IAC News
Redefining Asia's Trade Playbook: Navigating The New World Order
The biennial SMU Asia Summit returned to SMU’s city campus in Singapore on 20 November 2025, bringing together close to 75 SMU International Advisory Council chairs and members, members of SMU’s Board of Trustees, SMU senior management and faculty, and special guests. As a platform for regional knowledge exchange, the Summit convened leaders to reflect on the forces reshaping Asia’s economic landscape and the strategic decisions required for long-term resilience and opportunity.
Leaders Shaping the Future: SMU Alumni Awards
Held in conjunction with SMU's Silver Jubilee, the inaugural SMU Alumni Awards recognised outstanding alumni in leadership, innovation, and societal impact. Among the 2025 honourees were IAC Indonesia member Ms Lim Kexin, as well as IAC China members Dr Charles Chen and Mr Jeff Tung.
A Look Back at 2022: SMU IAC Report
Marking the fifth year of SMU's International Advisory Council initiative, 2022 has been a significant milestone for the IAC. Take A Look Back at 2022: SMU IAC Report.
In November 2021, Google, Temasek and Bain & Company projected the region’s digital economy to grow to US$360 billion by 2025, revised from an earlier estimate of US$300 billion. By 2030, that number is expected to reach US$1 trillion, propelled by “a fast-growing base of digital consumers and merchants, acceleration in e-commerce and food delivery”.
The Asian century? Or the ASEAN century?
In 2020, ASEAN overtook the United States to become China’s largest trading partner. The next year saw a 28 percent jump in trade volume to US$878 billion, with Vietnam, Malaysia and Thailand accounting for the lion’s share. Chinese exports to the region increased 26 percent year-on-year to US$483 billion, but imports rose even faster, up nearly 31 percent to US$394 billion.
Building climate-resilient cities
Besides the 3R’s of reduce-reuse-recycle, people should also consider ASI – avoid, shift, and improve.
Fireside chat with Temasek's CEO: Unlocking Southeast Asia's potential in a time of uncertainty
On 11 August 2022, Mr Dilhan Pillay Sandrasegara, Chief Executive Officer of Singapore’s state-owned investor Temasek Holdings, sat down with SMU Founding Chairman, Mr Ho Kwon Ping for a fireside chat as part of SMU’s International Advisory Council (IAC) Asia Summit.
A Look Back at 2021: SMU IAC Report
A significant year of cultivating connections, expanding partner ecosystems, and growing country-specific collaborations across all our seven Councils. Take A Look Back at 2021: SMU IAC Report.
A Look Back at 2020: SMU IAC Report
As we wrap up this unprecedented year, this report looks back at some of the key IAC activities, milestones and country-specific projects from 2020.