year is not purely on the technological aspects of energy testbeds. A number of energy transition projects e.g. Hydrogen, CCUS, in the UK are seeking to build commercial models that are capable of scaling new energy systems whilst remaining competitive when producing power or products.

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These models will identify where government incentives, grants and the direction carbon taxes could be recycled, enabling the build-out of greener products and infrastructure Our programme this year will include decarbonisation of transport. In 2020, we featured the shipping sector with the Transport Logistics and Supply Chain committee. This year, it will be aviation in the spotlight. In the Built Environment sector, we will examine

energy developments in Data Centres.

Later in the year, we will run webinars and hopefully hybrid format events, on water, wastewater and naturebased solutions. Many of our events are also done in conjunction with the Sustainability Committee.

In a busy year for conferences, many of which have been pushed back into 2021. The more we collaborate, the greater the impact for UK and Singapore businesses and the more we

can support their success in springboarding into the Asian region. Our activities are all open to BritCham members worldwide, and available on replay to all, via the Chamber’s website and social media platforms.

Tim Rockell is Chairman of the committee alongside newly appointed Co-Chairs in 2021, Allard Nooy and Mark Florance.

This article was contributed by Tim Rockell, Mark Florance and Allard Nooy of BritCham’s Energy & Utilities Committee.

ABOUT THE COMMITTEE BritCham’s Energy & Utilities Business Committee consists of members based in Singapore working across the region and dedicated to building out the region’s infrastructure. Our programme of activity in 2020 has a strong focus on climate change and decarbonisation in the run up to the COP26 conference to be held in the UK, postponed to 2021. The design, operations, and the financial, legal and technical expertise needed for the power, water and waste treatment buildout in the region are the cornerstone of the committee and forms the expertise that we showcase and connect to our members. For more information, please visit britcham.org.sg/committees/energy-and-utilities

LET'S DISCUSS: NET-ZERO IN 2021

EXPERT OPINION FROM OUR COMMITTEES

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Cloud Computing Contributed by Daisy Radford of the Information & Communications Technology Committee Cloud computing has been around for years, but fully deploying it within government and critical national infrastructure is no small feat. Based on 'Fast Moving Clouds Ahead', 10th November 2020, a blog by Chris Poole.

Cloud computing – a term and approach which brings us closer to the future every day. Even those of us who may not understand it will doubtless use it at some point – think Spotify, Microsoft 365, or Netflix (the standard app rotation on a given circuit breaker day!)

With Singapore’s 5G plans making exciting progress cloud computing is an element that will bring the awesome benefits of 5G to life for individuals, companies, and governments.

There are many government organisations that have been taking full advantage of cloud computing for years. But while any large organisation is hungry for cloud computing numerous benefits – reduced IT costs and empowered mobile workforces – governments understandably require higher levels of assurance, just consider sectors like Defence and National Security. How can they and other highly secure organisations reap the dividends cloud computing has to offer?

The challenge is not an easy one.

Government organisations possess large amounts of data across multiple complex environments. Public officers

have to deliver services and missions while maintaining top levels of security assurances. At BAE Systems we support many high security organisations with this challenge, a mix of technology and process implementation means achieving that risk and accessibility balance is possible, even for the most classified of organisations.

The spot light on cloud computing security has certainly intensified this year. COVID-19 suddenly meant it went from a nice to have to a necessity.

Although these transitions have been at break neck speed the outcomes have been very successful due to the combination of implementing technological solutions and shifting the approach to risk management.

Cross-domain as an enabler Any solution has got to balance security and usability – what’s the point of having the most secure system if it’s not usable? The success of team collaboration is often the success of an organisation therefore emails, calls, messaging, or collaboration platforms are now seen as a fundamental tool to enabling organisation progress.

Employees expect their work IT to be

as good, or better, than their home laptops or phones – quick, easy to use and stress-free. The recognition for security is of course there but the hope is CISO’s can deploy technologies to keep things secure while keeping collaboration running smoothly.

Many government and high security organisation have unclassified and classified environments. The use of widely available cloud technologies are easier to implement on an unclassified environments but having complete segregation between the two creates inefficiencies, frustrations and is not necessary. Cross-domain enables import or export of data between environments, developing applications in public cloud, searches running across environments, or seamless collaboration across environments.

Cross- domain technology isn’t new but it has rapidly been elevated as an enabler to maintaining current productivity output levels rather than solely as a growth and enhancing initiative.

Threat based cloud security As everyone, everywhere, has directly learnt this year, change is the only constant. Recognition of this is

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required to maintain a relevant security policy.

We’ve seen huge number of organisations going from a no video conferencing policy to having to use it daily. These U-turns have been achieved within a matter of weeks, something that we would have guessed would take months, if not years, before 2020!

With cloud computing things move fast and sticking to a “risk adverse” model will impact an organisation’s effectiveness and more worryingly it is likely to have an adverse impact on risk exposure. The most vulnerable element to security is an organisation’s employees and unfortunately it

happens far too often where frustrated employees circumnavigate IT controls in order to get their work completed more efficiently on personal devises.

Therefore when it comes to cloud security understanding the business context and the dynamic threats landscape is vital. From this a threat assessment and threat model can be played into the security policies allowing organisations to evolve in step with advancement of cloud technology.

What’s next?

5G will be a catalyst in cloud computing, large cloud investments on going in the US (such as the JEDI programme) will also support the developed and trust around cloud

computing solutions. Edge computing (think cut-down cloud capability in the field) is another likely development and likely to be driven initially by Defence organisations with their need for capability that quickly and simply interoperates with the main enterprise.

It’s clear that processes, behaviours, and technologies will mature and cloud computing will increase. Government and high security organisations will need to adopt cloud technologies otherwise they’ll struggle to maintain an empowered workforce. It’s not easy but if 2020 has taught us anything it is that rapid and decisive change is possible even in the most highly secure organisation.

This article was contributed by Daisy Radford of BritCham’s Information & Communications Technology Committee.

ABOUT THE COMMITTEE The ICT committee’s mission is to inspire, educate and engage Chamber members and non-members on the transformative capabilities of Information Technology to their business. The goal of the committee is to add value to the Chamber and its members through activities that demonstrate the value of ICT solutions to their business; educate them on future ICT trends that will impact their business; offer member networking opportunities to better enable business across the region; share knowledge and insights, and attract new members to the Chamber. Visit britcham.org.sg/committees/ict for more information.

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