#dare2bCHALLENGED

The ability to unlearn and relearn is an imperative in today’s exponentially changing world. Our thought leadership programmes expose learners to leading edge insights from prominent global thinkers and business leaders. Learning from the best and seeing from a fresh perspective challenges them to question the norm and inspires creative ideas that can break new ground and spark radical change.

CONNECT AND COLLABORATE

Into its 4th year, SIM Professional Development (SIM PD)'s hallmark event, the Singapore Management Festival, continued to be a platform for thought and business leaders from around the world to share the latest leadership and management topics. Through the sharing, workshops and ensuing discussions, business ideas and solutions were stimulated and collaborations forged. This year's festival, based on the theme ‘It Is Not Enough To Disrupt', attracted more than 400 top management personnel, professionals and executives who gained insights into leadership qualities, among other traits, that are necessary for innovation and success in the future.

Dato' Sri Idris Jala, former Chief Executive Officer of Malaysia Airlines, speaking about transformational leadership at the Singapore Management Festival.
Singapore Management Festival 2018 Highlights

INSPIRING TRANSFORMATION

Our Transformation Series continued to feature prominent international business practitioners and motivational speakers whose insights and experiences can be translated into practical principles that participants can apply in their career and personal lives.

This year, our two Transformation Series events showcased Ms Karina Hollekim, a female skier who took on the sport again after a paralysing parachute incident, and Mr Yossi Ghinsberg, the legendary Amazon jungle survivor. They inspired their audience with personal accounts of how they rose from adversity to become stronger and more adaptable, and how it helped them find a new purpose in life and empowered them to continue pushing boundaries to excel.

Ms Karina Hollekim, who was told by doctors that she would never be able to walk after her failed parachute experience, bounced back after two years to inspire others with her story.
Mr Yossi Ghinsberg used his experience of being stranded in the Amazon jungle to teach lessons on adaptability, perseverance and pushing boundaries.

MAKING SOCIAL CHANGE HAPPEN

As part of our social mission, SIM continued to partner the Social Service Institute (SSI), the training arm of the National Council of Social Service, to organise the Tote Board-SSI Global Leader Series for Non-Profits.

At this year’s conferences, attended by about 700 participants, local and international non-profit thought leaders exchanged insights on building effective and sustainable social purpose entities, and attracting and retaining talent in the sector.

Ms Laura Lee, Senior Philanthropy Advisor, Credit Suisse, speaking about Asia’s philanthropic landscape and trends at a Global Leader Conference.

DIALOGUES THAT MATTER

The right competencies can help one stay relevant and future ready. This was the key message of the 2018 CEO Dialogue, themed ‘New Digital Economy, New Global Competencies. Are You Ready?’. The dialogue was helmed by SIM Holdings Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr Lee Kwok Cheong, alongside two C-suite SIM Global Education (SIM GE) alumni (Mr Azmoon Ahmad, former Nominated Member of Parliament, and Mr Oliver Tan, Singapore Computer Society Entrepreneur of the Year) to share leadership and industry insights with alumni, students as well as industry partners.

The event was webcast live for the first time for the benefit of our overseas alumni.

(From left) Dr Lee Kwok Cheong, CEO, SIM Holdings, Mr Azmoon Ahmad, Mr Oliver Tan and Mr Tan Kong Soon (moderator) sharing leadership and industry insights at the 2018 CEO Dialogue.
The Straits Times-SIM DisruptED Forum - Highlights

REWRITING THE RULES

In a world disrupted by technological advancements, education must continue to adapt and evolve to equip learners to take on challenges in an ever-changing world. This was the focus of the inaugural ‘DisruptED’, the Straits Times-SIM Forum on Disruptions in Education. Dr Janil Puthucheary, Senior Minister of State for Education, and Communications and Information, gave the introduction at the forum which was attended by over 350 guests comprising educators, students and parents. This was followed by panel discussions with the audience led by local and international education experts, including Mr Ben Nelson from the famed Minerva college.

Likewise, the future of education was in the spotlight when SIM GE partnered Channel NewsAsia (CNA) on the ‘Foresight’ series for the second year running. With Singapore chairing ASEAN in 2018, the six-part series focused on ‘ASEAN Foresight’. Vibrant panel discussions by senior industry executives and SIM leaders on emerging trends and challenges of education in the ASEAN context attracted more than 1.5 million viewers.

Dr Aaron Tan, Director, Teaching and Learning Division, SIM GE (middle), discussing with other panel members the need for cyber security talents during a CNA-SIM ‘ASEAN Foresight’ programme.

FOOD ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INNOVATION

According to a report by the United Nations, the world population is expected to reach 9.8 billion by 2050, putting tremendous pressure for more sustainable food production as well as more effective food distribution and waste management. At the same time, growing prevalence of health issues such as diabetes and obesity across the world pose a challenge for healthier food options.

To address this global issue, Platform E (PE) founded and is the inaugural Chairman of FEED 9 Billion (F9B), a coalition formed to cultivate and facilitate innovations in food science and technology, and to address disruption in the food industry for start-ups and enterprises. F9B is a quadripartite partnership with Temasek Polytechnic, Innovate 360 (Singapore’s first food manufacturing accelerator) and FocusTech Ventures.

The partnership took off with an inaugural Food Entrepreneurship, Exploration & Design (FEED) Camp. The camp gathered innovators and researchers from multinational corporations, and entrepreneurs to develop innovative ideas in food technology. Two of the participants from the FEED camp are planning to launch their ventures and food products in 2019. As a follow-through to the FEED Camp, aspiring entrepreneurs can join PE’s Food Innovation Programme in 2019 to gain a deep understanding of the global food ecosystem and receive training and leverage F9B’s ecosystem to get their innovative ideas ready for market.

PE's FEED Camp 2018