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About The Event
What a night it was at SGLN's 2nd Anniversary Celebration! The energy crackled as we tackled a critical question: Do Singaporeans have what it takes to be global business leaders today?
Our esteemed debaters brought the heat with insightful arguments.
‣ Proposition: Piyush Gupta (SGLN 2nd Anniversary Guest-of-Honour and CEO, DBS) & Michelle Khoo (SGLN Fellow)‣
‣ Opposition: Geraldine Chin (SGLN Mentor and Chairman, ExxonMobil Asia Pacific) & Joel Shen (SGLN Fellow)
The Verdict? A Powerful Tie! ⚖️
The debate hinged on the definition of "global business leader" and the data used to support each side. The proposition championed Singapore's strong foundation for leadership, citing economic success and rising stars like Piyush Gupta himself. The opposition countered with the need for a bolder, more risk-taking spirit, and a wider pool of Singaporean CEOs at the helm of major global companies.
The audience wasn't just watching – they were actively engaged! ️ Comments ranged from national pride in Singapore's achievements to thoughtful critiques about nurturing a more global mindset. One thing was clear: Singapore has the potential, but there's room to grow.
Here are our key takeaways:
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Singapore boasts a strong track record of leadership but needs to cultivate a "boundless" spirit for a truly global impact.
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Supporting families with dual-career challenges and those taking on expatriate assignments is crucial.
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Celebrating the achievements of Singaporean-led companies, regardless of funding source, is key.
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Singaporeans are already making waves globally – let's amplify those stories and inspire the next generation.
Key Moments
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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.
Debaters
Piyush Gupta
Guest-of-Honour
Piyush Gupta has been Chief Executive Officer and Director of DBS Group since 2009.
Prior to joining DBS, Piyush had a 27 year career at Citigroup, where his last position was Chief Executive Officer for South East Asia, Australia and New Zealand.
Piyush is currently the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Singapore Management University, Vice-Chairman of the Institute of International Finance, Washington, and Vice-Chairman of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) Executive Committee. In addition, he is a member of Singapore’s Advisory Council on the Ethical Use of AI and Data, and Bretton Woods Committee - Advisory Council. He sits on the boards of Singapore’s National Research Foundation, and the Singapore’s Council for Board Diversity. Piyush is a term trustee of the Singapore Indian Development Association (SINDA). Previously, he has been a member of the Singapore Emerging Stronger Taskforce, aimed at defining Singapore’s future in a post-Covid world, the UN Secretary General’s Task Force on Digital Financing of the Sustainable Development Goals, and the McKinsey Advisory Council.
Piyush was awarded the Public Service Star by the President of Singapore for his meritorious services to the nation in 2020, and the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award by the President of India in 2023.
Piyush was named one of the world’s top 100 best-performing chief executives in Harvard Business Review - 2019 edition of "The CEO 100". He was named Global Indian of the Year by the Economic Times in 2021, Singapore Business Awards' Outstanding Chief Executive of the Year in 2016, and Singapore Business Leader of the Year by CNBC in 2014.
Piyush is a graduate of St. Stephen’s College, Delhi and IIM (Ahmedabad).
Geraldine Chin
SGLN Mentor
Geraldine Chin is the Chairman and Managing Director at ExxonMobil Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., as well as Director at ExxonMobil Asia Holdings Pte. Ltd. and ExxonMobil China Petroleum and Petrochemical Company Pte. Ltd. Additionally, she serves as a member of both the Public Service Commission of Singapore and the Singapore Future Economy Advisory Panel.
Having assumed her current role in January 2021, Geraldine previously served as the Asia Pacific Sales & Trading Manager, overseeing Product Trading, Sales, and Supply. Throughout her tenure spanning over 30 years with ExxonMobil, she has undertaken diverse responsibilities within the Fuels & Lubricants sector, encompassing retail, commercial sales, supply chain management, trading, strategic planning, and refining. Her professional journey has also included engagements in controllership, human resources, and research at Exxon Research & Engineering in the United States.
Geraldine is deeply committed to fostering leadership development among women and Asians. She spearheads an internal council dedicated to nurturing the next cohort of leaders within ExxonMobil. Furthermore, she acts as the management sponsor for the Women’s Interest Network, an employee resource group aimed at advancing women within the company. Engaging in various corporate initiatives, Geraldine actively participates in ExxonMobil's volunteer programs, including the annual Adopt-a-Rental Block grocery donation, the Blood Donation Drive, Junior Achievement, and various small group volunteering efforts.
A Singaporean by nationality, Geraldine holds a bachelor's degree in chemistry with Honours and a Master of Business Administration from the National University of Singapore. She is married and has a son.
Joel Shen
SGLN Fellow
Joel Shen, a corporate lawyer based in Jakarta and Singapore, leads the technology practice in Asia at Withersworldwide.
Recognized as a Recommended Lawyer for Corporate M&A and a Notable Practitioner for Fintech, Joel has particular expertise in the technology, digital, media, marketing & communications, food & beverage and consumer sectors.
With over fifteen years of experience in private legal practice across Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Jakarta, Joel is qualified as an advocate and solicitor in Singapore, a solicitor in the UK, and a licensed foreign advocate in Indonesia.
Beyond his legal expertise, Joel serves as the vice chairman of the Singapore Chamber of Commerce in Indonesia, a faculty member of the Singapore Institute of Legal Education, and a tutor for the Advanced Corporate module of the Singapore bar course. Additionally, he contributes as a non-faculty lecturer at the Law and Business Faculties of the University of Indonesia and Universitas Pelita Harapan.
Michelle Khoo
SGLN Fellow
Michelle Khoo is the Center Leader for Deloitte’s Center for the Edge, Southeast Asia. At the Center for the Edge, she explores the edges of business, technology and society, develops insights on how these edges will change the world, and helps leaders to personally experience disruptive technologies and chart pathways into the future.
Michelle was a lead author for the Center's publications on Southeast Asia's Sustainability Ambitions, The Metaverse in Asia: Strategies for Accelerating Economic Impact and Being Human in a Digital World: Questions to Guide the Internet’s Evolution.
Michelle began her career as an investment banker based in the Asian financial hubs of Hong Kong and Singapore. Thereafter, she spent seven years at the Ministry of Finance, where she headed the social strategy and infrastructure strategy units to establish long-term policy thinking on issues such as retirement adequacy, social mobility and inequality, marriage and parenthood, ageing, climate adaptation, food resilience, housing and transportation.
Earning top honours as Valedictorian in her Master of Public Policy program at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, Michelle also graduated summa cum laude with a dual Bachelor's degree in Accountancy and Business Management from the Singapore Management University.
Beyond her professional endeavors, Michelle actively engages in volunteer work, particularly advocating for women and their families, driven by her own experiences as a mother of three. She has played a pivotal role in establishing networks like the Young Women's Leadership Connection. Michelle also shares her expertise as a public speaker and offers coaching in public speaking.