What will 2025 have in store for us? Will we see the geopolitical situation in the world worsen or improve? How will Trump 2.0 impact the world? Will the global economy bottom out? How will Southeast Asia be impacted by these developments? Will ASEAN and Singapore, which turns 60 in 2025, be able to leverage on these opportunities or will these changes prove to be more challenging? And how will trends such as AI, philanthropy, sustainability, intergenerational differences and the future of work continue to impact businesses here?

 

We don't have a crystal ball to gaze into, but we were joined by over 200 people at the SGLN Alumni Conference: The World in 2025, a conference conceptualised and driven by the alumni of our pioneer cohort of SGLN Fellows. It was a dynamic day packed with six sessions and six curated tracks, featuring nearly 40 esteemed speakers who shared their perspectives on the opportunities and challenges ahead.

We were honoured to host distinguished speakers, including Ambassador Ashok Kumar Mirpuri (Head, International Policy and Governance, Temasek Holdings), Rahayu Mahzam (Minister of State for Health and Digital Development & Information) and Ravi Menon (Chairman of the Board of Directors, GFTN; Singapore's Ambassador for Climate Action and Senior Adviser, National Climate Change Secretariat).

This marks our first community event of the year, and it was an incredible way to kick things off! From examining the geopolitical landscape and global economy to exploring trends in AI, sustainability, and the future of work, the discussions were thought-provoking and forward-looking. We also reflected on what Singapore’s 60th anniversary could mean for the region and how ASEAN might navigate the shifting tides of global developments.