Commenting on Singapore’s hub status on the development of the Northern Sea Route (NSR), SMU Assistant Professor of Operations Management (Education) Joyce Low opined that any direct impact will be limited because the route is not suitable for most container trade. Therefore, she added that the core containerised trade that sustains Singapore’s transhipment hub role will continue to rely primarily on the Suez-Malacca corridor and intra-Asia networks.
- Read more about NVPC study: Leadership must drive and support initiatives for positive social impact
The 2025 National Corporate Purpose and Impact Study by the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre (NVPC) found that senior leaders must lead and support positive social impact initiatives within their companies, making these part of long-term business practices. Commenting on the impact of leadership on a company’s positive social impact, SMU Associate Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship David Gomulya, an advisor to the study, said companies often blame financial constraints, but the real issue is whether leaders believe social impact is important.
In an interview, SMU Assistant Professor of Strategy & Entrepreneurship (Education) Terence Fan said that the advantage of ERP 2.0 is a continuous connection between the vehicles and transport authorities which would enable virtual entries and to charge people without having the physical infrastructure. Asst Prof Fan noted that 93 per cent of vehicles already received and installed the new generation of on-board unit (OBU), putting Singapore on the way to moving to the new system.
Commenting on the collapse of AVIC Trust, SMU Associate Professor of Finance Fu Fangjian said that placing AVIC Trust under custodianship is tantamount to “finding two helpers”. Assoc Prof Fu said that these helpers do not provide a full guarantee, and their role is only to assist in recovering assets from the relevant projects. He added that the outlook is probably not optimistic as to how much can be recovered. He said that the central authorities have yet to intervene because AVIC Trust’s defaults have not risen to the level of systemic risk.
SMU has launched a Master of Science in Business AI to develop business leaders who are fluent in artificial intelligence (AI) and grounded in cross-functional business knowledge, strategy and leadership. Aligned with Singapore’s SkillsFuture and Smart Nation priorities, the programme addresses the growing need for AI capabilities and data-driven decision-making across the workforce.
In a commentary, SMU Professor Emeritus of Finance (Practice) Annie Koh and Khoo Guan Seng, Asia-Pacific advisory council member of the SWF Academy and EU-Asean Centre, opined that in a volatile world, the strength of a sovereign wealth fund lies in its ability to fulfil its specific, sovereign purpose. Prof Koh and Mr Khoo said that sovereign wealth funds are bespoke instruments of national policy, and in the world of sovereign capital, one size does not, and cannot, fit all.
Commenting on how artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes businesses, SMU Professor of Communication Management (Practice) Mark Chong said that the rise of generative AI (GenAI) in handling routine tasks will change the nature of entry-level roles. Prof Chong added that employers may increasingly prioritise critical thinking, imagination, as well as the ability to prompt AI and interpret its responses in these positions. He said that some universities are already preparing students for this shift.
Commenting on China's January Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI), SMU Associate Professor of Finance Fu Fangjian pointed out that China's manufacturing PMI returned to the expansion/contraction threshold in December 2025 after eight months of contraction, but fell back again in the short term, indicating that the foundation for the manufacturing recovery is still not solid.
Commenting on the collapse of AVIC Trust, SMU Associate Professor of Finance Fu Fangjian said that the trusteeship of AVIC Trust was equivalent to finding two helpers; however, the helpers' role was not to provide a safety net, but to assist in recovering relevant project assets. He added that as for how much can be recovered, it is probably not optimistic. Assoc Prof Fu believes that China’s central government has not yet intervened, perhaps because AVIC Trust's default has not yet constituted any systemic risk.
Commenting on the journey along the Northern Sea Route, SMU Assistant Professor of Operations Management (Education) Joyce Low said that seasonal electronic products and consumer products may be transported via the Northern Sea Route, reducing export costs to Asia. She added that if the Northern Sea Route is perceived as a complement to existing trade corridors and not a substitute, a win-win situation can be achieved by enhancing the resilience and flexibility of the global transport network.
