Singapore could identify areas of value add for Belt and Road Initiative: Surbana Jurong Group CEO Wong Heang Fine

SID Conference Wong Heang Fine BRI
Surbana Jurong Group CEO Wong Heang Fine (1st from right), with fellow panellists (from left to right) Mr Kurt Wee, President of Association of Small and Medium Enterprises; Mr Lin Jie, Founder and President, Worldwide Logistics Group and Mr Yang Yuelin, Deputy Group Managing Director, IMC Industrial Group at the SID Conference 2018 held on 7 September at Marina Bay Sands.

At the Singapore Institute of Directors (SID) Conference held on 7 September 2018, Surbana Jurong Group CEO Wong Heang Fine called for Singapore to actively identify areas which the nation and its businesses can value add to the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).  This would help to catalyse the formation of consortiums in Singapore to seek business opportunities to participate in the BRI, as businesses need to collaborate to manage the sizeable infrastructure developments.

Mr Wong was speaking as a panellist at a session entitled “Belt Road Initiative: Who Benefits and How?”.  As a consultancy firm which specialises in urban and infrastructure development projects, Surbana Jurong recognises the benefits of the BRI, especially for Asia, where the infrastructure of many countries is still not fully developed. A key success factor of BRI is in China’s ability to earn the trust of participating countries on the financial and environmental sustainability of the projects.

One advice which Mr Wong has for businesses involved in the BRI, is the need to exercise prudence and to focus on the appropriate governance processes, as all infrastructure projects are complex and require close management.  For Singapore, the country’s reputation for being transparent, disciplined and trustworthy stands it in good stead to ride on the growth of the region on the back of BRI.

The SID Conference 2018, held in Marina Bay Sands, focused on the topic “Rebooting Globalisation and Governance in an Era of Disruption”.  The Guest-of-Honour was Ms Indranee Rajah, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office and Second Minister for Finance and Education. The other panellists at Mr Wong’s session included Mr Yang Yuelin, Deputy Group Managing Director, IMC Industrial Group; Dr Hans-Paul Buerkner, Chairman, The Boston Consulting Group; Mr Lin Jie, Founder and President, Worldwide Logistics Group and Mr Kurt Wee, President, Association of Small and Medium Enterprises.

Sharing insights on BRI at the Asia Economic Forum

 Asia Economic Forum
Group Chairman Liew Mun Leong giving the keynote address at the Asia Economic Forum.

Surbana Jurong Group’s Chairman, Liew Mun Leong, recently delivered a keynote address at the 2017 Asia Economic Forum in Singapore. The Forum, co-organised by the World Bank Group and the Asia Competitiveness Institute at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKYSPP), was themed “The One Belt One Road Initiative: Impact & Implications”. It was attended by thought leaders from around the world.

Mr Liew, who is also the Provost’s Chair and Professor (Practice) pro bono in NUS Business School and Faculty of Engineering, shared his unique insights and understanding of the Belt Road Initiative (BRI). He spoke about the scale of BRI and how it is the only global economic growth driver left, and shared why he believes that China has the capability to implement the programme. He urged businesses to take full advantage of BRI opportunities and to act fast to secure a first mover advantage.