Singapore, 19 October 2023 – The Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) has partnered with leading financial institution UOB and the Singapore Manufacturing Federation (SMF) to organise the inaugural Global Leadership Symposium today. The first in an ongoing series, the Symposium aims to develop critical leadership skills amongst students, executives, industry professionals and business owners to groom a new generation of leaders championing social good while achieving sustainable business growth.
Led by the Student Success Centre at SUSS, the half-day Global Leadership Symposium saw nearly 500 participants, including students from various institutes of higher learning (IHLs), academia and industry executives. Themed ‘Engaging, Enabling, Empowering Talents & Organisations for New Times’, the programme featured a keynote presentation by world-renowned leadership expert, executive coach and best-selling author Dr Marshall Goldsmith, who shared his practical methods and insights for personal and professional growth.
The Global Leadership Symposium was also organised as an extension of the SUSS partnership with the SMF announced earlier this year, seeking to enhance capacity-building programmes to support Industry 4.0 transformation. Initiatives under the partnership include new learning experiences for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Singapore on Social Entrepreneurship and for IHL students to gain real-world skills to meet the needs of the evolving manufacturing sector.
Ms Yeo Lay, Vice-Dean of Students, SUSS Student Success Centre, said, “This symposium is a great learning opportunity for our students on leadership, in particular in learning the skills and attributes necessary to become a leader with a global perspective and the ability to work with diverse professionals from different cultural backgrounds. With the rise in artificial intelligence, our young people must be able to acquire soft skills that are irreplaceable by AI, such as emotional intelligence, resilience, agility, adaptability and empathy. They need to be able to build meaningful relationships with other people to be able to exert positive influence and create social impact together. We look forward to continued learning opportunities for our young people to grow and develop into future global leaders.”
Mr Ian Wong, Head of Group International Management, UOB, said, “As we transition to a new ‘business-as-unusual’ operating environment, the transformative power of leadership can drive regional success, and uplift the communities we operate in. Companies can create value chain and business opportunities across the region to create meaningful jobs for the communities and accelerate the development of human capital. By cultivating opportunities to nurture a next generation of global leaders with a keen regional perspective, we can achieve sustainable business growth and contribute significantly to the greater social good in ASEAN, and for the countries connecting with this region.”
Mr Lennon Tan, President, Singapore Manufacturing Federation, said, " The SMF is honoured to collaborate with SUSS and UOB in this transformative symposium. In the age of rapid technological evolution, our objective extends beyond fostering leadership skills. We aim to cultivate leaders who champion innovation in their domains while retaining a steadfast commitment to social responsibility. The Global Leadership Symposium epitomises this vision, marrying cutting-edge industry trends with the timeless virtues of integrity, empathy, and the pursuit of the greater good. As we advance into this new era, we are confident that this synergy between education, finance, and manufacturing sectors will pave the way for leaders who will redefine success, not just by economic metrics, but by the positive impact they bring to our society."
Besides the presentation by Dr Goldsmith, UOB’s Mr Wong also delivered a keynote session on “Thriving Internationally and Intentionally”. Mr Wong discussed how schools and business organisations can enable their leaders and people to navigate and thrive in today’s “new” normal. One of the ways to bring this to life in a sustainable way is to nurture a strong mentoring and coaching culture where all stakeholders are inspired, empowered and personally accountable to do better and contribute purposefully for the greater good.
The programme at today’s Global Leadership Symposium concluded with a panel discussion based on the event theme, featuring panellists Dr Marshall Goldsmith; Dr Victor Seah, Acting Director of BI@Work at SUSS; Mr Ian Wong; Mr Melvin Tan, Vice President and Honorary Secretary of SMF; and moderated by Dr Peter Chee, President and Chief Executive Officer of ITD World, a global coaching and leadership training consultancy.
