A new work-study elective, which matches SMU students with family offices for internships, has attracted considerable attention, reflecting the increasing appeal of wealth management as a career path for recent graduates. A surge in single family offices in Singapore has caught the attention of not just industry insiders, but also students like Justin Lew, who are interested in a career in wealth management. Singapore has solidified its position as a wealth management hub and demand for family offices is on the rise.
Commenting on the dwindling number of street-hail trips, SMU Assistant Professor of Strategy & Entrepreneurship (Education) Terence Fan said having taxis roam busy locations is a form of “soft power” that puts Singapore on a par with other cosmopolitan cities such as London and New York City.
In an interview, SMU Assistant Professor of Strategy & Entrepreneurship (Education) Terence Fan shares his insights on the latest Certificate of Entitlement (COE) bidding exercise, where COE prices have risen across the board, with the exception of commercial vehicles.
Commenting on the Chinese reducing their spending on luxury goods, SMU Lee Kong Chian Professor of Marketing Kapil Tuli pointed out that Chinese consumers form a very big part of the luxury market in Singapore, so their lower spending here will cause some turbulence. Looking at the Singapore market, Prof Tuli says those with massive flagships offering an immersive, luxury experience are “more protected”, as consumers are not going there just to pick up a bag.
Staging the 2026 Commonwealth Games may not make sense for Singapore, experts said, citing reasons such as high costs and a tight timeline. SMU Associate Professor of Marketing (Education) Seshan Ramaswami noted the short runway. He pointed out that Birmingham had 4½ years of preparation for the 2022 edition, but also highlighted that Singapore has the infrastructure and logistical know-how to pull off such an event.
Speaking at the recent Economist Impact Sustainability Week Asia conference held in Bangkok, SMU Associate Professor of Finance and Co-Director of Singapore Green Finance Centre Hao Liang noted that while there has been much debate about green finance, transition finance is more relevant to South-east Asia given that many economies have yet to fully adopt clean energy and wean themselves off fossil fuels.
In an interview, SMU Associate Professor of Organisational Behaviour & Human Resources Tan Hwee Hoon shared her thoughts about happiness in the workplace. Assoc Prof Tan opined that happiness results from satisfaction at the workplace and the outcome of being motivated. The relationship between productivity and happiness is stronger at the organisational level than at the individual level, and leaders at an organisation thus play a huge role in ensuring that happiness is contagious at the workplace.
Commenting on Member of Parliament Saktiandi Supaat's suggestion to introduce distance-based charging to increase the total vehicle population "by a certain percentage, while still achieving our car-lite vision", SMU Assistant Professor of Strategy & Entrepreneurship (Education) Terence Fan said the government's considering of the proposal is acknowledging the pandemic and post-pandemic choice made by a "significant group" of Singaporeans to relocate further away from the traditional Central Business District area.
Commenting on the 'right to disconnect' from work, SMU Associate Professor of Organisational Behaviour & Human Resources Tan Hwee Hoon said Singapore workers are likely to take work performance as an indication of self-worth, and find it hard to disconnect from work. She also explained how Singapore's political leadership has played and continues to play a “very big” part in inculcating these worldviews on work.
On the Certificate of Entitlement (COE) premiums closing mostly higher in the latest bidding exercise, Assistant Professor of Strategy & Entrepreneurship Terence Fan comments that Singapore is likely facing a downward trend of pricing when facing an increase in COEs and that it is still debatable whether the government should implement a separated pool of COEs for private hire vehicles.
