Welcome Address

Opening Keynote by Guest-of-Honour

Opening Keynote by Guest-of-Honour 

In Conversation with Ministers:

Enhancing Regional Collaboration for a Sustainable Future

2023 presents a dynamically different operating environment of emerging opportunities and new challenges. As the world learns to live with COVID-19, the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and factious US-China relations have dampened global business outlook. To avoid slipping into further polarisation, there is an urgent need for regional governments and businesses to reconnect and renew regional partnerships to achieve a sustainable future.

This In-Conversation segment with Ministers looks into both the tensions and prospects to build a socially, economically, and environmentally sustainable future for the region. The panel will also explore ways to enhance partnerships in order to unlock these shared aspirations. From energy transition to digital interoperability, how can we catalyse and bring both public and private sectors closer together?

Minister-in-Attendance:
Dr TAN See Leng
Minister for Manpower &
Second Minister for Trade and Industry
Republic of Singapore 

H.E. NGUYEN Chi Dzung 
Minister
Ministry of Planning and Investment 
The Socialist Republic of Viet Nam

Moderator:
Mr KOK Ping Soon
Chief Executive Officer
Singapore Business Federation

Plenary 1: Exploring Regional Sustainability Opportunities for Investors

Sustainable practices are becoming mainstream in businesses today, demanded by a multitude of stakeholders including shareholders, customers, regulators, and employees. Decarbonisation, circularity, and green financing are examples of how sustainability is being operationalised at scale.  New opportunities are emerging in areas such as clean energy, waste and resource management, and capital markets, from both demand and supply perspectives.

This panel brings together business leaders from different industries to discuss how investors can participate in such opportunities in the region, while at the same time exporting their experiences from more mature markets to advance the green transition.

Moderator:
Ms Jennifer TAY
Infrastructure Leader
PwC Singapore

Panellists (in alphabetical order of surname):

Plenary 2: Tech Innovation in ASEAN’s Digitalisation Development 

Tech innovation has transformed the way we interact and how we consume goods and services. Within the Infrastructure lifecycle, the application of technology like digital twin, IoT, and AI has improved implementation and boosted efficiencies. In the transport and energy space, emerging solutions are enabling better management of carbon footprint, improving safety, and facilitating predictive maintenance, thereby providing transparency to the whole lifecycle of infrastructural development.

This panel looks at the upside and untapped potential of infra-tech and what its outlook may be as part of Southeast Asia’s future. The panel will also discuss the areas of tech application and how to reap significant returns of investments from them.

Moderator:
Mr Edward CLAYTON
Partner
PwC Viet Nam

Panellists (in alphabetical order of surname):

Plenary 3: The Future of Human Capital - Evolution of Work, Workforce and Workplace

The future of work and ways in which we operate are evolving rapidly. Artificial intelligence, machine learning, smart manufacturing and automation will significantly shape workplaces just like how mechanisation has done in the industrial revolution. Some jobs will be lost, and new ones will be created, but almost all jobs will change in one way or another.

This panel unpacks ways that the pandemic has accelerated macro trends and compelled organisations to re-evaluate many aspects of work including the location, composition, and skill stock of their workforce. The panel will also discuss how organisations may better invest in reskilling and repurposing their workforce for manpower resilience. 

Concurrent Sessions: 

• Presentation on Business Landscape and Investment Opportunities (Provincial Level) 
• Business Matching