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Leadership Profile

Yvonne Chan

Chief Financial Officer and Vice President

Work Experience

2019 to 2022Enterprise Singapore
Chief Financial Officer 
(Concurrent - Chief Record Officer and Sustainability Officer)
2008 to 2019Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore
Chief Financial Officer
(Concurrent – Chief Sustainability Officer, Quality Service Manager and Chief Data Officer)
2005 to 2008 Emerson Network Power
Finance Manager 
2004 to 2005 MTV Asia
Finance Director
1994 to 2004Emerson Process Management
Finance & Operations Manager

Education

2013

UCLA Anderson School of Management
EMBA 

Business School - National University of Singapore
EMBA 

2010Stanford – NUS
International Management
1992Murdoch University
Bachelor of Commerce-Accountancy

Industry Membership / Affiliations 

Institute of S’pore Chartered Accountants – Fellows Chartered Accountant (fCA)

2017 – Present Council Member 
2021 – Present Chairperson (Membership Growth and Engagement Committee)
2022 – Present Member (Nomination Committee)
2018 – 2022 Vice President (Exco)
2017 – 2021 Chairperson (Continuing Professional Education Committee)

CPA Australia – Fellows Chartered Professional Accountant (fCPA)

2015 – PresentMember (CFO Committee)
2015 – 2022Member (Public Sector Committee)

Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (fCMA)

Chartered Global Management Accountant 

Awards & Achievements 

2021Public Sector Transformation Awards – Exemplary Leader Award
2018CSR Works – Top 50 ASEAN Sustainability Woman Award
2012MOT Beacon Scholarship & MPA Post Graduate Scholarship

Board Memberships

2016 – Present Cerebral Palsy Alliance Singapore (Charity) 
2019 – 2022 Enterprise Singapore Holdings 
2019 – 2022 Cargo Community Network (EnterpriseSG JV with SIA)
2019 – 2022 IPI Singapore (Innovation Partner for Impact)
2019 – 2022 Infrastructure Asia (EnterpriseSG partnership with MAS)
2013 – 2016 Lions Home of the Elderly (Medifund Committee)
2016 – Present Cerebral Palsy Alliance Singapore (Charity) 
2019 – 2022 Enterprise Singapore Holdings 

Public Sector Advisory Panels/Committees

2018 – PresentVital – Government Shared Service Centre – Advisory Panel
2021 – 2022  Accountant General’s Department – HR Committee
2016 – 2022 Ministry of Finance – Procurement Council
2014 – 2017  Advisory Committee of Statutory Boards Accounting Standards

Leadership Profile

Chan Wai Leng

Vice President, Advancement & Alumni Relations

Work Experience

2023 to PresentSingapore Management University
Vice President, Advancement & Alumni Relations
2010Singapore Management University
Director, Office of Advancement
1995

CNBC Asia Pacific
Director, Marketing and Research

Time Inc.
Brand Marketing and Ad Sales Development

1995 to 2005British American Tobacco
Brand & Marketing

Education

2016INSEAD
Executive Education
1995National University of Singapore
Bachelor of Business Administration

Awards

2022The Public Administration Medal (Silver)

Leadership Profile

Christopher Chew

Vice President, Corporate Communications and Marketing

Work Experience

2011 to 2018 ANZ Bank
Marketing Director, Asia and the Pacific 
2008 to 2010Samsung Electronics
Marketing Director, SEAsia & Oceania 
2005 to 2007ICI Paints Asia
Marketing Director, SEAsia 
1995 to 2005British American Tobacco
Brand & Marketing

Education

1992National University of Singapore
Bachelor of Business Administration

Leadership Profile

Edmund Chin

Vice President, Legal and General Affairs

Work Experience

2001 to PresentSingapore Management University
Vice President, Legal and General Affairs
2000 to 2001Shell Eastern Petroleum
Legal Advisor
1994 to 1999Alban Tay Mahtani & de Silva
Associate / Partner
1993 to 1994Arthur Loke & Partners
Associate 

Professional Qualifications

1989Gray’s Inn (England & Wales)
Barrister-at-Law
1993Supreme Court of Singapore
Advocate & Solicitor

Education

1988Queen Mary College, University of London
Bachelor of Laws, LL.B
1990Queen Mary College, University of London
Master of Laws, LL.M
1992Imperial College, University of London
Master of Business Administration

Industry Membership / Affiliations 

1993 to PresentSingapore Academy Law
Member

Leadership Profile

Cheong Wei Yang

Vice Provost (Strategic Research Partnerships)

Work Experience

2023 to present

Singapore Management University
Vice Provost (Strategic Research Partnerships)

  • Formulate and implement strategic research in partnership with government and industry
2023 to present 

Ministry of Health
Senior Adviser (Health Economics)

  • Formulate health economics models for new technologies, in partnership with academia
2020 to 2023

Ministry of Health
Deputy Secretary (Technology)

  • Drove COVID-19 tech innovation: vaccines, therapeutics, testing, TraceTogether
  • Architecting systems: Research, Innovation & Enterprise, IT, cybersecurity, data
  • Driving novel strategies at national level for Integrated Health Information Systems (IHiS), Advanced Cell Therapy & Research Institute Singapore (ACTRIS), Singapore Clinical Research Institute (SCRI), National Health Innovation Centre (NHIC), and Precision Health Singapore (PRECISE) to build backbone of future health system
2015 to 2020 

National Research Foundation, Prime Minister’s Office
Deputy CEO

Led policy, strategy, and governance of Singapore’s Research, Innovation & Enterprise ecosystem, to maximise value from RIE2020 ($19B) & RIE2025 ($25B)

  • Built new capabilities for Finance, Corp Comms, HR, Grant Management in NRF
  • Led Whole-of-Government teams in RIE2020 mid-term review, RIE2025 planning
2010 to 2015 

Ministry of Education
Divisional Director, Planning Division

  • Led policy reframe and implementation of comprehensive education system reform
  • Defined agenda in educational research, international benchmarking/partnerships
  • Designed & led public/parent-engagement to secure support for cross-cutting reform
2007 to 2010

Ministry of Trade & Industry
Deputy Director (Manufacturing and Services), Industry Division

  • Catalysed new guiding principles for Economic Development Board for FDI
  • Led secretariat for Economic Strategies Committee (chaired by then-Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam) to redefine Singapore’s economic strategy
  • Represented Singapore at APEC Economic Committee to drive Structural Reform
2004 to 2007

Ministry of Finance
Head (Fiscal Strategy), Fiscal Policy Directorate

  • Coordinated annual fiscal and strategic planning process for MOF and Government
  • Designed and implemented key policies in Goods & Services Tax, Net Investment Returns Contribution, and planned for Singapore’s long-term fiscal sustainability

Board Experience

2021–present Integrated Health Information Systems (IHiS), Exco
2021–present Advanced Cell Therapy & Research Inst. SG, (ACTRIS), Vice-Chair 
2020–presentNational Clinical Trials Steering Committee, Co-Chair
2020–present Precision Health SG (PRECISE), Board
2019–present NTU Centre for Research & Dev in Learning (CRADLE), Board
2015 to 2021 National Research Foundation Holdings (NRFH), Board
2015 to 2021Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), Board
2015 to 2020National Medical Research Council (NMRC), Board
2017 to 2020National Precision Medicine Steering Committee
2015 to 2020National Additive Manufacturing Steering Committee
2015 to 2020 Diagnostic Development Hub (DxD), Board
2019 to 2020 Experimental Drug Development Centre (EDDC), Board
2018 to 2019 Experimental Biotherapeutics Centre (EBC), Board
2010 to 2017 Institute of South East Asia Studies – Yusof Ishak Institute, Board 
2010 to 2015Assumption Pathway School – School Management Committee

Education

2001-2003

DPhil Oxford University, Economics 

  • Dissertation: “Housing and Credit in an Overlapping Generations Model” (2009)
  • Examiner: Prof David Miles (Imperial College Business School, ex Chief-Economist at Morgan Stanley, ex Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee member)
  • Oxford Dancesport – Blues Team
1999-2001 

MPhil Oxford University, Economics 

  • George Webb Medley Prize for Best MPhil Exams
1994-1998

SB Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Chemical Engineering
SB Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Economics

  • Minor in Chemistry; Tau Beta Pi Honors, Phi Beta Kappa Honors, GPA 5.0/5.0
  • Roger de Friez Hunneman Prize for Best Undergraduate Thesis in Chem Eng
  • MIT Rifle Team, Captain

Honors and Awards

2003Public Administration Medal (Gold) (COVID-19) 
2008-present Singapore Administrative Service  
1999-2003Rhodes Scholar – Trinity College, Singapore 
1994-1998Public Service Commission Overseas Merit (Open) Scholar 

Professor Alan K.L. CHAN

SMU Provost;
Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple Chair Professor of Inter‑Religious Studies And Harmony

Education

  • Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Religious Studies, University of Toronto, Canada
  • Master of Arts (MA), University of Manitoba, Canada
  • Bachelor of Arts (BA), University of Winnipeg, Canada

Area of Specialisation

Chinese Philosophy and Religion, Hermeneutics

Previous Appointments

Prior to becoming Provost of SMU, Alan Chan was Provost and Pro-Vice-Chancellor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), where he also held the Chair of J.S. Lee Professor of Chinese Culture.

Professor Chan joined CUHK in 2020 from the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) of Singapore, where he served as Toh Puan Mahani Idris Daim Chair Professor of Humanities, Dean of the College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, and from 2018, Vice-President responsible for Global Engagement, Alumni Relations and Institutional Advancement. Before joining NTU, he was Professor of Philosophy at the National University of Singapore (NUS), where he also held several leadership positions, including Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, and Associate Provost (Undergraduate Education). While at NUS, Professor Chan twice received the Teaching Excellence Award.

Professional Awards

Professor Chan has held visiting professorships and fellowships in North America, Asia and Greater China and served as a member of various editorial and other boards. He was a member of the Governing Board of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, member of the Board of Directors, International Confucian Association, and Director of the Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU). He is a member of the University Grants Committee of Hong Kong.

Research Activities

Professor Chan’s research focuses on Chinese philosophy and religion, and hermeneutics. He has published widely in the areas of Confucian and Daoist philosophy, including articles on “Laozi” and “Neo-Daoism” in the award-winning Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Professor Chan was the invited speaker of the 36th Ch’ien Mu Lectures at CUHK, one of the most established lecture series in Chinese culture and history. While at NTU, he developed an online course on “Explorations in Confucian Philosophy,” which attracted over 10,000 learners on Coursera.

Selected Publications

  1. “The Heshang Gong Companion to the Laozi,” in Dao Companion to the Philosophy of the Daodejing, edited by Xiaogan Liu. Springer, forthcoming 2025.
  2. “Explaining the Laozi: Virtue, Emptiness, and the Governing Order of Things,” in Han Fei Zi Commentaries on the Laozi, edited by Eric Hutton. Oxford University Press, forthcoming.
  3. Daozang Jiyao tiyao 道藏輯要．提要, 3 volumes, edited by Lai Chi-Tim. Hong Kong: Chinese University of Hong Kong Press, 2021. Taishang xuanyuan Daodejing jie 太上玄元道德經解, 364-69; Taishang Daode zhenjing sizi gudao jijie 太上道德真經四子古道集解, 370-73; Taishang Daode zhenjing zhangju xunsong 太上道德真經章句訓頌, 377-80; Taishang Daode zhenjing jizhu 太上道德真經集註, 381-85; Taishang Daode zhenjing jizhu shiwen 太上道德真經集註釋文, 386-87; Taishang Daode zhenjing zashuo 太上道德真經集註雜說, 388-90; Taishang Daodejing shici 太上道德經釋辭, 391-95; Taishang Daode zhenjing zhu 太上道德真經註, 396-401.
  4. “Re-envisioning the Profound Order of Dao: Pei Wei’s ‘Critical Discussion on the Pride of Place of Being’,” in Dao Companion to Xuanxue, edited by David Chai. New York: Springer, 2020, 325–341.
  5. “Neo-Daoism,” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, edited by Edward Zalta, https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/neo-daoism/, Revised, 2019; first edition, 2009.
  6. “Laozi,” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, edited by Edward Zalta, https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/laozi/, Revised, September 2018; first edition, 2001.
  7. “From Uncrowned King to the Sage of Profound Greatness: Confucius and the Analects in Early Medieval China,” in Companion to Confucius, edited by Paul Goldin. London: Wiley-Blackwell, 2017, 249–267.
Prof. Lily Kong

Professor Lily KONG, BBM, PBM, FBA 

SMU President and Lee Kong Chian Chair Professor

Email: lilykong@smu.edu.sg
Tel: +65 6828 1940

Singapore Management University
Administration Building
81 Victoria Street, Singapore 188065

Professor Lily Kong is the fifth President and the first Singaporean to lead Singapore Management University. She is also the first Singaporean woman to serve as President of any university in Singapore. She holds the Lee Kong Chian Chair Professorship of Social Sciences, with a courtesy appointment at the College of Integrative Studies. She was previously Provost of SMU (2015-2018). Before that, she held various senior management roles at the National University of Singapore.

At SMU, she has spearheaded significant strategic initiatives, focusing on Digital Transformation, Sustainable Living, and Growth in Asia.

Under her leadership, SMU launched new colleges, research centres and institutes, and overseas centres, boosting its standing and reputation significantly. Enrolment, research funding, industry partnerships, and philanthropic support have surged during her tenure, along with new infrastructure to support SMU's growth. SMU had also gained recognition as the best employer in the Singapore university sector by The Straits Times. The university is ranked amongst the top three in the world for archival research in accounting, second in the world for software engineering, second in Asia for research in business schools, and has won best accelerator/incubator programme and best co-working space in Southeast Asia.

As part of SMU’s 25th anniversary, she had also launched the institution’s new Vision and Mission, reaffirming aspirations to be Asia’s premier global city university, at the nexus of management, social sciences, and technology.

Education

1991PhD in Geography, University College London
1988MA in Geography, National University of Singapore
1986BA(Hons) in Geography (First Class), National University of Singapore

Area of Specialisation

Urban transformations, and social and cultural change in Asian cities

Previous Appointments

Professor Lily Kong was the Provost at SMU (2015 to 2018).

Before joining SMU, she held various senior management roles at the National University of Singapore, including Vice Provost (Education), Vice Provost (Academic Personnel), Vice President (University and Global Relations), Dean (Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences), Dean, University Scholars Programme, Acting Executive Vice-President (Academic Affairs) at Yale-NUS College, and Director, Asia Research Institute. She was also a faculty member at the National University of Singapore’s Department of Geography for nearly 25 years.

Professional Awards

An award-winning academic, Professor Kong has received prestigious honours. These include: Fellowship of the British Academy, Commonwealth Fellowship, Fulbright Fellowship, Fellowship of the Geographical Society of China, S.R. Nathan Fellowship, as well as the Victoria Medal from the Royal Geographical Society (Institute of British Geographers) and the Robert Stoddard Award from the American Association of Geographers. She is consistently ranked in the top 1-2% of her field in studies by Stanford, and has been conferred an Honorary Degree by Loughborough University. She has also been recognised as the Business Times - UOB Sustainability Impact Award’s Impact Leader of the Year (2025), in Forbes Asia’s Power Businesswomen list, Forbes inaugural 50 over 50 (Asia) and Tatler’s Asia’s Most Influential. She has been inducted into the Singapore Women’s Hall of Fame. Her national awards include the Public Service Medal (Silver), Public Service Star and Ministry of National Development Medallion.

Research Activities

She is an interdisciplinary scholar, with disciplinary roots in Geography. She is widely known for her research on urban transformations, and social and cultural change in Asian cities. In particular, she has published a large body of work on inter-communal relations (including religious and racial relations), social cohesion, national identity, cultural policy and cultural industries, creative cities and creative economy, urban heritage and conservation, smart cities, migration and education. She has sat on multiple editorial boards of major international journals and is well-sought after as keynote speaker.

Op-Eds and Reporting

  • ‘Regenerative and restorative’: SMU president Lily Kong on the power of human-environment ties Business Times 25 September 2025
  • SMU president bags award for making sustainability part of university’s DNA Straits Times 25 September 2025
  • Measuring what matters: Towards consequential research Business Times 13 August 2025
  • Lily Kong: Asian universities should define success on their own terms and play a greater role Lianhe Zaobao 13 August 2025
  • Higher education is under siege. It needs to reinvent itself The Straits Times 23 June 2025
  • Singapore at 60: Home truly is an idea that never stands still The Straits Times 8 July 2025
  • Rethinking Diversity, Reimagining Education: Interview with Professor Lily Kong Inconvenient Questions 30 May 2025
  • In Conversation with Professor Lily Kong : Rethinking Learning in an AI-Driven World Nord Anglia Education 22 May 2025
  • Professor Lily Kong on Building Global Partnerships and Regional Leadership Times Higher Education Campus+ 5 May 2025
  • Education for the 100-year life the Edword 5 May 2025
  • Universities must rethink their research impact beyond metrics and rankings: SMU president Lily Kong The Straits Times 29 November 2024
  • A rose or a unicorn? Asean’s mission under the spotlight The Straits Times 10 October 2024
  • Is this home, truly? Reflections on Singapore as it turns 59 The Straits Times 8 August 2024
  • Humanities and social sciences – everything, everywhere, all at once The Straits Times 8 June 2024
  • What does Singapore need from its next generation? The Straits Times 1 March 2024
  • Advancing women in academia: geographical mobility and the path to success Times Higher Education 29 February 2024 and Lianhe Zaobao 07 March 2024
  • Time to rethink higher education in Singapore and set our own agenda The Straits Times 14 February 2024
  • Singapore’s hawker culture at crossroads The Straits Times 18 December 2023
  • Faith-based fissures take many forms The Straits Times 21 September 2023
  • Universities should set goals for sustainable development Lianhe Zaobao 23 June 2023
  • With generative AI, do we still need universities The Straits Times 11 May 2023, co-authored with Professor Lim Sun Sun
  • A holistic blueprint for sustainability Times Higher Education 2 May 2023
  • Young Singaporeans abroad and their misguided sense of superiority towards S-E-Asia The Straits Times 22 November 2022
  • Religious competition: how to keep the good, minimise the bad The Straits Times 23 September 2016

Books

Authored Books

  1. Kong, L. (2025) Universities Reinvented: Shaping Legacy and Impact for a New World, World Scientific, 164pp.
  2. Kong, L.  (2023) Singapore Hawker Centres: People, Places, Food, 2nd edition, Singapore: National Environment Agency and National Heritage Board. 240pp.
  3. Kong, L. and Woods, O. (2016) Religion and Space: Competition, Conflict and Violence in the Contemporary World. London: Bloomsbury. 199 pp.
  4. Kong, L., Ching, C-H, and Chou, T-L. (2015) Arts, Culture and the Making of Global Cities: Creating New Urban Landscapes in Asia, Cheltenham: Edward Elgar, 260 pp.
  5. Kong, L. (2011) Conserving the Past, Creating the Future: Urban Heritage in Singapore, Singapore: Straits Times Press, 260 pp.
  6. Kong, L. (2007) Singapore's Hawker Centres, Singapore: Singapore National Printers, 176 pp.
  7. Kong, L., and Yeoh, B. S. A. (2003) The Politics of Landscape in Singapore: Constructions of "Nation", Syracuse: Syracuse University Press, 254 pp.
  8. Winchester, H, Kong, L., and Dunn, K. (2003) Landscapes: Ways of Imagining the World, Harlow: Pearson, 2003, 206 pp.
  9. Kong, L., and Chang, T. C. (2001) Joo Chiat: A Living Legacy, Singapore: Editions Didier Millet, 152 pp.
  10. Perry, M, Kong, L., and Yeoh, B. S. A. (1997) Singapore: A Developmental City-State, World Cities Series. Chichester: John Wiley, 339 pp.
  11. Briffett, C., Kong, L., Yuen, B. K. P., and Sodhi, N. S. (1997) The Planning and Ecology of Park Connector Systems in Urban Areas, Singapore: National University of Singapore, 115 pp.
  12. Kong, L., Low, S. A., and Yip, J. (1994) Convent Chronicles: History of a Pioneer Mission School for Girls in Singapore, Singapore: Armour Publishing, 220 pp.

Edited Books

  1. Kong, L., Woods, O., Tse, J. K. H., (2025) Handbook of the Geographies of Religion, Springer, 1,030pp.
  2. Kapur, D., Kong, L., Lo, F. and Malone, D., eds., (2023) The Oxford Handbook of Higher Education in the Asia-Pacific Region: Oxford University Press, 877 pp.
  3. de Dios, A. and Kong, L., eds., (2020) Handbook on the Geographies of Creativity: Edward Elgar Publishing, 400 pp.
  4. Gomes, C., Kong, L. and Woods, O., eds., (2020) Religion, Hypermobility and Digital Media in Global Asia: Amsterdam University Press, 238 pp.
  5. Kong, L. and Sinha, V., eds., (2015) Food, Foodways and Foodscapes: Culture, Community and Consumption in Post-Colonial Singapore, Singapore: World Scientific, 247pp.
  6. Hopkins, P., Kong, L. and Olson, E., eds., (2013) Religion and Place: Landscape, Politics and Piety, Dordrecht: Springer. 222 pp.
  7. Kong, L., and O'Connor, J., eds., (2009) Creative Economies, Creative Cities: Asian-European Perspectives, Dordrecht: Springer, 227 pp.
  8. Kwok, K. W., Kwa, C. G., Kong, L., and Yeoh, B. S. A., eds., (1999) Our Place in Time: Exploring Heritage and Memory in Singapore, Singapore: Singapore Heritage Society, 216 pp.
  9. Olds, K., Dicken, P., Kelly, P. F., Kong, L., and Yeung, H. W. C., eds., (1999) Globalisation and the Asia Pacific: Contested Territories, London: Routledge, 293 pp.
  10. Savage, V. R., Kong, L., and Neville, W., eds., (1998) The Naga Awakens: Growth and Change in Southeast Asia, Singapore: Times Academic Press, 360 pp.
  11. Savage, V. R., and Kong, L., eds., (1997) Environmental Stakes: Myanmar and Agenda 21, Singapore: Hanns Seidel Foundation, 329 pp.
  12. Kong, L., Lim, E., and Lian, L. C., eds., (1996) Crossing Borders: A Geographical Field Expedition Guide, Singapore: Geography Teachers' Association, 126 pp.
  13. Yeoh, B. S. A., and Kong, L., eds., (1995) Portraits of Places: History, Community and Identity in Singapore, Singapore: Times Editions, 252 pp.

Selected Speeches

Book Launch of Universities Reinvented: Shaping Legacy and Impact for a New World, 12 August 2025

“What is a university for?” This enduring question lies at the heart of Universities Reinvented, a collection of Professor Lily Kong’s three IPS–S R Nathan Lectures. In them, she explores how universities can navigate demographic shifts, widening inequalities, and a rapidly changing world of work; how they might educate for the 100-year life; and how to measure impact beyond traditional metrics of prestige and performance. She also reflects on “unwritten lectures” — the moral courage required of institutional leaders, and the opportunity for Asian universities to shape global conversations on their own terms. In launching the book, Professor Kong called on universities to be “stewards of possibility” — helping individuals reinvent themselves and enabling societies to reimagine their futures.

Institute of Policy Studies, October to November, 2024

Through a compelling three-part lecture series, SMU President and 15th S R Nathan Fellow, Professor Lily Kong, explored the evolving role of universities in shaping societal development. She reflected on the historical transformations of universities, as well as their value and future trajectories, in a rapidly changing world.

In the first lecture Through the Looking Glass: Insights into the Origin and Evolution of Universities, she illustrates how, throughout history, the university has reflected changing societal contexts. The contemporary university is no different – a condition of our post-industrial, post-truth world.

In the second lecture, At the Crossroads: Universities for the 100-Year Life, Prof Kong examined what a university stands for as humanity contemplates and confronts the very real possibility of a 100-year life. The relevance of the university will, of necessity, extend beyond the narrow slice of three to four years in the first of four quartiles of human life.

In her third and final lecture, Beyond the Ivory Tower: Research and the Dilemmas of Quality and Relevance, she invited discussion about the responsibility of universities – as a brain trust – to the world beyond their walls. Prof Kong addressed questions of misinformation, manipulation, and misconduct in research, but also, more optimistically, research that is creative, catalytic, and consequential.

Social Science & Humanities Ideas Festival Launch, National University of Singapore, 20 March 2024

Social Science and humanities research (SSHR) is a strategic asset critical to Singapore’s navigation of increasingly complex and inter-related social and global challenges. Its relevance permeates every aspect of our lives, including the insights it offers on how to better harness science and technology for the greater good. Compared to about 40 years ago, when one University in Singapore offered humanities and social science programmes, the development of the SSHR ecosystem in Singapore has increased opportunities, funding support, and recognition for scholars. Nevertheless, gaps and challenges remain. Traditional metrics for assessing research impact require recalibration, if not a complete shift, to broader indicators beyond conventional academic achievement. Scholars must strategise how SSHR can create demonstratable impact, in both academic and social terms. This necessitates adopting more diverse modes of communication to ensure research findings resonate not only with academics but also policymakers and industry stakeholders, as well as broader audiences and communities, thereby amplifying their impact.

International Conference on Cohesive Societies (ICCS), 6 September 2022

Social cohesion, a multi-dimensional concept built on trust, community, shared values, and solidarity, is essential for social harmony. Adapting Bertelsmann Stiftung’s Social Cohesion Framework for Southeast Asia provides insights into Singapore’s cohesion levels. Given Singapore’s geography, history, and demography, fault lines are unavoidable – these include race and religion, migration and multiculturalism, inequality and inequity, virtual and physical divides, and inter-generational disconnects.

Mitigating these challenges requires nurturing social relations, fostering connectedness, and prioritising the common good. The management of social cohesion in Singapore is multi-faceted, combining state-led initiatives – through legal, policy, and regulatory mechanisms – with grassroots efforts. However, persistent issues such as xenophobia, NIMBYism, and perceived competition for opportunities continue to pose challenges to cohesion efforts.

Intangible Cultural Heritage Symposium by the National Heritage Board and the International Information and Networking Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region, 31 August 2021

In this keynote address, Professor Kong explores the interconnectedness of tangible and intangible cultural heritage and emphasises the critical role of youth in sustaining it. She argues that cultural heritage must be relevant to young people’s lives in order to endure, highlighting five key strategies inspired by Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.

She discusses how heritage can address safety needs (e.g., job security through heritage industries), social belonging (e.g., fostering identity through heritage-focused clubs), and esteem (e.g., recognition through awards and competitions). She also emphasises the cognitive appeal of heritage education across disciplines and the aesthetic engagement of young people through contemporary media like music videos and interactive technology.

Professor Kong calls for embedding cultural heritage into education, community engagement, and everyday life, ensuring it remains a living, dynamic force rather than a static relic of the past.

Denton Rodyks Dialogue Global Smart Cities: Challenges and Opportunities, 25 September 2020

Professor Lily Kong explored the challenges of scaling smart city initiatives in ASEAN through the ASEAN Smart Cities Network (ASCN). While the ASCN aims to enhance quality of life, competitiveness, and sustainability, Professor Kong highlighted six key challenges: overlooking cities’ historical contexts, mismatched development of digital and material infrastructure, corporate-driven privatisation, growing socio-spatial inequalities, poor integration across governance layers, and the risks of hasty policy transfers.

She advocated for a measured approach, urging policymakers to "go slow" and "go small," prioritising incremental improvements and aligning infrastructure with local needs. While counterintuitive, Professor Kong emphasised the importance of respecting cities’ unique contexts, ensuring smart technologies serve as catalysts for meaningful change, and leveraging academia’s role in moderating policies to empower local agency and foster sustainable urban development.

Urban Solutions magazine, January 2019

Professor Lily Kong opined that Singapore’s local cuisine is the outcome of different food traditions intermingling through trade and cultural exchange. She argued that as what the world eats becomes increasingly globalised, the best way to keep Singaporean food culture alive is to share it with others abroad. The article was published in Urban Solutions, the bi-annual magazine of the Centre for Liveable Cities (CLC), in an issue which took the theme Food Secure Cities. CLC is a division of the Ministry of National Development, Singapore.

The Business Times, 23 September 2015

In a special feature, SMU Provost Professor Lily Kong highlighted the importance of integrating humanities (and social sciences) into business management education, noting that SMU, from inception, has demonstrated a commitment to broad-based learning and multi-disciplinary learning, critical thinking, and emphasis on communicative abilities whilst delivering in-depth education in a specialised field. Professor Kong also discussed the value of cross-cultural communications and cultural awareness, citing several modules which SMU offers to enable students to communicate and negotiate effectively with key international stakeholders. She added that graduates with a broad-based education are more likely to display versatility and be articulate and knowledgeable in diverse subjects, hence making them more sought after in the market. Professor Kong expressed her wish to add to the SMU curriculum more humanities modules in the years ahead as she believes that a management university with a curriculum that combines specialisation with the holistic and broad-based approach of the liberal arts may best-serve the future needs of Singapore, stressing that SMU takes the lead in this.

Mr. Piyush Gupta ​

Chairman
Singapore Management University

Piyush Gupta was Chief Executive Officer and Director of DBS Group from 2009 to 2025. Under his leadership, DBS underwent a significant and successful transformation, being named Best Bank and Best Digital Bank in the world on several occasions, as well as one of the top ten transformative organizations of the 2010 - 2020 decade by Harvard Business Review.

Prior to joining DBS, Piyush had a 27 year career at Citigroup, where his last position was Chief Executive Officer for Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand.

He currently serves as Chairman of Keppel Ltd, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Singapore Management University, and Chairman of the Mandai Wildlife Group Board. In addition, he is an alternate member of the Council of Presidential Advisers to the President of Singapore and serves in an advisory capacity at Temasek as Chairman, India.  He sits on the board of Singapore’s National Research Foundation and is a term trustee of the Singapore Indian Development Association (SINDA). Previously, he has been a member of the Singapore Emerging Stronger Taskforce, aimed at defining Singapore’s future in a post-Covid world, the UN Secretary General’s Task Force on Digital Financing of the Sustainable Development Goals, the Board of Institute of International Finance, and the McKinsey Advisory Council.

Piyush has a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Degree in Economics from St. Stephen's College, Delhi University, India and a Post Graduate Diploma in Management from IIM, Ahmedabad.

Piyush was awarded the Public Service Star by the President of Singapore for his meritorious services to the nation in 2020. He is a recipient of the 2023 Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award, the highest honour conferred by the Indian Government on the country’s diaspora.

Piyush was named one of the world’s top 100 best-performing chief executives in Harvard Business Review - 2019 edition of "The CEO 100".  He was named Global Indian of the Year by the Economic Times in 2021, Singapore Business Awards' Outstanding Chief Executive of the Year in 2016, and Singapore Business Leader of the Year by CNBC in 2014.

In his personal capacity, Piyush takes a keen interest in nature, and is a member of the BirdLife International Advisory Group and Global Steering Committee of the Campaign for Nature.

Uday Kotak

Mr Uday Kotak

Council Chair

Founder and Director, Kotak Mahindra Bank

Mr Uday Kotak is the Founder and Director of Kotak Mahindra Bank. Over nearly 40 years, he has led the Kotak Mahindra Group’s evolution into one of India’s most recognised and diversified financial services institutions, with businesses spanning banking, asset management, alternative assets, insurance, securities, investment banking, private banking, microfinance, and asset reconstruction. He also served as Non-Executive Chairman of Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services Limited (IL&FS) from 2018 to 2022, steering the organisation through a period of crisis.

Mr Kotak has received numerous honours, including Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Mint India Investment Summit (2025) and CNBC-TV18, EY World Entrepreneur of the Year (2014), and India Business Leader of the Year (2021). He holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the Sydenham College of Commerce and Economics, Mumbai University, and a Master of Management Studies from the Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai.

 

Madhabi Puri Buch

Mrs Madhabi Puri Buch

Former Chairperson, Securities and Exchange Board of India

Mrs Madhabi Puri Buch is the former chairperson of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), where she was the first woman and first private sector leader to head the institution.  Previously, she was the CEO of ICICI Securities, a leading investment bank in India, and an Executive Director on the Board of ICICI Bank. With over three decades of experience across regulation, banking, capital markets, private equity, and consulting, she carries a distinctive blend of experience in policy and business.

A mathematics graduate from St. Stephen’s College and an MBA graduate from the India Institute of Management Ahmedabad, she has now pivoted to managing pro bono projects in Biomedical Research for Oncology.

Manish Kejriwal

Mr Manish Kejriwal

Founder and Managing Partner, Kedaara Capital

Mr Manish Kejriwal is the Founder and Managing Partner of Kedaara Capital, a leading India-focused private equity firm managing over $6 billion across diverse sectors. With more than 30 years of investment experience, he previously established and led Temasek’s India operations, overseeing over $4 billion in investments and holding senior global leadership roles.

Earlier, he was a Partner at McKinsey & Company and worked with the World Bank and Goldman Sachs. He currently serves on multiple corporate boards and supports education initiatives, including Ashoka University, and is widely recognised as a prominent voice in private equity and global investing.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Engineering Sciences from Dartmouth College, where he graduated magna cum laude, and an MBA from Harvard University, where he was a Baker Scholar.

Rajan Bharti Mittal

Mr Rajan Bharti Mittal

Vice-Chairman, Bharti Enterprises

Mr Rajan Bharti Mittal is the Vice-Chairman of Bharti Enterprises, one of India’s leading conglomerates with diversified interests in Telecommunications, Space Communications, Digital Solutions, Financial Services, Real Estate, in addition to other ventures. He is also a Non-Executive Director on the Boards of Bharti Airtel and Indus Towers, Managing Director at Bharti Realty Limited, and Independent Director of Marico and Global Health Limited.

Mr Mittal serves as a member of several industry associations and policymaking bodies. He is an Honorary Member of the Board of Trustees of Brookings Institution and Member of the President’s Council on International Activities (PCIA), Yale University. He is amongst the Champions of EDISON Alliance at the World Economic Forum, and a member of the India-Singapore CEO Forum.

Mr Mittal holds a Bachelor’s degree from Panjab University and a Master’s degree from Harvard Business School.

Ranjan R Pai

Dr Ranjan Pai

Chairman, Manipal Education and Medical Group

Dr Ranjan R Pai is the Chairman of Manipal Education & Medical Group (MEMG), and a preeminent institution builder and investor. Under his leadership, MEMG has become a global powerhouse in education and healthcare, managing universities across India, Malaysia, Dubai and Antigua.

He also founded UNext Learning and leads Claypond Capital, backing high-growth startups. His strategic stewardship has attracted top global investors, successfully transforming the “Pais of Manipal” legacy into a multi-sector conglomerate with societal impact.

He holds a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery from the Manipal Academy of Higher Education.

Pramath Sinha

Dr Pramath Sinha

Chair, Ashoka University

Dr Pramath Raj Sinha is Founder and Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of Ashoka University, a leading liberal arts and sciences university in India. He is also a Founding Senior Partner of Jetri, an education-focused strategy and implementation firm.

He was the Founding Dean of the Indian School of Business, a globally ranked business school, a Partner at McKinsey and Company, and the Founder of Harappa, and online learning institution later acquired by upGrad. He has been instrumental in setting up a wide spectrum of charge-based higher education initiatives across India, and has authored two books on education and institution building.

He holds a PhD and a Master of Science in Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania, and a Bachelor of Technology from the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, where he was honoured with the Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2018.

Dr Mai Huu Tin

Dr Mai Huu Tin

Council Chair

Founder, Chairman and CEO, U&I Investment Corporation

Dr Mai Huu Tin is the Chairman and CEO of U&I Investment Corporation (Unigroup), which he founded in 1998. Unigroup currently has more than 60 subsidiaries and affiliates.

Dr Mai was a non-party Member of the National Assembly of Vietnam between 2007 to 2016, and President of the Vietnam Young Entrepreneurs' Association from 2011 to 2014.

He is the first Eisenhower Fellow from Vietnam (in 2013); and currently a member of the Private Sector Development Committee, as appointed by the Prime Minister of Vietnam. Dr Mai also serves as President of the World Vovinam (Vietnamese Martial Arts) Federation, and Chairman of Binhduong Province Business Federation.

He was educated in Vietnam, and has degrees from business schools in Belgium and the United States.

Ms Uc My Dang Huynh

Ms Uc My Dang Huynh

Chairlady, AgriS

Ms Dang Huynh Uc My (Omi Dang) is a visionary leader with over 20 years of experience in finance and agriculture. She is Chairlady of AgriS and Betrimex. She transformed AgriS into a billion-dollar, high-tech agribusiness platform, building an ESG-driven ecosystem integrating AgTech, FoodTech, and FinTech with a presence in more than 80 countries.

Ms Dang serves on the Strategic Advisory Council for Science, Technology, and Innovation (SACSTI – VNU HCMC), is an Executive Committee Member of the National Data Association (NDA) and VASAN, Head of the Southern Representative Office of VINASME, and a member of YPO Vietnam. In 2025, she was named one of Fortune Asia’s 100 Most Influential Women.

She holds a master’s degree in Agricultural Economics from the Ho Chi Minh University of Agriculture and Forestry (Nong Lam) University.

Mr Le Hong Minh

Mr Le Hong Minh

Founder and Chairman, VNG

Mr Le Hong Minh is the founder, Chairman and CEO of VNG - the leading Internet technology company in Vietnam that has attracted more than 70 million registered users on its Zalo mobile messenger, and developed Zing, the leading digital media destination in Vietnam. Prior to establishing VNG in 2004, Mr Le worked for PricewaterhouseCoopers and VinaCapital.

As a leading thinker and speaker on technology trends, start-ups and entrepreneurs in Vietnam, Mr Le regularly speaks at global stages such as the World Economic Forums, Forbes Annual Conferences and the Economist Conferences. As a firm believer in VNG’s slogan “embracing challenges”, Mr Le is also an avid triathlete and marathon runner.

Mr Le graduated from Monash University, Australia with a Bachelor of Business in Banking and Finance.

Dr Le Mai Lan

Dr Le Mai Lan

Vice Chairwoman, Vingroup

Dr Le Mai Lan is a vice chairwoman of Vingroup, a Vietnamese conglomerate focused on real estate development, retail, and services ranging from healthcare to hospitality. She also serves as Chairman of the Board, Vinschool; Chairman of the Board and CEO, VinUniversity Project; Member of Management Board, Vincom Retail; and Chairwoman of the Board, Banking Skills Training & Consultancy Company. 

Dr Le was formerly the Deputy Director, Center of International Manpower at Vietnam National University of Hanoi, and a Lecturer at Vietnam University of Technology. She started her career in Finance and has held positions with the International Finance Corporation, Vietnam Bank for Private Enterprise, and ABN AMRO.

She has a Master of Business Administration in Banking and Finance from the Technical University of Berlin, Germany; and a Doctor of Philosophy, Strategy from the Asian Institute of Technology.
 

Mr Phua Koon Kee

Mr Phua Koon Kee

Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, Aquarius Vietnam

Mr Phua Koon Kee is Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Aquarius Vietnam and AQsport, which specialise in media solutions and sports marketing, respectively.

Mr Phua has 28 years of experience in Vietnam across various sectors. He was posted to Vietnam in 1992 by Inchcape Berhad. Prior to establishing Aquarius Vietnam in 2008, Mr Phua held Board and general management responsibilities in a number of Vietnam-based companies, including American Standard, ICI Paints, DQ Glass, and KOVA.

Mr Phua was the former Vice President (Enterprise Relations) of the Singapore Business Group in Ho Chi Minh City. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the National University of Singapore.

Mr Arthur Tay

Mr Arthur Tay

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, SUTL Global Pte Ltd

Mr Arthur Tay is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the SUTL Group of Companies, where he actively oversees SUTL's core business activities in Singapore and across Asia. Under Mr Tay’s leadership, SUTL has expanded its business, focusing on two core business units – leisure and consumer goods, with a distribution presence in 18 markets across Asia. Mr Tay is also the brainchild behind ONE°15 Marina Sentosa Cove, and the founding Chairman of the Superyacht Singapore Association (SSA) formed in 2007. An active philanthropist and grassroots leader, Mr Tay currently serves as Patron for the West Coast Citizens’ Consultative Committee.

Ms Tieu Yen Trinh

Ms Tieu Yen Trinh

Founder and Chief Executive Officer, TalentNet Corporation

“Act locally, think globally” has been Ms Tieu Ten Trinh's management guideline and philosophy since she established Talentnet Corporation. As an entrepreneur with strong management and leadership skills, together with good vision and high adaptability, Ms Tieu has led Talentnet into successful partnerships with Mercer and ADP Streamline.

With deep connections to top human resource professionals and industry leaders, Ms Tieu sits on several Advisory Boards where she helps to build up corporate agendas on people strategy, and provide an unparalleled understanding of the Vietnamese labor market. In 2014, she founded the Vietnam HR Awards – where best human resource strategies and practices are comprehensively evaluated and awarded.

In addition to her contributions to the human resource industry in Vietnam, Ms Tieu also sits on the Board of many local and international associations.

Mr Kien Phuoc Nguyen Tan

Mr Kien Phuoc Nguyen Tan

(MBA, Class of 2013)

Managing Director, The 360 Creative Group

Mr Kien Phuoc Nguyen Tan is Managing Director of The 360 Creative Group. Prior, he was the Country Director of Oddle Company in Vietnam – a leading cloud-based software-as-a-service platform that facilitates e-commerce and order management solutions for the F&B industry. Conceptualised in 2012 in Singapore, Oddle is supported by Wavemaker Partners, Quest Ventures and TNF Ventures. 

Additionally, Mr Nguyen Tan is a Technology Mentor at Fran-A, a six-month global franchise accelerator in Vietnam that aims to help Vietnamese businesses grow through an international franchise model.

He earned a Master of Business Administration from Singapore Management University; and a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from University of Paris-Est Creteil.

Ms Veo Nguyen

Ms Veo Nguyen

(BSc in Economics, Class of 2014)

Head of HR Business Partner, Techcombank

Ms Nguyen Le Thao Nguyen (Veo) is the Head of HR Business Partner at Techcombank, one of Vietnam’s most innovative and leading banks. A strategic HR leader, Ms Nguyen is driven by a deep commitment to fostering growth, innovation, and collaboration. Since joining Techcombank, she has played a crucial role in transforming the HR landscape, initially leading the HR Transformation initiative and later overseeing Talent Acquisition. Today, she drives HR strategies that align with Techcombank’s vision of empowering growth through digital, data, and talent excellence.

With a proven track record in building high-performing teams and driving cultural change, Ms Nguyen specialises in aligning people strategies with business objectives. Her focus on empowering people as change agents reflects her passion for developing future leaders and cultivating conducive work environments for long-term success.

Ms Nguyen holds an Executive Master of Business Administration from INSEAD, a Bachelor of Science in Economics from Singapore Management University, and a Postgraduate Diploma in HR and Organisational Psychology from the Singapore Human Resource Institute.
 

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