Orient - The Official Magazine of the British Chamber of Commerce Singapore - Issue 71 April 2019
Message from the executive director Quarter one for 2019 has been a busy start for the Chamber, not least because of an anticipated key shift in the Brexit debate with the intended departure of the UK from the EU at the end of March. With the postponement of this date, our joint panel with The Official Monetary and Financial Institutions Forum (OMFIF) earlier this month explored the implications of Brexit in Asia, from the probable repercussions of the delay to the effect on existing and future trading relationships. Speakers nonetheless conveyed a positive standpoint with H.E. Scott Wightman, British High Commissioner to Singapore, highlighting the breadth and depth of the current Singapore-UK relationship.
Continuing to foster this relationship remains a priority for the Chamber and will begin to take on a focused agenda from May onwards of this year. Watch this space as we drive key initiatives and activities, including our 20th Annual Business Awards (ABAs), which this year looks to recognise UK organisations who have made an impact in Singapore as we highlight the long-standing collaborative relationship between the two countries. I would encourage members to submit their nominations for this special UK Impact in Singapore award category, along with the other six award categories.
Our Diversity and Inclusion agenda was front and centre during March as we celebrated International Women’s Day, along with 332 Chamber members and guests. Celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women, the day marked a call to action for accelerating gender parity against the backdrop of this year’s theme #BalanceforBetter. The topic of courageous leadership was at the forefront of our panel’s dialogue, an important message that further resonated at our Kindness in Leadership event, organised jointly with the Women of the Future Awards Southeast Asia, where the additional dimension of kindness in the leadership context was discussed.
This edition of the Orient further recognises another key agenda that Chamber has been driving this past year – the Future of Work, exploring workforce and workplace transformation. As we come to the end of our first year, we reflect on what our members have been thinking around the subject through this special supplement and in our habitual Matters of Opinion section. We move into our second year with an equally focused plan of activities, starting with our SkillsFuture JumpStart! Workshop on 28th May, a practical session that will help you gain an overall understanding of the Industry Transformation Maps and SkillsFuture, as well as how to tap on government resources for skills transformation.
I also wish to take this opportunity to warmly welcome the 21 members who have joined us in the first three months of the year. The Chamber’s membership continues to grow from strength to strength and as an executive team, it is our job to be supporting you throughout your journey with us to ensure you are getting the best value and membership experience.
Finally, as this is my last message for the Orient, I wish to thank our existing members for all the support you have given to myself and the Chamber team. It has been a pleasure to work with so many of you and to learn so much from you throughout my own journey with the Chamber. I hope to continue engaging with you in the future, although in a different capacity. I also wish to thank my team for their outstanding work and to the Chamber Board, past Chamber Presidents, H.E. Scott Wightman and Her Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for Asia Pacific Natalie Black and their teams at the High Commission and DIT for their support. I wish my team, the new incoming Board and my successor all the best for this year and beyond as we continue to build up the Chamber, recognising that as an organisation, we are here to serve you and only through your engagement, can we be even better.