PIONEER COHORT GRADUATES SMU-SPRING SME LEADERS MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

The pioneer cohort of students participating in the custom Leaders Management Development Programme developed for small and medium enterprises (SME), graduated at SMU on 28 January 2008. The programme designed by Executive Education in conjunction with SPRING’s Management Development Initiative, was focused, and targeted the business needs of SMEs.

During the graduation ceremony held at SMU, Mr Philip Yeo, Chairman, SPRING Singapore announced the launch of the Business Leaders Initiative and the first component of the Advanced Management Programme (AMP) – which focuses on the training of CEOs and senior executives from growth-oriented enterprises. Under the AMP, SPRING will work with universities such as SMU to develop customised Executive MBAs, short-term Executive Development Courses and other business management and leadership courses for SME owners and senior executives. The aim is to train 1,000 SME bosses and senior executives by 2012.

The ceremony included a panel discussion presented by Mr Yeo, Professor Annie Koh and Mr Neo Kok Beng, the programme director, and presentations by three of the graduates – Ms Valerie Tan, MD, Pinnacle Motors Pte Ltd, Mr Lim Tien Hwa, MD, Hitech Heat Treatment Services Pte Ltd and Mr Low Cheong Kee, MD, Home- Fix D.I.Y. Pte Ltd.