Leading in a Time of Tariffs and Turmoil
Wednesday, 28th May 2025
About The Event
In a world where geopolitical shifts, economic volatility, and global disruptions have become the new normal, leadership has never been more crucial. Last week, we gathered at the SATS Experiential Centre at the historic Arts House for “Leading in a Time of Tariffs and Turmoil.” This event was the product of the hard work and dedication of our 2025 SGLN Fellows as part of their Action Learning Project (ALP), and it exceeded all expectations.
We were joined by two extraordinary speakers: Professor Danny Quah, Dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at NUS, and Ser-Jin L., Interim Chief Compliance Officer and APAC Director at Wise. Together, they helped us explore the complex forces reshaping the global business landscape. Professor Quah shared invaluable insights on the shifting dynamics of global trade and the opportunities emerging as the U.S. redefines its role in multilateralism. Meanwhile, Ser-Jin highlighted the importance of agility, resilience, and compliance as keys to navigating the evolving global marketplace.
But this evening was more than just a discussion. It was an immersive experience — one that not only deepened our perspectives on leadership but also fostered meaningful conversations over a specially curated menu of SATS signature dishes, adding a delicious layer to the evening’s reflections.
We would like to commend the following SGLN Fellows for bringing this exceptional event to life: Benedict Wu, Ingrid Wee, Alison Lim, Aaron Wong, Renita Sophia Crasta, Andre Oei, and their SGLN Ambassadors Velda Wong and Fang Qi Chang. A special thanks to our strategic partner SATS Ltd. for their support in making this event a reality — and for treating us to an unforgettable meal!
This event reinforced the critical role of leadership in times of uncertainty. It reminded us that leadership today is about more than just navigating complexity — it’s about leading with clarity, empathy, and resilience. These are the qualities that will truly define the leaders of tomorrow.
Speakers
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Professor Danny Quah
Dean and Li Ka Shing Professor in Economics, LKYSPP (NUS)
Danny Quah is Li Ka Shing Professor in Economics and Dean at the School.
His research interests lie in income inequality, economic growth, and international economic relations. Quah’s work takes an economic approach to world order – focusing on global power shift and the rise of the east, and alternative models of global power relations. The economic approach emerges in that Quah’s work studies the supply and demand of world order: What international system do the world’s superpowers wish to provide; what world order does the global community need? Quah’s work on income inequality sets the challenge against a broader background of social mobility and cohesion, and in so doing suggests a single narrative on the challenge of income inequality is unlikely to be correct or helpful.
Quah is Commissioner on the Spence-Stiglitz Commission on Global Economic Transformation; and serves on the World Bank President’s Economic Advisory Panel, the Executive Committee, International Economic Association; the Executive Committee, Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs APSIA; the Advisory Council, Bennett Institute, Cambridge University; the Academic Advisory Board, Blavatnik School of Government, Oxford University; the Global Advisory Board, Tsinghua University School of Public Policy and Management; the Advisory Board, LSE IDEAS; the Advisory Council, OMFIF; the Eminent Advisory Council, UNDP Asia-Pacific; and the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council for Geopolitics.
Quah gave the third LSE-NUS lecture in 2013, TEDx talks in 2016, 2014, and 2012, and the Inaugural LSE Big Questions Lecture in 2011. Quah’s research has been supported by the Khazanah Research Institute, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the British Academy, the UK’s Economic and Research Council, and the Andrew Mellon Foundation.
Quah was previously Assistant Professor of Economics at MIT, and then at LSE Professor of Economics and International Development, and Director of the Saw Swee Hock Southeast Asia Centre. He served as LSE’s Head of Department for Economics, and Council Member on Malaysia’s National Economic Advisory Council.
Quah studied at Princeton, Minnesota, and Harvard.
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Ser-Jin Lee
Interim Chief Compliance Officer and Asia Pacific Director for Compliance Wise
Ser-Jin is the interim Chief Compliance Officer at Wise and is responsible for leading the regulatory and FinCrime compliance teams for the company’s global operations. He concurrently holds the role of Head of APAC compliance. He also serves as board member for Wise’s licensed entities in Hong Kong, Japan and Indonesia.
He previously served in senior compliance leadership roles at Nium and at Grab, where he was the Head of Ethics and Group Compliance.
He began his career at the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) with stints in regulatory supervision, policy development, international affairs, financial sector development and monetary policy implementation, with three years as Head of MAS’ New York office.
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