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Singapore Leaders Network
1st Anniversary Celebration
Celebrating a year of Learning, Leading, and Linking
Wednesday, 30th August 2023
About The Event
Singapore Leaders Network (SGLN) celebrated our first anniversary in August, with the enthusiastic participation of over 200 participants to mark our momentous milestone.
For this first anniversary, we brought in one of the most prominent Singaporean business leaders, Mr. Ho Kwon Ping, Founder and Executive Chairman of Banyan Tree Holdings, to share his valuable personal insights. Following his keynote, we were joined by Ms. Jacqueline Poh, Managing Director of Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) and Mr. Christopher Ong, SVP & Managing Director of DHL Express (Singapore) for a moderated panel discussion. Some key topics that we delved into include: The importance for leaders to be resilient and adaptable to change, the Singapore Edge required to thrive in global leadership, and using purpose-driven leadership to make a difference.
Our heartfelt gratitude extends to the entire SGLN community, comprising our dedicated Members, Ambassadors, Mentors, Mentees, and all those who've steadfastly supported and believed in our movement. Your unwavering commitment has been instrumental in the significant strides we've taken over the past year. As we step into our second year, we are poised and ready for even greater achievements! Thank you for being part of our journey.
Key Takeaways
1️⃣ Leaders as Bamboo: Resilience and Adaptability to Change
We embraced the idea that change is the only constant. To thrive in this ever-evolving landscape, we must treasure the opportunities it presents. Adaptability and resilience are the keys to flourishing, requiring us to take risks, be humble, and step out of our comfort zone. Fear of failure is a natural part of this process, but we must reframe it as diverse opportunities to courageously take on such challenges, whilst also learning how to better mitigate their associated risks by de-risking. Pick up, move on, and move up!
2️⃣ The Singapore Edge Required to Thrive in Global Leadership
Singaporean talents and leaders are renowned for their diligence, technical prowess, and pragmatic approach in getting the job done through both individual and collaborative efforts. Our intercultural bedrock as a nation lends us well to thrive better in regional and international contexts.
The Singapore disapora is progressively making headways on the world stage, and that must be celebrated. As we aspire to become global leaders, let's not shy away from acknowledging our accomplishments to bolster our own leadership brand. It also calls for leadership with a heart, calling on us to show empathy towards others in navigating cultural sensitivities.
3️⃣ Purpose-driven Leadership to Make a Difference
The central theme of our evening was purpose, not only within SGLN but as the core of our professional and personal identities. Whilst "hunger" can be a strong driving force for professional success, we were encouraged to discover our purpose – one that empowers us to create lasting, positive impacts and pay it forward.
There's no one-size-fits-all formula; instead, it beckons us to define our distinctiveness on the global stage. To achieve this, we must be guided by a deep-seated mission and purpose, equipping us to excel as emerging global leaders.
Key Moments
First Year Recap
News Coverage
Leadership network that primes Singaporeans for work abroad marks its first year
(The Straits Times) Be careful when thinking you have reached the peak of your career, as the next stage is decline.
This is what Mr Yuvan Mohan said is the best advice he received from Mr Holger Lindner, chief executive of the global product service division at German product testing giant TUV SUD. “What the network provided me was a network of like-minded individuals to engage in these conversations.”
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About the Singapore Leaders Network
Supported by the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) and managed by the Human Capital Leadership Institute (HCLI), the Singapore Leaders Network (SGLN) aims to prepare Singaporeans for global leadership roles. We aspire to help advance the social capital of Singaporean corporate leaders who can support one another on their professional and personal leadership journeys - whilst cultivating a vibrant and robust community. This is achieved through activities that enable members to learn, lead, and link including through large scale in-person events, smaller business networking sessions on various topics of interest, a structured mentoring programme, an Ambassador programme, as well as an online LinkedIn community.
Keynote Speaker
Mr. Ho Kwon Ping
Mr. Ho is the Founder and Executive Chairman of Banyan Tree Holdings and Laguna Resorts and Hotels, and Executive Chairman of Thai Wah Public Company. All three family-owned companies are listed in Singapore and Thailand.
He was the founding Chairman of Singapore Management University (SMU), and has chaired Singapore Power and MediaCorp Singapore. He has served on the boards of Standard Chartered Bank, Diageo, Singapore Airlines, and GIC.
Among various awards, Mr. Ho has received the London Business School Entrepreneurship Award; CEO of the Year at the Singapore Corporate Awards; CNBC Travel Business Leader Award; Distinguished Alumnus Award from the National University of Singapore; and Lifetime Achievement Awards from the American Creativity Association, China Hotel Investment Summit, Australia Hotel Investment Summit and School of Hotel and Tourism Management The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Honoured for his contributions and accomplishments in the hotel industry in the Asia Pacific region and globally, Mr Ho is the only two-time recipient of Hotel Investment Conference Asia Pacific - HICAP’s Innovation Award (2003) and Lifetime Achievement Award (2019) in its 30-year establishment.
For his services to the country, he has been decorated with the Meritorious Service Medal and Distinguished Service Order by the Singapore Government. Mr Ho has also been conferred honorary doctorates by Johnson & Wales University and Hong Kong Poly University.
Panellists
Mr. Christopher Ong
Mr. Christopher Ong is currently the Managing Director of DHL Express Singapore, a position he has held since November 2018. Responsible for driving sustainable growth in this key market, Chris has been focused on delivering great service quality to loyal customers through a highly motivated workforce. For 3 consecutive years since 2020, DHL Express Singapore has been named as the #1 Singapore Best Workplace by the Great Place to Work Institute. This was a climb up from #6 in 2018 to the top position in a span of two years.
Chris joined DHL in 2006 and was responsible for Mergers and Acquisitions, Partnerships and Planning, First Choice (Six sigma) and GoGreen corporate programmes for Asia-Pacific. In October 2011, he was appointed Country Manager of DHL Express Vietnam before he took on the role of Managing Director for Malaysia and Brunei in March 2014 where he managed over 1,200 employees and 27 facilities, including 7 international gateways, spread across East and West Malaysia and Brunei.
Chris has been spearheading strategies that led to improved delivery experiences for both merchants and buyers and increasing customer loyalty, with a key focus on helping SMEs tap the global market. He is a member of the Future Economic Council, Advanced Manufacturing and Trade Subcommittee as well as the Industry Advisory Panel of the Singapore Institute of Purchasing and Material Managers (SIPMM). He has been invited to share his views on a wide range of topics including Corporate Culture, Sustainability, Supply Chain and eCommerce.
Prior to joining DHL, Chris worked for 10 years at Temasek Holdings, where he was involved in transactions in the Transport, Logistics, Telecom, Media, Technology, and Manufacturing sectors. Chris graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Tufts University, US.
Ms. Jacqueline Poh
Ms. Jacqueline Poh was appointed Managing Director of the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) on 4 October 2021.
She was previously Deputy Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office Strategy Group, which leads and organises the Public Service to develop and implement the strategic priorities of the Government. She also oversaw the National Population and Talent Division and the Centre for Strategic Futures.
Jacqueline was the founding Chief Executive of the Government Technology Agency of Singapore (GovTech), and was previously the Managing Director of the Infocommunications Development Authority (IDA). She has also held key positions in the Ministry of Manpower, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Defence.
Jacqueline is an alumnus of Oxford, Cambridge, INSEAD (MBA) and Stanford. She has three teenagers and more patience than before she had them.
She currently sits on the Boards of SingHealth, the Singapore Institute of Technology and the Agency for Science, Technology and Research. She is the Chairperson of the DesignSingapore Advisory Board and is a member of the Young Presidents’ Organisation.