Meta helps Singaporeans stay safe online

Meta is stepping up its efforts to help Singaporeans stay safe online by introducing a range of new anti-scam tools and expanding digital literacy initiatives across the country. These updates are designed to make it easier for people to spot scams and protect their personal information. 

The new safeguards combine proactive scam detection with user education, empowering people to identify risks and stay protected. The company also offers practical advice for staying safe online. 

In the first half of 2025 alone, Meta took action against nearly 12 million scam-linked accounts globally, including the removal of over 68,000 fake accounts and 650,000 scam-related ads in Singapore. These numbers highlight the scale of the challenge and demonstrate the company’s ongoing commitment to building trust and integrity on its platforms.

Clara Koh, Head of Public Policy, Central Southeast Asia & ASEAN said: “At Meta, protecting our users from scams is a top priority. The launch of these anti-scam tools in Singapore and our ongoing public education campaigns underscore our continuing commitment to user safety and empowering Singaporeans with essential digital literacy skills. Tackling online scams requires a collaborative approach, which is why we work closely with governments, technology partners, banks, and law enforcement to collectively detect and stop scammers.”

In Singapore, WhatsApp users will now receive an on-screen alert if they attempt to share their screen with someone who isn’t saved in their contacts during a video call. This new safeguard is designed to help prevent scammers from accessing sensitive information. 

Meanwhile, Meta is rolling out enhanced scam detection on Messenger. This tool notifies users if they receive a suspicious message from an unknown sender and allows them to submit recent chat messages for an AI review. Both of these tools are part of Meta’s ongoing commitment to helping people spot and avoid scams before any damage is done.

Meta has also made it easier for people to secure their accounts with passkeys, a safer alternative to traditional passwords, on Facebook, Messenger, and WhatsApp. In addition, users can take advantage of privacy and security checkup tools to manage their settings, enable strong passwords, set up two-factor authentication or two-step verification, and control who can see their information.

As a Digital for Life (DfL) partner, Meta recently participated in the Singapore Infocomm Media Development Authority’s (IMDA) Digital for Life Festival. 

Doreen Tan, Assistant Chief Executive of Strategic Planning and Digital Readiness at IMDA said: "We are grateful for Meta’s continued support for the DfL movement. At the DfL Festival this year, Meta stepped forward to equip parents and youths with practical tools and resources to develop healthy digital habits, and educate everyone on how to stay safe against scams. Through collaboration with DfL partners like Meta, IMDA will continue to foster a more inclusive digital society as Singapore digitalises more.”

Source: Meta. From left: Corrinne Quek, Senior Programme Head, IMDA; Doreen Tan, Assistant Chief Executive, Strategic Planning & Digital Readiness, IMDA; Gan Kim Yong, Deputy PM and Minister for Trade and Industry, Singapore; Clara Koh, Head of Public Policy, Central Southeast Asia & ASEAN, Meta; Priyanka Bhalla, Head of Safety Policy, Meta; and Tanya Wilson, Education Lead, EYEYAH!

To further spread awareness, Meta has collaborated with local podcasts to encourage Singaporeans to enable two-step verification and use block and report features on WhatsApp. The company also encourages open conversations about scams, and recommends following trusted sources like ScamShield or the Singapore Police Force for real-time scam alerts.

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For tips on staying safe online, visit about.meta.com/sg/actions/safety/anti-scam

Cornerstone unveils cyber insurance for Singapore SMBs with QBE and ESET

Cornerstone, a Singapore-based independent financial advisory, has launched CyberFender, a cyber insurance solution tailored to small-to-medium businesses (SMBs) in Singapore. 

CyberFender offers insurance coverage that will help to safeguard critical business assets against malicious actors in areas like data security, business interruption, and cyber extortion. It also covers related incident response and recovery costs, providing both financial and operational protection against cyber incidents—empowering businesses to better build and maintain customer trust, Cornerstone said. 

Underwritten by QBE, a global insurer with a presence in Singapore for more than 130 years, CyberFender policyholders will also receive 24x7 cybersecurity protection through ESET Small Business Security, which is a set-and-protect solution against online threats, frauds, data theft and unwanted tracking. 

Cornerstone can guide and support SMEs throughout the process, serving as trusted advisors who simplify, facilitate, and ensure a seamless download and understanding of key information. 

SMBs make up 99% of all enterprises in Singapore and are responsible for nearly half of the nation’s GDP. As they embrace digital transformation, robust cybersecurity measures are essential to maintain customer trust and ensure a resilient business environment. Cyber insurance has emerged as a vital safety net, helping SMBs to mitigate the financial risks of cyber incidents while reinforcing confidence in data security.

ESET’s APAC SMB Cybersecurity Report 2024 found that 73% of Asia Pacific (APAC) SMBs experienced cybersecurity incidents last year—with one out of four incidents related to ransomware, while Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA) findings from 2024 estimated that eight in 10 organisations in Singapore encountered a cybersecurity incident in a year, with half encountering it several times a year. 

QBE Singapore’s small- and medium-sized enterprise (SME) survey further showed that the percentage of businesses that do not have any processes or protection against cyber risks rose to 19% in 2024, from 9% in 2023.

“At Cornerstone, we recognise that recovery from cyberattacks can be costly and challenging for SMBs. This is why we partnered with QBE and ESET to deliver robust, easy-to-use cyberdefence solutions to our policyholders through CyberFender,” said Leonard Tan, MD, Cornerstone.

“No industry is insulated from cyberthreats, regardless of company size. As technology evolves, it’s creating both new opportunities and new risks, further expanding the digital attack surface. Together with Cornerstone and ESET, we are delighted to be a part of the CyberFender offering, which is well suited to address SMBs’ needs when it comes to the current cyber risk landscape,” said Ronak Shah, CEO, QBE Singapore.

“ESET is committed to empowering SMBs with the right tools to proactively protect their businesses from cyber threats, including ransomware. By adopting a prevention-first approach, business owners can effectively safeguard their organisations from the risk of cyberattacks and disruption. We are honoured that Cornerstone and QBE have chosen to work with ESET; it is a testament to our commitment to ensure businesses of all sizes are safeguarded in an ever-evolving threat landscape,” said Parvinder Walia, ESET President for Asia Pacific and Japan.

CyberFender is available in Singapore through Cornerstone's financial advisors.

Savills: Dubai is the No. 1 destination for executive nomads

The UAE has taken the top two spots in the Savills Executive Nomad Index this year. Dubai has retained its lead position for the 2nd consecutive year, while UAE capital Abu Dhabi moved from 4th place to 2nd this year. 

The Savills Executive Nomad Index ranks 25 destinations for long-term remote workers. All either have a digital nomad visa programme, or equivalent, or in the case of the US and European countries, are already part of a large economic bloc that allows free movement of people for living or work. 

They offer favourable climates year-round, a high quality of life and have established prime residential markets. Both Dubai and Abu Dhabi rank highly in several categories; however, Dubai has a large advantage in air connectivity, which places it ahead of Abu Dhabi overall. 

Dubai International, its main airport, is the world’s busiest for international passenger traffic. The recently announced Al Makhtoum airport expansion in Dubai will make it the largest airport in the world upon completion. 

“Dubai and Abu Dhabi are incredibly appealing to executive nomads, because they offer everything you need to thrive both personally and professionally, from modern infrastructure to high quality of life,” said Andrew Cummings, Head of Residential Agency - Middle East at Savills. 

“We’ve seen a real focus on creating a lively business environment where there are plenty of opportunities to grow, build networks and make lifelong connections.”

Source: Savills. The Savills Executive Nomad Index 2024 includes Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Bali as destinations.

“The more common digital nomad is symbolised by the young backpacker; however, executive nomads tend to be older and more likely travel with family in tow,” said Kelcie Sellers, Associate Director, Savills World Research. 

“This places a greater emphasis on the quality of life aspects that these top international locations can provide, such as safety and access to healthcare or education facilities. For these individuals, both physical networking and digital connectivity are important and must be accounted for. 

“Executive nomads are more likely to rent, and put an emphasis on extra space and proximity to local amenities. Prime rents have risen, on average, by 5% in the last year across the 25 locations monitored in the Savills index, with some urban markets seeing increases of more than 15%.” 

Also new to the 2024 Index is Bali in 12th place, the 1st and only Southeast Asian city in the index.

Mastercard: APAC consumers shifting to digital commerce and won't be looking back

In the COVID-19 era, consumers in Asia Pacific are rapidly going digital with purchases of everything from groceries to movies in a shift that looks set to become permanent after the pandemic passes, Mastercard research* shows.

E-commerce and contactless payments continue to grow in popularity as people make the move to digital by default and we reduce our use of cash, according to an ongoing study by Mastercard in multiple markets around the world that analyses the impact of current and future consumer behaviour.

“Our shift to digital commerce is here to stay as people embrace the benefits of safety, security and convenience. Consumers now want on-demand products and services – whether it’s food delivery, groceries, fitness courses, telemedicine, conferencing, learning or entertainment. This demand and these expectations will continue to drive e-commerce long after COVID-19 subsides,” said Sandeep Malhotra, Executive VP, Products & Innovation, Asia Pacific, Mastercard.

“As communities and economies emerge from the pandemic, the new consumer mindset sends a clear signal to merchants of all shapes and sizes that online shopping and touch-free transactions are essential to building the business and ensuring customer loyalty now and in the future.”

The digital momentum created by greater Internet access, the proliferation of smart devices and growing e-commerce is transforming how consumers buy and merchants sell. As lines blur between physical and digital, businesses must change how they think about every aspect – from customer interaction and retention to inventory, production and logistics.

The global survey underscores the movement to contactless after a Mastercard study in April showed that 79% of people worldwide and 91% in Asia Pacific were using tap-and-go payments. Citing safety and cleanliness, 74% of people globally and 75% in Asia Pacific said they would keep using contactless after the pandemic is over.

Source: Mastercard. E-commerce and contactless payments continue to grow in popularity in APAC, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

With people concerned about safety and many stores shut during the COVID-19 outbreak, digital commerce revenues grew 20% globally in the first quarter of 2020 from a year earlier, according to the Salesforce Shopping Index.
The Mastercard study highlights the need for businesses, especially small and medium enterprises, to move into e-commerce and have an online presence during and after the pandemic. The shift is underway globally as almost six in 10 consumers say the move to digital payments is likely to be permanent and nearly half plan to use cash less even after the pandemic passes.

E-commerce is on the rise in Asia Pacific with 30% of people in Australia, 49% in India, 55% in China and 34% in Japan planning to make more purchases online. At the same time, consumers think less in-store shopping is here to stay – say 38% in Australia, 68% in India, 57% in China and 40% in Japan.

In Asia Pacific, 46% of consumers say they plan to use cash less often, including 52% in Australia, 49% in India, 43% in China and 41% in Japan. A large majority – 71% in Australia, 77% in India, 73% in China and 62% in Japan – believe the shift to contactless payments is also here to stay.

Mastercard adopted a drive into digital commerce many years before COVID-19 to maximise options and convenience for consumers in how and where they shop and pay – by tapping a card or mobile device on a contactless terminal in a shop, using an e-wallet within a smart phone, making a purchase online or seamlessly transferring money and paying bills.

With the focus on safety and security, Mastercard’s mission is to provide a fast, frictionless payment experience that is protected at every step.

Source: Mastercard infographic. APAC consumers plan to use less cash going forward.

Earlier this year, Mastercard announced commitments to raise contactless payment limits in more than 50 countries worldwide. The limit increases are part of Mastercard’s global effort to ensure consumers, merchants and small businesses have the resources they need to pay safely, receive payment and keep operations running during COVID-19.

Mastercard works with partners across the region and across the ecosystem of merchants, financial institutions and fintechs to create and deliver products that are becoming the standard in many markets. These include the launch of digital card programmes with GrabPay in Singapore and the Philippines and with Hong Kong virtual banks Mox by Standard Chartered and WeLab Bank.

For merchants of all sizes, Mastercard has a range of solutions and services in e-commerce, payments, cybersecurity, fraud protection, data analytics and productivity to help businesses thrive in the changing business environment.

In India, Mastercard, Axis Bank and Worldline recently launched Soft POS, an app that transforms smartphones into point-of-sale terminals to give merchants and consumers the simplicity and security of contactless payments. The cost-effective acceptance solution also helps small merchants by eliminating the need to invest in a POS device, linking to various digital payment platforms, offering an online catalogue of items for sale and making it easier to get business loans by keeping a record of transactions.

“These are challenging times for everyone but we’re seeing innovation and change that will help all of us to emerge stronger,” Malhotra said.

“The digital economy is the future and there’s no doubt consumers and merchants are embracing this evolution. Now that people are experiencing and expecting the security, simplicity and seamlessness of digital commerce, there’s just no turning back.”

*Mastercard proprietary study conducted between April 27 and May 17 2020 with a total of 6,750 adults interviewed across 15 countries: Australia, Brazil, China, Colombia, France, Germany, India, Italy, Spain, Japan, Mexico, Russia, UAE, UK and US.

PwC Singapore launches initiatives for digital learning, SMEs

- To help individuals and organisations increase digital acumen and upskill, PwC Singapore is releasing a learning app to the public for free

- PwC also aims to provide support to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) accelerate their digital adoption with dedicated digital advisory services, solutions and upskilling programmes

- Other initiatives include providing free virtual learning workshops for charities, social entrepreneurs and social service agencies

Source: PwC. Acquire more digital skills with PwC Singapore's free learning app.

In response to calls in Singapore's Fortitude Budget for more support for upskilling, digital adoption, and financial support for vulnerable communities, PwC Singapore has launched several new initiatives to support individuals and organisations through the COVID-19 pandemic. This move is part of PwC Singapore’s commitment to be part of the solution to support groups that have been impacted by COVID-19.

Yeoh Oon Jin, Executive Chairman, PwC Singapore, said: “We want to play our part in solving some of the important problems that people may be facing now. From preparing individuals for the digital future to supporting non-profit organisations that provide meals to vulnerable individuals and families, we hope that the actions that we are taking can help our community tide through the current situation and be ready for the new normal.”

The need for continuous upskilling and reskilling to become part of the “new normal” was highlighted in the Fortitude Budget. In response, PwC Singapore is making their learning app free for all from 8 June 2020. Digital Fitness for the World will allow users to assess their digital acumen, gain access to recommended learning materials to be more digitally-aware and also gain insight on business and economic issues relevant to our evolving environment.

Fang Eu-Lin, Leader of PwC’s Academy in Singapore, said, “The Digital Fitness App was first used by PwC to help upskill our people’s capabilities in a digital and evolving world. We have updated the app so that this can be made available for use by the whole community. We hope individuals will use the app to gain good knowledge and insights on digital topics, and find it a fun way to learn!”

In addition, PwC Singapore aims to help support SMEs to accelerate their digital adoption journeys with dedicated digital advisory services, solutions and upskilling tailored for the unique needs of this segment.

PwC Singapore has also launched complimentary virtual workshops specifically for charities, social entrepreneurs and social service agencies. The firm conducted a series of four virtual workshops - on digital strategy and transformation, data and analytics, digital marketing and social media, and digital trust and cybersecurity – aimed at helping them address the challenges and opportunities of digital disruption in the social and non-profit sectors. This is part of PwC Singapore’s ongoing skills-based volunteering efforts.

Details:



The Digital Fitness for the World app will be available from 8 June 2020 until 31 July 2020.

Download the Digital Fitness for the World app. Gain free access using the promotional code LRNALL.

Spark joy by decluttering business travel

Source: SAP Concur. View from a plane window.

SAP Concur has linked decluttering to business travel and come up with new efficiencies for travellers.

"Just like it’s possible − with the right method − to transform your chaotic home into a neat abode that sparks joy, it’s possible to turn business travel from pain to pleasure with some technological ingenuity," said Andy Watson, SVP and GM, Asia Pacific Japan and Greater China, SAP Concur.

Traditionally, before making their trips, business travellers need to:

- Manually conduct multiple searches for their desired flights and hotels. Bookings are done separately with the need to repeatedly key in personal and booking information.

- Manually consolidate multiple bookings in one place, often in a paper-based fashion with no capability for changes or real-time prompts and updates.

- Go through a tedious submission process for internal approval of the trip.

- Safekeep paper receipts collected along the trip.

- Go through the receipts and key in details for claims upon return.

"With modern, mobile-based travel and expense technologies, business travellers will be able to declutter all these processes, better organise their trips, and take more effective care of their own safety," Watson explained.

He said decluttering and going digital could mean:

- Using smart apps to book flights, hotels and rental cars, streamlining travel booking, claims and invoicing management from start to finish.

- Organising all travel plans in one place, including personal arrangements done with travel service providers like Airbnb and Uber.

- Receiving real-time flight alerts throughout their trip, even possibly getting notified when a better seat becomes available.

- Linking frequent flyer accounts and reward programmes on one platform, which lets travellers save time on bookings and leverage a B2C experience, while staying within the policy needs of their company.

- Keep their company in the loop with modern apps so it can render on-site assistance should the need arise. "Modern apps can help firms proactively monitor weather, violence, system disruptions or other risks that may impact their travellers, communicate with them and connect them to expert support," Watson said.

- Take pictures of their paper receipts, submit them instantly for claims and forget about the need to safekeep them. "Some apps can automatically create, itemise and categorise charges in expense reports," noted Watson.

- Use apps to auto-submit hotel, restaurant and transportation e-receipts, or enable these vendors to submit their receipts directly to the corporate expense system. 

"This paperless approach aids environmental preservation," Watson pointed out. Other sustainable options exist for modern apps include the possibility of optimising routes based on emissions, or renting environmentally friendly cars from designated rental firms.

"Looking beyond travellers themselves, all these capabilities can tidy up operations for finance managers and make their work a breeze," he added.

On the back end, Watson pointed out that the data for employees’ bookings across multiple channels would all flow back to the finance team. With a digital strategy, that team gets more visibility and greater insights, so they can apply policy on direct bookings and better manage compliance and approvals. 

"With this same data, the finance department could anticipate needs, predict challenges, identify opportunities on the fly, and tackle everything from taxes and compliance risk to mobile phone expenses and fraud," he said. 

"All in all, a company could create a best-in-class experience for its employee travellers while dramatically improving its financial controls and productivity organisation-wide," Watson concluded.

Microsoft: Singapore Millennials impacted greatly by online risk

- Millennials and teenagers are the hardest-hit by online risks in Singapore, a new Microsoft study has revealed.

- The most common type of online risks faced by the Singapore respondents include sexual risks (68%); hoaxes, scams and frauds (61%); behavioural risks (54%); and unwanted content (45%).

- Many of those who have been a victim of online risks said that the perpetrators were people that they knew.

- In terms of their propensity to seek help, only slightly over half (55%) of Singapore teens said that they would reach out for help following an online risk encounter.

In observance of Safer Internet Day (5 February), new Microsoft research has revealed that Millennials (aged 18 to 34) and teenagers (aged 13 to 17) in Singapore were the hardest hit by online risks compared to other consumer groups. 

Source: Microsoft. Figure 1: Microsoft Digital Civility Index featuring the 22-country ranking.

According to the 2019 Microsoft Digital Civility Study, 69% of Millennials and 66% of teenagers in Singapore have encountered at least one form of online risk – including exposure to unwanted contact; hoaxes, scams and fraud; behavioural risks and sexual risks – in their lifetime, ahead of the Generation X (59%) and Baby Boomers (48%).

The study, which placed Singapore 10th out of 22 countries for the rate of exposure to online risks, also found local teenagers to be less likely to seek help compared to others. Teenagers here faced an average of 2.6 online risks in their lifetime, with teenage girls being more vulnerable, averaging three online risks compared to the 2.2 faced by teenage boys. Millennials, on the other hand, averaged 2.5 online risks, significantly higher than the Generation X and Baby Boomers, who averaged 2.1 and 1.4 online risks respectively.

Conducted with 11,000 respondents in 22 countries, including 500 Singapore adults (aged 18 to 74) and teenagers in May 2018, the Microsoft Digital Civility Study was specifically designed to uncover insights into consumers’ lifetime exposure to a wide range of online risks, to shed light on the impact of online risks to their wellbeing, while informing them about how to stay safe and secure online.

Having yielded insights that 63% of Singapore respondents have encountered at least one form of online risk in their lifetime, lower than the global average of 66%, the study placed Singapore 10th out of 22 countries for the overall rate of exposure to online risks.

Encountering offensive content and fake news stood out as top online risks in Singapore. While the overall incidence of exposure to online risks for Singaporeans was lower than the global average, the country stood out for its rate of exposure to specific types of risks. According to the study, the most common type of online risks faced by the Singapore respondents include:

Sexual risks: Receiving unwanted sexual messages or images topped the list with 68% of the local respondents saying that they have encountered this situation before, higher than the global average of 67%.

Hoaxes, scams and frauds: Encountering fake news came in second, with 61% of local respondents saying that they have encountered this situation before, higher than the global average of 57%.

Behavioural risks: Being called offensive names came in third, with 54% of local respondents saying that they were called offensive names before, higher than the global average of 51%.

Unwanted contact: Being contacted by a stranger to collect personal information came in fourth, with 45% of local respondents saying that they encountered this situation, higher than the global average of 42%.

And while 29% of the online risks encountered by Singapore respondents came from strangers, 41% of these risks came from people that the respondents knew, including online acquaintances, casual acquaintances and co-workers. Additionally, 24% of the online risks encountered by Singapore respondents came from their own family and friends.

Overall, Singapore respondents expressed lower levels of pain from the online risks encountered. Sixty-four percent of the respondents reported mild to moderate pain, with only 15% reporting severe levels of pain from their online risk encounters.

Microsoft notes that the results show that more needs to be done to help local teenagers seek help when facing online risks. According to the research,  51% of Millennials and teenagers reported moderate to severe pain following their online risk encounters. The pain experienced can include widespread emotional, psychological as well as physical pain.

The study additionally revealed that only slightly over half (55%) of the Singapore teens would reach out for help following an online risk encounter. Thirty-two percent of Singapore teenagers who have encountered such risks would ask their parents for help, lower than the global average of 42%; while 23% would ask an adult for help, lower than the global average of 28%.

“As we continue to interact with and in the digital world, we can no longer sit back and allow these online risks to have a negative impact on our lives. Each day, we are being bombarded with unsolicited online content ranging from emails sent by unknown third parties to the circulation of fake news and unwanted sexual messages. And these represent just a fraction of the common scenarios that Singaporeans face in everyday living. 

"Today on Safer Internet Day, it’s time for us to take a stand. By participating in the Microsoft Digital Civility Challenge and committing to making the four digital civility ideals a reality, we can do our part to help a build a better and safer digital environment for everyone,“ said Richard Koh, CTO, Microsoft Singapore.

On Safer Internet Day, Microsoft is encouraging all Internet users to take part in the annual Digital Civility Challenge and practise the four digital civility ideals to create a more positive online environment for everyone:

Living the golden rule: I will act with empathy, compassion and kindness in every interaction, and treat everyone I connect with online with dignity and respect.

Respecting differences: I will appreciate cultural differences and honour diverse perspectives. When I disagree, I will engage thoughtfully and avoid name-calling and personal attacks.

Pausing before replying: I will pause and think before responding to things I disagree with. I will not post or send anything that could hurt someone else, damage someone’s reputation, or threaten my safety or the safety of others.

Standing up for myself and others: I will tell someone if I feel unsafe, offer support to those who are targets of online abuse or cruelty, report activity that threatens anyone’s safety, and preserve evidence of inappropriate or unsafe behaviour.

Users can also encourage their friends and family on social media to join in the challenge with the hashtags #challenge4civility or #Im4digitalcivility.

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Find out more ways to get involved

Second Digimuse Presents exhibition opens in Singapore

Source: National Museum of Singapore. Randy Chan, Sonic Womb, 2019, Interactive mixed media installation. Image courtesy of the artist.

As part of its aim to lead digital innovation in the cultural sector, the National Museum of Singapore has exhibited seven projects that bring to life the amalgamation of art, culture and technology in its latest edition of DigiMuse Presents, launched on 18 January in conjunction with Singapore Art Week 2019. Co-created by digital designers and creative professionals in partnership with cultural institutions and technology companies, DigiMuse Presents will enable visitors to explore new perspectives of art, culture and heritage via immersive and interactive exhibits, dynamic conversations enabled by artificial intelligence, and more.

Iman Ismail, Curator, National Museum of Singapore, said, “The second edition of DigiMuse Presents will explore the creative use of technology, art, and even sound, to create immersive experiences for museum-goers. The showcase demonstrates the exciting potential of marrying digital innovation with culture and the arts, to create playful and thoughtful interactions with our audiences.”

As a progressive cultural institute, the museum encourages the use of technology-driven storytelling to create moments of self-reflection and meaningful exchanges for its visitors. This new edition of DigiMuse Presents will feature Face of the Day (FOTD), a platform that showcases fresh digital and visual content daily. Using social media as one of its key mediums, FOTD fuses photography, videography, fashion, culture, arts and trends to share wry, witty and wondrous moments of everyday life.

Another highlight of DigiMuse Presents is Sonic Womb, an inhabitable suspended tensile womb structure and soundscape that allows visitors to explore the process of human gestation. As visitors walk, crawl and lie within the responsive “womb”, they will experience a reactive audio system that mimics the way a fetus would experience sound. The immersive, interactive exhibit was inspired by the organic process of human exploration, cognition and response.

Featuring contributions from local designers like Yang Derong and Randy Chan to internationally acclaimed artists and choreographers such as Justine Emard and Hiraoki Umeda, DigiMuse Presents and the larger DigiMuse initiative are the result of the National Museum’s partnerships multiple organisations.

Through Co(AI)xistence, museum-goers will get the chance to discover an artistic interface between data and human motion. The video artwork by Justine Emard shows an artificial life system created by Ishiguro Lab (Osaka University) and programmed by Ikegami Lab (Tokyo University) interacting with Mirai Moriyama, a Japanese actor and dancer embodying a non-anthropomorphic way of understanding things.

In a series of 3D-printed garments, Beeing Human by design label Baëlf Design pays tribute to the wonders of nature. Inspired by the honeycomb, a fusion of geometric, architectural and organic forms overlaying the human body brings to light the relationship between humans and nature.

Giving new meaning to the phrase ‘high-fashion’, Galina Mihaleva’s work Talking Cheongsams showcases Singapore’s DNA through clothing and textiles hung from the museum’s glass rotunda. In what is set to be a feast for the eyes, her work at the Banyan Tree, Pulse, is a tactile playground for visitors to experience digital interpretations of today’s urban landscape.

In the visual installation Dual Blur, Hiroaki Umeda takes reference from the museum’s William Farquhar Collection of Natural History Drawings, deconstructing and distorting images from the collection. Interacting with the audience in real-time, sensors within the installation detect movement from the audience, presenting visitors with a fresh and dynamic perspective of the collection.


This showcase is part of the wider DigiMuse initiative, which was launched with the goal of building a vibrant cultural sector that is invested in digital innovation. The museum was among the first cultural institutions worldwide to launch an initiative of this scale.

Details:

DigiMuse Presents will be on view till 17 February 2019 at various locations within the National Museum and its galleries, between 10 am to 7 pm daily. Visitor access to the featured projects is free with a General Admission ticket.

Kampong Glam launches new digital initiatives with 150 merchants on board

Haji Lane in Kampong Glam.

Kampong Glam, Singapore’s first digitally-enabled neighbourhood, has launched five initiatives in its first phase to help traditional businesses there succeed in a digital economy.

The neighbourhood transformation project is led by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), in collaboration with Enterprise Singapore, One Kampong Gelam (OKG) association and the Singapore Malay Chambers of Commerce and Industry (SMCCI). It is aimed at strengthening the neighbourhood’s appeal to digitally-savvy consumers and visitors interested in an experiential retail experience, and helping businesses become more productive through technology. Some 150 merchants are already benefitting from the transformation.

Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, Member of Parliament for the Jalan Besar Group Representation Constituency, has been appointed as special advisor to the Kampong Glam digital transformation project. As special advisor, Dr Yaacob will engage with key stakeholders, and provide guidance on the development and prioritisation on the digital transformation of the neighbourhood.

The first phase of the neighbourhood’s transformation comprises five digital initiatives:

- E-payments, for convenient transactions;

- Digital map listings and virtual in-store tours, for improved merchant discoverability;

- An augmented reality-enabled navigational tool with digital marketing features, to
help visitors navigate through the neighbourhood;

- Convenient, affordable shopping delivery services, so customers can “shop without
shopping bags”; and

- An integrated point-of-sale system, to help businesses become more efficient

Following initial success in helping more merchants establish online listings and virtual tours on digital maps such as Google Maps, a memorandum of intent was signed at the launch between Temasek Polytechnic (TP) School of Business, IMDA and OKG to increase the involvement of TP students to continue to assist merchants on their digitalisation journey.

To further enhance the digital capabilities of the Kampong Glam neighbourhood, OKG is working with key stakeholders to explore new ideas for a second phase of transformation, which may include pervasive outdoor Wi-Fi coverage, intelligent digital signages, Internet of Things-based visual identifiers, social media-based brand identity and e-commerce capabilities.

“I am encouraged to see how merchants in Kampong Glam have adopted digital solutions. Most
merchants recognise the benefits of digitalising their businesses but they need some help to make
the first step. This where the associations, industry partners and government agencies can provide
the resources and support. The appointment of Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, Member of Parliament for the
Jalan Besar Group Representation Constituency, as special advisor to the Kampong Glam digital
transformation project, would provide a familiar face on the ground offering support to merchants
on their digitalisation journey.

“This launch of the Phase 1 initiatives is just the start. With the collective effort from the community,
public and private sectors entering into mutually beneficial partnership, I am confident that merchants will adopt more innovative digital solutions, creating an even better visitor’s experience in Kampong Glam and improving their business opportunities,” said S Iswaran, Singapore Minister for Communication and Information.

“All businesses today, including traditional businesses, must digitalise to stay competitive in the digital economy. We are excited to collaborate with our partners to bring new digital options to Kampong Glam and enable more people to discover this gem of a neighbourhood. Businesses now have more tools to engage their customers with an integrated experience that unites the physical and digital, and be better positioned to seize growth opportunities in a fast changing business environment,” said Jane Lim, Assistant Chief Executive, Sector Transformation Group, IMDA.

“Kampong Glam is a neighbourhood close to many Singaporeans’ hearts, with a rich blend of rich history and culture, as well as modern retail shops and contemporary eateries. Strengthening our digital presence helps our merchants better connect to a younger generation of locals, as well as overseas visitors, to give them a chance to experience our unique mix of retail experiences and cultural heritage, said Saeid Labaffi, Chairman, OKG.

“We want to help businesses grow and there is a need for the traditional merchants to embrace technology, to open up the opportunity to increase their business multifold,” said Azhar Othman, Chairman, SME Centre@SMCCI. “This is where our advisors come in, to work hand-in-hand with the merchants, to get them online.”

“As the lines between the physical and digital world continue to blur, our small and medium sized enterprise (SME) merchants need to keep pace by adopting new mindsets and digital capabilities that enable them to fully participate in this ever-evolving economy. Embarking on this digital journey will allow businesses to better engage their customers not only here at Kampong Glam, but also beyond the precinct, bringing new opportunities to showcase the unique offerings of our SME merchants and reach new customers,” said Chew Mok Lee, Assistant Chief Executive Officer, Industry Clusters, Enterprise Singapore.

Riverbed: Singapore businesses link digital performance to business performance

Riverbed, the digital performance company, has found that nearly all (99%) of business decision makers (BDMs) in Singapore believe that optimising digital performance is essential to business performance, and 98% agree that digital, including the delivery of digital services and applications, is critical to the future of their business. 

Source: Riverbed. Cover of the Riverbed Digital Performance Global Survey 2018.

However, the Riverbed Digital Performance Global Survey 2018, also found that 92% of the decision makers say that major barriers – including budget constraints, legacy networks and lack of visibility – are holding them back from advancing digital strategies and delivering the performance and customer experience required in today’s digital world.

The global survey, which includes responses from 1,000 BDMs at companies with US$500 million or more in revenue across nine countries, also found that while Singapore BDMs recognise digital performance as a key business driver, 79% reported that critical digital services and applications are failing, impeding deadlines and diminishing productivity more than once a month. Additionally, one in three (32%) cited failures and slowdowns on a weekly basis. 

“This survey underscores the tremendous opportunity that maximising a digital strategy can have on the bottom line, while simultaneously highlighting the challenges companies face today,” said Bjorn Engelhardt, Senior VP, Asia Pacific and Japan at Riverbed Technology. 

“The findings reinforce that forward-thinking companies are well-positioned to lead their industries in the race towards digital transformation by prioritising investments in modernising their networks and tools to measure and manage the digital experience for their customers and employees. Those who hesitate to embrace digital strategies and processes will quickly fall by the wayside, and those who drive digital performance will see significant business outcomes.” 

The digital experience

Nine in 10 (89%) of Singapore business decision makers agree that providing a successful digital experience is even more critical to the company’s bottom line than it was just three years ago.

BDMs in Singapore surveyed unanimously agreed their company would benefit from improving the performance of their company’s digital services and applications. They see this happening primarily through:

- Improved customer experience and satisfaction (53%)

- Increased revenue/sales and profitability (50%)

- Stronger brand (46%) 

Obstacles to digital strategies

Of the 92% of BDMs who said they face significant challenges when it comes to achieving a more successful digital strategy, most cited multiple challenges, including: 

- Budget constraints (49%)

- Overly complex or rigid legacy IT infrastructure (43%)

- Lack of full visibility across the digital or end-user experience (37%)

The eight in 10 (79%) reporting that critical digital services and applications are failing at least a few times per month and impacting productivity and the end user experience, nearly one in four experience failures at least several times a week. 

Just over half (54%) of the survey respondents say the maximum acceptable time to resolve digital performance issues is within an hour, and nearly 20% said within minutes. Consequences listed include:

- Loss of sales and revenue (44%)

- Delayed product launches (43%)

- Loss of customers (33%)

- Loss of brand loyalty (39%)

- Loss of employee productivity (32%)

Other findings include:

Infrastructure visibility and the digital experience

Smart business leaders are looking to put greater emphasis on the management tools and infrastructure underlying digital services. In fact, 98% say that visibility across the digital experience is critical to measure and manage it successfully; and 98% of global business decision makers believe that a modern IT architecture that delivers greater agility is important to improving digital performance.

Acting soon

More than two thirds (68%) of Singapore BDMs believing it is critical that their company invests in improving the digital experience for users or customers in the next 12 months. The key areas business decision makers see themselves making investments include:

- Improving service desk capabilities (62%)

- Modernising networks and infrastructure to drive greater agility (57%)

- Accelerating development of applications (56%)

Technology wishlist

Nearly all (98%) of the Singapore BDMs believe the use of cloud technologies is important to their company’s ongoing digital strategy. To further advance digital services in support of their strategy, BDMs would also like their companies to invest in emerging technologies such as:

- Data analytics (55%)

- Internet of Things (IoT; 55%)

- Blockchain (51%)

- Artificial intelligence (AI; 38%)

- Virtual reality (VR; 30%)

Riverbed is focused on delivering solutions to maximise digital performance. Its Riverbed Digital Performance Platform brings together cloud networking and cloud edge solutions. 

Explore:

Read the Riverbed Digital Performance Global Survey 2018 report.

*The Riverbed Digital Performance Global Survey 2018 is the result of a custom online survey by Wakefield Research of 1,000 business decision makers at companies with US$500 million or more in revenue. Research was completed in May 2018 across nine countries: US, Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Singapore and the UK. Among the 1,000 respondents, 200 were in the US, with 100 in each other country.

Enterprise Singapore supports F&B, food manufacturers with new digital initiatives

RESTAURANT 3.0.

Enterprise Singapore has introduced new digital initiatives at Food&HotelAsia (FHA) 2018 to support Singapore food and beverage (F&B) and food manufacturing companies in capturing new overseas opportunities and improve operational efficiencies.

The digital initiatives launched include a B2B online platform for food manufacturers and the RESTAURANT 3.0 showcase for F&B companies.

Enterprise Singapore and the Singapore Manufacturing Federation (SMF) launched the SMF SMART App at the Singapore Pavilion at FHA, to make it easier, faster and more convenient for food manufacturers to export overseas. The B2B online platform, developed by Singapore technology company iSprint Innovations, facilitates consolidation of online orders for overseas buyers and provides features such as traceability and authentication of products.

Visitors at the show can use this smart app to scan barcodes of physical products at FHA to view more product details. They can also perform checkout via the smart app. Other features include:

 Access to the SMF Digital Marketplace* on the app

 Automatic checks on quantities of product/s required to fill each shipping container through the shipping cubic meter calculation function

 Authentication of Singapore products with a track and trace function via the use of QR codes and IT security technology

 Reduced paperwork for food manufacturers with an online procurement process

In addition, Enterprise Singapore and SMF have extended the reach of the Singapore Pavilion beyond the physical limits of FHA by bringing it onto Alibaba.com. This allows buyers to browse the Singapore products and indicate business interest.

Sunny Koh, Deputy President of SMF and Chairman of the F&B Industry Group, said, “Today’s launch of the digital initiatives enhances the effectiveness of our WIP programme**. They will further benefit our small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in reaching out to users overseas including Southeast Asia. The track and trace function of the SMF SMART App also helps prevent counterfeit of goods. It is definitely a win-win situation for all sellers and buyers locally and globally, and the overall promotion of an authentic and quality Singapore brand.”

There are currently 103 Singapore companies with 871 products on board the SMF SMART App and SMF Alibaba.com platforms. SMF is working to bring in more food manufacturers on board and exploring the feasibility of extending the digital initiatives to other industries.

Kee Ai Nah, Executive Director of Lifestyle & Consumer Cluster, Enterprise Singapore, said, “Enterprise Singapore’s partnership with SMF enables Singapore SMEs to capture more overseas opportunities by making the buyer’s procurement process easier through the use of technology. SMF has been proactive and forward-looking in driving tech adoption; we hope to work with other trade associations and chambers (TACs) to implement such digital initiatives to benefit our SMEs collectively.”

The digital initiatives are supported through Enterprise Singapore’s Local Enterprise and Association Development (LEAD) programme. The Local Enterprise and Association Development (LEAD) Programme aims to enhance industry and enterprise competitiveness. Through partnerships with industry associations that are willing to take the lead in industry development and drive initiatives to improve the overall capabilities of SMEs in their industries, LEAD provides focused and customised support at the industry level.

With over 160,000 workers, the food services industry is a sizeable employer contributing 5% of total employment in Singapore. Technology could help companies in the industry improve workflow, enhance the working environment for staff and retain employees with the right skills and aptitude. As of end-2017, more than a third of food outlets in Singapore are already adopting technology such as digital services and kitchen automation, organisers said.

A robotic platform programmed to
serve coconut ice cream.

RESTAURANT 3.0 at FHA 2018 displays new technologies that F&B companies can adopt. It presents how digital, robotics and technology-enabled modular systems can improve the overall supply chain of food services - from farm, processing and production (back-of-house) to service at the table (front-of-house). The showcase is a multiparty collaboration by Enterprise Singapore, Workforce Singapore, Singapore Productivity Centre and Restaurant Association of Singapore.

Back-of-house exhibits included:

- An urban farming solution to grow their own vegetables and herbs in a controlled environment in response to customers’ increased preference for fresh ingredients and healthier food.

An urban farming solution.

- Outsourcing of food preparation to larger and better-equipped central kitchens, operated by food manufacturers.

- The ready meals model, where a central kitchen produces the food, and kitchen assistants need only heat it up, plate and serve. This reduces manpower and enables the creation of new distribution channels, such as supermarkets and e-commerce, without having to open additional outlets.

- Bite-sized automation in kitchens, such as for inventory management (receiving, storage, drawing of stocks), food preparation, dishwashing and food preparation

- Robotics

A preprogrammed robotic arm can grill beef, picking up the raw meat from the chiller, cooking it on the griddle, plating the steak and placing it at service point, all at the touch of a button.

Front-of-house exhibits included:

- Food vaults, where meals can be ordered from anywhere through a mobile phone app or web-based platform, and then picked up at the allocated vault, similar to a post office box.

- RFID vending machines, which are totally automated, open 24x7 and can deliver a meal in under three minutes from ordering. The first Vendcafé , launched in 2016, has 90% less manpower than an eatery offering a similar menu and seating space.

- Robotics

A fully automated robotic platform can fulfil an order of serving ice cream inside a coconut shell, or make coffee.

Ready meals can be ordered, reheated, and then placed into vaults for collection.

Explore:

Watch the Instavideo where Makko the robot chef shows how it handles fries

Hashtag: #FHA2018

*Details of Singapore products will be listed on the SMF Digital Marketplace for buyers to view. 

**The WIP programme is a partnership between Enterprise Singapore and SMF to enable different Singapore food products to be consolidated in containers and exported to overseas retailers/importers through direct shipment. 

AIG Singapore introduces online travel insurance offer

AIG Asia Pacific Insurance (AIG Singapore) has launched a new online travel insurance product – Travel Guard Direct – that leverages data to provide customers with insights on their destination countries. as part of its push to digitise the customer journey from purchase to claims, bringing greater efficiency and convenience.

The product is the first in Singapore to allow customers access to real-time claims information for top destination countries across Asia Pacific, the US and UK, so that customers can better understand travel risks, and make informed choices about the level of coverage they need. Real-time information on the platform includes claims for top destinations; for example, top claims for travellers to Thailand tend to be medically related.

It is priced according to destination, duration and age, so customers can benefit from more accurate, effective pricing based on the risks involved. Customers can also select a plan by travel destination, when they had to figure out which zone their destination belongs to in the past.

Ignatius Chng, VP and Head of Group Personal Insurance, AIG Singapore, said Travel Guard Direct was developed with a more customer-centric experience in mind and is part of the company’s ongoing digital transformation efforts to use technology to meet changing customer needs.

“As a market leader in travel insurance, we wanted to harness our data and digital capabilities to profile customers more effectively and deliver more relevant solutions. As customers are more digitally savvy, they prefer bite-sized information and fuss-free online purchases. With Travel Guard Direct, we hope to create a more personalised experience that reflects each individual’s preferences and circumstances.” Chng said.

The move follows a tieup with DBS to offer instant travel claims e-payment in October. AIG Singapore’s policyholders who are existing DBS or POSB account holders will receive quick payouts to their bank accounts for successful travel insurance claims once these have been approved, without needing to wait for cheque payments. As an example, travel inconvenience claims involving flight or baggage delay are expected to take three working days, down from the current eight. 
Details:

Travel Guard Direct provides four plan types: Basic, Standard, Enhanced and Supreme. Customers can select either a return or one-way trip option, while the Enhanced and Supreme plans include an add-on Cruise Vacation Benefit, which provides customers with cover on their cruise vacations by topping up as little as S$3. 

Customers will also be able to submit and receive claims, as well as view price comparisons for individual trips and annual policies on AIG Singapore’s website. 

Gain knowledge to succeed in the fourth industrial age

Source: Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation. The summit was inaugurated by HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, VP and PM of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai (6th from left). He was accompanied by Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai (2nd from right), and Sheikh Ahmed Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum (right).

Knowledge will be key to succeeding a digital world, said speakers at the opening ceremony of the fourth Knowledge Summit in the UAE. The fourth edition of the summit, under the theme Knowledge and the Fourth Industrial Revolution, is studying the impact of the new industrial revolution on individuals, institutions and nations.

Dr Hani Al Mulki, PM of Jordan and the guest of honour, told the audience that the Arab world must continue to embrace change caused by the fourth industrial revolution (4IR). “The digital revolution is a competitive and collaborative campaign between man and machine,” he said.

Dr Al Mulki said the 4IR is an opportunity for all nations to develop expertise on human development, technological change and sustainability. “The question is, are we ready to absorb [the impact of the 4IR] and use it for the development of our countries?” he asked.

He stressed that emerging technologies such as drones, autonomous vehicles and 3D printers are meant to empower humans. “This revolution is not taking place to empower machinery, but to collaborate with people in order to empower them and to result in higher levels of productivity, and less pressure on natural resources — and accordingly, a better living standard for everyone,” he said.

Dr Al Mulki also emphasised on education in the Arab world and referred to the global initiatives launched by HH Shaikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, VP and PM of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. “Education is the true indicator of a country’s progress and success in addressing the fourth industrial revolution,” he said.

Dr Al Mulki predicted that the Arab world will see more education and less unemployment as it embraces the digital revolution. “We will witness smart projects, digital marketing projects, flying cars, driverless cars, and a world without disease,” he said.

Dr Al Mulki also spoke of the need to empower Arab youth with technological skills. He pointed out that job requirements in the near future will differ from those needed in the traditional job market. “The economic, social and human structure must be developed,” he said.

The Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation (MBRF) separately announced that Switzerland tops the Global Knowledge Index, followed by Singapore, Finland, and the Netherlands. The Global Knowledge Index 2017 was launched by the Foundation in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to study knowledge at an international level, identify opportunities and challenges in the Arab world and compare them with those of other countries around the world. The Index studies 131 countries over six categories, namely ICT, research and innovation, the economy, pre-university education, technical education and training, and higher education.

Hashtags: #KnowledgeSummit, #4IR

Western Digital launches microSD card with 400GB capacity

The 400GB SanDisk Ultra
microSD card.

Western Digital Corporation, has launched a 400GB* SanDisk Ultra microSDXC UHS-I card, the world’s highest-capacity microSD card for use in mobile devices.

As a UHS Speed class 1 card, it can support the shooting of full HD videos comfortably. Compatible smartphones support the SDXC standard.

"As long as you have digital content, look for us. We have a product for you," said Margaret Koh, Sales Director, Asia South, Western Digital Corporation. 

Details: 

The 400GB SanDisk Ultra microSD card features a 10-year limited warranty** and is now available at Challenger and Mustafa with a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of S$459.   

*1GB = 1,000,000,000 bytes. Actual user storage is less.  

**www.sandisk.com/wug. 

Influential Brands unveils award winners for 2017

Influential Brands has named six CEOs Top CEO of the Year at the 5th edition of the CEO Asia Conference held in Singapore on 7 November. The 2017 conference, themed The Future of Business in Asia, was held in collaboration with knowledge partner Deloitte Singapore, education partner, SIM, and official car Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.

Among the awards* presented at the event were Top CEO of the Year, Top Influential Brands, Outstanding Brands, Influential Artist of the Year and Influential Woman of the Year. Some 400 C-suite executives from over 100 leading companies across the region including Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and China attended the event. 

Source: Influential
Brands.

Jorge Rodriguez, MD, Influential Brands said, “All awardees of the Top CEO of the Year awards are business leaders from Asia representing diverse sectors from the consumer industry. Chow Tai Fook is a prominent leader in (mainland) China and Hong Kong, Thai Beverage is a market leader in Thailand and in the region, NTUC FairPrice is a dominant player in the grocery sector in Singapore, Success Resources is the global market leader in people development, Hatten Land is a developer with an award-winning portfolio of integrated residential, hotel and commercial developments in Melaka and finally, ONE Championship has expanded to become the Asia’s largest martial arts event company.

"The six Top CEO awardees have demonstrated not only their capacity to lead their organisations but also their ability to understand clearly what consumers expect from them."

Rodriguez added that three factors will drive business success.

- Dynamic connections: consumers will decide how, when and where to buy

- Meaningful branding and innovative products: consumers will be drawn to a brand that has a purpose and is always innovating its products

- Right associations and partnerships: consumers will find the most efficient way to get what they want hence brands must increase brand exposure and leverage on strategic partnerships

"Influential Brands exists for these reasons of fostering dynamic connecting, building channels for brand education and facilitating partnerships and opportunities in Asia," he said.

Thirty-three brands were named in the Top Influential Brands awards and another four as Outstanding Brands. Old Chang Kee was recognised under Influential Brands Hall of Fame for its appeal to consumers across generations. The brand has been a winner for five consecutive years under the Influential Brands Top Influential Brands award category.

Two new individual awards were introduced this year. Iskandar Jalil, Singapore's celebrity potter, won the inaugural Influential Artist of the Year award. The first Influential Woman of the Year award went to Christine Tan, anchor for CNBC's Managing Asia programme.

“The role of the CEO exists at the intersection of the external environment and the internal organisation. In today’s disruptive marketplace, it is not possible for CEOs to shield their organisations from ambiguity,” said Philip Yuen, CEO, Deloitte Southeast Asia and Singapore.

“At Deloitte, we harness our organisation’s broad capabilities to deliver forward-thinking and fresh insights for every stage of a CEO’s career through Deloitte’s CEO Programme – supporting CEOs in their strategic agenda to manage the complexities of their roles, tackle their companies’ most compelling challenges, and adapt to strategic shifts in the market. In this spirit, I would like to congratulate the award winners and wish them continued success.”

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, the official car for the event, introduced the Rolls-Royce Ghost and the Wraith, a two-door coupé, at the award ceremony.

Paul Harris, Asia Pacific Regional Director for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars said, “Rolls-Royce has always been the choice for industry titans, and the movers and shakers of the business world. To maintain our pinnacle position means also constantly evolving and integrating cutting-edge technology to create the best in luxury. We are supporting Influential Brands’ CEO Asia Conference as it is a unique platform to support the regional business arena, while showcasing our brand of luxury to highly-successful individuals.”

Deloitte has also released a white paper, Scaling Edges – A Pragmatic Pathway To Broad Internal Change, in conjunction with the event. In the paper, the consultancy advised companies to reconsider how they innovate today, typically by flooding the market with new, marginally improved products or services, to "innovating at an institutional level" instead in the era of the "Big Shift", what Deloitte terms the current environment where we are experiencing increased globalisation and rapid advancements in technology. 

"This change requires firms to rethink even the primary objective of why they exist and drastically change their management mindset; in today’s rapidly changing landscape, a focus on scale efficiencies is not enough. Though transformative change is required, it is admittedly far from a simple task," Deloitte said in the executive summary of the paper.

Pragmatic Pathways is a new framework for digital transformation that in essence says: 

- Focus on edges rather than the core of a company, as change agents can better identify projects which are most likely to achieve significant and sustainable returns. 

- Leverage external resources rather than internal support to scale in edge projects to circumvent scrutiny and organisational resistance to change.

- Accelerate learning rather than focus solely on short-term outcomes to make edges conduits of transformation.

Details:

Top CEO of the Year 
 
Seah Kian Peng, CEO, NTUC Fairprice Co-operative

Dato Colin Tan, Executive Chairman & MD, Hatten Land

Chatri Sityodtong, Chairman, One Championship

Richard Tan, Chairman, Success Resources Singapore

Kent Wong, MD, Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Company

Thapana Sirivadhanabhakdi, President & CEO, Thai Beverage Public Company 

Influential Woman of the Year 
 
Christine Tan, Anchor, Managing Asia, CNBC

Influential Artist of the Year 
 
Iskandar Jalil, Master & Veteran Potter

Hall of Fame 
 
Old Chang Kee

Top Influential Brands
	Brand Name		Category	Country
1	Raffles Hotel		Heritage Hotel	Singapore
2	Gardens by the Bay		Tourist Attraction	Singapore
3	Lee Hwa Jewellery		Premium Jewellery	Singapore
4	Din Tai Fung		Asian Restaurant	Singapore
5	BreadTalk		Bakery	Asia
6	NTUC FairPrice		Supermarket & Online Grocery Retailer	Singapore
7	Watsons		Retail Loyalty Card & Personal Care Store	Singapore
8	MindChamps		Pre-school Education	Singapore
9	Orange Clove		Caterer	Singapore
10	ERA		Property Agency	Singapore
11	Spectacle Hut		Multi-Brand Designer Optical	Singapore
12	Gain City		Air-con & Home Appliance Retailer	Singapore
13	Huawei		Mobile Phone	China
14	Delsey		Luggage	Asia
15	De Longhi		Premium Coffee Maker	Asia
16	Canon		Camera	Asia
17	Grab		Taxi Booking App	Asia
18	Lazada		Online Market Place	Asia
19	Jean Yip Group		Beauty Centre	Singapore
20	My First Skool		Pre-school Education	Singapore
21	Sunshine		Bread	Singapore
22	SCS		Butter	Singapore
23	CP Group		Frozen Food	Asia
24	Gardenia		Bread	Singapore
25	Skylight		Abalone Premium Gift	Singapore
26	Bonjour		Bread	Singapore
27	Katrina Holdings		Bali Thai, So Pho, Streats	Singapore
28	JobStreet.com		Online Job Search	Asia
29	Central Food Retail Group		Grocery and Convenience Retailer	Thailand
30	Chow Tai Fook		Premium Jewellery	Asia
31	Joy City		Shopping Mall	China
32	Beijing Tong Ren Tang		Traditional Chinese Medicine	China
33	Telkomsel		Telecommunications	Indonesia

Outstanding Brands
	Brand Name		Category	Logo Display
1	Choc Spot		Confectionery Retailer	Outstanding Brands -  Singapore
2	Curry Times		Local Cuisine	Outstanding Brands -  Singapore
3	Prata Wala		Asian Restaurant	Outstanding Brands -  Singapore
4	KIODA		Korean Concept Store	Outstanding Brands -  Malaysia

Explore:

Learn more about Deloitte's Scaling Edges methodology

Read the WorkSmart Asia blog posts about:

The 2015 Top Influential Brands and the winners in 2014

The Rolls Royce Dawn Black Badge

*Criteria for the awards in 2017 include:

Top CEO of The Year

A selected group of six CEOs will be recognised for their exemplary achievements in five areas:

Brand leadership: Leads an organisation that owns prominent brand(s) with strong brand power and high brand equity in the eyes of external and internal stakeholders. Brand power is assessed by Influential Brands' constant market monitoring via surveys and social media listening.

Brand expansion (local and international): Demonstrates an ability to build strong partnerships and takes calculated risks in his/her pursuit of business expansion and market leadership. Proven track record creating new brand concepts within their existing marketplace or taking the brand to uncharted territories in Asia and beyond.

Financial performance: Assessment of business performance based on revenue and other indicators (i.e. new countries, new partnerships, point of sales, etc).

Innovation: Infuses and empowers innovation from within the organisation. Embraces new technology in line with new industry developments and allocates time/resources in research and development (R&D) as an important activity in his/her business.

Personal integrity: Living according to values has earned him/her immense respect from staff, competitors, advisers, family and wider community. Coupled with the ability to communicate ideas, this creates the potential to influence others.

In 2016, the recipients for this segment included:

George Quek, Chairman of BreadTalk Group

Anthony Tan, Co-Founder and CEO of GrabTaxi Holdings

Dr Michael Tan, Co-Founder and Group CEO of Fullerton Healthcare Corporation

Richard Eu, CEO of Eu Yan Sang International

David Chiem, Founder, CEO and Chairman of MindChamps Holdings

Alain Ong, CEO of Pokka International

Influential Woman of the Year award 

In line with the Champions of Excellence programme, the Influential Woman of the Year 2017 Award recognises one woman for her exemplary achievements in three areas: influence, business leadership and personal branding. An intensive assessment based on the following criteria was conducted:

Influence: Demonstrates an ability to infuse a special energy that leads to the generation of a greater impact as a result of her work, presence, values and decisions. Coupled with the ability to communicate ideas, this creates the potential to influence others.

Business leadership: Leads and or fronts an organisation that owns a prominent brand(s) with strong brand power and high brand equity in the eyes of external and internal stakeholders.

Personal branding: Living to values has earned her great respect from staff, competitors, advisers, family and wider community.

Influential Artist of the Year award

One artist will be recognised for his/her exemplary achievement in three areas: influence, contribution to the promotion of arts and culture and personal integrity.

Top Influential Brands awards

The 33 awardees will be brands enjoyed and loved by consumers in Asia. The selection is backed by more than five years of consumer insights and surveys covering Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and China and more than 5,000 respondents. The Asiawide study was conducted via both face-to-face and online surveys. More than 50 categories from Online Marketplace and Food and Beverage (F&B) to Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG), Electronics and Beauty & Wellness were covered. The top five brands from each category qualify for this award. 

Outstanding Brands awards

Outstanding Brands was created two years ago to identify, feature and celebrate growth brands that sparkle and have shown resilience and growth in changing times. A brand must not only be noteworthy in its own category, industry or domain, it must show significant growth in revenue year-on-year for the past two years or more. It cannot be in receivership and must have a clear business expansion plan.