Future: Skills Asia

08:15 AM - 09:00 AM SGT

Registrations

Registration opens for all attendees.

09:00 AM - 09:10 AM SGT

Skills Are The New Gold

In today’s business world, an organization's value lies in its people’s skills. As technology evolves, traditional roles will change too. To remain competitive, companies must focus on developing future skills - both hard and soft, and preparing their workforce for tomorrow, today.

Sandhya Karpe, PhD, Human Capital Center Leader, Asia and Program Director of Asia Inclusion Council, Asia CHRO Council, The Conference Board

09:10 AM - 09:30 AM SGT

From a CEO’s Lens: Right-Skilling Talent for the Business

CEOs across the world today have made having the right talent in place, their topmost internal priority. They recognize that staying ahead requires a workforce that is capable of adapting to change. Hear from an eminent business leader about why Future Skilling matter to business leaders and what businesses need to get right.

Ng Tian Chong, CEO, Singtel Singapore

09:30 AM - 10:20 AM SGT

The Future of Skills - Partnering within the Ecosystem

Catapult sits at a critical vantage point, working closely with companies and policymakers to build future skills. What are the key skills of the future? How can companies partner within the ecosystem to develop these skills for future leaders in Asia?

Syed Mohammad Muhafiz, Head of Human Capital Investment, PETRONAS

Dr. James Andrade, Senior Vice President, Learning & Innovation (Catapult), CapitaLand Development Singapore

Sandhya Karpe, PhD, Human Capital Center Leader, Asia and Program Director of Asia Inclusion Council, Asia CHRO Council, The Conference Board

10:20 AM - 10:45 AM SGT

Networking Break

An opportunity to connect with fellow attendees during our networking break to exchange ideas and discuss insights from the sessions.

10:45 AM - 11:20 AM SGT

The Skills Advantage: The Why, What & How of Future Skilling

Explore the critical trends shaping jobs, skills, and AI, and how to effectively evaluate and implement reskilling strategies. Understand the importance of adopting a human-centered, sustainable, and scalable approach to future skilling.

Anish Lalchandani , Global Head of Talent, & Author of The Skills Advantage, A.P Moller-Maersk

11:20 AM - 11:30 AM SGT

Table Talk

Participants will engage in focused discussions using key questions to encourage collaboration and insightful exchanges.

11:30 AM - 12:30 PM SGT

Building an Agile Workforce

Introduction to the skills-based approach to human capital development. How is it different and what benefits does it have? Hear about our latest research in this area. Hear how a leading MNC is putting this concept into practice through structured training, internal mobility, and upskilling.

Andrew Newmark , CHRO – Asia Pacific (excluding Greater China), Marriott International, Inc.

Marion Devine, Principal Researcher, Human Capital, Europe, The Conference Board

Gurpreet Grewal, Senior Fellow, The Conference Board

12:30 PM - 01:30 PM SGT

Lunch & Networking

All participants will have the opportunity to connect with new contacts or reconnect with familiar faces over lunch.

01:30 PM - 03:00 PM SGT

Elective Sessions – Part A

Attendees will be briefed on afternoon elective sessions and how to participate. The elective breakout sessions will cover: A-1: Is your Talent Digitally Fluent? Digital & AI Skill-building A-2: Building An AI-Enabled Organization

Sandhya Karpe, PhD, Human Capital Center Leader, Asia and Program Director of Asia Inclusion Council, Asia CHRO Council, The Conference Board

01:45 PM - 03:00 PM SGT

A-1: Is your Talent Digitally Fluent? Digital & AI Skill-building

Explore FedEx and MTR's journey in building digital capabilities across its workforce. This session will cover the challenges and successes in engaging diverse teams, fostering a tech-friendly culture, and navigating generational differences. Learn how these companies drive excitement, adopt AI initiatives, and shift mindsets to embrace technology.

Bianca Wong, Vice President, Southeast Asia Operations, FedEx Express

Dan Wong, Senior Fellow, The Conference Board

Jane Horan, EdD, Program Director & Senior Fellow, The Conference Board

01:45 PM - 03:00 PM SGT

A-2: Building An AI-Enabled Organization

In today's environment, AI can be an effective tool to enhance competitiveness and productivity. What's involved in building an organization that can leverage the advantages of AI? What skills are needed? And what are the "enabling" conditions?

Gurpreet Grewal, Senior Fellow, The Conference Board

Raunak Bhandari, Regional HR Business Partner Leader, APAC, Google

Ruth Gellert-Neale, Global HR Executive, JLL Technologies

03:00 PM - 04:00 PM SGT

People and Sustainability

ESG frameworks often miss the focus on the P i.e. People. Understand the emerging perspective on People as a critical pillar in ESG. Learn about a three-legged framework and holistic approach to People Sustainability, practical applications and strategies to overcome challenges in implementing sustainable practices within organizations.

Sandhya Karpe, PhD, Human Capital Center Leader, Asia and Program Director of Asia Inclusion Council, Asia CHRO Council, The Conference Board

Sunil Puri, Senior Vice President and Head of Research, Stewardship Asia Centre (SAC)

Shailaja Sharma, Senior Fellow, The Conference Board

03:45 PM - 04:00 PM SGT

Move to Breakouts

04:00 PM - 04:30 PM SGT

Networking Break

An opportunity to connect with fellow attendees during our networking break to exchange ideas and discuss insights from the sessions.

04:30 PM - 05:40 PM SGT

B-2: Building Inclusive Cultures

Inclusive Leadership is a critical future skill and inclusive cultures can enhance your employee brand and attract the best talent. Hear from two leading companies about their innovative approaches to building inclusive cultures.

Jane Horan, EdD, Program Director & Senior Fellow, The Conference Board

Madhavi Shilpadhipathi, Head of Human Resources, MAS Capital and MAS Holdings

Aditi Nair, Managing Director, Head of Human Resources, Asia Pacific & Global Human Resources Business Partner, Sustainable Finance, Barclays

04:30 PM - 05:40 PM SGT

Elective Sessions – Part B

Attendees will be briefed on afternoon elective sessions and how to participate. The elective breakout sessions will cover: B-1: The Hard Work of Building Soft Skills B-2: Building Inclusive Cultures

04:30 PM - 05:40 PM SGT

B-1: The Hard Work of Building Soft Skills

The World Economic Forum highlights that “soft skills” will be most critical for future business competitiveness. And yet, soft skills are the hardest to get right. What can companies do to accelerate the development of future skills and how is this being done in practice?

Shoba Purushothaman, Co-founder, Hardskills

Dr. Jennifer Pei-Ling Tan, MD, Head of Digital HR and People Operations, Group Human Resources, OCBC

Cynthia Tan, Senior Fellow, The Conference Board

05:15 PM - 05:30 PM SGT

Table Talk: How Did Today Matter for You?

Participants will engage in focused discussions and insightful exchanges.

05:40 PM - 05:50 PM SGT

So What & What Next?

Guiding questions will be shared with participants for this session.

Sandhya Karpe, PhD, Human Capital Center Leader, Asia and Program Director of Asia Inclusion Council, Asia CHRO Council, The Conference Board

05:50 PM - 06:00 PM SGT

Future Agendas & Closing Remarks

The closing remarks will recap key insights and takeaways from the day’s discussions, reinforcing the importance of future skills in driving business growth.

Sam Charlton, Former Managing Director, Asia, The Conference Board

06:00 PM - 07:30 PM SGT

Networking & Refreshments Break

This session offers attendees a valuable opportunity to engage with peers, exchange insights, and build meaningful connections in an informal setting.