Showing posts with label 2025. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2025. Show all posts

25 June 2026

Dubai leads globally for greenfield FDI projects for 5th consecutive year

- Dubai secured a record 7% share of global greenfield foreign direct investment (FDI) projects in 2025

Dubai has reinforced its position as the world’s leading destination for greenfield FDI projects for the 5th consecutive year, according to data published by the Financial Times’ fDi Markets database.

In 2025, Dubai delivered one of its strongest inward FDI performances since 2015 with a total of 1,253 greenfield FDI projects announced, a 10.5% increase on 2024. According to the data, Dubai also secured a record 7% share of global greenfield FDI projects, the highest in Dubai's history.  

The results further reinforce the ambitions of the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33), to double the size of Dubai's economy by 2033 and consolidate its position as a leading global destination for business, investment, and innovation. Launched in 2023, the D33 agenda includes the launch of projects that will drive sustainable economic growth through innovative approaches and double GDP by 2033, making Dubai the fastest, safest and most connected city in the world.

HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy PM, Minister of Defence, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai said: “Dubai’s sustained global leadership in attracting foreign direct investment reflects the confidence the world places in our economyal shifts into growth pathways, our institutions and our vision for the future. It is the outcome of a long-term strategy built on openness, connectivity, strategic partnerships and a commitment to creating the conditions for businesses to succeed. 

“We are proud of the trust that investors, entrepreneurs and innovators from around the world continue to place in Dubai. This confidence reflects the resilience of our economy, the strength of our fundamentals and our ability to constantly create new opportunities for growth.

“Dubai’s competitiveness is also built on our ability to anticipate change, adapt quickly and transform global shifts into growth pathways. As we strengthen our position as the preferred global destination for investment, we remain focused on creating long-term economic value and reinforcing Dubai’s role as a major player in the global economy. 

"Our ambition is not only to attract investment, but to create an environment where the world’s brightest talent and most ambitious businesses come together to build the industries and opportunities of tomorrow.” 

Strengthening its position as a preferred global base for multinational corporations, Dubai retained the No. 1 global ranking for headquarters greenfield FDI projects for the 4th consecutive year, reflecting sustained confidence in the emirate’s ability to support regional and international expansion. Dubai also maintained its global leadership in AI-related greenfield FDI projects for the fourth year running, reinforcing its position as a centre for innovation-led growth and advanced technologies.

Dubai further ranked No. 1 globally across several strategic clusters, including information and communications technology (ICT) and electronics, creative industries, professional services, life sciences, consumer goods, financial services, industrial equipment, and environmental technology. 

For the first time, Dubai ranked No. 1 globally in manufacturing FDI projects, marking a significant milestone in the city’s economic diversification journey and highlighting its growing role as an emerging cutting-edge manufacturing centre, directly aligned with the goals of the D33 Agenda. 

Dubai also secured the No. 1 global position in transportation and warehousing across projects, reflecting its continued strength as a global logistics and trade gateway. In addition, Dubai ranked first globally in several high-impact industries, including food and beverages, electronic components, healthcare, business machines and equipment, cleantech, metals and e-commerce. 

Notably, Dubai was the only destination city worldwide to attract more than 10 greenfield FDI projects across several of these sectors, meeting the global ranking threshold and demonstrating the breadth of its diversified economic base and its ability to sustain investment momentum across both established and future-focused industries.

Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) said: “Dubai’s ability to maintain its global leadership in greenfield FDI attraction for the 5th consecutive year is a testament to the visionary leadership of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, VP and PM of UAE and Ruler of Dubai and the continued confidence international investors place in the emirate. 

"While global markets may have navigated significant challenges over recent months, Dubai entered this period with quantifiable momentum, attracting record levels of capital. This is a clear reflection of the trust that investors and multinational corporations place in our future-ready ecosystem. 

“This performance underscores the strength of Dubai’s diversified economy, the depth of its public- private partnerships, and the efficacy of a well-defined forward-looking regulatory framework that continues to attract high-quality investment across priority sectors. These results further reinforce the ambitions of the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33, highlighting Dubai’s position as one of the world’s most resilient investment destinations.”

Beyond the headline rankings, 2025 saw broad-based growth across capital deployment and project activity. The city attracted US$8.83 B in greenfield FDI capital in 2025, according to the fDi Markets database. Greenfield FDI also supported the creation of 38,918 jobs in 2025, an 18.8% increase from 32,754 jobs in 2024. 

Performance during the year was also shaped by a mix of investment types, with continued momentum across greenfield projects, reinvestments, venture capital-backed activity, mergers and acquisitions, as well as strategic expansions. 

Dubai attracted investment across key business functions including business services; construction; retail; logistics, distribution and transportation; and manufacturing. This reflects investor confidence in Dubai’s ability to support diverse operational requirements, from regional headquarters and logistics hubs to advanced manufacturing and consumer-facing businesses. 

HE Hadi Badri, CEO of the Dubai Economic Development Corporation (DEDC), the economic development arm of DET said: “The scale and quality of FDI inflows in 2025 reflect sustained global confidence in Dubai’s long-term growth trajectory. The continued inflow of capital investment is further evidence that investors are deepening their operational presence rather than adopting short-term positioning strategies. 

"From headquarters and high-value manufacturing to AI, fintech, logistics, and creative industries, the diversity and quality of investment flows demonstrate Dubai’s ability to anticipate structural shifts in the global economy. Investors recognise that Dubai offers a unique combination of agile regulation, world-class digital infrastructure, and access to top-tier global talent. 

"As we continue to advance the goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33, deal activity and expansion momentum remain strong, reinforcing our outlook for accelerating momentum in 2026 and beyond.”

Dubai FDI Monitor data confirmed continued confidence from a diverse mix of international source markets, reinforcing the emirate’s role as a globally connected investment hub. Source markets varied across capital flows and project activity, reflecting broad-based investor confidence from North America, Europe, Asia, and the GCC. India topped the list of top 10 investors, with China in 5th place and Singapore ranked 7th. 

Sectoral performance remained broad-based, with strong investment activity across business services, hotels and tourism, transportation and warehousing, consumer products, real estate, software and IT services, and financial services, demonstrating continued momentum across both traditional and future-economy sectors.

A recently-announced AED2.5 B economic incentive package reflects Dubai’s proactive approach to governance. Designed to ease financial pressures, enhance liquidity, and support business continuity across key sectors, the package includes fee deferrals across hospitality, trade, and licensing, extended customs grace periods, and streamlined residency permit processes to support global talent attraction and retention. 

12 January 2026

Five talent shifts redefining Singapore hiring

Source: PERSOL. 2025 talent trends and hiring priorities infographic.
Source: PERSOL. 2025 talent trends and hiring priorities.

PERSOL's Industry Insight Report 2025 has revealed that employee expectations for flexibility, purpose and growth now outweigh pay as key drivers of career choice, reshaping how organisations attract and retain talent across the Asia Pacific region. 

Based on findings from 12 markets and four core sectors – manufacturing, consumer, professional services and supply chain, the report offers a regional view of how work and workforce priorities are evolving: 

Automation, sustainability regulation and demographic change are redefining the labour market across the region. Employers continue to face widespread skills shortages, with demand for digital, analytical and hybrid capabilities outpacing supply in most major markets. Environment, social and governance (ESG) awareness and compliance literacy are also becoming essential hiring criteria as organisations respond to growing sustainability expectations.

The report highlights that Gen Z and Millennial professionals are reshaping what they value at work, prioritising flexibility, purpose and development opportunities over pay alone. According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), Asia and the Pacific remains the world’s fastest-growing employment region, underscoring the need for businesses to evolve workforce strategies in line with these shifting expectations.

Elvin Tan, Regional Director and Head of Operations APAC at PERSOL said, “The region’s talent economy is at a crossroads. Workforce gaps are no longer just about headcount. They are about adaptability. Employers who balance technology investment with cultural intelligence and purpose-led hiring will emerge stronger in the next cycle.”

In Singapore, these shifts are even more pronounced, PERSOL said. Employers are seeing strong demand for talent in e-commerce operations, data analytics, sustainability reporting and supply chain optimisation. Foreign manpower controls and expanding ESG reporting requirements are intensifying competition for hybrid digital-ESG talent, the report found. Meanwhile, local professionals increasingly prioritise purpose, flexibility and career progression over compensation alone, prompting organisations to rethink how they attract and retain talent.

The report identified several shifts in how employers hire, engage and compete for talent across Asia Pacific.

At the heart of this transformation is the rise of hybrid skills, where digital fluency and human capability increasingly go hand in hand - employers are now seeking professionals who can navigate technology and strategy in equal measure.

Closely linked to this is the growing importance of sustainability and compliance literacy. As ESG expectations become more deeply embedded in business strategy, roles once limited to sustainability teams are now expanding across finance, operations and supply chain functions.

The study also points to a significant shift in the employer-employee dynamic, with candidates behaving more like consumers. Jobseekers expect transparency, mobile-first communication and a sense of purpose from the hiring process. In Singapore’s highly-competitive market, digitally-skilled and sustainability-focused candidates actively assess employers for clear values, culture and long-term growth pathways.

These evolving expectations are most visible among younger professionals, particularly Gen Z and millennials, who prioritise flexibility, belonging and personal growth. For many, meaningful work and supportive leadership now matter more than salary alone.

The report concluded with a call for deeper collaboration across business, education and government to bridge the widening skills gap. This includes strengthening partnerships that align workforce development with national priorities in digital transformation, sustainability and advanced manufacturing.

Details

Read the PERSOL Industry Insight Report 2025 at www.persolapac.com/industry-insights-2025

4 January 2026

How public priorities shifted in APAC in 2025

Ipsos has released Ipsos 2025 Year in Review, a roundup of the year that reflects where public attention shifted, what mattered most and how national conversations evolved across technology, governance, economic conditions and social change. 

Gillian Guerin, Regional Director, Marcom APAC, Ipsos, shared that Australia focused on AI regulation and youth exposure to technology. "Sixty-seven percent say AI products and services make them nervous, the highest across 30 countries. The upcoming social media ban for under-16s also influenced national discussion on digital wellbeing," she noted.

New Zealand, on the other hand, remained focused on inflation, with 60% naming it the top issue and government performance in managing national issues falling to 4.2 out of 10, its lowest score since 2017. 

India recorded a rise in attention to mental wellbeing, with 73% thinking about it often. This figure is up from 58% in 2024.  

"In Thailand, corruption was the top concern at 51%, while concern about military conflict remained significant at 41%. Earlier in the year, concern about military conflict rose in response to the border disputes with Cambodia before easing as domestic government issues returned to the forefront," Guerin said. 

"Malaysia focused on immigration pressures, with 90% saying there are too many immigrants, the highest across 38 countries." 

People in Singapore are confident about where the country is headed and in the quality of its public services, Guerin added, sharing that in the What Worries the World survey by Ipsos, 77% of Singaporeans said their country is headed in the right direction. And when comparing today's living conditions against what it was like 50 years ago, people are more likely to feel that healthcare and education (84% and 76% respectively) are better today. 

"Despite this, and high economic growth the city state has experienced in the last five decades, Singaporeans are still more likely to say they would rather have been born in 1975 than 2025 (34% vs 30%)," she added.

Other highlights include:

- Japan’s appointment of its first female prime minister influenced expectations for gender representation. However, just 19% believe gender equality will progress in the next five years. 

- South Koreans continued to support globalisation (77%) and prefer domestic products (76%). 

- Indonesia experienced a 9.2-point decline in consumer confidence and shifts in perceptions of national economy over the year. 

- China accelerated AI integration. Over nine in 10 (91% ) said AI has a positive impact.

31 December 2025

Festivities at the Verandah Rooftop Rotisserie

Verandah Rooftop Rotisserie is giving everyone a reason to “meat” up over an unforgettable festive buffet, available till 3 January 2026, followed by celebrations for the year of the horse. 

The dining merriment begins at Momentus Hotel Alexandra’s Level 7 Lifestyle Deck, an elevated open-air space that sets the tone for a relaxed yet elegant celebration. Overlooking the infinity pool and featuring panoramic sunset views, the deck is designed for social gatherings, with cosy seating and a lively atmosphere for mingling over pre-dinner drinks and canapés. 

As the golden hour fades into evening, guests can enjoy a sparkling wine reception paired with jamon Iberico de Bellota and savoury canapés before continuing to Verandah Rooftop Rotisserie for the main dining experience. 

Inside, diners are invited to discover festive delights starring live kitchen theatrics, air-flown prime meats and seafood, and seasonal sweet treats.

The Le Grande Christmas Roast features eight different cuts of premium beef, pork and lamb. The jewel in the crown is the 14-day butter-aged Argentinian beef ribeye. Top quality Argentine beef ribeye is enrobed in velvety unsalted butter and aged in-house, infusing the ribeye with rich nutty undertones that shine when the meat is seared and then finished on the binchotan hibachi grill.

Other prime cuts include the Tajima Wagyu beef rump (MBS 8 - an exceptionally high grade of beef marbling), US prime beef short ribs, herb-crusted spring lamb rack, Sakura pork tomahawk, and the crowd-pleaser, crackling pork porchetta* with truffle and herb stuffing. Grain mustard honey-glazed gammon ham and fillet mignon beef Wellington are also on the menu.

Then there is the seafood bar, where king crab legs, Japanese oysters, half shell scallops, and Poached live tiger prawns are served on ice. Fresh sashimi selections including salmon, tuna, yellowfin and octopus, prepared to order and served tableside. 

European-styled recipes like chestnut-stuffed rotisserie chicken, and grilled whole turbot with lemon beurre blanc have been given a modern update, while comforting classics include Parmigiano cheese wheel carbonara pasta and Valencian seafood paella. 

There is also a salad bar and charcuterie board presents a colourful display of salads, artisan cheeses, antipasti and cold cuts like prosciutto, Spanish chorizo and Italian salami.

Festive desserts include croquembouche, pavlova, and a pink chocolate Fondue, complete with churros, waffles and other sweet condiments for dipping. Verandah Rooftop Rotisserie’s much-requested signature cempedak crème brûlée, classic gingerbread trifle and red Velvet Yule Log Cake round up the sweet treats. 

Details

Dates: Till 3 January 2026
Price: S$98++

Ring in prosperity 

Source: Momentus Hotel Alexandra.

Verandah Rooftop Rotisserie presents a grand buffet spread to celebrate the year of the horse, with over 30 auspicious dishes to savour.



Magical moments give way to celebrating the year of the horse, under the theme 五谷丰收喜迎春, a celebration of bountiful harvest and new beginnings.

Taking the spotlight this year are festive roasts that embody the celebratory mood of the season. While roast pork is ubiquitous for Chinese New Year, Verandah’s roast pork belly is elevated this year with the unique application of vanilla. Vanilla-scented crackling pork belly makes use of vanilla pods to add floral notes to the roast. And as its name suggests, the 14-day shio kombu butter aged Angus ribeye is aged for two weeks with butter made with shio kombu (Japanese seasoned kelp) to achieve the perfect savoury flavour.

Verandah will also serve up the coveted ‘sha pi’ suckling pig at a live station on Chinese New Year Eve and the first day of the Chinese New Year. The culinary team has curated a medley of supporting dishes showcasing seafood, meats and greens - representing land, air and sea, to signify the arrival of good fortune from every direction. 

Verandah’s festive favourites include golden lava cheese baked lobster and braised Eight-Head Abalone, two auspicious dishes served tableside. Succulent rock lobster is dressed in a golden salted egg sauce to bring out the flavour, while the abalone symbolises a ‘meaty’ year of good fortune and excess, is braised in its own jus. 

Whet the appetite further with cold appetisers. The Murotsu oyster duo features Japanese oysters from the Hyogo prefecture, cured two ways. Guests can enjoy the oyster's natural flavours and in the traditional sweet and savoury Teochew style that uses a house blend of Asian herbs and aromatics to ‘pickle’ the oyster. 

Not to be missed in the buffet spread is the black truffle “phoenix” chicken, a fried chicken dish with complex savoury flavours based on squid paste and truffle. Seafood lovers will also delight in the selection of marine delights - poached prawns spiked with a sharp, warming ginger-scallion dip; sweet steamed scallops, and the duo of sea asparagus and Pacific clams - a festive braise with shellfish, dried oysters, flower shiitake mushrooms and black moss. 

Underscoring the menu are comforting dishes like longevity noodle with crab roe & trout caviar, and fragrant cured meat ‘lap mei fan’ with 'wax' sausages, pork belly and duck leg.

Finally, sweeten the new year with Verandah’s selection of desserts that symbolise joy, success and good fortune in the year ahead. Indulge in the popular silky yam puree with caramelised pumpkin and steamed “niangao” with desiccated coconut. The persimmon creme brulee is new, and comes with dried persimmon toppings.

Niangao or new year cake is a sticky treat made with glutinous rice flour. 

Lunchtime celebrations

Hosting business contacts? Verandah Rooftop Rotisserie offers four Chinese New Year-inspired mains as part of their popular semi-buffet set lunch menu: slow-braised “Dong Po” Wagyu beef karubi, pan roasted truffle-stuffed chicken, braised eight treasure duck leg, and superior seafood poached rice. Under the semi-buffet approach, these entrees can be complemented with unlimited servings from the buffet spread of salads, soups, appetisers and desserts.

Details

The Chinese New Year Semi-Buffet Lunch kicks off from 2 February 2026, while the Chinese New Year Buffet Dinner will run every weekend from Friday to Sunday from 6 February 2026, on Chinese New Year Eve and the first day of the Chinese New Year, on 16 and 17 February 2026 respectively. Online orders for takeaway begin from 31 January 2026.

Guests who confirm their reservations before 16 January 2026 will also enjoy a 10% discount on their food bill. Each table of four adults and above will also receive a complimentary yusheng, while groups of six or more adults will be treated to an additional bottle of wine.

Verandah Rooftop Rotisserie semi-buffet lunch
2 February to 6 March 2026
Daily from 12 pm to 2:30 pm
S$39++ per person

Verandah Rooftop Rotisserie buffet dinner
6 to 8, 13 to 15, 20 to 22, 27 and 28 February 2026
Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 6 pm to 10 pm
S$98++

New Year’s Eve dinner
16 February 2026
5 pm to 7 pm (first seating) | 7:30 to 9:30 pm (second seating)
S$108++

First Day of Chinese New Year dinner
17 February 2026
6 to 10 pm
S$108++

Festive takeaways

For those looking to amp up celebrations with restaurant-quality cuisine, Verandah Rooftop Rotisserie’s signature roasts and Chinese New Year highlights are available for online pre-order. The takeaway menu includes festive must-haves like Prosperity yusheng and fragrant cured Meat ‘Lap Mei Fan’, plus twice-cooked Black Garlic Pork Belly Char Siew, and the “Dong Po” Wagyu Beef karubi. Orders can be placed online with at least three working days in advance. 

Details

Festive takeaways are available from 31 January to 3 March 2026
Order 3 days in advance online for pickup at restaurant
From S$50++

*A porchetta is an Italian recipe for a boneless pork roast that features a tender interior and crispy skin.

29 December 2025

Adding a touch of magic to the season at Black Tap

Source: Black Tap via the Marina Bay Sands. The Beauty (left) and The Beast (right) limited-edition CrazyShakes.
Source: Black Tap via the Marina Bay Sands. The Beauty (left) and The Beast (right) limited-edition CrazyShakes.

As Beauty and the Beast graces the stage at Sands Theatre, Black Tap at the Marina Bay Sands unveils two limited-edition CrazyShakes inspired by the musical. Available up to 25 January, The Beauty (S$28++) is a bright lemon crème shake with a vanilla frosted rim and sprinkles, topped with a lemon tart, meringue rosette, rock candy, whipped cream, and caramel drizzle. Meanwhile, The Beast (also S$28++) is a chocolate ganache shake with a chocolate frosted rim and sprinkles. The treat includes a chocolate mudpie, chocolate ribbon, whipped cream, and chocolate drizzle, and a dose of fantasy to reunions as the new year approaches.

In the new year, the restaurant’s French Dip burger (S$26++) debuts for a limited time. Available from 2 to 31 January, 2026, the creation features a prime beef patty layered with roast beef, complemented by beef jus, spicy giardiniera (Italian pickles) and giardiniera aioli for a tangy complement.

Details

Make reservations at marinabaysands.com/restaurants/black-tap.html

Kaspersky uncovers how people use AI during the holidays

Kaspersky has illuminated a shift in AI usage during the holiday season. Besides being a reliable shopping or planning assistant, AI has emerged as capable of delivering emotional support – particularly among the Gen Z and Millennial cohorts. However, Kaspersky experts warn that placing too much trust in AI can threaten data security.

In the run-up to the Christmas holidays, Kaspersky conducted a survey* to find out how people leverage AI-powered tools to make the most of their free time and streamline holiday preparations, and to highlight the potential cyberthreats that result.

It turns out that AI’s popularity in the 2025/2026 holiday is rather high, with 74% of survey participants indicating they plan to incorporate AI into their holiday activities. The younger generation demonstrated the strongest enthusiasm for AI usage, with 86% of respondents aged 18-34 expressing their intention to resort to AI during the holiday period.

According to the survey, more than half of AI users planned to use the tools during the holidays to search for recipes (56%) or restaurants and accommodation (54%), underscoring AI's ongoing significance in simplifying research processes and reducing search-related time commitments. 

However, AI-as-idea generator also received a great response from the audience. The survey found that 50% of users rely on AI assistance for brainstorming gift ideas, ways to celebrate, or tips on Christmas decoration. The same number of respondents plan to ask AI to generate ideas on how to spend their free time.

During the holidays half of respondents regard AI as a shopping assistant, which can help them to create shopping lists, find the best deals or analyse reviews. The younger generation showed high interest in AI as a budget planner (50%), while older people (aged 55+) are less passionate about allowing AI to manage their expenses (31%), preferring to use it to search for recipes (59%) and generate gift ideas (41%).

Modern AI tools enable holiday shoppers to find offers that perfectly match individual preferences and budget constraints with just a few clicks. However, the reliability of chatbot-generated information remains a significant concern. Kaspersky recommended that shoppers check all links provided by AI before clicking on them, as they may contain malicious or phishing content. To mitigate this risk, cybersecurity experts recommend employing a security solution empowered with AI-based phishing detection tools.

Beyond its capacity to tackle diverse challenges and generate new ideas, AI has assumed a new role: serving as a virtual companion capable of offering emotional assistance. Nearly three in 10 (29%) of those who use AI during holidays consider talking to it when they feel unhappy. Zoomers (Gen Zers) and Millennials show the biggest interest in AI-powered support among all ages, with 35% of respondents voting for this option. The older generation demonstrated a more restrained interest – only 19% of respondents aged 55 and older consider talking to AI when they're upset.

Kaspersky highlighted that while communication with AI services may seem personal and private, most chatbots are owned by commercial companies with their own data collection and processing policies. To enhance data privacy the company suggested:

- Before starting any conversation, review the privacy policy of the AI tool you’re using. Some AI providers may use your emotional conversations to infer information about you, which can be used for targeted advertising or even sold to third-party marketing firms. Check whether you can opt out of using your chats for such purposes as model training or marketing to minimise the amount of data collected.

- Try to avoid sharing deeply personal, identifying, or financial information with AI chatbots. Treat your messages as you would a public social post – never assume absolute confidentiality.

- Stick to AI services from reputable companies with strong privacy and security track records. Avoid using anonymous or unknown bots that could be designed to harvest data. Malicious or fake AI bots may attempt to extract personal information to commit fraud, phishing, or blackmail. To protect your data, use a security solution that prevents clicking on unreliable links.

“As LLM models rapidly evolve, their potential for engaging in meaningful dialogue with users grows as well. However, it's important to bear in mind that they learn to answer from data, most of which is sourced from the Internet, meaning they are prone to regurgitate the error and biases from the text used for training. It’s highly recommended to approach AI suggestions with a healthy dose of scepticism and try to avoid oversharing,” commented Vladislav Tushkanov, Group Manager at Kaspersky AI Technology Research Center.

*The study was conducted by Kaspersky’s market research centre in November 2025. Three thousand respondents from 15 countries (Argentina, Chile, China, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, KSA, Malaysia, Mexico, South Africa, Spain, Turkey, UK, and the UAE) took part in the survey.

3 December 2025

Experience a wild Christmas at Singapore's first rainforest resort

Mandai Rainforest Resort by Banyan Tree is set to enchant guests with A Wild Christmas, which reimagines festive traditions through the lens of nature.  

Celebrations at Planter’s Shed 

Planter's Shed will offer a rainforest-inspired feast featuring premium ingredients and timeless holiday favourites from 4 December 2025. Guests can enjoy a four-course set lunch:

  • Winter jewel kale salad featuring butternut squash, pomegranate, and feta
  • Roasted tomato & fennel soup finished with crème fraîche
  • Option of slow-cooked beef cheek with port wine jus or pistachio-crusted Norwegian salmon, paired with a citrus champagne sauce 
  • Christmas citrus pudding with a vanilla dark rum sauce
Source: Mandai Rainforest Resort by Banyan Tree. The Dinner Buffet at Planter’s Shed.

At dinner, Planter's Shed sets out a festive buffet dinner, where guests can indulge in the premium chilled seafood, including Boston lobster, snow crab legs, and scallops. At the festive carving station, diners can request roasted Christmas turkey with caramelised chestnuts, honey-glazed boneless ham with sweet citrus notes, and Creole-spiced Angus oven-prepared (OP) ribs that fall off the bone. A separate live station will serve Planter's Shed's signature lobster laksa.

The festive dessert station offers sweets like panna cotta, chocolate fondue, pecan pie, and traditional Christmas pudding. 

Details

Festive set lunch 

S$58++ per person
12 pm to 3 pm

Festive dinner buffet 

4 to 23 and 26 to 30 December
S$68++ Monday to Thursday
S$78++ Friday to Sunday
6 pm to 9.30 pm

*Christmas Eve dinner, Christmas Day brunch, and New Year’s Eve dinner buffets are each priced at S$158++ per adult, while the Christmas dinner buffet costs S$128++ per adult.

There will also be carollers on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, in addition to a visit from Santa Claus, to usher in the festive season. 

Go intimate at Forage 

Forage presents an eight-course tasting menu (S$238++) for the season. Available throughout December, each course is inspired by the rainforest, crafted with ingredients from the resort's own edible garden as part of its sustainable harvest to table philosophy. 

Rooted in respect for the environment, Forage champions local sourcing, waste reduction, and the use of Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)-certified seafood. Garden-grown herbs enrich its infusions and garnishes, while trimmings are repurposed in sauces and gels—reflecting a culinary philosophy defined by craftsmanship and care for the planet.

Begin the journey with borscht reimagined, featuring beetroot, hand-cultivated mushrooms grown on-site, and gochujang (Korean red chilli paste). Yellowtail with orange and tarragon features in-season fish brightened with citrus and ginger flowers from the edible garden. The red grouper, from the tropical waters of Malaysia, is served with a tableside pour of a broth inspired by phở. Meanwhile, the spiny lobster, sourced from the Indo-West Pacific, is paired with vermouth sauce and fresh dill. 

Paying homage to traditional Christmas flavours is the yellow chicken, roasted with thyme and rosemary from the garden and served with braised red cabbage and Brussels sprouts. The wagyu beef striploin, made with Tajima wagyu, is renowned for its ethical farming practices and lower carbon footprint. It is enriched with truffle and Madeira sauce, then garnished with in-house-grown mushrooms. 

Refreshing the palate towards the end of the meal is the Amalfi lemon, cucumber & mint, which incorporates calamansi and lemongrass from the edible garden. The Conference pear—spiced with ginger and garden tarragon, and paired with tangy blackberry sorbet and sweet glazed chestnuts over vanilla yoghurt meringue—brings a comforting warmth. A selection of mignardises (bite-sized sweets) from Chef Marcus serves as a finale. 

Details

For reservations, email forage-mandairainforest@banyantree.com 

Festive takeaways 

Great for six to eight guests, the Banyan Noël Luxe Collection Pack (S$288++) includes a classical whole roasted turkey, pineapple orange glazed boneless ham, a woody Yule dark chocolate log, traditional marzipan stollen, and a selection of festive sides and sauces.

Standalone takeaway offerings are also available, including the Creole spice rub Angus beef ribeye (S$188++), the classical whole roasted turkey (S$158++), and the clementine & herb roasted duck (S$108++). Yule logs, ranging from the classic dark chocolate to the locally-influenced durian coconut flavour, are available from S$68++, along with festive bakes such as traditional mixed fruit cake, panettone, and traditional marzipan stollen, priced from S$38++.

Details

Orders are accepted from now till 20 December 2025 at https://www.banyantree.com/singapore/mandai-rainforest-resort-by-banyan-tree/rainforest-wonders-a-wild-christmas (minimum of three days’ advance notice). 

Collections can be made at the festive booth located at the Level 1 coach bay, Mandai Rainforest Resort by Banyan Tree, from 4 to 23 December 2025. 

For enquiries, call +65 6038 3999 or email plantersshed-mandairainforest@banyantree.com

Countdown to 2026

On the final day of the year, guests can ring in the New Year with the Dinner and Countdown Combo Package (S$250++ per adult). Start with a dinner buffet at Planter’s Shed from 7 pm to 10 pm, then proceed to the Meranti Ballroom for New Year's Eve celebrations from 9 pm onwards. 

Guests can raise their glasses with free-flow Mumm champagne, Mionetto prosecco, wines, draft beer, and selected cocktails as the night unfolds with a live band and DJ performances. A lucky draw, with prizes including stays at other Banyan Tree destinations in the region, will be held during the countdown.

Celebrate serenity

The Banyan Tree spa’s Tailored to Your Senses packages are designed for two to four guests. Guests booking a 90-minute experience will enjoy a complimentary afternoon tea at Forage, while those opting for a 120-minute session may choose between afternoon tea or a two-course set lunch per person at Forage. 

Details

Learn more at https://www.banyantree.com/singapore/mandai-rainforest-resort-by-banyan-tree/spa/banyan-tree-spa-mandai-rainforest-resort

Mandai Rainforest Resort by Banyan Tree
60 Mandai Lake Road
Singapore 729979 

27 November 2025

Get in the festive mood with Pan Pacific Singapore

This festive season at Pan Pacific Singapore, enjoy a range of festive offerings, including rejuvenating treatments at St Gregory, staycations, and diverse dining options across their restaurants and bar.

Festive takeaways 

The Pan Pacific culinary team has crafted traditional festive dishes available for takeaway, alongside a selection of festive goodies and hampers for gifting.

Said Pan Pacific Singapore Executive Chef Andy Oh: "Every dish is an art, plated with finesse, creativity, and passion."

Source: Pan Pacific Singapore. Festive hamper selection.

Festive hampers available in 2025, each presented in a luxe gift box, include:

The Pacific Festive Hamper (S$499 nett) 

The Pacific Festive Hamper includes a bottle of Taittinger Brut Réserve champagne, homemade christstollen, homemade Myers rum fruit cake, soft nougats presented in a Christmas box, panettone figs and raisins, Bacha Coffee Sidamo Mountain, and an assortment of Christmas homemade pralines.

The Delicatessen Deluxe Hamper (S$330 nett) 

The Delicatessen Deluxe Hamper offers savoury artisanal delights, including basil pesto pork sausage (400 g), chicken garlic butter sausage (300 g), Christmas salami sticks (200 g), baby honey ham (1 kg), 5J premium Iberico de Bellota, duck rillettes with espelette, duck pate with figs, duck pate with smoked duck breast and basil, as well as a bottle of Château Larose-Trintaudon Haut-Médoc. Espelette is a pepper that comes from a Basque village in France.

The classic Pacific Yuletide Hamper (S$150 nett) 

The classic Pacific Yuletide Hamper comprises traditional festive treats, including a gingerbread boy (100 g), acorn festive snack mix, homemade christstollen (300 g), festive cookies, mini panettone in assorted flavours, assorted Christmas homemade pralines, and Natureo sparkling non-alcoholic semi-seco.

Festive takeaways

Gourmet roasts, gourmet seafood and sides, curated festive bundles, log cakes, and more are available for celebrating elsewhere. 

Gourmet roasts, seafood, and sides 

Pan Pacific Singapore's Master Butcher Chef Haiko Mayer has introduced a new series of gourmet roasts, including Master Butcher’s pork roulade (S$227 nett), 4-hour braised lamb shank (S$172 nett), smoked gammon ham (bone-in) (S$172 nett), as well as meat ‘hammer’ beef shank (S$249 nett). 

Enjoy signature gourmet roasts, such as a traditional roasted turkey (S$216 nett), boneless honey-glazed ham (S$140 nett), and Australian beef cheek vin rouge (S$172 nett). 

Master Butcher Mayer said: "Our festive takeaways, all made fresh in-house, are a true labour of love." 

Indulge in a curated array of gourmet seafood and sides, such as newly debuted oven-baked whole red snapper (S$249 nett), cheese-baked lobster thermidor (S$249 nett), roasted winter vegetables with dried cranberry and chestnuts (S$49 nett), honey-glazed Brussel sprouts with caramelised onion and bacon (S$44 nett), as well as potato ‘mille-feuille’ with mozzarella and parmigiano reggiano (S$60 nett). 

All gourmet roasts and seafood are accompanied with a side of Brussel sprouts, tiny heirloom carrots, and broccolini.  

Festive bundles 

This year, Executive Pastry Chef Edina Si and her culinary team present two brand-new log cake flavours - the rich and indulgent pure chocolate log cake (S$88 nett), as well as a pretty-in-pink white peach tea log cake (S$88 nett). 

The Premium Festive Bundle (S$576 nett) features a traditional roasted turkey, cheese-baked lobster thermidor, 4-hour braised lamb shank, and the pure chocolate log cake. 

The Traditional Festive Bundle (S$358 nett) is a timeless selection. Enjoy the traditional roasted turkey with an oven-baked whole red snapper, and a homemade Myers rum-infused fruit cake. 

Traditional festive sweets and log cakes

Make your holidays even sweeter with Pacific Emporium’s festive sweet delights, including the homemade traditional christstollen (S$55 nett), a homemade Myers rum infused fruit cake (S$62 nett), a homemade large gingerbread House (S$110 nett), and homemade Christmas pralines (six pieces / 12 pieces / 24 pieces) (S$22/ S$39/ S$65 nett respectively). 

Details

The festive offerings can be ordered through panpacificsingapore.oddle.me/en_SG till 26 December 2025. Enjoy the convenience of delivery or opt for self-collection from the festive booth located on level 1 of Pan Pacific Singapore till 26 December 2025.

Early bird discounts of up to 30% off end on 30 November 2025. From 1 December until 26 December 2025, enjoy discounts of up to 25% off.

View the festive brochure

Festive dining at PLUME

Get the festive celebrations going at PLUME with Head Mixologist Akmal Haqim and Bar Manager Siew Han Jun. Indulge in Head Mixologist Akmal Haqim’s selection of festive cocktails, such as the classic PLUME mulled wine (S$20++), a warming blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cointreau, festive spices, ginger flower, and honey, and the nostalgic Christmas favourite, classic egg nog (S$20++, Bourbon, egg, milk, sugar, and festive spices). A satisfying non-alcoholic option, the No Fly Nog (S$15++), is also available. 

The experience will be elevated by live band performances on 24 and 25 December 2025. 

Details 

From now to 25 December 2025
5 pm – 1 am
Live band performances on 24 and 25 December 2025: 8:30 pm – 11:45 pm

Prices quoted are in Singapore dollars, and are subject to service charge and prevailing government taxes.

For reservations, call +65 9459 7165 or email dining.ppsin@panpacific.com

Embrace the season at Edge

Executive Chef Oh and his culinary team have curated an extravagant buffet spread comprising classic festive delights, alongside Edge’s signature international buffet spread. Served across live kitchens, diners can savour a premium seafood selection, succulent roasts, and the season’s favourites, such as oven-roasted grass-fed lamb leg with ras el hanout spices, maple-glazed gammon ham with spiced pineapple marmalade, chicken leg confit with savoy cabbage, and Mediterranean turkey pizza. The grill station features more delights: a slow-roasted ribeye, Yorkshire pudding, and truffle jus.

Seafood lovers will relish the expansive spread of fresh seafood, including freshly-shucked seasonal oysters, king crab leg, Boston lobster, tiger prawns, Pacific clams, scallops on the half-shell, sea conch, black mussel, and crawfish. Also available are cold cuts made in-house by Master Butcher Mayer, such as homecured beef salami, Virginia ham, pastrami, mortadella, paprika lyoner, and Black Forest ham. 

An irresistible variety of festive treats are set out at the dessert bar, including dark chocolate log cake, homemade Christmas stollen, rum-soaked fruit cake, and more.

Executive Sous Chef Patrick Ooi observed: "This season, Edge’s festive buffet spread is inspired by nostalgic, comforting flavours, infused with the spirit of the holidays."

Details

For reservations, please call +65 6826 8240 or email dining.ppsin@panpacific.com

Weekday lunch
(Except on 24, 25, or 31 December 2025 and 1 January 2026)

12 pm - 2:30 pm
Adult: S$88++

Daily dinner
(Except on 24, 25, or 31 December 2025 and 1 January 2026)

6 pm - 10 pm 
Adult: S$128++*

Saturday lunch 
29 November, 6, 13, 20, 27 December 2025 

12 pm - 3 pm 
Adult: S$108++*

Sunday brunch
30 November, 7, 14, 21, 28 December 2025

12 pm - 3:30 pm
Adult: S$138++*, S$198++**

Christmas Eve lunch
24 December 2025

12 pm - 3 pm
Adult: S$118++*

Christmas Eve dinner
24 December 2025

6 pm - 10 pm
Adult: S$198++*, S$278++**

Christmas Day brunch
25 December 2025

1st seating: 11:30 am to 1:30 pm | 2nd seating: 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm
Adult: S$198++*, S$278++**
Enjoy a live band performance by Myra and Band, meet-and-greet Santa, and be entertained by a roving balloon sculptor. 

Christmas Day dinner
25 December 2025

6 pm - 10 pm
Adult: S$198++*, S$278++**

New Year’s Eve lunch
31 December 2025

12 pm - 3 pm
Adult: S$108++*

*Inclusive of free flow of chilled juices and soft drinks

New Year’s Eve dinner
31 December 2025

6 pm - 10 pm
Adult: S$208++*, S$288++**
Enjoy a live band performance by Myra and Band, photobooth, as well as a roving magician.

New Year’s Day brunch
1 January 2026

12 pm - 3:30 pm
Adult: S$138++*, S$198++**

New Year’s Day dinner

1 January 2026

6 pm - 10 pm
Adult: S$128++*

*Inclusive of free flow of chilled juices and soft drinks

**Beverage package – Inclusive of free flow of Taittinger Brut Réserve Champagne, house red wine, house white wine, a selection of house spirits, cocktails, chilled juices, and soft drinks

Holiday dining at Hai Tien Lo 

Hai Tien Lo’s six-course festive menu, priced at $208++ per person, is curated by Executive Chinese Chef Edden Yap and his culinary team. The menu will be available till 1 January 2026 and includes:

  • Chilled seasonal turkey salad with passion fruit sauce
  • Combination of sliced barbecued suckling pig and black caviar, with swan puff wanton and bonito flakes
  • Nutritious double-boiled fish bone broth with fish maw and lobster
  • Steamed sea perch fillet with asparagus, lily bulbs, crab meat, and roe
  • Wok-fried rice with egg white, ham, and dried scallops
  • Chilled cream of avocado and chocolate ice cream, with macarons

Details

Lunch | 11:30 am – 2:30 pm
Dinner | 6 pm – 10:30 pm
S$208++ per person
Minimum of two persons
Beverage packages are available at a supplement from S$48++

For reservations, please call +65 6826 8240 or email dining.ppsin@panpacific.com

Elegant artistry at Keyaki

Embark on a culinary discovery of Japanese cuisine through seasonal flavours, precise preparation methods, and presentations that reflect nature at Keyaki, brought to you by Executive Japanese Chef Teruya Noriyoshi and his culinary team.

Chef Noriyoshi said: "I created these menus to share a taste of my heritage and warmth wth my diners during this festive season."

Winter Kaiseki Experience

Enjoy two curated winter kaiseki menus, Shimotsuki (S$250++ per person) and Shiwasu (S$330++ per person), available for both lunch and dinner.

The Shimotsuki menu* features:

  • Foie gras pâté and jimami tofu, with raspberry pearls and Alba white truffles 
  • Mozuku-su with snow crab
  • Sweet corn flan with Bafun uni 
  • Kuruma-ebi with asparagus and mango, in kimizu 
  • Seasonal premium sashimi 
  • Spiny lobster ravioli with umami ankake and Alba white truffles 
  • Roasted A4 Kyushu wagyu in egg yolk sukiyaki sauce 
  • Premium fish nigiri sushi (three pieces) 
  • Japanese seasonal fruits

Treat tastebuds with the Shiwasu Menu, which features: 

  • Foie gras pâté and jimami tofu, with raspberry pearls and Alba white truffles
  • Shiro-ebi with caviar
  • Hokkaido kegani in shiro miso Americaine bavarois
  • Sweet corn flan with Bafun uni, akagai and junsai, in yuzu sanbaizu
  • Seasonal premium sashimi
  • Uni shiso tempura with seasonal Japanese vegetables
  • Pan-seared half Normandy blue lobster in kimizu sauce 
  • Premium fish nigiri sushi (three pieces)

The set includes a choice of one main course: Amiyaki A4 Kyushu wagyu marinated in kome-koji with Alba white truffles, or Lumina rack of lamb with Alba white truffles in egg yolk sukiyaki sauce. 

Conclude the dining experience with Japanese seasonal fruits and Hokkaido cheesecake.

New Year Kaiseki Experience

From 31 December 2025, relish the New Year Kaiseki (S$270++ per person). Alternatively, guests may enjoy the Keyaki-style osechi (S$118++) and ozoni (S$35++) à la carte.

The New Year Kaiseki features***: 

  • Kouhaku sashimi of akami, toro, tai, and kimedai 
  • Keyaki-style osechi set of simmered tiger prawn, roasted wagyu, and foie gras monaka, with black beans
  • Uni rolled in shiso tempura
  • Grilled cod with Saikyo miso paste 
  • Grilled scallop and burdock wrapped with sea eel and carrot, with bamboo shoot and plum 
  • Pan-seared Normandy blue lobster in kimizu sauce
  • Five kinds of premium nigiri sushi
  • Ozoni 
  • Musk melon

Details

Winter Kaiseki Experience

Till 31 January 2026
Lunch | 11:30 am – 2:30 pm
Dinner | 6 pm – 10:30 pm
From S$250++ per person

New Year Kaiseki Experience

31 December 2025 - 2 January 2026
Lunch | 11:30 am – 2:30 pm
Dinner | 6 pm – 10:30 pm
S$270++ per person 

For reservations, please call +65 6826 8240 or email dining.ppsin@panpacific.com

*A4 wagyu is premium high-quality wagyu beef. In general, the higher the number, the better the quality of the beef. Ankake style cooking involves a thick sauce poured over the food. Jimami tofu is an Okinawan specialty made with peanut milk, while mozuku-su refers to mozoku seaweed from Okinawa marinated in vinegar. Kimizu is a sauce made from egg yolks and rice vinegar, and kuruma ebi are Japanese tiger prawns. 

**Amiyaki is a Japanese grilling method. Junsai is a water vegetable. Kegani is the horsehair crab, and kimedai is the golden eye snapper. Kome-koji is fermented steamed rice. Osechi refers to a traditional Japanese new year feast while ozoni is the soup prepared for the Japanese new year. Sanbaizu is a vinegar-based seasoning. Shiro ebi are baby white shrimp.

***Akami is the red meat from tuna. Monaka is a traditional wafer sandwich. Saikyo miso is a white miso from Kyoto.

Seasonal indulgences at Pacific Emporium

Guests are invited to enjoy an exquisite festive afternoon tea, or to savour the festive set menus, curated to showcase the finest flavours of the season.

Festive afternoon tea

Executive Pastry Chef Si said: "The collection of sweet delights featured in our festive afternoon tea menu delivers a festive twist, celebrating a balance of citrusy freshness and sweet, comforting notes."

On weekdays (S$68++ per person), guests can enjoy a selection of savoury and sweet delights presented on a three-tiered stand. 

Start with a complimentary welcome drink of cinnamon spark, a blend of cinnamon honey syrup, fresh lemon juice, and aromatic bitters. Festive creations on the menu include lobster salad with crispy crousta, salmon and cheese roulade, and apple and walnut savoury tart. Sweet treats include hazelnut passion fruit log cake, raspberry rosella choux, mixed fruit and classic scones, and more.

Guests are also invited to select a main course, such as Master Butcher’s pork roulade, turkey Slider and Penang Prawn noodle soup to complement the afternoon tea. 

On weekends and Christmas Day (S$78++ per adult), the afternoon tea experience is a buffet-style affair, alongside a Chef’s Speciality Showcase, including the Master Butcher’s pork roulade, festive Beef Wellington, Traditional Roasted Turkey Breast, Penang Prawn Noodle Soup, and assorted sticky toffee puddings. 

Details

Festive set menus 

Executive Sous Chef Cheah Hun Leong commented: "This festive season, I wanted to take those quintessential holiday flavours, the spices, the richness, and the warming aromas, to the festive dining table."

Pick from the two-course (S$35++ per person) or three-course (S$45++ per person) festive lunch set menu. Highlights include salmon carpaccio, Pacific prawn katafi, Pacific Emporium turkey burger, as well as truffle and fungi tortellacci. Katafi is delicately-shredded pastry, while tortellacci is a large, ring-shaped stuffed pasta.

The three-course festive dinner set menu (S$55++ per person) features scallop crudo, bisque de homard (lobster), sous-vide grain-fed beef cuberoll, and oven-baked turkey roulade. Scallop crudo is typically thinly-sliced raw scallops.

Details

Festive afternoon tea 
Till 31 December 2025 

1st seating: 1 pm to 3 pm | 2nd seating: 4 pm to 6 pm
Mondays to Fridays: S$68++
Saturdays & Sundays, and 25 December 2025 (buffet-style) S$78++ 

Festive set menus 
Till 31 December 2025 

Mondays to Fridays (excluding public holidays) 
Lunch | 11 am – 3 pm 
2-course festive lunch set menu: S$35++ per person 
3-course festive lunch set menu: S$45++ per person   

Mondays to Sundays 
Dinner | 5 pm – 10 pm 
3-course festive dinner set menu: S$55++ per person

For reservations, call +65 6826 8240 or email dining.ppsin@panpacific.com

Festive entertainment

The lobby of Pan Pacific Singapore has been transformed into a hub of holiday cheer. On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, the festive ambiance will be elevated by a live performance from 20 talented carollers from One Choral Company, a registered charity, which is dedicated to promoting choral excellence, education, and community engagement the power of music.

In addition to the carolling, Santa Claus and Santarina will be making special appearances.

Carolling on 24 December 2025
7 pm - 7:30 pm
Christmas eve Santa and Santarina meet-and-greet 
7 pm – 8 pm

Carolling on 25 December 2025
12:45 pm - 1:15 pm
Christmas Santa and Santarina meet-and-greet
11:45 am – 12:30 pm and 2:30 pm – 3:15 pm

St Gregory

Tinsel Tranquillity Package 

St Gregory’s Tinsel Tranquillity Package includes a choice of Thalion Oceanic Bliss, a 75-minute massage tailored to your preference, or Thalion Intense Revitalisation, a 75-minute session for deep muscle relief. Conclude the treatment with a 15-minute scalp massage, designed to ease tension. 

Details

The Tinsel Tranquillity package (S$250 nett) is available until 31 December 2025 from 11 am - 8 pm. 

For reservations, please call +65 6826 8140 or email stgregory.ppsin@panpacific.com

Festive e-gifting 

Give the gift of the Pan Pacific experience, from revitalising wellness, luxurious room stays, and dining experiences:

Indulge in the Weekend Spacation Voucher (S$680++), featuring a Deluxe Panoramic Room with day access, a choice of a 60-minute Relaxing Aromatic Body Bliss or Indonesian Balinese Massage for two, a buffet-style afternoon tea for two at Pacific Emporium, and more!

The Festive Staycation Voucher, on the other hand, begins from S$400++ and comes with breakfast at Edge, and a welcome drink for two at PLUME.

Celebrate the weekend at Keyaki with a Japanese Weekend Brunch (Kaiseki-style) Voucher (S$79.20++). Presented okonomi ("as you like") style, diners can decide from selected perennial Japanese culinary favourites and speciality dishes.

Details

Select experiences at the eShop at eshop-ppsin.panpacific.com 

New Year's Eve celebrations

Fireworks by the Bay on New Year’s Eve room package

The Fireworks by the Bay offer includes front-row room views of the new year fireworks. Elevate the celebration with a stay in a Pacific Club room or Panoramic suite, that comes with exclusive access to the Pacific Club Lounge on level 38. Package privileges include a champagne breakfast, afternoon tea, and Evening Cocktails, accompanied by panoramic views of Marina Bay and the city skyline. 

Details

Valid for bookings from now until 31 December 2025 for stays on 31 December 2025. Terms and conditions apply - visit https://www.panpacific.com/en/hotels-and-resorts/pp- marina/offers/fireworks-by-the-bay.html to learn more.

Countdown Party at PLUME on New Year’s Eve 

Indulge in a countdown celebration with handcrafted cocktails and gourmet canapés, accompanied by live performances by Rock Rosette and DJ Amanda. As Bar Manager Siew Han Jun said, it's a party for a "New Year, new beginnings! Toast to the exciting new journey ahead!"

Details

Table of two persons at S$388++
Table of four persons at S$688++
Table of eight persons at S$1,188++
Table of 10 – 15 persons at S$1,988++ 

The above packages include a selection of spirits, beers, wines, cocktails, and food. 

The Nest Private Countdown 

This exclusive arrangement serves a table of 20 persons with a minimum spend of S$8,800++. The package includes a private bartender and three litres of champagne. 

Details

31 December 2025
5 pm – 3 am
Rock Rosettes live band | 9:30 pm - 12:15 pm
DJ Amanda | 12:15 am – 2:30 am
For reservations, please call +65 9459 7165 or email dining.ppsin@panpacific.com

All prices quoted are in Singapore dollars, and are inclusive of prevailing government taxes.  

Hashtags: #PanPacificSingapore, #ShareYourMoments, #EdgeSG, #HaiTienLoSG, #KeyakiSG, #PacificEmporiumSG, #PLUMESG

25 November 2025

Robert Walters: AI, wages, and flexibility: What Singapore hires want

Concept artwork for a workplace
generated by Bing Image Creator.
Global talent solutions business Robert Walters’ Salary Survey 2026, a benchmark of salary trends, forecasts a challenging 2026 for Singapore. The market will continue to see volatility, combined with cost pressures and the lack of skilled talent, the company said.

Demand for talent in AI, data and cloud skills continues to outstrip supply, resulting in a skills mismatch. At the same time, firms are cautious in pay planning due to economic and sectoral uncertainty. On the talent front, candidates are expecting job offers to go beyond higher pay, and include areas such as flexibility, learning opportunities and purpose, Robert Walters said.

Companies are therefore tapping on flexible resource models, which include contract roles and project-based hiring, as a valuable tool to help them stay agile.

Key findings include: 

- Industries such as banking and finance are starting to see AI applications go from pilot phases to actual implementation, and various industries across the board are seeing AI usage increase. A third of companies said that they have already introduced AI with the objective of optimising headcount, while 30% are planning to do so. 

- Functions that companies see are most at risk with the integration of AI are administration and business support (50%), IT and digital transformation (29%), as well as accounting and finance (28%). 

- Nearly eight in 10 (78%) businesses expect up to 50% of their workforce to need reskilling/upskilling due to advancements in AI over the next 5 years. To prepare themselves for AI-driven changes in the workplace, one in two (46%) of professionals surveyed said they have started to research or pursue AI-related training.

- Top skills that employers are looking for in an AI-driven workplace are critical thinking and fact-checking (71%), data analysis (59%), adaptability (44%) and ethical decision-making (41%). 

- Professionals using AI at the workplace tend to mostly use AI tools for research and information gathering (50%), chatbots or virtual assistants for communication and support (43%), as well as copywriting, content creation and editing (42%). 

- Top concerns over AI adoption at the workplace include having their jobs displaced due to automation (48%), bias or unfair treatment due to algorithms (such as in hiring or promotions) (42%), and the lack of training to keep up with AI skills (41%).  

Flexible workforce models

When asked about their hiring plans for 2026, 37% of employers are looking to increase their headcount, with most of them (30%) looking to increase it by 5-10%. 55% of companies will start or continue to hire contractors in 2026. The top reasons for hiring contractors include hiring for project or short-term needs (74%), limited headcount (36%), and a desire to not commit to a permanent headcount yet (33%).

Companies continue to need to explore employee value proposition (EVP) offerings to attract and retain talent. Among the benefits offered to employees currently, the top initiatives were giving a bonus scheme (80%), parental leave (71%), flexi/remote working (65%), commercial medical insurance (65%) and dental cover (58%).

Modest wage increments

Talent moving between jobs can expect increments of 5 to 15%, or up to 20% for niche areas such as AI or cybersecurity. Employees staying with their current companies will see their salaries increase by 3-6% to align with inflation, Robert Walters predicted.

Most employers shared that they are likely to give a modest salary increment in 2026 to current employees. Nearly seven in 10 (69%) of Singapore employers who responded said they would be giving at least 3%. Within this segment, 7% said it would be more than 6%. 

Around a quarter (27%) are likely to give a pay rise of under 3%, while 4% said that they will not be increasing salaries. On the other hand, 57% of professionals expect at least a 3% increment from their current employer, with 14% expecting more than a 6% increment.

New hires can expect a pay rise of at least 6% from 56% of employers. Over a quarter (27%) of this segment expect to give pay rises of above 10%. On the other hand, professionals looking to move jobs are more ambitious; 83% expect more than a 10% pay rise, with 23% of them likely to request a more than 20% increase in salary. 

One of the challenges when sourcing for staff is that salary and benefit expectations are too high (53%), with other top challenges being: 

- Lack of quality candidates with the right skills/experience (72%) 

- Qualified professionals are hesitant to move (25%) 

- High competition for candidates (counteroffers and buy-backs) (25%)

Beyond compensation and benefits (62%), professionals shared that flexible work arrangements (42%), job security and stability (39%), and inspiring colleagues and culture (34%) are what they would value in an employer.

Talent snapshot 

Beyond compensation and benefits, talent value having flexible work arrangements, job security and stability, and inspiring colleagues and culture from an employer. But there is an expectation gap: 27% of employers are likely to give new hires a pay rise of above 10%. However 83% of talent looking to move jobs expect more than a 10% pay rise, with 23% of them likely to request a more than 20% increase in salary. 

Employer snapshot 

Nearly four in 10 (37%) employers plan to increase their headcount, with most of them looking to increase it by 5-10%. 

- Roughly seven in 10 (69%) employers are looking to give a salary increment of at least 3% in 2026 for current employees 

- Over half (56%) are likely to give a salary increment of at least 6% to new hires 

Lack of candidates with the right skills/experience, gap in salary and benefit expectations, and talent staying put, are among the challenges faced by companies in attracting talent. Other trends include:

- Soft skills: 65% of employers value Interpersonal, communication and collaboration skills, and 59% value problem-solving and critical thinking among their employees.

- Contract hiring: 55% of companies will start or continue to hire contractors in 2026, with 74% of companies hiring contractors do so for project or short-term needs. Other reasons include headcount limitations, and a “wait to try” attitude. 

- AI-driven workplace: 78% of the businesses expect up to half of their workforce to need reskilling due to AI advancements.

- Employers are looking for talent with skillsets in critical thinking and fact-checking, data analysis, and who are highly adaptable.

- Top concerns by professionals over AI adoption at the workplace include having their jobs displaced due to automation, bias or unfair treatment due to algorithms, and the lack of relevant training.

The rapid growth in demand for AI and data skills plus the automation of transactional roles dominated the job market in 2025. Employers focused on a skills-based workforce planning approach, invested in targeted upskilling/reskilling (AI, cloud, data), and used AI to automate screening and candidate engagement. 

At the same time, talent with skills in AI, data and cloud were more mobile, while mid-career professionals saw stronger incentives to reskill. Increased competition for AI-savvy candidates led to more selective hiring and higher packages in those niche areas. 

Companies took a cautious approach to pay reviews and pay planning, with talent with in-demand skillsets benefitting from stronger pay adjustments. Some companies had stagnant salary growth, however. Companies have had to balance the cost of living and the pressure of retaining talent in terms of increments and benefits. 

Contract or gig roles continued to be made available to support business needs, while those in slower sectors faced slower hiring and more contract roles.

2026 industry predictions for Singapore

2026 will see the prevalence of AI usage, sustained careful wage management to persist, and a stronger demand for flexible workforce models. There will be continued demand for AI, data and cloud skilled talent. Companies will continue to focus on skills-based hiring, instead of looking at traditional qualifications, as well as internal mobility and talent development programmes to retain and nurture talent. 

As Singapore companies respond to the volatility and agility required in the market, the workforce will see traditional permanent roles matched with an increasing number of contract positions and project-based hiring, forecast Robert Walters.

“Gone are the days of market-wide increments. Attracting and retaining talent has become more challenging due to the volatility and pace the market is working to, combined with cost pressures and lack of skilled talent in all areas. Companies will need to stay flexible, explore employee value proposition (EVP) offerings to draw talent, and tap on analytics for market intelligence and workforce planning.

"Employers can also look into tapping on executive recruitment firms to source for leadership talent, and use leadership assessment and coaching to retain and evolve talent. They can invest in contractors to meet the pace and project-based work requirements, and look into outsourcing and managed services to support business scale and control costs,” said Kirsty Poltock, Country Manager at Robert Walters Singapore.

Other Singapore-based insights from the Salary Survey include:

Soft skills valued by employers include interpersonal, communication and collaboration skills (65%), problem-solving and critical thinking (59%), and having a positive attitude, emotional intelligence and empathy (44%). 

The functions that are likely to see the highest attrition (defined as the number of respondents who will be looking to change jobs in 2026): 

- Supply chain & procurement (82%)

- Accounting & finance (79%)

- Tech & transformation (78%)

- Sales & marketing (78%)

Top functions which can expect pay rises in 2026: 

- Accounting and finance (98%)

- Supply chain & procurement (98%)

- Sales & marketing (97%)

- Human resources & business support (97%)

The top in-demand professions for 2026 are:

- Accounting & finance: financial analysts, finance business partners, finance managers 

- Banking & financial services: fintech & quantitative specialists, risk & compliance specialists, wealth & portfolio managers 

- Human resources & business support: HR business partners, HR generalists, transformation specialists 

- Sales & marketing: Head of growth, GM, marketing automation specialist 

- Supply chain, procurement & logistics: supply & demand planners, supply chain project managers, analysts 

- Technology & transformation: cybersecurity specialists, data/AI engineers, cloud engineers

By industry:

Tech & Transformation

● Demand for talent: very high 

● In 2025: With strong interest in AI adoption, there is a sharp rise in demand for skillsets related to AI, cloud and data. New data centre projects and capacities boosted hiring volumes in infrastructure, engineering and operations. Cost pressures kept headcount growth for permanent positions to the minimum, while driving contract hiring and offshoring. 

Professionals were more open towards contracting. Hybrid work stayed the norm, but has created new challenges around employee engagement and productivity.

● In 2026: Cost pressures will see companies maintain a flexible mix of permanent and contract employees. Employers will need to show stronger local representation in their workforce.

Key trends

● Employers are moving towards a skills-first approach, with a heavier focus on practical assessments, real project experiences and proof of skills. 

● Evolving talent strategy with roles that were once offered permanently increasingly filled by contract talent, in particular for project-based and transformation-heavy work, such as in cloud, data, AI and cybersecurity. 

● While global talent will remain important, regulatory scrutiny around Employment Passes will see local talent have an advantage during the hiring process. 

Sought-after professionals

● Permanent roles: Commercial roles such as sales and presales talent, AI/machine learning (ML) and data engineers, cybersecurity specialists especially in cloud and data centre security.

● Contracting: Cloud engineers, DevOps, cybersecurity specialists, data and AI engineers.

● Nearly eight in 10 (78%) professionals are looking for a new job, and 37% are confident about job opportunities in the sector. 

● What talent value most: excellent compensation & benefits, flexible work arrangements, and job security. 

● Valuable soft skills include change management, critical thinking and problem solving, collaboration in hybrid cross-functional teams, and the ability to influence and communicate with business leaders. Adaptability and learning agility are also prized, especially for contractors.

Robert Walters says:

● Talent are advised to develop adaptability across tools and platforms, deepen their domain knowledge and carve out specialisations in niche technologies.

● Companies that are looking to attract and retain talent should be competitive (move quickly on offers, competitive salaries on scarce roles), be efficient (streamline the recruitment process, build an alumni pool of contractors), and showcase clear career value (help professionals see how they can grow in a role).

Salaries 

Permanent roles are expected to see their pay rise at a stable rate, while skills such as AI, cloud and cybersecurity continue to seek high premiums. Similarly, contract roles for domains like cloud, data and cybersecurity are expected to see increases in rates. 

● More than nine in 10 (93%) of businesses are giving pay rises, while 85% of professionals are expecting a pay rise in 2026.

Future-proofing against AI

Roles with repetitive and standardised tasks, such as entry-level data reporting, low-level programming, and first-line IT support are most vulnerable to automation. Professionals need to show a strong grasp of their domain expertise, understanding of AI governance, and an ability to harness AI in daily work. In- demand skills include stakeholder management and business storytelling as well. 

Banking & financial services

● Demand for talent: very high 

● In 2025: Firms kept a closer eye on costs and hired more selectively, focusing on skills that directly supported business priorities. 2025 saw AI move from pilot to practice in the industry, particularly in risk and operations. 

On the contract front, demand reduced for manual operations while new roles in AI implementation and oversight were created. Stricter compliance requirements saw an increased demand for risk management and regulatory reporting skills. 

● In 2026: A growing preference for contract positions and an emphasis in skills and agility in terms of hiring. They will take a skills-based approach and prioritise a candidate’s abilities. Contract and project-based hiring, as well as cross- border hiring will increase, particularly for niche talents in areas such as quant, fintech, private equity and private wealth. 

With tightened regulations in areas like digital assets, environment, sustainability and governance (ESG) disclosures and anti-money laundering (AML) and know your customer (KYC), there will be a surge in hiring for compliance and risk projects.

Key trends

● A rise in contract and project-based roles, offering flexibility under hiring freezes or headcount caps. However, contracts for transformation or regulatory projects will be shorter-term (six to 12 months).

● Hybrid and 'contract-to-perm' are becoming the norm. While remote work is accepted for certain roles, most roles will be hybrid. According to Robert Walters, there is an increasing trend to convert contract staff to permanent positions when headcount frees up.

Sought-after professionals

● There is consistent demand for roles that sit at the intersection of strategy, regulation and technology - fintech professionals, quantitative (quant) specialists, wealth and portfolio managers and risk and regulatory experts with strong technical depth. 

● Demand has increased for contract roles for risk and compliance specialists, internal auditors that specialise in financial services, and treasury operations specialists. 

● What talent value most: Excellent compensation and benefits, flexible work arrangements, and job security 

Soft skills including adaptability, clear communication, and the ability to influence will help talent advance in their careers. Stakeholder management and problem-solving skills will also be valued among contract roles. 

Robert Walters says:

● Schedule flexibility has become a baseline expectation to attract and retain talent. Companies can also appeal to contract talent by focusing on the strengths of flexibility and autonomy, exposure to cutting-edge projects, and offering clear career progression pathways.

Salaries

Base salaries to hold steady, with selective premiums for scarce skills and domain expertise in AI, risk and ESG. Bonuses will be linked to individual performance.

● Nine in 10 (91%) of businesses are giving pay rises, while 92% of professionals expect a pay rise in 2026. 

● Seven in 10 (69%) of professionals are looking for a new job, and 46% are confident about job opportunities in this sector. 

Future-proofing against AI

Positions that centre around repetitive and manual tasks like transaction processing, basic compliance checks and data reconciliation are vulnerable to automation. Professionals need to build data fluency, sharpen their judgement and communication, stay updated on AI-related regulations, and step into roles where human insight complements technology, Robert Walters advised.

Accounting & finance

● Demand for talent: very high 

● In 2025: AI, automation and data analytics were adopted, while businesses battled cost pressures stemming from US trade tariffs and other geopolitical shocks. Demand rose for talent with the rare combination of finance and IT skills, as well as contract roles for tech-savvy, data-fluent candidates who can improve automated processes.

Companies managed costs by outsourcing roles that were transactional in nature to countries with lower labour costs, or moved more to contractors. Back-office and repetitive accounting roles, such as accounts payable and accounts receivable (AP/AR), were offshored or filled by local contract talent.

● In 2026: AI is now common in many workflows, prompting a shift in hiring and role expectations. Technical skillsets such as data analytics will be a key feature in the hiring market. A skill-based approach will be taken in hiring talent with these in-demand skillsets. 

Contract hiring will increase for all roles. Hiring processes have lengthened, especially for contract roles that may be converted to a permanent one. Singapore continues to struggle with a shortage of talent with technical skills.

Key trends 

● Soft skills such as storytelling and communication will become more important, especially for accountants, positions in accounts payable and accounts receivable, and financial analysts (reporting). 

● Demand for hybrid talent who combine domain knowhow (e.g. audit, regulatory, financial planning and analysis) with technology, analytics or sustainability literacy.

● Hiring processes to lengthen for both permanent and contract non-transactional roles, which will continue to stay in Singapore. Companies will consider case studies, cultural assessments, up to three more rounds of interviews.

Robert Walters says:

● Professionals should also learn how to collaborate with AI in their daily work, using these tools to their advantage. Professionals in less transactional roles can hone their soft skills in data storytelling, presenting findings and collaboration with other business units. 

● Companies look at shortening/condensing interview processes, and define critical skillsets clearly. They should also look to foster a great workplace culture to better attract and retain talent. Flexible work arrangements and competitive compensation remain baseline expectations for most job seekers.

Salaries

Expected to stay flat for permanent roles, with a slight increase (2-5%) for contract roles. However, niche and strategic roles that are in demand, as well as candidates with strong technical capabilities, will see higher increases.

Future-proofing against AI

Task-heavy and transactional roles (junior accountant, account executive and AP/AR) are most prone to automation via AI, robotic process automation (RPA) and intelligent document processing. 

Job seekers should look at upskilling themselves with technical skillsets in data, Power BI, enterprise resource planning (ERP), and consider career pathways in finance analyst, financial planning and analysis (FP&A), or business partnering. 

Sought-after professionals

- Financial analysts

- Finance business partners 

- Finance managers 

● What talent value most: Excellent compensation and benefits, Job security, and Flexible work arrangements.  

Salaries 

● Almost all (98%) businesses are giving pay rises in 2025, while 86% of professionals expect a pay rise in 2026. 

● Nearly eight in 10 (79%) of professionals are looking for a new job, and 50% are confident about job opportunities in this sector. 

Human resources & business support

● Demand for talent: very high 

● In 2025: A conservative approach to hiring, with a focus on redesigning the HR function to meet new business objectives, and roles offshored to lower-cost countries. The introduction of the Tripartite Guidelines on Flexible Work Arrangements in 2024 saw HR departments design frameworks to balance flexibility and productivity. 

Contract and interim hiring grew in momentum with an increased demand for experienced contract professionals in areas such as human resources information systems (HRIS) implementations, restructuring projects, compensation benchmarking and employee wellbeing.

● In 2026, businesses will expect more from HR professionals as team sizes shrink and AI integration happens. HR skillsets in business partnering and total rewards will be the key focus. HR teams will also need to drive workforce agility, implement digital HR solutions, and ensure both flexibility and performance. 

Trends 

Blended workforce models remain a key focus. Demand is expected to go up for HR transformation or fractional HR leadership roles.

Sought-after professionals 

● Experienced HR business partners who can balance strategic and operational responsibilities. There is strong demand as well for roles within total rewards, and compensation and benefits. 

● HR project managers and transformation specialists. Professionals with a proven ability to lead change initiatives will have an advantage. 

HR generalists are also in demand. 

● What talent value most: Excellent compensation and benefits, job security, and inspiring colleagues and culture.  

● Soft skills include compassion, firmness and fairness to support a workforce in transition. Professionals who can build trust, inspire teams and communicate clearly will stand out.

Robert Walters recommends: 

● Companies are encouraged to put a robust talent management programme in place. Opportunities for lateral or internal moves will help keep top talent motivated. They can also take a holistic approach to talent attraction and retention, from regular benchmarking of compensation and benefits, blended workforce strategies, to promoting transparency in areas such as hybrid work decisions and performance evaluation.

Salaries

Salaries may dip for some roles in HR, while increments will remain flat for permanent roles. Contract roles are expected to see salaries increase at usual rates (5-10%), as well as through the introduction of completion bonuses, flexible leave policies and extended benefits. Increments will depend on roles, with steady increases for HR business partners with regional exposure and stakeholder management experience.

● The vast majority (97%) of businesses are giving pay rises, while 90% of professionals expect a pay rise in 2026.

● Nearly three quarters (73%) of professionals are looking for a new job, and 47% are confident about job opportunities in this sector.

Sales & marketing

● Difficulty in hiring talent: very high 

● In 2025, lower B2C sector consumer spend saw companies flatten workplace structures, with roles at junior and senior levels being made redundant, and mid-level management employees stretched to cover operational and strategic tasks. On the contract front, roles are often offshored and have a shorter term (e.g.: from 12 months down to 6 months). AI adoption has also led to companies being able to function with smaller teams. 

In 2026: AI-skilled workers will be prioritised, while there will be reduced demand for entry-level executional roles. Senior digital specialists will be more in demand.

Trends 

● On the B2B front, companies are looking to hire revenue-generating roles to help achieve their sales targets, with a reduced focus on marketing roles. 

● Due to cost-cutting measures, companies are merging roles and responsibilities. Employers value candidates with more generalist experience and hybrid experience to cover a wider scope of responsibilities.

● Companies are moving their regional hubs and talents to lower-cost markets like Thailand or Malaysia. Compared to 2025, there will be significantly fewer senior leadership roles based in Singapore.

Robert Walters recommends: 

● Companies should have a strong employer brand. They should think about succession planning, be transparent and communicate career outlooks. identifying talents to groom for succession, offering skills-based career mobility, inventing in AI and marketing tech training budgets will help employees evolve. 

● Companies are increasingly valuing candidates with more generalist experience, and using automation to cut costs and increase productivity, hence replacing roles in content writing and basic design. Thus, professionals need to have the willingness to take on an expanded portfolio to remain relevant and in demand in today’s workplace.

● Professionals are also advised to maintain a healthy and robust network, creativity rooted in culture and emotion, and have good commercial judgement.

Sought-after professionals

● Revenue-generating roles such as sales directors, GMs, and heads of growth. Contract roles for customer relationship management (CRM) and marketing automation specialists, and AI-enabled specialists (performance and growth marketers, content strategists) are also required.

● What talent value most: Excellent compensation and benefits, job security, and inspiring colleagues and culture.

● Soft skills in demand include leadership experience, adaptability, ability to collaborate across functions, being a strong communicator who can articulate and drive compelling outcomes.

Salaries

Permanent roles may see salaries stagnate, with some executional roles likely to regress. For contract roles, employers may use bonus/incentive pay, stock options, and non-monetary benefits (such as flexible work and upskilling allowances) more aggressively than large fixed salary increases. Niche and talent-scarce sectors (healthcare, life sciences & diagnostics) may see better increases. 

● The large majority (97%) of businesses are giving pay rises, while 92% of professionals expect a pay rise in 2026. 

● Seventy-eight percent of professionals are looking for a new job, and 61% are confident about job opportunities in this sector.

Future-proofing against AI

Roles related to content creation, as well as contract roles that are junior or executional in nature (e.g. in content, social media, performance marketing operations, basic customer relationship management or CRM) are most at risk. 

Professionals should think about growing the pipeline, increasing conversions, and build AI skillsets such as data and analytics, and martech. As AI cannot replace relationships, professionals should maintain a healthy and robust network, creativity rooted in culture and emotion, ideally with commercial judgement.

Supply chain, procurement & logistics

● Difficulty in hiring talent: high 

● In 2025: The sector remained subdued throughout the year as businesses faced mounting challenges - Inflation, geopolitical shocks, and changing immigration controls created significant volatility. It also adopted a cautious “wait-and-see” approach. There was significant offshoring from Singapore to lower costs.

Ongoing expansion of technology and sustainability efforts defined demand for contract positions. Companies sought tech-savvy professionals but struggled to find talent in niche areas such as Blockchain implementation of AI-powered logistics optimisation. Companies also doubled down on efforts to reduce their environmental impact.

In 2026: The industry will be increasingly focused on risk management, resilience, sustainability, and digital transformation. Automation and AI are reshaping traditional roles, particularly those involving planning, inventory management, operations, and procurement. 

Trends

Demand for roles that can help businesses align operations with ESG mandates - green procurement practices, carbon reduction strategies, circular supply chain design - will be highly sought after. Contract roles will also increase as companies seek greater flexibility amidst headcount restrictions and economic uncertainty.

Sought-after professionals

● Professionals with skills in strategy, analytics, and AI model prompting will be highly sought after as companies implement and stress-test new systems. 

● Trade compliance specialists with expertise in free trade agreements (FTAs) and data analytics, as well as adaptable, technologically-proficient candidates who can effectively manage data tools are prized.

● Supply chain project managers are also in demand. 

● Contract roles related to demand planning, supply planning and supply chain transformation will be in demand. 

● What talent value most: Excellent compensation and benefits, flexible work arrangements, and job security.  

● Soft skills that are good to have include the ability to communicate and collaborate well with others, as well as strategic thinking, problem-solving and resilience to drive innovation and solve complex challenges.

Robert Walters recommends: 

● Companies are encouraged to provide upskilling opportunities, as they can help raise productivity, and help employees develop a healthier relationship and stronger adaptability to change.

● Attractive compensation packages remain necessary for specialised and strategic roles, as these talents remain in short supply. Hybrid and flexible work models will remain key as candidates value work-life balance.

Salaries

Salaries for permanent roles are expected to remain flat, with companies possibly exploring non-monetary benefits. Contract roles can expect a rise of 5-8%, though specialised roles may see increments of up to 10-15%.

● Almost all (98%) businesses are giving pay rises, while 87% of professionals expect a pay rise in 2026.

● Eight in 10 (82%) professionals are looking for a new job, and 56% are confident about job opportunities in this sector.

Future-proofing against AI

Roles heavy on repetitive supply chain work, data entry and inventory management are at risk or being replaced as more companies integrate AI. Professionals are advised to focus on picking up technologies such as data analytics and AI, as well as to improve human-centric attributes that AI cannot replace, such as emotional intelligence and business partnering skills.

Explore

Read the Robert Walters Salary Survey at https://www.robertwalters.com.sg/salarysurvey.html

*Salaries shown in the Robert Walters Salary Survey are based on an analysis of placements made across our network of offices and specialist disciplines during the course of 2025.

Now in its 27th year, the Survey is used by employers, HR managers and employees for benchmarking salary levels within their industries.

Robert Walters surveyed 361 professionals and companies in Singapore in September 2025 to get feedback on their main expectations or concerns for the year to come with regards to salaries, career changes or staff retention.